bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Credit Absorption Capacity of Businesses in the Construction Sector of the Czech Republic—Analysis Based on the Difference in Values of EVA Entity and EVA Equity
Authors: Horak Jakub , Suler Petr , Kollmann Jaroslav , Marecek Jan
Published: November 2020

The contribution deals with the economic value added and its influence on credit absorption capacity. The aim was to determine the significance of the difference between the economic value added (EVA) entity and EVA equity indicators on credit absorption by the construction sector in the Czech Republic. The data came from the Albertina database of Bisnode Czech Republic for the period 2012–2018; small and medium-sized enterprises, in particular, were selected. The most important factor for calculating the amount of credit absorption depends on the EVA entity indicator and the weighted average cost of capital. The calculations produced negative values for credit absorption, which reflects an unattractive investment climate for business owners and their creditors. In other words, loans sought by enterprises in the Czech construction sector do not lead to a greater degree of realization of their goals, i.e., an increase in value for shareholders.
Can Sustainable Consumption Trigger Political Activism? An Empirical Investigation of the Crowding-in Hypothesis
Authors: Vandermoere Frédéric , Geerts Robbe , Vanderstraeten Raf
Published: November 2020

In this article, we address the question whether political activism can be triggered by sustainable consumption. Specific attention is given to the crowding-out and crowding-in hypotheses. The first hypothesis is driven by a conflict view as it assumes that sustainable consumerism displaces the willingness to act collectively. In contrast, the latter hypothesis—crowding-in—frames conscious consumption as a potential political act whereby individual sustainable consumption may trigger political acts such as signing a petition, demonstrating, and voting. To address this issue, German survey data were analyzed (n = 936). Our analysis appears to confirm the crowding-in hypothesis. However, the results of multiple logistic regression analyses also show that the relation between sustainable consumption and political activism depends on the type of political action. Particularly, sustainable consumption does not relate to traditional political actions such as voting, but it does relate positively to less conventional (e.g., attending a demonstration) and online forms of political engagement (e.g., social media activism). Our findings also indicate that the positive association between sustainable consumption and less conventional politics may be moderated by educational attainment, suggesting that it is weakest among less educated groups. The paper ends with the empirical and theoretical conclusions that can be drawn from this study, and indicates some directions for future research.
Improving ‘Lipid Productivity’ in Microalgae by Bilateral Enhancement of Biomass and Lipid Contents: A Review
Authors: Shokravi Zahra , Shokravi Hoofar , Chyuan Ong Hwai , Lau Woei Jye , Koloor Seyed Saeid Rahimian , Petrů Michal , Ismail Ahmad Fauzi
Published: November 2020

Microalgae have received widespread interest owing to their potential in biofuel production. However, economical microalgal biomass production is conditioned by enhancing the lipid accumulation without decreasing growth rate or by increasing both simultaneously. While extensive investigation has been performed on promoting the economic feasibility of microalgal-based biofuel production that aims to increase the productivity of microalgae species, only a handful of them deal with increasing lipid productivity (based on lipid contents and growth rate) in the feedstock production process. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the recent advances and novel approaches in promoting lipid productivity (depends on biomass and lipid contents) in feedstock production from strain selection to after-harvesting stages. The current study comprises two parts. In the first part, bilateral improving biomass/lipid production will be investigated in upstream measures, including strain selection, genetic engineering, and cultivation stages. In the second part, the enhancement of lipid productivity will be discussed in the downstream measure included in the harvesting and after-harvesting stages. An integrated approach involving the strategies for increasing lipid productivity in up- and down-stream measures can be a breakthrough approach that would promote the commercialization of market-driven microalgae-derived biofuel production.
Technology Fusion Characteristics in the Solar Photovoltaic Industry of South Korea: A Patent Network Analysis Using IPC Co-Occurrence
Authors: Son Sungho , Cho Nam-Wook
Published: November 2020

This study analyzes the technology fusion phenomena and its characteristics, focusing on the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry in South Korea. Co-occurrence networks of international patent classification (IPC) codes have been analyzed based on the photovoltaic patents in South Korea during a 15-year period (2002–2016). The results reveal that, while the strength of technology fusion has greatly increased during the period, the structural pattern of fusion has been diversified or decentralized. In the early stage, widespread emergence of new technologies has been observed but, in the later stage, the focus of fusion shifted to the utilization of existing technologies. The characteristics of key technologies also changed as the technology fusion progressed. In the early stage, product technologies such as materials and components played a central role, while operation technologies such as monitor, structure, and arrangement were the drivers of fusion during the later stage.
Automatic Space Analysis Using Laser Scanning and a 3D Grid: Applications to Industrial Plant Facilities
Authors: Kim Donghyun , Kwon Soonwook , Cho Chung-Suk , García de Soto Borja , Moon Daeyoon
Published: November 2020

