bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Logistics Management System for a Biomass-to-Energy Production Plant Storage Park
Authors: Nunes Leonel J.R. , Costa Jorge T. Pereira da , Godina Radu , Matias João C.O. , Catalão João P.S.
Published: October 2020

The biomass industry is growing due to the current search for greener and more sustainable alternatives to fossil energy sources. However, this industry, due to its singularity, presents several challenges and disadvantages related to the transportation of raw materials, with the large volumes that are usually involved. This project aimed to address this internal logistics situation in torrefied biomass pellets production with two different biomass storage parks, located in Portugal. The main park receives raw material coming directly from the source and stores it in large amounts as a backup and strategic storage park. The second park, with smaller dimensions, precedes the production unit and must be stocked daily. Therefore, a fleet of transport units with self-unloading cranes is required to help to unload the biomass at the main park and transport the raw material from this park to the one preceding the production unit. Thus, the main goal was to determine the dimensions of the fleet used in internal transportation operations to minimize the idle time of the transport units using a methodology already in use in the mining and quarrying industry. This methodology was analyzed and adapted to the situation presented here. The implementation of this study allows the elimination of unnecessary costs in an industry where the profit margins are low.
Effect of Supercritical CO2 Drying on Moisture Transfer and Wood Property of Eucalyptus urophydis
Authors: Yang Lin , Liu Honghai
Published: October 2020

Wood dried using supercritical CO2 has unique properties because water is removed directly from the cell lumens through the cycling between supercritical and gas phases. Eucalyptus urophydis green wood was dried by supercritical CO2 at 50 °C and pressure of 10, 20, and 30 MPa; the effect of supercritical CO2 drying on moisture content distribution and transfer, as well as the permeability and extractive content of the wood, was investigated. The results showed that the supercritical CO2 drying rate was high, showing the highest drying rate at 20 MPa and the lowest at 10 MPa. Drying rate increased with pressure below 20 MPa in this study; drying rate represented no positive relation to pressure over 20 Mpa. Moisture content distribution was more uneven in the low-pressure drying conditions and in the middle transverse section of the specimens. The moisture content gradient in tangential was greater than that in longitudinal, especially for the drying of 10 MPa, indicating that water was removed mainly in the former direction of wood. More extractives were removed from wood at higher pressure during supercritical CO2 drying. Bordered pits were broken up more at higher pressure conditions. The decreased extract yields and increased amount of opened bordered pits increased the permeability of the wood after supercritical CO2 drying.
Leaf and Stem Traits are Linked to Liana Growth Rate in a Subtropical Cloud Forest
Authors: Bai Xiao-Long , Zhang Yun-Bing , Liu Qi , Wang Yang-Si-Ding , Yang Da , Zhang Jiao-Lin
Published: October 2020

There is accumulating evidence that the abundance and biomass of lianas are increasing with global climate change in the Neotropics. However, our knowledge of growth–trait relationships among lianas is surprisingly rare. Here, we monitored the relative growth rate of 2860 individuals from seven deciduous and four evergreen liana species in a 20 ha subtropical cloud forest dynamics plot at high elevation (2472–2628 m a.s.l.) in southwest China. We linked the relative growth rate of lianas with nine leaf traits associated with leaf morphology, nutrient concentrations, and water hydraulic capacity as indicated by leaf vein density, and five stem wood traits related to stem water transport capacity and wood density. Our results showed that deciduous lianas have higher relative growth rates than their evergreen counterparts. Across all lianas studied, the relative growth rate was positively correlated with the leaf area and specific leaf area, but negatively correlated with leaf dry matter content. The relative growth rate of lianas was strongly correlated with nitrogen concentration after excluding the legume liana species. The relative growth rate was decoupled from leaf phosphorus and potassium concentrations, leaf vein density, and stem vessel traits across all lianas investigated. For four evergreen lianas, there were positive associations of the relative growth rate with the leaf thickness and diameter of the largest vessels. This study is the first to illustrate the relationships of liana growth with leaf and stem traits in the high-elevation subtropical cloud forest. More studies from diverse forest ecosystems are needed to comprehensively understand the mechanism underlying liana growth patterns.
The Effect of Acetylation on Iron Uptake and Diffusion in Water Saturated Wood Cell Walls and Implications for Decay
Authors: Zelinka Samuel L , Houtman Carl J. , Hirth Kolby , Lacher Steven , Lorenz Linda , Engelund Thybring Emil , Hunt Christopher G.
Published: October 2020

