bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Il governo dell’innovazione farmaceutica in Italia: quali strumenti di governance regionale proporre?
Authors: Nuti Sabina
Published: April 2020

Managing pharmaceutical innovation in Italy: which regional governance tools can be adopted? Within the Italian federalist framework, national and regional governance tools for pharmaceutical care have been developed in recent years. From a financial perspective, the pharmaceutical outpatient expenditure has already been put under control and this has markedly contributed to reducing the overall costs. The hospital pharmaceutical expenses instead have grown. On this last element bears how innovative and expensive drugs are introduced and managed; among these drugs, cancer drugs have a decisive role.

In the last years the AIFA (Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco – Italian Drugs Agency) policies regarding the adoption process of new drugs have stressed the concept of value for money: any innovative and expensive drug is linked to a webbased control register in order to monitor outcomes. The aim is to relate the drug price to the obtained results (payment by result and risk-sharing) or at least to institute simple financial agreements (cost-sharing) that can be defined as managed entry agreements (MEA). The critical point that can cause equity problems is the way these national governance tools are applied in different regional contexts. There are in fact marked differences among Italian regions. Most regions are aware that the only way to rule the system, and in particular the use of innovative drugs, is to have stronger evidence-based management tools able to connect different systems of oncological prescriptions. The aim is to follow patients in different care settings in order to measure the pathway phases in terms of consumption, costs and quality outcomes and therefore evaluate in actual practice the value for money of innovative drugs.
The High Nurse Workload Weakly Correlates to The Prolonged Transfered Patient to Inpatient Room at Batu Baptist Hospital
Authors: Christina Lia
Published: April 2020

Introduction : Outpatient installation is a unit with a complex workload. Complex and high-rise jobs will affect the length of waiting time for services to patients that have an impact on service quality. This study was conducted to know the nurses' outpatient workload and the length of waiting time for transferred patient to the inpatient room. Method: The research method is descriptive analytic observational. The samples of the study were 92 outpatients taken by purposive sampling. Data collection uses sampling work methods. Hypothesis testing uses the C contingency coefficient with the results of almost all respondents; (81.5%) with high workloads and more than half (64%) with a waiting time of> 3 hours. Results and Analysis: The results showed that the value of ρ Cramer was 0.030 (ρ <0.05), the coefficient value was 0.221; the strength of correlation is weak however, it has positive correlation. It can be concluded that there is a significant correlation between nurses' outpatient workload and the length of waiting time of the transferred patient to the inpatient room at Batu Baptist Hospital. Discussion: The higher the workload that the nurse has, the longer the waiting time for transfered patient to the inpatient ward. The Hospital needs to reexamine the employee need based on duties and authority and there must be special officers in the process of hospitalization in outpatient care.

Keywords : Nurse Workload, Length of waiting time for patient transfer
The Effectiveness of Training on improving Knowledge and Skills Basic Life support in Lay People
Authors: Qodir Abdul
Published: April 2020

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a major health problem throughout the world. The best survival rates are achieved when trained people provide OHCA victims with basic life support (CPR). This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of training on  improving knowledge and skills  basic life support in lay people. One group pretes posttest design was conducted in this study in integrated laboratory Widyagama Husada School of health. A total 15 participants were ware selected by Consecutive Sampling. Data were collected on  respondent characteristics, knowledge and practical skills basic life support. Data were analyzed using paired  t-tests. The mean score in knowledge and skills ware 54,67 and 33,67 at pretest and 76,3 and 85,07 (p = 0.000) at posttest. The Training significant on  improving Knowledge and Skills  Basic Life support in Lay People.
Priestorové rozloženie volebnej účasti v parlamentných voľbách v slovenských okresoch v rokoch 1990 až 2016
Authors: Kevický Dominik
Published: April 2020

This study gives a basic overview of the distribution of electoral turnout in Slovak parliamentary elections in the period 1990 – 2016. The aim is to assess the stability of voter turnout and identify its spatial patterns. The pattern of stability of the spatial distribution is examined by the modified method of identification of electoral support areas developed by Jehlička and Sýkora (1991). The results of the analysis show, that the voter turnout in the 1990s was characterized by significant instability compared to electoral participation after the year 2000. The long-term low participation is mainly in the districts of eastern and southern Slovakia and also in the Záhorie region. Until 2000, Bratislava had a low voter turnout, but since the elections in 2002, the turnout has increased. The long-term high electoral participation can be observed mainly in the regions of Žilina and Trenčín. The district with the highest voter turnout throughout the mentioned period is Tvrdošín. This study highlights several interesting aspects of the distribution of electoral turnout, which could be explored by further studies.
Významné historické zmeny fluviálneho systému dolného Váhu a význam mechanizmu avulzií v jeho vývoji
Authors: Procházka Juraj
Published: April 2020

