bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enrichment, Source Apportionment and Health Risk Assessment of Soil Potentially Harmful Elements Associated with Different Land Use in Coastal Tidelands Reclamation Area, Eastern China
Authors: Chen Xinjian , Huang Sihua , Xie Xuefeng , Zhu Ming , Li Jianguo , Wang Xiaohan , Pu Lijie
Published: April 2020

Coastal tidelands are important ecological habitat resources and valuable resources for agricultural land reclamation. Enrichment of potentially harmful elements (PHEs) in soil caused by anthropogenic activity is an important factor implicated in the ecological deterioration of soil in China. A total of 54 soil sample sites were selected from a 30-year reclaimed tideland and an adjoining coastal wetland. Descriptive and multivariate statistical analyses were performed to describe the enrichment, source, health risk status of eight PHEs (As, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) after long-term reclamation. Results indicated that after 30 years of reclamation, most soil PHEs are slightly enriched, whereas no serious threat of environmental pollution was observed. In the reclamation area, the enrichment of PHEs in the aquaculture land, industrial land, and cropland was relatively high compared with other land use types, such as tideland and halophyte land. The source analysis divided the PHEs into five categories: (1) Cu; (2) Co and Mn; (3) Cr; (4) As and Pb; (5) Zn and Ni. Cu was completely derived from natural parent materials and other elements were governed by both weathering of parent rock and human activities, including agricultural activities, industrial production, and transportation emissions. The health risk assessment showed that the soil PHEs potentially had no non-carcinogenic risk to the public, but there was an acceptable probability to have cancer due to Cr and As. Meanwhile, children are more susceptible to harm from the PHEs in soil than adults. According to the economic and social development situation in the coastal region, it is necessary to pay attention to the environmental threats of PHEs enrichment.
Comorbidities and Outcome of Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis in Taiwan: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Yang Tzu-Wei , Wang Chi-Chih , Tsai Ming-Chang , Wang Yao-Tung , Tseng Ming-Hseng , Lin Chun-Che
Published: April 2020

The prognosis of different etiologies of liver cirrhosis (LC) is not well understood. Previous studies performed on alcoholic LC-dominated cohorts have demonstrated a few conflicting results. We aimed to compare the outcome and the effect of comorbidities on survival between alcoholic and non-alcoholic LC in a viral hepatitis-dominated LC cohort. We identified newly diagnosed alcoholic and non-alcoholic LC patients, aged ≥40 years old, between 2006 and 2011, by using the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database. The hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using the Cox proportional hazards model and the Kaplan–Meier method. A total of 472 alcoholic LC and 4313 non-alcoholic LC patients were identified in our study cohort. We found that alcoholic LC patients were predominantly male (94.7% of alcoholic LC and 62.6% of non-alcoholic LC patients were male) and younger (78.8% of alcoholic LC and 37.4% of non-alcoholic LC patients were less than 60 years old) compared with non-alcoholic LC patients. Non-alcoholic LC patients had a higher rate of concomitant comorbidities than alcoholic LC patients (79.6% vs. 68.6%, p < 0.001). LC patients with chronic kidney disease demonstrated the highest adjusted HRs of 2.762 in alcoholic LC and 1.751 in non-alcoholic LC (all p < 0.001). In contrast, LC patients with hypertension and hyperlipidemia had a decreased risk of mortality. The six-year survival rates showed no difference between both study groups (p = 0.312). In conclusion, alcoholic LC patients were younger and had lower rates of concomitant comorbidities compared with non-alcoholic LC patients. However, all-cause mortality was not different between alcoholic and non-alcoholic LC patients.
Debriefing Model for Psychological Safety in Nursing Simulations: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Ko Eunjung , Choi Yun-Jung
Published: April 2020

This study was conducted to explore nursing students’ emotional experiences during simulations, and to develop a debriefing model for psychological safety in nursing simulations by qualitatively analyzing data. Data were collected through face-to-face in-depth interviews with 23 undergraduate nursing students in South Korea. Via content analysis, nine categories were derived: fear of evaluation, burden of being observed, unfamiliarity with new ways of learning, sensitivity to interpersonal relationships, physical and emotional exhaustion, utilization of supportive relationships, decline in learning satisfaction, positive acceptance of stress, and attempts to relieve stress. On the basis of these insights, we developed the Share–Explore–Notice–Support–Extend (SENSE) debriefing model, which includes stress management and emotional support, as a strategy for effective simulation practices to reduce the negative experiences of stress in nursing students in simulation-based learning.
Dental Fear and Anxiety of Kindergarten Children in Hong Kong: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Yon Madeline Jun Yu , Chen Kitty Jieyi , Gao Sherry Shiqian , Duangthip Duangporn , Lo Edward Chin Man , Chu Chun Hung
Published: April 2020