Acetylation is widely used as a wood modification process that protects wood from fungal decay. The mechanisms by which acetylation protects wood are not fully understood. With these experiments, we expand upon the literature and test whether previously observed differences in iron uptake by wood were a result of decreased iron binding capacity or slower diffusion. We measured the concentration of iron in 2 mm thick wood sections at 0, 10, and 20% acetylation as a function of time after exposure to iron solutions. The iron was introduced either strongly chelated with oxalate or weakly chelated with acetate. The concentrations of iron and oxalate in solution were chosen to be similar to those found during brown rot decay, while the concentration of iron and acetate matched previous work. The iron content of oxalate-exposed wood increased only slightly and was complete within an hour, suggesting little absorption and fast diffusion, or only slight surface adsorption. The increase in iron concentration from acetate solutions with time was consistent with Fickian diffusion, with a diffusion coefficient on the order of 10−16 m2 s−1. The rather slow diffusion rate was likely due to significant binding of iron within the wood cell wall. The diffusion coefficient did not depend on the acetylation level; however, the capacity for iron absorption from acetate solution was greatly reduced in the acetylated wood, likely due to the loss of OH groups. We explored several hypotheses that might explain why the diffusion rate appears to be independent of the acetylation level and found none of them convincing. Implications for brown rot decay mechanisms and future research are discussed.
Optimization of the Enzymatic Protein Hydrolysis of By-Products from Seabream (Sparus aurata) and Seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), Chemical and Functional Characterization
Authors: Valcarcel Jesus , Sanz Noelia , Vázquez José Antonio
Published: October 2020

Valorization of seabass and seabream by-products is becoming increasingly relevant, as marketing of these species moves from selling whole fish to filleting for convenience products. With this aim, we optimized for the first time the production of fish protein hydrolysates (FPH) by enzymatic hydrolysis from filleting by-products of these commercially relevant aquaculture species, isolating fish oil at the same time. On the whole, both fish yielded similar amounts of protein, but frames and trimmings (FT) were the best source, followed by heads and viscera. In vitro antioxidant and antihypertensive activities showed similar figures for both species, placing FPHs from FT as the most active. Molecular weights ranged from 1381 to 2023 Da, corresponding to the lowest values of FT, in line with the higher hydrolysis degrees observed. All FPHs reached high digestibility (>86%) and displayed an excellent amino acid profile in terms of essential amino acids and flavor, making them suitable as food additives and supplements.
Computational Methods for the Analysis of Genomic Data and Biological Processes
Authors: Gómez-Vela Francisco , Divina Federico , García-Torres Miguel
Published: October 2020

Today, new technologies, such as microarrays or high-performance sequencing, are producing more and more genomic data [...]
Genome-Wide Co-Expression Distributions as a Metric to Prioritize Genes of Functional Importance
Authors: Alexandre Pâmela A. , Hudson Nicholas J. , Lehnert Sigrid A. , Fortes Marina R. S. , Naval-Sánchez Marina , Nguyen Loan T. , Porto-Neto Laercio R. , Reverter Antonio
Published: October 2020

Genome-wide gene expression analysis are routinely used to gain a systems-level understanding of complex processes, including network connectivity. Network connectivity tends to be built on a small subset of extremely high co-expression signals that are deemed significant, but this overlooks the vast majority of pairwise signals. Here, we developed a computational pipeline to assign to every gene its pair-wise genome-wide co-expression distribution to one of 8 template distributions shapes varying between unimodal, bimodal, skewed, or symmetrical, representing different proportions of positive and negative correlations. We then used a hypergeometric test to determine if specific genes (regulators versus non-regulators) and properties (differentially expressed or not) are associated with a particular distribution shape. We applied our methodology to five publicly available RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) datasets from four organisms in different physiological conditions and tissues. Our results suggest that genes can be assigned consistently to pre-defined distribution shapes, regarding the enrichment of differential expression and regulatory genes, in situations involving contrasting phenotypes, time-series, or physiological baseline data. There is indeed a striking additional biological signal present in the genome-wide distribution of co-expression values which would be overlooked by currently adopted approaches. Our method can be applied to extract further information from transcriptomic data and help uncover the molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of complex biological process and phenotypes.
bta-miR-23a Regulates the Myogenic Differentiation of Fetal Bovine Skeletal Muscle-Derived Progenitor Cells by Targeting MDFIC Gene
Authors: Hu Xin , Xing Yishen , Ren Ling , Wang Yahui , Li Qian , Yang Qiyuan , Du Min , Xu Lingyang , Willems Luc , Li Junya , Zhang Lupei
Published: October 2020

miR-23a, a member of the miR-23a/24-2/27a cluster, has been demonstrated to play pivotal roles in many cellular activities. However, the mechanisms of how bta-miR-23a controls the myogenic differentiation (MD) of PDGFRα− bovine progenitor cells (bPCs) remain poorly understood. In the present work, bta-miR-23a expression was increased during the MD of PDGFRα− bPCs. Moreover, bta-miR-23a overexpression significantly promoted the MD of PDGFRα− bPCs. Luciferase reporter assays showed that the 3’-UTR region of MDFIC (MyoD family inhibitor domain containing) could be a promising target of bta-miR-23a, which resulted in its post-transcriptional down-regulation. Additionally, the knockdown of MDFIC by siRNA facilitated the MD of PDGFRα− bPCs, while the overexpression of MDFIC inhibited the activating effect of bta-miR-23a during MD. Of note, MDFIC might function through the interaction between MyoG transcription factor and MEF2C promoter. This study reveals that bta-miR-23a can promote the MD of PDGFRα− bPCs through post-transcriptional downregulation of MDFIC.
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, The Magic of Sociality, and Radical Fantasy
Authors: Birns Nicholas
Published: October 2020

