bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Learning-Based Screening of Endothelial Dysfunction From Photoplethysmographic Signals
Authors: Calamanti Chiara , Moccia Sara , Migliorelli Lucia , Paolanti Marina , Frontoni Emanuele
Published: March 2019

Endothelial-Dysfunction (ED) screening is of primary importance to early diagnosis cardiovascular diseases. Recently, approaches to ED screening are focusing more and more on photoplethysmography (PPG)-signal analysis, which is performed in a threshold-sensitive way and may not be suitable for tackling the high variability of PPG signals. The goal of this work was to present an innovative machine-learning (ML) approach to ED screening that could tackle such variability. Two research hypotheses guided this work: (H1) ML can support ED screening by classifying PPG features; and (H2) classification performance can be improved when including also anthropometric features. To investigate H1 and H2, a new dataset was built from 59 subject. The dataset is balanced in terms of subjects with and without ED. Support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF) and k-nearest neighbors (KNN) classifiers were investigated for feature classification. With the leave-one-out evaluation protocol, the best classification results for H1 were obtained with SVM (accuracy = 71%, recall = 59%). When testing H2, the recall was further improved to 67%. Such results are a promising step for developing a novel and intelligent PPG device to assist clinicians in performing large scale and low cost ED screening.
Quantitative Analysis of Multistage Switching Networks for Embedded Programmable Devices
Authors: Renzini Francesco , Cuppini Matteo , Mucci Claudio , Franchi Scarselli Eleonora , Canegallo Roberto
Published: March 2019

This paper analyzes the properties of a class of congestion-free multistage switching networks (MSSNs) are butterfly-based and suitable for embedded programmable devices, which require sustaining static multicast connectivity. These MSSNs are fully synthesizable and enable the design of programmable IPs with typical size in the order of 1 KLUT, coupling flexibility with fast turn-around time. The non-blocking property for static connection of this class of MSSN is discussed. Our analysis shows pros and cons of adopting radix-2 or radix-4 MSSN structures, as well as the impact of bypass-paths to make the network fully hierarchical and locality-aware thanks also to a dedicated programming strategy. Implementation experiments carried out on STM CMOS 65 nm technology show the availability of various area-speed trade-offs, resulting in a range of ≃2× in frequency and a range of ≃ 4 × in area. Depending on the specific application-field, an optimal interconnect definition is thus achieved without compromising the routability properties. In this respect, the paper proposes a simplified application-driven model for evaluation of the best MSSN, including bypass-adoption and radix selection.
P4QCN: Congestion Control Using P4-Capable Device in Data Center Networks
Authors: Geng Junjie , Yan Jinyao , Zhang Yuan
Published: March 2019

Modern data centers aim to offer very high throughput and ultra-low latency to meet the demands of applications such as online intensive services. Traditional TCP/IP stacks cannot meet these requirements due to their high CPU overhead and high-latency. Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) is an approach that can be designed to meet this demand. The mainstream transport protocol of RDMA over Ethernet is RoCE (RDMA over Converged Ethernet), which relies on Priority Flow Control (PFC) within the network to enable a lossless network. However, PFC is a coarse-grained protocol which can lead to problems such as congestion spreading, head-of-the-line blocking. A congestion control protocol that can alleviate these problems of PFC is needed. We propose a protocol, called P4QCN for this purpose. P4QCN is a congestion control scheme for RoCE and it is an improved Quantized Congestion Notification (QCN) design based on P4, which is a flow-level, rate-based congestion control mechanism. P4QCN extends the QCN protocol to make it compatible with IP-routed networks based on a framework of P4 and adopts a two-point algorithm architecture which is more effective than the three-point architecture used in QCN and Data Center QCN(DCQCN). Experiments show that our proposed P4QCN algorithm achieves the expected performance in terms of latency and throughput.
Intelligent Resource Allocation in Residential Buildings Using Consumer to Fog to Cloud Based Framework
Authors: Javaid Sakeena , Javaid Nadeem , Saba Tanzila , Wadud Zahid , Rehman Amjad , Haseeb Abdul
Published: March 2019

In this work, a new orchestration of Consumer to Fog to Cloud (C2F2C) based framework is proposed for efficiently managing the resources in residential buildings. C2F2C is a three layered framework consisting of cloud layer, fog layer and consumer layer. Cloud layer deals with on-demand delivery of the consumer’s demands. Resource management is intelligently done through the fog layer because it reduces the latency and enhances the reliability of cloud. Consumer layer is based on the residential users and their electricity demands from the six regions of the world. These regions are categorized on the bases of the continents. Two control parameters are considered: clusters of buildings and load requests, whereas four performance parameters are considered: Request Per Hour (RPH), Response Time (RT), Processing Time (PT) and cost in terms of Virtual Machines (VMs), Microgrids (MGs) and data transfer. These parameters are analysed by the round robin algorithm, equally spread current execution algorithm and our proposed algorithm shortest job first. Two scenarios are used in the simulations: resource allocation using MGs and resource allocation using MGs and power storage devices for checking the effectiveness of the proposed work. The simulation results of the proposed technique show that it has outperformed the previous techniques in terms of the above-mentioned parameters. There exists a tradeoff in the PT and RT as compared to cost of VM, MG and data transfer.
Application Research of the Parallel System Theory and the Data Engine Approach in Wind Energy Conversion System
Authors: Lin Zhicheng , Zheng Song , Chen Zhicheng , Zheng Rong , Zhang Wang
Published: March 2019

