bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On Zebrafish Disease Models and Matters of the Heart
Authors: Giardoglou Panagiota , Beis Dimitris
Published: March 2019

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading form of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is the primary cause of mortality worldwide. It is a complex disease with genetic and environmental risk factor contributions. Reports in human and mammalian models elucidate age-associated changes in cardiac function. The diverse mechanisms involved in cardiac diseases remain at the center of the research interest to identify novel strategies for prevention and therapy. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) have emerged as a valuable vertebrate model to study cardiovascular development over the last few decades. The facile genetic manipulation via forward and reverse genetic approaches combined with noninvasive, high-resolution imaging and phenotype-based screening has provided new insights to molecular pathways that orchestrate cardiac development. Zebrafish can recapitulate human cardiac pathophysiology due to gene and regulatory pathways conservation, similar heart rate and cardiac morphology and function. Thus, generations of zebrafish models utilize the functional analysis of genes involved in CAD, which are derived from large-scale human population analysis. Here, we highlight recent studies conducted on cardiovascular research focusing on the benefits of the combination of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) with functional genomic analysis in zebrafish. We further summarize the knowledge obtained from zebrafish studies that have demonstrated the architecture of the fundamental mechanisms underlying heart development, homeostasis and regeneration at the cellular and molecular levels.
In-Vitro Characterization of mCerulean3_mRuby3 as a Novel FRET Pair with Favorable Bleed-Through Characteristics
Authors: Erismann-Ebner Kira , Marowsky Anne , Arand Michael
Published: March 2019

In previous studies, we encountered substantial problems using the CFP_YFP Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) pair to analyze protein proximity in the endoplasmic reticulum of live cells. Bleed-through of the donor emission into the FRET channel and overlap of the FRET emission wavelength with highly variable cellular autofluorescence significantly compromised the sensitivity of our analyses. Here, we propose mCerulean3 and mRuby3 as a new FRET pair to potentially overcome these problems. Fusion of the two partners with a trypsin-cleavable linker allowed the direct comparison of the FRET signal characteristics of the associated partners with those of the completely dissociated partners. We compared our new FRET pair with the canonical CFP_YFP and the more recent mClover3_mRuby3 pairs and found that, despite a lower total FRET signal intensity, the novel pair had a significantly better signal to noise ratio due to lower donor emission bleed-through. This and the fact that the mRuby3 emission spectrum did not overlap with that of common cellular autofluorescence renders the mCerulean3_mRuby3 FRET pair a promising alternative to the common CFP_YFP FRET pair for the interaction analysis of membrane proteins in living cells.
Use of Electronic Noses for Diagnosis of Digestive and Respiratory Diseases through the Breath
Authors: Sánchez Carlos , Santos J. Pedro , Lozano Jesús
Published: March 2019

The increased occurrence of chronic diseases related to lifestyle or environmental conditions may have a detrimental effect on long-term health if not diagnosed and controlled in time. For this reason, it is important to develop new noninvasive early diagnosis equipment that allows improvement of the current diagnostic methods. This, in turn, has led to an exponential development of technology applied to the medical sector, such as the electronic nose. In addition, the appearance of this type of technology has allowed the possibility of studying diseases from another point of view, such as through breath analysis. This paper presents a bibliographic review of past and recent studies, selecting those investigations in which a patient population was studied with electronic nose technology, in order to identify potential applications of this technology in the detection of respiratory and digestive diseases through the analysis of volatile organic compounds present in the breath.
Multiplexed Immunohistochemistry for Molecular and Immune Profiling in Lung Cancer—Just About Ready for Prime-Time?
Authors: Hofman Paul , Badoual Cécile , Henderson Fiona , Berland Léa , Hamila Marame , Long-Mira Elodie , Lassalle Sandra , Roussel Hélène , Hofman Véronique , Tartour Eric , Ilié Marius
Published: February 2019

As targeted molecular therapies and immuno-oncology have become pivotal in the management of patients with lung cancer, the essential requirement for high throughput analyses and clinical validation of biomarkers has become even more intense, with response rates maintained in the 20%–30% range. Moreover, the list of treatment alternatives, including combination therapies, is rapidly evolving. The molecular profiling and specific tumor-associated immune contexture may be predictive of response or resistance to these therapeutic strategies. Multiplexed immunohistochemistry is an effective and proficient approach to simultaneously identify specific proteins or molecular abnormalities, to determine the spatial distribution and activation state of immune cells, as well as the presence of immunoactive molecular expression. This method is highly advantageous for investigating immune evasion mechanisms and discovering potential biomarkers to assess mechanisms of action and to predict response to a given treatment. This review provides views on the current technological status and evidence for clinical applications of multiplexing and how it could be applied to optimize clinical management of patients with lung cancer.
Electrophoretic Deposition of Graphene Oxide on Laser-Ablated Copper Mesh for Enhanced Oil/Water Separation
Authors: Zhou Rui , Shen Fei , Cui Jingqin , Zhang Yonggang , Yan Huangping , Juan Carlos Segovia
Published: March 2019

