bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association between Continuity of Care and the Onset of Thyroid Disorder among Diabetes Patients in Korea
Authors: Lee Sang Ah , Chun Sung-Youn , Kim Woorim , Ju Yeong Jun , Choi Dong-Woo , Park Eun-Cheol
Published: January 2019

Objectives: As the relationship between diabetes mellitus and thyroid dysfunction is well known, it is important to investigate the factors influencing this association. Continuity of care is associated with better quality of care and outcomes, such as reduced complications, among diabetes patients. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the association between continuity of care and the onset of thyroid dysfunction among diabetes patients. Methods: We used Korean National Health Insurance Service National Sample Cohort data from 2002 to 2013. Our final study population included 16,806 newly diagnosed diabetes patients who were older than 45 years of age. Continuity of care was measured using the Continuity of Care index. The dependent variable was the onset of thyroid disorder. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used for statistical analyses. Results: Diabetes patients with low continuity of care were at increased risk of the onset of thyroid disorder compared with those with high continuity of care (hazard ratio (HR): 1.28, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07–1.54). Subgroup analyses showed that this association was significant within patients with type 2 diabetes (HR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.01–1.52) or whose main attending site was a local clinic (HR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.07–1.64). Conclusions: Our results show that diabetes patients with low continuity of care are more likely to experience the onset of thyroid disorder. Therefore, improving continuity of care could be a reasonable method of preventing complications or comorbidities, including thyroid disorder, among diabetes patients.
Active School Transportation in Winter Conditions: Biking Together Is Warmer
Authors: Lindqvist Anna-Karin , Löf Marie , Ek Anna , Rutberg Stina
Published: January 2019

There has been a decline in children’s use of active school transportation (AST) while there is also limited research concerning AST in winter conditions. This study aimed to explore the prerequisites and experiences of schoolchildren and parents participating in an empowerment- and gamification-inspired intervention to promote students’ AST in winter conditions. Methods: Thirty-five students, who were aged 12–13 years, and 34 parents from the north of Sweden participated in the study. Data were collected using photovoice and open questions in a questionnaire and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: The results show that involvement and togetherness motivated the students to use AST. In addition, during the project, the parents changed to have more positive attitudes towards their children’s use of AST. The students reported that using AST during wintertime is strenuous but rewarding and imparts a sense of pride. Conclusion: Interventions for increasing students’ AST in winter conditions should focus on the motivational aspects for both children and parents. For overcoming parental hesitation with regards to AST during winter, addressing their concerns and empowering the students are key factors. To increase the use of AST all year around, targeting the challenges perceived during the winter is especially beneficial.
Preventive Medicine for Person, Place, and Planet: Revisiting the Concept of High-Level Wellness in the Planetary Health Paradigm
Authors: Prescott Susan L. , Logan Alan C. , Katz David L.
Published: January 2019

Experts in preventive medicine and public health have long-since recognized that health is more than the absence of disease, and that each person in the ‘waiting room’ and beyond manifests the social/political/economic ecosystems that are part of their total lived experience. The term planetary health—denoting the interconnections between the health of person and place at all scales—emerged from the environmental and preventive health movements of the 1970–1980s. Roused by the 2015 Lancet Commission on Planetary Health report, the term has more recently penetrated mainstream academic and medical discourse. Here, we discuss the relevance of planetary health in the era of personalized medicine, gross environmental concerns, and a crisis of non-communicable diseases. We frame our discourse around high-level wellness—a concept of vitality defined by Halbert L. Dunn (1896–1975); high-level wellness was defined as an integrated method of functioning which is oriented toward maximizing the potential of individuals within the total lived environment. Dunn maintained that high-level wellness is also applicable to organizations, communities, nations, and humankind as a whole—stating further that global high-level wellness is a product of the vitality and sustainability of the Earth’s natural systems. He called for a universal philosophy of living. Researchers and healthcare providers who focus on lifestyle and environmental aspects of health—and understand barriers such as authoritarianism and social dominance orientation—are fundamental to maintaining trans-generational vitality at scales of person, place, and planet.
Spatial–Temporal Evolution and Regional Differentiation Features of Urbanization in China from 2003 to 2013
Authors: Zhang Peiyu , Pan Jianjun , Xie Longtao , Zhou Tao , Bai Haoran , Zhu Yanxiang
Published: January 2019