The parallel system is a kind of scientific research method based on an artificial system and computational experiments, which can not only reflect the dynamic process of the real system but also optimize its control process in real time. Given the rapid development of wind energy technology, how to shorten the development and deployment cycle and decrease the programming difficulties of wind energy conversion system (WECS) are major issues for improving the utilization of this form of energy. In this paper, the Data Engine is used as a computing environment to form a parallel WECS for studying the engineering application of WECS. With the support of the programming methods of graphical component configurations, visualization technology and dynamic reconfiguration technology, a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) computing experiment of the parallel WECS is carried out. After comparing with MATLAB simulation results, the parallel WECS is verified as having good performance. The Data Engine is an ideal computing unit for modeling and computation of the parallel system and can establish a parallel relationship between the artificial system and the real system so as to achieve the optimal control of WECS.
Seed Rain and Seedling Establishment of Picea glauca and Abies balsamea after Partial Cutting in Plantations and Natural Stands
Authors: Gagné Laurent , Sirois Luc , Lavoie Luc
Published: March 2019

The conditions for natural regeneration of white spruce (Picea glauca) and balsam fir (Abies balsamea) in 12 natural stands and five plantations containing both species were investigated 9 to 30 years after partial cutting. We estimated seed input on the ground, measured light reaching the understory, and recorded the presence and age of seedlings smaller than 150 cm in height on six different substrates: mineral soil, moss, rotten wood, litterfall, herbaceous, and dead wood. Partial cutting generally prompted the establishment and growth of seedlings. The number of fir and spruce seedlings is always greater in natural stands than in plantations, a trend likely associated with the reduced abundance of suitable substrate for establishment in the latter. White spruce is significantly associated to rotten wood while fir settles on all types of substrates that cover at least 10% of the forest floor. There is a strong relationship between light intensity and the median height of spruce seedlings, but this relationship is non-significant for fir. Seedlings of both species can survive at incident light intensities as low as 3%, but an intensity of 15% or more seems to offer the best growth conditions. The results of this study provide guidelines for successful forest regeneration following partial cuts in spruce-fir stands.
Landsat 8 Based Leaf Area Index Estimation in Loblolly Pine Plantations
Authors: Blinn Christine E. , House Matthew N. , Wynne Randolph H. , Thomas Valerie A. , Fox Thomas R. , Sumnall Matthew
Published: March 2019

Leaf area index (LAI) is an important biophysical parameter used to monitor, model, and manage loblolly pine plantations across the southeastern United States. Landsat provides forest scientists and managers the ability to obtain accurate and timely LAI estimates. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between loblolly pine LAI measured in situ (at both leaf area minimum and maximum through two growing seasons at two geographically disparate study areas) and vegetation indices calculated using data from Landsat 7 (ETM+) and Landsat 8 (OLI). Sub-objectives included examination of the impact of georegistration accuracy, comparison of top-of-atmosphere and surface reflectance, development of a new empirical model for the species and region, and comparison of the new empirical model with the current operational standard. Permanent plots for the collection of ground LAI measurements were established at two locations near Appomattox, Virginia and Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Each plot is thirty by thirty meters in size and is located at least thirty meters from a stand boundary. Plot LAI measurements were collected twice a year using the LI-COR LAI-2200 Plant Canopy Analyzer. Ground measurements were used as dependent variables in ordinary least squares regressions with ETM+ and OLI-derived vegetation indices. We conclude that accurately-located ground LAI estimates at minimum and maximum LAI in loblolly pine stands can be combined and modeled with Landsat-derived vegetation indices using surface reflectance, particularly simple ratio (SR) and normalized difference moisture index (NDMI), across sites and sensors. The best resulting model (LAI = −0.00212 + 0.3329SR) appears not to saturate through an LAI of 5 and is an improvement over the current operational standard for loblolly pine monitoring, modeling, and management in this ecologically and economically important region.
Genetic Diversity of the Endangered Dalbergia odorifera Revealed by SSR Markers
Authors: Liu Fumei , Hong Zhou , Xu Daping , Jia Hongyan , Zhang Ningnan , Liu Xiaojin , Yang Zengjiang , Lu Mengzhu
Published: March 2019

