bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intercultural and Community Schools. Learning to Live together
Authors: Escarbajal-Frutos Andrés , Izquierdo-Rus Tomás , Aznar-Díaz Inmaculada , Cáceres-Reche María Pilar
Published: July 2019

We must remember the need to create communicative relationships among groups from different cultures, as well as to reinforce the configuration and organisation of the Spanish school system. The objective of this article is to highlight the urgent need to recognise cultural, religious and linguistic diversity as values. Furthermore, Spain has rejected the French assimilationist model, both in legal and practical spheres, and the only way to integrate this model is by implementing intercultural models. Following the Convention on the Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expression of the European Union, providing respect and recognition of plurality from intercultural inclusive positions is primordial in the learning context. We cannot talk about building an intercultural society without considering democratic practice and citizen participation; to this regard, dialogue and collaboration between the school community and educational centres are imperative. It is necessary to adopt an inclusive intercultural policy, to open education centres outside of traditional school hours, to reach agreements with cultural institutions, etc. Only in this way will an intercultural society become a reality.
Green Practices in Hospitality: A Contingency Approach
Authors: Fernández-Robin Cristóbal , Celemín-Pedroche María Soledad , Santander-Astorga Paulina , Alonso-Almeida María del Mar
Published: July 2019

This study focuses on discovering sustainable practices and possible innovative practices according to factors of Contingency Theory. In order to achieve this, a qualitative approach has been conducted. The study analyses 24 independent hotels. Semi-structured interviews were used in this study and conducted in person with the top managers at each hotel. The results show that, in accordance with Contingency Theory, the organizational behaviour is determined by the environment in which the hotel operates, the size of the establishment, where large- and medium-sized hotels are more committed to sustainable development, the environmental technology adopted and implemented by the hotel, and the main type of clientele, with hotels aimed at business travellers who show greater attention to the environment than those aimed at leisure travellers, mainly associated with socio-cultural values. The factors that were not completely decisive in the results analysed were the age of the hotel and the sex of the hotel owner. Considering the achieved results, this study may also contribute to identifying the most sustainable hotels and can help hotel businesses understand and reap the benefits of following a sustainable path.
The Layout of Maize Variety Test Sites Based on the Spatiotemporal Classification of the Planting Environment
Authors: Zan Xuli , Zhao Zuliang , Liu Wei , Zhang Xiaodong , Liu Zhe , Li Shaoming , Zhu Dehai
Published: July 2019

An appropriate layout of crop multi-environment trial (MET) sites is imperative for evaluating new crop varieties’ performance in terms of agronomic traits and stress tolerance, and this information is used to determine the utilization value and suitable promotion region of new varieties. Actually, traditional maize test sites have been selected according to the experience of breeding experts, which leads to the strong subjective and unscientific conclusions regarding sites, as well as test results that are not representative of the target population of environments (TPE). Therefore, in this study, we proposed a new method for MET sites layout. Meteorological data, maize growth period data, and county-level maize planting area data were collected for the spatiotemporal classification of a given maize planting region to analyze change rules in the environmental category of each minimum research unit within the study period. If the occurrence frequency of its final attribution category reaches a certain threshold (50%), this minimum research unit is classified as a typical environment region; otherwise, it is classified as an atypical environment region. Then, the number of test sites in each environmental category is allocated by spatial stratified sampling. At last, we establish the optimal test sites layout and a reliability measurement (test adequacy) methods. The practicability of this method was proved by taking the Three Northeastern Provinces of China as the study area. The result shows that there should be 112 test sites in the study area, the distribution of the test sites is uniform, and the environmental representation is high. Test adequacy analysis of the test sites reveals that most of the environmental categories have a test adequacy that reaches 1 in each test period. The method proposed in this paper provides support for the scientific layout of crop varieties test sites and helps to improve the representative and reliability of variety test results while optimizing resources.
Highlighting Regional Energy-Economic-Environmental Benefits of Agricultural Bioresources Utilization: An Integrated Model from Life Cycle Perspective
Authors: Song Junnian , Pu Yang , Yang Wei , Ren Jingzheng
Published: July 2019

Bioenergy utilization is ambitiously being promoted, attributed to its renewable and clean natures. China’s provincial regions have distinct levels of agricultural development, and thus, different levels of agricultural bioresources (ABs) potentials. In this study, an integrated assessment model is developed to quantify the 3E benefits from the life cycle perspective, covering the whole process of energy-oriented ABs utilization. Integrating nine types of ABs and four types of energy conversion modes (direct combustion power generation, gasification power generation, briquette fuel and bioethanol), the model is applied to 31 provincial regions in China to uncover regional features of the 3E benefits. The results showcase that total energy benefits in all regions amount to 100.6 million tons of coal-equivalent, with the most for Henan, Heilongjiang, Shandong, Xinjiang and Jilin and the least for Tibet, Beijing, Shanghai, Qinghai and Hainan. The economic and environmental benefits of regions are consistent with the energy benefits, with a total amount of 10.5 billion USD and 229.2, 1.5 and 2.5 million t CO2, SO2 and NOx mitigations. Energy utilization proportion of ABs, allocation proportion, energy conversion coefficients, net profit coefficient and mitigation coefficients for four modes are the key parameters affecting regional 3E benefits. The results have policy implications on facilitating to reasonable and pertinent regional planning of energy-oriented ABs utilization.
Determinants of Companies that Disclose High-Quality Integrated Reports
Authors: Dilling Petra F. A. , Caykoylu Sinan
Published: July 2019