The fabrication of bionic surfaces resembling hydrophobic plants through micro manufacturing, which creates abundant multi-level micro/nanostructures and elemental variations, has been widely employed to change the surface wettability of metallic materials. Based on the mechanisms for selective permeation of various liquids, it could achieve the function of oil/water separation. Herein, a separation copper membrane fabricated with pulsed laser ablation and modified with graphene oxide (GO) deposition showed a synergetic effect on tunable surface wettability. Micro/nanostructures were generated on the copper substrate membrane through concentric circular scanning, which was followed by hole drilling. Afterwards, charged GO nanosheets were deposited via electrophoresis. The spacing of circular lines, the diameter of the holes and the abundant high-surface-energy hydrophilic oxygen contained in deposited GO amounts could be regulated in the laser processing and deposition, resulting in oleophobicity and hydrophilicity at the same time. The highest contact angle of oil in water of the prepared mesh could reach above 165° with a hole size of 200 µm and a circular line spacing of 100 µm after the laser processing. Water flux and oil-holding capacity, which represent the separation capability of the mesh, were also evaluated. The as-prepared separation mesh also showed great stability under harsh environments.
Investigation on the Thermal Deformation Behavior of the Nickel-Based Superalloy Strengthened by γ′ Phase
Authors: Wang Haiping , Liu Dong , Wang Jianguo , Shi Yongzhao , Zheng Yong , Hu Yang
Published: March 2019

The isothermal compression tests of the nickel-based superalloy Waspaloy were carried out under various temperatures from 1040 to 1120 °C and strain rates from 0.01 to 10 s−1 with the height reduction of 60% and the flow stress curves were obtained. The curves show that the flow stress is greatly affected by the temperature and strain rates. Regression analysis of the experimental results was carried out to learn about the deformation behavior through the Arrhenius equation and came to the conclusion that the activation energy of Waspaloy is 669.7 kJ/mol. The constitutive equation of the Waspaloy was constructed. Meanwhile, the processing maps of the Waspaloy for the power dissipation and the flow instability were constructed. The processing map of the power dissipation and the flow instability depicts that the strain plays a major role in the processing maps. The instability zone is prone to appear at higher strain rates with the increasing strains. According to the instability processing map, there are three unsafe regimes around 1040–1120 °C/1.5–10 s−1, 1040–1080 °C/0.02–0.1 s−1 and 1110–1120 °C/0.02–0.3 s−1 that should be avoided during deformation process. The power dissipation maps show that the maximum dissipation is prone to appear at low strain rates (0.01 s−1) when the strain is about 0.1~0.6 while at middle strain rates (0.1–1 s−1) when the strain is over 0.6, and when the true strain is 0.9, the optimum processing condition is around 1060–1120 °C/0.1–1 s−1. The dynamic microstructures under different temperatures and strain rates were also obtained. We concluded that lower strain rates and higher temperatures are more applicable to obtain fully-recrystallized microstructures. Based on the instability maps and the power dissipation maps and the dynamic microstructures, the optimum deformation conditions are determined to be around 1080–1100 °C/0.1–1 s−1 and 1040–1120 °C/0.01 s−1.
Identification of Hypsarrhythmia in Children with Microcephaly Infected by Zika Virus
Authors: Sousa Gean Carlos , Queiroz Claudio M. , Sousa Patrícia , Lima Priscila , Silva Antônio Augusto Moura da , Pires Nilviane , Barros Allan Kardec
Published: March 2019

Hypsarrhythmia is an electroencephalographic pattern specific to some epileptic syndromes that affect children under one year of age. The identification of this pattern, in some cases, causes disagreements between experts, which is worrisome since an inaccurate diagnosis can bring complications to the infant. Despite the difficulties in visually identifying hypsarrhythmia, options of computerized assistance are scarce. Aiming to collaborate with the recognition of this electropathological pattern, we propose in this paper a mathematical index that can help electroencephalography experts to identify hypsarrhythmia. We performed hypothesis tests that indicated significant differences in the groups under analysis, where the p-values were found to be extremely small.
Blindness in Seeing: A Philosophical Critique of the Visible Learning Paradigm in Education
Authors: Larsen Steen Nepper
Published: March 2019