According to the most recent studies of the lower Váh River fluvial system, alongside with a lateral shift of the channel due to meandering, first-order avulsions also played a key role in the development of the fluvial system. The most important avulsion that already occurred in historical periods produced more stable lateral channels. To study how this geomorphic phenomenon was manifested we used old maps of different scales (from the 16th century onward), modern topographic maps, orthophoto and references in historical literature. This allows ancient paleochannels of the lower Váh River originated by avulsions to be recognised. A good example is represented by major section of the former Váh mainstream channel, so called “Ship Route” (in Hungarian Hajó út). On the lowermost section of the Váh River (stretch from Neded to Komárno) there is a clear tendency of the river to switch its channel to the southwest, in the opposite direction as it is on the Podunajská pahorkatina Hillland. This tendency is tectonically conditioned and it points to the controlling influence of tectonics as the major causative factor in the development of the pre-regulation lower Váh River system. Importance of this paper is twofold. Firstly, it explores the key role of avulsions in the river dynamics on the Podunajská nížina Lowland, not only in sections with higher energy as predicted previously. Secondly, the study brings original knowledge about Váh River channels, which fell into oblivion, but were also important for the then society.
In Vivo Vascularization of Anisotropic Channeled Porous Polylactide-Based Capsules for Islet Transplantation: The Effects of Scaffold Architecture and Implantation Site
Authors: KASOJU N. , KUBIES D. , FÁBRYOVÁ E. , KŘÍŽ J. , KUMOREK M. M. , STICOVÁ E. , RYPÁČEK F.
Published: April 2020

The replacement of pancreatic islets for the possible treatment of type 1 diabetes is limited by the extremely high oxygen demand of the islets. To this end, here we hypothesize to create a novel extra-hepatic highly-vascularized bioartificial cavity using a porous scaffold as a template and using the host body as a living bioreactor for subsequent islet transplantation. Polylactide-based capsular-shaped anisotropic channeled porous scaffolds were prepared by following the unidirectional thermally-induced phase separation technique, and were implanted under the skin and in the greater omentum of Brown Norway rats. Polyamide mesh-based isotropic regular porous capsules were used as the controls. After 4weeks, the implants were excised and analyzed by histology. The hematoxylin and eosin, as well as Masson's trichrome staining, revealed a) low or no infiltration of giant inflammatory cells in the implant, b) minor but insignificant fibrosis around the implant, c) guided infiltration of host cells in the test capsule in contrast to random cell infiltration in the control capsule, and d) relatively superior cell infiltration in the capsules implanted in the greater omentum than in the capsules implanted under the skin. Furthermore, the anti-CD31 immunohistochemistry staining revealed numerous vessels at the implant site, but mostly on the external surface of the capsules. Taken together, the current study, the first of its kind, is a significant step-forward towards engineering a bioartificial microenvironment for the transplantation of islets.
The Use of a Hydrogel Matrix for Controlled Delivery of Niacin to the Gastrointestinal Tract for Treatment of Hyperlipidemia
Authors: SIRC J. , HRIB J. , VETRIK M. , HOBZOVA R. , ZAK A. , STANKOVA B. , SLANAR O. , HROMADKA R. , SANDRIKOVA V. , MICHALEK J.
Published: April 2020

Hyperlipidemia treatment based on niacin requires gastrointestinal administration of relatively high doses. The recommended dietary allowance of niacin as vitamin B3 is 14 to 16 mg daily in adults, while the doses of niacin used in the treatment of hyperlipidemia are generally in the range of 1 to 3 g. Administration of such large doses requires a high concentration of the active compound in the tablet and proper control of the drug release. In this study, a hydrogel matrix based on poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) and polyvinylpyrrolidone was investigated as delivery vehicle for controlled NA release into the gastrointestinal environment. The prepared hydrogel matrices varied in used monomer and crosslinker types and concentrations. The content of NA in tablets was between 65-80 %. The release profiles of NA from tablets were examined under three different pH values (1, 4.5 and 6.8) over the time period of 30 h. The effects of the monomer ratio, the crosslinking of the polymer network, and the solubility of niacin during drug release under various pH are discussed. The results showed that the release time period can be achieved in a relatively wide range of time and can be adjusted according to the medical requirements.
Beckettian Pedagogies: Learning through Samuel Beckett
Authors: Heron Jonathan , Johnson Nicholas
Published: April 2020

This essay considers what it might mean to learn ‘through’ Beckett, inaugurating a critical pedagogy that could be called ‘Beckettian’. By integrating existing strands of scholarship on Beckett and his relationship to education, the essay draws a distinction between the ‘practical’ and ‘biographical’ ways of thinking about Beckett and learning. This draws on previous work within the field, but also proposes a new vocabulary – derived from an interdisciplinary encounter with the scholarship of teaching and learning and the philosophy of education, especially ‘critical pedagogy’ – through which the possibility of ‘Beckettian pedagogies’ might be manifested. Recalling Beckett's biographers, his work's fundamental silence haunts most attempts to contain, explain, avoid or domesticate it. The essay proposes that a critical pedagogy of Beckett must be grounded in the concept of openness, especially in the notion that ‘void’ is a productive category, and in the embodiment of an evolving ecology of praxis. This alternative pathway reflects on the philosophy of education inherent within Beckett as an idea, engaging with ‘Beckettian pedagogies’ in an entangled sense of instruction, guidance and teaching with a particular focus on the latter in terms of the theory or principles of education. This move does not require abandoning existing traditions, but rather gathering them under new light, by placing the biographical Beckett (1906–89) in juxtaposition with the praxis of Beckett (ongoing) and the contemporaneous notion of critical pedagogy, as expounded by several scholars including Paulo Freire (1921–97). Beckettian pedagogies therefore remove dormant assumptions, habits of mind, and hierarchies that impede exploration to enable a move away from the curriculum, or toward a curriculum of unlearning and uncertainty, thereby disrupting the entrenched powers that Beckett saw fit to resist.
The $x-$coordinates of Pell equations and sums of two Fibonacci numbers II
Authors: Ddamulira Mahadi , Luca Florian
Published: April 2020

