bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nature-Inspired Algorithm Implemented for Stable Radial Basis Function Neural Controller of Electric Drive with Induction Motor
Authors: Kaminski Marcin
Published: December 2020

The main point of this paper was to perform the design process for and verify the properties of an adaptive neural controller implemented for a real nonlinear object—an electric drive with an Induction Motor (IM). The controller was composed as a parallel combination of the classical Proportional-Integral (PI) structure, and the second part was based on Radial Basis Function Neural Networks (RBFNNs) with the on-line recalculation of the weight layer. The algorithm for the adaptive element of the speed controller contained two parts in parallel. The first of them was dedicated for the main path of the neural network calculations. The second realized the equations of the adaptation law. The stability of the control system was provided according to the Lyapunov theorem. However, one of the main issues described in this work is the optimization of the constant part of the analyzed parallel speed controller. For this purpose, the Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO) was applied. A deep analysis of the data processing during the calculations of this technique is shown. The implemented controller, based on the theory of neural networks, is an adaptive system that allows precise motor control. It ensures the precise and dynamic response of the electric drive. The theoretical considerations were firstly verified during the simulations. Then, experimental tests were performed (using a dSPACE1103 card and an induction machine with a rated power of 1.1 kW).
Research on an Enterprise Remanufacturing Strategy Based on Government Intervention
Authors: Cao Jian , Zeng Jiayun , Yan Yuting , Chen Xihui
Published: December 2020

Due to rapid economic development and population growth, environmental pollution problems such as urban pollution and depletion of natural resources have become increasingly prominent. Municipal solid waste is part of these problems. However, waste is actually an improperly placed resource. As a part of green supply chain management, remanufacturing can turn waste products into remanufactured products for resale. Based on the development status of China’s remanufacturing industry, this paper establishes three Stackelberg game models, namely the free recycling model (model N), the government regulation model based on the reward–penalty mechanism (model G), and the government dual-intervention model (model GF). In this study, the standard solution method for the Stackelberg game method, namely the backward induction method, is applied to solve the dynamic game equilibrium. For comparison, a further numerical analysis is also carried. The research results show that: (1) in the closed-loop supply chain based on remanufacturing, the strengthening of cooperation between manufacturers and remanufacturers is beneficial in terms of maximizing supply chain profits; (2) in order to maximize social benefits, the government needs to intervene in green supply chain management; (3) government regulation is particularly important when the remanufacturing industry is in the initial stage of development; (4) government intervention needs to be based on the development level of the remanufacturing industry; (5) in order to maximize social benefits, it is recommended that the government consider the ratio between the green consumption subsidies and the taxes on new products.
Research on Physico-Chemical Properties of Diethyl Ether/Linseed Oil Blends for the Use as Fuel in Diesel Engines
Authors: Górski Krzysztof , Smigins Ruslans , Longwic Rafał
Published: December 2020

Physico-chemical properties of diethyl ether/linseed oil (DEE/LO) fuel blends were empirically tested in this article for the first time. In particular, kinematic viscosity (ν), density (ρ), lower heating value (LHV), cold filter plugging point (CFPP) and surface tension (σ) were examined. For this research diethyl ether (DEE) was blended with linseed oil (LO) in volumetric ratios of 10%, 20% and 30%. Obtained results were compared with literature data of diethyl ether/rapeseed oil (DEE/RO) fuel blends get in previous research in such a way looking on differences also between oil types. It was found that DEE impacts significantly on the reduction of plant oil viscosity, density and surface tension and improve low temperature properties of tested oils. In particular, the addition of 10% DEE to LO effectively reduces its kinematic viscosity by 53% and even by 82% for the blend containing 30% DEE. Tested ether reduces density and surface tension of LO up to 6% and 25% respectively for the blends containing 30% DEE. The measurements of the CFPP showed that DEE significantly improves the low temperature properties of LO. In the case of the blend containing 30% DEE the CFPP can be lowered up to −24 °C. For this reason DEE/LO blends seem to be valuable as a fuel for diesel engines in the coldest season of the year. Moreover, DEE/LO blends have been tested in the engine research. Based on results it can be stated that the engine operated with LO results in worse performance compared with regular diesel fuel (DF). However, it was found that these disadvantages could be reduced with DEE as a component of the fuel mixture. Addition of this ether to LO improves the quality of obtained fuel blends. For this reason, the efficiency of DEE/LO blend combustion process is similar for the engine fuelled with regular diesel fuel. In this research it was confirmed that the smoke opacity reaches the highest value for the engine fuelled with plant oils. However, addition of 20% DEE reduces this emission to the value comparable for the engine operated with diesel fuel.
The Impacts of Energy Consumption, Energy Prices and Energy Import-Dependency on Gross and Sectoral Value-Added in Sri Lanka
Authors: Murshed Muntasir , Mahmood Haider , Alkhateeb Tarek Tawfik Yousef , Bassim Mohga
Published: December 2020