An international consensus seems to have developed in educational research—and among educational planners and policymakers—during the last 10–15 years proclaiming that learning is, and must be, a visible phenomenon. This paper questions this predominant view and serves an assemblage of points offering educational scientists at least four profound perspectives to reflect upon. First of all, learning is not immediately visible to the learning subject. It demands and deserves a qualitative lifelong perspective and—not to be underestimated—autonomous reflections to come to know and acknowledge what learning is and can be in an existential perspective. For the individual, it is always worth asking the question whether or not the things ‘learned’ in the first place were worth learning. Secondly, no one can examine the complex synaptic wiring process in the changeable and ‘learning’ brain (i.e., human neuroplasticity); the body-phenomenological depths and growth of a human being; or the manifold processes constituting the totality of historical social interactions surrounding the learning process and reduce them to something simple and already ‘known’ (a figure, a score, an effect, an answer in a test, an evaluation statement, etc). Thirdly, so-called visible learning for teachers has to be differentiated from both conscious and unconscious learning for pupils and students. The attempts to objectify and sometimes even instrumentalize learning risk running into obvious problems and fostering serious mistakes. Besides, the teacher and the ‘learner’ do not share the same perspectives and they often also have different interests. Fourthly, the concept of learning is not a value-neutral term and should only be used with an awareness of its historical development as a concept. I will argue that character formation—edification of character (Bildung), in light of the rich German geisteswissenschaftliche tradition—and the capability to think and become a vivid language user and creator demand much more than learning. Moreover, teaching is much more than a method to ‘produce’ learning, and to reproduce learning goals, and the purpose of education must transcend a teleological implementation of strategic national and international learning goals. In this paper, the revitalized concept of Bildung both serves as a critique of the visible learning paradigm and as a take-off of an alternative and more fertile way to conceptualize the task and possibilities of education. The line of the argument and ambition of the paper is to depict how blindness seems to be an inevitable part of educational seeing. The thesis is that powerful scientific and political adherents of learning cannot see what they cannot see—neither when they see what they (think they) see, nor when they do not see what they do not (want to) see.
A Highly Robust Interface Circuit for Resistive Sensors
Authors: Gómez-Ramírez Emmanuel , Maeda-Nunez L. A. , Álvarez-Simón Luis C. , Flores-García F. G.
Published: March 2019

The signal from a resistive sensor must be converted into a digital signal to be compatible with a computer through an interface circuit. Resistance-to-Period converter, used as interface, is preferred if the resistance variations are very large. This paper presents the structure of an interface circuit for resistive sensors that is highly robust to component and power supply variations. Robustness is achieved by using the ratiometric approach, thus complex circuits or highly accurate voltage references are not necessary. To validate the proposed approach, a prototype was implemented using discrete components. Measurements were carried out considering a variation of ±35% in the single supply voltage and a range from 1 k Ω to 1 M Ω .
Distributed Reprogramming on the Edge: A New Collaborative Code Dissemination Strategy for IoT
Authors: Mujica Gabriel , Portilla Jorge
Published: March 2019

The ongoing era of the Internet of Things is opening up new opportunities towards the integration and interoperation of heterogeneous technologies at different abstraction layers, going from the so-called Edge Computing up to the Cloud and IoT Data Analytics level. With this evolution process the issue of efficient remote reprogramming on the Edge and the Extreme Edge deployments is becoming accentuated, as the amount and diversity of embedded sensing platforms is getting larger. To take advantage of the participation of heterogeneous devices and their in-field dynamic collaboration, in this work a new distributed code dissemination strategy for Edge node reprogramming is proposed, so as to efficiently support the functional reconfiguration, optimization and updating of sensor devices. It combines a partial reprogramming engine integrated into a modular sensor node architecture, with a smart IoT wearable platform for implementing the field collaborative framework. Results show that the proposed solution outperforms other traditional centric dissemination strategies, particularly when expanding the network reprogramming diversity and scale, which is an increasingly common feature in the IoT device deployments and maintenance.
Case Study of Residential PV Power and Battery Storage with the Danish Flexible Pricing Scheme
Authors: Nørgaard Jacob Bitsch , Kerekes Tamás , Séra Dezso
Published: March 2019

The economic viability of renewable energy generation is vital for sustainability. Ensuring that optimal operation is always achieved, using energy management systems and control algorithms, is essential in this endeavor. Here, a new real-time pricing scheme, the Danish flexible pricing scheme, illustrates how residential PV and battery systems can optimize the electricity bill of households, without changing consumption behavior or providing grid services in exchange. This means that the only addition is PV production, storage, and control. A case study is constructed from Danish household consumption data, irradiance measurements, and recorded spot prices. With the input data, the pricing scheme, and the energy flow, simulation models are computed in MATLAB, thereby validating the algorithmic potential and finding the best strategy for charging and discharging the energy storage unit. Different methods are compared to list the viable options and evaluate them, based on the economic feasibility for the household. Furthermore, a discussion of the system implementation is also included to highlight technical difficulties, co-integration opportunities, short-comings, and advantages present in the case study. In conclusion, it is possible to make renewable energy generation, and storage, viable for a Danish residential household under the new pricing scheme.
Comparison of Intelligence Control Systems for Voltage Controlling on Small Scale Compressed Air Energy Storage
Authors: Widjonarko  , Soenoko Rudy , Wahyudi Slamet , Siswanto Eko
Published: March 2019

This study presents the strategy of controlling the air discharge in the prototype of small scale compressed air energy storage (SS-CAES) to produce a constant voltage according to the user set point. The purpose of this study is to simplify the control of the SS-CAES, so that it can be integrated with a grid based on a constant voltage reference. The control strategy in this study is carried out by controlling the opening of the air valve combined with a servo motor using three intelligence control systems (fuzzy logic, artificial neural network (ANN), and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS)). The testing scenario of this system will be carried out using two scenes, including changing the voltage set point and by switching the load. The results that were obtained indicate that ANN has the best results, with an average settling time of 2.05S in the first test scenario and 6.65S in the second test scenario.
Experimental and Numerical Investigations on the Fluidized Heat Absorption inside Quartz Glass and Metal Tubes
Authors: Zhang Shengchun , Wang Zhifeng
Published: March 2019