Despite huge sales and publicity on its issuance in 2004, Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell has received comparatively little sustained critical attention. This article argues that much of this neglect proceeds from assumptions that the book is nostalgic for a sovereign magic, when in fact its historicity is a way of shaking up time itself. I argue Clarke is looking to the early nineteenth century as the earliest possible modernity, a time in which magic is intertwined with the world much as it would be today if magic arose now. Examining the sociable magician Norrell, the questionably resurgent medieval king John Uskglass and the African-descended manservant Stephen Black provide different models of what the interrelationship between magic and reality can be and serve to destabilize any sense of a sovereign past in the book. The book’s plural magical modernity’s counter any atavistic sovereignty. By taking the reading of Clarke’s novel beyond nostalgic sovereignty, one can understand how it participates in the twenty-first century revaluation of fantasy as politically progressive and epistemically radical.
Renal Dysfunction and Tubulopathy Induced by High-Dose Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate in C57BL/6 Mice
Authors: Jang Eungyeong , Lee Jong Kil , Inn Kyung-Soo , Chung Eun Kyoung , Lee Kyung-Tae , Lee Jang-Hoon
Published: October 2020

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is the most preferred antiretroviral medicine in treating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections. Recent clinical trials have reported conflicting results on renal toxicity and safety in TDF-treated patients, but reference animal studies, testing high-doses of TDF for renal toxicity, are scarce. In this preclinical study, we investigated whether daily oral TDF administration (200, 500, or 800 mg/kg/d, p.o.) for four weeks induces renal insufficiency in C57BL/6 mice, by evaluating changes in body weight, urine micro-total protein, urinary microalbumin, serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine levels, along with histological examination of kidney samples. In the G3 group (TDF 800 mg/kg/d, p.o.), three mice died on the 17th, 23rd and 26th days, and overall, significant increases in urinary and serum levels were observed after two weeks of TDF treatment. In addition, the proportion of pyknotic epithelial cells and acidophilic cytoplasm in renal tubules was also increased after two weeks, and congestion and hemorrhage were observed in renal tubules after three weeks. Taken together, high-dose TDF treatment of 800 mg/kg/d might lead to renal tubular damage and dysfunction, great enough to cause death in mice, even after a short period of one to two weeks.
Aging at Work: A Review of Recent Trends and Future Directions
Authors: Barakovic Husic Jasmina , Melero Francisco José , Barakovic Sabina , Lameski Petre , Zdravevski Eftim , Maresova Petra , Krejcar Ondrej , Chorbev Ivan , Garcia Nuno M. , Trajkovik Vladimir
Published: October 2020

Demographic data suggest a rapid aging trend in the active workforce. The concept of aging at work comes from the urgent requirement to help the aging workforce of the contemporary industries to maintain productivity while achieving a work and private life balance. While there is plenty of research focusing on the aging population, current research activities on policies covering the concept of aging at work are limited and conceptually different. This paper aims to review publications on aging at work, which could lead to the creation of a framework that targets governmental decision-makers, the non-governmental sector, the private sector, and all of those who are responsible for the formulation of policies on aging at work. In August 2019 we searched for peer-reviewed articles in English that were indexed in PubMed, IEEE Xplore, and Springer and published between 2008 and 2019. The keywords included the following phrases: “successful aging at work”, “active aging at work”, “healthy aging at work”, “productive aging at work”, and “older adults at work”. A total of 47,330 publications were found through database searching, and 25,187 publications were screened. Afterwards, 7756 screened publications were excluded from the further analysis, and a total of 17,431 article abstracts were evaluated for inclusion. Finally, further qualitative analysis included 1375 articles, of which about 24 are discussed in this article. The most prominent works suggest policies that encourage life-long learning, and a workforce that comprises both younger and older workers, as well as gradual retirement.
Vulnerability Analysis to Drought Based on Remote Sensing Indexes
Authors: Jia Huicong , Chen Fang , Zhang Jing , Du Enyu
Published: October 2020

A vulnerability curve is an important tool for the rapid assessment of drought losses, and it can provide a scientific basis for drought risk prevention and post-disaster relief. Those populations with difficulty in accessing drinking water because of drought (hereon “drought at risk populations”, abbreviated as DRP) were selected as the target of the analysis, which examined factors contributing to their risk status. Here, after the standardization of disaster data from the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in 2013, the parameter estimation method was used to determine the probability distribution of drought perturbations data. The results showed that, at the significant level of α = 0.05, the DRP followed the Weibull distribution, whose parameters were optimal. According to the statistical characteristics of the probability density function and cumulative distribution function, the bulk of the standardized DRP is concentrated in the range of 0 to 0.2, with a cumulative probability of about 75%, of which 17% is the cumulative probability from 0.2 to 0.4, and that greater than 0.4 amounts to only 8%. From the perspective of the vulnerability curve, when the variance ratio of the normalized vegetation index (NDVI) is between 0.65 and 0.85, the DRP will increase at a faster rate; when it is greater than 0.85, the growth rate of DRP will be relatively slow, and the disaster losses will stabilize. When the variance ratio of the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) is between 0.5 and 0.85, the growth rate of DRP accelerates, but when it is greater than 0.85, the disaster losses tend to stabilize. By comparing the coefficient of determination (R2) values fitted for the vulnerability curve, in the same situation, EVI is more suitable to indicate drought vulnerability than NDVI for estimating the DRP.
Health-Related Quality of Life and Physical Function in Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease after a Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Regimen—A Prospective Cohort Feasibility Study
Authors: Nielsen Christina , Siersma Volkert , Ghaziani Emma , Beyer Nina , Magnusson S. Peter , Couppé Christian
Published: October 2020

