bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DEVELOPING ENGLISH MATERIALS BASED ON CHARACTER BUILDING FOR MANAGEMENT CLASS IN STIE CENDEKIA
Authors: Amrina Hafidza Nash’ul , Anom Latifah
Published: March 2020

Nowadays character building is a national movement in Indonesia. The educators are asked to integrate it in the learning process, but unfortunately, there are still many lectures that still have difficul in integrating character building in classroom. In English class character building can be integrated through inserting culture in the material, therefore the students are not only learning about the material but they also learn about the value of the culture. The purpose of this research is to develop English material for management class based on character building. Research and Development (R&D) by Borg and Gall (1983) was applied. The subjects of the research were the English lecture of management class and the students of the fourth semester. The result of the research showed that the instructional materials developed is appropriate to the students’ needs and curriculum.
Así es Sevilla (Conferencia)
Authors: Gutiérrez Llamas María del Carmen
Published: March 2020

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La Idea del mundo de los Taínos en comparación con la de las viejas culturas del oriente medio
Authors: Pérez Memén Fernando
Published: March 2020

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Antología de una antología
Authors: Moreno Jiménez Domingo
Published: March 2020

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Canción.(Poesía)
Authors: Lebrón Saviñón Mariano
Published: March 2020

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Última carta de Goethe a Guillermo de Humboldt
Authors: Walter Palm Erwin
Published: March 2020

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Colaboración en este número
Authors: Revista Unphu
Published: March 2020

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3er. Congreso Latino Americano de Fitopatología. 1er. Congreso de la sociedad Fitosanitaria Dominicana
Authors: Revista Unphu
Published: March 2020

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La Unphu y el Agro
Authors: Revista Unphu
Published: March 2020

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Shabat: El Gran día del Pueblo Judío.(Conferencia)
Authors: D. Palzur Marchai
Published: March 2020

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Pedro Henríquez Ureña : Recuerdos para un centenario.(Conferencia)
Authors: López Angel Luis
Published: March 2020

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Discurso de Mariano Lebrón Saviñón, al recibir el título de Profesor Distinguido de la UNPHU
Authors: Revista Unphu
Published: March 2020

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Origen y Cultura del Negro.(Ensayo)
Authors: Lebrón Saviñón Carlos
Published: March 2020

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Aproximación al estudio del contacto entre aborígenes y europeos en Cuba.
Authors: Domínguez Lourdes S. , Rives Alexis
Published: March 2020

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Migraciones en Latinoamerica: Algunos datos para el estudio de la emigración Dominicana hacia los Estados Unidos (1960-1991)
Authors: Romero Valiente Juan Manuel
Published: March 2020

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Aspectos Socio-Históricos sobre la inmigración Haitiana a República Dominicana.
Authors: Silié Rubén
Published: March 2020

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Geografía, Raza y Color en Cuba.
Authors: Duharte Jiménez Rafael
Published: March 2020

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El Azúcar en Canarias y la Española: Sistemas de explotacion y efectos en el comercio del siglo XVI.
Authors: López y Sebastián Lorenzo E. , Del Río Moreno Justo L.
Published: March 2020

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Novela, Revolución e Identidad en Cuba.
Authors: Rodríguez Coronel Rogelio
Published: March 2020

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Observadores climáticos en la ruralia dominicana
Authors: Portorreal Fátima
Published: March 2020

Las comunidades campesinas han estado observando sus territorios y manejando su biodiversidad desde tiempos inmemoriales; pero con los avances de la ciencia y la tecnología, sus saberes son marginados por un conocer académico sostenido en la modernidad, el cual no le ha dado el justo trato y los minimiza. La destrucción de innumerables tradiciones culturales no beneficia al ambiente, ni compromete los diálogos entre la academia, agencias del desarrollo y los observadores locales del clima.
El medio ambiente sostenible de la mano del desarrollo económico
Authors: Meriño Francis
Published: March 2020

El desarrollo económico de una nación está claramente determinado por un manejo efectivo de sus recursos para la producción, desarrollo y crecimiento y por lo tanto asociamos que el progreso de uno afecta el avance del otro.Las investigaciones científicas nos demuestran además, que el calentamiento global ha sido causado por el afán por las riquezas de las industrias, por lo que es perentorio que los gobiernos incluyan políticas de acción y preservación, claras y universales para cualquier nación, sin dejar de involucrarnos personalmente en nuestro accionar en materia de competitividad y consumismo. La República Dominicana con un desarrollo económico en continuo crecimiento, ha establecido dentro de sus políticas de desarrollo acciones que fomenten el consumo sostenible y que promuevan la conservación de nuestros recursos naturales asegurando de esta manera la continuidad de esta evolución y sobre todo estableciendo los lineamientos para que las nuevas industrias y la generación entrante, tengan un soporte estructural sostenido en todos los renglones que afectan el buen desarrollo de esta isla. Al menos en teoría, la Republica Dominicana está a la vanguardia de las tendencias globales con políticas públicas enfocadas al desarrollo sostenible. Para mencionar algunos casos recientes la constitución de 2010 incluye e incorpora premisas importantes para el tema ambiental, la creación del Consejo Nacional para el Cambio Climático y el Mecanismo de Desarrollo Limpio, la estrategia nacional de desarrollo 2030, la Ley de Bioseguridad 219-15 y la Ley de Biodiversidad 333-15, y algunos proyectos de Ley como Pagos por Servicios Ambientales y la Ley de Agua que actualmente cursan los estamentos legislativos dominicanos. Sin embargo, es pertinente que este desarrollo sostenible se alimente con una realidad que debemos incorporar, una perspectiva a largo plazo que apuntale al manejo de estos recursos y que enfatiza en la solidaridad hacia las actuales y futuras generaciones defendiendo la equidad intergeneracional.
Arquitectura y sostenibilidad en el mundo posmoderno
Authors: Delmonte Soñé José Enrique
Published: March 2020

