bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Variation Driven by Differences between Species and between Sites in Allometric Biomass Models
Authors: Dutcă Ioan
Published: November 2019

Background and Objectives: It is commonly assumed that allometric biomass models are species-specific and site-specific. However, the magnitude of species and site dependency in these models is not well-known. This study aims to investigate the variation in allometric models (i.e., aboveground biomass predicted by diameter at breast height and tree height) that has originated from the differences between tree species and between sites, thereby contributing to a better understanding of species and site-specificity issue in these models. Materials and Methods: The study is based on two large biomass datasets of 4921 and 5199 trees, from Eurasia and Canada. Using a nested ANOVA model on relative aboveground biomass residuals (with species and site as random effects), the proportion of variance explained by species or site was assessed by means of Variance Partition Coefficient (VPC). Results: The proportion of variance explained by species (VPCspecies = 42.56%, SE = 6.10% for Dataset 1 and VPCspecies = 47.54%, SE = 6.07% for Dataset 2) was larger than that explained by site (VPCsite = 20.08%, SE = 3.35% for Dataset 1 and VPCsite = 8.27%, SE = 1.38% for Dataset 2). The proportion of variance explained by site decreased by 24%–44% and the proportion of variance explained by species changed only slightly, when height is included in the allometric biomass models (i.e., models based on diameter at breast height alone, compared to models based on diameter at breast height and tree height). Conclusions: Allometric biomass models were more species-specific than they were site-specific. Therefore, the species (i.e., differences between species) seems to be a more important driver of variability in allometric models compared to site (i.e., differences between sites). Including height in allometric biomass models helped reduce the dependency of these models, on sites only.
How Long Do Wood Parenchyma Cells Live in the Stem of a Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.)? Studies on Cell Nuclei Status along the Radial and Longitudinal Stem Axes
Authors: Tulik Mirela , Jura-Morawiec Joanna , Bieniasz Anna , Marciszewska Katarzyna
Published: November 2019

This paper deals with the spatial distribution of heartwood in Scots pine stems (Pinus sylvestris L.), determined on the basis of the absence of nuclei in parenchyma cells. Samples were collected at several heights from two Scots pine stems growing in fresh coniferous stand as codominant trees. Transverse and radial sections were cut from the samples and stained with acetocarmine to detect the nuclei and with I2KI to show starch grains. Unstained sections were also observed under ultraviolet (UV) light to reveal cell wall lignification. The shapes of the nuclei in ray and axial parenchyma cells differed: the axial parenchyma cells had rounded nuclei, while the nuclei of the ray parenchyma cells were elongated. The lifespan of the parenchyma cells was found to be 16–42 years; the longest-lived were cells from the base of the stem, and the shortest-lived were from the base of the crown. The largest number of growth rings comprising heartwood was observed at a height of 1.3–3.3 m, which signifies that the distribution of heartwood within the stem is uneven. Moreover, the distance of the cells from the apical meristem and the cambium was seen to have an effect on the presence of living parenchyma cells, i.e., those with stained nuclei.
Evaluation of Continuous UVC Treatments and its Combination with UHPH on Spores of Bacillus subtilis in Whole and Skim Milk
Authors: Martinez-Garcia María , Sauceda-Gálvez Jezer N. , Codina-Torrella Idoia , Hernández-Herrero Mª Manuela , Gervilla Ramón , Roig-Sagués Artur X.
Published: November 2019

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of different UVC treatments, alone or in combination with ultra-high pressure homogenization (UHPH) on Bacillus subtilis spores in milk. Spores of B. subtilis (CECT4002) were inoculated in whole and skim milk to an initial concentration about 6 log CFU/mL. Milk was subjected to different ultraviolet radiation treatments at 254 nm (UVC) using a concentric tubular reactor in a dose ranging from 10 to 160 J/mL. Different number of passes were used to adjust the final dose received by the matrix. In general, increasing the number of passes (defined as number of entries to the tunnel-NET) increased the inactivation of spores of B. subtilis. The best lethality results (above 4 Log CFU/mL) were obtained by applying doses from 100 J/mL with several NET. When the same doses were achieved with a single pass lethality in most cases did not exceed 1 log CFU/mL. Increasing the NET also increased the likelihood for the spores to remain longer in the effective distance from the UVC source, estimated as 0.02 mm for whole milk and 0.06 mm for skim milk. Combination of UHPH and UVC did not clearly increase the efficiency of a single UVC treatment, and a lower lethality was even observed in some cases. UHPH treatments increased the turbidity and absorption coefficient (254 nm) of both whole and skim milk.
Characterization of Listeria monocytogenes Originating from the Spanish Meat-Processing Chain
Authors: Capita Rosa , Felices-Mercado Amanda , García-Fernández Camino , Alonso-Calleja Carlos
Published: November 2019

