bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From the Ocean to the Lab—Assessing Iron Limitation in Cyanobacteria: An Interface Paper
Authors: Hunnestad Annie Vera , Vogel Anne Ilse Maria , Armstrong Evelyn , Digernes Maria Guadalupe , Ardelan Murat Van , Hohmann-Marriott Martin Frank
Published: November 2020

Iron is an essential, yet scarce, nutrient in marine environments. Phytoplankton, and especially cyanobacteria, have developed a wide range of mechanisms to acquire iron and maintain their iron-rich photosynthetic machinery. Iron limitation studies often utilize either oceanographic methods to understand large scale processes, or laboratory-based, molecular experiments to identify underlying molecular mechanisms on a cellular level. Here, we aim to highlight the benefits of both approaches to encourage interdisciplinary understanding of the effects of iron limitation on cyanobacteria with a focus on avoiding pitfalls in the initial phases of collaboration. In particular, we discuss the use of trace metal clean methods in combination with sterile techniques, and the challenges faced when a new collaboration is set up to combine interdisciplinary techniques. Methods necessary for producing reliable data, such as High Resolution Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS), Flow Injection Analysis Chemiluminescence (FIA-CL), and 77K fluorescence emission spectroscopy are discussed and evaluated and a technical manual, including the preparation of the artificial seawater medium Aquil, cleaning procedures, and a sampling scheme for an iron limitation experiment is included. This paper provides a reference point for researchers to implement different techniques into interdisciplinary iron studies that span cyanobacteria physiology, molecular biology, and biogeochemistry.
The Role of APOBECs in Viral Replication
Authors: Xu Wendy Kaichun , Byun Hyewon , Dudley Jaquelin P.
Published: November 2020

Apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-like (APOBEC) proteins are a diverse and evolutionarily conserved family of cytidine deaminases that provide a variety of functions from tissue-specific gene expression and immunoglobulin diversity to control of viruses and retrotransposons. APOBEC family expansion has been documented among mammalian species, suggesting a powerful selection for their activity. Enzymes with a duplicated zinc-binding domain often have catalytically active and inactive domains, yet both have antiviral function. Although APOBEC antiviral function was discovered through hypermutation of HIV-1 genomes lacking an active Vif protein, much evidence indicates that APOBECs also inhibit virus replication through mechanisms other than mutagenesis. Multiple steps of the viral replication cycle may be affected, although nucleic acid replication is a primary target. Packaging of APOBECs into virions was first noted with HIV-1, yet is not a prerequisite for viral inhibition. APOBEC antagonism may occur in viral producer and recipient cells. Signatures of APOBEC activity include G-to-A and C-to-T mutations in a particular sequence context. The importance of APOBEC activity for viral inhibition is reflected in the identification of numerous viral factors, including HIV-1 Vif, which are dedicated to antagonism of these deaminases. Such viral antagonists often are only partially successful, leading to APOBEC selection for viral variants that enhance replication or avoid immune elimination.
A Possible Role of Insertion Sequence IS1216V in Dissemination of Multidrug-Resistant Elements MESPM1 and MES6272-2 between Enterococcus and ST59 Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Lin Yu-Tzu , Tseng Sung-Pin , Hung Wei-Wen , Chang Chen-Chia , Chen You-Han , Jao Ya-Ting , Chen Yen-Hsu , Teng Lee-Jene , Hung Wei-Chun
Published: November 2020

Sequence type 59 (ST59) is the dominant type of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Taiwan. Previously, we reported that ST59 MRSA harbors enterococcal IS1216V-mediated multidrug-resistant composite transposons MESPM1 or MES6272-2. The MES were found to have a mosaic structure, largely originating in enterococci and partly native to S. aureus. The current study aimed to track the origin of the MES and how they disseminated from enterococci to ST59 S. aureus. A total of 270 enterococcal isolates were analyzed, showing that two ST64 Enterococcus faecalis isolated in 1992 and 11 clonal complex 17 Enterococcus faecium harbored MESPM1-like and MES6272-2-like structures, respectively. Sequence analysis revealed that ST64 E. faecalis strain N48 acquired the MESPM1-like structure on the plasmid pEflis48. The pEflis48 harbored the enterococci-originated region (erythromycin, kanamycin, and streptomycin resistances) and the S.aureus-originated region (chloramphenicol resistance) of MESPM1 but was separated by the replication region of the plasmid. Homologous recombination between the two direct repeats of IS1216V resulted in excision of the replication region of the plasmid to regenerate MESPM1. The p4780-1 and pV19 of E. faecium carried MES6272-2-like structures with IS1216V, albeit with multiple insertions by other insertion sequences. The findings show that IS1216V plays important roles in bidirectional gene transfer of multidrug resistance between enterococci and S. aureus.
The Influence of Non-Engineered Municipal Landfills on Groundwater Chemistry and Quality in Bloemfontein, South Africa
Authors: Makhadi Rinae , Oke Saheed A. , Ololade Olusola O.
Published: November 2020