While industrial plant projects are becoming bigger, and global attention to the plant as a construct is increasing, space arrangement in plant projects is inefficient because of the complex structure of required facilities (e.g., complex MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) installations, specialized tools, etc.,). Furthermore, problems during installation, operation, and maintenance stages caused by inconsistencies between floor plans and actual layout are on the rise. Although some of these conflicts can be addressed through clash detection using BIM (building information modeling), quality BIM models are scarce, especially for existing industrial plants. This study proposes a way to address the complexities caused by changes during plant construction and securing space for the installation of equipment during the construction and lifecycle of built facilities. 3D cloud point data of space and equipment were collected using 3D laser scanning to conduct space matching. In processing the space matching, data were simplified by applying the 3D grid and by comparing the data, easier identification of the space for target equipment was accomplished. This study also proposed a pre-processing method based on sub-sampling that optimizes the point cloud data and verifies the processing speed and accuracy. Lastly, it finds free space for various equipment layouts required in industrial plant projects by space analysis, proposed algorithms, and processes for obtaining the coordinates of valid space for equipment arrangement. The proposed method of this study is expected to help solve the problems derived from arrangement and installation of new equipment in a complex plant site.
Trust in Courier Services and Its Antecedents as a Determinant of Perceived Service Quality and Future Intention to Use Courier Service
Authors: Ejdys Joanna , Gulc Aleksandra
Published: November 2020

Service quality perceived by clients should be a crucial element in the process of co-creating sustainable services. This article aimed to examine relationships between five constructs: the usefulness of courier services, the ease of use of courier services, the trust in courier services, the service quality, and the future intention to use courier services. This research focuses on courier services. An electronic questionnaire was used to conduct confidential interviews. It was distributed between January and March 2019. The number of questionnaires returned by courier service customers amounted to 1073. The authors used generalized least squares (GLS) of structural equation modelling (GLS-SEM) to verify the hypotheses. The obtained results confirmed statistically significant relationships between the variables of the ease of use and the trust in service, the usefulness and the trust in service, the trust in service and the service quality and finally, the service quality and the future intention to use the services. The obtained results confirmed an important role of technological aspects in courier service quality, which will become the main determinant of the development of this sector in the future. The authors proposed a new approach to the definition of trust in service. Apart from the interpersonal trust, they shed more light on the trust in the supplier, i.e., the trust in the used technologies.
Implementation of a Decision Support System for Sewage Sludge Management
Authors: Palma-Heredia David , Poch Manel , Cugueró-Escofet Miquel À.
Published: November 2020

In this work, a decision support system (DSS) coupled with wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) simulator tool that uses a hierarchical set of key performance indicators (KPIs) to provide an assessment of the performance of WWTP systems is presented. An assessment of different Scenarios in a real WWTP case study, each consisting of a different set of sludge line technologies and derived combinations, was successfully conducted with the developed DSS–WWTP simulator, based on Scenario simulation and hierarchical KPI analysis. The test carried out on the selected WWTP showed that although thermal valorisation and thermal hydrolysis showed similar (the best) economic viability, the latter showed additional benefits, including synergies related to improving the thermal balance of the overall WWTP even when considering other technologies. On the other hand, biogas-upgrading technologies allowed reduction of emissions, but with higher costs and thermal demands. The usage of this tool may allow the development of proposals for technological priorities as a pathway to the transition to circular economy based on the management criteria of the correspondent sanitation system.
The Impact of Top Management’s Support on the Collaboration of Green Supply Chain Participants and Environmental Performance
Authors: Lee Jungeun , Joo Hye-Young
Published: November 2020

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the support of top management significantly improves the level of environmental collaboration with participating companies upstream and downstream of the green supply chain and the impact on environmental performance. The results of the empirical analysis of 301 companies that are establishing a green supply chain are as follows. First, top management’s support positively affects the level of collaboration with suppliers and customers in the green supply chain. Secondly, support from top management has a direct impact on the company’s environmental performance. Thirdly, the environmental collaboration of participating companies partially plays a mediation role between the support of top management and the environmental performance. This study has significance in that it analyzes the theoretical mechanism of top management’s support for environmental collaboration with participating companies, leading to environmental performance, and draws implications.
The Right to Education and ICT during COVID-19: An International Perspective
Authors: Lorente Luis Miguel Lázaro , Arrabal Ana Ancheta , Pulido-Montes Cristina
Published: November 2020

There is a lack of concluding evidence among epidemiologists and public health specialists about how school closures reduce the spread of COVID-19. Herein, we attend to the generalization of this action throughout the world, specifically in its quest to reduce mortality and avoid infections. Considering the impact on the right to education from a global perspective, this article discusses how COVID-19 has exacerbated inequalities and pre-existing problems in education systems around the world. Therefore, the institutional responses to guaranteeing remote continuity of the teaching–learning process during this educational crisis was compared regionally through international databases. Three categories of analysis were established: infrastructure and equipment, both basic and computer-based, as well as internet access of schools; preparation and means of teachers to develop distance learning; and implemented measures and resources to continue educational processes. The results showed an uneven capacity in terms of response and preparation to face the learning losses derived from school closure, both in low-income regions and within middle- and high-income countries. We concluded that it is essential to articulate inclusive educational policies that support strengthening the government response capacity, especially in low-income countries, to address the sustainability of education.
An LSTM Based Generative Adversarial Architecture for Robotic Calligraphy Learning System
Authors: Chao Fei , Lin Gan , Zheng Ling , Chang Xiang , Lin Chih-Min , Yang Longzhi , Shang Changjing
Published: November 2020