Let $ \{F_{n}\}_{n\geq 0} $ be the sequence of Fibonacci numbers defined by $ F_0=0 $, $ F_1 =1$, and $ F_{n+2}= F_{n+1} +F_n$ for all $ n\geq 0 $. In this paper, for an integer $ d\ge 2 $ which is square-free, we show that there is at most one value of the positive integer $ x $ participating in the Pell equation $ x^2-dy^2=\pm 4 $ which is a sum of two Fibonacci numbers, with a few exceptions that we completely characterize.
A Review of Concepts, Benefits, and Challenges for Future Electrical Propulsion-Based Aircraft
Authors: Sahoo Smruti , Zhao Xin , Kyprianidis Konstantinos
Published: April 2020

Electrification of the propulsion system has opened the door to a new paradigm of propulsion system configurations and novel aircraft designs, which was never envisioned before. Despite lofty promises, the concept must overcome the design and sizing challenges to make it realizable. A suitable modeling framework is desired in order to explore the design space at the conceptual level. A greater investment in enabling technologies, and infrastructural developments, is expected to facilitate its successful application in the market. In this review paper, several scholarly articles were surveyed to get an insight into the current landscape of research endeavors and the formulated derivations related to electric aircraft developments. The barriers and the needed future technological development paths are discussed. The paper also includes detailed assessments of the implications and other needs pertaining to future technology, regulation, certification, and infrastructure developments, in order to make the next generation electric aircraft operation commercially worthy.
Assessment of Chitosan-Rue (Ruta graveolens L.) Essential Oil-Based Coatings on Refrigerated Cape Gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) Quality
Authors: González-Locarno María , Maza Pautt Yarley , Albis Alberto , Florez López Edwin , Grande Tovar Carlos David
Published: April 2020

Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) is one of the main exotic fruits in demand throughout the world market. However, this fruit has problems with physical and microbial decay causing losses up to thirty percent during post-harvest stage and market storage. As an alternative for conservation, technologies based on edible coatings of biopolymers incorporating essential oils have been developed. In this paper we studied the effect of edible coatings based on chitosan (CS) and Ruta graveolens L. essential oil (RGEO) at different concentrations applied on the surface gooseberries at 18 ± 2 °C. The emulsions exhibited a reduction in the viscosity and the particle size with the increasing in the RGEO amount (from 124.7 cP to 26.0 cP for CS + RGEO 0.5% and CS + RGEO 1.5%, respectively). A lower weight loss was obtained for fruits coated with CS + RGEO 0.5% (12.7%) as compared to the uncoated (15%), while the maturity index increased in a lower amount for CS + RGEO coated than the uncoated fruits. The mesophyll growth was delayed three days after the coating applications for CS + RGEO 1.0% and 1.5%. At day twelve of the coating process, fruits with CS + RGEO 1.5% presented only 3.1 Log UFC/g of aerobic mesophylls and 2.9 Log UFC/g of molds and yeasts, while the uncoated fruits presented 4.2 Log UFC/g of aerobic mesophylls and 4.0 Log UFC/g of molds and yeasts, demonstrating a microbial barrier of the coatings incorporating RGEO in a concentration dependent manner. The CS + RGEO coating also preserve the antioxidant property of case gooseberries after twelve days of treatment under storage according to the 2,2′-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) results. It was demonstrated by the ABTS method that T5 antioxidant capacity from day one to day twelve only decreases from 55% to 44%, while in the uncoated fruits (T1) the antioxidant capacity decreased from 65% to 18%. On the other hand, using the DPPH method the reduction was from 73% to 24% for the uncoated samples and 55% to 43% for T5. From the sensorial analysis, we recommend the use of CS + RGEO 0.5% that was still accepted by the panelists after the sixth day of application. These results show the potential application of these coatings as postharvest treatment under storage and low temperature conditions during twelve days of treatment for cape gooseberry fruits.
Research on a Coupled Total-Flow and Single-Flash (TF-SF) System for Power and Freshwater Generation from Geothermal Source
Authors: Yu Guopeng , Yu Zhibin
Published: April 2020