Using agglutination techniques, 118 Listeria monocytogenes isolates from red meat and poultry were serotyped. Strains were ascribed to the serotypes 4b/4e (44.1% of the strains), 1/2 (a, b or c; 28.0%), 4c (6.8%), 4d/4e (5.9%) and 3 (a, b or c; 2.5%). Among these are the serotypes most frequently involved in cases of human listeriosis. The susceptibility of 72 strains to 26 antibiotics of clinical importance was determined by disc diffusion (Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute; CLSI). High levels of resistance were observed to cefoxitin (77.8% of the strains showed resistance), cefotaxime (62.5%), cefepime (73.6%), nalidixic acid (97.2%), nitrofurantoin (51.4%) and oxacillin (93.1%). Less than 3% of the strains showed resistance to the antibiotic classes used in human listeriosis therapy (i.e., ampicillin, gentamicin, rifampicin, chloramphenicol, enrofloxacin, vancomycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, erythromycin, and tetracycline). The influence of species and serotype on the growth kinetics (modified Gompertz equation) and on the adhesion ability (crystal violet staining) of nine isolates of L. monocytogenes (serotypes 1/2a, 1/2b, 1/2c, 3a, 3b, 3c, 4a, 4b, and 4d), and one strain of Listeria ivanovii were investigated. The maximum growth rate (ΔOD420-580/h) varied between 0.073 ± 0.018 (L. monocytogenes 1/2a) and 0.396 ± 0.026 (L. monocytogenes 4b). The isolates of L. monocytogenes belonging to serotypes 3a and 4a, as well as L. ivanovii, showed a greater (p < 0.05) biofilm-forming ability than did the remaining strains, including those that belong to the serotypes commonly implied in human listeriosis (1/2a, 1/2b, 1/2c and 4b). The need for training in good hygiene practices during the handling of meat and poultry is highlighted to reduce the risk of human listeriosis.
Development, Characterization, and Bioactivity of Non-Dairy Kefir-Like Fermented Beverage Based on Flaxseed Oil Cake
Authors: Łopusiewicz Łukasz , Drozłowska Emilia , Siedlecka Paulina , Mężyńska Monika , Bartkowiak Artur , Sienkiewicz Monika , Zielińska-Bliźniewska Hanna , Kwiatkowski Paweł
Published: November 2019

Flaxseed oil cake (FOC) was evaluated as a potential substrate for the production of a novel kefir-like fermented beverage. Three variants containing 5%, 10%, and 15% (w/w) of FOC were inoculated with kefir grains and incubated at 25 °C for 24 h. After processing, beverages were stored in refrigerated conditions (6 °C) for 21 days. Changes in microbial population, pH, acidity, levels of proteins, polyphenolics, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, and reducing sugars were estimated. Additionally, viscosity, firmness, color, and antioxidant properties were determined. Results showed that lactic acid bacteria as well as yeast were capable of growing well in the FOC without any supplementation. During refrigerated storage, the viability of the microorganisms were over the recommended minimum level for kefir products. As a result of fermentation, the beverages showed excellent antioxidant activity. Because of the functional characteristics conferred to the FOC beverages, the use of kefir grains showed adequate potential for the industrial application. Therefore, this beverages could be used as a new, non-dairy vehicle for beneficial microflora consumption, especially by vegans and lactose-intolerant consumers.
Factors Influencing Consumers’ Perceptions of Food: A Study of Apple Juice Using Sensory and Visual Attention Methods
Authors: Włodarska Katarzyna , Pawlak-Lemańska Katarzyna , Górecki Tomasz , Sikorska Ewa
Published: November 2019

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of intrinsic product characteristics and extrinsic packaging-related factors on the food quality perception. Sensory and visual attention methods were used to study how consumers perceive the quality of commercial apple juices from four product categories: clear juices from concentrate, cloudy juices from concentrate, pasteurized cloudy juices not from concentrate, and fresh juices. Laboratory tests included the assessment of sensory liking in blind and informed conditions and expected liking based on packages only. The results showed that brand and package information have a large impact on consumers’ sensory perceptions and generate high sensory expectations. An innovative visual attention tracking technique was used in online experiments to identify packages and label areas on individual packages, which attracted consumer attention. During an online shelf test, consumers mostly focused on not from concentrate juices from local producers, which were perceived as more natural, healthy, and expensive than juices reconstituted from concentrate. When individual labels were analyzed, consumers predominantly focused on nutritional data, brand name, and information about the type of product. The present results confirm a large impact of information and visual stimuli related to packaging on product perception.
PipeMEM: A Framework to Speed Up BWA-MEM in Spark with Low Overhead
Authors: Zhang Lingqi , Liu Cheng , Dong Shoubin
Published: November 2019

