bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stabilization of Fast Pyrolysis Liquids from Biomass by Mild Catalytic Hydrotreatment: Model Compound Study
Authors: Han Depeng , Yin Wang , Arslan Ali , Liu Tongrui , Zheng Yan , Xia Shuqian
Published: April 2020

Repolymerization is a huge problem in the storage and processing of biomass pyrolysis liquid (PL). Herein, to solve the problem of repolymerization, mild catalytic hydrotreatment of PL was conducted to convert unstable PL model compounds (hydroxyacetone, furfural, and phenol) into stable alcohols. An Ni/SiO2 catalyst was synthesized by the deposition-precipitation method and used in a mild hydrotreatment process. The mild hydrotreatment of the single model compound was studied to determine the reaction pathways, which provided guidance for improving the selectivity of stable intermediate alcohols through the control of reaction conditions. More importantly, the mild hydrotreatment of mixed model compounds was evaluated to simulate the PL more factually. In addition, the effect of the interaction between hydroxyacetone, furfural, and phenol during the catalytic hydrotreatment was also explored. There was a strange phenomenon observed in that phenol was not converted in the initial stage of the hydrotreatment of mixed model compounds. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Ultraviolet-Raman (UV-Raman), and Brunauer−Emmett−Teller (BET) characterization of catalysts used in the hydrotreatment of single and mixed model compounds demonstrated that this phenomenon did not mainly arise from the irreversible deactivation of catalysts caused by carbon deposition, but the competitive adsorption among hydroxyacetone, furfural, and phenol during the mild hydrotreatment of mixed model compounds.
Flavivirus Nonstructural Protein NS5 Dysregulates HSP90 to Broadly Inhibit JAK/STAT Signaling
Authors: Roby Justin A. , Esser-Nobis Katharina , Dewey-Verstelle Elyse C. , Fairgrieve Marian R. , Schwerk Johannes , Lu Amy Y. , Soveg Frank W. , Hemann Emily A. , Hatfield Lauren D. , Keller Brian C. , Shapiro Alexander , Forero Adriana , Stencel-Baerenwald Jennifer E. , Savan Ram , Gale Michael
Published: April 2020

Pathogenic flaviviruses antagonize host cell Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling downstream of interferons α/β. Here, we show that flaviviruses inhibit JAK/STAT signaling induced by a wide range of cytokines beyond interferon, including interleukins. This broad inhibition was mapped to viral nonstructural protein 5 (NS5) binding to cellular heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), resulting in reduced Janus kinase–HSP90 interaction and thus destabilization of unchaperoned JAKs (and other kinase clients) of HSP90 during infection by Zika virus, West Nile virus, and Japanese encephalitis virus. Our studies implicate viral dysregulation of HSP90 and the JAK/STAT pathway as a critical determinant of cytokine signaling control during flavivirus infection.
Ovarian Cancer Translational Activity of the Multicenter Italian Trial in Ovarian Cancer (MITO) Group: Lessons Learned in 10 Years of Experience
Authors: Califano Daniela , Russo Daniela , Scognamiglio Giosuè , Losito Nunzia Simona , Spina Anna , Bello Anna Maria , Capiluongo Anna , Galdiero Francesca , De Cecio Rossella , Bevilacqua Simona , Gargiulo Piera , Marchesi Edoardo , Canevari Silvana , Perrone Francesco , Daniele Gennaro , De Cecco Loris , Mezzanzanica Delia , Pignata Sandro
Published: April 2020

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological cancer, and despite years of research, with the exception of a BRCA mutation driving the use of PARP inhibitors, no new prognostic/predictive biomarkers are clinically available. Improvement in biomarker selection and validation may derive from the systematic inclusion of translational analyses into the design of clinical trials. In the era of personalized medicine, the prospective centralized collection of high-quality biological material, expert pathological revision, and association to well-controlled clinical data are important or even essential added values to clinical trials. Here, we present the academic experience of the MITO (Multicenter Italian Trial in Ovarian Cancer) group, including gynecologists, pathologists, oncologists, biostatisticians, and translational researchers, whose effort is dedicated to the care and basic/translational research of gynecologic cancer. In our ten years of experience, we have been able to collect and process, for translational analyses, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded blocks from more than one thousand ovarian cancer patients. Standard operating procedures for collection, shipping, and processing were developed and made available to MITO researchers through the coordinating center’s web-based platform. Clinical data were collected through dedicated electronic case report forms hosted in a web-based electronic platform and stored in a central database at the trial’s coordinating center, which performed all the analyses related to the proposed translational researches. During this time, we improved our strategies of block management from retrospective to prospective collection, up to the design of a prospective collection with a quality check for sample eligibility before patients’ accrual. The final aim of our work is to share our experience by suggesting a guideline for the process of centralized collection, revision processing, and storing of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded blocks for translational purposes.
Low-Temperature Plasma Nitriding for Austenitic Stainless Steel Layers with Various Nickel Contents Fabricated via Direct Laser Metal Deposition
Authors: Adachi Shinichiro , Egawa Motoo , Yamaguchi Takuto , Ueda Nobuhiro
Published: April 2020