This study assessed the groundwater quality around two municipal solid waste landfill sites, in the city of Bloemfontein, Free State Province, South Africa. The two landfill sites are located in two contrasting geological terrains, with both lacking some basic facilities found in a well-designed landfill. A total of eight groundwater samples were collected from pollution monitoring boreholes near the two landfill sites, with five samples representing the northern landfill site and three samples representing the southern landfill site. The samples were collected in the autumn and winter seasons to assess any possible seasonal variations. They were analysed for physicochemical (pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolve solids (TDS), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total organic carbon (TOC)) and microbiological parameters (Escherichia coli, total coliform). The results of the analysis showed that the waters from both landfills were generally dominated by Ca, Mg, SO4, and HCO3 ions. Some of the major anions and cations in the water samples were above the South African National Standard (SANS241:2015) and World Health Organisation (WHO) permissible limits for drinking water. Majority of the boreholes had total dissolved solids and electrical conductivity values exceeding the SANS 241:2015 and WHO permissible limits. Piper trilinear plots for the two landfill sites showed that Ca(Mg)HCO3 water type predominates, but Ca(Mg)SO4 and Ca(Mg)Cl were also found. These water types were further confirmed with expanded Durov diagrams, indicating that that the boreholes represented a water type that is seldom found which is undergoing ion exchange, typical of sulphate contamination. From the SAR diagrams, boreholes in the northern landfill site had a high salinity hazard with only one borehole in the southern landfill site having a high salinity hazard. The geology was found to play a significant role in the distribution of contaminants into the groundwater systems in the study area. The study concluded that the northern landfill site had a poorer water quality in comparison to the southern landfill site based on the analysed physicochemical parameters. However, the southern landfill site showed significant microbial contamination, due to the elevated amount of E. coli and total coliform concentrations. The high permeability of the weathered dolerites in the northern landfill site might have enabled the percolation of contaminants into the groundwater resulting in the poorer water quality.
Outdoor Visible Light Communication Channel Modeling under Smoke Conditions and Analogy with Fog Conditions
Authors: Georlette Véronique , Bette Sébastien , Brohez Sylvain , Pérez-Jiménez Rafael , Point Nicolas , Moeyaert Véronique
Published: November 2020

Visible Light Communication (VLC) has gained popularity in research and business in the last decade. This technology aims to combine lighting and communication into a single device. For now, this technology has been thoroughly studied for an indoor environment, but it is sufficiently mature nowadays to consider its outdoor-environment potentials. The key outdoor challenges are the weather variabilities and smoke particles in cities due to pollution or fires. The aim of this is the study and quantification of the weather and smoke particles’ impact on a short-range optical communication thanks to a simulator. This article’s novelty is the inclusion of the effects of smoke in a short-range outdoor VLC system channel model. This smoke model, which comes from the fire engineering field, states that smoke attenuation is independent of the wavelength, starting from high visibility to 5 m. The visibility represents the distance up to which an object can be distinguished against the background. The effects of fog and smoke are studied in the case of two outdoor VLC scenarios. Smoke and fog models have analogous equations to express the optical attenuation they induce, using the visibility concept. Taking into account the actual light-emitting diode (LED) lamp radiation pattern, the simulator computes the power at the receiver side and the channel attenuation coefficients for a given fog or/and smoke outdoor setting. The main result drawn in this paper is that the channel attenuation levels due to fog and smoke are both in the same order of magnitude, starting from the visibility of about 1 km. The attenuation induced by fog is higher under this threshold of 1 km.
Slit Diffraction Spectrum Manipulation in Non-Paraxial Regions via the Spatial-Spectral Correspondence Relationship
Authors: Hsu Hsun-Ching , Han Pin
Published: November 2020

In the past, a two-dimensional aperture diffraction of light in the non-paraxial region could only be studied using the Huygens integral without functional forms. This work presents a special case—a one dimension slit where the functional form can be obtained. The monochromatic light intensity distributions are investigated in detail. Using the correspondence relationship, the diffracted spectra of polychromatic light in that region can be readily found. Three interesting spectral effects are described: spectral switches, multi-level data transmission, and optical wavelength ruler. Since the functional form is derived without approximation, it is applicable to a region very near to the slit, including the wavelength region or even sub-wavelength scale. Thus, for light with micron-order wavelength (visible to near infrared (NIR) band), these results are valuable to micro- or nano-optics, especially for studies of the spatial intensities or spectral characteristics in the non-paraxial region.
Comparative Analysis of Complete Chloroplast Genome Sequences of Wild and Cultivated Bougainvillea (Nyctaginaceae)
Authors: Bautista Mary Ann C. , Zheng Yan , Hu Zhangli , Deng Yunfei , Chen Tao
Published: November 2020