Dalbergia odorifera T. Chen (Fabaceae) is a semi-deciduous tree species indigenous to Hainan Island in China. Due to its precious heartwood “Hualimu (Chinese)” and Chinese medicinal components “Jiangxiang”, D. odorifera is seriously threatened of long-term overexploitation and has been listed on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature’s) red list since 1998. Therefore, the elucidation of its genetic diversity is imperative for conservation and breeding purposes. In this study, we evaluated the genetic diversity of 42 wild D. odorifera trees from seven populations covering its whole native distribution. In total, 19 SSR (simple sequence repeat) markers harbored 54 alleles across the 42 samples, and the medium genetic diversity level was inferred by Nei’s gene diversity (0.36), observed (0.28) and expected heterozygosity (0.37). Among the seven wild populations, the expected heterozygosity (He) varied from 0.31 (HNQS) to 0.40 (HNCJ). The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that only 3% genetic variation existed among populations. Moderate population differentiations among the investigated populations were indicated by pairwise Fst (0.042–0.115). Structure analysis suggested two clusters for the 42 samples. Moreover, the seven populations were clearly distinguished into two clusters from both the principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and neighbor-joining (NJ) analysis. Populations from Haikou city (HNHK), Baisha autonomous county (HNBS), Ledong autonomous county (HNLD), and Dongfang city (HNDF) comprised cluster I, while cluster II comprised the populations from Wenchang city and Sansha city (HNQS), Changjiang autonomous county (HNCJ), and Wuzhisan city (HNWZS). The findings of this study provide a preliminary genetic basis for the conservation, management, and restoration of this endemic species.
myDIG: Personalized Illicit Domain-Specific Knowledge Discovery with No Programming
Authors: Kejriwal Mayank , Szekely Pedro
Published: March 2019

With advances in machine learning, knowledge discovery systems have become very complicated to set up, requiring extensive tuning and programming effort. Democratizing such technology so that non-technical domain experts can avail themselves of these advances in an interactive and personalized way is an important problem. We describe myDIG, a highly modular, open source pipeline-construction system that is specifically geared towards investigative users (e.g., law enforcement) with no programming abilities. The myDIG system allows users both to build a knowledge graph of entities, relationships, and attributes for illicit domains from a raw HTML corpus and also to set up a personalized search interface for analyzing the structured knowledge. We use qualitative and quantitative data from five case studies involving investigative experts from illicit domains such as securities fraud and illegal firearms sales to illustrate the potential of myDIG.
Unsteady RANS Simulations of Strong and Weak 3D Stall Cells on a 2D Pitching Aerofoil
Authors: Liu Dajun , Nishino Takafumi
Published: March 2019

A series of three-dimensional unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) simulations are conducted to investigate the formation of stall cells over a pitching NACA 0012 aerofoil. Periodic boundary conditions are applied to the spanwise ends of the computational domain. Several different pitching ranges and frequencies are adopted. The influence of the pitching range and frequency on the lift coefficient (CL) hysteresis loop and the development of leading-edge vortex (LEV) agrees with earlier studies in the literature. Depending on pitching range and frequency, the flow structures on the suction side of the aerofoil can be categorized into three types: (i) strong oscillatory stall cells resembling what are often observed on a static aerofoil; (ii) weak stall cells which are smaller in size and less oscillatory; and (iii) no stall cells at all (i.e., flow remains two-dimensional) or only very weak oval-shaped structures that have little impact on CL. A clear difference in CL during the flow reattachment stage is observed between the cases with strong stall cells and with weak stall cells. For the cases with strong stall cells, arch-shaped flow structures are observed above the aerofoil. They resemble the Π-shaped vortices often observed over a pitching finite aspect ratio wing.
Aroma Patterns Characterization of Braised Pork Obtained from a Novel Ingredient by Sensory-Guided Analysis and Gas-Chromatography-Olfactometry
Authors: Song Shiqing , Fan Li , Xu Xiaodong , Xu Rui , Jia Qian , Feng Tao
Published: March 2019

Two types of braised pork were prepared from self-made braised sauce added to Maillard reaction intermediate (MRI) and white granulated sugar, respectively. Descriptive sensory analysis and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were conducted to investigate their differences in sensory and aroma compounds. The results showed that the effect of self-made braised sauce in braised pork was comparable to white granulated sugar. One-hundred-and-nine volatile flavor compounds were identified by GC-MS using headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and simultaneous distillation and extraction (SDE). Thirty-six odor active compounds with retention indexes ranging from 935–2465 were identified by aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA). Additionally, their odor activity values (OAV) were calculated. It was found that 17 aroma compounds showed an OAV greater than 1. Among them, pentanal (almond, pungent), nonanal (fat, green), (E, E)-2,4-decadienal (fat, roast), phenylacetaldehyde (hawthorn, honey, sweet), dodecanal (lily, fat, citrus) and linalool (floral, lavender) reached the highest OAV values (>200), indicating a significant contribution to the aroma of two types of braised pork. These results indicated that the self-made braised sauce added with MRI could be used for cooking braised pork with good sensory characteristics.
Xanthan Gum Capped ZnO Microstars as a Promising Dietary Zinc Supplementation
Authors: Ebrahiminezhad Alireza , Moeeni Fatemeh , Taghizadeh Seyedeh-Masoumeh , Seifan Mostafa , Bautista Christine , Novin Donya , Ghasemi Younes , Berenjian Aydin
Published: March 2019