In this study, low-temperature plasma nitriding is applied to austenitic stainless steels at temperatures below 450 °C. This enhances the wear resistance of the steels with maintaining corrosion resistance, by producing expanded austenite (known as the S-phase), which dissolves excessive nitrogen. Austenitic stainless steels contain nickel, which has the potential to play an important role in the formation and properties of the S-phase. In this experiment, austenitic stainless steel layers with different nickel contents were processed using direct laser metal deposition, and subsequently treated using low-temperature plasma nitriding. As a result, the stainless steel layers with high nickel contents formed the S-phase, similar to the AISI 316L stainless steel. The thickness and Vickers hardness of the S-phase layers varied with respect to the nickel contents. Due to lesser chromium atoms binding to nitrogen, the chromium content relatively decreased. Moreover, there was no evident change in the wear and corrosion resistances due to the nickel contents.
Cyclic Automated Model Building (CAB) Applied to Nucleic Acids
Authors: Burla Maria Cristina , Carrozzini Benedetta , Cascarano Giovanni Luca , Giacovazzo Carmelo , Polidori Giampiero
Published: April 2020

Obtaining high-quality models for nucleic acid structures by automated model building programs (AMB) is still a challenge. The main reasons are the rather low resolution of the diffraction data and the large number of rotatable bonds in the main chains. The application of the most popular and documented AMB programs (e.g., PHENIX.AUTOBUILD, NAUTILUS and ARP/wARP) may provide a good assessment of the state of the art. Quite recently, a cyclic automated model building (CAB) package was described; it is a new AMB approach that makes the use of BUCCANEER for protein model building cyclic without modifying its basic algorithms. The applications showed that CAB improves the efficiency of BUCCANEER. The success suggested an extension of CAB to nucleic acids—in particular, to check if cyclically including NAUTILUS in CAB may improve its effectiveness. To accomplish this task, CAB algorithms designed for protein model building were modified to adapt them to the nucleic acid crystallochemistry. CAB was tested using 29 nucleic acids (DNA and RNA fragments). The phase estimates obtained via molecular replacement (MR) techniques were automatically submitted to phase refinement and then used as input for CAB. The experimental results from CAB were compared with those obtained by NAUTILUS, ARP/wARP and PHENIX.AUTOBUILD.
Aberrant CD3-Positive, CD8-Low, CD7-Negative Lymphocytes May Appear During Viral Infections and Mimic Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Klameth Andreas , Neubauer Andreas , Keller Christian , Aepinus Christian , Kaiser Ulrich , Hoffmann Jörg , Brendel Cornelia
Published: April 2020

Flow cytometry (FC) facilitates diagnosis of peripheral T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (T-NHL), but overlapping features between reactive and neoplastic T-cell proliferations often hamper a rapid assessment. One hundred forty peripheral blood samples submitted to diagnostic FC for T-cell immunophenotyping were retrospectively analyzed. A T-cell population with a conspicuous aberrant surface epitope expression pattern was observed in 18 cases and diagnostic follow up was performed. The aberrant T-cell population exhibited a low scatter profile, a CD7-negative/low, CD8-low and CD3-positive immunophenotype, and monoclonal T-cell receptor expansion. T-NHL was ruled out by follow up in all cases. Epstein-Barr virus infection was diagnosed in 12 cases, cytomegalovirus infection in three cases; one patient had been vaccinated. The irregular subpopulation disappeared spontaneously within days or weeks. We describe a novel peripheral blood T-cell subpopulation with a low light scatter and CD8-low, CD7-negative/low and CD3-positive marker expression profile, which indicates reactive T-cell expansion in patients who present with peripheral lymphadenopathy and/or B symptoms.
Analysis of Multifractal and Organization/Order Structure in Suomi-NPP VIIRS Normalized Difference Vegetation Index Series of Wildfire Affected and Unaffected Sites by Using the Multifractal Detrended Fluctuation Analysis and the Fisher–Shannon Analysis
Authors: Ba Rui , Song Weiguo , Lovallo Michele , Lo Siuming , Telesca Luciano
Published: April 2020

The analysis of vegetation dynamics affected by wildfires contributes to the understanding of ecological changes under disturbances. The use of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) of satellite time series can effectively contribute to this investigation. In this paper, we employed the methods of multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MFDFA) and Fisher–Shannon (FS) analysis to investigate the NDVI series acquired from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) of the Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership (Suomi-NPP). Four study sites that were covered by two different types of vegetation were analyzed, among them two sites were affected by a wildfire (the Camp Fire, 2018). Our findings reveal that the wildfire increases the heterogeneity of the NDVI time series along with their organization structure. Furthermore, the fire-affected and fire-unaffected pixels are quite well separated through the range of the generalized Hurst exponents and the FS information plane. The analysis could provide deeper insights on the temporal dynamics of vegetation that are induced by wildfire.
Evaluating the Economic Benefits of a Smart-Community Microgrid with Centralized Electrical Storage and Photovoltaic Systems
Authors: Arkhangelski Jura , Siano Pierluigi , Mahamadou Abdou-Tankari , Lefebvre Gilles
Published: April 2020