Air as a heat transfer fluid has been widely studied in concentrated solar-power generations, but the solar energy absorbed by air inside transparent and opaque tubes has not been comparatively investigated. The heat transfer was studied experimentally and numerically for a fluidized granular bed air receiver with a non-uniform energy flux and the fluidization occurs inside cylindrical metal and quartz glass tubes. The experiments were conducted in a solar simulator with 19 xenon short-arc lamps and showed that the thermal efficiencies in the quartz tube are higher than those in the metal tube. A numerical model was established to study the fluidized heat transport inside the quartz tube, which includes effective thermal conductivities for the conduction, the Syamlal–O’Brien drag model to describe the pressure drop, a modified P-1 model for the radiation, and a two-fluid model (TFM) for gas–solid two-phase flow. The local thermal non-equilibrium model is used to relate the air temperatures to particle temperatures. Comparisons with experimental data show that this model can be used to predict the heat transport inside the quartz glass tube. The maximum relative error was 7.7% when the current is 100 A and the air mass flow rate is 0.53 g/s.
Litter Traits of Native and Non-Native Tropical Trees Influence Soil Carbon Dynamics in Timber Plantations in Panama
Authors: Kerdraon Deirdre , Drewer Julia , Castro Biancolini , Wallwork Abby , Hall Jefferson S. , Sayer Emma J.
Published: February 2019

Tropical reforestation initiatives are widely recognized as a key strategy for mitigating rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Although rapid tree growth in young secondary forests and plantations sequesters large amounts of carbon (C) in biomass, the choice of tree species for reforestation projects is crucial, as species identity and diversity affect microbial activity and soil C cycling via plant litter inputs. The decay rate of litter is largely determined by its chemical and physical properties, and trait complementarity of diverse litter mixtures can produce non-additive effects, which facilitate or delay decomposition. Furthermore, microbial communities may preferentially decompose litter from native tree species (homefield advantage). Hence, information on how different tree species influence soil carbon dynamics could inform reforestation efforts to maximize soil C storage. We established a decomposition experiment in Panama, Central America, using mesocosms and litterbags in monoculture plantations of native species (Dalbergia retusa Hemsl. and Terminalia amazonia J.F.Gmel., Exell) or teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) to assess the influence of different litter types and litter mixtures on soil C dynamics. We used reciprocal litter transplant experiments to assess the homefield advantage and litter mixtures to determine facilitative or antagonistic effects on decomposition rates and soil respiration in all plantation types. Although litter properties explained some of the variation in decomposition, the microclimate and soil properties in the plantations also played an important role. Microbial biomass C and litter decomposition were lower in Tectona than in the native plantations. We observed non-additive effects of mixtures with Tectona and Dalbergia litter on both decomposition and soil respiration, but the effect depended on plantation type. Further, there was a homefield disadvantage for soil respiration in Tectona and Terminalia plantations. Our results suggest that tree species diversity plays an important role in the resilience of tropical soils and that plantations with native tree species could help maintain key processes involved in soil carbon sequestration.
Admixing Fir to European Beech Forests Improves the Soil Greenhouse Gas Balance
Authors: Rehschuh Stephanie , Fuchs Martin , Tejedor Javier , Schäfler-Schmid Anja , Magh Ruth-Kristina , Burzlaff Tim , Rennenberg Heinz , Dannenmann Michael
Published: February 2019

Research highlights: The admixture of fir to pure European beech hardly affected soil-atmosphere CH4 and N2O fluxes but increased soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks at a site in the Black Forest, Southern Germany. Background and objectives: Admixing deep-rooting silver fir has been proposed as a measure to increase the resilience of beech forests towards intensified drying-wetting cycles. Hence, the goal of this study was to quantify the effect of fir admixture to beech forests on the soil-atmosphere-exchange of greenhouse gases (GHGs: CO2, CH4 and N2O) and the SOC stocks by comparing pure beech (BB) and mixed beech-fir (BF) stands in the Black Forest, Germany. Materials and methods: To account for the impact of drying-wetting events, we simulated prolonged summer drought periods by rainout shelters, followed by irrigation. Results: The admixture of fir to pure beech stands reduced soil respiration, especially during autumn and winter. This resulted in increased SOC stocks down to a 0.9 m depth by 9 t C ha−1 at BF. The mixed stand showed an insignificantly decreased sink strength for CH4 (−4.0 under BB and −3.6 kg C ha−1 year−1 under BF). With maximal emissions of 25 µg N m−2 h−1, N2O fluxes were very low and remained unchanged by the fir admixture. The total soil GHG balance of forest conversion from BB to BF was strongly dominated by changes in SOC stocks. Extended summer droughts significantly decreased the soil respiration in both BB and BF stands and increased the net CH4 uptake. Conclusions: Overall, this study highlights the positive effects of fir admixture to beech stands on SOC stocks and the total soil GHG balance. In view of the positive impact of increased SOC stocks on key soil functions such as water and nutrient retention, admixing fir to beech stands appears to be a suitable measure to mitigate climate change stresses on European beech stands.
Heterologous Expression of the DREB Transcription Factor AhDREB in Populus tomentosa Carrière Confers Tolerance to Salt without Growth Reduction under Greenhouse Conditions
Authors: Guo Qi , Lu Nan , Sun Yuhan , Lv Wei , Luo Zijing , Zhang Huaxin , Ji Qingju , Yang Qingshan , Chen Shouyi , Zhang Wanke , Li Yun
Published: February 2019