Quantifying the temporal and spatial patterns of impervious surfaces (IS) is important for assessing the environmental and ecological impacts of urbanization. In order to better extract IS, and to explore the divergence in urbanization in different regions, research on the regional differentiation features and regional change difference features of IS are required. To extract China’s 2013 urban impervious area, we used the 2013 night light (NTL) data and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Normalized Difference Vegetation Index and enhanced vegetation index (EVI) temporal series data, and used three urban impervious surface extraction indexes—Human Settlements Index, Vegetation-Adjusted NTL Urban Index, and the EVI-adjusted NTL index (EANTLI)—which are recognized as the best and most widely used indexes for extracting urban impervious areas. We used the classification results of the Landsat-8 images as the benchmark data to visually compare and verify the results of the urban impervious area extracted by the three indexes. We determined that the EANTLI index better reflects the distribution of the impervious area. Therefore, we used the EANTLI index to extract the urban impervious area from 2003 to 2013 in the study area, and researched the spatial and temporal differentiation in urban IS. The results showed that China’s urban IS area was 70,179.06 km2, accounting for 0.73% of the country’s land area in 2013, compared with 20,565.24 km2 in 2003, which accounted for 0.21% of the land area, representing an increase of 0.52%. On a spatial scale, like economic development, the distribution of urban impervious surfaces was different in different regions. The overall performance of the urban IS percentage was characterized by a decreasing trend from Northwest China, Southwest China, the Middle Reaches of the Yellow River, Northeast China, the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Southern Coastal China, and Northern Coastal China to Eastern Coastal China. On the provincial scale, the urban IS expansion showed considerable differences in different regions. The overall performance of the Urban IS Expansion index showed that the eastern coastal areas had higher values than the western inland areas. The cities or provinces of Beijing, Tianjin, Jiangsu, and Shanghai had the largest growth in impervious areas. Spatially and temporally quantifying the change in urban impervious areas can help to better understand the intensity of urbanization in a region. Therefore, quantifying the change in urban impervious area has an important role in the study of regional environmental and economic development, policy formulation, and the rational use of resources in both time and space.
Bursting at the Seams: Molecular Mechanisms Mediating Astrocyte Swelling
Authors: Lafrenaye Audrey D. , Simard J. Marc
Published: January 2019

Brain swelling is one of the most robust predictors of outcome following brain injury, including ischemic, traumatic, hemorrhagic, metabolic or other injury. Depending on the specific type of insult, brain swelling can arise from the combined space-occupying effects of extravasated blood, extracellular edema fluid, cellular swelling, vascular engorgement and hydrocephalus. Of these, arguably the least well appreciated is cellular swelling. Here, we explore current knowledge regarding swelling of astrocytes, the most abundant cell type in the brain, and the one most likely to contribute to pathological brain swelling. We review the major molecular mechanisms identified to date that contribute to or mitigate astrocyte swelling via ion transport, and we touch upon the implications of astrocyte swelling in health and disease.
Evolution of Disease Defense Genes and Their Regulators in Plants
Authors: Zhang Rongzhi , Zheng Fengya , Wei Shugen , Zhang Shujuan , Li Genying , Cao Peijian , Zhao Shancen
Published: January 2019

Biotic stresses do damage to the growth and development of plants, and yield losses for some crops. Confronted with microbial infections, plants have evolved multiple defense mechanisms, which play important roles in the never-ending molecular arms race of plant–pathogen interactions. The complicated defense systems include pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP) triggered immunity (PTI), effector triggered immunity (ETI), and the exosome-mediated cross-kingdom RNA interference (CKRI) system. Furthermore, plants have evolved a classical regulation system mediated by miRNAs to regulate these defense genes. Most of the genes/small RNAs or their regulators that involve in the defense pathways can have very rapid evolutionary rates in the longitudinal and horizontal co-evolution with pathogens. According to these internal defense mechanisms, some strategies such as molecular switch for the disease resistance genes, host-induced gene silencing (HIGS), and the new generation of RNA-based fungicides, have been developed to control multiple plant diseases. These broadly applicable new strategies by transgene or spraying ds/sRNA may lead to reduced application of pesticides and improved crop yield.
Identification of Cerebrospinal Fluid Metabolites as Biomarkers for Enterovirus Meningitis
Authors: Ratuszny Dominica , Sühs Kurt-Wolfram , Novoselova Natalia , Kuhn Maike , Kaever Volkhard , Skripuletz Thomas , Pessler Frank , Stangel Martin
Published: January 2019

Enteroviruses are among the most common causes of viral meningitis. Enteroviral meningitis continues to represent diagnostic challenges, as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cell numbers (a well validated diagnostic screening tool) may be normal in up to 15% of patients. We aimed to identify potential CSF biomarkers for enteroviral meningitis, particularly for cases with normal CSF cell count. Using targeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, we determined metabolite profiles from patients with enteroviral meningitis (n = 10), and subdivided them into those with elevated (n = 5) and normal (n = 5) CSF leukocyte counts. Non-inflamed CSF samples from patients with Bell’s palsy and normal pressure hydrocephalus (n = 19) were used as controls. Analysis of 91 metabolites revealed considerable metabolic reprogramming in the meningitis samples. It identified phosphatidylcholine PC.ae.C36.3, asparagine, and glycine as an accurate (AUC, 0.92) combined classifier for enterovirus meningitis overall, and kynurenine as a perfect biomarker for enteroviral meningitis with an increased CSF cell count (AUC, 1.0). Remarkably, PC.ae.C36.3 alone emerged as a single accurate (AUC, 0.87) biomarker for enteroviral meningitis with normal cell count, and a combined classifier comprising PC.ae.C36.3, PC.ae.C36.5, and PC.ae.C38.5 achieved nearly perfect classification (AUC, 0.99). Taken together, this analysis reveals the potential of CSF metabolites as additional diagnostic tools for enteroviral meningitis, and likely other central nervous system (CNS) infections.
Antibiofilm Activity of Polyamide 11 Modified with Thermally Stable Polymeric Biocide Polyhexamethylene Guanidine 2-Naphtalenesulfonate
Authors: Moshynets Olena , Bardeau Jean-François , Tarasyuk Oksana , Makhno Stanislav , Cherniavska Tetiana , Dzhuzha Oleg , Potters Geert , Rogalsky Sergiy
Published: January 2019