Integrated reporting is becoming increasingly popular. The focus of this study was to assess the overall integrated reporting quality of global companies and find determinants of high-level integrated reporting. Qualitative text analysis was performed on the 2017 integrated reports of 110 global organizations to determine in what way companies report on specific topics related to the six capitals: social and relationship, human, intellectual, manufacturing, natural, and financial. Using a novel assessment technique, scores were then assigned according to the details provided in the integrated reports on the various topics. This was done for each form of capital, and the total integrated score was subsequently calculated as the average between all the capital scores. Finally, a regression analysis was performed to determine the characteristics of high-quality integrated reporters. The results of univariate analysis and two-stage least squares instrumental variable (2SLS) regression indicate that companies of a larger size with a higher female board ratio and listing in the International Integrated Reporting Committee (IIRC) examples database are more likely to publish a higher quality integrated report. The results imply that these variables are the main disclosure drivers. However, a significant negative correlation was found between integrated report quality and the variables related to female executive ratio, external board member ratio, profitability, leverage, and previous report experience, as well as report length. No significant association was found between the location and industry group and report quality. The empirical evidence of this study shows that even though integrated reporting has become more common overall, the comparability and quality of the reports still remain low.
Sustainability Assessment of Agricultural Systems in Paraguay: A Comparative Study Using FAO’s SAFA Framework
Authors: Soldi Alice , Aparicio Meza Maria José , Guareschi Marianna , Donati Michele , Insfrán Ortiz Amado
Published: July 2019

Sustainability is a topic that is at the center of current discussions in the political, economic, social, and environmental fields. For its analysis, an integral and multidisciplinary vision is needed. This work aims to assess the sustainability of agricultural systems in Paraguay through a comparison applying SAFA (Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture Systems) indicators. The research focuses on 15 case studies on the territory of the Eastern Region of Paraguay divided into five classes of agricultural systems: agribusiness, conventional peasant family farming, agroecological peasant family farming, neo-rural farming, and indigenous agriculture. Data were collected through interviews with producers and key informants, direct observation, and scientific literature research in order to assess, through the SAFA Tool Software, the level of sustainability of each agricultural system as a whole and for each sustainability dimension (political, environmental, economic, and social dimension) in a comparative way. It has emerged that producers belonging to conventional peasant family farming, agroecological peasant family farming, neo-rural farming, and indigenous agriculture have achieved levels of sustainability that are similar to each other and very good in all four dimensions of sustainability. Meanwhile, agribusiness achieved moderate scores in the dimensions of governance and environmental integrity, and was good in the economic and social dimension.
Sustainable Irrigation Management of Ornamental Cordyline Fruticosa “Red Edge” Plants with Saline Water
Authors: Plaza Blanca M. , Reca Juan , Martínez Juan , Alex Francisco , Lao Maria Teresa
Published: July 2019

The aim of this work was to analyze the influence of the salinity of the nutrient solution on the transpiration and growth of Cordyline fruticosa var. “Red Edge” plants. A specific irrigation management model was calibrated with the experimental data. An experiment was performed with four treatments. These treatments consisted of the application of four nutrient solutions with different electrical conductivity (ECw) levels ranging from 1.5 dS m−1 (control treatment) to 4.5 dS m−1. The results showed that day-time transpiration decreases when salt concentration in the nutrient solution increases. The transpiration of the plant in the control treatment was modelled by applying a combination method while the effect of the salinity of the nutrient solution was modelled by deriving a saline stress coefficient from the experimental data. The results showed that significant reductions in plant transpiration were observed for increasing values of ECw. The crop development and yield were also affected by the increasing salinity of the nutrient solution. A relationship between the ECw and the relative crop yield was derived.
A Study of Tourists’ Holiday Rush-Hour Avoidance Travel Behavior Considering Psychographic Segmentation
Authors: Zhu Haiyan , Guan Hongzhi , Han Yan , Li Wanying
Published: July 2019

Tourists are confronted with congestion caused by concentrated travel during public holidays. In order to guide tourists to make voluntary changes regarding their travel times during holidays, this paper focuses on exploring holiday rush-hour avoidance travel behavior (HRATB) considering psychological factors. First, based on the theory of planned behavior, the effects of psychological factors including attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavior control on holiday avoidance travel intention and behavior were quantitatively analyzed by the structural equation model. Second, according to those three subjective psychological factors and the three objective factors of age, monthly income, and tourist group, the segmentation method of the latent class model was adopted to explore tourists’ preferences with regard to HRATB. Finally, an empirical analysis was carried out through questionnaire data. The results show that attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavior control have significant impacts on intention and behavior with regard to holiday avoidance travel. There are significant differences in psychological observation variables such as rush-hour avoidance travel intention, attitude and subjective norm among the four segments of tourists, and cost sensitivity. In addition, this paper puts forward some countermeasures and suggestions for the four types of tourists. Conclusions provide a theoretical basis for formulating travel measures to attract different types of tourists.
Integrating Sustainability Goals in Innovation Processes: Applying a Decision Support Tool in a Dual-Purpose Chicken Case Study
Authors: Zoll Felix , Diehl Katharina , Siebert Rosemarie
Published: July 2019