Robotic calligraphy is a very challenging task for the robotic manipulators, which can sustain industrial manufacturing. The active mechanism of writing robots require a large sized training set including sequence information of the writing trajectory. However, manual labelling work on those training data may cause the time wasting for researchers. This paper proposes a machine calligraphy learning system using a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network and a generative adversarial network (GAN), which enables the robots to learn and generate the sequences of Chinese character stroke (i.e., writing trajectory). In order to reduce the size of the training set, a generative adversarial architecture combining an LSTM network and a discrimination network is established for a robotic manipulator to learn the Chinese calligraphy regarding its strokes. In particular, this learning system converts Chinese character stroke image into the trajectory sequences in the absence of the stroke trajectory writing sequence information. Due to its powerful learning ability in handling motion sequences, the LSTM network is used to explore the trajectory point writing sequences. Each generation process of the generative adversarial architecture contains a number of loops of LSTM. In each loop, the robot continues to write by following a new trajectory point, which is generated by LSTM according to the previously written strokes. The written stroke in an image format is taken as input to the next loop of the LSTM network until the complete stroke is finally written. Then, the final output of the LSTM network is evaluated by the discriminative network. In addition, a policy gradient algorithm based on reinforcement learning is employed to aid the robot to find the best policy. The experimental results show that the proposed learning system can effectively produce a variety of high-quality Chinese stroke writing.
Influence of the Socio-Cultural Environment and External Factors in Following Plant-Based Diets
Authors: Fresán Ujué , Errendal Sofie , Craig Winston J.
Published: November 2020

A general transition to plant-based diets is recommended for improved human and planetary health. The information about why people opt for plant-based diets can be used to profile future health promotion initiatives. We studied the reasons that encouraged the adoption and maintenance of plant-based diets and the influence of the socio-cultural environment and other external factors. Through the use of a specifically designed questionnaire, we evaluated two different populations. Interpreting data from 229 participants, we observed the relevance of adapting strategies to motivate people to embrace plant-based diets according to their socio-cultural environment. External factors facilitating access to plant-based products appeared to be essential in both populations.
Mayors, Using Cultural Expenditure in An Opportunistic Way Improves the Chances of Re-Election, but Do Not Do It: Revisiting Political Budget Cycles
Authors: Sanjuán Jordi , Rausell Pau , Coll Vicente , Abeledo Raül
Published: November 2020

This article analyzes whether expenditure on the provision of merit goods, culture, health, education, and sports, by local governments, in medium-sized cities (between 20,000 and 100,000 inhabitants) is tied to the electoral cycle; that is, whether expenditure increases in the run up to an electoral process. Further, we analyze whether the increase in spending on Culture by local governments has any significant effect on the probability of local governments being re-elected. To answer these questions, a database of 350 medium-sized municipalities is used comprising the period 2011 to 2019, when two municipal elections were held in Spain; in 2015 and in 2019. The results confirm that both total spending and spending on culture and sports, are tied to the electoral cycle, while expenditure on other merit goods is not. Moreover, using a logit model, it is confirmed that an increase in culture expenditure has a significant effect on the probability of the government being re-elected. Specifically, a one-third increase in cultural expenditure, as a proportion of total expenditure (e.g., passing from 6% to 8%) at local government level, improves re-election chances by almost 10%.
Crowd Simulation with Arrival Time Constraints
Authors: Sung Mankyu , Kim SeongKi
Published: November 2020

Finding collision-free paths for crowd simulation has been a core technique in video games and the film industry; it has drawn a great deal of attention from computer animation researchers for several decades. Additionally, theoretical modeling of pedestrian has been a hot topic in physics as well because it allows us to predict any architectural failure of buildings and many city planning problems. However, the existing studies for path planning cannot guarantee the arrival order, which is critical in many cases, such as arrival symmetry of the characters within video games or films. To resolve this issue, a path planning algorithm has been developed with a novel method for satisfying the arrival-order constraints. The time constraint we suggest is the temporal duration for each character, specifying the order in which they arrive at their target positions. In addition to the algorithm that guarantees the arrival order of objects, a new user interface is suggested for setting up the arrival order. Through several experiments, the proposed algorithm was verified, and can successfully find collision-free paths, while satisfying the time constraint set by the new user interface. Given the available literature, the suggested algorithm and the interface are the first that support arrival order, and their usability is proven by user studies.
Detecting Shilling Attacks Using Hybrid Deep Learning Models
Authors: Ebrahimian Mahsa , Kashef Rasha
Published: November 2020