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease and a multidisciplinary approach to rehabilitation has been suggested as the best clinical practice. However, very few studies have investigated the long-term effects of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation approach, particularly regarding whether this can slow the progression of PD. The purpose was to investigate the short- and long-term effect of a 2-week multidisciplinary rehabilitation regimen on the PD-related decline in health-related quality of life (HRQOL), mobility, and muscle function. Individuals with PD (IPD) participated in a 2-week inpatient multidisciplinary rehabilitation regimen that focused on improving HRQOL, mobility, and muscle function. Data from the primary outcome: HRQOL (Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire 39, PDQ-39), secondary outcomes: handgrip strength, Timed-up and Go (TUG), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) were compared at pre-visitation, before and after the 2-week regimen, and again at 4 and 10 months follow-up. In total, 224 patients with PD were included. There were short-term improvements in all outcomes. PDQ-39 was maintained at the same level as pre-visitation after 10 months follow-up. A 2-week multidisciplinary rehabilitation regimen improved short-term mobility, muscle function, and HRQOL in individuals with Parkinson’s disease. HRQOL was maintained after 10 months demonstrating long-term effects.
Association of Insufficient or Excess Sleep with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in the Presence of Periodontitis
Authors: Kim Se-Yeon , Kim Ji-Soo , Byon Min-Ji , Kang Hyun Kyung , Kim Jin-Bom
Published: October 2020

We aimed to investigate the effects of sleep duration on impaired fasting glucose and diabetes in Korean adults with periodontal disease. This cross-sectional study was performed using data for 10,465 subjects aged >19 years who completed the periodontal examination and questionnaires in the Sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013–2015). The effect of sleep was confirmed by a complex-sample multinomial logistic regression analysis. Confounding variables were age, sex, household income, education level, smoking status, and sleep duration. Of all participants, 25.7% had periodontitis, of which 28.6% had fasting serum glucose disorder and 14.2% had diabetes. Among participants with periodontitis, the prevalence of diabetes was 1.49 times higher in participants with an average sleep duration of ≥8 h than those with an average sleep duration of 6–7 h. The prevalence of diabetes among participants without periodontitis was 1.49 times and 1.57 times higher in participants with an average sleep duration of ≤5 and ≥8 h, respectively, than those with an average sleep duration of 6–7 h. We found that altered sleep duration may be a risk factor for diabetes and that proper sleep duration is important to control diabetes incidence.
Burnout in Palliative Care Nurses, Prevalence and Risk Factors: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis
Authors: Gómez-Urquiza Jose Luis , Albendín-García Luis , Velando-Soriano Almudena , Ortega-Campos Elena , Ramírez-Baena Lucía , Membrive-Jiménez María Jose , Suleiman-Martos Nora
Published: October 2020

Palliative care nurses are exposed to hard situations, death, and duel feelings in their daily practice. These, and other work stressors, can favor burnout development. Thus, it is important to analyze the prevalence and risk factors of burnout in palliative care nurses and estimate its prevalence. A systematic review and meta-analysis was done with quantitative primary studies. n = 15 studies were included with n = 6 studies including information for the meta-analysis. The meta-analytic prevalence estimation of emotional exhaustion was 24% (95% CI 16–34%), for depersonalization was 30% (95% CI 18–44%) and for low personal accomplishment was 28% with a sample of n = 693 palliative care nurses. The main variables related with burnout are occupational variables followed by psychological variables. Some interventions to improve working conditions of palliative care nurses should be implemented to reduce burnout.
Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder in Premature Subjects Hospitalized in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Scarlytt de Oliveira Holanda Norrara , Delgado Oliveira da Costa Lidiane , Suelen Santos Sampaio Sabrinne , Gomes da Fonseca Filho Gentil , Batista Bezerra Ruth , Guerra Azevedo Ingrid , Alves Pereira Silvana
Published: October 2020

Considering that the average age for diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is 4–5 years, testing screening methods for ASD risk in early infancy is a public health priority. This study aims to identify the risks for development of ASD in children born prematurely and hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and explore the association with pre-, peri- and postnatal factors. Methods: The children’s families were contacted by telephone when their child was between 18 and 24 months of age, to apply the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT). The sample consisted of 40 children (57.5% boys). M-CHAT screening revealed that 50% of the sample showed early signs of ASD. Although the frequency of delayed development was higher in boys, this difference was not statistically significant between the sexes (p = 0.11). Assessment of the association between perinatal conditions and early signs of autism in children hospitalized in an NICU exhibited no correlation between the factors analyzed (birth weight and type of delivery). The findings indicate a high risk of ASD in premature children, demonstrating no associations with gestational and neonatal variables or the hospitalization conditions of the NICUs investigated.
mHealth and Perinatal Depression in Low-and Middle-Income Countries: A Scoping Review of the Literature
Authors: Dosani Aliyah , Arora Harshmeet , Mazmudar Sahil
Published: October 2020