The DREB transcription factors regulate multiple stress response genes, and are therefore useful for molecular plant breeding. AhDREB, a stress-inducible gene, was isolated from Atriplex hortensis L. and introduced into Populus tomentosa Carrière under the control of the CaMV35S promoter. Under salt stress, the chlorophyll content and net photosynthetic rate were higher in transgenic lines than in the wild type (WT). Moreover, the rate of electrolyte penetration (REC) was lower in the transgenic lines. Additional analyses revealed that the AhDREB transgenic plants generally displayed lower malondialdehyde (MDA) activity but higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities and proline content than the WT under salt stress. RNA sequencing indicated that AhDREB could enhance tolerance to salt by activating various downstream genes in the transgenic plants. Furthermore, no growth inhibition was detected in transgenic plants expressing AhDREB driven by the constitutive CaMV35S promoter. The transcriptome showed 165 and 52 differentially expressed genes in transgenic plants under stress and non-stress conditions, respectively, among which no significant metabolic pathway was enriched and no unintended effects have yet been identified. Together, these results suggest that AhDREB may be a good candidate gene for increasing salt tolerance in transgenic poplar breeding.
On the Need for a General REST-Security Framework
Authors: Lo Iacono Luigi , Nguyen Hoai Viet , Gorski Peter Leo
Published: February 2019

Contemporary software is inherently distributed. The principles guiding the design of such software have been mainly manifested by the service-oriented architecture (SOA) concept. In a SOA, applications are orchestrated by software services generally operated by distinct entities. Due to the latter fact, service security has been of importance in such systems ever since. A dominant protocol for implementing SOA-based systems is SOAP, which comes with a well-elaborated security framework. As an alternative to SOAP, the architectural style representational state transfer (REST) is gaining traction as a simple, lightweight and flexible guideline for designing distributed service systems that scale at large. This paper starts by introducing the basic constraints representing REST. Based on these foundations, the focus is afterwards drawn on the security needs of REST-based service systems. The limitations of transport-oriented protection means are emphasized and the demand for specific message-oriented safeguards is assessed. The paper then reviews the current activities in respect to REST-security and finds that the available schemes are mostly HTTP-centered and very heterogeneous. More importantly, all of the analyzed schemes contain vulnerabilities. The paper contributes a methodology on how to establish REST-security as a general security framework for protecting REST-based service systems of any kind by consistent and comprehensive protection means. First adoptions of the introduced approach are presented in relation to REST message authentication with instantiations for REST-ful HTTP (web/cloud services) and REST-ful constraint application protocol (CoAP) (internet of things (IoT) services).
Origin of the Vanadiferous Serpentine–Magnetite Rocks of the Mt. Sorcerer Area, Lac Doré Layered Intrusion, Chibougamau, Québec
Authors: Mathieu Lucie
Published: March 2019

Magmatic processes dominate Fe–Ti–V mineralization and revealing these processes is essential for providing a scientific foundation for exploration models. This study focuses on the metamorphosed Neoarchean (ca. 2728 Ma) tholeiitic layered Lac Doré Complex (LDC) that is currently being explored for V. Contamination may play an important role in the evolution of the Fe–Ti–V-enriched layered zone (magnetitite, anorthosite, and gabbro mostly, and ultramafic rocks locally) of the LDC. This hypothesis is tested by performing a detailed chemical and petrological investigation of serpentine-magnetite-dominated rocks located in the Mt. Sorcerer area. The studied rocks have evolved (apatite-bearing, Fe-rich, Cr-Ni-Ti-poor) and primitive (Mg-rich, Si-poor) characteristics. Pre-metamorphism rocks contained olivine Fo82–90 (now serpentine) and magnetite. These rocks formed from a Si-depleted magma under high fO2 conditions (+1.8 to +3.0 relative to the fayalite-magnetite-quartz buffer; FMQ). The V-content of the magnetite varies due to reversals related to multiple injections of an evolved basaltic magma in the upper part of the LDC. The magma interacted with Fe-Mg-rich and Si-Ca-poor carbonate-facies iron formation and crystallized in the presence of oxidizing CO2-bearing fluids. Compositional layering is poorly defined due to a fast cooling rate. Consequently, the distribution of V is relatively homogeneous in the Fe–Mg-rich units of the Mt. Sorcerer area.
Survey and Photogrammetric Restitution of Monumental Complexes: Issues and Solutions—The Case of the Manfredonic Castle of Mussomeli
Authors: Scianna Andrea , La Guardia Marcello
Published: March 2019