Zinc is one of the essential trace elements, and plays an important role in human health. Severe zinc deficiency can negatively affect organs such as the epidermal, immune, central nervous, gastrointestinal, skeletal, and reproductive systems. In this study, we offered a novel biocompatible xanthan gum capped zinc oxide (ZnO) microstar as a potential dietary zinc supplementation for food fortification. Xanthan gum (XG) is a commercially important extracellular polysaccharide that is widely used in diverse fields such as the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries, due to its nontoxic and biocompatible properties. In this work, for the first time, we reported a green procedure for the synthesis of ZnO microstars using XG, as the stabilizing agent, without using any synthetic or toxic reagent. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to study the structure, morphology, and size of the synthesized ZnO structures. The results showed that the synthesized structures were both hexagonal phase and starlike, with an average particle size of 358 nm. The effect of different dosages of XG-capped ZnO nanoparticles (1–9 mM) against Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus sphaericus) bacteria were also investigated. Based on the results, the fabricated XG-capped ZnO microstars showed a high level of biocompatibility with no antimicrobial effect against the tested microorganisms. The data suggested the potential of newly produced ZnO microstructures for a range of applications in dietary supplementation and food fortification.
Beyond Biodiversity: Can Environmental DNA (eDNA) Cut It as a Population Genetics Tool?
Authors: Adams Clare I.M. , Knapp Michael , Gemmell Neil J. , Jeunen Gert-Jan , Bunce Michael , Lamare Miles D. , Taylor Helen R.
Published: March 2019

Population genetic data underpin many studies of behavioral, ecological, and evolutionary processes in wild populations and contribute to effective conservation management. However, collecting genetic samples can be challenging when working with endangered, invasive, or cryptic species. Environmental DNA (eDNA) offers a way to sample genetic material non-invasively without requiring visual observation. While eDNA has been trialed extensively as a biodiversity and biosecurity monitoring tool with a strong taxonomic focus, it has yet to be fully explored as a means for obtaining population genetic information. Here, we review current research that employs eDNA approaches for the study of populations. We outline challenges facing eDNA-based population genetic methodologies, and suggest avenues of research for future developments. We advocate that with further optimizations, this emergent field holds great potential as part of the population genetics toolkit.
Paleolandscape Reconstruction Based on the Study of A Buried Soil of the Bronze Age in the Broadleaf Forest Area of the Russian Plain
Authors: Aseyeva Elena , Makeev Alexander , Kurbanova Fatima , Kust Pavel , Rusakov Alexey , Khokhlova Olga , Mihailov Evgeniy , Puzanova Tatiana , Golyeva Alexandra
Published: March 2019

Late Holocene landscape evolution at the southern frontier of the forest belt of European Russia is studied based on detailed morphological, analytical and microbiomorphic research of a soil chronosequence that included a surface soil and a soil buried under the Bronze Age kurgan. Both soils (Folic Eutric Cambisols) are formed on similar geomorphic surfaces in the same parent material and in close proximity to each other. The soil morphology and the key analytical features are controlled by low-reactive parent material and imply close similarity of the present landscapes and those of the Bronze age. At the same time the morphological features show that the buried soil was influenced by the phase of weak aridization, which led to the formation of a dark mull humus horizon. Microbiomorphic assemblages (phytoliths, pollen) support the earlier conclusion that the soils of the study area had being developed mostly under forest vegetation.
Creaturely Life in “We Come as Friends”
Authors: Vrbancic Mario , Bozic-Vrbancic Senka
Published: March 2019

In this article we focus on the analysis of a 2014 Austrian–French documentary We come as friends (110 min), written, directed, and produced by Hubert Sauper. We come as friends is a documentary about a corporate, polycentric, contemporary colonization of South Sudan. It is described by Sauper as “a modern odyssey, a dizzying, science fiction-like journey into the heart of Africa”. It is about Sudan, the continent’s biggest country, at the moment when it was divided into two nations in a 2011 referendum. It documents, according to Sauper, much more than the separation of the predominantly Christian south from the mostly “Muslim Arabs” of the rest of the Sudan; it shows how “an old ‘civilizing’ pathology reemerges—that of colonialism, clash of empires, and yet new episodes of bloody (and holy) wars over land and resources”. Inspired by Eric Santner’s concept of “creaturely life” we analyze a natural history of the present and creaturely expressions in We come as friends.
@Shakespeare and @TwasFletcher: Performances of Authority
Authors: Williams Nora J.
Published: March 2019