Women in low- and middle-income countries have high rates of perinatal depression. As smartphones become increasingly accessible around the world, there is an opportunity to explore innovative mHealth tools for the prevention, screening, and management of perinatal depression. We completed a scoping review of the literature pertaining to the use of mobile phone technologies for perinatal depression in low-and middle-income countries. PubMed CINHAL, and Google Scholar databases were searched, generating 423 results. 12 articles met our inclusion criteria. Two of the 12 articles reviewed mobile phone applications. The remaining 9 articles were study protocols or descriptive/intervention studies. Our results reveal that minimal literature is currently available on the use of mobile health for perinatal depression in low- and middle-income countries. We found four articles that present the results of an intervention that were delivered through mobile phones for the treatment of perinatal depressive symptoms and an additional qualitative study describing the perceptions of mothers receiving cognitive behavioral therapy via telephones. These studies demonstrated that depressive symptoms improved after the interventions. There is potential to improve the quality of mHealth interventions, specifically mobile phone applications for perinatal depressive symptoms and depression, through meaningful collaborative work between healthcare professionals and application developers.
Impacts of Environmental Regulation on the Green Transformation and Upgrading of Manufacturing Enterprises
Authors: Shen Liang , Fan Runjie , Wang Yuyan , Yu Zhaoqing , Tang Rongyun
Published: October 2020

Since environmental problems are becoming increasingly prominent, macro policies and social development have placed higher requirements on manufacturing enterprises to promote green transformation and upgrading (GTU) in China. Considering that different manufacturing enterprises choose different green technology innovation levels for GTU under environmental regulation, a game model between manufacturing enterprises and the government is constructed. The relationship between the green technology innovation level (GTIL) and the environmental regulation intensity is analyzed. Through numerical examples, the influences of environmental regulation and consumer preference on system decisions are further examined. Moreover, an econometric model is constructed to explore the influence that the environmental regulation exerts on the GTIL using panel data from the Chinese manufacturing industry. Our results show that the increase in environmental regulation intensity contributes to improving GTIL and promoting the GTU of manufacturing enterprises. Furthermore, as the environmental regulation is enhanced, the sales price decreases, benefiting consumers. Consumers’ preference for high-GTIL products is conducive to GTU under environmental regulation. Empirical analysis shows that there is a U-shaped relationship between environmental regulation and the GTIL. Only when the intensity reaches a threshold can the environmental regulation be beneficial to improve the GTIL and promote the GTU of Chinese manufacturing enterprises.
Risk Assessment on Continued Public Health Threats: Evidence from China’s Stock Market
Authors: Gu Junjian
Published: October 2020

Given the disturbing effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, we are motivated to examine whether the continued increase of the provincial public health threats affects the firms’ accumulative abnormal return. Using the 178,805 firm-day observations from Chinese listed firms from 10 January to 31 March 2020, we find that the accumulative abnormal return is significantly lower among firms located in the provinces where face the continued increase of new confirmed COVID-19 cases. The relations remain constant after several robustness tests. These findings suggest that investors concern about the potential risk when firms are located in the provinces with higher threats to public health. We also find that the negative effect of increasing public health threats on abnormal return is weaker for firms surrounded by a provincial environment with stronger information accessibility and economic growth. Overall, this study extends the literature by presenting systematic evidence on the effect of the continued increase of provincial public health threats on the market reaction in Chinese listed firms.
How Can the Lived Environment Support Healthy Ageing? A Spatial Indicators Framework for the Assessment of Age-Friendly Communities
Authors: Davern Melanie , Winterton Rachel , Brasher Kathleen , Woolcock Geoff
Published: October 2020

The Age-Friendly Cities and Communities Guide was released by the World Health Organization over a decade ago with the aim of creating environments that support healthy ageing. The comprehensive framework includes the domains of outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, housing, social participation, respect and inclusion, civic participation and employment, communication and information, and community and health services. A major critique of the age-friendly community movement has argued for a more clearly defined scope of actions, the need to measure or quantify results and increase the connections to policy and funding levers. This paper provides a quantifiable spatial indicators framework to assess local lived environments according to each Age-Friendly Cities and Communities (AFC) domain. The selection of these AFC spatial indicators can be applied within local neighbourhoods, census tracts, suburbs, municipalities, or cities with minimal resource requirements other than applied spatial analysis, which addresses past critiques of the Age-Friendly Community movement. The framework has great potential for applications within local, national, and international policy and planning contexts in the future.
Optimized Pretreatment of Non-Thermal Plasma for Advanced Sewage Oxidation
Authors: Kim Hee-Jun , Won Chan-Hee , Kim Hyun-Woo
Published: October 2020