(1) Background: DNA sequence alignment process is an essential step in genome analysis. BWA-MEM has been a prevalent single-node tool in genome alignment because of its high speed and accuracy. The exponentially generated genome data requiring a multi-node solution to handle large volumes of data currently remains a challenge. Spark is a ubiquitous big data platform that has been exploited to assist genome alignment in handling this challenge. Nonetheless, existing works that utilize Spark to optimize BWA-MEM suffer from higher overhead. (2) Methods: In this paper, we presented PipeMEM, a framework to accelerate BWA-MEM with lower overhead with the help of the pipe operation in Spark. We additionally proposed to use a pipeline structure and in-memory-computation to accelerate PipeMEM. (3) Results: Our experiments showed that, on paired-end alignment tasks, our framework had low overhead. In a multi-node environment, our framework, on average, was 2.27× faster compared with BWASpark (an alignment tool in Genome Analysis Toolkit (GATK)), and 2.33× faster compared with SparkBWA. (4) Conclusions: PipeMEM could accelerate BWA-MEM in the Spark environment with high performance and low overhead.
Digital Immune Gene Expression Profiling Discriminates Allergic Rhinitis Responders from Non-Responders to Probiotic Supplementation
Authors: West Nicholas P. , Watts Annabelle M. , Smith Peter K. , Zhang Ping , Besseling-van der Vaart Isolde , Cripps Allan W. , Cox Amanda J.
Published: November 2019

Probiotic supplementation for eight weeks with a multi-strain probiotic by individuals with allergic rhinitis (AR) reduced overall symptom severity, the frequency of medication use and improved quality of life. The purported mechanism of action is modulation of the immune system. This analysis examined changes in systemic and mucosal immune gene expression in a subgroup of individuals, classified as either responders or non-responders based on improvement of AR symptoms in response to the probiotic supplement. Based on established criteria of a beneficial change in the mini-rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (mRQLQ), individuals with AR were classified as either responders or non-responders. Systemic and mucosal immune gene expression was assessed using nCounter PanCancer Immune Profiling (Nanostring Technologies, Seattle, WA, USA) kit on blood samples and a nasal lysate. There were 414 immune genes in the blood and 312 immune genes in the mucosal samples expressed above the limit of detection. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of immune genes separated responders from non-responders in blood and mucosal samples at baseline and after supplementation, with key T-cell immune genes differentially expressed between the groups. Striking differences in biological processes and pathways were evident in nasal mucosa but not blood in responders compared to non-responders. These findings support the use of network approaches to understand probiotic-induced changes to the immune system.
What Drives Patients Affected by Depression to Share in Online Depression Communities? A Social Capital Perspective
Authors: Lu Yingjie , Pan Taotao , Deng Shasha
Published: November 2019

Online depression communities give people additional opportunities to share their experiences and exchange social support to care for themselves in fighting against depression. We aimed to explore what drives patients to share in online depression communities. We used three dimensions of social capital (structural, relational, and cognitive) to explain their sharing behaviors. We further proposed that five factors (social interaction ties, a sense of shared identity, trust, expertise, and a sense of shared values) will have significant, positive effects on sharing behaviors and that there are differences among patients who have spent different lengths of time participating in online depression communities. We then chose a popular online depression community in China as our data source and obtained a dataset consisting of 31,440 posts from 197 members. Then, we employed panel data regression analyses to test all six hypotheses. The results revealed that all five factors had significant, positive effects (p < 0.01) on patients’ sharing behaviors, and the effects were significantly different across groups. Our empirical results help designers and managers of online depression communities take specific measures to facilitate community members’ access to social capital resources. Meanwhile, our results have implications for existing health management and e-health literature.
Implementation of a Model-Based Programme to Promote Personal and Social Responsibility and Its Effects on Motivation, Prosocial Behaviours, Violence and Classroom Climate in Primary and Secondary Education
Authors: Manzano-Sánchez David , Valero-Valenzuela Alfonso
Published: November 2019

The present study aimed to apply a programme based on Hellison’s Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility model (TPSR), traditionally used in Physical Education, to other school subjects and analyse aspects related to motivation and satisfaction of basic psychological needs among other variables. The programme was applied for 7 months during one academic year, all students receiving at least 60% of the lessons through this teaching methodology. A mixed method research methodology and quasiexperimental design was implemented in three schools (two primary, one secondary), with a total of 29 teachers and 272 students (45 control, 227 experimental group) involved. The students completed a questionnaire before and after the study and the teachers underwent semi-structured interviews at the end of the intervention. The results indicated improvements for the experimental group in personal and social responsibility, the psychological mediator index, the self-determination index, prosocial behaviours and teacher climate, as well as a reduction in amotivation and antisocial behaviours. The results were similar for primary and secondary school. The interviews yielded positive opinions and showed suitability of the method to be applied in the rest of subjects. It is concluded that TPSR can be an appropriate methodology to be implemented in the different curriculum subjects to improve basic psychological need satisfaction, motivation, prosocial behaviours and classroom climate.
Content Comparison of Aquatic Therapy Outcome Measures for Children with Neuromuscular and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health
Authors: Güeita-Rodríguez Javier , Florencio Lidiane Lima , Arias-Buría José Luis , Lambeck Johan , Fernández-de-las-Peñas Cesar , Palacios-Ceña Domingo
Published: November 2019