The latest results obtained through photogrammetric restitution enhanced by GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) survey achieved increased levels of accuracy. These survey solutions are used to rapidly obtain a detailed model with an excellent level of accuracy (centimetric) with cheaper equipment. However, the contour conditions are not always favorable for obtaining the best results in a simple way. The work presented in this paper shows the survey and the photogrammetric restitution of the Manfredonic Castle of Mussomeli in Sicily, developed as a part of the PON NEPTIS European Project, aimed at the valorization of Cultural Heritage (CH). This case is a typical example of a complex survey carried out in an impervious environment where traditional survey procedures are totally useless or require a longer amount of time and great effort if a high level of accuracy is requested. In this case, considering the natural conditions of the site, the only way to perform the task has been the use of photogrammetric restitution based on UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) technologies and GNSS survey. The precision obtained from the results allowed us to create a geometric 3D reconstruction of the monumental complex of the castle for the valorization of the site, which was the main goal of the whole process. The procedure that is the focus of this work is a test of rapid 3D CH survey and documentation in an impervious environment.
Effects of Seeding Pattern and Cultivar on Productivity of Baby Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) Grown Hydroponically in Deep-Water Culture
Authors: Janeczko Daniel B. , Timmons Michael B.
Published: March 2019

Baby spinach (Spinacia oleracea) was grown in a bench-scale deep-water culture (DWC) system in expanded polystyrene (EPS) plug trays. Two experiments were performed. In the first, different seeding patterns, [1-2-1-2…] or [3-0-3-0…] seeds per sequential cell, at the same overall density per tray, were compared to evaluate the potential of an EPS tray designed with fewer cells, but sown with more seeds per cell (to preserve canopy density). Using such a flat would lower growing substrate requirements. Seeding in the [3-0-3-0…] pattern reduced seed germination, but only by 5%. Harvested fresh weight was also less numerically in the [3-0-3-0…] pattern but not statistically. The second experiment observed cultivars Carmel, Seaside and Space grown concurrently. Carmel had the highest germination, nearly 100%, which was significantly greater than Seaside but not Space. Germination for Space was not significantly different from that of Seaside. Carmel also had the highest harvested fresh weight but was not significantly different from Space; both Carmel and Space produced significantly more harvested fresh weight than Seaside.
Start-Up of a Biofilter in a Full-Scale Groundwater Treatment Plant for Iron and Manganese Removal
Authors: Zeng Huiping , Yin Can , Zhang Jie , Li Dong
Published: February 2019

In recent years, biological purification technology has been widely developed in the process of iron and manganese removal from groundwater. The cultivation and maturation of the biological filter layer are key for biological iron and manganese removal processes. The time needed for maturation varies significantly with the water quality, filter and filter media conditions and operation parameters; sometimes it takes only one or two months, sometime more than half a year. In this paper, the feasibility of adopting an intermittent operation for the cultivation of biofilter was investigated with productive filters in a groundwater treatment plant, and the comparative test of the filter column was conducted. The results showed that the intermittent operation had little effect on the cultivation of the biofilter because dissolved oxygen would be gradually exhausted during the filter-suspension process, making the filter layer anaerobic, thus possibly inhibiting the growth and reproduction of IMOB (Iron and Manganese Oxidizing Bacteria). At the same time, the test shows that when the mature biological filter needs the suspension operation, the emptying method should be considered to avoid the destruction of the biological layer.
Prevalence of Pressure Injuries Nationwide from 2009 to 2015: Results from the National Inpatient Sample Database in Korea
Authors: Kim Gyeong Hoe , Lee Jin Yong , Kim Jayeun , Kim Hyun Joo , Park Ji-Ung
Published: February 2019

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence pattern of pressure injuries (PIs), or ‘sores’, in South Korea and investigate the factors affecting its development. We estimated the annual prevalence of PIs using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) data extracted from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) database from 2009 to 2015. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to examine the association between hospitalization and socio-demographic characteristics, such as sex, age, type of health insurance, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and plegia comorbidity. We found that inpatients with PIs make up to 0.86% of the total population in South Korea in 2015, which had shown a steady increase from the previous years. And male, old age, low socioeconomic status (SES), and the patients’ severity such as high CCI and the plegia comorbidity were strongly associated with hospitalization due to PI. Based on our results, it would be anticipated that the medical cost for treatment and management of PIs will increase in the future, and it will be accelerated due to the rapidly aging society. In addition, patients in low SES and patients with severe comorbidities would be relatively more burdensome, threatening their household economy and further reducing the quality of life. Therefore, PIs should not be overlooked as the responsibility of just the nursing care professionals but should be recognized as one of the serious societal problems. The establishment of an intense medical care system is needed not only to reduce the prevalence of PIs but also to increase the awareness in people with PI patients.
Intimate Partner Violence in Relation to Husband Characteristics and Women Empowerment: Evidence from Nepal
Authors: Gautam Sujan , Jeong Hyoung-Sun
Published: February 2019