Objectives: The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to investigate the fear level of kindergarten children in the general population during dental outreach in a familiar kindergarten setting, and to explore the factors associated with the dental fear of kindergarten children. Method: Consecutive sampling method was used to select kindergarten children aged 3 to 5 to participate in a questionnaire survey and an outreach service. A behavioural observation type of instrument for dental fear and anxiety assessment—Frankl Behaviour Rating Scale (FBRS)—was chosen to investigate the fear level of the children. Bivariate analyses between various factors and children’s dental fear and anxiety were carried out using Chi-square test. Results: A total of 498 children participated in this study. Almost half (46%) of the children have had caries experience, and the mean dmft score was 2.1 ± 3.4. The prevalence of dental caries was 32%, 43%, and 64% in the 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds, respectively. Only 4% of the children scored negatively for dental fear and anxiety (95% CI 2.3%–5.7%). Children at three years of age displayed more dental fear and anxiety than children of older ages, but the difference in dental fear and anxiety among the genders and caries status was not statistically significant. Most of the children (92%) brushed daily, but only 20% of them used toothpaste. Most (85%) of them had never visited the dentist, and over 70% of them were mainly taken care by their parents. High levels of positive and cooperative behaviour and low levels of fear were found in this population. No statistical significance was found between the child’s dental fear and any factors except age. Conclusion: Children generally displayed low fear or anxiety levels in a dental outreach consisting of a non-invasive oral examination and preventive treatment in a familiar kindergarten setting. Conducting regular outreach dental services to kindergartens by providing oral examination and simple remineralisation therapies could be a promising strategy to not only control childhood caries, but also manage and reduce dental fear and encourage long term dental attendance in line with the medical model.
Environmental Correlates of Reaching a Centenarian Age: Analysis of 144,665 Deaths in Washington State for 2011−2015
Authors: Bhardwaj Rajan , Amiri Solmaz , Buchwald Dedra , Amram Ofer
Published: April 2020

Objective: This study examined the association of several social and environmental factors on the likelihood of reaching centenarian age for older adults in Washington State. Methods: A survival analysis of reaching centenarian age for older adults aged 75 years and above was performed using Washington State mortality data from 2011−2015. Models were adjusted for sex, race, education, marital status, and neighborhood level social and environmental variables at the block group level. Geographic clusters of increased chance of becoming a centenarian were also mapped. Results: In the adjusted model, increased neighborhood walkability, lower education level, higher socioeconomic status, and a higher percent of working age population were positively associated with reaching centenarian age. Being widowed, divorced/separated, or never married were also positively correlated compared to being married. Additionally, being white or female were positively correlated with reaching centenarian status. Discussion: Several social and environmental factors are correlated with becoming a centenarian in Washington State. In this study, we explore findings that are consistent with previous research, as well as some that have not been previously explained. More research is needed to expand upon these findings in this rapidly growing field.
A Metabolically Healthy Profile Is a Transient Stage When Exercise and Diet Are Not Supervised: Long-Term Effects in the EXERDIET-HTA Study
Authors: Corres Pablo , Fryer Simon M. , Aguirre-Betolaza Aitor Martínez , Gorostegi-Anduaga Ilargi , Arratibel-Imaz Iñaki , Pérez-Asenjo Javier , Francisco-Terreros Silvia , Saracho Ramón , Maldonado-Martín Sara
Published: April 2020

Metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) is a regular state in people with primary hypertension (HTN), obesity, and who are physically inactive. To achieve and maintain a metabolically healthy overweight/obese (MHO) state should be a main treatment goal. The aims of the study were (1) to determine differences in metabolic profiles of overweight/obese, physically inactive individuals with HTN following a 16-week (POST) supervised aerobic exercise training (SupExT) intervention with an attentional control (AC) group, and (2) to determine whether the changes observed were maintained following six months (6 M) of unsupervised time. Participants (n = 219) were randomly assigned into AC or SupExT groups. All participants underwent a hypocaloric diet. At POST, all participants received diet and physical activity advice for the following 6 M, with no supervision. All measurements were assessed pre-intervention (PRE), POST, and after 6 M. From PRE to POST, MUO participants became MHO with improved (p < 0.05) total cholesterol (TC, ∆ = −12.1 mg/dL), alanine aminotransferase (∆ = −8.3 U/L), glucose (∆ = −5.5 mg/dL), C-reactive protein (∆ = −1.4 mg/dL), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) compared to unhealthy optimal cut-off values. However, after 6 M, TC, glucose, and SBP returned to unhealthy values (p < 0.05). In a non-physically active population with obesity and HTN, a 16-week SupExT and diet intervention significantly improves cardiometabolic profile from MUO to MHO. However, after 6 M of no supervision, participants returned to MUO. The findings of this study highlight the need for regular, systematic, and supervised diet and exercise programs to avoid subsequent declines in cardiometabolic health.
The Immobilization Effect of Natural Mineral Materials on Cr(VI) Remediation in Water and Soil
Authors: Zhang Dading , Xu Yanqiu , Li Xiaofei , Wang Lina , He Xuwen , Ma Yan , Zou Dexun
Published: April 2020