El cambio climático exige la redefinición de los patrones de consumo de los seres humanos. Sin embargo, la posmodernidad y sus estilos de vida promueven e inducen a la adquisición de bienes de manera desenfrenada, símbolo del bienestar. Las nuevas geografías urbanas contribuyen a ese ideal posmoderno y la arquitectura es pieza clave para satisfacer las exigencias estéticas de una sociedad consumista. Para el arquitecto, la disyuntiva radica en contribuir con ese esquema predominante o innovar con alternativas de diseño concretas y simples, que reduzcan el impacto de su obra en el medio ambiente
La educación tecnocientífica en América Latina
Authors: Vargas Emgelberth
Published: March 2020

En América Latina y el Caribe el siglo XXI se configura como la era donde las innovaciones tecnológicas arropan todos los ámbitos en los que se desarrolla la sociedad, tales como la filosofía, política, ciencias sociales, ciencias básicas entre otros. Al respecto, la educación tecnocientífica (ETCS), es conocida como el conjunto de disciplinas que interactúan para estudiar los aspectos sociales de la ciencia y la tecnología con relación al ámbito educativo en pro de la sociedad. En este sentido, existen organizaciones que promueven una educación para todos como un derecho, tal como lo establece la UNESCO, sin embargo, la educación tecnocientífica ha abierto el debate pedagógico al inferir que la desigualdad de las clases sociales se corresponde a una precondición para su accesibilidad. Esto significaque, las clases sociales pudieran determinar el éxito de que una sociedad aplique o no una cultura tecnológica. No obstante, es asunto de los entes gubernamentales que dirigen un país hacer cumplir políticas que puedan garantizar a sus ciudadanos una educación con calidad, equidad social y el respeto a los derechos humanos haciendo uso de perspectivas, modelos y teorías educativas que propongana la educación tecnocientífica como una adquisición de saberes interdisciplinares y de fácil acceso.
Neurogenic Pulmonary Edema Induced by Spinal Cord Injury in Spontaneously Hypertensive and Dahl Salt Hypertensive Rats
Authors: ŠEDÝ J. , KUNEŠ J. , ZICHA J.
Published: March 2020

Neurogenic pulmonary edema (NPE), which is induced by acute spinal cord compression (SCC) under the mild (1.5 %) isoflurane anesthesia, is highly dependent on baroreflex-mediated bradycardia because a deeper (3 %) isoflurane anesthesia or atropine pretreatment completely abolished bradycardia occurrence and NPE development in rats subjected to SCC. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether hypertension-associated impairment of baroreflex sensitivity might exert some protection against NPE development in hypertensive animals. We therefore studied SCC-induced NPE development in two forms of experimental hypertension – spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and salt hypertensive Dahl rats, which were reported to have reduced baroreflex sensitivity. SCC elicited NPE in both hypertensive models irrespective of their baroreflex sensitivity. It is evident that a moderate impairment of baroreflex sensitivity, which was demonstrated in salt hypertensive Dahl rats, does not exert sufficient protective effects against NPE development.
Transnacionalidad sindical. Herramienta de integración, cambio y equidad global
Authors: Noroño Sánchez José Gregorio
Published: March 2020

El propósito del artículo es analizar la transnacionalidad sindical como herramienta de cambio y equidad global, tomando como referencia el desarrollo en las organizaciones sindicales. La investigación es de tipo cualitativa y se asume desde un paradigma postpositivista con fundamento ontológico. Para la interpretación de los datos se utilizó el análisis hermenéutico y la heurística. Los resultados demostraron que para que exista la transnacionalidad sindical las organizaciones deben atravesar un proceso estructurado de satisfacción de condiciones.
Caracterización de emprendedores y emprendimientos del sector turístico de Esquel, Argentina
Authors: Fernández María Victoria , Ramírez María Celeste , López Silvia Mabel , Gauna Lavayén Mariana , Cesar Rubén Ángel
Published: March 2020

El artículo tiene por objetivo caracterizar los emprendedores y emprendimientos del sector turístico de Esquel, Argentina, desde el enfoque del emprendedorismo. Se parte de la hipótesis de que la mayoría de emprendimientos son Pymes familiares con bajo potencial de crecimiento. Para el desarrollo metodológico se aplicó una encuesta semiestructurada a una muestra de emprendedores del sector turístico, representativa del total y se caracterizaron como style life, que son aquellos que buscan alcanzar su desarrollo personal antes que desarrollar emprendimientos dinámicos, porque su fin último es sostener un estilo de vida determinado. La mayoría de las empresas son familiares, de tamaño pequeño y mediano, que trabajan en pequeña escala para sostenerse en el mercado.
APLIKASI PENGENALAN GAMBAR MENGGUNAKAN MICROSOFT VISUAL BASIC 6.0
Authors: Hasrani Prihastuti , Noviandi Kiki
Published: March 2020