The innovative dual-purpose chicken approach aims at contributing to the transition towards sustainable poultry production by avoiding the culling of male chickens. To successfully integrate sustainability aspects into innovation, goal congruency among actors and clearly communicating the added value within the actor network and to consumers is needed. The challenge of identifying common sustainability goals calls for decision support tools. The objectives of our research were to investigate whether the tool could assist in improving communication and marketing with respect to sustainability and optimizing the value chain organization. Three actor groups participated in the tool application, in which quantitative and qualitative data were collected. The results showed that there were manifold sustainability goals within the innovation network, but only some goals overlapped, and the perception of their implementation also diverged. While easily marketable goals such as ‘animal welfare’ were perceived as being largely implemented, economic goals were prioritized less often, and the implementation was perceived as being rather low. By visualizing congruencies and differences in the goals, the tool helped identify fields of action, such as improved information flows and prompted thinking processes. We conclude that the tool is useful for managing complex decision processes with several actors involved.
Continued Hydrothermal and Radiative Pressure on Changed Cropland in China
Authors: Fu Yiming , Cui Yaoping , Qin Yaochen , Li Nan , Chen Liangyu , Xia Haoming
Published: July 2019

Both cropland and climate change over time, but the potential effects of climate change on cropland is currently not well understood. Here, we combined temporally and spatially explicit dynamics of cropland with air temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation datasets. China’s cropland showed a clear northward-shifting trend from 1990 to 2015. The cropland decreased south of the break line at 38° N, whereas it increased from the break line to northern regions. Correspondingly, the temperature showed a significant warming trend in the early part of the study period, which slowed down in later years. During the whole study period, both precipitation and solar radiation decreased over time, showed no significant linear characteristics, and the annual fluctuations were very large. The cropland areas in China showed a displacement characteristic with the increasing temperature, precipitation, and radiation. Overall, the cropland was shifting towards the high-temperature, low-precipitation, and low-radiation areas. The cropland dynamics indicate that they are likely to face severe drought and radiation pressure. Our findings imply that more resources such as irrigation may be needed for cropland, which will undoubtedly aggravate the agricultural water use in most northern regions, and the potential impacts on food security will further emerge in the future.
What Drives Stops in Cross-Border Bond Flows?
Authors: Baek Seung-Gwan , Song Chi-Young
Published: July 2019

This paper empirically explores the determinants of stop episodes driven by bond flows using quarterly data from 38 economies over the period 1995–2011. Drastic bond-led stop episodes may greatly destabilize domestic financial markets and lead to financial crisis, threatening the sustainability of the financial system. Using the complementary log–log regression method, we found that bond-led stop episodes were associated with contagion and domestic factors rather than global factors. The results of our estimation showed that the probability of bond-led stop episodes was higher in countries with larger financial markets or with more overvalued real exchange rates. The main policy implications of our results, particularly for emerging economies, are that bond-led stop episodes were less likely to occur in countries with higher levels of institutional quality, lower capital account restrictions, or more flexible exchange-rate regimes. Finally, we found that capital control played a relatively greater role in predicting bond-led stops in emerging economies than did exchange-rate regimes.
Research on Group Choice Behavior in Green Travel Based on Planned Behavior Theory and Complex Network
Authors: Zheng Junjun , Xu Mingyuan , Li Runfa , Yu Liukai
Published: July 2019

Motor vehicle exhaust emissions have made air pollution increasingly serious in China, and advocating for the concept of green travel can help alleviate the air pollution caused by motor vehicle exhaust. Thus, the research on the green travel choice behavior of limited rational individuals in the complex social network and the evolution of group behavior is the focus of this paper. Based on the theory of planned behavior, this paper established the individual cognition-behavior model. Meanwhile, an interaction model of individuals in the network is constructed based on the DeGroot model and scale-free network. The simulation results of the model show that: (1) it is difficult to control the behavior of green travel: even if the knowledge level of green travel is high, the proportion of green travel individuals in the group is still very low; (2) the individual intention for green travel is dependent on behavioral attitude, which can effectively improve the proportion of green travel individuals; (3) if the individual intention is too dependent on the subjective norm and the perception of behavioral result, the proportion of green travel individuals would become lower; and (4) when the network is connected, the proportion of individuals who choose green travel will reach the peak through social interaction and learning. This study has a certain practical significance for the environmental protection work of relevant departments, which can guide the behavior of individuals through the design of government institutions, and enable the concept of green travel to form an ideology by means of education and knowledge dissemination, so as to generate some kind of consensual behavioral consciousness. Meanwhile, this study provides a new research perspective for behavioral research and extends the research scope of group behavior.
Sustainability in Universities: DEA-GreenMetric
Authors: Puertas Rosa , Marti Luisa
Published: July 2019