The effects of sepiolite, montmorillonite, and attapulgite on the removal and immobilization of Cr(VI) in water and soil were studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) characterizations showed that the purities of these three mineral materials decreased in the following order: montmorillonite > attapulgite > sepiolite, and that their surface molecular bond types were similar. The adsorption potential of Cr(VI) in aqueous solutions of the three mineral materials was in the following order: sepiolite > attapulgite > montmorillonite. The adsorption mechanism for attapulgite was consistent with the Freundlich isotherm adsorption model, whereas that for montmorillonite was more consistent with the Langmuir model. Sepiolite had a good fitting effect for both isothermal adsorption models. For montmorillonite and attapulgite, a lower pH corresponded to a higher removal of Cr(VI). For sepiolite, however, the removal efficiency of Cr(VI) from an aqueous solution was the lowest at a pH of approximately 5.0. The results of the soil toxicity characteristic leaching procedure showed that, following the addition of 15% sepiolite, attapulgite, or montmorillonite to the contaminated soil, Cr(VI) concentrations in the leachates decreased by 16.8%, 18.9%, and 15.9%, respectively, and the total Cr concentrations in the leachates were reduced by 21.2%, 29.2%, and 17.6%. Of the three mineral materials, attapulgite demonstrated the highest Cr(VI) immobilization efficiency in soil. This study emphasizes the effect of attapulgite on the immobilization of Cr(VI) in soil and aqueous solutions, thus providing a theoretical basis for the potential application of natural mineral material remediation of Cr(VI)-contaminated aqueous solutions and soils.
Meat Safety in Tanzania’s Value Chain: Experiences, Explanations and Expectations in Butcheries and Eateries
Authors: Prinsen Gerard , Benschop Jackie , Cleaveland Sarah , Crump John A. , French Nigel P. , Hrynick Tabitha A. , Mariki Boniface , Mmbaga Blandina T. , Sharp Joanne P. , Swai Emmanuel S. , Thomas Kate M. , Zadoks Ruth N. , Waldman Linda
Published: April 2020

Urbanisation is associated with changes in consumption patterns and food production processes. These patterns and processes can increase or decrease the risks of outbreaks of foodborne diseases and are generally accompanied by changes in food safety policies and regulations about food handling. This affects consumers, as well as people economically engaged in the food value chain. This study looks at Tanzania’s red meat value chain—which in its totality involves about one third of the population—and focuses on the knowledge, attitudes and reported practices of operators of butcheries and eateries with regards to meat safety in an urban and in a rural environment. We interviewed 64 operators about their experiences with foodborne diseases and their explanations and expectations around meat safety, with a particular emphasis on how they understood their own actions regarding food safety risks vis-à-vis regulations. We found operators of eateries emphasising their own agency in keeping meat safe, whereas operators of butcheries—whose products are more closely inspected—relied more on official inspections. Looking towards meat safety in the future, interviewees in rural areas were, relative to their urban counterparts, more optimistic, which we attribute to rural operators’ shorter and relatively unmediated value chains.
Epidemiology of Paediatric Shoulder Dislocation: A Nationwide Study in Italy from 2001 to 2014
Authors: Longo Umile Giuseppe , Salvatore Giuseppe , Locher Joel , Ruzzini Laura , Candela Vincenzo , Berton Alessandra , Stelitano Giovanna , Schena Emiliano , Denaro Vincenzo
Published: April 2020

Limited knowledge is accessible concerning the tendencies of hospitalization for skeletally immature patients with episodes of shoulder dislocation. Our research aim was to evaluate annual hospitalizations for shoulder dislocation in paediatric patients in Italy from 2001 to 2014, on the basis of the official data source as hospitalization reports. The second purpose was to investigate geographical diversification in hospitalization for shoulder dislocation in regions of Italy. The last aim was to make statistical predictions of the number of shoulder dislocation hospitalization volumes and rates in skeletally immature patients based on data from 2001 to 2014. An examination of the National Hospital Discharge records (SDO) kept at the Italian Ministry of Health regarding the 14 years of our study (2001 through 2014) was conducted. These data are anonymous and include patient’s age, gender, domicile, region and time of hospitalization, and the kind of reimbursement (public or private). In the 14-year study time, 344 hospitalizations for shoulder dislocation of patients aged 0–14 years took place in Italy. The male/female hospitalization ratio varied from a maximum of 3.0 (2001) to a minimum of 1.1 (2013), with a mean average ratio in the 2001–2014 timespan of 2.0. Almost half of the hospitalizations (49.1%) were performed in the South. The mean incidence of hospitalizations in Italy for shoulder dislocation in patients with less than 14 years was 0.3 for every 100,000 inhabitants in the same class of age. The most common treatment was a closed reduction (60.8%), followed by open stabilization (16.6%) and arthroscopic procedures (13.7%). The present registry study shows a low incidence of hospitalization for shoulder dislocation in young patients. The most common treatment for a shoulder dislocation in paediatric patients is a closed shoulder reduction. Regions from the south and the centre of Italy are marked by an inferior number of operations and a higher number of hospitalization for closed shoulder reduction.
The Neglected Role of Physical Education Participation on Suicidal Ideation and Stress in High School Adolescents from South Korea
Authors: Park Saengryeol , Park So-Youn , Jang Su Yeon , Oh Gapjin , Oh In-Hwan
Published: April 2020