Bougainvillea (Nyctaginaceae) is a popular ornamental plant group primarily grown for its striking colorful bracts. However, despite its established horticultural value, limited genomic resources and molecular studies have been reported for this genus. Thus, to address this existing gap, complete chloroplast genomes of four species (Bougainvillea glabra, Bougainvillea peruviana, Bougainvillea pachyphylla, Bougainvillea praecox) and one Bougainvillea cultivar were sequenced and characterized. The Bougainvillea cp genomes range from 153,966 bp to 154,541 bp in length, comprising a large single-copy region (85,159 bp–85,708 bp) and a small single-copy region (18,014 bp–18,078 bp) separated by a pair of inverted repeats (25,377–25,427 bp). All sequenced plastomes have 131 annotated genes, including 86 protein-coding, eight rRNA, and 37 tRNA genes. These five newly sequenced Bougainvillea cp genomes were compared to the Bougainvillea spectabilis cp genome deposited in GeBank. The results showed that all cp genomes have highly similar structures, contents, and organization. They all exhibit quadripartite structures and all have the same numbers of genes and introns. Codon usage, RNA editing sites, and repeat analyses also revealed highly similar results for the six cp genomes. The amino acid leucine has the highest proportion and almost all favored synonymous codons have either an A or U ending. Likewise, out of the 42 predicted RNA sites, most conversions were from serine (S) to leucine (L). The majority of the simple sequence repeats detected were A/T mononucleotides, making the cp genomes A/T-rich. The contractions and expansions of the IR boundaries were very minimal as well, hence contributing very little to the differences in genome size. In addition, sequence variation analyses showed that Bougainvillea cp genomes share nearly identical genomic profiles though several potential barcodes, such as ycf1, ndhF, and rpoA were identified. Higher variation was observed in both B. peruviana and B. pachyphylla cp sequences based on SNPs and indels analysis. Phylogenetic reconstructions further showed that these two species appear to be the basal taxa of Bougainvillea. The rarely cultivated and wild species of Bougainvillea (B. pachyphylla, B. peruviana, B. praecox) diverged earlier than the commonly cultivated species and cultivar (B. spectabilis, B. glabra, B. cv.). Overall, the results of this study provide additional genetic resources that can aid in further phylogenetic and evolutionary studies in Bougainvillea. Moreover, genetic information from this study is potentially useful in identifying Bougainvillea species and cultivars, which is essential for both taxonomic and plant breeding studies.
Leaf Gas Exchange of Tomato Depends on Abscisic Acid and Jasmonic Acid in Response to Neighboring Plants under Different Soil Nitrogen Regimes
Authors: Li Shuang , Hamani Abdoul Kader Mounkaila , Si Zhuanyun , Liang Yueping , Gao Yang , Duan Aiwang
Published: November 2020

High planting density and nitrogen shortage are two important limiting factors for crop yield. Phytohormones, abscisic acid (ABA), and jasmonic acid (JA), play important roles in plant growth. A pot experiment was conducted to reveal the role of ABA and JA in regulating leaf gas exchange and growth in response to the neighborhood of plants under different nitrogen regimes. The experiment included two factors: two planting densities per pot (a single plant or four competing plants) and two N application levels per pot (1 and 15 mmol·L−1). Compared to when a single plant was grown per pot, neighboring competition decreased stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration (Tr) and net photosynthesis (Pn). Shoot ABA and JA and the shoot-to-root ratio increased in response to neighbors. Both gs and Pn were negatively related to shoot ABA and JA. In addition, N shortage stimulated the accumulation of ABA in roots, especially for competing plants, whereas root JA in competing plants did not increase in N15. Pearson’s correlation coefficient (R2) of gs to ABA and gs to JA was higher in N1 than in N15. As compared to the absolute value of slope of gs to shoot ABA in N15, it increased in N1. Furthermore, the stomatal limitation and non-stomatal limitation of competing plants in N1 were much higher than in other treatments. It was concluded that the accumulations of ABA and JA in shoots play a coordinating role in regulating gs and Pn in response to neighbors; N shortage could intensify the impact of competition on limiting carbon fixation and plant growth directly.
Antioxidant Molecules from Plant Waste: Extraction Techniques and Biological Properties
Authors: Lizárraga-Velázquez Cynthia E. , Leyva-López Nayely , Hernández Crisantema , Gutiérrez-Grijalva Erick Paul , Salazar-Leyva Jesús A. , Osuna-Ruíz Idalia , Martínez-Montaño Emmanuel , Arrizon Javier , Guerrero Abraham , Benitez-Hernández Asahel , Ávalos-Soriano Anaguiven
Published: November 2020

The fruit, vegetable, legume, and cereal industries generate many wastes, representing an environmental pollution problem. However, these wastes are a rich source of antioxidant molecules such as terpenes, phenolic compounds, phytosterols, and bioactive peptides with potential applications mainly in the food and pharmaceutical industries, and they exhibit multiple biological properties including antidiabetic, anti-obesity, antihypertensive, anticancer, and antibacterial properties. The aforementioned has increased studies on the recovery of antioxidant compounds using green technologies to value plant waste, since they represent more efficient and sustainable processes. In this review, the main antioxidant molecules from plants are briefly described and the advantages and disadvantages of the use of conventional and green extraction technologies used for the recovery and optimization of the yield of antioxidant naturals are detailed; finally, recent studies on biological properties of antioxidant molecules extracted from plant waste are presented here.
Syngas Derived from Lignocellulosic Biomass Gasification as an Alternative Resource for Innovative Bioprocesses
Authors: Ciliberti Cosetta , Biundo Antonino , Albergo Roberto , Agrimi Gennaro , Braccio Giacobbe , de Bari Isabella , Pisano Isabella
Published: November 2020