Drifting away from the neoclassical growth conjecture of economic growth being solely dependent on capital and labor inputs, this paper aimed to evaluate the dynamic impacts of energy consumption, energy prices and imported energy-dependency on both gross and sectoral value-added figures of Sri Lanka. The analysis has particularly used the robust econometric methods that can account for structural break issues in the data. The results, in a nutshell, indicated that energy consumption homogeneously contributes to gross, agricultural, industrial and services value-additions in Sri Lanka. However, positive oil price shocks and greater shares of imported energy in the total energy consumption figures are found to dampen the growth figures, especially in the context of the gross, industrial and services value additions. Besides, the joint growth-inhibiting impacts of oil price movements and energy import-dependency are also ascertained. On the other hand, the causality estimates reveal bidirectional causal associations between energy consumption-gross value-added and energy consumption-industrial value-added. In contrast, no causal impact of energy consumption on the agricultural and services value-added is evidenced. Hence, these findings impose key policy implications for constructing crucial energy policy reforms to make sure that the economic growth performances of Sri Lanka are sustained in the future.
Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the Behavior of Automotive Battery Busbars under Varying Mechanical Loads
Authors: Werling Tobias , Sprenger Marvin , Ellersdorfer Christian , Sinz Wolfgang
Published: December 2020

Automotive high-voltage busbars are critical electrical components in electric vehicle battery systems as they connect individual battery modules and form the connection to the vehicle’s powertrain. Therefore, a vehicle crash can pose a significant risk to safety by compromising busbar insulation, leading to electrical short circuits inside the battery. In turn, these can trigger thermal chain reactions in the cell modules of the battery pack. In order to ensure a safe design in future applications of busbars, this study investigated the mechanical behavior of busbars and their insulation. Our results indicated that crashlike compressive and bending loads lead to complex stress states resulting in failure of busbar insulation. To estimate the safety of busbars in the early development process using finite element simulations, suitable material models were evaluated. Failure of the insulation was included in the simulation using an optimized generalized incremental stress state dependent model (GISSMO). It was shown that sophisticated polymer models do not significantly improve the simulation quality. Finally, on the basis of the experimental and numerical results, we outline some putative approaches for increasing the safety of high-voltage busbars in electric vehicles, such as choosing the insulating layer material according to the range of expected mechanical loads.
Experimental Study of Heat Transfer on the Internal Surfaces of a Double-Wall Structure with Pin Fin Array
Authors: Zhang Wei , Zhu Huiren , Li Guangchao
Published: December 2020

The double-wall structure is one of the most effective cooling techniques used in many engineering applications, such as turbine vane/blade, heat exchangers, etc. Heat transfer on the internal surfaces of a double-wall structure was studied at impinging Reynolds numbers ranging from 1 × 104 to 6 × 104 using the transient thermochromic liquid crystal (TLC) technique. The two-dimensional distributions of Nusselt numbers and their averaged values were obtained on the impingement surface, target surface and the pin fin surface. The Nusselt number correlations on the surfaces mentioned above were determined as a function of Reynolds number. The results show that the second peak values of the Nusselt number distribution appear on the target surface at all Reynolds numbers studied in this paper for a short distance of the target surface to impingement surface. This phenomenon becomes significant with the further increase of the Reynolds number. The difference between the Nusselt number at the second peak and the stagnation point decreases with the increasing Reynolds number. The maximal Nusselt number regions on the impingement surface appear at the left and right sides of the pin fins between the two impingement holes. The Nusselt numbers of the pin fin surfaces are highly dependent on their various locations in the double-wall structures. The contributions of the impingement surface, pin fin surface and target surface to the overall heat transfer rate are analyzed. The target surface contributed the largest amount of heat transfer rate with a value of about 62%. The heat transfer contribution is from 18% to 21% for the impingement surface and 16% to 18% for the pin fin surfaces within the studied Reynolds numbers.
Evaluation of the Phytotoxicity of Leachate from a Municipal Solid Waste Landfill: The Case Study of Bukov Landfill
Authors: Šourková Markéta , Adamcová Dana , Zloch Jan , Skutnik Zdzisław , Vaverková Magdalena Daria
Published: December 2020

Municipal solid waste landfilling, landfilling process and landfill reclamation result in leachate, which may be dangerous to the environment. Municipal solid waste leachate phytotoxicity tests were performed using the toxicity test and a subchronic toxicity pot experiment by direct application of leachate to reference soil in 5, 25, and 50% concentration for a period of 28 days. White mustard (Sinapis alba L.) seeds were exposed to different leachate dilution. Leachate were collected monthly in 2018 in the period from April to September. Furthermore, pH, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen were measured. The inhibition results on Sinapis alba L. seeds in the tested leachate samples ranged from −18.02 to 39.03%. Lower concentration of leachate showed a stimulating effect (only for Sample 1 and Sample 2 at 5% concentration). It was found out that leachate taken at the landfill is phytotoxic. The results of measurements are based on rainfall which affects the quantity and quality of the leachate. The values of germinated seeds/growing plants from the subchronic toxicity pot experiment ranged from 80 to 104%; therefore, the leachate is considered phytotoxic. However, it was confirmed that leachate may be used for landfill irrigation.
Implications of Temperate Agroforestry on Sheep and Cattle Productivity, Environmental Impacts and Enterprise Economics. A Systematic Evidence Map
Authors: Jordon Matthew W. , Willis Kathy J. , Harvey William J. , Petrokofsky Leo , Petrokofsky Gillian
Published: December 2020