In response to the twin development challenges of energy shortage and water-scarcity in worldwide arid to semi-arid regions with geothermal resources, a new combined power and freshwater generation system is proposed for geothermal energy utilization. In this system, a total-flow turbine (TF) is employed to be coupled with the traditional single-flash (SF) system and thereafter the coupled TF-SF system is investigated in this work. In addition to power generation, the exhaust steam from turbines are recovered to produce freshwater through condensation. Based on the novel designed system, the production of both power and water are studied under variable wellhead conditions, including variable wellhead pressures, temperatures, mass flowrates, and vapor qualities. The temperature of the separating point at which the total-flow expansion ends and the steam expansion starts is studied for optimal system output. In addition, the efficiency effects of the total-flow turbine on performance of the combined system is also investigated. The power generation comparison shows good power potential of the proposed TF-SF combined system. An effective total-flow turbine with an average efficiency of 65% can lead to an optimal power capacity, exceeding the traditional single-flash (SF) system by 23.7%. Moreover, more than 1/3 of total wellhead discharge can be recovered as desalinated freshwater by the naturally equipped condensation process of the power plant, showing extra benefit from geothermal energy utilization.
Evaluation of the Hydraulic, Physical, and Mechanical Properties of Pervious Concrete Using Iron Tailings as Coarse Aggregates
Authors: Tan Yan , Zhu Yuntao , Xiao Henglin
Published: April 2020

Aggregates are a significant component of pervious concrete. Pervious concrete using iron tailings as coarse aggregates was prepared to study the feasibility of this approach. A mix design procedure was also used to design pervious concrete based on different target porosities. The effective porosity, measured porosity, dry density, compressive strength, and permeability coefficient of pervious concrete were studied. The results show that the mix design procedure based on a target porosity is relatively reasonable for designing iron tailing-based pervious concrete. The 28 d compressive strength of the pervious concrete decreased from 42 to 11 MPa as the effective porosity increased from 5.2% to 27.2%. The effective porosity of the equilibrium point of the compressive strength and permeability coefficient of pervious concrete was approximately 16%, where the compressive strength was 21.5 MPa, and the water permeability was 3.2 mm/s. The permeability coefficient of pervious concrete can be predicted as an exponential function of the effective porosity, and the compressive strength of pervious concrete can be predicted as a logarithmic function of the effective porosity.
Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio as Prognostic and Predictive Factor in Breast Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review
Authors: Corbeau Iléana , Jacot William , Guiu Séverine
Published: April 2020

Inflammatory blood markers (IBM), such as the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), have emerged as potential prognostic factors in various cancers, including breast cancer (BC), potentially allowing an easy, minimally invasive evaluation of a given cancer‘s prognosis and treatment outcome. We report here a systematic overview of the published data evaluating NLR as a prognostic factor or predictive factor for pathological complete response (PCR) and toxicity in early and advanced BC. A total of 45 articles were identified. NLR was found to be an independent prognostic factor for survival in most of the adjuvant treatment studies. However, no significant correlation was found between survival and NLR for early BC patients receiving neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and advanced BC patients. Most studies failed to find a significant correlation between NLR and PCR after NACT. Finally, some data showed that IBM could be predictive of chemotherapy-related toxicity.
On the Activity and Selectivity of CoAl and CoAlCe Mixed Oxides in Formaldehyde Production from Pulp Mill Emissions
Authors: Laitinen Tiina , Ojala Satu , Genty Eric , Brunet Julien , De Weireld Guy , Poupin Christophe , Siffert Stéphane , Cousin Renaud , Keiski Riitta L.
Published: April 2020

Contaminated methanol has very good potential for being utilized in formaldehyde production instead of its destructive abatement. The activities, selectivities and stabilities of cobalt–alumina and cobalt–alumina–ceria catalysts prepared by the hydrotalcite-method were investigated in formaldehyde production from emissions of methanol and methanethiol. Catalysts were thoroughly characterized and the relationships between the characterization results and the catalytic performances were drawn. The preparation method used led to the formation of spinel-type structures in the form of Co2AlO4 based on x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. Ceria seems to be present as CeO2, even though interaction with alumina is possible in the fresh catalyst. The same structure is maintained after pelletizing the cobalt–alumina–ceria catalyst. The cobalt–alumina–ceria catalyst was slightly better in formaldehyde production, probably due to lower redox temperatures and higher amounts of acidity and basicity. Methanol conversion is negatively affected by the presence of methanethiol; however, formaldehyde yields are improved. The stability of the pelletized catalyst was promising based on a 16 h experiment. During the experiment, cobalt was oxidized (Co2+ → Co3+), cerium was reduced (Ce4+ → Ce3+) and sulfates were formed, especially on the outer surface of the pellet. These changes affected the low temperature performance of the catalyst; however, the formaldehyde yield was unchanged.
Dynamic and Steady State Evolution of Active Sites in H-ZSM5
Authors: Al-Majnouni Khalid A. , Supronowicz Wojciech , Aldugman Talal , Al-Yassir Nabil , Al-Zenaidi Ahmed , Nagengast Jens , Matuszyk Thomas
Published: April 2020