Adolescents are at high risk of suicidal ideation and stress. This study aimed to investigate how physical education participation predicts suicidal ideation and stress in South Korean high school students. Data from the Twelfth Korea Youth Risk Behaviour Web-Based Survey 2016 (KYRBS) were used for analyses. Two multiple logistic regressions were performed to determine the influence of selected factors on suicidal ideation and stress (model 1: subjective health, social support, body mass index, academic achievement, perceived economic status of family, and physical education participation; model 2: adjusting for school type and year). Model 2 revealed negative associations between subjective health, academic achievement, perceived economic status of family, social support, physical education participation (≥2 times/weekly), and suicidal ideation for male students. Female students exhibited negative associations between subjective health, social support, and academic achievement, along with a positive association between body mass index and suicidal ideation. For both genders, stress was negatively associated with subjective health, social support, academic achievement, perceived economic status of family, and physical education participation (≥2 times/weekly). These findings suggest that participating in physical education can mitigate the risk of suicidal ideation and stress among high school students.
Connected at Sea: The Influence of the Internet and Online Communication on the Well-Being and Life Satisfaction of Cruise Ship Employees
Authors: Radic Aleksandar , Ariza-Montes Antonio , Hernández-Perlines Felipe , Giorgi Gabriele
Published: April 2020

This study aims to elucidate the idiosyncratic effects of the Internet and online communication on the well-being and life satisfaction of cruise ship employees. Cross-sectional surveys and covariance-based structural equation modelling tools were used. In addition, univariate variance analysis was used to address the effects of socio-demographic variables (years of service on a cruise ship, working department on a cruise ship, gender, age, educational level and place of residency) on latent variables of the conceptual model. The conceptual model draws on existing theory and previous research and was empirically tested on a sample of cruise ship employee internet users. Result show that while being onboard a cruise ship, employees experience strong social pressure to be constantly available and they fear of missing out on important information and life events. Thus, relatedness to friends and family needs satisfaction is of paramount importance for cruise ship employees because they are fully aware that they are dispensable and replaceable to cruise ship companies, however to their friends and family, they are indispensable and unique. Moreover, employees who engage in other tasks/activities while taking part in online communication with friends and family exhibit reduced performance, which leads to poor interaction and social dissatisfaction. Lastly, employees experiencing under-reciprocating exchanges show significant negative effects on their well-being. Overall, the results provided several important theoretical and practical implications relevant to cruise tourism and human resource management.
Academic Well-Being and Structural Characteristics of Peer Networks in School
Authors: Rimpelä Arja , Kinnunen Jaana M. , Lindfors Pirjo , Soto Victoria Eugenia , Salmela-Aro Katariina , Perelman Julian , Federico Bruno , Lorant Vincent
Published: April 2020

Peer networks at school and students’ position in these networks can influence their academic well-being. We study here individual students’ network position (isolation, popularity, social activity) and peer network structures at the school level (centralization, density, clustering, school connectedness) and their relations to students’ academic well-being (school burnout, SB; schoolwork engagement, SE). Classroom surveys for 14–16-year-olds (N = 11,015) were conducted in six European cities (SILNE survey). Students were asked to nominate up to five schoolmates with whom they preferred to do schoolwork. SB and SE correlated negatively (−0.32; p < 0.0001). Students had on average 3.4 incoming (popularity; range 0–5) and 3.4 outgoing (social activity; 0–5) social ties. Percentage of isolated students was 1.4. Students’ network position was associated weakly with academic well-being—popular students had less SB and higher SE, and socially active students had higher SE. School-level peer networks showed high clustering and school connectedness, but low density and low centralization. Clustering was associated with higher SB. Low centralization and high school connectedness protected from SB. Dense networks supported SE as did high average school connectedness. Correlations between these network indicators and academic well-being were, however, low. Our study showed that both students’ network position and network characteristics at the school level can influence adolescents’ academic well-being.
Evaluation of Replication Mechanisms on Selected Database Systems
Authors: Pohanka Tomáš , Pechanec Vilém
Published: April 2020

This paper is focused on comparing database replication over spatial data in PostgreSQL and MySQL. Database replication means solving various problems with overloading a single database server with writing and reading queries. There are many replication mechanisms that are able to handle data differently. Criteria for objective comparisons were set for testing and determining the bottleneck of the replication process. The tests were done over the real national vector spatial datasets, namely, ArcCR500, Data200, Natural Earth and Estimated Pedologic-Ecological Unit. HWMonitor Pro was used to monitor the PostgreSQL database, network and system load. Monyog was used to monitor the MySQL activity (data and SQL queries) in real-time. Both database servers were run on computers with the Microsoft Windows operating system. The results from the provided tests of both replication mechanisms led to a better understanding of these mechanisms and allowed informed decisions for future deployment. Graphs and tables include the statistical data and describe the replication mechanisms in specific situations. PostgreSQL with the Slony extension with asynchronous replication synchronized a batch of changes with a high transfer speed and high server load. MySQL with synchronous replication synchronized every change record with low impact on server performance and network bandwidth.
Machine Learning for Gully Feature Extraction Based on a Pan-Sharpened Multispectral Image: Multiclass vs. Binary Approach
Authors: Phinzi Kwanele , Abriha Dávid , Bertalan László , Holb Imre , Szabó Szilárd
Published: April 2020