The purpose of this study is to assess the magnitude of intimate partner violence (IPV) and associated factors among women in Nepal. The secondary data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2016 was used. This study was confined to the respondents selected for the domestic violence module. The association between experience of IPV ‘ever’ and ‘in the past year’ with selected factors were examined by using Chi-square test, followed by multivariate logistic regression. Complex sample analysis procedure was adopted to adjust for multi-stage sampling design, cluster weight, and sample weight. The result revealed that 26.3% of ever-married women experienced any form of IPV at some point in their lives, while only 13.7% has experienced any form of IPV in the past year. The factors associated with both ‘lifetime’ and ‘past year’ experience of IPV includes women witnessing parental violence during their childhood, the husband being drunk frequently, women being afraid of their husband most of the times, and women whose husbands shows marital control behavior. Women’s experiencing IPV was associated more with husband related factors than with women’s empowerment indicators. Reducing IPV requires a commitment to changing the norms that promote the husband’s behavior of controlling his wives and beating her.
Understanding System-Level Intervention Points to Support School Food and Nutrition Policy Implementation in Nova Scotia, Canada
Authors: McIsaac Jessie-Lee D. , Spencer Rebecca , Stewart Melissa , Penney Tarra , Brushett Sara , Kirk Sara F.L.
Published: February 2019

Supporting the implementation of school food and nutrition policies (SFNPs) is an international priority to encourage healthier eating among children and youth. Such policies can improve equitable access, resources, and supports for healthy eating. However, despite the potential impact of SFNPs, several implementation barriers have been reported. This study sought to examine the system-level intervention points within a school food system using a complex systems framework. We conducted semi-structured interviews with various stakeholders working to influence the school food system in Nova Scotia, Canada. We sought to understand their roles and experiences with the SFNP by applying the Intervention Level Framework (ILF), a novel, solutions-oriented approach to better understand how complex systems function. Participants (n = 33) included teachers, parents, cafeteria workers, public health staff and non-profit organizations. Interview transcripts were first coded, then themed and finally analyzed using the ILF, resulting in three intervention points within the school food system. These were defined as: (1) Actors and Elements, (2) System Regulation and Interconnections and (3) Purpose and Values. We concluded that understanding the interactions between these system levels and stakeholder roles can help to inform the development of relevant policy strategies that better support healthier school food environments in this jurisdiction.
Health Benefits from Upgrading Public Buses for Cleaner Air: A Case Study of Clark County, Nevada and the United States
Authors: Olawepo John O. , Chen L.-W. Antony
Published: March 2019

Public transit buses, which move more than 5 billion passengers annually in the United States (U.S.), can contribute substantially to the environmental health burden through emitted air pollutants. As a leader in transforming to cleaner bus fleets, the Regional Transport Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) has been transitioning from diesel to compressed natural gas (CNG) transit buses since 1999. By 2017, ~75% of RTC’s buses operating in Clark County, Nevada were CNG-powered. This study assesses the health benefits of the venture using the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Co-Benefits Risk Assessment (COBRA) model, considering the emission and exposure changes from the 2017 baseline for two hypothetical scenarios: (1) no transition (CC_D) and (2) complete transition (CC_N). The CC_D scenario shows realized health benefits, mostly due to avoided mortality, of $0.79–8.21 million per year for 2017 alone, while CC_N suggests an additional $0.88–2.24 million annually that could be achieved by completing the transition. The wide range of estimates partly reflects uncertainties in determining diesel bus emissions under business-as-usual. These health benefits were not limited locally, with ~70% going to other counties. Two national-scale scenarios, US_D and US_N, were also constructed to explore the health impact of transitioning from diesel to CNG buses across the U.S. As of 2017, with CNG powering only ~20% of transit bus mileages nationwide, there could be massive unrealized health benefits of $0.98–2.48 billion per year including 114–258 avoided premature deaths and >5000 avoided respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. Taking into account the health benefits, economic costs, and the inter-state nature of air pollution, expanding federal assistances to accelerate a nationwide transition to cleaner bus fleets is highly recommended.
Frequency and Predictors of Alcohol-Related Outcomes Following Alcohol Residential Rehabilitation Programs: A 12-Month Follow-Up Study
Authors: Fiabane Elena , Scotti Lorenza , Zambon Antonella , Vittadini Giovanni , Giorgi Ines
Published: March 2019