Catalytic cracking of hexane over steamed ZSM-5 is studied under steady state and dynamic conditions to elucidate the role of the active sites on the product distribution. The product distribution from the riser simulator representing the dynamic state of the catalyst cannot be resembled from monocracking or bimolecular reactions by Bronsted acid sites alone. The catalyst promotes the hydride transfer function which controls the hexane conversion at 460–500 °C that flips into methanation function at 550 °C with a propene to ethene ratio of 1.04. In addition, hydrogen induction is observed in the first two pulses. Steady state data obtained from a fixed bed reactor, on the other side, shows that the product distribution is controlled by monomolecular cracking with low yield of methane and high propene to ethene ratio ranging from 4.3 to 3.3 depending on the temperature and conversion. We are not able to explain these data by considering the Bronsted acid sites alone and suggest that Lewis acid sites with short-lived activity are not inactive in the carbon-carbon activation before fading by coke deactivation. The reported findings are of importance to academia and industry and are very relevant to fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) processes.
Delayed Demyelination and Impaired Remyelination in Aged Mice in the Cuprizone Model
Authors: Gingele Stefan , Henkel Florian , Heckers Sandra , Moellenkamp Thiemo M. , Hümmert Martin W. , Skripuletz Thomas , Stangel Martin , Gudi Viktoria
Published: April 2020

To unravel the failure of remyelination in multiple sclerosis (MS) and to test promising remyelinating treatments, suitable animal models like the well-established cuprizone model are required. However, this model is only standardized in young mice. This does not represent the typical age of MS patients. Furthermore, remyelination is very fast in young mice, hindering the examination of effects of remyelination-promoting agents. Thus, there is the need for a better animal model to study remyelination. We therefore aimed to establish the cuprizone model in aged mice. 6-month-old C57BL6 mice were fed with different concentrations of cuprizone (0.2–0.6%) for 5–6.5 weeks. De- and remyelination in the medial and lateral parts of the corpus callosum were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Feeding aged mice 0.4% cuprizone for 6.5 weeks resulted in the best and most reliable administration scheme with virtually complete demyelination of the corpus callosum. This was accompanied by a strong accumulation of microglia and near absolute loss of mature oligodendrocytes. Subsequent remyelination was initially robust but remained incomplete. The remyelination process in mature adult mice better represents the age of MS patients and offers a better model for the examination of regenerative therapies.
Congenital Tufting Enteropathy-Associated Mutant of Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule Activates the Unfolded Protein Response in a Murine Model of the Disease
Authors: Das Barun , Okamoto Kevin , Rabalais John , Marchelletta Ronald R. , Barrett Kim E. , Das Soumita , Niwa Maho , Sivagnanam Mamata
Published: April 2020

Congenital tufting enteropathy (CTE) is a rare chronic diarrheal disease of infancy caused by mutations in epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM). Previously, a murine CTE model showed mis-localization of EpCAM away from the basolateral cell surface in the intestine. Here we demonstrate that mutant EpCAM accumulated in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) where it co-localized with ER chaperone, GRP78/BiP, revealing potential involvement of ER stress-induced unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway in CTE. To investigate the significance of ER-localized mutant EpCAM in CTE, activation of the three UPR signaling branches initiated by the ER transmembrane protein components IRE1, PERK, and ATF6 was tested. A significant reduction in BLOS1 and SCARA3 mRNA levels in EpCAM mutant intestinal cells demonstrated that regulated IRE1-dependent decay (RIDD) was activated. However, IRE1 dependent XBP1 mRNA splicing was not induced. Furthermore, an increase in nuclear-localized ATF6 in mutant intestinal tissues revealed activation of the ATF6-signaling arm. Finally, an increase in both the phosphorylated form of the translation initiation factor, eIF2α, and ATF4 expression in the mutant intestine provided support for activation of the PERK-mediated pathway. Our results are consistent with a significant role for UPR in gastrointestinal homeostasis and provide a working model for CTE pathophysiology.
Differences in the Response to DNA Double-Strand Breaks between Rod Photoreceptors of Rodents, Pigs, and Humans
Authors: Frohns Florian , Frohns Antonia , Kramer Johanna , Meurer Katharina , Rohrer-Bley Carla , Solovei Irina , Hicks David , Layer Paul G. , Löbrich Markus
Published: April 2020

Genome editing (GE) represents a powerful approach to fight inherited blinding diseases in which the underlying mutations cause the degeneration of the light sensing photoreceptor cells of the retina. Successful GE requires the efficient repair of DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) generated during the treatment. Rod photoreceptors of adult mice have a highly specialized chromatin organization, do not efficiently express a variety of DSB response genes and repair DSBs very inefficiently. The DSB repair efficiency in rods of other species including humans is unknown. Here, we used ionizing radiation to analyze the DSB response in rods of various nocturnal and diurnal species, including genetically modified mice, pigs, and humans. We show that the inefficient repair of DSBs in adult mouse rods does not result from their specialized chromatin organization. Instead, the DSB repair efficiency in rods correlates with the level of Kruppel-associated protein-1 (KAP1) expression and its ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM)-dependent phosphorylation. Strikingly, we detected robust KAP1 expression and phosphorylation only in human rods but not in rods of other diurnal species including pigs. Hence, our study provides important information about the uniqueness of the DSB response in human rods which needs to be considered when choosing model systems for the development of GE strategies.
Transplantation of Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Obese Diabetic Rats Following Myocardial Infarction: Role of Thymosin Beta-4
Authors: Poh Kian Keong , Lee Poay Sian Sabrina , Djohan Andie Hartanto , Galupo Mary Joyce , Songco Geronica Gorospe , Yeo Tiong Cheng , Tan Huay Cheem , Richards Arthur Mark , Ye Lei
Published: April 2020