Suatu citra mengandung beberapa pesan yang sangat sulit sekali untuk diterjemahkan. Salah satu kesulitan yang dihadapi dalam pengelohan citra ini adalah banyaknya kombinasi warna yang mencapai 16 juta kombinasi. Sehingga salah satu cara yang mungkin ditempuh adalah dengan membawa kebentuk dua warna yaitu hitam dan putih dimana warna ini akan lebih mudah di transformasikan ke bentuk lain.Metode yang digunakan untuk menyelesainan masalah dalam aplikasi pengenal gambar adalah dengan metode pencarian Heuristic. Dalam prosesnya metode Heuristic ini melakukan pelacakan gambar, representasi ulang gambar dan pembelajaran terhadap proses yang telah dilakukan serta menarik sebuah kesimpulan dengan berbekal pengetahuan yang didapatkannya. Beberapa proses yang dilakukan dalam aplikasi ini adalah proses deteksi tepi, proses representasi dan Pengenalan gambar. Proses-proses ini semua saling saling terkait guna menghasilkan efisiensi dan kecepatan akses bagi aplikasi dalam menentukan sebuah keputusan. Kata kunci : Citra, Gambar, Heuristik
Performance-Based Reliability Estimates for Highway Bridges Considering Previous Inspection Data
Authors: Heo Won-Ho
Published: March 2020

This paper proposes a performance-based resistance deterioration model that reflects the site environment and inspection data for highway bridges. Traffic characteristics and corrosive environment are considered as the site environment. The corrosive environments and traffic characteristics are classified into three categories, namely mild, normal, and severe for the former and light, normal, and heavy for the latter. The deterioration of the resistance capacity due to corrosive environments is evaluated considering both the service period and the concrete crack widths in the pre-stressed concrete (PSC) girder and the reinforced concrete (RC) slab. The deterioration model of the resistance capacity is calibrated by combining the performance degradation model. The performance degradation model is also calibrated using previous bridge inspection results from the standard performance degradation model, which has been developed based on the large amount of data available on many pre-stressed concrete-I (PSC-I) type girder bridges. The developed performance-based resistance deterioration model is used to evaluate the reliability of a bridge in the future. The results show that the performance inspection outcomes, either based on the current status or lifetime inspection history, are critical in estimating the future degradation of the reliability level, inherent to the bridge.
Sol-Gel Processing of Bismuth Germanate Thin-Films
Authors: Secu Mihail , Secu Corina Elisabeta , Tite Teddy , Polosan Silviu
Published: March 2020

This study aims to obtain uniform and homogeneous bismuth germanate oxides thin films by spin coating and using the sol-gel technique with different precursors, followed by low-temperature annealing at 560 °C. By using Bi(NO3)3 precursors, we have obtained transparent, yellowish thin films with a 200 nm thickness. The structural analysis of the initial sol-gel powder has shown the presence of two crystalline structures, the cubic Bi4Ge3O12 (BGO) and monoclinic Bi2GeO5 crystallites, which evolves towards the BGO structure after annealing. The elemental analysis confirmed the composition of the desired compound Bi4Ge3O12 with 60 wt % GeO2 and 40 wt % Bi2O5. On the other hand, by changing the precursor to (Bi(CH3COO)2, the film thickness increased to 500 nm thicker due to the high viscosity of the sol, and a dominant monoclinic Bi2GeO5 crystalline structure appeared. The elemental analysis revealed a nonstoichiometric composition with 38 wt % GeO2 and 62 wt % Bi2O3. Due to the low GeO2 phase content that reacted with metastable Bi2GeO5, we obtained cubic Bi4Ge3O12 as a secondary phase, with Bi2GeO5 as a dominant crystalline phase. The redshifts of both absorptions and emissions spectra peaks confirmed a different disorder structure as an interplay between the cubic Bi4Ge3O12 (BGO) and monoclinic Bi2GeO5 phases.
The Establishment and Dynamic Properties of a New 4D Hyperchaotic System with Its Application and Statistical Tests in Gray Images
Authors: Ding Lina , Ding Qun
Published: March 2020

In this paper, a new 4D hyperchaotic system is generated. The dynamic properties of attractor phase space, local stability, poincare section, periodic attractor, quasi-periodic attractor, chaotic attractor, bifurcation diagram, and Lyapunov index are analyzed. The hyperchaotic system is normalized and binary serialized, and the binary hyperchaotic stream generated by the system is statistically tested and entropy analyzed. Finally, the hyperchaotic binary stream is applied to the gray image encryption. The histogram, correlation coefficient, entropy test, and security analysis show that the hyperchaotic system has good random characteristics and can be applied to the gray image encryption.
Effects of Different Staircase Design Factors on Evacuation of Children from Kindergarten Buildings Analyzed via Agent-Based Simulation
Authors: Zhou Jiaxu , Jia Xiaohu , Jia Junhan
Published: March 2020