In this paper, an innovative method for managing a smart-community microgrid (SCM) with a centralized electrical storage system (CESS) is proposed. The method consists of day-ahead optimal power flow (DA–OPF) for day-ahead SCM managing and its subsequent evaluation, considering forecast uncertainties. The DA–OPF is based on a data forecast system that uses a deep learning (DL) long short-term memory (LSTM) network. The OPF problem is formulated as a mathematical mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) model. Following this, the developed DA–OPF strategy was evaluated under possible operations, using a Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). The MCS allowed us to obtain potential deviations of forecasted data during possible day-ahead operations and to evaluate the impact of the data forecast errors on the SCM, and that of unit limitation and the emergence of critical situations. Simulation results on a real existing rural conventional community endowed with a centralized community renewable generation (CCRG) and CESS, confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed operation method. The economic analysis showed significant benefits and an electricity price reduction for the considered community if compared to a conventional distribution system, as well as the easy applicability of the proposed method due to the CESS and the developed operating systems.
A Study on an Improved Three-Winding Coupled Inductor Based DC/DC Boost Converter with Continuous Input Current
Authors: Farakhor Amir , Abapour Mehdi , Sabahi Mehran , Gholami Farkoush Saeid , Oh Seung-Ryle , Rhee Sang-Bong
Published: April 2020

This paper proposes a novel high voltage conversion gain DC/DC boost converter for renewable energy applications and systems. The proposed converter utilizes a three-winding coupled inductor. The presented converter benefits from a unique advantage, as the actual turn ratio of the coupled inductor is decreased in the charging state of the coupled inductor. However, while the inductor is discharging, the actual turn ratio is increased. This feature leads to a very high voltage conversion gain. Furthermore, a passive clamp circuit is employed to recover the leakage current of the coupled inductor. The voltage stresses on the semiconductors are also reduced. In addition, the average current of the primary side of the coupled inductor is zero. This will reduce the total energy stored in the passive elements of the converter. The paper analyzes the Continuous Conduction Mode (CCM) and the operation principles of the presented converter are thoroughly derived. A 250 W laboratory hardware prototype is prepared to verify the proper operation of the presented converter. The obtained experimental results validate the feasibility of the presented converter.
Foresight as a Tool for the Planning and Implementation of Visions for Smart City Development
Authors: Szpilko Danuta
Published: April 2020

Global change, including population growth, economic development and climate change constitute urgent challenges for the smart cities of the 21st century. Cities need to effectively manage their development and meet challenges that have a significant impact on their economic activity, as well as health and quality of life for their citizens. In the context of continuous change, city decision-makers are constantly looking for new smart tools to tackle it. This article addresses this gap, indicating foresight as an effective tool that anticipates the future of a smart city. Its aim is to develop a methodology for planning and implementing a vision of smart city development based on foresight research. The proposed methodology consists of five stages and was developed with the use of methodology for designing hybrid systems. It is an organised, transparent and flexible process which can facilitate the development of sustainable and smart future visions of smart city development by virtue of the involvement, knowledge and experience of a large number of urban stakeholders at all stages of its creation. The article discusses in detail the operationalisation of each stage of the methodology in which the following main methods were used: megatrend analysis, factors analysis: social (S), technological (T), economic (E), ecological (E), political (P), relating to values (V) and legal (L) (STEEPVL), structural analysis, Delphi, creative visioning, scenarios and identifying actions related to the development of a smart city, divided into four categories: new, so far not undertaken (N); implemented so far, to be continued (C); redundant, to be discontinued (R); actions that have been implemented in the past and to be restored (R) (NCRR). The summary enumerates the benefits that foresight implementation can bring to the smart city.
Application of Landscape Approach Principles Motivates Forest Fringe Farmers to Reforest Ghana’s Degraded Reserves
Authors: Acheampong Emmanuel O. , Sayer Jeffrey , Macgregor Colin , Sloan Sean
Published: April 2020

Research Highlights: Landscape approach principles were developed to address competing claims on resources at local scales. We used the principles to address agricultural expansion in Ghana’s forest reserves. Background and Objectives: Agricultural expansion is a major cause of Ghana’s forest-cover loss. Cultivation has totally deforested some forest reserves. The situation in Ghana illustrates the trade-off between attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG 1—reduction of poverty, and 2—achieving food security, are in conflict with SDG 15—protecting and restoring forests. We examined how farmers in forest fringe communities could be engaged in restoring degraded forests using the landscape approach and whether their livelihoods were improved through the use of this approach. Materials and Methods: The Ongwam II Forest Reserve in the Ashanti region of Ghana is encroached by farmers from two communities adjacent to the reserve. We employed the 10 principles of the landscape approach to engage farmers in restoring the degraded reserve. The flexibility of the landscape approach provided a framework against which to assess farmer behaviour. We encouraged farmers to plant trees on 10 ha of the degraded reserve and to benefit through the cultivation of food crops amongst the trees. Results: Access to fertile forest soils for cultivation was the main motivation for the farmers to participate in the reforestation project. The farmers’ access to natural and financial capital increased and they became food secure in the first year of the project’s operation. Conclusions: Effective implementation of several small-scale reforestation projects using the landscape approach could together lead to a forest transition, more trees in agricultural systems and better protection of residual natural forests while improving farmers’ livelihoods, all combining to achieve the SDGs.
Problematic Social-Networks-Use in German Children and Adolescents—The Interaction of Need to Belong, Online Self-Regulative Competences, and Age
Authors: Ostendorf Sina , Wegmann Elisa , Brand Matthias
Published: April 2020