The choice of efficient antimicrobial additives for polyamide resins is very difficult because of their high processing temperatures of up to 300 °C. In this study, a new, thermally stable polymeric biocide, polyhexamethylene guanidine 2-naphtalenesulfonate (PHMG-NS), was synthesised. According to thermogravimetric analysis, PHMG-NS has a thermal degradation point of 357 °C, confirming its potential use in joint melt processing with polyamide resins. Polyamide 11 (PA-11) films containing 5, 7 and 10 wt% of PHMG-NS were prepared by compression molding and subsequently characterised by FTIR spectroscopy. The surface properties were evaluated both by contact angle, and contactless induction. The incorporation of 10 wt% of PHMG-NS into PA-11 films was found to increase the positive surface charge density by almost two orders of magnitude. PA-11/PHMG-NS composites were found to have a thermal decomposition point at about 400 °C. Mechanical testing showed no change of the tensile strength of polyamide films containing PHMG-NS up to 7 wt%. Antibiofilm activity against the opportunistic bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was demonstrated for films containing 7 or 10 wt% of PHMG-NS, through a local biocide effect possibly based on an influence on the bacterial eDNA. The biocide hardly leached from the PA-11 matrix into water, at a rate of less than 1% from its total content for 21 days.
Exogenous Melatonin Counteracts NaCl-Induced Damage by Regulating the Antioxidant System, Proline and Carbohydrates Metabolism in Tomato Seedlings
Authors: Siddiqui Manzer H. , Alamri Saud , Al-Khaishany Mutahhar Y. , Khan M. Nasir , Al-Amri Abdullah , Ali Hayssam M. , Alaraidh Ibrahim A. , Alsahli Abdulaziz A.
Published: January 2019

Melatonin, a natural agent, has multiple functions in animals as well as in plants. However, its possible roles in plants under abiotic stress are not clear. Nowadays, soil salinity is a major threat to global agriculture because a high soil salt content causes multiple stresses (hyperosmotic, ionic, and oxidative). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore: (1) the involvement of melatonin in biosynthesis of photosynthetic pigments and in regulation of photosynthetic enzymes, such as carbonic anhydrase (CA) and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco); (2) the role of melatonin in osmoregulation by proline and carbohydrate metabolism; and (3) the function of melatonin in the antioxidant defense system under salinity. Outcomes of the study reveal that under non-saline conditions, application of melatonin (20 and 50 µM) improved plant growth, viz. shoot length, root length, shoot fresh weight (FW), root FW, shoot dry weight (DW), root DW and leaf area and physio-biochemical parameters [chlorophyll (Chl) a and b, proline (Pro) and total soluble carbohydrates (TSC) content, and increased the activity of CA and Rubisco]. However, tomato seedlings treated with NaCl exhibited enhanced Chl degradation, electrolyte leakage (EL), malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS; superoxide and hydrogen peroxide). ROS were detected in leaf and root. Interestingly, application of melatonin improved plant growth and reduced EL, MDA and ROS levels through upregulation of photosynthesis enzymes (CA, Rubisco), antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase and ascorbate reductase) and levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants [ascorbate (ASC) and reduced glutathione (GSH)], as well as by affecting the ASC—GSH cycle. Additionally, exogenous melatonin also improved osmoregulation by increasing the content of TSC, Pro and Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase activity. These results suggest that melatonin has beneficial effects on tomato seedlings growth under both stress and non-stress conditions. Melatonin’s role in tolerance to salt stress may be associated with the regulation of enzymes involved in photosynthesis, the antioxidant system, metabolism of proline and carbohydrate, and the ASC—GSH cycle. Also, melatonin could be responsible for maintaining the high ratios of GSH/GSSG and ASC/DHA.
New Ion Source Filament for Prolonged Ion Source Operation on A Medical Cyclotron
Authors: Prevost Dave , Jayamanna Keerthi , Graham Linda , Varah Sam , Hoehr Cornelia
Published: January 2019

Cyclotrons are an important tool for accelerator sciences including the production of medical isotopes for imaging and therapy. For their successful and cost-efficient operation, the planned and unplanned down time of the cyclotron needs to be kept at a minimum without compromising reliability. One of the often required maintenance activities is the replacement of the filament in the ion source. Here, we are reporting on a new ion source filament tested on a medical cyclotron and its prolonging effect on the ion source operation.
Procedural Predictors for Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold Thrombosis: Analysis of the Individual Components of the “PSP” Technique
Authors: Dimitriadis Zisis , Polimeni Alberto , Anadol Remzi , Geyer Martin , Weissner Melissa , Ullrich Helen , Münzel Thomas , Gori Tommaso
Published: January 2019