Staircase design is critical to the evacuation of children. Through an agent-based simulation, this study focused on the relationship between staircase design factors and evacuation efficiency in a multi-story kindergarten. A quantitative study was conducted on three critical architectural design factors: stair flight width, positional relationship, and design pattern of the juncture between the staircase and the corridor. The findings were as follows. (1) When the stair flight width ranges from 0.7 to 1.0 m, an increase in this width can improve evacuation efficiency significantly; when the width ranges from 1.1 to 1.4 m, evacuation efficiency is improved continuously, but an increase in this width range has a diminishing effect on evacuation efficiency; when the width is greater than 1.7 m, a further increase has an adverse effect on evacuation efficiency, because such a staircase space allows overtaking behaviors. (2) Under the same stair flight width conditions, evacuation efficiency is higher when the staircase and corridor are perpendicular to each other than when they are parallel, because the natural steering angle of the children was preserved during their evacuation. (3) The cut corner and rounded corner designs between the staircase and corridor improved evacuation efficiency and alleviated the congestion at bottleneck positions; the evacuation efficiency continued to rise with an increase in the cutting angle. These findings are expected to provide a useful reference for the evacuation design of kindergarten buildings and for emergency evacuation management.
Reverse Logistics Network Design for Effective Management of Medical Waste in Epidemic Outbreaks: Insights from the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak in Wuhan (China)
Authors: Yu Hao , Sun Xu , Solvang Wei Deng , Zhao Xu
Published: March 2020

The outbreak of an epidemic disease may pose significant treats to human beings and may further lead to a global crisis. In order to control the spread of an epidemic, the effective management of rapidly increased medical waste through establishing a temporary reverse logistics system is of vital importance. However, no research has been conducted with the focus on the design of an epidemic reverse logistics network for dealing with medical waste during epidemic outbreaks, which, if improperly treated, may accelerate disease spread and pose a significant risk for both medical staffs and patients. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel multi-objective multi-period mixed integer program for reverse logistics network design in epidemic outbreaks, which aims at determining the best locations of temporary facilities and the transportation strategies for effective management of the exponentially increased medical waste within a very short period. The application of the model is illustrated with a case study based on the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China. Even though the uncertainty of the future COVID-19 spread tendency is very high at the time of this research, several general policy recommendations can still be obtained based on computational experiments and quantitative analyses. Among other insights, the results suggest installing temporary incinerators may be an effective solution for managing the tremendous increase of medical waste during the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, but the location selection of these temporary incinerators is of significant importance. Due to the limitation on available data and knowledge at present stage, more real-world information are needed to assess the effectiveness of the current solution.
The Complex Relation between Executive Functions and Language in Preschoolers with Developmental Language Disorders
Authors: Marini Andrea , Piccolo Barbara , Taverna Livia , Berginc Moira , Ozbič Martina
Published: March 2020

Backgrounds: The relationship between linguistic difficulties and cognitive impairments in children with developmental language disorders (DLDs) is receiving growing interest in international research. Executive functions (EF) appear to be weak in these children. The current investigation aims at exploring the relationship between difficulties in two components of EF (i.e., updating and inhibition) and the linguistic and narrative skills of 16 DLD preschoolers matched with 24 typically developing peers. Methods: Updating skills were tested by administering the forward and backward digit recall subtests of the Wechsler Scales, while children’s inhibition abilities were assessed by completion of Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment (NEPSY-II) inhibition tasks. Information on the linguistic skills of the participants was collected through a set of subtests included in the Batteria per la Valutazione del Linguaggio in bambini dai 4 ai 12 anni (Batteria per la Valutazione del Linguaggio; BVL_4-12), assessing articulatory and phonological discrimination skills, lexical production/comprehension, grammatical production/comprehension, and narrative production skills. Results: Findings revealed that DLD children performed significantly lower than their peers on both updating and inhibitory tasks. Linguistic difficulties were found in the DLD group on articulatory/phonological skills, grammatical production/comprehension, and lexical informativeness on narrative production. Measures of EF correlated with linguistic and narrative measures. Conclusion: The current study confirms a significant association between DLD’s performances on EF and displayed linguistic skills, suggesting the need to include the assessment of executive functions to target early intervention rehabilitation programs for children with DLDs.
A Content-Analysis Based Literature Review in Blockchain Adoption within Food Supply Chain
Authors: Duan Jiang , Zhang Chen , Gong Yu , Brown Steve , Li Zhi
Published: March 2020

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one out of 10 people get sick from eating contaminated food. Complex food production process and globalization make food supply chain more delicate. Many technologies have been investigated in recent years to address food insecurity and achieve efficiency in dealing with food recalls. One of the most promising technologies is Blockchain, which has already been used successfully in financial aspects, such as bitcoin, and it is attracting interests from food supply chain organizations. As blockchain has characteristics, such as decentralization, security, immutability, smart contract, it is therefore expected to improve sustainable food supply chain management and food traceability. This paper applies a content-analysis based literature review in blockchain adoption within food supply chain. We propose four benefits. Blockchain can help to improve food traceability, information transparency, and recall efficiency; it can also be combined with Internet of things (IoT) to achieve better efficiency. We also propose five potential challenges, including lack of deeper understanding of blockchain, technology difficulties, raw data manipulation, difficulties of getting all stakeholders on board, and the deficiency of regulations.
Female Infertility Associated with Blood Lead and Cadmium Levels
Authors: Lee Sohyae , Min Jin-young , Min Kyoung-bok
Published: March 2020