A hybrid system based on lignocellulosic biomass gasification and syngas fermentation represents a second-generation biorefinery approach that is currently in the development phase. Lignocellulosic biomass can be gasified to produce syngas, which is a gas mixture consisting mainly of H2, CO, and CO2. The major challenge of biomass gasification is the syngas’s final quality. Consequently, the development of effective syngas clean-up technologies has gained increased interest in recent years. Furthermore, the bioconversion of syngas components has been intensively studied using acetogenic bacteria and their Wood–Ljungdahl pathway to produce, among others, acetate, ethanol, butyrate, butanol, caproate, hexanol, 2,3-butanediol, and lactate. Nowadays, syngas fermentation appears to be a promising alternative for producing commodity chemicals in comparison to fossil-based processes. Research studies on syngas fermentation have been focused on process design and optimization, investigating the medium composition, operating parameters, and bioreactor design. Moreover, metabolic engineering efforts have been made to develop genetically modified strains with improved production. In 2018, for the first time, a syngas fermentation pilot plant from biomass gasification was built by LanzaTech Inc. in cooperation with Aemetis, Inc. Future research will focus on coupling syngas fermentation with additional bioprocesses and/or on identifying new non-acetogenic microorganisms to produce high-value chemicals beyond acetate and ethanol.
SnO2/TiO2 Thin Film n-n Heterostructures of Improved Sensitivity to NO2
Authors: Nowak Piotr , Maziarz Wojciech , Rydosz Artur , Kowalski Kazimierz , Ziąbka Magdalena , Zakrzewska Katarzyna
Published: November 2020

Thin-film n-n nanoheterostructures of SnO2/TiO2, highly sensitive to NO2, were obtained in a two-step process: (i) magnetron sputtering, MS followed by (ii) Langmuir-Blodgett, L–B, technique. Thick (200 nm) SnO2 base layers were deposited by MS and subsequently overcoated with a thin and discontinuous TiO2 film by means of L–B. Rutile nanopowder spread over the ethanol/chloroform/water formed a suspension, which was used as a source in L–B method. The morphology, crystallographic and electronic properties of the prepared sensors were studied by scanning electron microscopy, SEM, X-ray diffraction, XRD in glancing incidence geometry, GID, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, XPS, and uv-vis-nir spectrophotometry, respectively. It was found that amorphous SnO2 films responded to relatively low concentrations of NO2 of about 200 ppb. A change of more than two orders of magnitude in the electrical resistivity upon exposure to NO2 was further enhanced in SnO2/TiO2 n-n nanoheterostructures. The best sensor responses RNO2/R0 were obtained at the lowest operating temperatures of about 120 °C, which is typical for nanomaterials. Response (recovery) times to 400 ppb NO2 were determined as a function of the operating temperature and indicated a significant decrease from 62 (42) s at 123 °C to 12 (19) s at 385 °C A much smaller sensitivity to H2 was observed, which might be advantageous for selective detection of nitrogen oxides. The influence of humidity on the NO2 response was demonstrated to be significantly below 150 °C and systematically decreased upon increase in the operating temperature up to 400 °C.
Horizontally Elongated Time Domain Reflectometry System for Evaluation of Soil Moisture Distribution
Authors: Kim Dong-Ju , Yu Jung-Doung , Byun Yong-Hoon
Published: November 2020

The objective of this study was to develop a horizontally elongated time domain reflectometry (HETDR) system to evaluate the water content in nonuniformly wetted soils. The HETDR probe consists of three rods of stainless steel and a cuboid head: A center electrode and two outer electrodes are connected to the inner and outer conductors of a coaxial cable, respectively. An acrylic container divided into several segments was used to prepare nonuniformly wetted soils with different water contents for a series of model tests. The HETDR probe was placed horizontally at the middle height of each soil specimen, while a conventional time domain reflectometry (TDR) probe was applied vertically on the surface of the specimen. The experimental results show that as the soil water content (SWC) at a segment increases, the average amplitude decreases and the duration increases. The estimated SWC increases with the measured SWC, and especially, the difference between actual segment length and the segment length estimated from the HETDR probes is significant under dry conditions. This study demonstrates that HETDR may be a promising field-testing method for evaluating the average water content in nonuniformly wetted soils.
Domiciliary Hospitalization through Wearable Biomonitoring Patches: Recent Advances, Technical Challenges, and the Relation to Covid-19
Authors: Silva André F. , Tavakoli Mahmoud
Published: November 2020

This article reviews recent advances and existing challenges for the application of wearable bioelectronics for patient monitoring and domiciliary hospitalization. More specifically, we focus on technical challenges and solutions for the implementation of wearable and conformal bioelectronics for long-term patient biomonitoring and discuss their application on the Internet of medical things (IoMT). We first discuss the general architecture of IoMT systems for domiciliary hospitalization and the three layers of the system, including the sensing, communication, and application layers. In regard to the sensing layer, we focus on current trends, recent advances, and challenges in the implementation of stretchable patches. This includes fabrication strategies and solutions for energy storage and energy harvesting, such as printed batteries and supercapacitors. As a case study, we discuss the application of IoMT for domiciliary hospitalization of COVID 19 patients. This can be used as a strategy to reduce the pressure on the healthcare system, as it allows continuous patient monitoring and reduced physical presence in the hospital, and at the same time enables the collection of large data for posterior analysis. Finally, based on the previous works in the field, we recommend a conceptual IoMT design for wearable monitoring of COVID 19 patients.
Evaluation of Nutrition Knowledge in Female Gaelic Games Players
Authors: Renard Michèle , Kelly David T. , Chéilleachair Niamh Ní , Catháin Ciarán Ó
Published: November 2020

