bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
EL USO DEL CRÉDITO TRIBUTARIO EN LAS DECLARACIONES DE PERSONAS JURÍDICAS DEL IMPUESTO A LA RENTA.
Authors:   Servicio de Rentas Internas - Ambato, Miranda Solis Alex Oswaldo , Gaibor González Israel David ,   Servicio de Rentas Internas - Ambato, Vásquez Salinas Miguel Ángel
Published: December 2020

La presente investigación analiza el uso del crédito tributario en las declaraciones del impuesto a la renta de las personas jurídicas no ha sido verificada por la Zona Tres de la Administración Tributaria Ecuatoriana, por lo que se desconoce cuál es el monto que el Estado ha dejado de percibir al deducirse estos valores del tributo a pagar por parte de los contribuyentes. Es por esto que el presente trabajo de investigación analiza los distintos créditos tributarios utilizados por los contribuyentes y su incidencia en la brecha de veracidad del Impuesto a la Renta. Se ha considerado el estudio de este tema con el fin de proponer un plan de cruces de información que sean utilizados como parte de los controles que efectúa la administración tributaria, que contribuya a identificar incumplimientos que afectan a la recaudación, por ende a la brecha de veracidad, además que coadyuve como herramienta de persuasión para que los contribuyentes de forma paulatina cumplan voluntariamente, el trabajo se utiliza la metodología cuali-cuantitativa, mediante la aplicación de técnica de observación, fichas y cuestionarios aplicados a la población definida y análisis de la información disponible y de la bibliografía utilizada.
CONCIENCIA SEMÁNTICA Y COMUNICACIÓN ORAL EN EL ÁREA DE LENGUA Y LITERATURA EN BÁSICA MEDIA.
Authors:   Unidad Educativa Fiscomisional San Felipe Neri, López Arévalo Silvia Del Rocio , Barrera Erreyes Helder Marcell ,   Pontífica Universidad Católica del Ecuador
Published: December 2020

La conciencia semántica consiste en interpretar el significado de las palabras y establecer relación entre ellas. Ha sido considerada como un elemento favorecedor de la comunicación oral. El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar la influencia de la conciencia semántica en la comunicación oral en el área de lengua y literatura en los estudiantes de básica media de la Unidad Educativa Fiscomisional San Felipe Neri. Para esto se realizó una investigación aplicada, con un diseño cuasi experimental y enfoque mixto consistente en una intervención educativa que incluyó como universo a los 102 estudiantes que cursan estudios de enseñanza básica media. La intervención educativa consistió en la implementación de actividades basadas en el desarrollo de conciencia semántica como herramienta para el mejoramiento de la comunicación verbal. Se aplicó un instrumento para medir comunicación oral al inicio de la investigación (pretest) y al final de la misma (postest); se utilizó la prueba no paramétrica de rangos con signos de Wilcoxon para identificar cambios de la intervención educativa aplicada en la comunicación oral de los estudiantes investigados. Al comienzo de la investigación la comunicación oral de los estudiantes alcanzaba niveles bajos en el 55,88%. Después de aplicada la intervención educativa el 26,47% de los estudiantes presentó un nivel de comunicación oral elevado y el 47,06% un nivel medio. Se concluye que la intervención educativa aplicada a los estudiantes provocó cambios estadisticamente significativos en el mejoramiento de la expresión oral de los estudiantes investigados.
Construção de modelos didáticos em 3D: Um relato de experiência junto a alunos do ensino médio.
Authors: Roncaglio Vanina , Crisostimo Ana Lucia , Bittencourt Stange Carlos Eduardo
Published: December 2020

Este artigo visa relatar e analisar uma experiência de ensino vivenciada junto ao Projeto Extracurricular "A construção de modelos didáticos na impressora 3D: uma ferramenta didática para o ensino de Ciências Naturais" , desenvolvido em um colégio da rede estadual de ensino, com alunos do Ensino Médio, em 2019, em Guarapuava, Pr. Na abordagem tradicional, estes conteúdos, como a célula, molécula e átomos, são representados em imagens em 2D, mesmo quando se trata de uma visualização histológica no Microscópio. A possibilidade do aluno visualizar e manusear uma representação atômica, por exemplo, em 3D, gera compreensão maior do conhecimento. Assim o aluno relaciona esses conteúdos com seu conhecimento prévio, produzindo aprendizagem significativa. Esses modelos não se limitam ao ensino de Ciências Naturais, se expandindo para outras disciplinas como matemática e geografia bem como auxiliar na inclusão de alunos com necessidades especiais. Mas para a construção acontecer, os alunos precisam aprender a modelar a estrutura digitalmente, em softwares especí­ficos. Sendo assim foi realizado um projeto com alunos da 1º série do Ensino Médio com o objetivo de construir modelos em três dimensões das estruturas embrionárias por meio de uma impressora 3D e softwares online de modelagem tridimensional e apresentar na I Jornada de Inovação e Múltiplos Conhecimentos – EDUCATECH, promovida pelo Núcleo Regional de Educação de Guarapuava - PR. Com esse projeto os alunos promoveram aprendizagem significativa em embriologia, deram iní­cio a alfabetização digital, produzindo materiais didáticos não consumí­veis por meio de atividades pedagógicas usando tecnologias educacionais para a modelagem em 3D. Palavras-chave: Modelos didáticos. Impressora 3D. Aprendizagem significativa.
Type I Interferons and Malaria: A Double-Edge Sword Against a Complex Parasitic Disease
Authors: He Xiao , Xia Lu , Tumas Keyla C. , Wu Jian , Su Xin-Zhuan
Published: December 2020