Lead and cadmium are known to be potential female reproductive toxins. However, studies on the relationship between these metals and infertility are limited. This study examines the association between self-reported infertility and blood lead and cadmium levels in US women by comparing metal levels in infertile and pregnant women. Data on blood lead, blood cadmium, and infertility from women aged 20–39 years who participated in the 2013–2014 and 2015–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were analyzed (n = 124, ‘pregnant’ n = 42, ‘infertile’ n = 82). Blood lead and cadmium levels were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and infertility and pregnancy status were assessed using a self-reported questionnaire. Low blood lead and cadmium levels (geometric mean of blood lead = 0.50 µg/dL and blood cadmium = 0.26 µg/L) were positively associated with self-reported infertility after adjusting for confounding effects (odds ratio (OR) for lead per two-fold increase in blood metal levels = 2.60; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.05–6.41 and OR for cadmium per two-fold increase = 1.84; 95% CI, 1.07–3.15). Although our findings require confirmation, they suggest that even low blood cadmium and lead levels may be deleterious to female fecundity.
The Primary Care-Video Intervention Therapy for Growth-Vulnerable Infants. A Case Study
Authors: Sacchi Chiara , Facchini Sergio , Downing George , Simonelli Alessandra
Published: March 2020

Perinatal growth vulnerability (e.g., Small for Gestational Age, SGA) poses the goal to not overlook subtle developmental susceptibilities and their impact on the parent–infant relationship. In this case study, we examined the application of a video-feedback intervention program to support parenting, the Primary Care-Video Intervention Therapy (PC-VIT), specifically developed to fit pediatric care characteristics. The case presentation details the principal steps of the intervention with the family of an SGA infant from birth up to toddlerhood. Findings for this family highlighted initial worries about the infant’s growth. Along sessions, PC-VIT held maternal anxiety and sustained parents’ abilities to recognize and talk about the infant’s developmental skills and regulatory abilities. The PC-VIT shows the powerful opportunity to limit the impact of infant growth vulnerability on the parent–child relationship and socio-emotional development. Pediatricians can prevent vulnerable developmental milestones from clinical outcomes by implementing timely and effective strategies embracing mental health and parenting-related issues.
Perspectives on “Novel” Techniques for Designing Age-Friendly Homes and Neighborhoods with Older Adults
Authors: Brookfield Katherine , Scott Iain , Tinker Anthea , Ward Thompson Catharine
Published: March 2020

Worldwide, growth in the older population creates a pressing need to develop supportive environments that enhance quality of life as people age. Too often, built environments present barriers and challenges to older adults that compromise independent living and adversely affect health and life outcomes. Designing homes, buildings, and neighborhoods with older adults, through exercises in participatory or co-design, could help ensure that environments are better able to facilitate healthy aging. However, while it is potentially advantageous to involve this age group in environmental design decisions, doing so can be difficult. Analysis of and guidance on effective ways to involve older adults in these activities could make the challenge easier. With this aim in mind, this article provides critical perspectives on eight “less traditional” engagement techniques—walking interviews, photovoice, photo-elicitation, Talking Mats®, participatory mapping, drawing, model-making, and the “Design Fair”. Insights into the strengths and limitations of these techniques, gained from observation of their use in participatory design activities, as well as feedback collected from older co-design participants, are presented. The article concludes by offering a number of practical recommendations for those interested in designing age-friendly homes and neighborhoods with older people.
Urinary Mercapturic Acids to Assess Exposure to Benzene and Other Volatile Organic Compounds in Coke Oven Workers
Authors: Frigerio Gianfranco , Campo Laura , Mercadante Rosa , Mielżyńska-Švach Danuta , Pavanello Sofia , Fustinoni Silvia
Published: March 2020

Coke production was classified as carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Besides polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, coke oven workers may be exposed to benzene and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The aim of this study was to assess the exposure to several VOCs in 49 coke oven workers and 49 individuals living in the same area by determining urinary mercapturic acids. Active tobacco smoking was an exclusion criterion for both groups. Mercapturic acids were investigated by a validated isotopic dilution LC-MS/MS method. Linear models were built to correct for different confounding variables. Urinary levels of N-acetyl-S-phenyl-L-cysteine (SPMA) (metabolite of benzene), N-acetyl-S-(2-hydroxy-1/2-phenylethyl)-L-cysteine (PHEMA) (metabolite of styrene), N-acetyl-S-(2-cyanoethyl)-L-cysteine (CEMA) (metabolite of acrylonitrile), N-acetyl-S-[1-(hydroxymethyl)-2-propen-1-yl)-L-cysteine and N-acetyl-S-(2-hydroxy-3-buten-1-yl)-L-cysteine (MHBMA) (metabolites of 1,3-butadiene) were 2–10 fold higher in workers than in controls (p < 0.05). For SPMA, in particular, median levels were 0.02 and 0.31 µg/g creatinine in workers and controls, respectively. Among workers, coke makers were more exposed to PHEMA and SPMA than foremen and engine operators. The comparison with biological limit values shows that the exposure of workers was within 20% of the limit values for all biomarkers, moreover three subjects exceeded the restrictive occupational limit value recently proposed by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) for SPMA.
Drivers of the Growing Water, Carbon and Ecological Footprints of the Chinese Diet from 1961 to 2017
Authors: Cao Yiyi , Chai Li , Yan Xianglin , Liang Yi
Published: March 2020