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are bone-marrow derived cells that are critical in the maintenance of endothelial wall integrity and protection of ischemic myocardium through the formation of new blood vessels (vasculogenesis) or proliferation of pre-existing vasculature (angiogenesis). Diabetes mellitus (DM) and the metabolic syndrome are commonly associated with ischemic heart disease through its pathological effects on the endothelium and consequent endothelial dysfunction. Thymosin-β4 (Tβ4) which expressed in the embryonic heart is critical in epicardial and coronary artery formation. In this study, we explored the effects of Tβ4 treatment on diabetic EPCs in vitro and intramyocardial injection of Tβ4-treated and non-Tβ4 treated EPCs following acute myocardial infarction (MI) of diabetic rats in vivo. It was found that 10 ng/mL Tβ4 increased migration, tubule formation, and angiogenic factor secretion of diabetic EPCs in vitro. In vivo, although implantation of Tβ4 treated diabetic EPCs significantly increased capillary density and attracted more c-Kit positive progenitor cells into the infarcted hearts as compared with implantation of non-Tβ4 treated diabetic EPCs, the significantly improved left ventricular ejection fraction was only found in the rats which received non-Tβ4 treated EPCs. The data suggests that a low dose Tβ4 increases diabetic EPC migration, tubule formation, and angiogenic factor secretion. However, it did not improve the effects of EPCs on left ventricular pump function in diabetic rats with MI.
Equivalent Circuit Based Performance Coupling Analysis Method for Lead Wire Interconnection with Defects
Authors: Wang Zhihai , Wang Lu , Yu Kunpeng , Liu Shaoyi , Wang Congsi
Published: April 2020

There are a large number of interconnections in the microwave module, among which the lead wire interconnection is widely used. Under the environmental load, the solder joint of the lead wire interconnection often appears to have cracks and other defects, which directly affect the return loss and insertion loss when transmitting electrical signals through solder joints, and indirectly affect the performance of the microwave module. For this reason, the segmented modeling method is realized by segmenting the lead wire interconnection structure into two parts in this paper, and the equivalent circuit model of the lead wire interconnection with the cracked solder joint is established using the equivalent circuit method. The correlation mechanism of the shape of the solder joint of the lead wire interconnection is studied, and formulas for predicting electrical performance based on return loss and insertion loss are derived. This paper realizes the prediction of the electrical performance of the lead wire interconnection with the defect, and can provide a reference for engineers and technicians.
Intake of Caffeine and Its Association with Physical and Mental Health Status among University Students in Bahrain
Authors: Jahrami Haitham , Al-Mutarid Mana , Penson Peter E. , Al-Islam Faris Mo’ez , Saif Zahra , Hammad Layla
Published: April 2020

In Western populations, the caffeine intake of young adults has received significant attention in the research literature; our knowledge in other societies remained limited. The objective of this research is to quantify the amount of ingested caffeine and how this is related to measures of physical and mental health in a Bahraini population. A semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to estimate caffeine intake from coffee, tea, cocoa, soft drinks, energy drinks, chocolates, and over-the-counter medications. Associations between caffeine intake, demographic variables and 25 symptoms measured using the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-25 were examined. A convenience sample of university students in Bahrain (n = 727) was surveyed. Caffeine, in any form, was consumed by 98% of students. Mean daily caffeine consumption was 268 mg/day, with males consuming more than females. Coffee was the main source of caffeine intake, followed by black tea and energy drinks. Participants consuming 400 mg/day or more showed a statistically and significantly twice as high risk for five symptoms, these were: headaches, spells of terror or panic, feeling trapped or caught, worrying too much about things, and having feelings of worthlessness. The prevalence of caffeine intake among university students in Bahrain is high. The overall mean intake of caffeine from all sources by university students was within levels considered to be acceptable by many dietary recommendations. High caffeine intake was associated with an anxiogenic effect in the surveyed students.
Food Security in Artisanal Mining Communities: An Exploration of Rural Markets in Northern Guinea
Authors: Zhang Laetitia X. , Koroma Fatima , Fofana Mohammed Lamine , Barry Alpha Oumar , Diallo Sadio , Lamilé Songbono Joseph , Stokes-Walters Ronald , Klemm Rolf D. , Nordhagen Stella , Winch Peter J.
Published: April 2020