Type I interferons (IFN-Is) are important cytokines playing critical roles in various infections, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. Studies have also shown that IFN-Is exhibit ‘conflicting’ roles in malaria parasite infections. Malaria parasites have a complex life cycle with multiple developing stages in two hosts. Both the liver and blood stages of malaria parasites in a vertebrate host stimulate IFN-I responses. IFN-Is have been shown to inhibit liver and blood stage development, to suppress T cell activation and adaptive immune response, and to promote production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in animal models. Different parasite species or strains trigger distinct IFN-I responses. For example, aPlasmodium yoeliistrain can stimulate a strong IFN-I response during early infection, whereas its isogenetic strain does not. Host genetic background also greatly influences IFN-I production during malaria infections. Consequently, the effects of IFN-Is on parasitemia and disease symptoms are highly variable depending on the combination of parasite and host species or strains. Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7, TLR9, melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5), and cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) coupled with stimulator of interferon genes (STING) are the major receptors for recognizing parasite nucleic acids (RNA/DNA) to trigger IFN-I responses. IFN-I levelsin vivoare tightly regulated, and various novel molecules have been identified to regulate IFN-I responses during malaria infections. Here we review the major findings and progress in ligand recognition, signaling pathways, functions, and regulation of IFN-I responses during malaria infections.
The Impact of Domestication on Aboveground and Belowground Trait Responses to Nitrogen Fertilization in Wild and Cultivated Genotypes of Chickpea (Cicer sp.)
Authors: Marques Edward , Krieg Christopher P. , Dacosta-Calheiros Emmanuel , Bueno Erika , Sessa Emily , Penmetsa R. Varma , von Wettberg Eric
Published: December 2020

Despite the importance of crop responses to low fertility conditions, few studies have examined the extent to which domestication may have limited crop responses to low-fertility environments in aboveground and belowground traits. Moreover, studies that have addressed this topic have used a limited number of wild accessions, therefore overlooking the genotypic and phenotypic diversity of wild relatives. To examine how domestication has affected the response of aboveground and belowground agronomic traits, we measured root and leaf functional traits in an extensive set of wild and domesticated chickpea accessions grown in low and high nitrogen soil environments. Unlike previous studies, the wild accessions used in this study broadly capture the genetic and phenotypic diversity of domesticated chickpea’s (Cicer arietinum) closest compatible wild relative (C. reticulatum). Our results suggest that the domestication of chickpea led to greater capacities for plasticity in morphological and biomass related traits but may have lowered the capacity to modify physiological traits related to gas exchange. Wild chickpea displayed greater phenotypic plasticity for physiological traits including stomatal conductance, canopy level photosynthesis, leaf level photosynthesis, and leaf C/N ratio. In contrast to domesticated chickpea, wild chickpea displayed phenotypes consistent with water loss prevention, by exhibiting lower specific leaf area, stomatal conductance and maintaining efficient water-use. In addition to these general patterns, our results indicate that the domestication dampened the variation in response type to higher nitrogen environments for belowground and aboveground traits, which suggests reduced genetic diversity in current crop germplasm collections.
An Enhancer-Based Analysis Revealed a New Function of Androgen Receptor in Tumor Cell Immune Evasion
Authors: Wang Yuan , Li Jiajia , Li Jingjing , Li Peipei , Wang Li , Di Lijun
Published: December 2020

Cancer is characterized by dysregulation at multiple levels, such as gene transcription. Enhancers are well-studied transcription regulators that can enhance target transcripts through DNA loop formation mediated by chromosome folding. The gain or loss of the interaction between an enhancer and its target gene has a critical effect on gene expression. In this study, we analyzed GRO-seq data to identify active enhancers from seven common cancer cell lines and studied the function of these enhancers across multiple cancer types. By constructing an “enhancer effect score” (EES), we found a significant correlation between EES and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in prostate cancer. Further analysis revealed that androgen receptor (AR) plays an important role in regulating the immune checkpoint gene PVR via its enhancer. These results suggest that AR contributes to prostate cancer aggressiveness by promoting cancer cell immune evasion.
Mandating the Use of Proximity Tracking Apps During Coronavirus Disease 2019: Ethical Justifications
Authors: Dave Riya , Gupta Rashmi
Published: December 2020