In the past decades, food consumption in China has undergone a rapid increase and a significant structure transition, as a result of population growth and economic development. The food system is increasingly threatening the environment by depleting water resources, deteriorating water bodies, aggravating climate change, degrading ecosystems, etc. It is significant to understand how food consumption affected the environment and how its impacts were driven in the historical period. This study reveals the environmental impacts of China’s food system from 1961 to 2017 from a consumption perspective by assessing water, carbon, and ecological footprints. The logarithmic mean Divisia index method was used to examine the drivers of the growing environmental footprints. The assessment results show that all three environmental footprints have had a drastic increase of more than two times during the studied period, which indicates the high environmental pressure posed by food consumption. We also found that, before the 1980s, the main driving forces of the increasing footprints were population and per capita energy intake. From 1984, the diet pattern started to take a positive effect and then became the dominant driver of the growing environmental footprints after the end of the 1990s.
Research Frontiers of Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management: What Do We Know So Far?
Authors: Chan Emily Ying Yang , Lam Holly Ching Yu
Published: March 2020

Health-Emergency Disaster Risk Management (Health-EDRM) emerged as the latest knowledge, research and policy paradigm shift from response to preparedness and health risk management in non-emergency times [...]
Does Geographical Discrimination Exist in Online Lending in China: An Empirical Study Based on Chinese Loan Platform Renren
Authors: Pi Tianlei , Liu Yaosen , Song Jiahui
Published: March 2020

Background: Online lending has developed rapidly in China in recent years, into a typical Internet financial model. China’s online lending related issues have received widespread attention from scholars. Methods: This study used 396,634 order data-points (935,037 original order data-points) from the Renren Loan website since its inception in January 2017. We used ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to study the problem of geographical discrimination in online lending in China, and we conducted two robust tests. Results: Studies have shown that significant geographical discrimination exists in China’s online lending market. From the perspective of the lender, different investment intentions exist for borrowers from various regions, thereby leading to variations in the success rates of loans. From the perspective of the borrower, the belief exists that borrowers from different regions will have varying interest rates because of the effect of geographical discrimination. Conclusion: We believe that geographical discrimination is due to the effects of the economic, financial, educational, and ethnic conditions of the borrower’s location on willingness to invest and the success rate of borrowing. However, borrowers’ self-discrimination is primarily related to economic and ethnic differences among provinces.
Can Ceylon Leadwort (Plumbago zeylanica L.) Acclimate to Lead Toxicity?—Studies of Photosynthetic Apparatus Efficiency
Authors: Tokarz Krzysztof M. , Makowski Wojciech , Tokarz Barbara , Hanula Monika , Sitek Ewa , Muszyńska Ewa , Jędrzejczyk Roman , Banasiuk Rafał , Chajec Łukasz , Mazur Stanisław
Published: March 2020

Ceylon leadwort (Plumbago zeylanica) is ornamental plant known for its pharmacological properties arising from the abundant production of various secondary metabolites. It often grows in lead polluted areas. The aim of presented study was to evaluate the survival strategy of P. zeylanica to lead toxicity via photosynthetic apparatus acclimatization. Shoots of P. zeylanica were cultivated on media with different Pb concentrations (0.0, 0.05, and 0.1 g Pb∙l−1). After a four-week culture, the efficiency of the photosynthetic apparatus of plants was evaluated by Chl a fluorescence measurement, photosynthetic pigment, and Lhcb1, PsbA, PsbO, and RuBisCo protein accumulation, antioxidant enzymes activity, and chloroplast ultrastructure observation. Plants from lower Pb concentration revealed no changes in photosynthetic pigments content and light-harvesting complex (LHCII) size, as well as no limitation on the donor side of Photosystem II Reaction Centre (PSII RC). However, the activity and content of antioxidant enzymes indicated a high risk of limitation on the acceptor side of Photosystem I. In turn, plants from 0.1 g Pb∙l−1 showed a significant decrease in pigments content, LHCII size, the amount of active PSII RC, oxygen-evolving complex activity, and significant remodeling of chloroplast ultrastructure indicated limitation of PSII RC donor side. Obtained results indicate that P. zeylanica plants acclimate to lead toxicity by Pb accumulation in roots and, depending on Pb concentration, by adjusting their photosynthetic apparatus via the activation of alternative (cyclic and pseudocyclic) electron transport pathways.
Reveals of New Candidate Active Components in Hemerocallis Radix and Its Anti-Depression Action of Mechanism Based on Network Pharmacology Approach
Authors: Lin Hsin-Yi , Tsai Jen-Chieh , Wu Lung-Yuan , Peng Wen-Huang
Published: March 2020