This study investigates how the non-thermal plasma (NTP) process leads to advanced oxidation of sewage using response surface methodology. For environmentally viable and efficient operation of the NTP process, temperature and contact time were selected as two important independent variables. Their impacts on the performance were tested following an experimental design to figure out optimal operating conditions. Based on obtained treatment efficiency, statistically optimized conditions were derived by using an approach adapting the central composite design. Results show that coupling 40 °C of temperature and 4 h of contact time demonstrate optimal performance for total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD, 59%) and total suspended solids (85%), respectively. This implies that NTP may present efficient particulate destruction leading to organic solids dissolution. Statistical analysis reveals that the contact time shows more significant dependency than the temperature on the advanced oxidation of TCOD, possibly due to dissolved organic material. For total nitrogen removal, on the contrary, the optimal efficiency was strongly related to the higher temperature (~68 °C). This work provides an inroad to considering how NTP can optimally contribute to better oxidation of multiple pollutants.
Impact of the “Sling Shot” Supportive Device on Upper-Body Neuromuscular Activity during the Bench Press Exercise
Authors: Wojdala Grzegorz , Golas Artur , Krzysztofik Michal , Lockie Robert George , Roczniok Robert , Zajac Adam , Wilk Michal
Published: October 2020

The aim of this study was to compare the muscle activity between the sling shot assisted (SS) and control (CONT) flat barbell bench press for selected external loads of 70%, 85%, 100% one-repetition maximum (1RM). Ten resistance-trained men participated in the study (age = 22.2 ± 1.9 years, body mass = 88.7 ± 11.2 kg, body height = 179.5 ± 4.1, 1RM in the bench press = 127.25 ± 25.86 kg, and strength training experience = 6 ± 2.5 years). Evaluation of peak muscle activity of the dominant body side was carried out using surface electromyography (sEMG) recorded for the triceps brachii, pectoralis major, and anterior deltoid during each attempt. The three-way repeated measure ANOVA revealed statistically significant main interaction for condition x muscle group (p < 0.01; η2 = 0.569); load x muscle group (p < 0.01; η2 = 0.709); and condition x load (p < 0.01; η2 = 0.418). A main effect was also observed for condition (p < 0.01; η2 = 0.968); load (p < 0.01; η2 = 0.976); and muscle group (p < 0.01; η2 = 0.977). The post hoc analysis for the main effect of the condition indicated statistically significant decrease in %MVIC for the SS compared to CONT condition (74.9 vs. 88.9%MVIC; p < 0.01; ES = 0.39). The results of this study showed that using the SS significantly affects the muscle activity pattern of the flat bench press and results in its acute decrease in comparison to an equal load under CONT conditions. The SS device may be an effective tool both in rehabilitation and strength training protocols by increasing stability with a reduction of muscular activity of the prime movers.
Association between Dietary Habits, Shift Work, and the Metabolic Syndrome: The Korea Nurses’ Health Study
Authors: Jung Heeja , Dan Hyunju , Pang Yanghee , Kim Bohye , Jeong Hyunseon , Lee Jung Eun , Kim Oksoo
Published: October 2020

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is an important public health problem, and unhealthy dietary habits and shift work are considered major factors that increase the prevalence of MetS. The purpose of this study was to examine whether dietary habits, alcohol drinking, and shift-working were associated with development of MetS in shift-working female nurses. This study analyzed cross-sectional survey data from the Korea Nurses’ Health Study (KNHS). Of the 1638 nurses, 403 participants were selected based on the propensity score matching method (PSM). These participants had either no or more than three MetS determinant factors. Analysis was conducted by using multivariable logistic regression to confirm the factors influencing MetS. The prevalence of MetS in this group (1638 participants) was 5.6% (92 participants). Consumption of over 50% of daily calorie intake after 7 p.m., consumption of carbonated drinks, family history of diabetes, and non-shift work were significant factors influencing MetS. Nurses are one of the at-risk groups for unhealthy dietary habits due to the nature of their work. Therefore, nurse managers should include regular dietary education for nurses and continue their policy efforts to resolve health problems that may arise in connection with nurses’ work.
Nutrient Composition of Foods Marketed to Children or Adolescents Sold in the Spanish Market: Are They Any Better?
Authors: Beltrá Marta , Soares-Micoanski Keila , Navarrete-Muñoz Eva-Maria , Ropero Ana B.
Published: October 2020

Healthy eating is essential for the growth and development of children and adolescents. Eating habits established in childhood continue into adulthood. In Spain, the frequent promotion of foods with low nutritional value is already considered a threat to the health of the population, particularly to children and adolescents. In this work, we analyse 3209 foods from the Food Database, BADALI. Foods were classified as marketed to children or adolescents according to the advertising on the packaging, television or internet. We found that 17.5% of foods in the database were marketed to this population and 97% of those were considered unhealthy following the Pan American Health Organization Nutrient Profile Model (PAHO-NPM). In the total of foods for children or adolescents, 61.5% were high in fat, 58.5% in free-sugar, 45.4% in saturated fat and 45% in sodium. Foods marketed to them presented higher amounts of carbohydrates and sugar, while lower protein and fibre content than the rest. There was also considerable variability in levels of the other nutrients found in these products, which depended largely on the food group. According to our findings, there is a tendency for products marketed to children or adolescents to be unhealthy and of a poorer nutritional quality than those not targeted at them.
A Screen for PKN3 Substrates Reveals an Activating Phosphorylation of ARHGAP18
Authors: Dibus Michal , Brábek Jan , Rösel Daniel
Published: October 2020