Gullies reduce both the quality and quantity of productive land, posing a serious threat to sustainable agriculture, hence, food security. Machine Learning (ML) algorithms are essential tools in the identification of gullies and can assist in strategic decision-making relevant to soil conservation. Nevertheless, accurate identification of gullies is a function of the selected ML algorithms, the image and number of classes used, i.e., binary (two classes) and multiclass. We applied Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Random Forest (RF) on a Systeme Pour l’Observation de la Terre (SPOT-7) image to extract gullies and investigated whether the multiclass (m) approach can offer better classification accuracy than the binary (b) approach. Using repeated k-fold cross-validation, we generated 36 models. Our findings revealed that, of these models, both RFb (98.70%) and SVMm (98.01%) outperformed the LDA in terms of overall accuracy (OA). However, the LDAb (99.51%) recorded the highest producer’s accuracy (PA) but had low corresponding user’s accuracy (UA) with 18.5%. The binary approach was generally better than the multiclass approach; however, on class level, the multiclass approach outperformed the binary approach in gully identification. Despite low spectral resolution, the pan-sharpened SPOT-7 product successfully identified gullies. The proposed methodology is relatively simple, but practically sound, and can be used to monitor gullies within and beyond the study region.
High-Resolution Remote Sensing Image Integrity Authentication Method Considering Both Global and Local Features
Authors: Zhang Xingang , Yan Haowen , Zhang Liming , Wang Hao
Published: April 2020

Content integrity of high-resolution remote sensing (HRRS) images is the premise of its usability. Existing HRRS image integrity authentication methods are mostly binary decision-making processes, which cannot provide a further interpretable information (e.g., tamper localization, tamper type determination). Due to this reason, a robust HRRS images integrity authentication algorithm using perceptual hashing technology considering both global and local features is proposed in this paper. It extracts global features by the efficient recognition ability of Zernike moments to texture information. Meanwhile, Features from Accelerated Segment Test (FAST) key points are applied to local features construction and tamper localization. By applying the concept of multi-feature combination to the integrity authentication of HRRS images, the authentication process is more convincing in comparison to existing algorithms. Furthermore, an interpretable authentication result can be given. The experimental results show that the algorithm proposed in this paper is highly robust to the content retention operation, has a strong sensitivity to the content changing operations, and the result of tampering localization is more precise comparing with existing algorithms.
Water Areas Segmentation from Remote Sensing Images Using a Separable Residual SegNet Network
Authors: Weng Liguo , Xu Yiming , Xia Min , Zhang Yonghong , Liu Jia , Xu Yiqing
Published: April 2020

Changes on lakes and rivers are of great significance for the study of global climate change. Accurate segmentation of lakes and rivers is critical to the study of their changes. However, traditional water area segmentation methods almost all share the following deficiencies: high computational requirements, poor generalization performance, and low extraction accuracy. In recent years, semantic segmentation algorithms based on deep learning have been emerging. Addressing problems associated to a very large number of parameters, low accuracy, and network degradation during training process, this paper proposes a separable residual SegNet (SR-SegNet) to perform the water area segmentation using remote sensing images. On the one hand, without compromising the ability of feature extraction, the problem of network degradation is alleviated by adding modified residual blocks into the encoder, the number of parameters is limited by introducing depthwise separable convolutions, and the ability of feature extraction is improved by using dilated convolutions to expand the receptive field. On the other hand, SR-SegNet removes the convolution layers with relatively more convolution kernels in the encoding stage, and uses the cascading method to fuse the low-level and high-level features of the image. As a result, the whole network can obtain more spatial information. Experimental results show that the proposed method exhibits significant improvements over several traditional methods, including FCN, DeconvNet, and SegNet.
Dynamics of Sediments in Reservoir Inflows: A Case Study of the Skalka and Nechranice Reservoirs, Czech Republic
Authors: Pacina Jan , Lenďáková Zuzana , Štojdl Jiří , Matys Grygar Tomáš , Dolejš Martin
Published: April 2020

A wide variety of geographic information system tools and methods was used for pre-dam topography reconstruction and reservoir bottom surveying in two dam reservoirs in the Ohře River, Czech Republic. The pre-dam topography was reconstructed based on archival aerial imagery and old maps. The benefits and drawbacks of these methods were tested and explained with emphasis on the fact that not all processed archival data are suitable for pre-dam topography modeling. Bathymetric surveying of a reservoir bottom is presently routine, but in this study, we used a wide combination of bathymetric mapping methods (sonar, ground penetration radar, and sub-bottom profiler) and topographic survey tools (LiDAR and photogrammetry), bringing great benefits for bottom dynamic analysis and data cross-validation. The data that we gathered made it possible to evaluate the formation of the inflow deltas in the reservoirs studied and assess the sediment reworking during recent seasonal drawdowns. A typical inflow delta was formed in the deeper of the two studied reservoirs, while the summer 2019 drawdown caused the formation and incision of a temporary drawdown channel and erosive downstream transport of approximately 1/10 of the delta body thickness in approximately 1/10 of the delta transverse size. No inflow delta was formed in the shallower of the studied reservoirs, but unexpectedly extensive sediment reworking was observed in the inflow part of the reservoir. Both the studied reservoirs and the pre-dam river floodplain have accumulated historical contamination by risk elements such as As, Hg, Pb; thus, the enhanced erosion of existing sediment bodies expected in the future, owing to more frequent droughts and global climate change, will endanger the ecological quality of the water and solids outflowing from the reservoirs.
Selecting Prices Determinants and Including Spatial Effects in Peer-to-Peer Accommodation
Authors: Suárez-Vega Rafael , Hernández Juan M.
Published: April 2020