The global depression population is showing a significant increase. Hemerocallis fulva L. is a common Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Its flower buds are known to have ability to clear away heat and dampness, detoxify, and relieve depression. Ancient TCM literature shows that its roots have a beneficial effect in calming the spirit and even the temper in order to reduce the feeling of melancholy. Therefore, it is inferred that the root of Hemerocallis fulva L. can be used as a therapeutic medicine for depression. This study aims to uncover the pharmacological mechanism of the antidepressant effect of Hemerocallis Radix (HR) through network pharmacology method. During the analysis, 11 active components were obtained and screened using ADME—absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion— method. Furthermore, 267 HR targets and 740 depressive disorder (DD) targets were gathered from various databases. Then protein–protein interaction (PPI) network of HR and DD targets were constructed and cluster analysis was applied to further explore the connection between the targets. In addition, gene ontology (GO) enrichment and pathway analysis was applied to further verify that the biological process related to the target protein is associated with the occurrence of depression disorder. In conclusion, the most important bioactive components—anthraquinone, kaempferol, and vanillic acid—can alleviate depression symptoms by regulating MAOA, MAOB, and ESR1. The proposed network pharmacology strategy provides an integrating method to explore the therapeutic mechanism of multi-component drugs on a systematic level.
Acute and Chronic Nicotine Exposures Differentially Affect Central Serotonin 2A Receptor Function: Focus on the Lateral Habenula
Authors: Bombardi Cristiano , Delicata Francis , Tagliavia Claudio , Pierucci Massimo , Deidda Gabriele , Casarrubea Maurizio , De Deurwaerdère Philippe , Di Giovanni Giuseppe
Published: March 2020

Nicotine addiction is a serious public health problem causing millions of deaths worldwide. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) is involved in central nervous system (CNS) nicotine effects, and it has been suggested as a promising pharmacological target for smoking cessation. In this regard, what is particularly interesting are the 5-HT2A receptors (5-HT2ARs) and the lateral habenula (LHb), a central area in nicotine addiction that we showed to be under a strong 5-HT2AR-modulation. Single-cell extracellular recording of LHb neurons was used to study the 5-HT2AR function by intravenously administrating the potent agonist TCB-2. Acute nicotine (2 mg/kg, intraperitoneal, i.p.) and chronic nicotine (6 mg/kg/day for 14 days) differently affected both the 5-HT2AR-immuno reactive (IR) neuron number and the 5-HT2AR immunostaining area in the different brain areas studied. After acute nicotine, TCB-2 cumulative doses (5–640 µg/kg, intravenous, i.v.) bidirectionally affected the activity of 74% of LHb recorded neurons. After chronic nicotine treatment, TCB-2 was only capable of decreasing the LHb firing rate. The expression of 5-HT2AR under acute and chronic nicotine exposure was studied in the LHb and in other brain areas involved in nicotine effects in rats by using immunohistochemistry. These data reveal that acute and chronic nicotine differentially affect the 5-HT2AR function in different brain areas and this might be relevant in nicotine addiction and its treatment.
Assessment of the Effect of Sorafenib on Omega-6 and Omega-3 Epoxyeicosanoid Formation in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Leineweber Can G. , Pietzner Anne , Zhang Ingrid W. , Blessin Usha B. , Rothe Michael , Schott Eckart , Schebb Nils H. , Weylandt Karsten H.
Published: March 2020

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer death. The multikinase inhibitor sorafenib is widely used for systemic therapy in advanced HCC. Sorafenib might affect epoxyeicosanoids, as it is also a potent inhibitor of the soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), which catalyzes the conversion of epoxides derived from long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as arachidonic acid (AA) and omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), into their corresponding diols. Experimental studies with AA-derived epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) showed that they can promote tumor growth and metastasis, while DHA-derived 19,20-epoxydocosapentaenoic acid (19,20-EDP) was shown to have anti-tumor activity in mice. In this pilot study, we assessed the effect of sorafenib treatment on the presence of lipid mediators, such as EETs, in blood of the patients with HCC using the lipidomics technology. We found a significant increase in 11,12-EET and 14,15-EET levels in HCC patients treated with sorafenib. Furthermore, while not significant in this small sample set, the data presented indicate that sorafenib can also increase the level of omega-3 DHA-derived 19,20-EDP. While the effect on EETs might hamper the anti-tumor effect of sorafenib, we hypothesize that supplementation of DHA in sorafenib-treated HCC patients could increase the level of 19,20-EDP and thereby enhance its anti-tumor effect.
Silver Nanoparticles in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Embryos: Uptake, Growth and Molecular Responses
Authors: Qiang Liyuan , Arabeyyat Zeinab H. , Xin Qi , Paunov Vesselin N. , Dale Imogen J. F. , Lloyd Mills Richard I. , Rotchell Jeanette M. , Cheng Jinping
Published: March 2020