Recommendation systems play a significant role in alleviating information overload in the digital world. They provide suggestions to users based on past symmetric activities or behaviors. Being heavily dependent on users’ behavior, they tend to be vulnerable to shilling attacks. Therefore, protecting them from attacks’ effects is highly important. As shilling attacks have features of a large number of ratings and increasing complexity in attack models, deep learning methods become proper alternatives for more accurate attack detections. This paper proposes a hybrid model of two different neural networks, convolutional and recurrent neural networks, to detect shilling attacks efficiently. The proposed deep learning model utilizes the transformed network architecture for undertaking the attributes derived from user-rated profiles. This architecture enables modeling of the temporal and spatial information in the recommendation system’s ratings. The hybrid model overcomes the limitations of the existing shilling attack deep-learning methods to enhance the recommendation systems’ efficiency and robustness. Experimental results show that the hybrid model results in better predictions on the Movie-Lens 100 K and Netflix datasets by accurately detecting most of the obfuscated attacks compared to the state-of-art deep learning algorithms used for investigation.
Evolution of EC8 Seismic Design Rules for X Concentric Bracings
Authors: Campiche Alessia , Costanzo Silvia
Published: November 2020

Eurocodes are currently under revision within a six-year program by CEN/TC 250. In this framework, concentric bracings, particularly in cross configuration, have been largely debated; indeed, several criticisms affect the seismic design procedure currently codified within Eurocode 8, entailing significant design efforts and leading to massive and non-economical structural systems, even characterized by poor seismic behavior. The efforts of SC8 have been aimed at improving the codified seismic design criteria for concentrically braced frames, by providing requirements and detailing rules conceived to simplify the design process and to improve the seismic performance. The current paper provides recent advances in the field of computational and structural engineering focusing on symmetric X concentrically bracings in seismic area, outlining the evolution of Eurocode 8 (EC8) seismic design rules, by examining the following aspects: (i) ductility class and behavior factor, (ii) analysis and modelling aspects, (iii) design of dissipative members; (iv) design of non-dissipative zones; (v) brace-to-frame connections.
Parallel Raster Scan for Euclidean Distance Transform
Authors: Elizondo-Leal Juan Carlos , Ramirez-Torres José Gabriel , Barrón-Zambrano Jose Hugo , Diaz-Manríquez Alan , Nuño-Maganda Marco Aurelio , Saldivar-Alonso Vicente Paul
Published: November 2020

Distance transform (DT) and Voronoi diagrams (VDs) have found many applications in image analysis. Euclidean distance transform (EDT) can generate forms that do not vary with the rotation, because it is radially symmetrical, which is a desirable characteristic in distance transform applications. Recently, parallel architectures have been very accessible and, particularly, GPU-based architectures are very promising due to their high performance, low power consumption and affordable prices. In this paper, a new parallel algorithm is proposed for the computation of a Euclidean distance map and Voronoi diagram of a binary image that mixes CUDA multi-thread parallel image processing with a raster propagation of distance information over small fragments of the image. The basic idea is to exploit the throughput and the latency in each level of memory in the NVIDIA GPU; the image is set in the global memory, and can be accessed via texture memory, and we divide the problem into blocks of threads. For each block we copy a portion of the image and each thread applies a raster scan-based algorithm to a tile of m×m pixels. Experiment results exhibit that our proposed GPU algorithm can improve the efficiency of the Euclidean distance transform in most cases, obtaining speedup factors that even reach 3.193.
Sialorrhea in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Isaacson Jonathan , Patel Sanskruti , Torres-Yaghi Yasar , Pagán Fernando
Published: November 2020

Sialorrhea, or excessive saliva beyond the margin of the lip, is a common problem in many neurological diseases. Previously, sialorrhea has been underrecognized in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. Despite this, many patients rank sialorrhea as one of the most debilitating complaints of Parkinson’s disease. Previous treatment for sialorrhea has been suboptimal and has been plagued by significant side effects that are bothersome and can be dangerous in patients with a concurrent neurodegenerative disease. This review sought to review the anatomy, function, and etiology of sialorrhea in PD. It then sought to examine the evidence for the different treatments of sialorrhea in PD, and further examined newer evidence for safety and efficacy in minimally invasive treatment such as botulinum toxin.
A Review of Nephrotoxicity of Microcystins
Authors: Xu Shuaishuai , Yi Xiping , Liu Wenya , Zhang Chengcheng , Massey Isaac Yaw , Yang Fei , Tian Li
Published: November 2020