Peer-to-peer accommodation has grown significantly during the last decades, supported, in part, by digital platforms. These websites make available a wide range of information intended to help the customers’ decision. All these factors, in addition to the property location, may therefore influence rental price. This paper proposes different procedures for an efficient selection of a high number of price determinants in peer-to-peer accommodation when applying the perspective of the geographically weighted regression. As a case study, these procedures have been used to find the factors affecting the rental price of properties advertised on Airbnb in Gran Canaria (Spain). The results show that geographically weighted regression obtains better indicators of goodness of fit than the traditional ordinary least squares method, making it possible to identify those attributes influencing price and how their effect varies according to property locations. Moreover, the results also show that the selection procedures working directly on geographically weighted regression obtain better results than those that take good global solutions as their starting point.
Assessing Earthquake-Induced Urban Rubble by Means of Multiplatform Remotely Sensed Data
Authors: Pollino Maurizio , Cappucci Sergio , Giordano Ludovica , Iantosca Domenico , De Cecco Luigi , Bersan Danilo , Rosato Vittorio , Borfecchia Flavio
Published: April 2020

Earthquake-induced rubble in urbanized areas must be mapped and characterized. Location, volume, weight and constituents are key information in order to support emergency activities and optimize rubble management. A procedure to work out the geometric characteristics of the rubble heaps has already been reported in a previous work, whereas here an original methodology for retrieving the rubble’s constituents by means of active and passive remote sensing techniques, based on airborne (LiDAR and RGB aero-photogrammetric) and satellite (WorldView-3) Very High Resolution (VHR) sensors, is presented. Due to the high spectral heterogeneity of seismic rubble, Spectral Mixture Analysis, through the Sequential Maximum Angle Convex Cone algorithm, was adopted to derive the linear mixed model distribution of remotely sensed spectral responses of pure materials (endmembers). These endmembers were then mapped on the hyperspectral signatures of various materials acquired on site, testing different machine learning classifiers in order to assess their relative abundances. The best results were provided by the C-Support Vector Machine, which allowed us to work out the characterization of the main rubble constituents with an accuracy up to 88.8% for less mixed pixels and the Random Forest, which was the only one able to detect the likely presence of asbestos.
A CitSci Approach for Rapid Earthquake Intensity Mapping: A Case Study from Istanbul (Turkey)
Authors: Yalcin Ilyas , Kocaman Sultan , Gokceoglu Candan
Published: April 2020

Nowadays several scientific disciplines utilize Citizen Science (CitSci) as a research approach. Natural hazard research and disaster management also benefit from CitSci since people can provide geodata and the relevant attributes using their mobile devices easily and rapidly during or after an event. An earthquake, depending on its intensity, is among the highly destructive natural hazards. Coordination efforts after a severe earthquake event are vital to minimize its harmful effects and timely in-situ data are crucial for this purpose. The aim of this study is to perform a CitSci pilot study to demonstrate the usability of data obtained by volunteers (citizens) for creating earthquake iso-intensity maps in a short time. The data were collected after a 5.8 Mw Istanbul earthquake which occurred on 26 September 2019. Through the mobile app “I felt the quake”, citizen observations regarding the earthquake intensity were collected from various locations. The intensity values in the app represent a revised form of the Mercalli intensity scale. The iso-intensity map was generated using a spatial kriging algorithm and compared with the one produced by The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), Turkey, empirically. The results show that collecting the intensity information via trained users is a plausible method for producing such maps.
Enhancing Image-Based Multiscale Heritage Recording with Near-Infrared Data
Authors: Adamopoulos Efstathios , Rinaudo Fulvio
Published: April 2020

Passive sensors, operating in the visible (VIS) spectrum, have widely been used towards the trans-disciplinary documentation, understanding, and protection of tangible cultural heritage (CH). Although, many heritage science fields benefit significantly from additional information that can be acquired in the near-infrared (NIR) spectrum. NIR imagery, captured for heritage applications, has been mostly investigated with two-dimensional (2D) approaches or by 2D-to-three-dimensional (3D) integrations following complicated techniques, including expensive imaging sensors and setups. The availability of high-resolution digital modified cameras and software implementations of Structure-from-Motion (SfM) and Multiple-View-Stereo (MVS) algorithms, has made the production of models with spectral textures more feasible than ever. In this research, a short review of image-based 3D modeling with NIR data is attempted. The authors aim to investigate the use of near-infrared imagery from relatively low-cost modified sensors for heritage digitization, alongside the usefulness of spectral textures produced, oriented towards heritage science. Therefore, thorough experimentation and assessment with different software are conducted and presented, utilizing NIR imagery and SfM/MVS methods. Dense 3D point clouds and textured meshes have been produced and evaluated for their metric validity and radiometric quality, comparing to results produced from VIS imagery. The datasets employed come from heritage assets of different dimensions, from an archaeological site to a medium-sized artwork, to evaluate implementation on different levels of accuracy and specifications of texture resolution.
Biological Factors, Metals, and Biomaterials Regulating Osteogenesis through Autophagy
Authors: di Giacomo Viviana , Cataldi Amelia , Sancilio Silvia
Published: April 2020