Protein kinase N3 (PKN3) is a serine/threonine kinase implicated in tumor progression of multiple cancer types, however, its substrates and effector proteins still remain largely understudied. In the present work we aimed to identify novel PKN3 substrates in a phosphoproteomic screen using analog sensitive PKN3. Among the identified putative substrates we selected ARHGAP18, a protein from RhoGAP family, for validation of the screen and further study. We confirmed that PKN3 can phosphorylate ARHGAP18 in vitro and we also characterized the interaction of the two proteins, which is mediated via the N-terminal part of ARHGAP18. We present strong evidence that PKN3-ARHGAP18 interaction is increased upon ARHGAP18 phosphorylation and that the phosphorylation of ARHGAP18 by PKN3 enhances its GAP domain activity and contributes to negative regulation of active RhoA. Taken together, we identified new set of potential PKN3 substrates and revealed a new negative feedback regulatory mechanism of Rho signaling mediated by PKN3-induced ARHGAP18 activation.
Multi-Omics Analysis of Small RNA, Transcriptome, and Degradome in T. turgidum—Regulatory Networks of Grain Development and Abiotic Stress Response
Authors: Liu Haipei , Able Amanda J. , Able Jason A.
Published: October 2020

Crop reproduction is highly sensitive to water deficit and heat stress. The molecular networks of stress adaptation and grain development in tetraploid wheat (Triticum turgidum durum) are not well understood. Small RNAs (sRNAs) are important epigenetic regulators connecting the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory networks. This study presents the first multi-omics analysis of the sRNAome, transcriptome, and degradome in T. turgidum developing grains, under single and combined water deficit and heat stress. We identified 690 microRNAs (miRNAs), with 84 being novel, from 118 sRNA libraries. Complete profiles of differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) specific to genotypes, stress types, and different reproductive time-points are provided. The first degradome sequencing report for developing durum grains discovered a significant number of new target genes regulated by miRNAs post-transcriptionally. Transcriptome sequencing profiled 53,146 T. turgidum genes, swith differentially expressed genes (DEGs) enriched in functional categories such as nutrient metabolism, cellular differentiation, transport, reproductive development, and hormone transduction pathways. miRNA–mRNA networks that affect grain characteristics such as starch synthesis and protein metabolism were constructed on the basis of integrated analysis of the three omics. This study provides a substantial amount of novel information on the post-transcriptional networks in T. turgidum grains, which will facilitate innovations for breeding programs aiming to improve crop resilience and grain quality.
Quantitative Analysis of the Specific Absorption Rate Dependence on the Magnetic Field Strength in ZnxFe3−xO4 Nanoparticles
Authors: Kerroum Mohamed Alae Ait , Iacovita Cristian , Baaziz Walid , Ihiawakrim Dris , Rogez Guillaume , Benaissa Mohammed , Lucaciu Constantin Mihai , Ersen Ovidiu
Published: October 2020

Superparamagnetic ZnxFe3−xO4 magnetic nanoparticles (0 ≤ x < 0.5) with spherical shapes of 16 nm average diameter and different zinc doping level have been successfully synthesized by co-precipitation method. The homogeneous zinc substitution of iron cations into the magnetite crystalline structure has led to an increase in the saturation magnetization of nanoparticles up to 120 Am2/kg for x ~ 0.3. The specific absorption rate (SAR) values increased considerably when x is varied between 0 and 0.3 and then decreased for x ~ 0.5. The SAR values are reduced upon the immobilization of the nanoparticles in a solid matrix being significantly increased by a pre-alignment step in a uniform static magnetic field before immobilization. The SAR values displayed a quadratic dependence on the alternating magnetic field amplitude (H) up to 35 kA/m. Above this value, a clear saturation effect of SAR was observed that was successfully described qualitatively and quantitatively by considering the non-linear field’s effects and the magnetic field dependence of both Brown and Neel relaxation times. The Neel relaxation time depends more steeply on H as compared with the Brown relaxation time, and the magnetization relaxation might be dominated by the Neel mechanism, even for nanoparticles with large diameter.
Molecular Analysis of Fetal and Adult Primary Human Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells: A Comparison to Other Endothelial Cells
Authors: Jamil Muhammad Ahmer , Singer Heike , Al-Rifai Rawya , Nüsgen Nicole , Rath Melanie , Strauss Sascha , Andreou Ioanna , Oldenburg Johannes , El-Maarri Osman
Published: October 2020