The rise of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a digital world has expectedly called upon technologies, such as wearables and mobile devices, to work in conjunction with public health interventions to tackle the pandemic. One significant example of this integration is the deployment of proximity tracking apps on smartphones to enhance traditional contact tracing methods. Many countries have adopted proximity tracking apps; however, there is a large degree of global differentiation in the voluntariness of the apps. Further, the concept of a mandatory policy—forcing individuals to use the apps—has been met with ethical concerns (e.g., privacy and liberty). While ethical considerations surrounding deployment have been put forth, such as by the World Health Organization, ethical justifications for a mandatory policy are lacking. Here, we use the Faden–Shebaya framework, which was formed to justify public health interventions, to determine if the compulsory use of proximity tracking apps is ethically appropriate. We show that while theoretically justified, due to the current state of proximity tracking applications and societal factors, it is difficult to defend a mandatory policy in practice.
Porphyromonas gingivalis Placental Atopobiosis and Inflammatory Responses in Women With Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes
Authors: Gómez Luz Amparo , De Avila Juliette , Castillo Diana Marcela , Montenegro Daniel Antonio , Trujillo Tammy Gorety , Suárez Lina J. , Lafaurie Gloria Inés
Published: December 2020

The microbiome modulates inflammation at the fetal maternal interface on both term and preterm labor. Inflammophilic oral bacteria, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, as well as urogenital microorganisms (UGM) could translocate to the placenta and activate immune mechanisms in decidual tissue that is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes (APO). This study establishes the associations between the presence of microbes in the placenta and placental cytokine patterns in women who presented APO, e.g., low birth weight (LBW), preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), preterm birth (PTB) and other clinical signs related to Chorioamnionitis (CA). A total of 40 pregnant women were included in the study and divided into five groups according to placental infection (PI) and APO, as follows: (1) women without PI and without APO (n = 17), (2) women with P. gingivalis-related PI and APO (n = 5), (3) women with P. gingivalis-related PI and without APO (n = 4), (4) women with PI related to UGM and APO (n = 5) and (5) women without PI with APO (n = 9). Obstetric, clinical periodontal status evaluation, and subgingival plaque sampling were performed at the time of delivery. Placental levels of interleukin IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-15, IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, IL-12p70, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 α (MCP-1α), granzyme B, and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) were determined using a multiplex flow cytometry assay. All patients showed a predominant Th-1 cytokine profile related to labor, characterized by IFN-γ overexpression. The analysis by groups suggests that Th-1 profile was trending to maintain cytotoxic cell activity by the expression of IL-15 and granzyme B, except for the group with P. gingivalis-related PI and APO, which exhibited a reduction of IL-10 and IL-17F cytokines (p < 0.05) and a Th-1 profile favoring macrophage activation by MCP-1 production (p < 0.05). This study confirms a pro-inflammatory pattern associated with labor, characterized by a Th-1 profile and the activity of cytotoxic cells, which is enhanced by PI with UGM. However, PI associated with P. gingivalis suggests a switch where the Th-1 profile favors an inflammatory response mediated by MCP-1 and macrophage activity as a mechanistic explanation of its possible relationship with adverse outcomes in pregnancy.
Systematic Analyses of the Role of the Reader Protein of N6-Methyladenosine RNA Methylation, YTH Domain Family 2, in Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Shao Xiang-yang , Dong Jin , Zhang Han , Wu Ying-song , Zheng Lei
Published: December 2020

Background

YTH domain family (YTHDF) 2 acts as a “reader” protein for RNA methylation, which is important in tumor regulation. However, the effect of YTHDF2 in liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) has yet to be elucidated.

Methods

We explored the role of YTHDF2 in LIHC based on publicly available datasets [The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO)]. A bioinformatics approach was employed to analyze YTHDF2. Logistic regression analyses were applied to analyze the correlation between YTHDF2 expression and clinical characteristics. To evaluate the effect of YTHDF2 on the prognosis of LIHC patients, we used Kaplan–Meier (K–M) curves. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was undertaken using TCGA dataset. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were used to ascertain the correlations between YTHDF2 expression and clinicopathologic characteristics with survival. Genes co-expressed with YTHDF2 were identified and detected using publicly available datasets [LinkedOmics, University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), and GEO]. Correlations between YTHDF2 and infiltration of immune cells were investigated by Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) and GEPIA.

Results

mRNA and protein expression of YTHDF2 was significantly higher in LIHC tissues than in non-cancerous tissues. High YTHDF2 expression in LIHC was associated with poor prognostic clinical factors (high stage, grade, and T classification). K–M analyses indicated that high YTHDF2 expression was correlated with an unfavorable prognosis. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses revealed that YTHDF2 was an independent factor for a poor prognosis in LIHC patients. GSEA revealed that the high-expression phenotype of YTHDF2 was consistent with the molecular pathways implicated in LIHC carcinogenesis. Analyses of receiver operating characteristic curves showed that YTHDF2 might have a diagnostic value in LIHC patients. YTHDF2 expression was associated positively with SF3A3 expression, which implied that they may cooperate in LIHC progression. YTHDF2 expression was associated with infiltration of immune cells and their marker genes. YTHDF2 had the potential to regulate polarization of tumor-associated macrophages, induce T-cell exhaustion, and activate T-regulatory cells.

Conclusion

YTHDF2 may be a promising biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of LIHC and may provide new directions and strategies for LIHC treatment.
Altered Functional Connectivity in White and Gray Matter in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Huang Jing , Li Muwei , Li Qiongge , Yang Zhipeng , Xin Bowen , Qi Zhigang , Liu Zheng , Dong Huiqing , Li Kuncheng , Ding Zhaohua , Lu Jie
Published: December 2020

Background: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been widely used to assess neural activity changes in gray matter (GM) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS); however, brain function alterations in white matter (WM) relatively remain under-explored.