Adolescents nowadays spend much time communicating via social networks. Recent investigations also report a noticeable proportion showing a problematic usage behavior, underlining the importance of better understanding its development and maintenance in young individuals. Theoretical views on Internet-use disorders assume that specific predispositions and needs can contribute to addictive behaviors in interaction with further aspects including Internet-related cognitive biases. This study focuses on vulnerable individuals due to their age and investigates interactions between possible risk (need to belong, NTB) and protective factors (online self-regulative competences, OSRC). Participants (N = 466) between 10 and 17 years answered questionnaires assessing social-networks-use disorder symptoms, NTB, and OSRC. Moderated regression analysis revealed significant effects of age, NTB, and OSRC. Three-way interaction was also significant (potentially mainly caused by females), with highest social-networks-use disorder symptoms found for individuals with high NTB and low OSRC, especially when older. With high OSRC, symptoms were significantly lower for both younger and older individuals having high NTB. However, even if NTB was low, older individuals showed high social-networks-use disorder symptoms if their OSRC were low. The results highlight the importance of improving specific competences to prevent problematic usage behaviors, which should be considered in youth-tailored prevention and intervention programs.
Modeling Adaptation Strategies against Climate Change Impacts in Integrated Rice-Wheat Agricultural Production System of Pakistan
Authors: Anser Muhammad Khalid , Hina Tayyaba , Hameed Shahzad , Nasir Muhammad Hamid , Ahmad Ishfaq , Naseer Muhammad Asad ur Rehman
Published: April 2020

There are numerous anticipated effects of climate change (CC) on agriculture in the developing and the developed world. Pakistan is among the top ten most prone nations to CC in the world. The objective of this analysis was to quantify the economic impacts of CC on the agricultural production system and to quantify the impacts of suggested adaptation strategies at the farm level. The study was conducted in the Punjab province’s rice-wheat cropping system. For this purpose, climate modeling was carried out by using two representative concentration pathways (RCPs), i.e., RCPs 4.5 and 8.5, and five global circulation models (GCMs). The crop modeling was carried out by using the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) and the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) crop simulation models (CSMs), which were tested on the cross-sectional data of 217 farm households collected from the seven strata in the study area. The socio-economic impacts were calculated using the Multidimensional Impact Assessment Tradeoff Analysis Model (TOA-MD). The results revealed that CC’s net economic impact using both RCPs and CSMs was negative. In both CSMs, the poverty status was higher in RCP 8.5 than in RCP 4.5. The adaptation package showed positive results in poverty reduction and improvement in the livelihood conditions of the agricultural households. The adoption rate for DSSAT was about 78%, and for APSIM, it was about 68%. The adaptation benefits observed in DSSAT were higher than in APSIM. The results showed that the suggested adaptations could have a significant impact on the resilience of the atmospheric changes. Therefore, without these adaptation measures, i.e., increase in sowing density, improved cultivars, increase in nitrogen use, and fertigation, there would be negative impacts of CC that would capitalize on livelihood and food security in the study area.
Development of Osteoporosis Screening Algorithm for Population Aged 50 Years and above in Klang Valley, Malaysia
Authors: Subramaniam Shaanthana , Chan Chin-Yi , Soelaiman Ima-Nirwana , Mohamed Norazlina , Muhammad Norliza , Ahmad Fairus , Ng Pei-Yuen , Jamil Nor Aini , Abd Aziz Noorazah , Chin Kok-Yong
Published: April 2020

Background: The current osteoporosis screening instruments are not optimized to be used among the Malaysian population. This study aimed to develop an osteoporosis screening algorithm based on risk factors for Malaysians. Methods: Malaysians aged ≥50 years (n = 607) from Klang Valley, Malaysia were interviewed and their bone health status was assessed using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry device. The algorithm was constructed based on osteoporosis risk factors using multivariate logistic regression and its performance was assessed using receiver operating characteristics analysis. Results: Increased age, reduced body weight and being less physically active significantly predicted osteoporosis in men, while in women, increased age, lower body weight and low-income status significantly predicted osteoporosis. These factors were included in the final algorithm and the optimal cut-offs to identify subjects with osteoporosis was 0.00120 for men [sensitivity 73.3% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 54.1%–87.7%), specificity 67.8% (95% CI = 62.7%–85.5%), area under curve (AUC) 0.705 (95% CI = 0.608–0.803), p < 0.001] and 0.161 for women [sensitivity 75.4% (95% CI = 61.9%–73.3%), specificity 74.5% (95% CI = 68.5%–79.8%), AUC 0.749 (95% CI = 0.679–0.820), p < 0.001]. Conclusion: The new algorithm performed satisfactorily in identifying the risk of osteoporosis among the Malaysian population ≥50 years. Further validation studies are required before applying this algorithm for screening of osteoporosis in public.
Preschoolers’ Developmental Profiles and School-Readiness in a Low-Income Canadian City: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Camden Chantal , Héguy Léa , Casoli Megan , Roy Mathieu , Rivard Lisa , Berbari Jade ,   PPOP Research Team, Couture Mélanie
Published: April 2020