Bone loss raises great concern in numerous situations, such as ageing and many diseases and in both orthopedic and dentistry fields of application, with an extensive impact on health care. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms and the determinants that can regulate osteogenesis and ensure bone balance. Autophagy is a well conserved lysosomal degradation pathway, which is known to be highly active during differentiation and development. This review provides a revision of the literature on all the exogen factors that can modulate osteogenesis through autophagy regulation. Metal ion exposition, mechanical stimuli, and biological factors, including hormones, nutrients, and metabolic conditions, were taken into consideration for their ability to tune osteogenic differentiation through autophagy. In addition, an exhaustive overview of biomaterials, both for orthopedic and dentistry applications, enhancing osteogenesis by modulation of the autophagic process is provided as well. Already investigated conditions regulating bone regeneration via autophagy need to be better understood for finely tailoring innovative therapeutic treatments and designing novel biomaterials.
Sweroside Prevents Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis by Suppressing Activation of the NLRP3 Inflammasome
Authors: Yang Gabsik , Jang Joo Hyeon , Kim Sung Wook , Han Sin-Hee , Ma Kyung-Ho , Jang Jae-Ki , Kang Han Chang , Cho Yong-Yeon , Lee Hye Suk , Lee Joo Young
Published: April 2020

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a type of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, is characterized as steatosis and inflammation in the liver. NLRP3 inflammasome activation is associated with NASH pathology. We hypothesized that suppressing the NLRP3 inflammasome could be effective in preventing NASH. We searched substances that could inhibit the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and identified sweroside as an NLRP3 inhibitor. We investigated whether sweroside can be applied to prevent the pathological symptoms associated with NASH in a methionine–choline-deficient (MCD) diet-induced NASH mouse model. The activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome was determined by detecting the production of caspase-1 and IL-1β from pro-caspase-1 and pro-IL-1β in primary mouse macrophages and mouse liver. In a NASH model, mice were fed an MCD diet for two weeks with daily intraperitoneal injections of sweroside. Sweroside effectively inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation in primary macrophages as shown by a decrease in IL-1β and caspase-1 production. In a MCD diet-induced NASH mouse model, intraperitoneal injection of sweroside significantly reduced serum aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase levels, hepatic immune cell infiltration, hepatic triglyceride accumulation, and liver fibrosis. The improvement of NASH symptoms by sweroside was accompanied with its inhibitory effects on the hepatic NLRP3 inflammasome as hepatic IL-1β and caspase-1 were decreased. Furthermore, sweroside blocked de novo synthesis of mitochondrial DNA in the liver, contributing to suppression of the NLRP3 inflammasome. These results suggest that targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome with sweroside could be beneficially employed to improve NASH symptoms.
Endothelial Hyper-Permeability Induced by T1D Sera Can be Reversed by iNOS Inactivation
Authors: Cazzaniga Alessandra , Scrimieri Roberta , Giani Elisa , Zuccotti Gian Vincenzo , Maier Jeanette A. M.
Published: April 2020

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1D) is associated with accelerated atherosclerosis that is responsible for high morbidity and mortality. Endothelial hyperpermeability, a feature of endothelial dysfunction, is an early step of atherogenesis since it favours intimal lipid uptake. Therefore, we tested endothelial leakage by loading the sera from T1D patients onto cultured human endothelial cells and found it increased by hyperglycaemic sera. These results were phenocopied in endothelial cells cultured in a medium containing high concentrations of glucose, which activates inducible nitric oxide synthase with a consequent increase of nitric oxide. Inhibition of the enzyme prevented high glucose-induced hyperpermeability, thus pointing to nitric oxide as the mediator involved in altering the endothelial barrier function. Since nitric oxide is much higher in sera from hyperglycaemic than normoglycaemic T1D patients, and the inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase prevents sera-dependent increased endothelial permeability, this enzyme might represent a promising biochemical marker to be monitored in T1D patients to predict alterations of the vascular wall, eventually promoting intimal lipid accumulation.
Clinical Spectrum of KCNA1 Mutations: New Insights into Episodic Ataxia and Epilepsy Comorbidity
Authors: Paulhus Kelsey , Ammerman Lauren , Glasscock Edward
Published: April 2020