Cyanobacterial blooms triggered by eutrophication and climate change have become a global public health issue. The toxic metabolites microcystins (MCs) generated by cyanobacteria can accumulate in food chain and contaminate water, thus posing a potential threat to human and animals health. Studies have suggested that aside liver, the kidney may be another target organ of MCs intoxication. Therefore, this review provides various evidences on the nephrotoxicity of MCs. The review concludes that nephrotoxicity of MCs may be related to inhibition of protein phosphatases and excessive production of reactive oxygen species, cytoskeleton disruption, endoplasmic reticulum stress, DNA damage and cell apoptosis. To protect human from MCs toxic consequences, this paper also puts forward some directions for further research.
Surface Urban Heat Island in Middle City: Spatial and Temporal Characteristics
Authors: Alves Elis , Anjos Max , Galvani Emerson
Published: November 2020

Currently, cities have aroused the interest of researchers due the local climate change caused by the surface urban heat island (SUHI) effect. The impact of anthropogenic land use and cover changes has led to more frequent intense SUHI, with direct consequences on urban quality of life. Therefore, this research aims at analyzing the influences of natural and anthropogenic variables on the seasonality and spatial SUHI intensity in a Brazilian city, using remote sensing data and analysis of several physical parameters. Results show that the city of São Carlos has an SUHI mosaic and surface urban freshness island (SUFI). On average, 86% of the urban area presented a SUHI, whilst most SUFIs are located near watercourses, parks, slopes and valley bottoms, revealing the effects of green areas and relief on creation of microclimates. The SUHI showed significant seasonal variability.
Policies for Autonomy: How American Cities Envision Regulating Automated Vehicles
Authors: Freemark Yonah , Hudson Anne , Zhao Jinhua
Published: November 2020

Local governments play an important role in structuring urban transportation through street design, zoning, and shared jurisdiction over ride-hailing, transit, and road pricing. While cities can harness these powers to steer planning outcomes, there is little research about what local officials think about regulatory changes related to autonomous vehicles (AV). We compile key AV-related policies recommended by scholars but rarely implemented, and conduct a survey of municipal officials throughout the United States, exploring their personal support and perceptions of bureaucratic capacity, legal limits, and political backing for each policy. This paper finds broad personal support for regulations related to right-of-way, equity, and land use, such as for increasing pedestrian space, expanding access for low-income people, and reducing sprawl. However, officials emphasized uncertain bureaucratic and legal capacity for city intervention outside of these areas, reaffirming limited local power in the federal system. Only a minority expected political support for any policy. Greater population size and more liberal resident political ideologies are strongly associated with personal and political support for many policies. Local population growth is correlated with greater capacity to undertake policies. This work contributes to the growing literature on transportation governance in the context of technological uncertainty.
TBEV Subtyping in Terms of Genetic Distance
Authors: Deviatkin Andrei A. , Karganova Galina G. , Vakulenko Yulia A. , Lukashev Alexander N.
Published: November 2020

Currently, the lowest formal taxon in virus classification is species; however, unofficial lower-level units are commonly used in everyday work. Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a species of mammalian tick-borne flaviviruses that may cause encephalitis. Many known representatives of TBEV are grouped into subtypes, mostly according to their phylogenetic relationship. However, the emergence of novel sequences could dissolve this phylogenetic grouping; in the absence of strict quantitative criterion, it may be hard to define the borders of the first TBEV taxonomic unit below the species level. In this study, the nucleotide/amino-acid space of all known TBEV sequences was analyzed. Amino-acid sequence p-distances could not reliably distinguish TBEV subtypes. Viruses that differed by less than 10% of nucleotides in the polyprotein-coding gene belonged to the same subtype. At the same time, more divergent viruses were representatives of different subtypes. According to this distance criterion, TBEV species may be divided into seven subtypes: TBEV-Eur, TBEV-Sib, TBEV-FE, TBEV-2871 (TBEV-Ob), TBEV-Him, TBEV-178-79 (TBEV-Bkl-1), and TBEV-886-84 (TBEV-Bkl-2).
HCV Genetic Diversity Can Be Used to Infer Infection Recency and Time since Infection
Authors: Carlisle Louisa A. , Turk Teja , Metzner Karin J. , Mbunkah Herbert A. , Shah Cyril , Böni Jürg , Huber Michael , Braun Dominique L. , Fehr Jan , Salazar-Vizcaya Luisa , Rauch Andri , Yerly Sabine , Nguyen Aude , Cavassini Matthias , Stoeckle Marcel , Vernazza Pietro , Bernasconi Enos , Günthard Huldrych F. , Kouyos Roger D.
Published: November 2020

HIV-1 genetic diversity can be used to infer time since infection (TSI) and infection recency. We adapted this approach for HCV and identified genomic regions with informative diversity. We included 72 HCV/HIV-1 coinfected participants of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study, for whom reliable estimates of infection date and viral sequences were available. Average pairwise diversity (APD) was calculated over each codon position for the entire open reading frame of HCV. Utilizing cross validation, we evaluated the correlation of APD with TSI, and its ability to infer TSI via a linear model. We additionally studied the ability of diversity to classify infections as recent (infected for <1 year) or chronic, using receiver-operator-characteristic area under the curve (ROC-AUC) in 50 patients whose infection could be unambiguously classified as either recent or chronic. Measuring HCV diversity over third or all codon positions gave similar performances, and notable improvement over first or second codon positions. APD calculated over the entire genome enabled classification of infection recency (ROC-AUC = 0.76). Additionally, APD correlated with TSI (R2 = 0.33) and could predict TSI (mean absolute error = 1.67 years). Restricting the region over which APD was calculated to E2-NS2 further improved accuracy (ROC-AUC = 0.85, R2 = 0.54, mean absolute error = 1.38 years). Genetic diversity in HCV correlates with TSI and is a proxy for infection recency and TSI, even several years post-infection.
Curcumin as an Antiviral Agent
Authors: Jennings Morgan R. , Parks Robin J.
Published: November 2020