The environmental impacts of ruminant livestock farming need to be mitigated to improve the sustainability of food production. These negative impacts have been compounded by the increased spatial and cultural separation of farming and forestry across multiple temperate landscapes and contexts over recent centuries, and could at least in part be alleviated by re-integration of livestock and trees via agroforestry systems. Such integration also has the potential to benefit the productivity and economics of livestock farming. However, the delivery of hoped-for benefits is highly likely to depend on context, which will necessitate the consideration of local synergies and trade-offs. Evaluating the extensive body of research on the synergies and trade-offs between agroforestry and environmental, productivity and economic indicators would provide a resource to support context-specific decision making by land managers. Here, we present a systematic evidence map of academic and grey literature to address the question “What are the impacts of temperate agroforestry systems on sheep and cattle productivity, environmental impacts and farm economic viability?”. We followed good practice guidance from the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence to find and select relevant studies to create an interactive systematic map. We identified 289 relevant studies from 22 countries across temperate regions of North and South America, Australasia and Europe. Our preliminary synthesis indicates that there is an emerging evidence base to demonstrate that temperate agroforestry can deliver environmental and economic benefits compared with pasture without trees. However, to date measures of livestock productivity (particularly weather-related mortality and heat- and cold-stress) have received insufficient attention in many temperate agroforestry systems. The evidence base assembled through this work provides a freely accessible resource applicable across temperate regions to support context-specific decision making.
An Analysis Method for Interpretability of CNN Text Classification Model
Authors: Ce Peng , Tie Bao
Published: December 2020

With continuous development of artificial intelligence, text classification has gradually changed from a knowledge-based method to a method based on statistics and machine learning. Among them, it is a very important and efficient way to classify text based on the convolutional neural network (CNN) model. Text data are a kind of sequence data, while time sequentiality of the general text data is relatively weak, so text classification is usually less relevant to the sequential structure of the full text. Therefore, CNN-based text classification has gradually become a research hotspot when dealing with issues of text classification. For machine learning, especially deep learning, model interpretability has increasingly become the focus of academic research and industrial applications, and also become a key issue for further development and application of deep learning technology. Therefore, we recommend using the backtracking analysis method to conduct in-depth research on deep learning models. This paper proposes an analysis method for interpretability of a CNN text classification model. The method proposed by us can perform multi-angle analysis on the discriminant results of multi-classified text and multi-label classification tasks through backtracking analysis on model prediction results. Finally, the analysis results of the model can be displayed using visualization technology from multiple dimensions based on interpretability. The representative data set IMDB (Internet Movie Database) in text classification is verified by examples, and the results show that the model can be effectively analyzed when using our method.
Nutritional, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Toxicological Profile of Two Innovative Types of Vegan, Sugar-Free Chocolate
Authors: Dumbrava Delia , Popescu Liviana Alexandra , Soica Codruța Marinela , Nicolin Alma , Cocan Ileana , Negrea Monica , Alexa Ersilia , Obistioiu Diana , Radulov Isidora , Popescu Sofia , Watz Claudia , Ghiulai Roxana , Mioc Alexandra , Szuhanek Camelia , Sinescu Cosmin , Dehelean Cristina
Published: December 2020

Increased sugar consumption and unhealthy dietary patterns are key drivers of many preventable diseases that result in disability and death worldwide. However, health awareness has increased over the past decades creating a massive on-going demand for new low/non-caloric natural sweeteners that have a high potential and are safer for consumption than artificial ones. The current study aims to investigate the nutritional properties, in vitro toxicological profile, total/individual polyphenols content, and the antioxidant, anti-cariogenic, and antimicrobial activity of two newly obtained vegan and sugar-free chocolate (VHC1 and VHC2). The energy values for the two finished products were very similar, 408.04 kcal/100 g for VHC1 and 404.68 kcal/100 g for VHC2. Both products, VHC1 and VHC2 present strong antioxidant activities, whereas antimicrobial results show an increased activity for VHC1 compared to VHC2, because of a higher phenolic content. In vitro toxicological evaluation revealed that both samples present a safe toxicological profile, while VHC2 increased cellular turnover of dermal cell lines, highlighting its potential use in skin treatments. The current work underlines the potential use of these vegetal mixtures as sugar-free substitutes for conventional products, as nutraceuticals, as well as topic application in skin care due to antimicrobial and antioxidant effects.
Impact of Culinary Procedures on Nutritional and Technological Properties of Reduced-Fat Longanizas Formulated with Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) or Oat (Avena sativa L.) Emulsion Gel
Authors: Pintado Tatiana , Ruiz-Capillas Claudia , Jiménez-Colmenero Francisco , Herrero Ana M.
Published: December 2020