A joint initiative between community and public health stakeholders in a low-income Canadian city was created to describe the developmental profiles of children aged 2–5 years. A two-phase, cross-sectional design was used. Children’s development was assessed using an online screening procedure. Those at risk of delays were invited for a school-readiness face-to-face brief assessment. Descriptive and exploratory analyses were conducted. In Phase 1, 223 families were screened; 100 children were at risk of delays (45%); 13% were at risk in ≥3 developmental domains; 26% were at risk in the fine motor domain. Risk of delay was associated with parental concerns, accessing more healthcare professionals, and using fewer public health/community programs. Lower incomes, and not attending day care showed trends towards an increased risk of delay. In Phase 2, 49 children were assessed; 69% were at risk of school-readiness delays; 22% had potential motor delays; 37% were at risk in the social domain. This study found a higher proportion of children at risk of delay than typically reported. Creating community partnerships could help identify all children needing developmental and school-readiness support. More research is needed to ensure these community-based partnerships are integrated into health/community programs responding to children’s needs and parental concerns.
Mediating Factors for the Relationship between Stress and Work Ability over Time in Young Adults
Authors: van Schaaijk Art , Noor Baloch Adnan , Thomée Sara , Frings-Dresen Monique , Hagberg Mats , Nieuwenhuijsen Karen
Published: April 2020

Stress can affect work ability. The aim of this study was to identify how this pathway is mediated over time in young adults. Participants of the Work Ability in Young Adults cohort were selected. A theoretical framework was built, which lead to a statistical model. Selected dimensions of mediators were recovery, work demands affecting private life, feelings of control over private life, and physical activity in leisure time. A quadruple serial mediation model was built with four mediators. The total effect of stress on work ability was −0.3955, 95% CI [−0.4764, −0.3146]. The total indirect effect amounted to 81% with an effect of −0.3182, 95% CI [−0.3750, −0.2642]. The relationship between stress and Work Ability Score five years later in young adults was mediated by stress five years later, work demands affecting private life, feelings of control over private life and feeling well-rested upon waking. These results indicate that work demands affecting private life and feelings of control over private life are important mediators of the relationship between stress and work ability in young adults. A well-balanced relationship between work and private life can counteract the influence of stress on work ability in this age group.
Distress Due to Urinary Problems and Psychosocial Correlates among Retired Men in Hong Kong
Authors: Chiu Marcus Yu Lung , Wong Ho Ting , Yang Xue
Published: April 2020

Urinary problems are common among aging men, but there is a paucity of research efforts to understand the psychosocial aspects of the illness. This study aims to understand how common and distressing urinary problems are for newly retired men in Hong Kong and to test the associations between mental health, self-stigma of seeking help, fatigue, self-efficacy, self-esteem, and distress due to urinary problems. To assess this, 139 out of 200 members of a retired men’s social club (mean age 63.5) were successfully interviewed. Two-fifths of the participants felt distressed due to their urinary problems and one-third of the participants had been troubled by urinary incontinence or nocturia in the past six months. Yet the majority of the participants (55%) did not seek help from any medical profession. The group who were distressed by urinary problems showed significantly poorer mental health, reported more fatigue symptoms, were less satisfied with their sexual relationships and overall self-esteem, and were less able to stop unpleasant thoughts or to get social support than the non-distressed group. Cultural perceptions of masculinity and decreased sexual vigor might have affected participants’ willingness to seek help at an early stage. Targeted health education, mutual support groups, and sensitively designed services at the community level are suggested to address these physical and mental health issues.
A Citizen-Centric Approach for the Improvement of Territorial Services Management
Authors: Sebillo Monica , Vitiello Giuliana , Grimaldi Michele , De Piano Antonio
Published: April 2020

In the last decade, there has been a growing awareness that the involvement of citizens in decision making can produce an immediate and positive impact on actions to be taken, as they are the real owners of knowledge about the place where they live. By collecting and geolocating data through smartphones and the Internet, citizens in fact can help decision makers both create sharable spatio-temporal information about objects and phenomena and interpret territorial dynamics. However, although such a role has been definitely recognized, the lack of a homogeneous paradigm for structuring the sensing process, managing the geo big data produced and handling services makes it difficult to exploit such a potentiality. In this paper, we describe a citizen-centric approach conceived to build territorial knowledge useful to provide decision makers with a timely and reliable picture of the status of a given territory. In particular, a visual representation of geospatial knowledge is described, which summaries context-sensitive information about a territory and its citizens, thus improving the land monitoring tasks. An information system, SAFE, is finally presented, which consists of a Web and a mobile component to manage citizen supplied data to be integrated for building reliable dynamic scenarios.
Predominant Distribution of the RNAi Machinery at Apical Adherens Junctions in Colonic Epithelia Is Disrupted in Cancer
Authors: Nair-Menon Joyce , Daulagala Amanda C. , Connor Dean M. , Rutledge Lauren , Penix Trevor , Bridges Mary Catherine , Wellslager Bridgette , Spyropoulos Demetri D. , Timmers Cynthia D. , Broome Ann-Marie , Kourtidis Antonis
Published: April 2020