In humans, Factor VIII (F8) deficiency leads to hemophilia A and F8 is largely synthesized and secreted by the liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs). However, the specificity and characteristics of these cells in comparison to other endothelial cells is not well known. In this study, we performed genome wide expression and CpG methylation profiling of fetal and adult human primary LSECs together with other fetal primary endothelial cells from lung (micro-vascular and arterial), and heart (micro-vascular). Our results reveal expression and methylation markers distinguishing LSECs at both fetal and adult stages. Differential gene expression of fetal LSECs in comparison to other fetal endothelial cells pointed to several differentially regulated pathways and biofunctions in fetal LSECs. We used targeted bisulfite resequencing to confirm selected top differentially methylated regions. We further designed an assay where we used the selected methylation markers to test the degree of similarity of in-house iPS generated vascular endothelial cells to primary LSECs; a higher similarity was found to fetal than to adult LSECs. In this study, we provide a detailed molecular profile of LSECs and a guide to testing the effectiveness of production of in vitro differentiated LSECs.
Platelet-Rich Plasma: New Performance Understandings and Therapeutic Considerations in 2020
Authors: Everts Peter , Onishi Kentaro , Jayaram Prathap , Lana José Fábio , Mautner Kenneth
Published: October 2020

Emerging autologous cellular therapies that utilize platelet-rich plasma (PRP) applications have the potential to play adjunctive roles in a variety of regenerative medicine treatment plans. There is a global unmet need for tissue repair strategies to treat musculoskeletal (MSK) and spinal disorders, osteoarthritis (OA), and patients with chronic complex and recalcitrant wounds. PRP therapy is based on the fact that platelet growth factors (PGFs) support the three phases of wound healing and repair cascade (inflammation, proliferation, remodeling). Many different PRP formulations have been evaluated, originating from human, in vitro, and animal studies. However, recommendations from in vitro and animal research often lead to different clinical outcomes because it is difficult to translate non-clinical study outcomes and methodology recommendations to human clinical treatment protocols. In recent years, progress has been made in understanding PRP technology and the concepts for bioformulation, and new research directives and new indications have been suggested. In this review, we will discuss recent developments regarding PRP preparation and composition regarding platelet dosing, leukocyte activities concerning innate and adaptive immunomodulation, serotonin (5-HT) effects, and pain killing. Furthermore, we discuss PRP mechanisms related to inflammation and angiogenesis in tissue repair and regenerative processes. Lastly, we will review the effect of certain drugs on PRP activity, and the combination of PRP and rehabilitation protocols.
Enhancing the Therapeutic Potential of CCL2-Overexpressing Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Acute Stroke
Authors: Lee Sanghun , Kim Ok Joon , Lee Kee Ook , Jung Hyeju , Oh Seung-Hun , Kim Nam Keun
Published: October 2020

Although intravenous administration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is effective for experimental stroke, low engraftment and the limited functional capacity of transplanted cells are critical hurdles for clinical applications. C–C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) is associated with neurological repair after stroke and delivery of various cells into the brain via CCL2/CCR2 (CCL2 receptor) interaction. In this study, after CCL2-overexpressing human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (hUC-MSCs) were intravenously transplanted with mannitol in rats with middle cerebral arterial occlusion, we compared the differences between four different treatment groups: mannitol + CCL2-overexpressing hUC-MSCs (CCL2-MSC), mannitol + naïve hUC-MSCs (M-MSC), mannitol only, and control. At four-weeks post-transplantation, the CCL2-MSC group showed significantly better functional recovery and smaller stroke volume relative to the other groups. Additionally, we observed upregulated levels of CCR2 in acute ischemic brain and the increase of migrated stem cells into these areas in the CCL2-MSC group relative to the M-MSC. Moreover, the CCL2-MSC group displayed increased angiogenesis and endogenous neurogenesis, decreased neuro-inflammation but with increased healing-process inflammatory cells relative to other groups. These findings indicated that CCL2-overexpressing hUC-MSCs showed better functional recovery relative to naïve hUC-MSCs according to the increased migration of these cells into brain areas of higher CCR2 expression, thereby promoting subsequent endogenous brain repair.
Plants in the Genus Tephrosia: Valuable Resources for Botanical Insecticides
Authors: Zhang Peiwen , Qin Deqiang , Chen Jianjun , Zhang Zhixiang
Published: October 2020

Synthetic insecticides are effective in controlling insect pests but can also harm nontarget organisms and the environment. During the last 40 years, there has been an increasing interest in alternative insecticides, particularly those derived from plants, commonly known as botanical insecticides. However, commercially available botanical insecticides remain limited. Rotenone is one of the earliest identified compounds and was used as fish poison and pest management. Due to its link with Parkinson disease, the use of rotenone was banned in many developed countries. Rotenone used to be isolated from Derris spp. and Lonchocarpus spp., and it can also be isolated from Tephrosia species. In this article, we present basic botanical information on selected Tephrosia species and their major compounds related to insecticidal activities and highlight the current use of extracts derived from some species, Tephrosia vogelii in particular, for control of insect pests in stored grains and crop production. The crude extracts contain multiple bioactive compounds, mainly rotenone, deguelin, rotenolone, and tephrosin, which act in either additive or synergistic fashion, resulting in effective control of insect pests. There are about 400 species in the genus Tephrosia, and species and even strains or variants vary greatly in these active compounds. We argue that a systematic evaluation of bioactive compounds in different species are needed, and species or strains with high insecticidal activities should be selected for use in the sustainable control of insect pests.