‘@Shakespeare: Trying to keep incognito with #WSCongress16 in town. If a scholar sees me I just say, “Hullo, lovely to meet you. I’m Peter Holland”/@TwasFletcher: Tell them you’re Me!’ (1 August 2016). This article looks at the anonymously-managed @Shakespeare account and its performance of Shakespeare’s authority on social media, in the context of the parody bot account @TwasFletcher. I argue that authority is established and performed by @Shakespeare through interaction with other authoritative accounts, literary in-jokes, engagement with academic conferences, and, most crucially, anonymity. The destabilising or undermining of Shakespeare’s online authority as performed by @TwasFletcher, is especially significant for its lack of anonymity: created by Hofstra University professor and associate dean Vimala C. Pasupathi, @TwasFletcher raises questions about how scholars who are not white, cis-het men make space for themselves within the authority commanded by Shakespeare, especially online. By inserting Fletcher into Shakespeare, Pasupathi herself performs authority in opposition to Shakespeare and the dominant idea of who a Shakespeare scholar should be or what s/he should do. This essay will therefore argue that two meanings of “authority”—recognized as true or valid on the one hand, and domineering, autocratic, or imposing on the other—play out through the relationship between @Shakespeare and @TwasFletcher on Twitter.
COPD: The Annual Cost-Of-Illness during the Last Two Decades in Italy, and Its Mortality Predictivity Power
Authors: Dal Negro Roberto W.
Published: March 2019

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive pathological condition characterized by a huge epidemiological and socioeconomic impact worldwide. In Italy, the actual annual cost of COPD was assessed for the first time in 2002: the mean cost per patient per year was €1801 and ranged from €1500 to €3912, depending on COPD severity. In 2008, the mean annual cost per patient was €2723.7, ranging from €1830.6 in mild COPD up to €5451.7 in severe COPD. In 2015, it was €3291, which is 20.8% and 82.7% higher compared to the costs estimated in 2008 and 2002, respectively. In all these studies, the major cost component was direct costs, in particular hospitalization costs due to exacerbations, which corresponded to 59.9% of the total cost and 67.2% of direct costs, respectively. When the annual healthcare expenditure per patient is related to the length of survival by means of the PRO-BODE Index (PBI, which is the implementation of the well-known BODE Index with costs due to annual exacerbations and/or hospitalizations), the annual cost of care proved much more strictly and inversely proportional to patients’ survival at three years, with the highest regression coefficient (r = −0.58) of all the multidimensional indices presently available, including the BODE Index (r = −021). In Italy, even though tobacco smoking has progressively declined by up to 21% in the general population, the economic impact of COPD has shown relentless progression over the last two decades, confirming that the present national health system organization is still insufficient for facing the issue of chronic diseases, in particular COPD, effectively. The periodic assessment of costs is an effective instrument for care providers in predicting COPD mortality, and for decision makers for updating and planning their social, economic, and political strategies.
Citrulline and Arginine Content of Taxa of Cucurbitaceae
Authors: Hartman Jordan , Wehner Todd , Ma Guoying , Perkins-Veazie Penelope
Published: March 2019

Watermelon is the most significant, natural plant source of L-citrulline, a non-proteinaceous amino acid that benefits cardiovascular health and increases vasodilation in many tissues of the body. Watermelon is a member of the Cucurbitaceae, which includes squash, melon, pumpkin, and cucumber. It is possible that other cucurbits could be good sources of citrulline or of arginine, its direct precursor. Twenty-one cultigens were evaluated in triplicate at two locations in North Carolina to estimate citrulline and arginine amounts and variation due to cultigen, replication, and environment. Cultigens containing the highest amount of citrulline (based on LS means) in g/kg fresh weight were ’Crimson Sweet’ watermelon (2.85), ’Dixielee’ watermelon (2.43), casaba-type melon (0.86), mouse melon (0.64), and horned melon rind (0.45). Additionally, mouse melon, horned melon, and bitter gourd (arils) may be interesting sources of arginine-family amino acids, perhaps because of their large seed and aril content relative to mesocarp.
Propagating Change: Using RE-FRAME to Scale and Sustain A Community-Based Childhood Obesity Prevention Initiative
Authors: Kennedy Lynn , Pinkney Susan , Suleman Selina , Mâsse Louise C. , Naylor Patti-Jean , Amed Shazhan
Published: March 2019

Sustainable Childhood Obesity Prevention through Community Engagement (SCOPE) has developed Live 5-2-1-0, a multi-sectoral, multi-component community-based childhood obesity prevention initiative grounded in systems thinking and participatory research principles. Building on previous work, this study continued implementation of an innovative knowledge exchange model, RE-FRAME, in two ‘new’ and two ‘existing’ Live 5-2-1-0 communities. This mixed-methods study examined follow-up data to determine the nature and extent of the model’s ability to build and sustain community capacity and facilitate the scale-up and sustainability of systems- and community-level change. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected using stakeholder interviews, and quantitative process tracking (PTT) and capacity building tools (CCBT), and were analyzed using thematic analysis and descriptive statistics, respectively. Results from three communities with baseline and follow-up CCBT data showed capacity domain scores increased (15/27; 56%) or remained constant (10/27; 37%) over the study period. PTT data showed over 50 multi-sectoral community partnerships formed in Community D (new) and 108 actions implemented. Stakeholder interviews identified having a common cause, co-ownership, champion networks and consistency of the Live 5-2-1-0 message as essential to sustainability of the initiative. RE-FRAME supports knowledge exchange and community capacity-building that is integral to initiating and sustaining a community-based childhood obesity prevention initiative.
School Bullying in Compulsory and Advanced Secondary Education. Determining Factors in its Intervention
Authors: Martínez Sánchez Isabel , Goig Martínez Rosa , González González Daniel , Álvarez Rodríguez José
Published: March 2019