Improvements in nutrition knowledge have been associated with increased carbohydrate consumption and greater adherence to dietary recommendations among female athletes. In order to assess whether nutrition knowledge interventions in female Gaelic games players may be beneficial, it is necessary to first of all investigate current levels of nutrition knowledge in this population. Given that many demographic characteristics have been shown to influence nutrition knowledge, it is also important for these to be investigated. The aims of this study were to evaluate the nutrition knowledge of female Gaelic games players, compare knowledge by players’ characteristics and identify players’ preferences for information and support. A validated 35-item questionnaire was completed by 328 female Gaelic games players (Age: 23.7 ± 5.0 years). Players’ mean nutrition knowledge score was 46.0% ± 11.8% and classified as “poor”. Elite players scored greater (+4.5–5.9%, p < 0.05) than subelite players. Players with higher levels of general education, history of formal nutrition education and previous advice from a nutritionist also presented greater nutrition knowledge (+3.7–7.5%, p < 0.05). Future education interventions with female Gaelic games players may lead to beneficial changes in dietary behaviour and would likely benefit from stratifying content based on athletes’ demographic characteristics, given the differences observed.
Fruit Quality Properties of Walnut (Juglans regia L.) Genetic Resources in Montenegro
Authors: Jaćimović Vučeta , Adakalić Mirjana , Ercisli Sezai , Božović Djina , Bujdoso Geza
Published: November 2020

Centuries-old generative reproduction, relatively favourable agro-ecological conditions, natural selection, and anthropogenic roles have significantly influenced the formation of a rich, heterogeneous population of common walnuts in Montenegro. This variability can be exploited by applying a positive selection of genotypes that would have good ecological adaptability and high economic value and that would not lag behind walnut varieties originating from other countries. The paper presents the results of studying 20 selected walnut genotypes from the continental part of Montenegro in a three-year period. Šeinovo variety and the Rasna selection were used as standard. The most important biological and pomological properties were investigated based on the international walnut descriptor. The basic criteria on which the selection approach was based were: late vegetation initiation, earlier date of end of vegetation, well kernel ratio, ease of kernel removal from the shell, shell texture that should be less rough, protecting the kernel, tasty kernel, light coloured kernel, and good chemical composition of the kernel. Genotypes had fruit weight between 8.43 and 13.84 g, kernel weight between 4.20 and 6.54 g, kernel ratio between 39.20 and 52.25%, oil content between 62.04 and 67.23%, and protein content between 13.91 and 19.04%. Most of the selected genotypes have the late time of leaf bud burst, and from that point of view, the BP44 and BP42 genotypes that the leafing on May 5 and 6 are especially interesting, due to avoidance of late frost. The walnut is adapted to the existing agro-ecological conditions over a long period of successful growth in this region, and most genotypes finish their vegetation earlier and are prepared to enter the period of winter dormancy. Genotypes BP09 and AN29 with their properties surpass the worldwide recognized Šeinovo, and in this region, highly valued selection Rasna. BP48 and BP50 genotypes also deserve attention due to the quality of the fruit.
Innovative Infrastructure Fund to Ensure the Financial Sustainability of PPP Projects: The Case of Chile
Authors: Mansilla Patricio , Vassallo José Manuel
Published: November 2020

Recently, the Chilean government created the Chilean Infrastructure Fund (CIF) that will allow taking advantage of the value of existing infrastructure assets. The fund will enable the government to finance new infrastructure projects with the resources obtained from new concessionaires’ payments to the government for the value of retendering existing public-private partnership (PPP) projects. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the contribution that this new public institution will bring to the financial sustainability of infrastructure in Chile, the opportunities and challenges for its implementation, and its economic value. The research has a qualitative and quantitative approach. Based on the understanding of the new concept of asset recycling, the application of economic foundations, and financial methodologies such as discounted cash flows and real options, the research assessed the institutional and economic value of the new Chilean Infrastructure Fund. The main findings are that the new Chilean Infrastructure Fund will create public value and public wealth since it will foster good governance, streamline the concession system, accelerate the implementation of sustainable PPP projects, and improve planning schemes among others. Other countries could follow this experience, promoting infrastructure funds to improve governance and accelerate the implementation of sustainable PPP projects.
Historical Public Parks: Investigating Contemporary Visitor Needs
Authors: Paraskevopoulou Angeliki , Klados Andreas , Malesios Chrysovalantis
Published: November 2020

Worldwide, several large-scale historical gardens have been adapted to social needs and became public parks. Historical parks, designed in a different era and often subjected to pressures for development, raise concerns in meeting contemporary visitor needs, rendering them vulnerable to private interests. The main purpose of this paper was to determine whether a historical park designed in a different era can meet today’s visitor needs. The National Garden (NG) in Athens, Greece, a well-protected historical park, was selected as a case study. A questionnaire survey addressed to the visitors of the NG was undertaken on the basis of the main components of park design, factors affecting visitation, and visitor perceptions of involvement in park management. A descriptive and regression analysis was applied. Even though the NG was not originally designed as a public park but as a garden, overall results showed it satisfies its visitor’s needs. The planting and associated tranquility are the most liked characteristics of the NG that are inextricably linked with its original design as a private garden. The main qualitative traits of plants that people like were found in the NG plant species. Suggested improvements to fulfill further contemporary visitor’s needs have to be considered carefully and must comply with the statutory measures that protect the NG and associated wildlife habitat. As in many urban parks, concerns for safety and cleanliness and willingness to volunteer in park maintenance were also expressed by visitors of the NG. This study illustrates that historical gardens designed many years ago and transformed into public parks can protect and conserve the historical and cultural heritage and concomitantly meet today’s visitor needs. Further research is suggested to study other historical parks.
CO2 Emissions from Fuel Consumption in the Logistic Stages of the Brazilian Bioethanol Supply Chain
Authors: Bartholomeu Daniela B. , Lopes Celso J. R. , Yoshizaki Hugo T. Y.
Published: November 2020