The technique used at the time of implantation has a central role in determining the risk of thrombosis in bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BRS). Different definitions of the “optimal” implantation technique exist, however. The impact of individual procedural characteristics on the risk of scaffold thrombosis (ScT) was evaluated in a single-center observational study that enrolled 657 patients (79% males, mean age 63 ± 12 years) with 763 lesions who received a total of 925 BRS for de novo lesions. During a median 1076 (762–1206) days’ follow-up there were 28 cases of thrombosis. Independent predictors of ScT included the use of predilatation balloons bigger than the nominal BRS diameter (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.4 (0.16–0.98), p = 0.04), sizing (implantation in vessels with reference vessel diameter >3.5 mm or <2.5 mm: HR = 5.71 (2.32–14.05), p = 0.0002) and the degree of vessel expansion (ratio of minimum lumen to reference vessel diameter, HR: 0.005 (0.0001–0.23), p = 0.007). In addition, a mild BRS oversizing (final BRS diameter to vessel diameter 1.14–1.28) was associated with a lower thrombosis risk, whereas undersizing and more severe oversizing (final BRS diameter to vessel diameter <1.04 and >1.35, respectively) were associated with an increased risk of ScT (HR = 0.13 (0.02–0.59), p = 0.0007). In conclusion, different components of the “optimal” technique have different impacts on the risk of BRS thrombosis. Besides predilatation with a balloon larger than the BRS diameter, correct vessel size selection and a mild to moderate oversizing appear to be protective.
Refining Principles and Technical Methodologies to Produce Ultra-Pure Magnesium for High-Tech Applications
Authors: Mohamed Seifeldin R. , Friedrich Semiramis , Friedrich Bernd
Published: January 2019

During the last decade, magnesium-based medical implants have become the focal point of a large number of scientific studies due to their perceived favorable properties. Implants manufactured from magnesium alloys are not only biocompatible and biodegradable, but they are also the answer to problems associated with other materials like stress shielding (Ti alloys) and low mechanical stability (polymers). Magnesium has also been a metal of interest in another field. By offering superior technical and economic features in comparison to lithium, it has received significant attention in recent years as a potential battery anode alternative. Natural abundancy, low cost, environmental friendliness, large volumetric capacity, and enhanced operational safety are among the reasons that magnesium anodes are the next breakthrough in battery development. Unfortunately, commercial production of such implants and primary and secondary cells has been hindered due to magnesium’s low corrosion resistance. Corrosion investigations have shown that this inferior quality is a direct result of the presence of certain impurities in metallic magnesium such as iron, copper, cobalt, and nickel, even at the lowest levels of concentration. Magnesium’s sensitivity to corrosion is an obstacle for its usage not only in biomedical implants and batteries, but also in the automotive/aerospace industries. Therefore, investigations focusing on magnesium refinement with the goal of producing high and ultra-high purity magnesium suitable for such demanding applications are imperative. In this paper, vacuum distillation fundamentals and techniques are thoroughly reviewed as the main refining principles for magnesium.
A Comprehensive Study of Steel Powders (316L, H13, P20 and 18Ni300) for Their Selective Laser Melting Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Yan Jujie , Zhou Yinghao , Gu Ruinan , Zhang Xingmin , Quach Wai-Meng , Yan Ming
Published: January 2019

The determination of microstructural details for powder materials is vital for facilitating their selective laser melting (SLM) process. Four widely used steels (316L, H13, P20 and 18Ni300) have been investigated to detail their powders’ microstructures as well as laser absorptivity to understand their SLM processing from raw material perspective. Phase components of these four steel powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction (SR-XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were utilized to reveal the surface structure of these four steel powders. It is found that phase components of H13, P20 and 18Ni300 are mainly composed of martensite and a small amount of austenite due to the high cooling rate during gas atomization processing, while 316L is characterized by austenite. XPS results show that the four steel powders all possess a layered surface structure, consisting of a thin iron oxide layer at the outmost surface and metal matrix at the inner surface. It is found that the presence of such oxide layer can improve the absorptivity of steel powders and is beneficial for their SLM process.
Univariate Statistical Analysis as a Guide to 1H-NMR Spectra Signal Assignment by Visual Inspection
Authors: Zhu Chenglin , Vitali Beatrice , Donders Gilbert , Parolin Carola , Li Yan , Laghi Luca
Published: January 2019

In Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy, the signals assignment procedure is normally conducted by visual inspection of the spectra, by taking advantage of the innate predisposition of human eye for pattern recognition. In the case of untargeted metabolomics investigations on food and body fluids, the complexity of the spectra may lead the user to overlook signals, independently from their biological relevance. Here, we describe a four steps procedure that is designed to guide signals assignment task by visual inspection. The procedure can be employed whenever an experimental plan allows for the application of a univariate statistical analysis on a point-by-point basis, which is commonly the case. By comparing, as a proof of concept, 1H-NMR spectra of vaginal fluids of healthy and bacterial vaginosis (BV) affected women, we show that the procedure is also readily usable by non-experts in three particularly challenging cases: overlapping multiplets, poorly aligned signals, and signals with very poor signal-to-noise ratio. The paper is accompanied by the necessary codes and examples written in R computational language to allow the interested user gaining a hands-on impression of the procedure’s strengths and weaknesses.
Direct Synthesis of Phosphonates and α-Amino-phosphonates from 1,3-Benzoxazines
Authors: Salgado-Escobar Oscar , Hernández-Guadarrama Alexis , Romero-Estudillo Ivan , Linzaga-Elizalde Irma
Published: January 2019

A straightforward and novel method for transformation of readily available 1,3-benzoxazines to secondary phosphonates and α-aminophosphonates using boron trifluoride etherate as catalyst is developed. The formation of phosphonates proceeds through ortho-quinone methide (o-QM) generated in situ, followed by a phospha-Michael addition reaction. On the other hand, the α-aminophosphonates were obtained by iminium ion formation and the subsequence nucleophilic substitution of alkylphosphites. This method can be also used for the preparation of o-hydroxybenzyl ethers through oxa-Michael addition.
Synthesis of Dihydropyrano[3,2-c]pyrazoles via Double Bond Migration and Ring-Closing Metathesis
Authors: Usami Yoshihide , Sumimoto Kodai , Kishima Azusa , Tatsui Yuya , Yoneyama Hiroki , Harusawa Shinya
Published: January 2019

Three types of pyrazole-fused heterobicycles, i.e., 1,5-, 1,7-, and 2,5-dihydropyrano[3,2-c]pyrazoles, were synthesized from 4-allyloxy-1H-pyrazoles. A sequence of the Claisen rearrangement of 4-allyloxy-1H-pyrazoles, ruthenium-hydride-catalyzed double bond migration, O-allylation, and ring-closing metathesis was employed in this study.
Lignans from the Twigs of Litsea cubeba and Their Bioactivities
Authors: Li Xiuting , Xia Huan , Wang Lingyan , Xia Guiyang , Qu Yuhong , Shang Xiaoya , Lin Sheng
Published: January 2019

Litsea cubeba, an important medicinal plant, is widely used as a traditional Chinese medicine and spice. Using cytotoxicity-guided fractionation, nine new lignans 1–9 and ten known analogues 10–19 were obtained from the EtOH extract of the twigs of L. cubeba. Their structures were assigned by extensive 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments, and the absolute configurations were resolved by specific rotation and a combination of experimental and theoretically calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. In the cytotoxicity assay, 7′,9-epoxylignans with feruloyl or cinnamoyl groups (compounds 7–9, 13 and 14) were selectively cytotoxic against NCI-H1650 cell line, while the dibenzylbutyrolactone lignans 17–19 exerted cytotoxicities against HCT-116 and A2780 cell lines. The results highlighted the structure-activity relationship importance of a feruloyl or a cinnamoyl moiety at C-9′ or/and C-7 ketone in 7′,9-epoxylignans. Furthermore, compound 11 was moderate active toward protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) with an IC50 value of 13.5 μM, and compounds 4–6, 11 and 12 displayed inhibitory activity against LPS-induced NO production in RAW264.7 macrophages, with IC50 values of 46.8, 50.1, 58.6, 47.5, and 66.5 μM, respectively.
Molecular Characterisation of Equine Herpesvirus 1 Isolates from Cases of Abortion, Respiratory and Neurological Disease in Ireland between 1990 and 2017
Authors: Garvey Marie , Lyons Rachel , Hector Ralph , Walsh Cathal , Arkins Sean , Cullinane Ann
Published: January 2019

Multiple locus typing based on sequencing heterologous regions in 26 open reading frames (ORFs) of equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) strains Ab4 and V592 was used to characterise 272 EHV-1 isolates from 238 outbreaks of abortion, respiratory or neurological disease over a 28-year period. The analysis grouped the 272 viruses into at least 10 of the 13 unique long region (UL) clades previously recognised. Viruses from the same outbreak had identical multi-locus profiles. Sequencing of the ORF68 region of EHV-1 isolates from 222 outbreaks established a divergence into seven groups and network analysis demonstrated that Irish genotypes were not geographically restricted but clustered with viruses from all over the world. Multi-locus analysis proved a more comprehensive method of strain typing than ORF68 sequencing. It was demonstrated that when interpreted in combination with epidemiological data, this type of analysis has a potential role in tracking virus between premises and therefore in the implementation of targeted control measures. Viruses from 31 of 238 outbreaks analysed had the proposed ORF30 G2254/D752 neuropathogenic marker. There was a statistically significant association between viruses of the G2254/D752 genotype and both neurological disease and hypervirulence as defined by outbreaks involving multiple abortion or neurological cases. The association of neurological disease in those with the G2254/D752 genotype was estimated as 27 times greater than in those with the A2254/N752 genotype.
Protein Corona Fingerprints of Liposomes: New Opportunities for Targeted Drug Delivery and Early Detection in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Palchetti Sara , Caputo Damiano , Digiacomo Luca , Capriotti Anna Laura , Coppola Roberto , Pozzi Daniela , Caracciolo Giulio
Published: January 2019