Curcumin, the primary curcuminoid compound found in turmeric spice, has shown broad activity as an antimicrobial agent, limiting the replication of many different fungi, bacteria and viruses. In this review, we summarize recent studies supporting the development of curcumin and its derivatives as broad-spectrum antiviral agents.
Introduction to Special Issue “The 11th International Retroviral Nucleocapsid and Assembly Symposium”
Authors: Williams Mark C. , Ono Akira
Published: November 2020

The 11th International Retroviral Nucleocapsid and Assembly Symposium was held August 15–17, 2019, on the campus of Northeastern University [...]
A Mutated PB1 Residue 319 Synergizes with the PB2 N265S Mutation of the Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine to Convey Temperature Sensitivity
Authors: Cox Andrew , Schmierer Jordana , D’Angelo Josephine , Smith Andrew , Levenson Dustyn , Treanor John , Kim Baek , Dewhurst Stephen
Published: November 2020

Current influenza vaccines have modest efficacy. This is especially true for current live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIV), which have been inferior to the inactivated versions in recent years. Therefore, a new generation of live vaccines may be needed. We previously showed that a mutation at PB1 residue 319 confers enhanced temperature sensitivity and attenuation in an LAIV constructed in the genetic background of the mouse-adapted Influenza A Virus (IAV) strain A/PR/8/34 (PR8). Here, we describe the origin/discovery of this unique mutation and demonstrate that, when combined with the PB2 N265S mutation of LAIV, it conveys an even greater level of temperature sensitivity and attenuation on PR8 than the complete set of attenuating mutations from LAIV. Furthermore, we show that the combined PB1 L319Q and PB2 N265S mutations confer temperature sensitivity on IAV polymerase activity in two different genetic backgrounds, PR8 and A/Cal/04/09. Collectively, these findings show that the PB2 LAIV mutation synergizes with a mutation in PB1 and may have potential utility for improving LAIVs.
Two Distinct Modes of Lysis Regulation in Campylobacter Fletchervirus and Firehammervirus Phages
Authors: Zampara Athina , Ahern Stephen J. , Briers Yves , Brøndsted Lone , Sørensen Martine Camilla Holst
Published: November 2020

Campylobacter phages are divided into two genera; Fletchervirus and Firehammervirus, showing only limited intergenus homology. Here, we aim to identify the lytic genes of both genera using two representative phages (F352 and F379) from our collection. We performed a detailed in silico analysis searching for conserved protein domains and found that the predicted lytic genes are not organized into lysis cassettes but are conserved within each genus. To verify the function of selected lytic genes, the proteins were expressed in E. coli, followed by lytic assays. Our results show that Fletchervirus phages encode a typical signal peptide (SP) endolysin dependent on the Sec-pathway for translocation and a holin for activation. In contrast, Firehammervirus phages encode a novel endolysin that does not belong to currently described endolysin groups. This endolysin also uses the Sec-pathway for translocation but induces lysis of E. coli after overexpression. Interestingly, co-expression of this endolysin with an overlapping gene delayed and limited cell lysis, suggesting that this gene functions as a lysis inhibitor. These results indicate that Firehammervirus phages regulate lysis timing by a yet undescribed mechanism. In conclusion, we found that the two Campylobacter phage genera control lysis by two distinct mechanisms.
Cancer Immunotherapy Dosing: A Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Perspective
Authors: Le Louedec Félicien , Leenhardt Fanny , Marin Clémence , Chatelut Étienne , Evrard Alexandre , Ciccolini Joseph
Published: November 2020

Immune check-point inhibitors are drugs that are markedly different from other anticancer drugs because of their indirect mechanisms of antitumoral action and their apparently random effect in terms of efficacy and toxicity. This marked pharmacodynamics variability in patients calls for reconsidering to what extent approved dosing used in clinical practice are optimal or whether they should require efforts for customization in outlier patients. To better understand whether or not dosing could be an actionable item in oncology, in this review, preclinical and clinical development of immune checkpoint inhibitors are described, particularly from the angle of dose finding studies. Other issues in connection with dosing issues are developed, such as the flat dosing alternative, the putative role therapeutic drug monitoring could play, the rise of combinatorial strategies, and pharmaco-economic aspects.
On the Importance of the Sound Emitted by Honey Bee Hives
Authors: Terenzi Alessandro , Cecchi Stefania , Spinsante Susanna
Published: November 2020