This paper evaluates how grilling, a traditional culinary procedure for fresh meat products, affects the composition and technological properties of healthy longanizas formulated with chia (Salvia hispanica L.) (C-RF) and oat (Avena sativa L.) (O-RF) emulsion gels (EGs) as animal fat replacers. The use of EGs, regardless of whether they contain chia or oat, improved longaniza performance during cooking as they lost less (p < 0.05) water and fat. The composition of cooked sausages was affected by their formulation, particularly those with chia EG (C-RF) which featured the highest polyunsaturated fatty acid content, mainly due to the higher level of α-linolenic fatty acid (1.09 g/100 g of product). Chia and oat EGs in C-RF and O-RF allow longanizas to be labeled with nutritional and health claims under European law. In general, this culinary procedure increases (p < 0.05) the lightness, lipid oxidation and texture parameters of all samples.
Sulfonic Acid-Functionalized SBA-15 as Strong Cation-Exchange Sorbent for Solid-Phase Extraction of Atropine and Scopolamine in Gluten-Free Grains and Flours
Authors: González-Gómez Lorena , Gañán Judith , Morante-Zarcero Sonia , Pérez-Quintanilla Damián , Sierra Isabel
Published: December 2020

A novel method was developed and applied to the determination of the most representative tropane alkaloids (TAs), atropine and scopolamine, in gluten-free (GF) grains and flours by HPLC-MS/MS. Accordingly a suitable sample treatment procedure based on solid-liquid extraction (SLE) and followed by strong cation-exchange solid-phase extraction (SCX-SPE) was optimized. SBA-15 mesostructured silica functionalized with sulfonic acids was evaluated as sorbent. The proposed method was fully validated in sorghum flour showing good accuracy with recoveries in the range of 93–105%, good linearity (R2 > 0.999) and adequate precision (RSD < 20%). Low method quantification limits (MQL) were obtained (1.5 and 2.4 µg/kg for atropine and scopolamine, respectively) and no matrix effect was observed thanks to the extraction and clean-up protocol applied. The method was applied to 15 types of GF samples of pseudocereals (buckwheat, quinoa and amaranth), cereals (teff, corn and blue corn, sorghum and millet) and legumes (red and green lentil, chickpea and pea). Atropine was found above the MQL in eight of them, with values between 7 and 78 µg/kg, while scopolamine was only found in teff flour, its concentration being 28 µg/kg. The method developed is an interesting tool for determining TAs in a variety of samples of GF grains and flours.
What Can Neuromarketing Tell Us about Food Packaging?
Authors: Moya Ingrit , García-Madariaga Jesús , Blasco María-Francisca
Published: December 2020

Packaging is a powerful tool for brands, which can not only catch consumers’ attention but also influence their purchase decisions. The application of neuromarketing techniques to the study of food packaging has recently gained considerable popularity both in academia and practice, but there are still some concerns about the methods and metrics commercially offered and the interpretation of their findings. This represents the motivation of this investigation, whose objective is twofold: (1) to analyze the methodologies and measurements commonly used in neuromarketing commercial research on packaging, and (2) to examine the extent to which the results of food packaging studies applying neuromarketing techniques can be reproduced under similar methodologies. Obtained results shed light on the application of neuromarketing techniques in the evaluation of food packaging and reveal that neuromarketing and declarative methodologies are complementary, and its combination may strengthen the studies’ results. Additionally, this study highlights the importance of having a framework that improves the validity and reliability of neuromarketing studies to eradicate mistrust toward the discipline and provide brands with valuable insights into food packing design.
Mean Field Bias-Aware State Updating via Variational Assimilation of Streamflow into Distributed Hydrologic Models
Authors: Lee Haksu , Shen Haojing , Seo Dong-Jun
Published: December 2020

When there exist catchment-wide biases in the distributed hydrologic model states, state updating based on streamflow assimilation at the catchment outlet tends to over- and under-adjust model states close to and away from the outlet, respectively. This is due to the greater sensitivity of the simulated outlet flow to the model states that are located more closely to the outlet in the hydraulic sense, and the subsequent overcompensation of the states in the more influential grid boxes to make up for the larger scale bias. In this work, we describe Mean Field Bias (MFB)-aware variational (VAR) assimilation, or MVAR, to address the above. MVAR performs bi-scale state updating of the distributed hydrologic model using streamflow observations in which MFB in the model states are first corrected at the catchment scale before the resulting states are adjusted at the grid box scale. We comparatively evaluate MVAR with conventional VAR based on streamflow assimilation into the distributed Sacramento Soil Moisture Accounting model for a headwater catchment. Compared to VAR, MVAR adjusts model states at remote cells by larger margins and reduces the Mean Squared Error of streamflow analysis by 2–8% at the outlet Tiff City, and by 1–10% at the interior location Lanagan.
Nanoporous Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose-g-poly (Sodium Acrylate)/FeCl3 Hydrogel Beads: Synthesis and Characterization
Authors: Kumar Bijender , Priyadarshi Ruchir , Sauraj  , Deeba Farha , Kulshreshtha Anurag , Gaikwad Kirtiraj K. , Kim Jaehwan , Kumar Anuj , Negi Yuvraj Singh
Published: December 2020