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the fourth cause of cancer-related mortality in the Western world and is envisaged to become the second cause by 2030. Although our knowledge about the molecular biology of PDAC is continuously increasing, this progress has not been translated into better patients’ outcome. Liposomes have been used to circumvent concerns associated with the low efficiency of anticancer drugs such as severe side effects and damage of healthy tissues, but they have not resulted in improved efficacy as yet. Recently, the concept is emerging that the limited success of liposomal drugs in clinical practice is due to our poor knowledge of the nano–bio interactions experienced by liposomes in vivo. After systemic administration, lipid vesicles are covered by plasma proteins forming a biomolecular coating, referred to as the protein corona (PC). Recent studies have clarified that just a minor fraction of the hundreds of bound plasma proteins, referred to as “PC fingerprints” (PCFs), enhance liposome association with cancer cells, triggering efficient particle internalization. In this study, we synthesized a library of 10 liposomal formulations with systematic changes in lipid composition and exposed them to human plasma (HP). Size, zeta-potential, and corona composition of the resulting liposome–protein complexes were thoroughly characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), micro-electrophoresis, and nano-liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (nano-LC MS/MS). According to the recent literature, enrichment in PCFs was used to predict the targeting ability of synthesized liposomal formulations. Here we show that the predicted targeting capability of liposome–protein complexes clearly correlate with cellular uptake in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PANC-1) and insulinoma (INS-1) cells as quantified by flow-assisted cell sorting (FACS). Of note, cellular uptake of the liposomal formulation with the highest abundance of PCFs was much larger than that of Onivyde®, an Irinotecan liposomal drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2015 for the treatment of metastatic PDAC. Given the urgent need of efficient nanocarriers for the treatment of PDAC, we envision that our results will pave the way for the development of more efficient PC-based targeted nanomaterials. Here we also show that some BCs are enriched with plasma proteins that are associated with the onset and progression of PDAC (e.g., sex hormone-binding globulin, Ficolin-3, plasma protease C1 inhibitor, etc.). This could open the intriguing possibility to identify novel biomarkers.
The Applications of Polymers in Solar Cells: A Review
Authors: Hou Wenjing , Xiao Yaoming , Han Gaoyi , Lin Jeng-Yu
Published: January 2019

The emerging dye-sensitized solar cells, perovskite solar cells, and organic solar cells have been regarded as promising photovoltaic technologies. The device structures and components of these solar cells are imperative to the device’s efficiency and stability. Polymers can be used to adjust the device components and structures of these solar cells purposefully, due to their diversified properties. In dye-sensitized solar cells, polymers can be used as flexible substrates, pore- and film-forming agents of photoanode films, platinum-free counter electrodes, and the frameworks of quasi-solid-state electrolytes. In perovskite solar cells, polymers can be used as the additives to adjust the nucleation and crystallization processes in perovskite films. The polymers can also be used as hole transfer materials, electron transfer materials, and interface layer to enhance the carrier separation efficiency and reduce the recombination. In organic solar cells, polymers are often used as donor layers, buffer layers, and other polymer-based micro/nanostructures in binary or ternary devices to influence device performances. The current achievements about the applications of polymers in solar cells are reviewed and analyzed. In addition, the benefits of polymers for solar cells, the challenges for practical application, and possible solutions are also assessed.
Art and Shamanism: From Cave Painting to the White Cube
Authors: Wallis Robert J.
Published: January 2019

Art and shamanism are often represented as timeless, universal features of human experience, with an apparently immutable relationship. Shamanism is frequently held to represent the origin of religion and shamans are characterized as the first artists, leaving their infamous mark in the cave art of Upper Palaeolithic Europe. Despite a disconnect of several millennia, modern artists too, from Wassily Kandinsky and Vincent van Gogh, to Joseph Beuys and Marcus Coates, have been labelled as inspired visionaries who access the trance-like states of shamans, and these artists of the ‘white cube’ or gallery setting are cited as the inheritors of an enduring tradition of shamanic art. But critical engagement with the history of thinking on art and shamanism, drawing on discourse analysis, shows these concepts are not unchanging, timeless ‘elective affinities’; they are constructed, historically situated and contentious. In this paper, I examine how art and shamanism have been conceived and their relationship entangled from the Renaissance to the present, focussing on the interpretation of Upper Palaeolithic cave art in the first half of the twentieth century—a key moment in this trajectory—to illustrate my case.
The Social Cost of Sub-Soil Resource Use
Authors: Huppertz Tom , Weidema Bo P. , Standaert Simon , De Caevel Bernard , van Overbeke Elisabeth
Published: January 2019