Recent years have seen a worsening in the decline of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) colonies. This phenomenon has sparked a great amount of attention regarding the need for intense bee hive monitoring, in order to identify possible causes, and design corresponding countermeasures. Honey bees have a key role in pollination services of both cultivated and spontaneous flora, and the increase in bee mortality could lead to an ecological and economical damage. Despite many smart monitoring systems for honey bees and bee hives, relying on different sensors and measured quantities, have been proposed over the years, the most promising ones are based on sound analysis. Sounds are used by the bees to communicate within the hive, and their analysis can reveal useful information to understand the colony health status and to detect sudden variations, just by using a simple microphone and an acquisition system. The work here presented aims to provide a review of the most interesting approaches proposed over the years for honey bees sound analysis and the type of knowledge about bees that can be extracted from sounds.
Deciphering the Role of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Non-Structural NS4B Protein in Viral Pathogenesis
Authors: Bashir Shahbaz , Kossarev Andrey , Martin Violeta Cascon , Paeshuyse Jan
Published: November 2020

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a (+) ssRNA virus that belongs to the family Flaviviridae. BVDV is a significant animal pathogen causing substantial economic losses to the cattle industry worldwide through respiratory and gastrointestinal infections and abortion or birth of persistently infected calves. While the immunogenic profile of some of the BVDV proteins (i.e., Erns, E2 and NS3) is well established during viral pathogenesis, very little information is available about most of BVDV’s non-structural proteins in this regard. In recent times, the NS4B protein has emerged as an interesting target of diagnostic, vaccination and therapeutic value in viral infections of other members of the family Flaviviridae due to its key scaffold-like contribution in the viral replication complex. Although, BVDV-NS4B has a membrane topology alongside its role in induction of autophagosomes in vitro. However, information on its immunogenicity during BVDV pathogenesis and vaccination is scarce. To characterize the immunogenic profile of the NS4B, five cows were vaccinated with the live attenuated BVDV vaccine Bovela® and blood samples were taken pre- and post-immunization for serum isolation. Virus neutralization assay (VNA) confirmed the presence of anti-BVDV antibodies in the sera of vaccinated cows. VNA also revealed pre-existing antibodies against BVDV in the pre-immunization sera of two cows. To identify BVDV-NS4B specific antibodies, the NS4B protein was expressed in mammalian cells by using the pCI-neo vector system. The sera from BVDV vaccinated cows were evaluated for the presence of BVDV-NS4B specific antibodies through western blot and indirect ELISA. Interestingly, t sera from cows with pre-existing immunity against BVDV were able to detect NS4B in western blot and ELISA, suggesting the presence of NS4B-specific antibodies. The obtained results provide the first indication of the immunogenic nature of BVDV-NS4B protein in sero-converted animals. These findings are consistent with the observation made for NS4B in other Flaviviridae members and confirm this protein as an interesting target with diagnostic, vaccination and therapeutic value.
Structural Characterization of Dissolved Organic Matter in Permafrost Peatland Lakes
Authors: Folhas Diogo , Duarte Armando C. , Pilote Martin , Vincent Warwick F. , Freitas Pedro , Vieira Gonçalo , Silva Artur M. S. , Duarte Regina M. B. O. , Canário João
Published: November 2020

Thermokarst lakes result from the thawing of ice-rich permafrost and are widespread across northern landscapes. These waters are strong emitters of methane, especially in permafrost peatland regions, where they are stained black by high concentrations of dissolved organic matter (DOM). In the present study, we aimed to structurally characterize the DOM from a set of peatland thermokarst lakes that are known to be intense sites of microbial decomposition and methane emission. Samples were collected at different depths from three thermokarst lakes in the Sasapimakwananisikw (SAS) River valley near the eastern Hudson Bay community of Kuujjuarapik–Whapmagoostui (Nunavik, Canada). Samples were analyzed by spectrofluorometry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), and elemental analysis. Fluorescence analyses indicated considerable amounts of autochthonous DOM in the surface waters of one of SAS 1A, indicating a strong bioavailability of labile DOM, and consequently a greater methanogenic potential. The three lakes differed in their chemical composition and diversity, suggesting various DOM transformations phenomena. The usefulness of complementary analytical approaches to characterize the complex mixture of DOM in permafrost peatland waters cannot be overlooked, representing a first step towards greater comprehension of the organic geochemical properties of these permafrost-derived systems.
Head, Heart, and Hand
Authors: Singletary Jon
Published: November 2020