Currently, aquatic exercise is among the most common physical activity modalities for children with neuromuscular and neurodevelopmental disorders. However, the outcome measures that should be routinely used by therapists working in this specific health-care context have not been widely studied. The purpose of the study was to identify and compare the content of outcome measures used in aquatic physiotherapy for children, employing the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a framework. A literature review was used to identify aquatic functioning outcome measures for children with neuromuscular and neurodevelopmental disorders. Content comparison of outcome measures identified was linked to the ICF following the linking guidelines, and content-related metrics were used to analyze them. Four outcome measures were identified (HAAR, Conatser, WOTA 1 and 2, and SWIM), which contained a total of 116 meaningful concepts and were linked to 35 ICF 2nd level categories. The greatest number of items assessed activity and participation categories. Large differences were found in reference to the density of content. For content diversity, the measures were all below 0.5. The identified outcome measurements showed homogeneity with respect to the theoretical foundation; however, some differences were found in terms of content analysis.
The Association between Difficulty Seeing and Physical Activity among 17,777 Adults Residing in Spain
Authors: López-Sánchez Guillermo F. , Grabovac Igor , Pizzol Damiano , Yang Lin , Smith Lee
Published: November 2019

This is the first representative population-based study exploring the association between difficulty seeing (i.e., low vision) and physical activity in Spain. Cross-sectional data from the Spanish National Health Survey 2017 were analysed (n = 17,777, ≥15 years; 52% females). Difficulty seeing was self-reported in response to the question ‘‘Do you have difficulty seeing?” The international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ) short form was used to measure level of physical activity. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess associations overall and by age group (15–49, 50–64, ≥65 years). Covariates included in the analysis were sex, age, education, marital status, use of glasses or contact lenses, cataracts, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, smoking and alcohol consumption. The overall prevalence of difficulty seeing was 11%, and the overall prevalence of participating in less than 600 metabolic equivalent (MET)-min/week of physical activity was 30.2%. After adjustment for covariates, difficulty seeing was associated with significantly higher odds of performing less than 600 MET-min/week of physical activity with the odds ratio (OR) = 1.222 (95% confidence interval = 1.099–1.357). Considering the impact on health and quality of life due to reduced physical activity in people with difficulty seeing, at least 600 MET-min/week of physical activity should be promoted to this population.
Determinants of Hurricane Evacuation from a Large Representative Sample of the U.S. Gulf Coast
Authors: Karaye Ibraheem M. , Horney Jennifer A. , Retchless David P. , Ross Ashley D.
Published: November 2019

Exposure to natural disasters like hurricanes negatively impacts the mental and physical health of populations, and evacuation is an important step taken to prevent these adverse health events. This study uses data from a large representative sample of U.S. Gulf Coast residents to explore the determinants of hurricane evacuation. In December 2017, data were collected from 3030 residents of the U.S. Gulf Coast, including Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida—2557 of whom reported being impacted during the 2017 hurricane season. Bivariate analyses were conducted using prevalence differences and tested for statistical significance with chi-square tests. Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to identify factors associated with hurricane evacuation. One-third of the respondents (919 of 2557; 35.9%) evacuated from a hurricane that impacted the U.S. Gulf Coast in 2017. The determinants of hurricane evacuation in this population were: residing in a mobile home, higher perception of storm surge risk, higher perception of wind risk, self-sufficiency, carrying flood insurance, and reliance on media and family for evacuation decisions. These findings may be relevant for reducing the adverse health effects of hurricanes by improving emergency planning and evacuation in this highly vulnerable region.
Social Relationships, Age and the Use of Preventive Health Services: Findings from the German Ageing Survey
Authors: Bremer Daniel , Lüdecke Daniel , von dem Knesebeck Olaf
Published: November 2019

This paper investigates the associations between social relationships, age and the use of preventive health services among German adults. Data stem from the German Ageing Survey (10,324 respondents). The use of preventive health services was assessed by asking for regular use of flu vaccination and cancer screening in the past years. Predictors of interest were structural (having a partner, size of the social network) and functional aspects of social relationships (perceived informational support) and age. Logistic regression models were used to measure the associations between preventive health services use and these predictors. Self-perceived health, gender and education were considered as covariates. Having a partner (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.07–1.34) and perceived informational support (OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.13–1.69) were associated with a higher probability of getting flu vaccination regularly over the past years. Informational support (OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.17–1.72) and having a partner (OR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.41–1.75) were positively associated with regular cancer screening over the past years. Associations between the size of the social network and use of preventive health services were not statistically significant. Associations between the use of preventive health services and social relationships varied by age. Structural and functional aspects of social relationships may support preventive health behavior. To increase preventive health behavior and the use of preventive health services, it is necessary to integrate information on social relationships into routine care and to strengthen sources of social support.
Increased Dementia Mortality in West Virginia Counties with Mountaintop Removal Mining?
Authors: Salm A. K. , Benson Michael J.
Published: November 2019