Excessive use of alcohol has been identified as a major risk factor for diseases, injury conditions and increased mortality. The aims of this study were to estimate the frequency of success (abstinence and no alcohol related hospitalization) at 6- and 12-month follow-up after hospital discharge, and to identify the predictors of success. In 2009, a total of 1040 patients at their first admission in one of the 12 Residential Alcohol Abuse Rehabilitation Units (RAARUs) participating in the CORRAL (COordinamento of Residenzialità Riabilitative ALcologiche) project were included in the study. Several socio-demographic and clinical variables, and the number of treatments’ strategies during the rehabilitation were collected. Information on alcohol abstinence and no alcohol related hospitalization was assessed through a phone interview using a health worker-administered structured questionnaire at six and 12 months after discharge. An inverse probability weighted, repeated measures Poisson regression model with robust variance was applied to estimate the association between patients’ characteristics and the study’s outcomes, accounting for non-responders status. The frequencies of abstinence and non-alcohol related hospitalization were 68.38% and 90.73% at six months, respectively, and 68.65% and 87.6% at 12 months, respectively. Patients that were already abstainers in the month before RAARUs’ admission have an increased probability of being abstainers after discharge (relative risk: RR 1.20, 95% confidence interval: 95%CI 1.08–1.33) and of having an alcohol related hospitalization at 12 months. Subjects undergoing more than four treatment strategies (RR 1.19; 95% CI 1.01–1.40) had a higher abstinence probability and lower probability of no alcohol related hospitalizations after 12 months. Finally, patients with dual diagnosis (co-occurrence of alcohol abuse/dependence and psychiatric disorders) have a decreased probability of not being hospitalized for alcohol-related problems (RR 0.95; 95% CI 0.91–0.99). The results of this study suggest that specific attention should be paid to the intensity of treatment, with particular regard to a multidisciplinary rehabilitation in order to respond to the complexity of alcohol dependent patients.
Combined Assessment of Preschool Childrens’ Exposure to Substances in Household Products
Authors: Kim Joo-hyon , Seok Kwangseol
Published: March 2019

Understanding how indoor-air contaminants affect human health is of critical importance in our developed society. We assessed the combined exposure by inhalation of preschool children and children to household products. A total of 1175 families with 72 infants, 158 toddlers, 230 children, and 239 youths were surveyed to determine the combined respiratory exposure concentrations and amounts associated with 21 substances in eight household product groups. We determined the mean concentrations of these substances in each product, and derived reference toxicity values based on the information gathered in order to identify respiratory health risks. On average, cleaners were used at a rate of 1.0 × 103 g/month, while coating agents and other substances were used at 43 g/month. The combined inhalation exposure concentrations of methanol to infants and toddlers were 5.1 and 4.2 mg/m3 per month, respectively, with values of 2.1 and 1.7 mg/m3 for isopropanol, respectively. Risks to preschool children and children should be assessed on the basis of the toxicity values of combined exposed hazardous substances, as well as their combined concentrations and amounts. This exposure assessment approach can be used to establish improved guidelines for products that may pose inhalation hazards to preschool children and children.
European Digital Elevation Model Validation against Extensive Global Navigation Satellite Systems Data and Comparison with SRTM DEM and ASTER GDEM in Central Macedonia (Greece)
Authors: Mouratidis Antonios , Ampatzidis Dimitrios
Published: March 2019

Digital elevation models (DEMs) are a widely used form of topographic information, with some of the most popular being the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) DEM and the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer Global Digital Elevation Model (ASTER GDEM). These two sources of topographical information are the main constituents of the European Union Digital Elevation Model (EU-DEM), which is a relatively new dataset of the EU’s Copernicus Land Monitoring Service. In this context, the purpose of this study was to validate EU-DEM for its vertical accuracy and to compare it with SRTM DEM and ASTER GDEM data. This was achieved in a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment, using extensive—in the order of tens of thousands of points—geodetic Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) measurements and appropriate pre-processing steps. The absolute elevation errors results had a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 2.7 m at a 90% confidence level and characterize the performance of EU-DEM from local to regional scale, generally confirming that it is an enhanced source of elevation information when compared with its predecessors.
Complete Chloroplast Genomes and Comparative Analysis of Sequences Evolution among Seven Aristolochia (Aristolochiaceae) Medicinal Species
Authors: Li Xiaoqin , Zuo Yunjuan , Zhu Xinxin , Liao Shuai , Ma Jinshuang
Published: March 2019

Aristolochiaceae, comprising about 600 species, is a unique plant family containing aristolochic acids (AAs). In this study, we sequenced seven species of Aristolochia, and retrieved eleven chloroplast (cp) genomes published for comparative genomics analysis and phylogenetic constructions. The results show that the cp genomes had a typical quadripartite structure with conserved genome arrangement and moderate divergence. The cp genomes range from 159,308 bp to 160,520 bp in length and have a similar GC content of 38.5%–38.9%. A total number of 113 genes were identified, including 79 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNAs and four rRNAs. Although genomic structure and size were highly conserved, the IR-SC boundary regions were variable between these seven cp genomes. The trnH-GUG genes, are one of major differences between the plastomes of the two subgenera Siphisia and Aristolochia. We analyzed the features of nucleotide substitutions, distribution of repeat sequences and simple sequences repeats (SSRs), positive selections in the cp genomes, and identified 16 hotspot regions for genomes divergence that could be utilized as potential markers for phylogeny reconstruction. Phylogenetic relationships of the family Aristolochiaceae inferred from the 18 cp genome sequences were consistent and robust, using maximum parsimony (MP), maximum likelihood (ML), and Bayesian analysis (BI) methods.