Novel sodium carboxymethyl cellulose-g-poly (sodium acrylate)/Ferric chloride (CMC-g-PNaA/FeCl3) nanoporous hydrogel beads were prepared based on the ionic cross-linking between CMC-g-PNaA and FeCl3. The structure of CMC and CMC-g-PNaA were elucidated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and the elemental composition was analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). The physicochemical properties of the CMC-g-PNaA/FeCl3 hydrogel beads were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The swelling percentage of hydrogel beads was studied at different time periods. The obtained CMC-g-PNaA/FeCl3 hydrogel beads exhibited a higher nanoporous morphology than those of CMC-g-PNaA and CMC beads. Furthermore, an AFM image of the CMC-g-PNaA/FeCl3 beads shows granule type topology. Compared to the CMC-g-PNaA (189 °C), CMC-g-PNaA/FeCl3 hydrogel beads exhibited improvement in thermal stability (199 °C). Furthermore, CMC-g-PNaA/FeCl3 hydrogel beads depicted a higher swelling percentage capacity of around 1452%, as compared to CMC-g-PNaA (1096%). Moreover, this strategy with preliminary results could be useful for the development of polysaccharide-based hybrid hydrogel beads for various potential applications.
Alexander Disease Modeling in Zebrafish: An In Vivo System Suitable to Perform Drug Screening
Authors: Candiani Simona , Carestiato Silvia , Mack Andreas F. , Bani Daniele , Bozzo Matteo , Obino Valentina , Ori Michela , Rosamilia Francesca , De Sarlo Miriam , Pestarino Mario , Ceccherini Isabella , Bachetti Tiziana
Published: December 2020

Alexander disease (AxD) is a rare astrogliopathy caused by heterozygous mutations, either inherited or arising de novo, on the glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) gene (17q21). Mutations in the GFAP gene make the protein prone to forming aggregates which, together with heat-shock protein 27 (HSP27), αB-crystallin, ubiquitin, and proteasome, contribute to form Rosenthal fibers causing a toxic effect on the cell. Unfortunately, no pharmacological treatment is available yet, except for symptom reduction therapies, and patients undergo a progressive worsening of the disease. The aim of this study was the production of a zebrafish model for AxD, to have a system suitable for drug screening more complex than cell cultures. To this aim, embryos expressing the human GFAP gene carrying the most severe p.R239C under the control of the zebrafish gfap gene promoter underwent functional validation to assess several features already observed in in vitro and other in vivo models of AxD, such as the localization of mutant GFAP inclusions, the ultrastructural analysis of cells expressing mutant GFAP, the effects of treatments with ceftriaxone, and the heat shock response. Our results confirm that zebrafish is a suitable model both to study the molecular pathogenesis of GFAP mutations and to perform pharmacological screenings, likely useful for the search of therapies for AxD.
Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) for Resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in Common Bean
Authors: Campa Ana , García-Fernández Carmen , Ferreira Juan José
Published: December 2020

White mold (WM) is a devastating fungal disease affecting common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). In this research, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for WM resistance was conducted using 294 lines of the Spanish diversity panel. One single-locus method and six multi-locus methods were used in the GWAS. Response to this fungus showed a continuous distribution, and 28 lines were identified as potential resistance sources, including lines of Andean and Mesoamerican origin, as well as intermediate lines between the two gene pools. Twenty-two significant associations were identified, which were organized into 15 quantitative trait intervals (QTIs) located on chromosomes Pv01, Pv02, Pv03, Pv04, Pv08, and Pv09. Seven of these QTIs were identified for the first time, whereas eight corresponded to chromosome regions previously identified in the WM resistance. In all, 468 genes were annotated in these regions, 61 of which were proposed potential candidate genes for WM resistance, based on their function related to the three main defense stages on the host: recognition (22), signal transduction (8), and defense response (31). Results obtained from this work will contribute to a better understanding of the complex quantitative resistance to WM in common bean and reveal information of significance for future breeding programs.
Transcriptome Analyses Reveal Differential Transcriptional Profiles in Early- and Late-Dividing Porcine Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Embryos
Authors: Liu Zhiguo , Xiang Guangming , Xu Kui , Che Jingjing , Xu Changjiang , Li Kui , Wang Bingyuan , Mu Yulian
Published: December 2020