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) is elevated in areas of mountaintop removal mining (MTM), a practice that has been ongoing in some counties of West Virginia (WV) USA since the 1970s. PM inhalation has been linked to central nervous system pathophysiology, including cognitive decline and dementia. Here we compared county dementia mortality statistics in MTM vs. non-MTM WV counties over a period spanning 2001–2015. We found significantly elevated age-adjusted vascular or unspecified dementia mortality/100,000 population in WV MTM counties where, after adjusting for socioeconomic variables, dementia mortality was 15.60 (±3.14 Standard Error of the Mean (S.E.M.)) times higher than that of non-MTM counties. Further analyses with satellite imaging data revealed a highly significant positive correlation between the number of distinct mining sites vs. both mean and cumulative vascular and unspecified dementia mortality over the 15 year period. This was in contrast to finding only a weak relationship between dementia mortality rates and the overall square kilometers mined. No effect of living in an MTM county was found for the rate of Alzheimer’s type dementia and possible reasons for this are considered. Based on these results, and the current literature, we hypothesize that inhalation of PM associated with MTM contributes to dementia mortality of the vascular or unspecified types. However, limitations inherent in ecological-type studies such as this, preclude definitive extrapolation to individuals in MTM-counties at this time. We hope these findings will inspire follow-up cohort and case-controlled type studies to determine if specific causative factors associated with living near MTM can be identified. Given the need for caregiving and medical support, increased dementia mortality of the magnitude seen here could, unfortunately, place great demands upon MTM county public health resources in the future.
Physiological and Psychological Effects of Viewing Urban Parks in Different Seasons in Adults
Authors: Pratiwi Prita Indah , Xiang Qiongying , Furuya Katsunori
Published: November 2019

Although the health benefits of urban parks have gained significant attention, the effects of viewing park landscape on older adult residents have not commanded much research. This study aimed to investigate the physiological and psychological effects of viewing cherry blossoms in spring and fresh greenery in early summer at urban parks. The experiments were conducted in two viewing spots in the same park in Japan during different seasons, and included 12 participants in both spring (mean age, 66.4 ± 10.5 years) and summer (mean age, 65.75 ± 10.1 years). Participants sat and viewed an urban park and city landscape for 11–15 min. Blood pressure was measured before and after the seated viewing while heart rate was measured continuously. Then, they evaluated the psychological responses using the Profile of Mood States and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Viewing cherry blossoms and fresh greenery in urban parks led to lower blood pressure in spring and early summer than viewing city areas in spring and early summer. Moreover, the score of vigor–activity was significantly higher; tension–anxiety was significantly lower in spring; and the state-anxiety level was significantly lower in early summer. The results of this study suggest that viewing urban parks results in physiological and psychological relaxation.
Loneliness and Life Satisfaction Explained by Public-Space Use and Mobility Patterns
Authors: Bergefurt Lisanne , Kemperman Astrid , van den Berg Pauline , Borgers Aloys , van der Waerden Peter , Oosterhuis Gert , Hommel Marco
Published: November 2019

Previous research has shown that personal, neighborhood, and mobility characteristics could influence life satisfaction and loneliness of people and that exposure to public spaces, such as green spaces, may also affect the extent to which people feel lonely or satisfied with life. However, previous studies mainly focused on one of these effects, resulting in a lack of knowledge about the simultaneous effects of these characteristics on loneliness and life satisfaction. This study therefore aims to gain insights into how public-space use mediates the relations between personal, neighborhood, and mobility characteristics on the one hand and loneliness and life satisfaction on the other hand. Relationships were analyzed using a path analysis approach, based on a sample of 200 residents of three neighborhoods of the Dutch city ‘s-Hertogenbosch. The results showed that the influence of frequency of public-space use on life satisfaction and loneliness is limited. The effects of personal, neighborhood, and mobility characteristics on frequency of use of public space and on loneliness and life satisfaction were found to be significant. Age and activities of daily living (ADL) are significantly related to each other, and ADL was found to influence recreational and passive space use and loneliness and life satisfaction. Policymakers should, therefore, mainly focus on creating neighborhoods that are highly walkable and accessible, where green spaces and public-transport facilities are present, to promote physical activity among all residents.
Companion Dog Foster Caregiver Program for Older Veterans at the VA Maryland Health Care System: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Ortmeyer Heidi K. , Robey Lynda C.
Published: November 2019