The RNA interference (RNAi) machinery is an essential component of the cell, regulating miRNA biogenesis and function. RNAi complexes were thought to localize either in the nucleus, such as the microprocessor, or in the cytoplasm, such as the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). We recently revealed that the core microprocessor components DROSHA and DGCR8, as well as the main components of RISC, including Ago2, also associate with the apical adherens junctions of well-differentiated cultured epithelial cells. Here, we demonstrate that the localization of the core RNAi components is specific and predominant at apical areas of cell-cell contact of human normal colon epithelial tissues and normal primary colon epithelial cells. Importantly, the apical junctional localization of RNAi proteins is disrupted or lost in human colon tumors and in poorly differentiated colon cancer cell lines, correlating with the dysregulation of the adherens junction component PLEKHA7. We show that the restoration of PLEKHA7 expression at adherens junctions of aggressively tumorigenic colon cancer cells restores the junctional localization of RNAi components and suppresses cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. In summary, this work identifies the apical junctional localization of the RNAi machinery as a key feature of the differentiated colonic epithelium, with a putative tumor suppressing function.
SAAMBE-3D: Predicting Effect of Mutations on Protein–Protein Interactions
Authors: Pahari Swagata , Li Gen , Murthy Adithya Krishna , Liang Siqi , Fragoza Robert , Yu Haiyuan , Alexov Emil
Published: April 2020

Maintaining wild type protein–protein interactions is essential for the normal function of cell and any mutation that alter their characteristics can cause disease. Therefore, the ability to correctly and quickly predict the effect of amino acid mutations is crucial for understanding disease effects and to be able to carry out genome-wide studies. Here, we report a new development of the SAAMBE method, SAAMBE-3D, which is a machine learning-based approach, resulting in accurate predictions and is extremely fast. It achieves the Pearson correlation coefficient ranging from 0.78 to 0.82 depending on the training protocol in benchmarking five-fold validation test against the SKEMPI v2.0 database and outperforms currently existing algorithms on various blind-tests. Furthermore, optimized and tested via five-fold cross-validation on the Cornell University dataset, the SAAMBE-3D achieves AUC of 1.0 and 0.96 on a homo and hereto-dimer test datasets. Another important feature of SAAMBE-3D is that it is very fast, it takes less than a fraction of a second to complete a prediction. SAAMBE-3D is available as a web server and as well as a stand-alone code, the last one being another important feature allowing other researchers to directly download the code and run it on their local computer. Combined all together, SAAMBE-3D is an accurate and fast software applicable for genome-wide studies to assess the effect of amino acid mutations on protein–protein interactions. The webserver and the stand-alone codes (SAAMBE-3D for predicting the change of binding free energy and SAAMBE-3D-DN for predicting if the mutation is disruptive or non-disruptive) are available.
Protein Signature in Saliva of Temporomandibular Disorders Myalgia
Authors: Jasim Hajer , Ernberg Malin , Carlsson Anders , Gerdle Björn , Ghafouri Bijar
Published: April 2020

In the last years, several attempts have been made to study specific biological markers of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). So far, no laboratory tests have been appropriately validated for the diagnosis and prognosis of these disorders. This study aimed to investigate the proteomic profile of the whole stimulated saliva of TMD myalgia patients in order to evaluate potential diagnostic and/or prognostic salivary candidate proteins which could be useful for the management of TMD. Twenty patients diagnosed with TMD myalgia according to the validated Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (DC/TMD) and 20 matched healthy pain-free controls were enrolled. Saliva samples were collected in the morning. Comparative proteomic analysis was performed with two-dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by identification with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Statistical analysis of the quantitative proteomics data revealed that 20 proteins were significantly altered in patients compared to controls. Among these proteins, 12 showed significantly increased levels, and 8 showed significantly decreased levels in patients with TMD myalgia compared to controls. The identified proteins are involved in metabolic processes, immune response, and stress response. This proteomic study shows that the salivary protein profile can discriminate patients with TMD myalgia from healthy subjects, but the protein signature has no correlation with the clinical features of TMD myalgia. Additional studies are needed to validate our observations in additional sample sets and to continue assessing the utility of saliva as a suitable sample for studying processes related to TMD myalgia.
On the Randomness of Compressed Data
Authors: Klein Shmuel T. , Shapira Dana
Published: April 2020