The number of people engaged in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) has grown rapidly in the past twenty years, but they continue to be an understudied population experiencing high rates of malnutrition, poverty, and food insecurity. This paper explores how characteristics of markets that serve ASM populations facilitate and pose challenges to acquiring a nutritious and sustainable diet. The study sites included eight markets across four mining districts in the Kankan Region in the Republic of Guinea. Market descriptions to capture the structure of village markets, as well as twenty in-depth structured interviews with food vendors at mining site markets were conducted. We identified three forms of market organization based on location and distance from mining sites. Markets located close to mining sites offered fewer fruit and vegetable options, as well as a higher ratio of prepared food options as compared with markets located close to village centers. Vendors were highly responsive to customer needs. Food accessibility and utilization, rather than availability, are critical for food security in non-agricultural rural areas such as mining sites. Future market-based nutrition interventions need to consider the diverse market settings serving ASM communities and leverage the high vendor responsiveness to customer needs.
Development of Food Chemistry, Natural Products, and Nutrition Research: Targeting New Frontiers
Authors: Santini Antonello , Cicero Nicola
Published: April 2020

The Special Issue entitled: “Development of Food Chemistry, Natural Products, and Nutrition Research” is focused on the recent development of food chemistry research, including natural products’ sources and nutrition research, with the objectives of triggering interest towards new perspectives related to foods and opening a novel horizon for research in the food area. The published papers collected in this Special Issue are studies that refer to different aspects of food, ranging from food chemistry and analytical aspects, to composition, natural products, and nutrition, all examined from different perspectives and points of view. Overall, this Special Issue gives a current picture of the main topics of interest in the research and proposes studies and analyses that may prompt and address the efforts of research in the food area to find novel foods and novel applications and stimulate an environmentally-friendly approach for the re-use of the by-products of the agro-food area. This notwithstanding, the main challenge is currently addressed to achieve a full comprehension of the mechanisms of action of food components, the nutrients, outlining their high potential impact as preventive and/or therapeutic tools, not only as a source of macro- and/or micro-nutrients, which are necessary for all the metabolic and body functions.
Antioxidant Properties and Nutritional Composition of Matcha Green Tea
Authors: Jakubczyk Karolina , Kochman Joanna , Kwiatkowska Aleksandra , Kałduńska Justyna , Dec Karolina , Kawczuga Dorota , Janda Katarzyna
Published: April 2020

Matcha green tea (Camellia sinensis), which originates from Japan, is commonly considered as particularly beneficial to health. A large content of polyphenols, amino acids (mainly tannins) and caffeine potentially increase the antioxidant properties of the drink. The aim of the study was to determine the antioxidant potential and the content of substances with an antioxidant effect—vitamin C, total polyphenol content including flavonoids—in infusions made from Traditional Matcha (from the first and second harvests) and Daily Matcha (from the second and third harvests) at different temperatures. The infusions were made by pouring 100 mL of distilled water once at various temperatures (25 °C, 70 °C, 80 °C and 90 °C) over 1.75 g of the plant material. Matcha tea is characterized by a high level of antioxidant substances (flavonoids 1968.8 mg/L; polyphenols 1765.1 mg/L; vitamin C 44.8 mg/L) as well as antioxidant potential (41.2% DPPH (10× dilution); 6129.5 µM Fe(II)/dm3 FRAP). The concentration of these compounds depends on the time at which the plant material was harvested as well as on the temperature of water used to prepare the infusions. For most parameters, the highest values were observed in infusions prepared at 90 °C and from the daily Matcha.
Free and Bound Aroma Compounds of Turnjujube (Hovenia acerba Lindl.) during Low Temperature Storage
Authors: Yu Ai-Nong , Yang Yi-Ni , Yang Yan , Liang Miao , Zheng Fu-Ping , Sun Bao-Guo
Published: April 2020

Free and bound aroma volatiles from turnjujube during low temperature storage were extracted by headspace solid-phase microextraction. They were then characterized and identified using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Turnjujube was harvested and stored for 7, 14, and 21 days at 7 °C, the common temperature of display refrigerators in grocery stores. The results showed that 41 free and 24 bound aroma compounds were detected for the first time in turnjujube in both freshly harvested and stored turnjujube. The free and bound aroma compounds of turnjujube were markedly influenced by the storage time. The major free aroma compounds in turnjujube included esters, alcohols, aliphatic aldehydes, and aliphatic ketones. The major bound aroma compounds included borneol, eugenol, and isoeugenol, which contributed to sweet, floral, and herbaceous aroma after their hydrolysis. Freshly harvested turnjujube mostly had a fruity and herbaceous aroma, which diminished after storage at 7 °C. In contrast, the fatty aroma enhanced gradually over storage, and the floral aroma enhanced noticeably after storage for seven days. Foul odor was not detected even after storage at 7 °C for 21 days. The formation mechanisms of some aroma compounds were proposed.
Tannin-tolerant and Extracellular Tannase Producing Bacillus Isolated from Traditional Fermented Tea Leaves and Their Probiotic Functional Properties
Authors: Unban Kridsada , Kodchasee Pratthana , Shetty Kalidas , Khanongnuch Chartchai
Published: April 2020