Veterans experience mental health conditions at a disproportionate rate compared to their civilian counterparts, and approximately 60% of older veterans who receive their care through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) do not meet physical activity (PA) recommendations. We tested the Veterans as Foster Ambassadors program at the VA Maryland Health Care System to examine whether fostering a companion dog would improve PA and function, heart rate variability (HRV), balance, and quality of life (QOL) in older veterans. Participants wore an accelerometer for ≥10 days during each phase (30 day baseline vs. 60 day foster period) to measure daily PA (n = 4). Six-minute walk (6MW) and balance testing (n = 4) and 24 h heart rate (HR) and HRV (n = 2) were determined at baseline and during the foster period. Compared to baseline, there were significant increases in (a) distance during the 6MW, (b) daily steps, and (c) time spent in moderate activity during the foster period. 24 h HR decreased and time- and frequency-domain measures of HRV significantly increased in a veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder during the foster period compared to baseline. All veterans offered positive feedback about the program and indicated that it was beneficial to them. The results from this pilot study provide evidence that fostering a companion dog can improve PA, health, and QOL in older veterans. Future research conducted with a larger sample size to validate the results is warranted.
Utility Exchange Traded Fund Performance Evaluation. A Comparative Approach Using Grey Relational Analysis and Data Envelopment Analysis Modelling
Authors: Tsolas Ioannis E.
Published: November 2019

Selecting funds is a common problem for investors who use published available data on fund indicators while they are selecting the funds. Since this process deals with more than one indicator, the investing issue becomes multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem for the investors. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to propose an effective approach that integrates grey relational analysis (GRA) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) for selecting the best utility exchange traded funds (ETFs). The current study uses GRA for deriving the grade relational coefficients and then puts them in the output side of competing no-input DEA models to derive weighed grey relational grades. Moreover, the ETFs are also evaluated by selected DEA models. This research is implemented with real data on utility ETFs available for three consecutive years (2008–2010). The results show that the top ETFs identified by the GRA-DEA approach are also DEA efficient. The proposed GRA-DEA approach is superior to conventional DEA as regards the fund ranking and therefore, it seems to be effective as a picking fund tool.
Advanced Cyberinfrastructure to Enable Search of Big Climate Datasets in THREDDS
Authors: Gaigalas Juozas , Di Liping , Sun Ziheng
Published: November 2019

Understanding the past, present, and changing behavior of the climate requires close collaboration of a large number of researchers from many scientific domains. At present, the necessary interdisciplinary collaboration is greatly limited by the difficulties in discovering, sharing, and integrating climatic data due to the tremendously increasing data size. This paper discusses the methods and techniques for solving the inter-related problems encountered when transmitting, processing, and serving metadata for heterogeneous Earth System Observation and Modeling (ESOM) data. A cyberinfrastructure-based solution is proposed to enable effective cataloging and two-step search on big climatic datasets by leveraging state-of-the-art web service technologies and crawling the existing data centers. To validate its feasibility, the big dataset served by UCAR THREDDS Data Server (TDS), which provides Petabyte-level ESOM data and updates hundreds of terabytes of data every day, is used as the case study dataset. A complete workflow is designed to analyze the metadata structure in TDS and create an index for data parameters. A simplified registration model which defines constant information, delimits secondary information, and exploits spatial and temporal coherence in metadata is constructed. The model derives a sampling strategy for a high-performance concurrent web crawler bot which is used to mirror the essential metadata of the big data archive without overwhelming network and computing resources. The metadata model, crawler, and standard-compliant catalog service form an incremental search cyberinfrastructure, allowing scientists to search the big climatic datasets in near real-time. The proposed approach has been tested on UCAR TDS and the results prove that it achieves its design goal by at least boosting the crawling speed by 10 times and reducing the redundant metadata from 1.85 gigabytes to 2.2 megabytes, which is a significant breakthrough for making the current most non-searchable climate data servers searchable.
A Method of Population Spatialization Considering Parametric Spatial Stationarity: Case Study of the Southwestern Area of China
Authors: Xiong Junnan , Li Kun , Cheng Weiming , Ye Chongchong , Zhang Hao
Published: November 2019

Population is a crucial basis for the study of sociology, geography, environmental studies, and other disciplines; accurate estimates of population are of great significance for many countries. Many studies have developed population spatialization methods. However, little attention has been paid to the differential treatment of the spatial stationarity and non-stationarity of variables. Based on a semi-parametric, geographically weighted regression model (s-GWR), this paper attempts to construct a novel, precise population spatialization method considering parametric stationarity to enhance spatialization accuracy; the southwestern area of China is used as the study area for comparison and validation. In this study, the night-time light and land use data were integrated as weighting factors to establish the population model; based on the analysis of variables characteristics, the method uses an s-GWR model to deal with the spatial stationarity of variables and reduce regional errors. Finally, the spatial distribution of the population (SSDP) of the study area in 2010 was obtained. When assessed against the traditional regression models, the model that considers parametric stationarity is more accurate than the models without it. Furthermore, the comparison with three commonly-used population grids reveals that the SSDP has a percentage error close to zero at the county level, while at the township level, the mean relative error of SSDP is 33.63%, and that is >15% better than other population grids. Thus, this study suggests that the proposed method can produce a more accurate population distribution.
Evaluation of the Accuracy of the Field Quadrat Survey of Alpine Grassland Fractional Vegetation Cover Based on the Satellite Remote Sensing Pixel Scale
Authors: Chen Jianjun , Zhao Xuning , Zhang Huizi , Qin Yu , Yi Shuhua
Published: November 2019