Many universities are currently doing important work not only on environmental issues, but also on social and economic matters, thereby covering the three dimensions of sustainability. This paper used data envelopment analysis to construct a synthetic indicator based on the variables that make up the UI GreenMetric. The aim was to quantify the contribution of universities to sustainability, rank all campuses accordingly, and evaluate specific aspects of their related institutional policies. First, cluster analysis was applied, yielding four homogeneous groups of universities. DEA was then applied to these clusters in order to construct the synthetic indicator. The proposed indicator, DEA-GreenMetric, revealed that the USA and the UK were the countries that were home to the greatest number of universities actively involved in all aspects of sustainability. In addition, this new index provides a complete ranking of universities, circumventing the issue of the duplicate scores assigned by UI GreenMetric. Finally, it can be seen that greater efforts are required for universities to improve their performance relating to environmental variables (energy, water use, and waste treatment) than to make improvements in infrastructure, transport, or education.
Evaluating Public Policy Support for Agricultural Cooperatives
Authors: Ribašauskienė Erika , Šumylė Diana , Volkov Artiom , Baležentis Tomas , Streimikiene Dalia , Morkunas Mangirdas
Published: July 2019

Creation of a sustainable agricultural sector involves boosting the cooperation activities as these contribute to the societal and economic development of the farms, farmers and rural societies. This paper contributes to the literature on the analysis of the drivers and obstacles of cooperation development in agriculture. The case of Lithuania is considered as the cooperation activities are lagging behind the European Union (EU) practice here. Specifically, analysis of the public support measures and the expert survey are carried out to analyse the effectiveness of the public policy measures as represented in the relevant legal acts. The experts involve policy makers, farmers’ organisations and academia, which are the major stakeholder groups in Lithuania. The results indicate the effectiveness of the measures linked to capacity building (in the sense of human capital) requires improvement, whereas those related to financial support and promotion of the farmers’ organisations are much better perceived. Thus, public support measures are available to promote cooperation in agriculture, yet the legal system of Lithuania still requires improvement in accommodating effective agricultural cooperatives.
Analysis of Spatiotemporal Urban Temperature Characteristics by Urban Spatial Patterns in Changwon City, South Korea
Authors: Song Bonggeun , Park Kyunghun
Published: July 2019

Spatiotemporal air and land surface temperature (LST) characteristics were analyzed based on urban spatial patterns for Changwon City, South Korea. Twelve ASTER (Advanced spaceborne thermal emission and reflection radiometer) Thermal infrared radiance (TIR) images during the daytime and nighttime from June to September, 2012–2014 were used for LST analysis. Air temperature was measured at five meteorological stations. The landcover type, elevation, and location of the meteorological measurement stations were the spatial patterns. The differences among the mean LST for each landcover material were the maximum of 8 °C and 1 °C during the daytime and nighttime, respectively. The LST decreased with increasing built-up area ratio, most prominently in July, but less so with increasing forest area for the same area ratios. The changes of urban temperature according to the spatial pattern were found to be different in each period, and there were some differences from previous studies. This is because the thermal characteristics differ depending on the geographical location, climatic conditions, and building environment of the cities. Therefore, to mitigate the urban heat island continuously, it should be applied to urban planning considering the relationship between spatial patterns and urban temperature, and the urban environment should be considered rather than directly using the results of previous studies.
An Evolutionary Game Study of Clean Heating Promotion Mechanisms under the Policy Regulation in China
Authors: Wang Qiang , Tan Zhongfu , De Gejirifu , Tan Qingkun , Pu Lei
Published: July 2019

Recently, various Chinese provinces have greatly reduced their coal consumption due to new environmental protection policies. Because of these policies, the orderly development of the clean energy heating mode has been effectively promoted. As the problem of air pollution in the northern part of China is particularly prominent, adopting clean heating in winter is an important solution to control air pollution for those regions. However, there is a tricky balance to be struck between the government and the heating companies when it comes to using clean heating during winter. Therefore, it is crucial for the government and heating enterprises to research new strategies. Consequently, this paper carries out a comprehensive study on the multiple factors influencing the game relationship between the government and heating enterprises, and tries to set up a more general model for the theoretical analysis of mechanisms of clean heating promotion, as well as their numerical simulation. The research results show: (1) The initial possibilities available to government and heating enterprises have a significant impact on the final strategy choice for the heating system; (2) due to advantages such as increases in social benefits, subsidies, fines, and clean heating profits, as well as the lessening of traditional heating costs, and regardless of the decrease in traditional heating profits, it is possible for the government to adopt the promotion strategy; and (3) there are more opportunities for heating companies to pursue in order to implement clean heating strategies. In conclusion, this paper proposes valuable suggestions for the government and heating companies concerning clean heating in China.
Power Flow Control Strategy and Reliable DC-Link Voltage Restoration for DC Microgrid under Grid Fault Conditions
Authors: Van Nguyen Thanh , Kim Kyeong-Hwa
Published: July 2019