Purpose: This work aims to identify the functional connectivity in both the WM and the GM of patients with MS using fMRI and the correlations between these functional changes and cumulative disability as well as the lesion ratio.

Materials and Methods: For this retrospective study, 37 patients with clinically definite MS and 43 age-matched healthy controls were included between 2010 and 2014. Resting-state fMRI was performed. The WFU Pick and JHU Eve atlases were used to define 82 GM and 48 WM regions in common spaces, respectively. The time courses of blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signals were averaged over each GM or WM region. The averaged time courses for each pair of GM and WM regions were correlated. All 82 × 48 correlations for each subject formed a functional correlation matrix.

Results: Compared with the healthy controls, the MS patients had a decreased temporal correlation between the WM and the GM regions. Five WM bundles and four GM regions had significantly decreased mean correlation coefficients (CCs). More specifically, the WM functional alterations were negatively correlated with the lesion volume in the bilateral fornix, and the mean GM-averaged CCs of the WM bundles were inversely correlated with the lesion ratio (r = −0.36, P = 0.012). No significant correlation was found between WM functional alterations and the paced auditory serial addition test score, Expanded Disease Severity Scale score, and Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score (MSSS) in MS.

Conclusions: These findings highlight current gaps in our knowledge of the WM functional alterations in patients with MS and may link WM function with pathological mechanisms.
Modeling Stress-Recovery Status Through Heart Rate Changes Along a Cycling Grand Tour
Authors: Barrero Anna , Le Cunuder Anne , Carrault Guy , Carré François , Schnell Frédéric , Le Douairon Lahaye Solène
Published: December 2020

Background

Heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV) indices are established tools to detect abnormal recovery status in athletes. A low HR and vagally mediated HRV index change between supine and standing positions reflected a maladaptive training stress-recovery status.

Objectives

Our study was focused on a female multistage cycling event. Its overall aim was twofold: (1) quantify the correlation between (a) the change in HR and HRV indices during an active orthostatic test and (b) subjective/objective fatigue, physical load, and training level indicators; and (2) formulate a model predicting the stress-recovery status as indexed by Δ⁢R⁢R¯ and ΔLnRMSSD (defined as the difference between standing and supine mean RR intervals and LnRMSSD, respectively), based on subjective/objective fatigue indicators, physical load, and training levels.

Methods

Ten female cyclists traveled the route of the 2017 Tour de France, comprising 21 stages of 200 km on average. From 4 days before the beginning of the event itself, and until 1 day after its completion, every morning, each cyclist was subjected to HR and HRV measurements, first at rest in a supine position and then in a standing position. The correlation between HR and HRV indices and subjective/objective fatigue, physical load, and training level indicators was then computed. Finally, several multivariable linear models were tested to analyze the relationships between HR and HRV indices, fatigue, workload, and training level indicators.

Results

HR changes appeared as a reliable indicator of stress-recovery status. Fatigue, training level, and Δ⁢R⁢R¯ displayed a linear relationship. Among a large number of linear models tested, the best one to predict stress-recovery status was the following: Δ⁢R⁢R¯=1,249.37+12.32V̇O2max + 0.36 km⋅week–1−8.83 HRmax−5.8 RPE−28.41 perceived fatigue with an adjusted R2 = 0.322.

Conclusion

The proposed model can help to directly assess the adaptation status of an athlete from RR measurements and thus to anticipate a decrease in performance due to fatigue, particularly during a multistage endurance event.
Hypoxia-Ischemia Induced Age-Dependent Gene Transcription Effects at Two Development Stages in the Neonate Mouse Brain
Authors: Dupré Nicolas , Derambure Céline , Le Dieu-Lugon Bérénice , Hauchecorne Michelle , Detroussel Yannick , Gonzalez Bruno J. , Marret Stéphane , Leroux Philippe
Published: December 2020