Mutations in the KCNA1 gene, which encodes voltage-gated Kv1.1 potassium channel α-subunits, cause a variety of human diseases, complicating simple genotype–phenotype correlations in patients. KCNA1 mutations are primarily associated with a rare neurological movement disorder known as episodic ataxia type 1 (EA1). However, some patients have EA1 in combination with epilepsy, whereas others have epilepsy alone. KCNA1 mutations can also cause hypomagnesemia and paroxysmal dyskinesia in rare cases. Why KCNA1 variants are associated with such phenotypic heterogeneity in patients is not yet understood. In this review, literature databases (PubMed) and public genetic archives (dbSNP and ClinVar) were mined for known pathogenic or likely pathogenic mutations in KCNA1 to examine whether patterns exist between mutation type and disease manifestation. Analyses of the 47 deleterious KCNA1 mutations that were identified revealed that epilepsy or seizure-related variants tend to cluster in the S1/S2 transmembrane domains and in the pore region of Kv1.1, whereas EA1-associated variants occur along the whole length of the protein. In addition, insights from animal models of KCNA1 channelopathy were considered, as well as the possible influence of genetic modifiers on disease expressivity and severity. Elucidation of the complex relationship between KCNA1 variants and disease will enable better diagnostic risk assessment and more personalized therapeutic strategies for KCNA1 channelopathy.
MicroRNA Expression Profiling of Normal and Malignant Human Colonic Stem Cells Identifies miRNA92a as a Regulator of the LRIG1 Stem Cell Gene
Authors: Viswanathan Vignesh , Opdenaker Lynn , Modarai Shirin , Fields Jeremy Z. , Gonye Gregory , Boman Bruce M.
Published: April 2020

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have a critical role in regulating stem cells (SCs) during development, and because aberrant expression of miRNAs occurs in various cancers, our goal was to determine if dysregulation of miRNAs is involved in the SC origin of colorectal cancer (CRC). We previously reported that aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) is a marker for normal and malignant human colonic SCs and tracks SC overpopulation during colon tumorigenesis. MicroRNA expression was studied in ALDH-positive SCs from normal and malignant human colon tissues by Nanostring miRNA profiling. Our findings show that: (1) A unique miRNA signature distinguishes ALDH-positive CRC cells from ALDH-positive normal colonic epithelial cells, (2) Expression of four miRNAs (miRNA200c, miRNA92a, miRNA20a, miRNA93) are significantly altered in CRC SCs compared to normal colonic SCs, (3) miRNA92a expression is also upregulated in ALDH-positive HT29 CRC SCs as compared to ALDH-negative SCs, (4) miRNA92a targets the 3′UTR of LRIG1 SC gene, and (5) miRNA92a modulates proliferation of HT29 CRC cells. Thus, our findings indicate that overexpression of miRNA92a contributes to the SC origin of CRC. Strategies designed to modulate miRNA expression, such as miRNA92a, may provide ways to target malignant SCs and to develop more effective therapies against CRC.
microRNAs in the Antitumor Immune Response and in Bone Metastasis of Breast Cancer: From Biological Mechanisms to Therapeutics
Authors: Gomarasca Marta , Maroni Paola , Banfi Giuseppe , Lombardi Giovanni
Published: April 2020

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women, and the occurrence of metastasis drastically worsens the prognosis and reduces overall survival. Understanding the biological mechanisms that regulate the transformation of malignant cells, the consequent metastatic transformation, and the immune surveillance in the tumor progression would contribute to the development of more effective and targeted treatments. In this context, microRNAs (miRNAs) have proven to be key regulators of the tumor-immune cells crosstalk for the hijack of the immunosurveillance to promote tumor cells immune escape and cancer progression, as well as modulators of the metastasis formation process, ranging from the preparation of the metastatic site to the transformation into the migrating phenotype of tumor cells. In particular, their deregulated expression has been linked to the aberrant expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes to promote tumorigenesis. This review aims at summarizing the role and functions of miRNAs involved in antitumor immune response and in the metastasis formation process in breast cancer. Additionally, miRNAs are promising targets for gene therapy as their modulation has the potential to support or inhibit specific mechanisms to negatively affect tumorigenesis. With this perspective, the most recent strategies developed for miRNA-based therapeutics are illustrated.
Acetylated Polysaccharides From Pleurotus geesteranus Alleviate Lung Injury Via Regulating NF-κB Signal Pathway
Authors: Song Xinling , Zhang Jianjun , Li Jian , Jia Le
Published: April 2020

The present work investigated the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and lung protection effects of acetylated Pleurotus geesteranus polysaccharides (AcPPS) on acute lung injury (ALI) mice. The acetylation of AcPPS was successfully shown by the peaks of 1737 cm−1 and 1249 cm−1 by FTIR. The animal experiments demonstrated that lung damage can be induced by zymosan. However, the supplementation of AcPPS had potential effects on reducing lung index, remitting inflammatory symptoms (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6), inhibiting NF-κB signal pathway based on up-regulating the level of IκBα and down-regulating p-IκBα level by Western blotting and immunofluorescence assay, preventing oxidative stress (ROS, SOD, GSH-Px, CAT, T-AOC, and MDA), reducing lipid accumulation (TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C, and VLDL-C), and alleviating lung functions by histopathologic observation. These results demonstrated that AcPPS might be suitable for natural food for prevention or remission in ALI.