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is not only a valuable tool for understanding nuclear reprogramming, but it also facilitates the generation of genetically modified animals. However, the development of SCNT embryos has remained an uncontrollable process. It was reported that the SCNT embryos that complete the first cell division sooner are more likely to develop to the blastocyst stage, suggesting their better developmental competence. Therefore, to better understand the underlying molecular mechanisms, RNA-seq of pig SCNT embryos that were early-dividing (24 h postactivation) and late-dividing (36 h postactivation) was performed. Our analysis revealed that early- and late-dividing embryos have distinct RNA profiles, and, in all, 3077 genes were differentially expressed. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses revealed that early-dividing embryos exhibited higher expression in genes that participated in the meiotic cell cycle, while enrichment of RNA processing- and translation-related genes was found in late-dividing embryos. There are also fewer somatic memory genes such as FLRT2, ADAMTS1, and FOXR1, which are abnormally activated or suppressed in early-dividing cloned embryos. These results show that early-dividing SCNT embryos have different transcriptional profiles than late-dividing embryos. Early division of SCNT embryos may be associated with their better reprogramming capacity, and somatic memory genes may act as a reprogramming barrier in pig SCNT reprogramming.
Global Profiling of lncRNAs Expression Responsive to Allopolyploidization in Cucumis
Authors: Wang Panqiao , Yu Xiaqing , Zhu Zaobing , Zhai Yufei , Zhao Qinzheng , Meng Ya , Li Ji , Lou Qunfeng , Chen Jinfeng
Published: December 2020

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical regulatory roles in various biological processes. However, the presence of lncRNAs and how they function in plant polyploidy are still largely unknown. Hence, we examined the profile of lncRNAs in a nascent allotetraploid Cucumis hytivus (S14), its diploid parents, and the F1 hybrid, to reveal the function of lncRNAs in plant-interspecific hybridization and whole genome duplication. Results showed that 2206 lncRNAs evenly transcribed from all 19 chromosomes were identified in C. hytivus, 44.6% of which were from intergenic regions. Based on the expression trend in allopolyploidization, we found that a high proportion of lncRNAs (94.6%) showed up-regulated expression to varying degrees following hybridization. However, few lncRNAs (33, 2.1%) were non-additively expressed after genome duplication, suggesting the significant effect of hybridization on lncRNAs, rather than genome duplication. Furthermore, 253 cis-regulated target genes were predicted for these differentially expressed lncRNAs in S14, which mainly participated in chloroplast biological regulation (e.g., chlorophyll synthesis and light harvesting system). Overall, this study provides new insight into the function of lncRNAs during the processes of hybridization and polyploidization in plant evolution.
Establishment and Preliminary Characterization of Three Astrocytic Cells Lines Obtained from Primary Rat Astrocytes by Sub-Cloning
Authors: Caradonna Fabio , Schiera Gabriella , Di Liegro Carlo Maria , Vitale Vincenzo , Cruciata Ilenia , Ferrara Tiziana , D’Oca Pietro , Mormino Riccardo , Rizzo Simona Maria Angela , Di Liegro Italia
Published: December 2020

Gliomas are complex and heterogeneous tumors that originate from the glial cells of the brain. The malignant cells undergo deep modifications of their metabolism, and acquire the capacity to invade the brain parenchyma and to induce epigenetic modifications in the other brain cell types. In spite of the efforts made to define the pathology at the molecular level, and to set novel approaches to reach the infiltrating cells, gliomas are still fatal. In order to gain a better knowledge of the cellular events that accompany astrocyte transformation, we developed three increasingly transformed astrocyte cell lines, starting from primary rat cortical astrocytes, and analyzed them at the cytogenetic and epigenetic level. In parallel, we also studied the expression of the differentiation-related H1.0 linker histone variant to evaluate its possible modification in relation with transformation. We found that the most modified astrocytes (A-FC6) have epigenetic and chromosomal alterations typical of cancer, and that the other two clones (A-GS1 and A-VV5) have intermediate properties. Surprisingly, the differentiation-specific somatic histone H1.0 steadily increases from the normal astrocytes to the most transformed ones. As a whole, our results suggest that these three cell lines, together with the starting primary cells, constitute a potential model for studying glioma development.
Examining the Relationship between Cellphone Use Behavior, Perceived Exercise Benefit and Physical Exercise Level among University Students in Taiwan
Authors: Lin Mei-Ling , Wang Wen-Yi , Liao Chun-Chin , Luo Yu-Jy , Kao Chun-Chieh
Published: December 2020

This study investigated how perceived exercise benefit affects the relationship between cellphone usage and physical activity level. This cross-sectional study performed a survey of Taiwanese university students selected using cluster sampling. A total of 975 students were recruited (male = 367, female = 608, average age = 20.10 ± 1.42). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and hierarchical regression. The results show that cellphone usage was negatively correlated with physical activity level, whereas perceived exercise benefit was negatively correlated with cellphone usage and positively correlated with physical activity level. In hierarchical regression, the main effects of cellphone usage and perceived exercise benefit explained 22% of the variance in physical activity level. After controlling for the main effect, the interaction term accounted for an additional 1% of the variance. Cellphone usage and perceived exercise benefit thus had significant power to explain physical activity level. The results of this study reveal a novel phenomenon—that students who perceived the benefits of exercise to be greater are more physically active.
Psychological Distress and Somatization in Immigrants in Primary Health Care Practices
Authors: García-Sierra Rosa , Fernández-Cano María Isabel , Manresa-Domínguez Josep María , Feijoo-Cid María , Moreno Gabriel Eduard , Arreciado Marañón Antonia , Ramos-Roure Francesc , Segura-Bernal Jordi , Torán-Monserrat Pere
Published: December 2020