Across diverse fields of study, we consistently find three dimensions of the human experience that are relevant to understanding selfhood in society and to leadership development; they are discussed in Enneagram language as three centers of intelligence, or human functioning. These centers are thinking, feeling, and doing, referred to here with the symbols head, heart, and hand. The Enneagram is an ancient symbol related to nine distinct personality types organized around these three centers. The Enneagram teaches that seeking to balance the ways in which these centers function within one’s personality can provide a means for wholistic healing and growth and a transformational approach to Christian spirituality for strengthening leadership. The purpose of this paper is to use the Enneagram to understand how thinking (head), feeling (heart), and doing (hand) dimensions of our personality provide a foundation for Christian spiritual formation with relevance for strengthening leadership in the helping professions.
Geographical Variation in the Relationship Between Religiosity and Campus Sexual Assault:
Authors: Jirek Sarah , Truscott Philip
Published: November 2020

In this study, we use the 2014 Pew Religious Landscape Study and Clery Act institution-level data to investigate the relationship between state-level religiosity and campus sexual assault rates in the U.S. We found a strong negative correlation (r = -0.54, p < 0.001) between the reported rates of campus sexual assault and religious service attendance in the 50 U.S. states. Two possible explanations for the correlation, along with their divergent implications, are discussed: differences in reporting and differences in prevalence. In exploratory analyses, we used the 2007-2014 National Crime Victimization Survey to examine regional differences in rape incident victimization and reportage, but we could not rule out the explanation that there are genuine prevalence differences across geographical regions. We argue that, due to the significant policy issues at stake, a campus sexual assault victimization survey that includes state-level geographical data for the entire U.S. is needed.
Using Fowler’s Stages of Faith to Understand the Development of Aspiring Social Workers
Authors: Runnels Ratonia C , Thompkins Albert
Published: November 2020

The integration of religion and spirituality into social work education and practice remains a contentious topic of debate.  For Christian social workers, social work students and educators, integrating theories of faith and faith experiences into the educational process can be beneficial.  To date there has been little evidence on how teaching spirituality and religion content in accredited programs is enhancing practice.  This article presents a conceptual roadmap for instructors and students preparing to enter field practicum.  By aligning Fowler's Stages of Faith with students' anticipatory process, instructors can be better equipped to navigate each stage of development.
The Association between Occupational Categories and Incidence of Cardiovascular Events: A Cohort Study in Iranian Male Population
Authors: Ghahramani Rahil , Kermani-Alghoraishi Mohammad , Roohafza Hamid Reza , Bahrani Saeide , Talaei Mohammad , Dianatkhah Minoo , Sarrafzadegan Nizal , Sadeghi Masoumeh
Published: November 2020

Background: Besides the traditional cardiovascular risk factor, some novel risk factors like occupation and career can play an important role in cardiovascular disease (CVDs) incidence. Objective: To assess the association between occupational categories and their positions with cardiovascular events (CVEs) in an Iranian male population. Methods: We followed 2134 men aged 35–65 years for 14 years during the Isfahan Cohort Study (2001–2015) for CVEs including ischemic heart disease and stroke. Firstly, Occupations were classified into 10 categories of International Standard Classification of Occupation (ISCO). Each category was then classified into one of the 4 pre-specified categories, namely high/low skilled white collars and high/low skilled blue collars. White-collar workers referred to managerial and professional workers in contrast with blue collar workers, whose job requires manual labor. Results: The mean age of studied participants was 46.9 (SD 8.3) years. 286 CVE incidents were recorded; unstable angina had the highest rate (46%); fatal stroke, the lowest (3%). There were no significant difference was observed between white and blue collars in terms of CVE incidence, as well as their high and low skilled subgroups. Hazard ratio analysis indicated a significantly higher risk of CVEs only for low-skilled white-collar workers (crude HR 1.47, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.13); this was not significant after adjustment for confounding variables. Conclusion: There is no association between occupational categories and incidence of cardiovascular events among Iranian male population.
Derecho e internet
Authors: Galindo Fernando
Published: November 2020

Junto con otros profesores iniciamos varias investigaciones interdisciplinares dirigidas a establecer relaciones entre derecho e informática. El tema central de las investigaciones era la comunicación jurídica, y más en concreto, el estudio de las posibilidades de poner a disposición de juristas, por medio de tesauros, el almacenamiento y la recuperación de documentación jurídica, utilizando como instrumento auxiliar las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación. En cuanto internet se hizo real apareció otro tipo de investigación: se consideró cuáles eran los requisitos a satisfacer para garantizar los derechos de las personas a comunicar libremente sus pensamientos en la recuperación o acceso a la información. Estos trabajos fueron los dedicados a gestión de la identificación y firma electrónica. En la actualidad volvemos a la idea de tesauro combinándola con la de firma, intentando poner en práctica el objetivo de construir sistemas que permitan, utilizando internet en la mayor medida posible, a todos los ciudadanos en la sociedad en red, el libre acceso y recuperación de documentación jurídica. Labor que es consecuencia de las virtualidades de internet: es posible realizar trabajos conjuntos, de carácter «colaborativo», entre grupos de investigación dedicados a derecho e informática que permitan dicho amplio y, a la vez, concreto acceso. Este fue el punto de partida para establecer la Red Jurídica para la Sociedad de la Información: LEFIS (Legal Framework for the Information Society), organización fundada por el grupo de investigación