Human brain lesions in the perinatal period result in life-long neuro-disabilities impairing sensory-motor, cognitive, and behavior functions for years. Topographical aspects of brain lesions depend on gestational age at the time of insult in preterm or term infants and impaired subsequent steps of brain development and maturation. In mice, the Rice-Vannucci procedure of neonate hypoxia-ischemia (HI) was used at 5 days (P5) or P10, mimicking the development of 30 week-gestation fetus/preterm newborn, or full-term infant, respectively. Transcription response to HI was assessed at 3, 6, 12, and 24 h after insult, using micro-array technology. Statistical Pathway and Gene Ontology terms enrichments were investigated using DAVID®, Revigo® and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA®) to identify a core of transcription response to HI, age-specific regulations, and interactions with spontaneous development. Investigations were based on direction, amplitude, and duration of responses, basal expression, and annotation. Five major points deserve attention; (i) inductions exceeded repressions (60/40%) at both ages, (ii) only 20.3% (393/1938 records) were common to P5 and P10 mice, (iii) at P5, HI effects occurred early and decreased 24 h after insult whereas they were delayed at P10 and increased 24 h after insult, (iv) common responses at P5 and P10 involved inflammation, immunity, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. (v) age-specific effects occurred with higher statistical significance at P5 than at P10. Transient repression of 12 genes encoding cholesterol biosynthesis enzymes was transiently observed 12 h after HI at P5. Synaptogenesis appeared inhibited at P5 while induced at P10, showing reciprocal effects on glutamate receptors. Specific involvement of Il-1 (interleukin-1) implicated in the firing of inflammation was observed at P10. This study pointed out age-differences in HI responses kinetics, e.g., a long-lasting inflammatory response at P10 compared to P5. Whether the specific strong depression of cholesterol biosynthesis genes that could account for white matter-specific vulnerability at P5 or prevent delayed inflammation needs further investigation. Determination of putative involvement of Il-1 and the identification of upstream regulators involved in the delayed inflammation firing at P10 appears promising routes of research in the understandings of age-dependent vulnerabilities in the neonatal brain.
Mediterranean Gluten-Free Diet: Is It a Fair Bet for the Treatment of Gluten-Related Disorders?
Authors: Bascuñán Karla A. , Elli Luca , Vecchi Maurizio , Scricciolo Alice , Mascaretti Federica , Parisi Maria , Doneda Luisa , Lombardo Vincenza , Araya Magdalena , Roncoroni Leda
Published: December 2020

Gluten-free diet (GFD) is the current treatment of gluten-related disorders. It eliminates wheat, barley, and rye, while the exclusion of oats is still under debate. GFD is based on a combination of naturally gluten-free foods and gluten-free substitutes of cereal-based foods. Although effective as treatment of gluten-related disorders, today there is concern about how to improve GFD's nutritional quality, to make it not only gluten-free, but also healthy. The “Mediterranean diet” (MedD) refers to the dietary pattern and eating habits typical of populations living in the Mediterranean basin, which have been associated with low prevalence of several diet-related pathologies. Here we present a narrative review of the current knowledge about GFD and MedD, their characteristics and central food components. Based on the Mediterranean diet pyramid developed by the Italian pediatric society, we propose a combination between the MedD and the GFD, an attractive alternative to reach a gluten-free state that at the same time is healthy, with a clear benefit to those who practice it.
Threats to Belonging—Stressful Life Events and Mental Health Symptoms in Aging Men—A Longitudinal Cohort Study
Authors: Lindert Jutta , Lee Lewina O. , Weisskopf Marc G. , McKee Martin , Sehner Susanne , Spiro Avron
Published: December 2020

Objectives: Stressful life events, especially relationship events, are frequent in adult life. We investigated the impact of a variety of stressful life events on symptoms of depression, anxiety, and hostility.

Methods: We analyzed data from a large prospective cohort study of men (n = 1,437) in the Boston area (assessed in 1985, 1988, and 1991). Main outcomes were measures of depression, anxiety and hostility symptoms. We used the Elders Life Stress Inventory (ELSI) to measure stressful life events in the past 12 months and examine their association with symptoms of depression, anxiety and hostility. First, we analyzed the association of stressful life events with symptom changes; second, we categorized stressful life events into finance/work, health, relationships, loss, living situations events; and third, we estimated the specific association between relationship events and depression, anxiety and hostility symptoms using multilevel models.

Results: The most frequent stressful life events were health, relationship, and financial events. Depression, anxiety, and hostility symptoms were relatively stable among men who did not experience these life events. However, those who reported life events in the past 12 months had a greater increase in symptoms of depression (+0.05; 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.10) and of hostility (+0.05; 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.09) than those who did not. Additionally, we found a significant decrease in hostility (−0.05; 95% CI: −0.08 to −0.01) in those experiencing no life events.

Conclusion: Relationship events were more important than any other type of events, and were significantly associated with increased depression and hostility in aging men. Although the effects were small, the results point to a need to understand better the impact of relationships on psychopathology in the aging population.
Automatic Fracture Characterization Using Tactile and Proximity Optical Sensing
Authors: Palermo Francesca , Konstantinova Jelizaveta , Althoefer Kaspar , Poslad Stefan , Farkhatdinov Ildar
Published: December 2020

This paper demonstrates how tactile and proximity sensing can be used to perform automatic mechanical fractures detection (surface cracks). For this purpose, a custom-designed integrated tactile and proximity sensor has been implemented. With the help of fiber optics, the sensor measures the deformation of its body, when interacting with the physical environment, and the distance to the environment's objects. This sensor slides across different surfaces and records data which are then analyzed to detect and classify fractures and other mechanical features. The proposed method implements machine learning techniques (handcrafted features, and state of the art classification algorithms). An average crack detection accuracy of ~94% and width classification accuracy of ~80% is achieved. Kruskal-Wallis results (p < 0.001) indicate statistically significant differences among results obtained when analysing only integrated deformation measurements, only proximity measurements and both deformation and proximity data. A real-time classification method has been implemented for online classification of explored surfaces. In contrast to previous techniques, which mainly rely on visual modality, the proposed approach based on optical fibers might be more suitable for operation in extreme environments (such as nuclear facilities) where radiation may damage electronic components of commonly employed sensing devices, such as standard force sensors based on strain gauges and video cameras.
The Algebra Detective: If Snape Is a Snake, Then P = K!
Authors: Bäck Per , Karaali Gizem
Published: December 2020