In this paper, an effective power flow control strategy (PFCS) based on the centralized control method and a reliable DC-link voltage (DCV) restoration algorithm for a DC microgrid (DCMG) under grid fault conditions are proposed. Considering the relationship of supply-demand power and the statuses of system units, thirteen operating modes are presented to ensure the power balance in DCMG under various conditions. In the PFCS, the battery charging/discharging procedure is implemented considering the battery power limit to avoid overheating and damage. Moreover, load shedding and load reconnection algorithms are presented to maintain the system power balance, even in critical cases. To prevent the system power imbalance in DCMG caused by the delay of grid fault detection, a reliable DCV restoration algorithm is also proposed in this paper. In the proposed scheme, as soon as abnormal behavior of the DCV is detected, the battery or wind power generation system instantly enters a local emergency control mode to restore the DCV rapidly to the nominal value, regardless of the control mode assigned from the central controller. Comprehensive simulations and experiments based on the DCMG testbed are carried out to prove the effectiveness of the PFCS and the proposed DCV restoration algorithm.
Sustainability and Firm Performance: A Review and Analysis Using Algorithmic Pathways in the Throughput Model
Authors: Rodgers Waymond , Al Habsi Mouza , Gamble George
Published: July 2019

This paper reviews the prior research on the relationship between sustainability and a firm’s performance and proposes algorithmic pathways in the throughput model that could be used to improve the research findings for such research. Results of our literature search were mixed. Some studies reported a positive relationship between a firm’s sustainability efforts and profitability while others found a negative to no relationship. Studies found reasons for implementing sustainability even though it is a loss-bearing activity; other studies found reasons for not practising sustainability. Reasons for not practising sustainability ranged from absence of external pressure; not viewing the sustainability report as a business obligation; deeming it too expensive for small firms; to a lack of resources. Our evaluation of the prior research also found that the prior studies excluded an important class of assets—non-financial intangible assets—in their evaluation of the relationship between sustainability efforts and profitability. The contribution of this study is that the throughput model along with its six dominant algorithms depicts the significance of triple bottom line concepts of economic, social, and environmental variables influencing performance.
Schur-Power Convexity of a Completely Symmetric Function Dual
Authors: Shi Huan-Nan , Du Wei-Shih
Published: July 2019

In this paper, by applying the decision theorem of the Schur-power convex function, the Schur-power convexity of a class of complete symmetric functions are studied. As applications, some new inequalities are established.
An Asymmetric Bimodal Distribution with Application to Quantile Regression
Authors: Gómez Yolanda M. , Gómez-Déniz Emilio , Venegas Osvaldo , Gallardo Diego I. , Gómez Héctor W.
Published: July 2019

In this article, we study an extension of the sinh Cauchy model in order to obtain asymmetric bimodality. The behavior of the distribution may be either unimodal or bimodal. We calculate its cumulative distribution function and use it to carry out quantile regression. We calculate the maximum likelihood estimators and carry out a simulation study. Two applications are analyzed based on real data to illustrate the flexibility of the distribution for modeling unimodal and bimodal data.
The Immobilization of Oxindole Derivatives with Use of Cube Rhombellane Homeomorphs
Authors: Czeleń Przemysław , Szefler Beata
Published: July 2019

A key aspect of modern drug research is the development of delivery methods that ensure the possibility of implementing targeted therapy for a specific biological target. The use of nanocarriers enables to achieve this objective, also allowing to reduce the toxicity of used substances and often extending their bioavailability. Through the application of docking methods, the possibility of using cube rhombellanes as potential carriers for two oxindole derivatives was analyzed. In the studies, compounds identified as inhibitors of the CDK2 enzyme and a set of nanostructures proposed by the Topo Cluj Group were used. The popular fullerene molecule C60 was used as the reference system. The estimated binding affinities and structures of obtained complexes show that use of functionalized cube rhombellanes containing hydrogen bond donors and acceptors in their external molecular shell significantly increases ligand affinity toward considered nanocariers, compared to classic fullerenes. The presented values also allow to state that an important factor determining the mutual affinity of the tested ligands and nanostructures is the symmetry of the analyzed nanocarriers and its influence on the distribution of binding groups (aromatic systems, donors and acceptors of hydrogen bonds) on the surface of nanoparticles.
Docking Linear Ligands to Glucose Oxidase
Authors: Szefler Beata
Published: July 2019