Background: School bullying is a problem that has been considered from various different perspectives in the academic literature. The present work seeks to increase knowledge on the influence of the climate established at the school in order to determine if contextual factors can be used as a reference from which to plan interventions directed towards prevention. Methods: An ad hoc validated questionnaire was administered to 554 pupils in secondary education (compulsory and A Level) who were aged between 12 and 18 years. Results: Descriptive bivariate analysis showed the quality of the relationship established by the individual with their environment to be a key indicator of their susceptibility to school bullying. In the same way, acceptance in school is a protective factor against victimization. Conclusions: The most effective interventions are those which focus on the center of education and involve all of the educational community, taking a transversal approach that transforms the cultural system within which students develop.
Effect of an 8-Week Individualized Training Program on Blood Biomarkers, Adipokines and Endothelial Function in Obese Young Adolescents with and without Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Zguira Mohamed , Slimani Maamer , Bragazzi Nicola , Khrouf Meriem , Chaieb Faten , Saïag Bernard , Tabka Zouhair
Published: March 2019

Obesity is a chronic condition whose incidence is growing due to lack of exercise and frequent nutrition disorders. Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. One of the best treatment methods is physical training. However, conflicting results have been reported regarding its clinical effectiveness. These contrasting findings may be due to the type and intensity of the adopted physical training program. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of an 8-week individualized physical training program on endothelial function, blood biomarkers and adipokine levels in obese adolescents with and without metabolic syndrome (MS). One-hundred-and-twenty-two obese adolescents (71 obese without MS and 51 obese with MS) aged 14 ± 2 years were included in this study. The 8-week individualized training program decreased glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and leptin in obese subjects with and without MS. However, adiponectin and endothelial-dependent vasodilatation increased in the follow-up study in both groups. Taken together, the findings suggest that individualized training program is an effective means for the treatment of obesity and MS in pediatric populations.
The Association of the Exposure to Work-Related Traumatic Events and Work Limitations among Firefighters: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Kim Mi-Ji , Jeong Yeoju , Choi Yeun-Soon , Seo Ae-Rim , Ha Yeongmi , Seo Minjeong , Park Ki-Soo
Published: March 2019

Many firefighters suffering from traumatic events while on duty participate in the work force. However, the impact of work-related traumatic events on work performance is unclear. To address this issue, we administered a work-related traumatic event experience survey, the health-related work limitations questionnaire, the Korea Depression Scale, and the World Health Organization quality of life assessment to firefighters from four cities in Korea. The health-related work limitations questionnaire measured limitations in their ability to perform three specific work demands—physical, psychosocial, and environmental. Of 685 firefighters enrolled in the study, 618 (90.2%) were included in the final analyses. Their mean age ± standard deviation (SD) was 41.1 ± 8.0 years and mean employment period ± SD was 163.0 ± 101.2 months. A large percentage of participants reported they had experienced work-related traumatic events. Among the firefighters, the total work limitation prevalence was 21.5%, 16.8% of them were limited in their abilities to perform physical work demands, 15.5% were limited in performing psychosocial work demands, and 13.8% were limited in their abilities to function without difficulty within the ambient work environment. Based on multivariable logistic regression, with having work-related traumatic event experience of a threat or injury to self, the odds ratio (OR) of having work limitations in physical (OR = 3.32, 95% CI = 1.17–9.41), psychosocial (OR = 3.05, 95% CI = 1.08–8.61), environmental (OR = 4.89, 95% CI = 1.66–14.40) work demands, and total work limitation (OR = 3.73, 95% CI = 1.44–9.68) increased significantly. With experiences of treating fatalities or injured patients, the OR of total work limitation increased significantly (OR = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.09–3.91). We demonstrated a relationship between the firefighters’ exposure to work-related traumatic events and their work limitations. A professional care management system for firefighters to prevent and manage work-related traumatic events should be developed in order to protect and improve their performance ability.
Benefits of Gardening Activities for Cognitive Function According to Measurement of Brain Nerve Growth Factor Levels
Authors: Park Sin-Ae , Lee A-Young , Park Hee-Geun , Lee Wang-Lok
Published: March 2019

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of gardening activities in senior individuals on brain nerve growth factors related to cognitive function. Forty-one senior individuals (age 76.6 ± 6.0 years) were recruited from the local community in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, South Korea. A 20-min low-to-moderate intensity gardening activity intervention, making a vegetable garden, was performed by the subjects in a garden plot located on the Konkuk University (Seoul, South Korea) campus. The gardening involved six activities including cleaning a garden plot, digging, fertilizing, raking, planting/transplanting, and watering. To determine the effects of the gardening activities on brain nerve growth factors related to memory, blood samples were drawn twice from each subject before and after the gardening activity by professional nurses. The levels of brain nerve growth factors, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), were analyzed. Levels of BDNF and PDGF were significantly increased after the gardening activity. This study revealed a potential benefit of gardening activities for cognitive function in senior individuals.
An Empirical Investigation of “Physician Congestion” in U.S. University Hospitals
Authors: Manes Eran , Tchetchik Anat , Tobol Yosef , Durst Ronen , Chodick Gabriel
Published: March 2019