Algebra is often introduced as arithmetic done with letters. In this article, we follow this analogy and see where it takes us. We ask questions, such as: If “SNAPE = SNAKE,” can we conclude that “P = K”? Here is the spoiler: the path takes us into what mathematicians call group theory, a subfield of algebra that studies symmetry, and allows us to say interesting things about various languages like English and Swedish (and one very important fact about algebra itself).
A Pilot Study to Investigate the Feasibility of a Multiple Locus Variable Number Tandem Repeat Analysis to Understand the Epidemiology of Dichelobacter nodosus in Ovine Footrot
Authors: Giebel Katharina , Green Laura E. , Purdy Kevin J.
Published: December 2020

Dichelobacter nodosus is the essential pathogen in ovine footrot, an important cause of lameness in sheep that reduces productivity and welfare. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using multiple locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) developed to investigate isolates to understand the molecular epidemiology of Dichelobacter nodosus in ovine footrot by investigation of communities of strains. MLVA sensitivity was improved by optimizing PCR conditions to 100% specificity for D. nodosus. The improved MLVA scheme was used to investigate non-cultured DNA purified from swabs (swab DNA) and cultured DNA from isolates (isolate DNA) from 152 foot and 38 gingival swab samples from 10 sheep sampled on four occasions in a longitudinal study. Isolate DNA was obtained from 6/152 (3.9%) feet and 5/6 yielded complete MLVA profiles, three strains were detected. Two of the three isolate strains were also detected in isolate DNA from 2 gingival crevice cultures. Complete MLVA profiles were obtained from swab DNA from 39 (25.7%) feet. There were 22 D. nodosus community types that were comprised of 7 single strain and 15 multi-strain communities. Six community types were detected more than once and three of these were detected on the same four sheep and the same two feet over time. There were a minimum of 17 and a maximum of 25 strain types of D. nodosus in the study. The three isolate strain types were also the most frequently detected strain types in swab DNA. We conclude that the MLVA from swab DNA detects the same strains as culture, is much more sensitive and can be used to describe and differentiate communities and strains on sheep, feet and over time. It is therefore a sensitive molecular tool to study D. nodosus strains directly from DNA without culture.
Integrated Weed and Nutrient Management Improve Yield, Nutrient Uptake and Economics of Maize in the Rice-Maize Cropping System of Eastern India
Authors: Ghosh Dibakar , Brahmachari Koushik , Brestic Marian , Ondrisik Peter , Hossain Akbar , Skalicky Milan , Sarkar Sukamal , Moulick Debojyoti , Dinda Nirmal Kumar , Das Anupam , Pramanick Biswajit , Maitra Sagar , Bell Richard W.
Published: December 2020

Increasing productivity of maize while decreasing production costs and maintaining soil health are emerging challenges for the rice–maize system in South Asia. A range of integrated nutrient and weed management practices were tested in winter maize for their effects on yield, profitability, and soil health. The nutrient management treatments were a partial substitution of nitrogen with bulky (Farmyard manure; vermicompost) and concentrated organic manures (Brassicaceous seed meal, BSM; neem cake), whereas weed management practices compared chemical controls only versus an integrated approach. The N supplementation through BSM diminished the weed growth by reducing weed N uptake, and enhanced the maize crop uptake of nutrients. As compared to the sole chemical approach, atrazine-applied pre-emergence followed by hoeing reduced weed density by 58 and 67% in years 1 and 2, respectively. The N supplementation through BSM resulted in the maximum yield of maize grain (6.13 and 6.50 t ha−1 in year 1 and year 2, respectively) and this treatment increased yield in year 2 compared to N application through synthetic fertilizer. Hoeing in conjugation with herbicide enhanced the maize grain yield by 9% over herbicide alone. The maximum net return and economic efficiency were achieved with the application of BSM for N supplementation, together with the integrated weed management practice.
Rootstock Influences on Health and Growth Following Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus Infection in Young Sweet Orange Trees
Authors: Bowman Kim D. , Albrecht Ute
Published: December 2020

Health, growth, fruit production, and fruit quality of citrus crops are severely affected by tree infection with Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) and subsequent development of the disease huanglongbing (HLB). The use of HLB-tolerant rootstocks is one strategy that is used to ameliorate the effects of HLB in commercial production. Although there is a clear long-term rootstock effect to improve tree performance, such field trials take many years for establishment and evaluation, and this long time-period is very limiting to expeditious evaluation of new rootstocks. In this study, we have conducted a 50-week greenhouse experiment to evaluate rootstock influences on Valencia sweet orange tree response to CLas infection. The infection of trees with CLas reduced scion and rootstock growth, increased leaf yellowing, and reduced the number of leaves per tree and leaf area, regardless of rootstock. There were clear rootstock influences on some traits during the 50-week study. In general, infected trees on US-942 rootstock had lower CLas root titers, less reduction of the number of leaves, less reduction of leaf area, and less leaf yellowing, as compared with some of the other rootstocks. The 50-week greenhouse evaluation method provided results that corresponded well with results from long-term field testing, indicating this may be a useful tool to accelerate evaluation and selection of new rootstocks, as well as in testing other HLB management strategies.
Plant-Derived Natural Antioxidants in Meat and Meat Products
Authors: Manessis Georgios , Kalogianni Aphrodite I. , Lazou Thomai , Moschovas Marios , Bossis Ioannis , Gelasakis Athanasios I.
Published: December 2020