It seems reasonable to expect from a good compression method that its output should not be further compressible, because it should behave essentially like random data. We investigate this premise for a variety of known lossless compression techniques, and find that, surprisingly, there is much variability in the randomness, depending on the chosen method. Arithmetic coding seems to produce perfectly random output, whereas that of Huffman or Ziv-Lempel coding still contains many dependencies. In particular, the output of Huffman coding has already been proven to be random under certain conditions, and we present evidence here that arithmetic coding may produce an output that is identical to that of Huffman.
Development of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) Markers for Analysis of Population Structure and Invasion Pathway in the Coconut Leaf Beetle Brontispa longissima (Gestro) Using Restriction Site-Associated DNA (RAD) Genotyping in Southern China
Authors: Chen Zhiming , Wang Guihua , Li Min , Peng Zhengqiang , Ali Habib , Xu Lina , Gurr Geoff M. , Hou Youming
Published: April 2020

To determine population genomic structure through high-throughput sequencing techniques has revolutionized research on non-model organisms. The coconut leaf beetle, Brontispa longissima (Gestro), is a widely distributed pest in Southern China. Here, we used restriction site-associated DNA (RAD) genotyping to assess the invasion pathway by detecting and estimating the degree of genetic differentiation among 51 B. longissima accessions collected from Southern China. A total of 10,127 SNPs were obtained, the screened single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) information was used to construct the phylogenetic tree, FST analysis, principal component analysis, and population structure analysis. Genetic structure analysis was used to infer the population structure; the result showed that all accessions were divided into Hainan population and non-Hainan population. The Hainan population remained stable, only the Sansha population differentiated, and the non-Hainan populations have gradually differentiated into smaller sub-populations. We concluded that there are two sources of invasion of B. longissima into mainland China: Taiwan and Hainan. With the increase of the invasion time, the Hainan population was relatively stable, and the Taiwan population was differentiated into three sub-populations. Based on the unrooted phylogenetic tree, we infer that Taiwan and Hainan are the two invasive base points. The Taiwan population invaded Fujian, Guangdong, and Guangxi, while the Hainan population invaded Yunnan and Sansha. Our results provide strong evidence for the utility of RAD sequencing (RAD-seq) in population genetics studies, and our generated SNP resource could provide a valuable tool for population genomics studies of B. longissima in the future.
Chemical Cues Induced from Fly-Oviposition Mediate the Host-Seeking Behaviour of Fopius arisanus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), an Effective Egg Parasitoid of Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae), within a Tritrophic Context
Authors: Cai Pumo , Song Yunzhe , Huo Da , Lin Jia , Zhang Huameng , Zhang Zihao , Xiao Chunmei , Huang Fengming , Ji Qinge
Published: April 2020

Fopius arisanus is a solitary endoparasitoid that parasitizes a variety of tephritid species. Native to the Indo-Australian region, it is currently exploited worldwide as a biological control agent due to its exceptional efficiency in reducing pest populations. The efficiency of any biological control program is affected by the host location ability of the parasitoids. The present study used a Y-tube olfactometer to test the behavioural responses of female F. arisanus to four fruit species which had undergone different types of damages: undamaged, damaged through Bactrocera dorsalis ovipositioning (i.e., infested), or different levels of mechanical damage. Our results suggest that F. arisanus females were significantly attracted to mangoes and pears (vs. purified air), regardless of their condition; however, whilst infested mangoes did not attract more female parasitoids compared to healthy or mechanically damaged fruits, infested pears attracted significantly more. For citrus fruits and peaches, oviposition damage caused them to be more attractive to parasitoid females. In terms of the longevity of the effects, infested mango fruits remained attractive for up to 5 days after infestation, whereas for infested peaches, pears, and citrus fruits, the attractiveness tended to decrease as time passed. Regarding mechanical damage, mango fruits that had undergone any intensity of damage were equally attractive to parasitoid females; however, peach and citrus fruits with high levels of mechanical damage were more attractive, and pears were found to be most attractive with slight mechanical damage. Additional to the above, we also tested the effect of insecticides on behavioural responses using mangoes. We found that the treatment of infested fruits with lambda-cyhalothrin and cypermethrin remained attractive to F. arisanus females, albeit to different extents, which is in contrast to spinosad, cyantraniliprole, and acetamiprid. Finally, we suggest that the host-searching behaviour of F. arisanus females is mainly mediated by oviposition-induced volatiles, either emitted from the fruit or left by the fruit fly.
Additional Physical Interventions to Conventional Physical Therapy in Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials
Authors: Hidalgo-Agudo Ruben D. , Lucena-Anton David , Luque-Moreno Carlos , Heredia-Rizo Alberto Marcos , Moral-Munoz Jose A.
Published: April 2020