The process of international migration causes a situation of vulnerability in people’s health and greater difficulty in coping with disease. Furthermore, the adversities suffered during migration can trigger reactive signs of stress and cause anxious, depressive, confusional and somatic symptoms. This article studies the relationships between psychosocial risk, psychological distress and somatization in immigrants from four communities: Maghrebis, Sub-Saharans, South Americans and South Asian. A cross-sectional study was carried out with questionnaires on 602 immigrants who were surveyed in the primary care centers of an urban area of Catalonia. The instruments used were the Demographic Psychosocial Inventory (DPSI), the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and the Somatic Symptom Inventory (SSI). The average psychosocial risk obtained was 0.35, with the highest values in the Sub-Saharan community. Psychological distress showed a mean value of 0.66, with the Sub-Saharan community scoring the lowest in all dimensions except depression. The average somatization values were 1.65, with the Sub-Saharan community scoring the least. The female gender is a risk factor for somatization and psychological distress. Perceived psychosocial risk is a predictor of psychological distress, but not somatization, suggesting that the use of more adaptive coping strategies could minimize the effect of the migration process on somatizations.
Transtheoretical Model for Physical Activity in Older Adults: Systematic Review
Authors: Jiménez-Zazo Fabio , Romero-Blanco Cristina , Castro-Lemus Nuria , Dorado-Suárez Alberto , Aznar Susana
Published: December 2020

Healthy aging makes the practice of physical activity (PA) a necessity. However, PA guidelines achievement in older adults is scarce. The use of behavioral theories such as Transtheoretical Model (TTM), helps in older adults PA promotion. The aim of this review was to identify the use of TTM for PA in older adults (>60 years). PubMed, SPORTdiscus, and Medline databases were used to conduct the search. All steps of the process followed the recommendations of the PRISMA flow-diagram. We identified eight studies: Six were descriptive cross-sectional studies, one prospective-cohort study and one with a quasi-experimental design. Only two papers evaluated the four behavior change dimensions within the same study, three evaluated the processes of change and the decisional balance, four evaluated the exercise self-efficacy and all assessed the stages of change for PA behavior. From this review, we can conclude that TTM is a useful and suitable behavior model in creating, developing, and evaluating interventions with the aim of acquiring and improving PA habits in the older adults. However, there is paucity of research in this area, and more studies including the four behavioral change dimensions are needed to analyze the effect of TTM on the promotion of PA in the older adults.
Influence of Burnout and Feelings of Guilt on Depression and Health in Anesthesiologists
Authors: Misiolek-Marín Alejandra , Soto-Rubio Ana , Misiolek Hanna , Gil-Monte Pedro R.
Published: December 2020

Background and objective: The WHO has included burnout as an occupational phenomenon in the ICD-11. According to the WHO, burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. The study aimed to evaluate the influence of feelings of guilt and burnout on health in Polish anesthesiologists. Alcohol and tobacco intake, psychosomatic disorders, and depression were assessed. Methods: The study had a non–randomized cross-sectional character. The sample consisted of 372 Polish anesthesiologists. Burnout was measured by the Spanish burnout inventory. Results: Post hoc analysis for burnout consequences: depression (F(5,366) = 17.51, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.193), psychosomatic disorders (F(5,366) = 13.11, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.152), and tobacco intake (F(5,366) = 6.23, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.078), showed significant differences between burnout with and without the highest levels of feelings of guilt. All the instruments applied were reliable. Conclusions: Depression, psychosomatic disorders, and alcohol and tobacco intake are suspected to be consequences of the highest guilt levels related to burnout, i.e., Profile 2 according to the burnout model of Gil-Monte. Participation in prevention programs is recommended for these cases.
Socio-Demographic Correlates of Cycling to School among 12- to 15-Year Olds in Southern Germany
Authors: Schönbach Dorothea M. I. , Brindley Catherina , Reimers Anne K , Marques Adilson , Demetriou Yolanda
Published: December 2020

Depending on the region and urbanization level, the rate of cycling to school in Germany varies largely. The influence of distance from home to school, educational level, the school’s region, and parents’ socio-demographic characteristics on cycling to secondary school in Germany is unclear. Therefore, this study analyzed students’ and parents’ socio-demographic correlates of cycling to school, including separate analyses by gender, among 12- to 15-year-olds attending different (sub)urban schools in Southern Germany. In 2019, 121 students (girls: 40.5%, boys: 59.5%) aged 13.1 ± 0.9 and 42 parents (mothers: 81%, fathers: 19%) aged 47.8 ± 5.5 participated. Students completed a self-report questionnaire; parents completed a self- and proxy-report questionnaire. In total, between 61.7% and 67.5% of students sometimes cycled to school. Binary logistic regressions revealed that being a girl, increasing age, attending an intermediate educational level combined with a suburban school region (small or medium-sized town), increasing distance from home to school, and having parents who did not cycle to work led to declining odds of cycling to school. Many 12- to 15-year-olds sometimes cycled to school in (sub)urban school regions in Southern Germany. As several socio-demographic characteristics correlated with cycling to school, this should be considered when developing a future school-based bicycle intervention.
Gestational Diabetes in the Arab Gulf Countries: Sitting on a Land-Mine
Authors: Agarwal Mukesh M.
Published: December 2020