We add a new angle to the debate on whether greater healthcare spending is associated with better outcomes, by focusing on the link between the size of the physician workforce at the ward level and healthcare results. Drawing on standard organization theories, we proposed that due to organizational limitations, the relationship between physician workforce size and medical performance is hump-shaped. Using a sample of 150 U.S. university departments across three specialties that record measures of clinical scores, as well as a rich set of covariates, we found that the relationship was indeed hump-shaped. At the two extremes, departments with an insufficient (excessive) number of physicians may gain a substantial increase in healthcare quality by the addition (dismissal) of a single physician. The marginal elasticity of healthcare quality with respect to the number of physicians, although positive and significant, was much smaller than the marginal contribution of other factors. Moreover, research quality conducted at the ward level was shown to be an important moderator. Our results suggest that studying the relationship between the number of physicians per bed and the quality of healthcare at an aggregate level may lead to bias. Framing the problem at the ward-level may facilitate a better allocation of physicians.
Comparison of Objective and Perceived Access to Food Stores Associated with Intake Frequencies of Vegetables/Fruits and Meat/Fish among Community-Dwelling Older Japanese
Authors: Yamaguchi Miwa , Takahashi Katsuya , Hanazato Masamichi , Suzuki Norimichi , Kondo Katsunori , Kondo Naoki
Published: March 2019

This cross-sectional study aimed to compare access to the nearest food stores with perceived access associated with intake frequencies of vegetables/fruits and meat/fish among older Japanese people. We used intake frequencies of vegetables/fruits and meat/fish from a self-administered questionnaire in the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study among 83,384 adults aged over 65 years. We defined distance over 1 km as poor objective access in community level. We performed multilevel regression analysis to investigate the association of objective and perceived access with intake frequencies of vegetables/fruits and meat/fish, respectively. Participants who lived in poor objective access had a significantly higher intake frequency of vegetables/fruits than those who lived in good access. In contrast, residents with poor perceived access consumed lower frequent intake of vegetables/fruits (beta coefficient (standard error) 0.086 (0.021) for objective access; −0.093 (0.009) for perceived access). There was no significant association between objective access and intake frequency of meat/fish, but poor perceived access showed a significant association with lower intake frequency of meat/fish. There was inconsistency between objective and perceived measurement of access to food stores associated with dietary habits among older Japanese adults. Food access needs to be comprehensively assessed, while considering characteristics of measurements.
A Novel Dynamic Dispatching Method for Bicycle-Sharing System
Authors: Mao Dianhui , Hao Zhihao , Wang Yalei , Fu Shuting
Published: March 2019

With the rapid development of sharing bicycles, unreasonable dispatching methods are likely to cause a series of issues, such as resource waste and traffic congestion in the city. In this paper, a new dynamic scheduling method is proposed, named Tri-G, so as to solve the above problems. First of all, the whole visualization information of bike stations was built based on a Spatio-Temporal Graph (STG), then Gaussian Mixture Mode (GMM) was used to group individual stations into clusters according to their geographical locations and transition patterns, and the Gradient Boosting Regression Tree (GBRT) algorithm was adopted to predict the number of bikes inflow/outflow at each station in real time. This paper used New York’s bicycle commute data to build global STG visualization information to evaluate Tri-G. Finally, it is concluded that Tri-G is superior to the methods in control groups, which can be applied to various geographical scenarios. In addition, this paper also discovered some human mobility patterns as well as some rules, which are helpful for governments to improve urban planning.
An Examination of Spatial Differences between Migrant and Native Offenders in Committing Violent Crimes in a Large Chinese City
Authors: Feng Jiaxin , Liu Lin , Long Dongping , Liao Weiwei
Published: March 2019

Immigrants and natives are generally comparable in committing violent crimes in many Western cities. However, little is known about spatial differences between internal migrant offenders and native offenders in committing violence in contemporary urban China. To address this gap, this research aims to explore spatial variation in violent crimes committed by migrant and native offenders, and examine different effects of ambient population, crime attractors, crime generators, and offender anchor points on these crimes. Offender data, mobile phone data, and points-of-interest (POI) data are combined to explain the crime patterns of these offenders who committed offenses and were arrested from 2012 to 2016 in a large Chinese city by using box maps and negative binomial regression models. It is demonstrated that migrant and native violent crimes vary enormously across space. Ambient population is only positively related to migrant violent crimes. Crime attractors and generators have more significant and stronger correlations with migrant violent crimes, while offender anchor points have a stronger association with native violent crimes. The results reveal that migrant offenders tend to be attracted by larger amounts of people and more affected by crime attractors and generators than native offenders.
Characterization, Diversity, and Structure-Activity Relationship Study of Lipoamino Acids from Pantoea sp. and Synthetic Analogues
Authors: Touré Seindé , Desrat Sandy , Pellissier Léonie , Allard Pierre-Marie , Wolfender Jean-Luc , Dusfour Isabelle , Stien Didier , Eparvier Véronique
Published: March 2019