The study reports the CO2 emissions from diesel combustion in the following stages of the Brazilian ethanol supply chain: (a) agricultural operations (management), (b) sugarcane transportation to the mill, and (c) biofuel transportation to the destination. To assess the sensitivity of the results to different origins, five regions representative of ethanol production were selected, and the final destination was the port of Santos. The transportation stage from the mill to the port included the possible effects of using multimodal alternatives, such as road–rail and road–pipeline. The results indicate that diesel consumption varies greatly by region of origin, and agricultural management, such as tilling, planting, and harvesting operations, accounts for about 70% of total diesel emissions to the ethanol supply chain. Rail and pipeline transportation are ultimately important for mitigating emissions from fuel consumption in logistics corridors for exporting ethanol. It is a valuable contribution to supporting private actions and public policies related to the mitigation of emissions in the logistic stages of bioethanol, especially related to the optimization of the agricultural management process and improvement of the multimodal transport infrastructure, respectively. It is also a lesson to countries intending to produce ethanol from sugarcane.
Adaptation of HVAC Systems to Reduce the Spread of COVID-19 in Buildings
Authors: Vranay Frantisek , Pirsel Ladislav , Kacik Richard , Vranayova Zuzana
Published: November 2020

In 2020, all the world has been confronted with COVID-19. Bringing people together in buildings is proving to be a risk factor that we have to deal with. Although the greatest attention is paid to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, there are a number of other pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi, etc.) that can be transmitted through the air. These pathogens are sensitive to UV-C radiation. UV-C fluorescent lamps have been developed with technical parameters that are adapted to HVAC operating conditions. By using germicidal sources to disinfect the transported air, more than 90% of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, more than 97% of Influenza A virus, and 100% of Legionella pneumophila can be inactivated. The use of UV-C emitters for air disinfection allows the use of circulation and recuperation. Total balance of energy and CO2 emissions by variants and energies used, including humidification were performed for Slovak conditions. The operation of germicidal sources during the heating period in selected cities in our example would represent only 0.45% of the difference in heat demand and 0.42% of the difference in energy demand between operation according to recommendations and operation with germicidal sources. It is therefore an effective means of ensuring health safety and energy efficiency for the future.
Strategic Talent Management: The Impact of Employer Branding on the Affective Commitment of Employees
Authors: Alves Patrícia , Santos Vasco , Reis Isabel , Martinho Filipa , Martinho Domingos , Correia Sampaio Marta , José Sousa Maria , Au-Yong-Oliveira Manuel
Published: November 2020

In a globalization context, underlined by the speed of technological transformation and increasingly competitive markets, the perspective of human capital, as an asset of strategic importance, stands out in differentiating human resource practices. Under this reality, the employer branding (EB) concept gains more and more importance as a strategic tool to attract, retain, and involve human capital, given that this has become a source of competitive advantage to companies. Within this context, this study aimed to evaluate the relationship between employer branding strategies implemented by organizations, as well as their impact on the employee’s affective commitment, evident in certain organizational cultures, which are sustained over time. The methodological framework applied to this study is quantitative, and the data collection was carried out with the application of an employer branding and an affective commitment questionnaire. To achieve a good representation of the active population, the sample of the quantitative study was composed of 172 individuals, working in the public and private sectors in Portugal, exercising different positions in the different sectors of activity. Results obtained with these techniques indicate a high level of affective organizational commitment (AOC) of employees in the organizations surveyed, suggesting that affective commitment develops when the individual becomes involved and identifies with the organization.
COMPARAÇÃO DO ESTADO NUTRICIONAL DE CRIANÇAS INDÍGENAS E NÃO INDÍGENAS BRASILEIRAS
Authors: Pereira Elaine Cristina de Sá , Albuquerque Rafaela Gomes de , Cavalcanti Rafaella De Andrade Silva
Published: November 2020

RESUMO

OBJETIVO

Comparar o estado nutricional de crianças indígenas e não indígenas brasileiras, atráves de uma revisão bibliográfica, nas bases de dados: Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) e Literatura Latino-americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (Lilacs).

MÉTODOS:Tratou-se de um estudo de revisão da literatura visando disponibilizar uma síntese das evidências relacionadas a comparação do estado nutricional de crianças indígenas e não indígenas brasileiras, por meio da busca, análise e integração da informação selecionada.

RESULTADOS:Evidências científicas mostraram que a prevalecência de desnutrição infantil entre indígenas é maior do que entre a população brasileira da mesma idade. A baixa estatura apresentou como o principal déficit antropométrico, seguido pelo baixo peso por idade. Esse índice de baixa estatura, quando não é resultado de fatores hereditários, é consequência de fatores ambientais que, em alguma fase do desenvolvimento da criança, atrapalharam o adequado crescimento além de ser um parâmetro de diagnóstico de desnutrição crônica.