The fractional vegetation cover (FVC) data measured on the ground is the main source for the calibration and verification of FVC remote sensing inversion, and its accuracy directly affects the accuracy of remote sensing inversion results. However, the existing research on the evaluation of the accuracy of the field quadrat survey of FVC based on the satellite remote sensing pixel scale is inadequate, especially in the alpine grassland of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. In this paper, five different alpine grasslands were examined, the accuracy of the FVC obtained by the photography method was analyzed, and the influence of the number of samples on the field survey results was studied. First, the results show that the threshold method could accurately extract the vegetation information in the photos and obtain the FVC with high accuracy and little subjective interference. Second, the number of samples measured on the ground was logarithmically related to the accuracy of the FVC of the sample plot (p < 0.001). When the number of samples was larger, the accuracy of the FVC of the sample plot was higher and closer to the real value, and the stability of data also increased with the increase of the number of samples. Third, the average FVC of the measured quadrats on the ground was able to represent the FVC of the sample plot, but on the basis that there were enough measured quadrats. Finally, the results revealed that the degree of fragmentation reflecting the state of ground vegetation affects the acquisition accuracy of FVC. When the degree of fragmentation of the sample plot is higher, the number of samples needed to achieve the accuracy index is higher. Our results suggest that when obtaining the FVC on the satellite remote sensing pixel scale, the number of samples measured on the ground is an important factor affecting the accuracy, which cannot be ignored.
How Data-Poor Countries Remain Data Poor: Underestimation of Human Settlements in Burkina Faso as Observed from Nighttime Light Data
Authors: Andersson Magnus , Hall Ola , Archila Maria Francisca
Published: November 2019

The traditional ways of measuring global sustainable development and economic development schemes and their progress suffer from a number of serious shortcomings. Remote sensing and specifically nighttime light has become a popular supplement to official statistics by providing an objective measure of human settlement that can be used as a proxy for population and economic development measures. With the increased availability and use of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program Operational Linescan System (DMSP-OLS) and data in social science, it has played an important role in data collection, including measuring human development and economic growth. Numerous studies are using nighttime light data to analyze dynamic regions such as expansions of urban areas and rapid industrialization often highlight the problem of saturation in urban centers with high light intensity. However, the quality of nighttime light data and its appropriateness for analyzing areas and regions with low and fluctuating levels of light have rarely been questioned or studied. This study examines the accuracy of DMSP-OLS and VIIRS-DNB by analyzing 147 communities in Burkina Faso to provide insights about problems related to the study of areas with a low intensity of nighttime light during the studied period from 1992 to 2012. It found that up to 57% of the communities studied were undetectable throughout the period, and only 9% of communities studied had a 100% detection rate. Unsurprisingly, the result provides evidence that detection rates in both datasets are particularly low (3%) for settlements with 0–9999 inhabitants, as well as for larger settlements with population of 10,000–24,999 (28%). Cross-checking with VIIRS-DNB for the year 2012 shows similar results. These findings suggest that careful consideration must be given to the use of nighttime light data in research and global comparisons to monitor the progress of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, especially when including developing countries with areas containing low electrification rates and low population density.
The Feasibility of a BIM-Driven Approach to Support Building Subdivision Workflows—Case Study of Victoria, Australia
Authors: Olfat Hamed , Atazadeh Behnam , Shojaei Davood , Rajabifard Abbas
Published: November 2019

Cities are facing dramatic challenges due to population growth and the massive development of high-rises and complex structures, both above and below the ground surface. Decision-makers require access to an efficient land and property information system, which is digital, three-dimensional (3D), spatially accurate, and dynamic containing interests in land (rights, restrictions and responsibilities—RRRs) to manage the legal and physical complexities of urban environments. However, at present, building subdivision workflows only support the two-dimensional (2D) building subdivision plans in PDF or image formats. These workflows result in a number of issues, such as the plan preparation being complex, the examination process being labor intensive and requiring technical expertise, information not being easily reusable by all subdivision stakeholders, queries, analyses, and decision-making being inefficient, and the RRRs interpretation being difficult. The aim of this research is to explore the potential of using Building Information Modelling (BIM) and its open standards to support the building subdivision workflows. The research that is presented in this paper proposes a BIM-driven building subdivision workflow, evaluated through a case study in the state of Victoria, Australia. The results of the study confirmed that the proposed workflow could provide a feasible integrated mechanism for stakeholders to share, document, visualize, analyze, interpret, and reuse 3D digital cadastral data over the lifespan of a building subdivision project.
Small RNA Sequencing Reveals Regulatory Roles of MicroRNAs in the Development of Meloidogyne incognita
Authors: Liu Huawei , Nichols Robert L. , Qiu Li , Sun Runrun , Zhang Baohong , Pan Xiaoping
Published: November 2019