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has become a modern-day plague by reaching epidemic levels throughout the world. Due to its similar pathogenesis, gestational diabetes (GDM) increases in parallel to T2DM. The prevalence of T2DM (3.9–18.3%) and GDM (5.1–37.7%) in countries of the Arab Gulf are amongst the highest internationally, and they are still rising precipitously. This review traces the reasons among the Arab nations for (a) the surge of T2DM and GDM and (b) the failure to contain it. During the last five decades, the massive oil wealth in many Arab countries has led to the unhealthy lifestyle changes in physical activity and diet. The excess consumption of calories turned the advantageous genes, originally selected for the famine-like conditions, detrimental: fueling obesity and insulin resistance. Despite genetic differences in these populations, GDM—a marker for future obesity and T2DM—can overcome this scourge of T2DM through active follow-up and screening after delivery. However, the health policies of most Arab countries have fallen short. Neglecting this unique chance will miss an irreplaceable opportunity to turn the tide of the T2DM and obesity epidemic in the Middle Eastern Arab Gulf countries—as well as globally.
Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Plasmodium knowlesi Infection in Peninsular Malaysia, 2011 to 2018
Authors: Phang Wei Kit , Hamid Mohd Hafizi Abdul , Jelip Jenarun , Mudin Rose Nani , Chuang Ting-Wu , Lau Yee Ling , Fong Mun Yik
Published: December 2020

The life-threatening zoonotic malaria cases caused by Plasmodium knowlesi in Malaysia has recently been reported to be the highest among all malaria cases; however, previous studies have mainly focused on the transmission of P. knowlesi in Malaysian Borneo (East Malaysia). This study aimed to describe the transmission patterns of P. knowlesi infection in Peninsular Malaysia (West Malaysia). The spatial distribution of P. knowlesi was mapped across Peninsular Malaysia using Geographic Information System techniques. Local indicators of spatial associations were used to evaluate spatial patterns of P. knowlesi incidence. Seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average models were utilized to analyze the monthly incidence of knowlesi malaria in the hotspot region from 2012 to 2017 and to forecast subsequent incidence in 2018. Spatial analysis revealed that hotspots were clustered in the central-northern region of Peninsular Malaysia. Time series analysis revealed the strong seasonality of transmission from January to March. This study provides fundamental information on the spatial distribution and temporal dynamic of P. knowlesi in Peninsular Malaysia from 2011 to 2018. Current control policy should consider different strategies to prevent the transmission of both human and zoonotic malaria, particularly in the hotspot region, to ensure a successful elimination of malaria in the future.
What Types of Greenspaces Are Associated with Depression in Urban and Rural Older Adults? A Multilevel Cross-Sectional Study from JAGES
Authors: Nishigaki Miho , Hanazato Masamichi , Koga Chie , Kondo Katsunori
Published: December 2020

Depression in older adults is a public health challenge. We aimed to clarify the relationship between depression in older adults and three types of neighborhood greenspaces: trees, grasslands, and fields. We utilized data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) performed in 2016. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was used for non-stratified and stratified analyses for the urban–rural regions. The target population comprised 126,878 older adults (age ≥ 65 years) who responded to the depression questions and were living in 881 neighborhoods in Japan. Depression was diagnosed based on a Geriatric Depression Scale score ≥5, and 20.4% of the study population had depression. In the pre-stratification analysis, areas with more greenspaces revealed lower odds of depression (odds ratio (OR) 0.95, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.85–0.95). In urban areas, more trees correlated with lower odds of depression (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.89–1.00). In rural areas, moderate amounts of grassland were associated with lower odds of depression compared to areas with fewer grasslands (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.83–1.00). We found that urban areas with higher tree density and rural areas with moderate amounts of grassland were associated with lower odds of depression.
Healthy Places for Children: The Critical Role of Engagement, Common Vision, and Collaboration
Authors: Warner Mildred E. , Zhang Xue
Published: December 2020

Planning plays a critical role in promoting healthy communities for children. We conducted a national survey of United States (US) cities and counties in 2019 and found only half of the 1312 responding communities report they give attention to the needs of children in their community plans. Those that do, provide more services and have more child-friendly zoning codes. We use a human ecological framework to build structural equation models of child-friendly zoning and services. We find communities with more engagement of families with children and youth and a common vision across generational, race, and ethnic lines report higher levels of child-friendly zoning and services. Collaboration between health providers and schools builds trust and leads to more services. However, child-friendly zoning is lower in communities with higher child poverty, and in suburbs and rural areas. Our results support a dynamic human ecological model where the processes of collaboration, inclusion, and engagement are key to creating healthy places for children. These processes may be especially important in addressing the unique challenges of suburban and rural communities.