CONCLUSÃO:Conclui-se que a observação desse estudo pretendeu subsidiar ações e discussões para intervenções apropriadas e culturalmente adaptadas à realidade local de condições de vida e de saúde, que visam a melhorias do estado nutricional da população indígenas no Brasil.

DESCRITORES: Desnutrição. Estado nutricional. Indígena. Crianças.
HÁBITOS DE LEITURA DE ESTUDANTES INGRESSANTES E CONCLUINTES DE UMA FACULDADE PRIVADA NO NORTE DO BRASIL
Authors: Friedlander Maria Romana , Souza Ricardo Alexandre Duarte de , Oelke Simone Adriana , Raiter Gerson
Published: November 2020

Considerando-se a importância da universidade para a aquisição de hábitos de leitura como ferramenta para a inclusão do indivíduo na sociedade, o presente estudo tem como objetivo comparar os hábitos de leitura de estudantes de nível superior ingressantes e concluintes de uma faculdade privada situada na região do Norte do Brasil. Trata-se de uma pesquisa comparativa e descritiva com abordagem quantitativa realizada em uma faculdade privada situada na Região Norte do Brasil. A amostra populacional foi constituída por 153 estudantes ingressantes e 159 concluintes que representaram toda a população iniciante e finalista da instituição em estudo. As informações foram obtidas pela aplicação de um questionário e analisadas por parâmetros descritivos. Os principais resultados são: um aumento significativo dos estudantes concluintes que dizem gostar de ler, um aumento da porcentagem desses alunos que preferem revistas ou artigos científicos, uma acentuada diminuição no grupo dos concluintes que não leu nenhum livro no último ano e um importante decréscimo de finalistas que raramente leem. Os autores acreditam que os presentes resultados possam servir de parâmetro para novas investigações e que possa ter havido, além da maturidade e aumento da idade, alguma influência positiva do ensino acadêmico, mas pesquisas específicas devem ser realizadas.
Association of prior lymphopenia with mortality in pneumonia: a cohort study in UK primary care
Authors: Hamilton Fergus , Arnold David , Payne Rupert
Published: November 2020

Background

Lymphopenia (reduced lymphocyte count) during infections, such as pneumonia, is common and is associated with increased mortality. Little is known about the relationship between lymphocyte count before developing infections and mortality risk.

Aim

To identify whether patients with lymphopenia who develop pneumonia have increased risk of death.

Design and setting

A cohort study set in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) linked to national death records, in primary care. This database is representative of the UK population and is extracted from routine records.

Method

Patients aged >50 years with a pneumonia diagnosis were included from January 1998 until January 2019. The relationship between lymphocyte count and mortality was measured, using a time-to-event (multivariable Cox regression) approach, adjusted for age, sex, social factors, and potential causes of lymphopenia. The primary analysis used the most recent test before pneumonia. The primary outcome was 28-day, all-cause mortality.

Results

A total of 40 909 participants with pneumonia were included, with 28 556 having had a lymphocyte count test before pneumonia (median time between test and diagnosis was 677 days). When lymphocyte count was categorised (0–1 × 109 cells/L, 1–2 × 109 cells/L, 2–3 × 109 cells/L, >3 × 109 cells/L, never tested), both 28-day and 1-year mortality varied significantly: 14%, 9.2%, 6.5%, 6.1%, and 25%, respectively, for 28-day mortality, and 41%, 29%, 22%, 20%, and 52% for 1-year mortality. In multivariable Cox regression, lower lymphocyte count was consistently associated with increased hazard of death.

Conclusion

Lymphopenia is an independent predictor of mortality in primary care pneumonia. Even low–normal lymphopenia (1–2 × 109 cells/L) is associated with an increase in short- and long-term mortality compared with higher counts.
Reflexões de profissionais sobre violência sexual contra crianças
Authors: Tomaz Marcilea , Carneiro de Oliveira Ritti Rosalinda
Published: November 2020

Considerando a violência sexual contra crianças como um tema de atual relevância, buscamos, neste texto, discutir a escola como um espaço de prevenção e denúncia desse tipo de violência, assim como de cuidado com as crianças vitimadas. Tais reflexões se dão a partir de relatos de três profissionais da área da educação atuantes nos ensinos infantil e/ou fundamental da rede pública e uma profissional da área jurídica específica para infância e juventude que vivenciaram alguma experiência com relação a esses casos. Aproximamo-nos das perspectivas pós-estruturalistas e dos estudos de relações de gênero e sexualidades inspirados no pensamento foucaultiano. Neste estudo, percebemos insegurança e despreparo dos/as profissionais da educação para atuarem nos casos em que se trata da violência sexual, assim como a ausência de espaços para o trabalho específico com questões de gênero e sexualidades nas escolas em que atuam.
Desvios fonéticos/fonológicos
Authors: Fachinello Douglas Rafael , Pires Santos Maria Elena , Rafagnin Cinthia Nayara de Lima
Published: November 2020