GOX (3QVR), glucose oxidase, is an oxidoreductase enzyme, which has found many applications in biotechnology and modern diagnostics with typical assays including biosensors useful in the determination of free glucose in body fluids. PEI (polyethylenimines) are polymer molecules made up of amine groups and two aliphatic carbons, which are cyclically repeated. PEI are transfection reagents which, using positively charged units, bind well to anionic DNA residues. During the studies on GOX, PEI were used both in their linear and branched structures. Rhombellanes, RBL, are structures decorated with rhombs/squares. The aim of the paper is to study the interactions of two kinds of linear ligands: PEIs (Polyethylenimines) and CHRs (ethers of Hexahydroxy-cyclohexane) with the glucose oxidase enzyme, GOX (3QVR). To understand the structure-activity relationship between the GOX enzyme and the linear ligands PEI and CHR, two steps of docking simulation were performed; mapping the whole area of the 3QVR enzyme and docking on the first and second surface of the enzyme, separately. The studied ligands interacted with amino acids of GOX inside the protein and on its surface, with stronger and shorter bonds inside of the protein. However, long chain ligands can only interact with amino acids on the external protein surface. After the study, two domains of the enzyme were clearly evidenced; the external surface domain more easily creates interactions with ligands, particularly with CHR ligands.
Tannic Acid Induces the Mitochondrial Pathway of Apoptosis and S Phase Arrest in Porcine Intestinal IPEC-J2 Cells
Authors: Wang Ji , Xiao Haisi , Zhu Yuanyuan , Liu Shuiping , Yuan Zhihang , Wu Jing , Wen Lixin
Published: July 2019

The presence of tannic acid (TA), which is widely distributed in plants, limits the utilization of non-grain feed. Illustrating the toxicity mechanism of TA in animals is important for preventing poisoning and for clinical development of TA. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the toxic effects and possible action mechanism of TA in porcine intestinal IPEC-J2 cells, as well as cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle. We investigated the toxic effects of TA in IPEC-J2 cells combining the analysis of TA-induced apoptotic responses and effect on the cell cycle. The results revealed that TA is highly toxic to IPEC-J2 cells. The stress-inducible factors reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine were increased in response to TA. Furthermore, TA suppressed mitochondrial membrane potential, reduced adenosine triphosphate production, and adversely affected B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein, caspase-9, caspase-3, cytochrome c, cyclin A, cyclin-dependent kinases, ataxia-telangiectasia mutated, and P53 expression in a dose-dependent manner. We suggest that TA induces the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis and S phase arrest in IPEC-J2 cells.
Distinct Transcriptional Changes in Response to Patulin Underlie Toxin Biosorption Differences in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Oporto Christian , Villarroel Carlos , Tapia Sebastián , García Verónica , Cubillos Francisco
Published: July 2019

Patulin (4-hydroxy-4H-furo[3,2c]pyran-2[6H]-one) is a mycotoxin produced by a suite of fungi species. Patulin is toxic to humans and is a sporadic contaminant in products that were made from fungi-infected fruits. The baker yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) has been shown to decrease patulin levels likely by converting it to the less harmful E-ascladiol, yet this capacity is dependent on the strain utilized. In this study we show that four representative strains of different S. cerevisiae lineages differ in their ability to tolerate and decrease patulin levels in solution, demonstrating that some strains are better suitable for patulin biocontrol. Indeed, we tested the biocontrol capacities of the best patulin-reducer strain (WE) in contaminated apple juice and demonstrated their potential role as an efficient natural biocontrol solution. To investigate the mechanisms behind the differences between strains, we explored transcriptomic changes of the top (WE strain) and worst (WA strain) patulin-biocontroller strains after being exposed to this toxin. Large and significant gene expression differences were found between these two strains, the majority of which represented genes associated with protein biosynthesis, cell wall composition and redox homeostasis. Interestingly, the WE isolate exhibited an overrepresentation of up-regulated genes involved in membrane components, suggesting an active role of the membrane towards patulin detoxification. In contrast, WA upregulated genes were associated with RNA metabolism and ribosome biogenesis, suggesting a patulin impact upon transcription and translation activity. These results suggest that different genotypes of S. cerevisiae encounter different stresses from patulin toxicity and that different rates of detoxification of this toxin might be related with the plasma membrane composition. Altogether, our data demonstrates the different molecular mechanisms in S. cerevisiae strains withstanding patulin exposure and opens new avenues for the selection of new patulin biocontroller strains.
Measles Vaccine Virus RNA in Children More Than 100 Days after Vaccination
Authors: McMahon Jamie , Mackay Ian M , Lambert Stephen B
Published: July 2019

Measles vaccines have been in use since the 1960s with excellent safety and effectiveness profiles. Limited data are available on detection of measles vaccine virus (MeVV) RNA in human subjects following vaccination. Available evidence suggests MeVV RNA can be identified up to 14 days after vaccination, with detection beyond this rare. In routine diagnostic testing, we used two real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-rPCR) assays targeting M and F genes to identify measles virus (MeV) and MeVV RNA. Confirmatory testing was performed with an N gene RT-rPCR, followed by sequence confirmation of RT-rPCR positives by semi-nested conventional RT-PCR assays targeting portions of the N, H, and L genes. We report detection and confirmation of MeVV RNA from the respiratory tract of 11 children between 100 and 800 days after most recent receipt of measles-containing vaccine. These novel findings emphasize the importance of genotyping all MeV detections and highlight the need for further work to assess whether persistent MeVV RNA represents viable virus and if transmission to close contacts can occur.
From Vaccine Vector to Oncomodulation: Understanding the Complex Interplay between CMV and Cancer
Authors: Wilski Nicole A. , Snyder Christopher M.
Published: July 2019