The global meat industry is constantly evolving due to changes in consumer preferences, concerns and lifestyles, as well as monetary, geographical, political, cultural and religious factors. Part of this evolution is the introduction of synthetic antioxidants to increase meat and meat products’ shelf-life, and reduce meat spoilage due to lipid and protein oxidation. The public perception that natural compounds are safer and healthier per se has motivated the meat industry to replace synthetic antioxidants with plant-derived ones in meat systems. Despite several promising results from in vitro and in situ studies, the effectiveness of plant-derived antioxidants against lipid and protein oxidation has not been fully documented. Moreover, the utility, usability, marketability and potential health benefits of natural antioxidants are not yet fully proven. The present review aims to (i) describe the major chemical groups of plant-derived antioxidants and their courses of action; (ii) present the application of spices, herbs and fruits as antioxidants in meat systems; and (iii) discuss the legislative framework, future trends, challenges and limitations that are expected to shape their acceptance and mass exploitation by the meat industry.
Functional Ingredients from Agri-Food Waste: Effect of Inclusion Thereof on Phenolic Compound Content and Bioaccessibility in Bakery Products
Authors: Melini Valentina , Melini Francesca , Luziatelli Francesca , Ruzzi Maurizio
Published: December 2020

Reducing food loss and waste is among the efforts to relieve the pressure on natural resources and move towards more sustainable food systems. Alternative pathways of food waste management include valorization of by-products as a source of phenolic compounds for formulation of functional foods. Bakery products may act as an optimal carrier of phenolic compounds upon fortification. The aim of this paper is to present and discuss the effect that the inclusion of functional ingredients from agri-food waste can have on phenolic content and bioaccessibility in bakery products. To this aim, methods for the recovery of phenolic compounds from agri-food waste are presented, and fortification of bakery products by waste from fruits, vegetables, and seed crops is discussed. Bioaccessibility studies on fortified food products are considered to identify gaps and needs in developing sustainable healthy foods. Fruit and vegetable by-products are among the food wastes mostly valorized as functional ingredients in bakery product formulation. Agri-food waste inclusion level has shown to correlate positively with the increase in phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. Nevertheless, further studies are required to assess bioaccessibility and bioavailability of phenolic compounds in enriched food products to estimate the potential of agri-food waste in promoting human health and well-being.
Horizontal Wind Effect on the Aerodynamic Performance of Coaxial Tri-Rotor MAV
Authors: Lei Yao , Ye Yiqiang , Chen Zhiyong
Published: December 2020

The coaxial Tri-rotor micro air vehicle (MAV) is composed of three coaxial rotors where the aerodynamic characteristics of is complicated in flight especially when the wind effect is introduced. In this paper, the hovering performance of a full-scale coaxial Tri-rotor MAV is analyzed with both the simulations and wind tunnel experiments. Firstly, the wind effect on the aerodynamic performance of coaxial Tri-rotor MAV is established with different rotor speed (1500–2300 rpm) and horizontal wind (0–4 m/s). Secondly, the thrust and power consumption of coaxial Tri-rotor (L/D = 1.6) were obtained with low-speed wind tunnel experiments. Furthermore, the streamline distribution, pressure distribution, velocity contour and vortex distribution with different horizontal wind conditions are obtained by numerical simulations. Finally, combining the experiment results and simulation results, it is noted that the horizontal wind may accelerate the aerodynamic coupling, which resulting in the greater thrust variation up to 9% of the coaxial Tri-rotor MAV at a lower rotor speed. Moreover, the aerodynamic performance is decreased with more power consumption at higher rotor speed where the wind and the downwash flow are interacted with each other. Compared with no wind flow, the shape of the downwash flow and the deformation of the vortex affect the power loading and figure of metric accordingly.
A Novel Air Quality Evaluation Paradigm Based on the Fuzzy Comprehensive Theory
Authors: Mo Xinyue , Li Huan , Zhang Lei , Qu Zongxi
Published: December 2020