Este artigo apresenta uma análise sincrônica de desvios ortográficos do tipo ditongação, encontrados nas produções textuais de alunos dos sétimos anos do Ensino Fundamental de colégios públicos. O referencial teórico que nos embasamos está pautado em trabalhos dos autores Cagliari (2002), Cristófaro Silva (2005), Zorzi (2006), entre outros.  Ao verificar que as ocorrências desses desvios representam a transcrição das falas das comunidades em que os alunos estão inseridos, propusemos, a elaboração de uma unidade didática com atividades para possíveis intervenções pedagógicas que pudessem amenizar suas ocorrências. O resultado foi que os alunos começaram a monitorar a escrita e também a fala durante as aulas e a sugerir situações nas quais os colegas também deveriam gerenciá-las, porque criaram consciência do monitoramento, em decorrência do ambiente. A conclusão é que a unidade didática, se valendo de situações cotidianas, deu sentido à aquisição do processo de monitoramento da escrita e também da fala em situações específicas.
Efeito da hidrólise da lactose e da homogeneização do leite nas características do doce de leite pastoso
Authors: Stephani Rodrigo , Pinto Caroline Barroso dos Anjos , Renhe Isis Rodrigues Toledo , Viana Carolina Carvalho Ramos , Perrone Ítalo Tuler , De Oliveira Luiz Fernando Cappa
Published: November 2020

Produtos lácteos zero lactose têm se tornado cada vez mais recorrentes no mercado nos últimos anos, devido a pessoas intolerantes á lactose ou mesmo aquelas que optaram por uma dieta restritiva sem este carboidrato. Na produção do doce de leite (DL), a hidrólise da lactose pode promover algumas modificações no produto, destacando-se a intensificação da Reação de Maillard, com consequente aumento da concentração de um composto intermediário desta reação, o 5-hidroximetilfurfural (HMF). Tal fato pode provocar alterações no produto como aumento da viscosidade, intensificação da cor e do dulçor. O processo de homogeneização do leite é uma etapa não obrigatória para produção de DL, e tem como objetivo modificar a microestrutura do produto, gerando uma nova organização da matriz, oriunda principalmente das interações entre os compostos lipídicos e as proteínas do leite. Diante disso, o presente trabalho objetivou a formulação de doce de leite pastoso tradicional e zero lactose, visando avaliar a influência da hidrólise desse carboidrato, assim como também o uso do processo de homogeneização do leite. Foram analisados parâmetros de processo durante a etapa de evaporação (como a taxa de evaporação e o tempo total de evaporação), além da concentração de HMF livre e o teor de lactose residual nos produtos finais. A hidrólise da lactose foi o fator principal que influenciou na cor dos produtos e a homogeneização do leite não apresentou efeito significativo sobre os parâmetros de evaporação monitorados neste estudo, demonstrando que tal operação não modifica as condições de processamento.
Monitoramento da Qualidade da Água e Vazão do Ribeirão das Rosas em Juiz de Fora – MG
Authors: Rodrigues Gomes Maria Helena , De Oliveira Pereira Renata , Fernandes Pedro Antônio Alves , Mota Vivian Rezende , Vargas Isabela Salgado , Mendes Ariane Alves
Published: November 2020

Compreender a dinâmica de corpos d’água e questões pertinentes à gestão de bacias hidrográficas é essencial para atender aos usos múltiplos da água. Nesse contexto, o objetivo do estudo foi analisar a qualidade e quantidade de água no ribeirão das Rosas e mostrar a importância da área de preservação. O ribeirão foi avaliado em três pontos. Para a estimativa da vazão, utilizou-se o método do flutuador, e para a qualidade de água foram analisados quinze parâmetros, posteriormente comparados com as legislações. Identificou-se estatisticamente variabilidade sazonal para os parâmetros de cor aparente, cor verdadeira e sólidos totais. Entre os pontos houve uma notória recuperação da qualidade da água, principalmente em relação ao parâmetro de oxigênio dissolvido (OD). Os parâmetros turbidez, OD, nitrogênio amoniacal, ferro e fósforo apresentaram resultados em desacordo com as concentrações limites estabelecidos pelas legislações em mais de 50% das coletas. Ademais, coletas com maiores valores de vazão possuíam melhora dos valores dos parâmetros, causado pela diluição. Assim, conclui-se que área de preservação se mostrou fundamental para a melhora da qualidade da água. Todavia, se faz necessário o tratamento dos efluentes lançados no ribeirão das Rosas.
Las publicaciones catalanas de Buenos Aires y el impacto de la Guerra Civil española (1936-1939)
Authors: Fernández Alejandro
Published: November 2020

En el artículo se analizan las opiniones de las dos principales publicaciones catalanas de Buenos Aires, las revistas Ressorgiment y Catalunya, respecto del desarrollo de la Guerra Civil española (1936-1939). También se consideran los vínculos entre estos medios de prensa y las instituciones de la comunidad catalana de la ciudad y el rol desempeñado por los primeros exiliados que llegaron al país como consecuencia de la guerra. Ambas revistas reflejaron la influencia del catalanismo en la región del Río de la Plata durante la primera mitad del siglo XX y defendieron enérgicamente los derechos históricos de Cataluña frente al avance del franquismo. Pero mientras Ressorgiment asumió como propias las posturas en favor de la secesión respecto de España y observó la guerra principalmente como un conflicto externo, Catalunya combinó una firme oposición a la rebelión militar con la apertura hacia la cooperación con la Segunda República española en la lucha antifascista. Esta diferencia habría de reflejarse también en la mayor presencia de los exiliados en la segunda revista, tanto durante la guerra como en la inmediata posguerra.