A biological evaluation of a library of extracts from entomopathogen strains showed that Pantoea sp. extract has significant antimicrobial and insecticidal activities. Three hydroxyacyl-phenylalanine derivatives were isolated from this strain. Their structures were elucidated by a comprehensive analysis of their NMR and MS spectroscopic data. The antimicrobial and insecticidal potencies of these compounds were evaluated, and compound 3 showed 67% mortality against Aedes aegypti larvae at a concentration of 100 ppm, and a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 16 µg/mL against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Subsequently, hydroxyacyl-phenylalanine analogues were synthesized to better understand the structure-activity relationships within this class of compounds. Bioassays highlighted the antimicrobial potential of analogues containing saturated medium-chain fatty acids (12 or 14 carbons), whereas an unsaturated long-chain fatty acid (16 carbons) imparted larvicidal activity. Finally, using a molecular networking-based approach, several close analogues of the isolated and newly synthesized lipoamino acids were discovered in the Pantoea sp. extract.
The Effect of AtHKT1;1 or AtSOS1 Mutation on the Expressions of Na+ or K+ Transporter Genes and Ion Homeostasis in Arabidopsis thaliana under Salt Stress
Authors: Wang Qian , Guan Chao , Wang Pei , Ma Qing , Bao Ai-Ke , Zhang Jin-Lin , Wang Suo-Min
Published: March 2019

HKT1 and SOS1 are two key Na+ transporters that modulate salt tolerance in plants. Although much is known about the respective functions of HKT1 and SOS1 under salt conditions, few studies have examined the effects of HKT1 and SOS1 mutations on the expression of other important Na+ and K+ transporter genes. This study investigated the physiological parameters and expression profiles of AtHKT1;1, AtSOS1, AtHAK5, AtAKT1, AtSKOR, AtNHX1, and AtAVP1 in wild-type (WT) and athkt1;1 and atsos1 mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana under 25 mM NaCl. We found that AtSOS1 mutation induced a significant decrease in transcripts of AtHKT1;1 (by 56–62% at 6–24 h), AtSKOR (by 36–78% at 6–24 h), and AtAKT1 (by 31–53% at 6–24 h) in the roots compared with WT. This led to an increase in Na+ accumulation in the roots, a decrease in K+ uptake and transportation, and finally resulted in suppression of plant growth. AtHKT1;1 loss induced a 39–76% (6–24 h) decrease and a 27–32% (6–24 h) increase in transcripts of AtSKOR and AtHAK5, respectively, in the roots compared with WT. At the same time, 25 mM NaCl decreased the net selective transport capacity for K+ over Na+ by 92% in the athkt1;1 roots compared with the WT roots. Consequently, Na+ was loaded into the xylem and delivered to the shoots, whereas K+ transport was restricted. The results indicate that AtHKT1;1 and AtSOS1 not only mediate Na+ transport but also control ion uptake and the spatial distribution of Na+ and K+ by cooperatively regulating the expression levels of relevant Na+ and K+ transporter genes, ultimately regulating plant growth under salt stress.
Review on Computer Aided Sewer Pipeline Defect Detection and Condition Assessment
Authors: Moradi Saeed , Zayed Tarek , Golkhoo Farzaneh
Published: March 2019

Physical and operational inspection of sewer pipelines is critical to sustaining an acceptable level of system serviceability. Emerging inspection tools in addition to developments in sensor and lens technologies have facilitated sewer condition assessment and increased the quality and consistency of provided data. Meanwhile, sewer networks are too vast to be adequately investigated manually so the development of innovative computer vision techniques for automation applications has become an interest point of recent studies. This review paper presents the current state of inspection technology practices in sewer pipelines. An overall inspection tool comparison was conducted and the advantages and disadvantages of each method were discussed. This was followed by a comprehensive review of recent studies on visual inspection automation using computer vision and machine learning techniques. Finally, current achievements and limitations of existing automation methods were debated to outline open challenges and future research for both infrastructure management and computer science researchers.
Designing Ruthenium Anticancer Drugs: What Have We Learnt from the Key Drug Candidates?
Authors: Coverdale James P. C. , Laroiya-McCarron Thaisa , Romero-Canelón Isolda
Published: March 2019

After nearly 20 years of research on the use of ruthenium in the fight against cancer, only two Ru(III) coordination complexes have advanced to clinical trials. During this time, the field has produced excellent candidate drugs with outstanding in vivo and in vitro activity; however, we have yet to find a ruthenium complex that would be a viable alternative to platinum drugs currently used in the clinic. We aimed to explore what we have learned from the most prominent complexes in the area, and to challenge new concepts in chemical design. Particularly relevant are studies involving NKP1339, NAMI-A, RM175, and RAPTA-C, which have paved the way for current research. We explored the development of the ruthenium anticancer field considering that the mechanism of action of complexes no longer focuses solely on DNA interactions, but explores a diverse range of cellular targets involving multiple chemical strategies.