This paper presents a market-price-based method to value sub-soil resources in environmental Cost-Benefit Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment. The market price incorporates the privileged information of the market agents, explicitly or implicitly anticipating future applications of the resource, future backstop technologies, recycling potentials, the evolution of reserves and extraction costs. The market price is therefore considered as the best available integrated information reflecting the actual values of these parameters. Our method is based on the Hotelling rule and the fact that private agents discount future costs and benefits at a higher rate than society as a whole. In practice, the price of the last resource unit sold is calculated with the Hotelling rule using a market discount rate. Then, the price at depletion is retropolated with a social discount rate smaller than the market discount rate. The resulting corrected “socially optimal” price is higher than the market price. The method allows to calculate the social cost of resource exhaustion, which is applicable in Cost-Benefit Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment. The method is applied to mineral and fossil resources and the results are compared with other recent methods that seek to place a monetary value on resource depletion.
Segmentation Based on the Gastronomic Motivations of Tourists: The Case of the Costa Del Sol (Spain)
Authors: Pérez-Priego Manuel Adolfo , García-Moreno García María de los Baños , Gomez-Casero Gema , Caridad y López del Río Lorena
Published: January 2019

Tourist destinations increasingly sustain their consolidation, promotion, and development from gastronomy. This research aims to contribute to the scientific literature analyzing the relationship between tourism and gastronomy for the specific case of the Costa del Sol (Spain) from tourists’ experiences of different nationalities who have visited the area. The methodology has been based on questionnaires applied to foreign travellers, after the gastronomic tasting of lunch or dinner in typical beach restaurants, called “chiringuitos”. Results show the existence of different segments of tourists based on their attitude towards local cuisine. Three groups have been identified, with different gastronomic predispositions and knowledge, and it is concluded that there are different levels of satisfaction and motivations in tourists, as they are identified in one segment or the other.
An Information Theoretically Secure E-Lottery Scheme Based on Symmetric Bivariate Polynomials
Authors: Xia Zhe , Liu Yining , Hsu Ching-Fang , Chang Chin-Chen
Published: January 2019

E-lottery schemes have attracted much interest from both industry and academia recently, because they are not only useful to raise funds for charity institutions, but also can be used as the major building blocks to design micro-payment systems. In the literature, a number of e-lottery schemes have been introduced over the last two decades. However, most of these schemes rely on some computational assumptions. In this paper, we introduce a novel e-lottery scheme that achieves information theoretical security. Our proposed scheme is designed using symmetric bivariate polynomials, and it satisfies the required security properties, such as correctness, unpredictability, verifiability, and robustness. Moreover, the winning number is generated in a distributed fashion, so that no trusted third party needs to be involved and the danger of a single point of failure is minimized.
On Quantum Fields at High Temperature
Authors: Bischer Ingolf , Grandou Thierry , Hofmann Ralf
Published: January 2019

Revisiting the fast fermion damping rate calculation in a thermalized momentum scale eT (QED) and/or momentum scale gT (QCD) plasma at 4-loop order, focus is put on a peculiar perturbative structure which has no equivalent at zero-temperature. Not surprisingly, and in agreement with previous C ★ -algebraic analyses, this structure renders the use of thermal perturbation theory quite questionable.
An Optimized High-Throughput Neutralization Assay for Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) Involving Detection of Secreted Porf2
Authors: Liu Chang , Cai Wei , Yin Xin , Tang Zimin , Wen Guiping , Ambardekar Charuta , Li Xinlei , Ying Dong , Feng Zongdi , Zheng Zizheng , Xia Ningshao
Published: January 2019

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a common cause of acute hepatitis worldwide. Current methods for evaluating the neutralizing activity of HEV-specific antibodies include immunofluorescence focus assays (IFAs) and real-time PCR, which are insensitive and operationally complicated. Here, we developed a high-throughput neutralization assay by measuring secreted pORF2 levels using an HEV antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit based on the highly replicating HEV genotype (gt) 3 strain Kernow. We evaluated the neutralizing activity of HEV-specific antibodies and the sera of vaccinated individuals (n = 15) by traditional IFA and the novel assay simultaneously. A linear regression analysis shows that there is a high degree of correlation between the two assays. Furthermore, the anti-HEV IgG levels exhibited moderate correlation with the neutralizing titers of the sera of vaccinated individuals, indicating that immunization with gt 1 can protect against gt 3 Kernow infection. We then determined specificity of the novel assay and the potential threshold of neutralizing capacity using anti-HEV IgG positive sera (n = 27) and anti-HEV IgG negative sera (n = 23). The neutralizing capacity of anti-HEV IgG positive sera was significantly stronger than that of anti-HEV IgG negative. In addition, ROC curve analysis shows that the potential threshold of neutralizing capacity of sera was 8.07, and the sensitivity and specificity of the novel assay was 88.6% and 100%, respectively. Our results suggest that the neutralization assay using the antigen ELISA kit could be a useful tool for HEV clinical research.
Study of silica-based intrinsically emitting nanoparticles produced by an excimer laser
Authors: Reghioua Imène , Fanetti Mattia , Girard Sylvain , Di Francesca Diego , Agnello Simonpietro , Martin-Samos Layla , Cannas Marco , Valant Matjaz , Raine Melanie , Gaillardin Marc , Richard Nicolas , Paillet Philippe , Boukenter Aziz , Ouerdane Youcef , Alessi Antonino
Published: January 2019