Parkinson’s disease (PD) represents the second most common neurodegenerative disease. Currently, conventional physical therapy is complemented by additional physical interventions with recreational components, improving different motor conditions in people with PD. This review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of additional physical interventions to conventional physical therapy in Parkinson’s disease. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials were performed. The literature search was conducted in PubMed, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Scopus, SciELO and Web of Science. The PEDro scale was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the studies. A total of 11 randomized controlled trials were included in this review. Five of them contributed information to the meta-analysis. The statistical analysis showed favorable results for dance-based therapy in motor balance: (Timed Up and Go: standardized mean difference (SMD) = −1.16; 95% Confidence Interval (CI):(−2.30 to −0.03); Berg Balance Scale: SMD = 4.05; 95%CI:(1.34 to 6.75)). Aquatic interventions showed favorable results in balance confidence (Activities-Specific Balance Confidence: SMD=10.10; 95%CI:(2.27 to 17.93)). The results obtained in this review highlight the potential benefit of dance-based therapy in functional balance for people with Parkinson’s disease, recommending its incorporation in clinical practice. Nonetheless, many aspects require clarification through further research and high-quality studies on this subject.
Left Ventricle Unloading with Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Cardiogenic Shock. Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Kowalewski Mariusz , Malvindi Pietro Giorgio , Zieliński Kamil , Martucci Gennaro , Słomka Artur , Suwalski Piotr , Lorusso Roberto , Meani Paolo , Arcadipane Antonio , Pilato Michele , Raffa Giuseppe Maria
Published: April 2020

During veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO), the increase of left ventricular (LV) afterload can potentially increase the LV stress, exacerbate myocardial ischemia and delay recovery from cardiogenic shock (CS). Several strategies of LV unloading have been proposed. Systematic review and meta-analysis in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement included adult patients from studies published between January 2000 and March 2019. The search was conducted through numerous databases. Overall, from 62 papers, 7581 patients were included, among whom 3337 (44.0%) received LV unloading concomitant to VA-ECMO. Overall, in-hospital mortality was 58.9% (4466/7581). A concomitant strategy of LV unloading as compared to ECMO alone was associated with 12% lower mortality risk (RR 0.88; 95% CI 0.82–0.93; p < 0.0001; I2 = 40%) and 35% higher probability of weaning from ECMO (RR 1.35; 95% CI 1.21–1.51; p < 0.00001; I2 = 38%). In an analysis stratified by setting, the highest mortality risk benefit was observed in case of acute myocardial infarction: RR 0.75; 95%CI 0.68–0.83; p < 0.0001; I2 = 0%. There were no apparent differences between two techniques in terms of complications. In heterogeneous populations of critically ill adults in CS and supported with VA-ECMO, the adjunct of LV unloading is associated with lower early mortality and higher rate of weaning.
Expansion of Rare and Harmful Lineages is Associated with Established Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Mena-Vázquez Natalia , Ruiz-Limón Patricia , Moreno-Indias Isabel , Manrique-Arija Sara , Tinahones Francisco J. , Fernández-Nebro Antonio
Published: April 2020

Objectives: To characterize the gut microbiota profile in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and investigate its association with certain characteristics of RA. Patients and methods: A nested case–control cohort of 40 patients with RA and 40 sex-age matched controls was studied. Subjects with diabetes, with any other inflammatory disease, practicing extreme diets, taking antibiotics, probiotics or under any new treatment for at least three months prior to sampling were excluded. The microbiota composition was determined by 16S rRNA pyrosequencing and bioinformatics analysis by Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology (QIIME). Other variables included clinical-laboratory variables and average Disease Activity Score 28 points during the follow-up period. Multiple linear regression models were constructed to investigate the possible risk factors for the microbiota. Results: β-diversity data showed that patients tend to differ from healthy subjects according to their microbiota (p = 0.07). The analysis showed an increase in Collinsella aerofaciens, Sedimentibacter and Enterococcus genera in patients compared to controls, as well as a decrease in Dorea formicigenerans. Likewise, an increase in the activity of arginine deiminase was observed, which was found in approximately 90% of the RA genes of the genus Collinsela. The sequence number of Collinsella aerofaciens was independently associated with age (B (95%CI), −0.347 (−21.6, −2.1)), high ACPA (0.323 (27.4–390.0)) and smoking (0.300 (8.8–256.4)) in RA patients. In addition, we observed decreases in Sarcina, 02d06 and Porphyromonas bacterial lineages. Conclusion: Patients with RA present dysbiosis, resulting from an abundance of certain bacterial lineages and a decrease in others. These alterations could influence the maintenance of autoimmunity to this disease.
A Possible Primordial Acetyleno/Carboxydotrophic Core Metabolism
Authors: Sobotta Jessica , Geisberger Thomas , Moosmann Carolin , Scheidler Christopher M. , Eisenreich Wolfgang , Wächtershäuser Günter , Huber Claudia
Published: April 2020

Carbon fixation, in addition to the evolution of metabolism, is a main requirement for the evolution of life. Here, we report a one-pot carbon fixation of acetylene (C2H2) and carbon monoxide (CO) by aqueous nickel sulfide (NiS) under hydrothermal (>100 °C) conditions. A slurry of precipitated NiS converts acetylene and carbon monoxide into a set of C2–4-products that are surprisingly representative for C2–4-segments of all four central CO2-fixation cycles of the domains Bacteria and Archaea, whereby some of the products engage in the same interconversions, as seen in the central CO2-fixation cycles. The results suggest a primordial, chemically predetermined, non-cyclic acetyleno/carboxydotrophic core metabolism. This metabolism is based on aqueous organo–metal chemistry, from which the extant central CO2-fixation cycles based on thioester chemistry would have evolved by piecemeal modifications.