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a herpesvirus that establishes a persistent, but generally asymptomatic, infection in most people in the world. However, CMV drives and sustains extremely large numbers of antigen-specific T cells and is, therefore, emerging as an exciting platform for vaccines against infectious diseases and cancer. Indeed, pre-clinical data strongly suggest that CMV-based vaccines can sustain protective CD8+ T cell and antibody responses. In the context of vaccines for infectious diseases, substantial pre-clinical studies have elucidated the efficacy and protective mechanisms of CMV-based vaccines, including in non-human primate models of various infections. In the context of cancer vaccines, however, much less is known and only very early studies in mice have been conducted. To develop CMV-based cancer vaccines further, it will be critical to better understand the complex interaction of CMV and cancer. An array of evidence suggests that naturally-acquired human (H)CMV can be detected in cancers, and it has been proposed that HCMV may promote tumor growth. This would obviously be a concern for any therapeutic cancer vaccines. In experimental models, CMV has been shown to play both positive and negative roles in tumor progression, depending on the model studied. However, the mechanisms are still largely unknown. Thus, more studies assessing the interaction of CMV with the tumor microenvironment are needed. This review will summarize the existing literature and major open questions about CMV-based vaccines for cancer, and discuss our hypothesis that the balance between pro-tumor and anti-tumor effects driven by CMV depends on the location and the activity of the virus in the lesion.
Integrated Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analysis of Red Blood Cells from Rainbow Trout Challenged with VHSV Point Towards Novel Immunomodulant Targets
Authors: Nombela Ivan , Lopez-Lorigados Marina , Salvador-Mira Maria Elizabeth , Puente-Marin Sara , Chico Veronica , Ciordia Sergio , Mena Maria Carmen , Mercado Luis , Coll Julio , Perez Luis , Ortega-Villaizan Maria del Mar
Published: July 2019

Teleost red blood cells (RBCs) are nucleated and therefore can propagate cellular responses to exogenous stimuli. RBCs can mount an immune response against a variety of fish viruses, including the viral septicemia hemorrhagic virus (VHSV), which is one of the most prevalent fish viruses resulting in aquaculture losses. In this work, RBCs from blood and head kidney samples of rainbow trout challenged with VHSV were analyzed via transcriptomic and proteomic analyses. We detected an overrepresentation of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to the type I interferon response and signaling in RBCs from the head kidney and related to complement activation in RBCs from blood. Antigen processing and presentation of peptide antigen was overrepresented in RBCs from both tissues. DEGs shared by both tissues showed an opposite expression profile. In summary, this work has demonstrated that teleost RBCs can modulate the immune response during an in vivo viral infection, thus implicating RBCs as cell targets for the development of novel immunomodulants.
Sustained proton pump inhibitor deprescribing among dyspeptic patients in general practice: a return to self-management through a programme of education and alginate rescue therapy. A prospective interventional study
Authors: Coyle Cathal , Symonds Russell , Allan Jane , Dawson Sarah , Russell Sheldon , Smith Adam , Daff Colin , Kotze Helen
Published: July 2019

Background

Dyspepsia guidelines recommend that patients treated with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) should step down to the lowest effective dose or return to self-care, but rebound hyperacidity can make this difficult. Many patients continue on PPIs in the long term, which may lead to safety and financial implications.

Aim

To determine if a nurse-led educational support programme and rescue therapy for rebound symptoms can help patients achieve a sustained reduction in PPI use.

Design & setting

A prospective interventional study was conducted at 26 surgeries across the UK.

Method

Adult patients, treated with PPIs for ≥2 consecutive months with an active repeat prescription, were invited to a 20-minute dyspepsia clinic appointment with a trained nurse adviser. An action plan to reduce and/or stop their PPI usage was agreed and alginate supplied for the self-management of rebound symptoms. After 12 months, PPI status was reviewed and prescribing cost savings calculated.

Results

After 12 months, 75.1% of 6249 eligible patients stepped down or off PPIs (35.3% stepped off; 5.0% stepped down then off; 34.8% stepped down only), while 8.7% of patients had reverted to their original PPI dose. PPI prescriptions fell from 89 915 to 45 880 and alginate prescriptions increased from 2405 to 6670. An average of 1.7 bottles (500 ml each) of alginate were used per patient who stepped down or off. Estimated annual cost-saving on prescriptions was £31 716.30.