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used in commercial applications as antimicrobial agents, but there have recently been increasing concerns raised about their possible environmental and health impacts. In this study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to two sizes of AgNP, 4 and 10 nm, through a continuous exposure from 4 to 96 h post-fertilisation (hpf), to study their uptake, impact and molecular defense responses. Results showed that zebrafish embryos were significantly impacted by 72 hpf when continuously exposed to 4 nm AgNPs. At concentrations above 0.963 mg/L, significant in vivo uptake and delayed yolk sac absorption was evident; at 1.925 mg/L, significantly reduced body length was recorded compared to control embryos. Additionally, 4 nm AgNP treatment at the same concentration resulted in significantly upregulated hypoxia inducible factor 4 (HIF4) and peroxisomal membrane protein 2 (Pxmp2) mRNA expression in exposed embryos 96 hpf. In contrast, no significant differences in terms of larvae body length, yolk sac absorption or gene expression levels were observed following exposure to 10 nm AgNPs. These results demonstrated that S4 AgNPs are available for uptake, inducing developmental (measured as body length and yolk sac area) and transcriptional (specifically HIF4 and Pxmp2) perturbations in developing embryos. This study suggests the importance of particle size as one possible factor in determining the developmental toxicity of AgNPs in fish embryos.
Deciphering the Role of Multiple Thioredoxin Fold Proteins of Leptospirillum sp. in Oxidative Stress Tolerance
Authors: González Daniela , Álamos Pamela , Rivero Matías , Orellana Omar , Norambuena Javiera , Chávez Renato , Levicán Gloria
Published: March 2020

Thioredoxin fold proteins (TFPs) form a family of diverse proteins involved in thiol/disulfide exchange in cells from all domains of life. Leptospirillum spp. are bioleaching bacteria naturally exposed to extreme conditions like acidic pH and high concentrations of metals that can contribute to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and consequently the induction of thiol oxidative damage. Bioinformatic studies have predicted 13 genes that encode for TFP proteins in Leptospirillum spp. We analyzed the participation of individual tfp genes from Leptospirillum sp. CF-1 in the response to oxidative conditions. Genomic context analysis predicted the involvement of these genes in the general thiol-reducing system, cofactor biosynthesis, carbon fixation, cytochrome c biogenesis, signal transduction, and pilus and fimbria assembly. All tfp genes identified were transcriptionally active, although they responded differentially to ferric sulfate and diamide stress. Some of these genes confer oxidative protection to a thioredoxin-deficient Escherichia coli strain by restoring the wild-type phenotype under oxidative stress conditions. These findings contribute to our understanding of the diversity and complexity of thiol/disulfide systems, and of adaptations that emerge in acidophilic microorganisms that allow them to thrive in highly oxidative environments. These findings also give new insights into the physiology of these microorganisms during industrial bioleaching operations.
Flavodoxins as Novel Therapeutic Targets against Helicobacter pylori and Other Gastric Pathogens
Authors: Salillas Sandra , Sancho Javier
Published: March 2020

Flavodoxins are small soluble electron transfer proteins widely present in bacteria and absent in vertebrates. Flavodoxins participate in different metabolic pathways and, in some bacteria, they have been shown to be essential proteins representing promising therapeutic targets to fight bacterial infections. Using purified flavodoxin and chemical libraries, leads can be identified that block flavodoxin function and act as bactericidal molecules, as it has been demonstrated for Helicobacter pylori (Hp), the most prevalent human gastric pathogen. Increasing antimicrobial resistance by this bacterium has led current therapies to lose effectiveness, so alternative treatments are urgently required. Here, we summarize, with a focus on flavodoxin, opportunities for pharmacological intervention offered by the potential protein targets described for this bacterium and provide information on other gastrointestinal pathogens and also on bacteria from the gut microbiota that contain flavodoxin. The process of discovery and development of novel antimicrobials specific for Hp flavodoxin that is being carried out in our group is explained, as it can be extrapolated to the discovery of inhibitors specific for other gastric pathogens. The high specificity for Hp of the antimicrobials developed may be of help to reduce damage to the gut microbiota and to slow down the development of resistant Hp mutants.
HSP Transcript and Protein Accumulation in Brassinosteroid Barley Mutants Acclimated to Low and High Temperatures
Authors: Sadura Iwona , Libik-Konieczny Marta , Jurczyk Barbara , Gruszka Damian , Janeczko Anna
Published: March 2020

In temperature stress, the main role of heat-shock proteins (HSP) is to act as molecular chaperones for other cellular proteins. However, knowledge about the hormonal regulation of the production of the HSP is quite limited. Specifically, little is known about the role of the plant steroid hormones—brassinosteroids (BR)—in regulating the HSP expression. The aim of our study was to answer the question of how a BR deficit or disturbances in its signaling affect the accumulation of the HSP90, HSP70, HSP18, and HSP17 transcripts and protein in barley growing at 20 °C (control) and during the acclimation of plants at 5 °C and 27 °C. In barley, the temperature of plant growth modified the expression of HSPs. Furthermore, the BR-deficient mutants (mutations in the HvDWARF or HvCPD genes) and BR-signaling mutants (mutation in the HvBRI1 gene) were characterized by altered levels of the transcripts and proteins of the HSP group compared to the wild type. The BR-signaling mutant was characterized by a decreased level of the HSP transcripts and heat-shock proteins. In the BR-deficient mutants, there were temperature-dependent cases when the decreased accumulation of the HSP70 and HSP90 transcripts was connected to an increased accumulation of these HSP. The significance of changes in the accumulation of HSPs during acclimation at 27 °C and 5 °C is discussed in the context of the altered tolerance to more extreme temperatures of the studied mutants (i.e., heat stress and frost, respectively).