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are an extensive class of small regulatory RNAs. Knowing the specific expression and functions of miRNAs during root-knot nematode (RKN) (Meloidogyne incognita) development could provide fundamental information about RKN development as well as a means to design new strategies to control RKN infection, a major problem of many important crops. Employing high throughput deep sequencing, we identified a total of 45 conserved and novel miRNAs from two developmental stages of RKN, eggs and J2 juveniles, during their infection of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Twenty-one of the miRNAs were differentially expressed between the two stages. Compared with their expression in eggs, two miRNAs were upregulated (miR252 and miRN19), whereas 19 miRNAs were downregulated in J2 juveniles. Nine miRNAs were expressed at high levels, with >1000 reads per mapped million (RPM) sequenced reads in both eggs and J2 juveniles (miR1, miR124, miR2-3p, miR252, miR279, miR57-5p, miR7904, miR87, and miR92). Three miRNAs were only expressed in eggs (miR4738, miRN3, and miRN5). These differentially expressed miRNAs may control RKN development by regulating specific protein-coding genes in pathways associated with RKN growth and development.
Biodistribution of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles in a Radiation Injury Bone Marrow Murine Model
Authors: Wen Sicheng , Dooner Mark , Papa Elaine , Del Tatto Michael , Pereira Mandy , Borgovan Theodor , Cheng Yan , Goldberg Laura , Liang Olin , Camussi Giovanni , Quesenberry Peter
Published: November 2019

We have previously shown that injury induced by irradiation to murine marrow can be partially or completely reversed by exposure to human or murine mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs). Investigation of the biodistribution of EVs in vivo is essential for understanding EV biology. In this study, we evaluated the DiD lipid dye labeled MSC-EV biodistribution in mice under different conditions, including different MSC-EV doses and injection schedules, time post MSC-EV injection, and doses of radiation. DiD-labeled MSC-EVs appeared highest in the liver and spleen; lower in bone marrow of the tibia, femur, and spine; and were undetectable in the heart, kidney and lung, while a predominant EV accumulation was detected in the lung of mice infused with human lung fibroblast cell derived EVs. There was significantly increased MSC-EV accumulation in the spleen and bone marrow (tibia and femur) post radiation appearing with an increase of MSC-EV uptake by CD11b+ and F4/80+ cells, but not by B220 cells, compared to those organs from non-irradiated mice. We further demonstrated that increasing levels of irradiation caused a selective increase in vesicle homing to marrow. This accumulation of MSC-EVs at the site of injured bone marrow could be detected as early as 1 h after MSC- EV injection and was not significantly different between 2 and 24 h post MSC-EV injection. Our study indicates that irradiation damage to hematopoietic tissue in the spleen and marrow targets MSC-EVs to these tissues.
Impact of the Different Preparation Methods to Obtain Human Adipose-Derived Stromal Vascular Fraction Cells (AD-SVFs) and Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (AD-MSCs): Enzymatic Digestion Versus Mechanical Centrifugation
Authors: Gentile Pietro , Calabrese Claudio , De Angelis Barbara , Pizzicannella Jacopo , Kothari Ashutosh , Garcovich Simone
Published: November 2019

Autologous therapies using adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction (AD-SVFs) and adult adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) warrant careful preparation of the harvested adipose tissue. Currently, no standardized technique for this preparation exists. Processing quantitative standards (PQSs) define manufacturing quantitative variables (such as time, volume, and pressure). Processing qualitative standards (PQLSs) define the quality of the materials and methods in manufacturing. The purpose of the review was to use PQSs and PQLSs to report the in vivo and in vitro results obtained by different processing kits that use different procedures (enzymatic vs. non-enzymatic) to isolate human AD-SVFs/AD-MSCs. PQSs included the volume of fat tissue harvested and reagents used, the time/gravity of centrifugation, and the time, temperature, and tilt level/speed of incubation and/or centrifugation. PQLSs included the use of a collagenase, a processing time of 30 min, kit weight, transparency of the kit components, the maintenance of a closed sterile processing environment, and the use of a small centrifuge and incubating rocker. Using a kit with the PQSs and PQLSs described in this study enables the isolation of AD-MSCs that meet the consensus quality criteria. As the discovery of new critical quality attributes (CQAs) of AD-MSCs evolve with respect to purity and potency, adjustments to these benchmark PQSs and PQLs will hopefully isolate AD-MSCs of various CQAs with greater reproducibility, quality, and safety. Confirmatory studies will no doubt need to be completed.