Conclusion

A programme of education and short-term rebound symptom management helped the majority of patients to successfully step down or off PPIs, significantly reducing the potential risks associated with chronic therapy.
Saint-Bénigne de Dijon. Cinquante ans de recherches sur l’abbatiale de l’an mil
Authors: Vergnolle Éliane
Published: July 2019

La grande église édifiée à Saint-Bénigne de Dijon au début du XIe siècle par l’abbé Guillaume de Volpiano jouit depuis longtemps d’une célébrité liée à plusieurs facteurs : l’importance historique de son commanditaire, qui fut l’un des grands réformateurs de son temps, l’abondance des sources narratives contemporaines de la construction, le caractère exceptionnel de son architecture et la présence de l’un des premiers ensembles de chapiteaux romans figurés. Il reste peu de choses de l’abbatiale de l’an mil, la nef et le transept ayant été réédifiés au XIIIe siècle et la vaste rotonde orientale partiellement détruite à la Révolution. La connaissance du monument a été renouvelée par la publication de la thèse de Wilhelm Schlink en 1978 et par les fouilles de Carolyn Marino Malone à la même époque. Celle-ci n’a cependant publié qu’en 2008 et 2009 les études de synthèse sur l’édifice. Il convient aujourd’hui de dépasser le strict bilan documentaire pour réévaluer la place de Saint-Bénigne dans l’art de son temps, à la lumière des récentes publications sur les débuts de l’art roman et ouvrir de nouvelles pistes de recherche.
Au château de Limours : Salomon de Brosse, François Mansart et André Le Nôtre
Authors: Cojannot Alexandre , Faisant Étienne
Published: July 2019

Propriété du cardinal de Richelieu puis de Gaston d’Orléans, Limours fut l’objet au XVIIe siècle d’importants travaux que documente un ensemble de marchés inédits. Après l’acquisition du domaine par le cardinal en 1623, le château fut ainsi réaménagé sous la conduite de Salomon de Brosse tandis que Tommaso Francini et Salomon de Caus étaient employés à la création d’un parterre orné de statues. En 1636-1638, le duc d’Orléans fit doubler ce dernier par un second et tracer dans le parc un réseau d’allées, opérations pour lesquelles le jeune André Le Nôtre travailla comme entrepreneur aux côtés de François Mansart. Cette collaboration, attestée pour la première fois, éclaire d’un jour nouveau les années de formation du futur jardinier de Louis XIV. Pour magnifier l’accès au domaine, le même architecte conçut en 1645 une place ovale au-devant du portail et une avant-cour cantonnée de pavillons. Ces constructions, auxquelles participa Antoine Le Pautre en tant qu’entrepreneur, marquèrent l’apogée du domaine, avant son abandon au siècle suivant et sa destruction durant la Révolution. Remanié mais épargné, un des pavillons de l’avant-cour offre enfin un précieux témoignage de l’intervention de Mansart dans le château, qui apparaît comme un creuset pour l’architecture et les jardins sous le règne de Louis XIII et au début de celui de Louis XIV.
Les bronzes envoyés de Florence à Saint-Germain-en-Laye, la Vénus de 1597 et les dernières oeuvres de Jean Bologne
Authors: Rudigier Alexander
Published: July 2019

Des six bronzes de Jean Bologne offerts à Henri IV (voir l’article précédent), trois semblent avoir survécu : le Mercure (Paris, Louvre), dont l’exécution est ici attribuée à son disciple Hans Reichle ; le Triton (New York, Metropolitan Museum), que l’analyse révèle comme une oeuvre autographe ; une Vénus

encore inédite (collection privée), récemment découverte en France et qui proviendrait du château de Louis Hesselin, collectionneur proche du roi Louis XIII ; seule statue de bronze du maître découverte à l’époque moderne, elle constitue le coeur de cette étude. Elle reprend le type d’une statue de marbre antérieure connue comme Bethsabée (Los Angeles, Getty Museum) mais s’en distingue par des différences d’attitude et de traitement qui interdisent de la croire issue d’un moulage. Des comparaisons très précises avec d’autres ouvrages de Jean Bologne imposent au contraire d’y voir une réélaboration originale, autographe du sculpteur. Elle est datée de 1597 et signée d’un fondeur allemand, Gerhard Meyer, dont la carrière est esquissée et qui dut être actif à Florence à cette date ; le sens de cette double inscription est éclairé par l’étude des pratiques des fondeurs, une anomalie dans la graphie du millésime par les analyses de laboratoire. Ces trois identifications amènent à une réévaluation générale de l’oeuvre tardive de Jean Bologne, considérée en fonction des commandes auxquelles il fut faire face, de son habitude de retravailler sur des modèles d’ouvrages antérieurs qu’il avait conservés, et aussi de la mode du temps. Il en résulte une nouvelle vision de son art, qui montre que son style ne suit pas une évolution régulière, ce qui interdit de dater ses sculptures sur la base de l’analyse stylistique. Une note complémentaire est consacrée au non finito dans la sculpture florentine, un procédé inventé par Donatello, négligé après lui, remis en valeur par Vasari au moment où Jean Bologne arrivait à Florence, en même temps qu’émergeait le concept de disegno, suivant lequel l’ébauche modelée était considérée comme l’expression de l’inspiration divine de l’artiste : le sculpteur en fit usage dans ses sculptures de bronze et en particulier dans la Vénus de 1597.