Air pollution is a prominent problem all over the world, seriously endangering human life. To protect the environment and human health, timely and accurate air quality evaluations are imperative. Recently, with the increasing focus on air pollution, an evaluation tool that can offer intuitive air quality information is especially needed. Though the Air Quality Index (AQI) has played this role over the years, its intrinsic limitations discussed in this study (sharp boundary, biased evaluation, conservative strategy and incomplete criterion) are gradually apparent, limiting its air quality evaluation capability. Therefore, a novel paradigm, the Air Quality Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation (AQFCE), is proposed. In the preprocessing module, missing and reversal data are handled by a least square piecewise polynomial fitting and linear regression. An improved fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model is adopted to solve the AQI’s above limitations in the evaluation module. The early warning module provides a timely alert and recommendation. To validate the performance of the AQFCE, Beijing, Shanghai and Xi’an in China are selected for case studies, and daily and hourly concentration data of six conventional air pollutants from September 2018 to August 2019 are employed. For daily reports, the AQFCE and AQI have a high consistent rate and correlation coefficient regarding chief pollutants and levels, respectively, while examples show the level of the AQFCE is more reasonable. For hourly reports, AQI has antinomies and cannot reflect actual pollution, but the AQFCE is still effective. Current major pollutants, “weekend and holiday effect” and “peak type” of pollution are also revealed by the AQFCE. Experiment results prove that the AQFCE is accurate under different pollution conditions and an important supplement to the AQI. Furthermore, the AQFCE can provide health guideline for the public and assist the government in making environmental decisions and development policies.
CNT-Coated Quartz Woven Fabric Electrodes for Robust Lithium-ion Structural Batteries
Authors: Park Mi-Young , Kim Chun-Gon , Kim Joo-Hyung
Published: December 2020

Reliability in various conditions for Li-ion batteries has been considered one of the most important factors when determining usability. Silica-based fabric has great potential to be an alternative material for electrode support, providing mechanical and physical stability in lithium-ion batteries. In this study, a carbon nanotube (CNT)-coated quartz woven fabric electrode (C-QWF) with impressive electrochemical characteristics was synthesized via a sequential two-step deposition process using Al and Fe as metal catalyst and CH4 as a carbon source. The C-QWF electrode exhibited a considerable specific discharge capacity of 369 mAh g−1 at a rate of 0.1 C-rate after cycling. The battery cell showed self-recovering ability during the cycling test at 1 C-rate, although the silica fabric has sluggish electrical conductivity. The C-QWF electrode has a superior electrochemical performance, providing new perspectives on textile fabric electrodes for robust Li-ion batteries, especially load-bearing structural batteries.
The Hippo–YAP Signaling as Guardian in the Pool of Intestinal Stem Cells
Authors: Seo Yoojin , Park So-Yeon , Kim Hyung-Sik , Nam Jeong-Seok
Published: December 2020

Despite endogenous insults such as mechanical stress and danger signals derived from the microbiome, the intestine can maintain its homeostatic condition through continuous self-renewal of the crypt–villus axis. This extraordinarily rapid turnover of intestinal epithelium, known to be 3 to 5 days, can be achieved by dynamic regulation of intestinal stem cells (ISCs). The crypt base-located leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 5-positive (Lgr5+) ISCs maintain intestinal integrity in the steady state. Under severe damage leading to the loss of conventional ISCs, quiescent stem cells and even differentiated cells can be reactivated into stem-cell-like cells with multi-potency and contribute to the reconstruction of the intestinal epithelium. This process requires fine-tuning of the various signaling pathways, including the Hippo–YAP system. In this review, we summarize recent advances in understanding the correlation between Hippo–YAP signaling and intestinal homeostasis, repair, and tumorigenesis, focusing specifically on ISC regulation.
Altered Expression of Mitoferrin and Frataxin, Larger Labile Iron Pool and Greater Mitochondrial DNA Damage in the Skeletal Muscle of Older Adults
Authors: Picca Anna , Saini Sunil K. , Mankowski Robert T. , Kamenov George , Anton Stephen D. , Manini Todd M. , Buford Thomas W. , Wohlgemuth Stephanie E. , Xiao Rui , Calvani Riccardo , Coelho-Júnior Hélio José , Landi Francesco , Bernabei Roberto , Hood David A. , Marzetti Emanuele , Leeuwenburgh Christiaan
Published: December 2020

Mitochondrial dysfunction and iron (Fe) dyshomeostasis are invoked among the mechanisms contributing to muscle aging, possibly via a detrimental mitochondrial–iron feed-forward loop. We quantified the labile Fe pool, Fe isotopes, and the expression of mitochondrial Fe handling proteins in muscle biopsies obtained from young and older adults. The expression of key proteins of mitochondrial quality control (MQC) and the abundance of the mitochondrial DNA common deletion (mtDNA4977) were also assessed. An inverse association was found between total Fe and the heavier Fe isotope (56Fe), indicating an increase in labile Fe abundance in cells with greater Fe content. The highest levels of labile Fe were detected in old participants with a Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) score ≤ 7 (low-functioning, LF). Protein levels of mitoferrin and frataxin were, respectively, higher and lower in the LF group relative to young participants and older adults with SPPB scores ≥ 11 (high-functioning, HF). The mtDNA4977 relative abundance was greater in old than in young participants, regardless of SPPB category. Higher protein levels of Pink1 were detected in LF participants compared with young and HF groups. Finally, the ratio between lipidated and non-lipidated microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (i.e., LC3B II/I), as well as p62 protein expression was lower in old participants regardless of SPPB scores. Our findings indicate that cellular and mitochondrial Fe homeostasis is perturbed in the aged muscle (especially in LF older adults), as reflected by altered levels of mitoferrin and frataxin, which, together with MQC derangements, might contribute to loss of mtDNA stability.