A total of 117 Bacillus strains were isolated from Miang, a culture relevant fermented tea of northern Thailand. These strains were collected from 16 sampling sites in north Thailand. In this collection 95 isolates were tannin-tolerant Bacillus capable of growth on nutrient agar supplemented with 0.5% (w/v) total tannins from tea leaves extract (TE). The strains were also positive for pectinase, xylanase and amylase activity, while 91 and 86 isolates were positive for cellulase and β-mannanase, respectively. Only 21 isolates producing extracellular tannase were selected for further characterization. Identification by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that more than 50% (11 of 21 isolates) were Bacillus tequilensis, whereas the remaining were B. siamensis (3), B. megaterium (3), B. aryabhattai (3) and B. toyonensis (1). B. tequilensis K34.2 produced the highest extracellular tannase activity of 0.60 U/mL after cultivation at 37 °C for 48 h. In addition, all 21 isolates were resistant to 0.3% (w/v) bile salt, sensitive to gentamicin, erythromycin, vancomycin and kanamycin and also tolerant to acidic condition. Cell hydrophobicity varied from 9.4 to 80.4% and neutralized culture supernatants of some Bacillus isolates showed bacteriocin producing potentiality against Samonella enterica serovar Typhimurium TISTR 292. All tested probiotic properties indicated that B. tequilensis K19.3, B. tequilensis K34.2 and B. siamensis K19.1 had high probiotic potential. This is the first report describing tannin-tolerant Bacillus and their extracellular tannase producing capability in Miang, a traditional fermented tea of Thailand.
Physics and Phenomenology of Weakly Magnetized, Relativistic Astrophysical Shock Waves
Authors: Vanthieghem Arno , Lemoine Martin , Plotnikov Illya , Grassi Anna , Grech Mickael , Gremillet Laurent , Pelletier Guy
Published: April 2020

Weakly magnetized, relativistic collisionless shock waves are not only the natural offsprings of relativistic jets in high-energy astrophysical sources, they are also associated with some of the most outstanding displays of energy dissipation through particle acceleration and radiation. Perhaps their most peculiar and exciting feature is that the magnetized turbulence that sustains the acceleration process, and (possibly) the secondary radiation itself, is self-excited by the accelerated particles themselves, so that the phenomenology of these shock waves hinges strongly on the microphysics of the shock. In this review, we draw a status report of this microphysics, benchmarking analytical arguments with particle-in-cell simulations, and extract consequences of direct interest to the phenomenology, regarding, in particular, the so-called microphysical parameters used in phenomenological studies.
Apomixis Technology: Separating the Wheat from the Chaff
Authors: Hojsgaard Diego
Published: April 2020

Projections indicate that current plant breeding approaches will be unable to incorporate the global crop yields needed to deliver global food security. Apomixis is a disruptive innovation by which a plant produces clonal seeds capturing heterosis and gene combinations of elite phenotypes. Introducing apomixis into hybrid cultivars is a game-changing development in the current plant breeding paradigm that will accelerate the generation of high-yield cultivars. However, apomixis is a developmentally complex and genetically multifaceted trait. The central problem behind current constraints to apomixis breeding is that the genomic configuration and molecular mechanism that initiate apomixis and guide the formation of a clonal seed are still unknown. Today, not a single explanation about the origin of apomixis offer full empirical coverage, and synthesizing apomixis by manipulating individual genes has failed or produced little success. Overall evidence suggests apomixis arise from a still unknown single event molecular mechanism with multigenic effects. Disentangling the genomic basis and complex genetics behind the emergence of apomixis in plants will require the use of novel experimental approaches benefiting from Next Generation Sequencing technologies and targeting not only reproductive genes, but also the epigenetic and genomic configurations associated with reproductive phenotypes in homoploid sexual and apomictic carriers. A comprehensive picture of most regulatory changes guiding apomixis emergence will be central for successfully installing apomixis into the target species by exploiting genetic modification techniques.
Transcriptomic Prediction of Pig Liver-Enriched Gene 1 Functions in a Liver Cell Line
Authors: Zhang Zhe , Wang Zizengchen , Dang Yanna , Wang Jinyang , Jayaprakash Sakthidasan , Wang Huanan , He Jin
Published: April 2020

The newly identified liver-enriched gene 1 (LEG1) encodes a protein with a characteristic domain of unknown function 781 (DUF781/LEG1), constituting a protein family with only one member in mammals. A functional study in zebrafish suggested that LEG1 genes are involved in liver development, while the platypus LEG1 homolog, Monotreme Lactation Protein (MLP), which is enriched in the mammary gland and milk, acts as an antibacterial substance. However, no functional studies on eutherian LEG1s have been published to date. Thus, we here report the first functional prediction study at the cellular level. As previously reported, eutherian LEG1s can be classified into three paralogous groups. Pigs have all three LEG1 genes (pLEG1s), while humans and mice have retained only LEG1a. Hence, pLEG1s might represent an ideal model for studying LEG1 gene functions. RNA-seq was performed by the overexpression of pLEG1s and platypus MLP in HepG2 cells. Enrichment analysis showed that pLEG1a and pLEG1b might exhibit little function in liver cells; however, pLEG1c is probably involved in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response and protein folding. Additionally, gene set enrichment analysis revealed that platypus MLP shows antibacterial activity, confirming the functional study in platypus. Therefore, our study showed from the transcriptomic perspective that mammalian LEG1s have different functions in liver cells due to the subfunctionalization of paralogous genes.