We report an experimental study demonstrating the feasibility to produce both pure and Ge-doped silica nanoparticles (size ranging from tens up to hundreds of nanometers) using nanosecond pulsed KrF laser ablation of bulk glass. In particular, pure silica nanoparticles were produced using a laser pulse energy of 400 mJ on pure silica, whereas Ge-doped nanoparticles were obtained using 33 and 165 mJ per pulse on germanosilicate glass. The difference in the required energy is attributed to the Ge doping, which modifies the optical properties of the silica by facilitating energy absorption processes such as multiphoton absorption or by introducing absorbing point defects. Defect generation in bulk pure silica before nanoparticle production starts is also suggested by our results. Regarding the Ge-doped samples, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and cathodoluminescence (CL) investigations revealed a good correspondence between the morphology of the generated particles and their emission signal due to the germanium lone pair center (GLPC), regardless of the energy per pulse used for their production. This suggests a reasonable homogeneity of the emission features of the samples. Similarly, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) data showed that the O, Ge and Si signals qualitatively correspond to the particle morphology, suggesting a generally uniform chemical composition of the Ge-doped samples. No significant CL signal could be detected in pure silica nanoparticles, evidencing the positive impact of Ge for the development of intrinsically emitting nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) data suggested that the Ge-doped silica nanoparticles are amorphous. SEM and TEM data evidenced that the produced nanoparticles tend to be slightly more spherical in shape for a higher energy per pulse. Scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) data have shown that, regardless of size and applied energy per pulse, in each nanoparticle, some inhomogeneity is present in the form of brighter (i.e., more dense) features of a few nanometers.
THE LAYERED ELEMENT DKT_CST FOR ANALYSIS OF ANISOTROPIC PLATES
Authors: Michnevič Edvard
Published: January 2019

The new finite element of multilayered built up with an arbitrary series of layers plate for plate bending problem is formulated on the ground of widely used, effective finite element Discrete Kirchhof Theory (DKT). The material of each layer is supposed to be different and orthotropic. Triangular element has 6 d.o.f.’s at each of 3 nodal points: 3 displacements and 3 rotations about co‐ordinate axes. The element takes into account all the in‐plane/out‐of‐plane effects except for shear. The element could find an application in the slab bending problems or in the plate, where the shear influence could be neglected, bending problems. Numerical examples are presented. Present solutions are compared with available analytical and numerical solutions.
MANAGERIAL AND ECONOMIC OPTIMISATIONS FOR PREFABRICATED BUILDING SYSTEMS
Authors: Abdallah Ahmed
Published: January 2019

This paper deals with new realisations of research, scientific development, managerial and economic optimisations – a prefabricated building systems. In the literature, all scientific fields are worked out based on efficiencies, costs, benefits, choice of execution design, technical demands, aesthetical point of view, as well as the total economics. In the present example of a school building for communities in developing countries, the following criteria have been regarded: the optimal superstructure of prefabricated concrete building systems; the particularity of developing countries (eg the climate, the political and economic conditions); the time for construction and necessary innovative developments for an economically optimised superstructure. In addition, alternative construction methods and costs for a simple but variable system which can be adapted to changing functions are suggested.
An empirical study: characteristics of business entities and corporate governance on risk disclosure practices
Authors: Amrin Arfan
Published: January 2019

This paper investigates the association between the characteristics of business entities, corporate governance, and practices of risk disclosure. Notably, the objective of this paper is to examine the impact of the characteristics of business entities and corporate governance on risk disclosure in non-financial companies. The samples used in this study included 312 non-financial companies registered on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. The hypothesis testing in this paper using regression analysis. The results of this paper indicate that the size of the audit committee (SAC), the availability of risk monitoring or risk management committees (RMC) and the quality of external auditors (AUD) are significantly associated with corporate risk disclosure practices (CRD). These empirical results show that the presence of risk monitoring committee, the quality of external auditors, and the size of the audit committee are the main factors determining the extent of risk disclosure, especially for non-financial companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. This paper also shows that the age of business entities has a negative impact on corporate risk disclosure practices.
FACTORS FOR IMPROVING AND MODERATING A SUCCESSFUL SUPPLY CHAIN
Authors: Shi Yu Wen , Chen Ping-Kuo , Ye Yong
Published: January 2019

The purpose of this study is to explore whether the ability to adjust and redistribute resources has a positive effect on improving a supply chain’s competitive capabilities. In addition, we also verify whether information transparency is an antecedent to improving the ability to adjust and redistribute resources. Finally, this study explores the moderating effects of investment cost controls and absolute dominance on the relationship between information transparency and the ability to adjust and redistribute resources. A partial least squares (PLS) analysis was the main method used in this study. The empirical data were obtained from the International Manufacturing Strategy Survey (IMSS). Regarding the research results, in addition to the relationships among information transparency, resource adjustment and redistribution ability, and supply chain competitive capabilities, our research results demonstrated that overemphasizing investment cost controls and absolute dominance will moderate the relationship between information transparency and resource adjustment and redistribution ability and further lead to weak competitive capabilities.