bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Saharan Dust Transport during the Incipient Growth Phase of African Easterly Waves
Authors: Nathan Terrence R. , Grogan Dustin F. P. , Chen Shu-Hua
Published: September 2019

An analytical analysis is combined with numerical modeling simulations in order to expose the physical and dynamical processes that control the zonal-mean transport of Saharan mineral dust aerosols during the incipient growth phase of African easterly waves. The analytical analysis provides the theoretical basis for understanding and predicting how the waves and background flow combine to affect the zonal-mean eddy transports of dust. The analytically derived transport equations―which are valid for any wave field, irrespective of its spatial or temporal scale―predict that the eddy transports of dust are largest where the maximum in the background dust gradients coincide with a critical surface, i.e., where the Doppler-shifted frequency of the wave field vanishes. Linear simulations of the eddy dust transports are conducted using a mechanistic version of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model coupled to an interactive dust model. The simulations show that the eddy dust transports are directed down the background dust gradients and that the meridional transports of dust dominate over the vertical transports. The numerical simulations confirm the theoretical predictions. The predictions are used to explain recent statistical analyses of reanalysis data for dust-coupled African easterly waves.
Education as the Great Equalizer? Racial and Ethnic Differences in the Effect of Education on Cognitive Impairment in Later Life
Authors: Sherman-Wilkins Kyler J. , Thierry Amy D.
Published: September 2019

Though evidence suggests that the prevalence of cognitive impairment has declined, there still exists a disproportionate burden of ill cognitive health for people of color. In this paper, we test two alternative mechanisms to explain the interactive effect of education and race/ethnicity on cognitive impairment risk: the minority poverty and diminishing returns hypotheses. Drawing on data from the 2012 wave of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) (n = 8093), we estimate logistic regression models to determine differential effects of education on cognitive impairment. We find that non-Hispanic black and Mexican American older adults have higher odds of being cognitively impaired compared to whites, though the ethnic difference (whites vs. Mexican Americans) is mediated by education. Further, we find that while high levels of education are protective against cognitive impairment at older ages, it is more protective for non-Hispanic blacks than for whites and more protective for whites than Mexican Americans. Lastly, we find that racial/ethnic disparities are widest at lower levels of education, consistent with the minority poverty hypothesis. We conclude that the results herein highlight the importance of attending to how factors that are protective for cognitive functioning (e.g., education) may operate differently across racial and ethnic groups.
Sex, Energy, Well-Being and Low Testosterone: An Exploratory Survey of U.S. Men’s Experiences on Prescription Testosterone
Authors: Straftis Alex A. , Gray Peter B.
Published: September 2019

Prescription testosterone sales in the United States have skyrocketed in the last two decades due to an aging population, direct-to-consumer advertising, and prescriber views of the benefits and risks to testosterone, among other factors. However, few studies have attempted to directly examine patient experiences on prescription testosterone therapy. The present exploratory study involved an online self-report survey of U.S. testosterone patients who were at least 21 years of age. The primary focus was on patient perspectives concerning motivations leading to the initiation of testosterone therapy and the perceived effects of treatment. Responses to open-ended questions drew upon a coding scheme incorporating both inductive and deductive approaches, influenced by the clinical, male life history theory, and behavioral endocrinology literature. Results indicated that the most frequent reasons men gave for taking prescription testosterone were low testosterone (37.1%), well-being (35.2%), energy (28.7%), libido (21.9%), and social energy (19.4%); older men claimed libido as a motivation for testosterone initiation more frequently than younger men (p < 0.001). Men most frequently claimed testosterone improved their energy (52.3%), libido (41.9%), and muscle (28.5%). Results are interpreted in the context of medical, life history theoretical and behavioral endocrinology approaches, including an emphasis on sex and energy.
Does Particulate Matter Modify the Short-Term Association between Heat Waves and Hospital Admissions for Cardiovascular Diseases in Greater Sydney, Australia?
Authors: Parry Marissa , Green Donna , Zhang Ying , Hayen Andrew
Published: September 2019

Little is known about the potential interactive effects of heat waves and ambient particulate matter on cardiovascular morbidity. A time-stratified case-crossover design was used to examine whether particulate matter (PM10) modifies the association between heat waves and emergency hospital admissions for six cardiovascular diseases in Greater Sydney, Australia during the warm season for 2001–2013. We estimated and compared the effect of heat waves on high- and low-level PM10 days at lag0–lag2, adjusting for dew-point temperature, ambient ozone, ambient nitrogen dioxide, and public holidays. We also investigated the susceptibility of both younger (0–64 years) and older populations (65 years and above), and tested the sensitivity of three heat wave definitions. Stronger heat wave effects were observed on high- compared to low-level PM10 days for emergency hospital admissions for cardiac arrest for all ages combined, 0–64 years and 65 years and above; conduction disorders for 0–64 years; and hypertensive diseases for all ages combined and 0–64 years. Overall, we found some evidence to suggest that PM10 may modify the association between heat waves and hospital admissions for certain cardiovascular diseases, although our findings largely differed across disease, age group, lag, and heat wave definition.
Closing the Gap in Surveillance and Audit of Invasive Mold Diseases for Antifungal Stewardship Using Machine Learning
Authors: Baggio Diva , Peel Trisha , Peleg Anton Y. , Avery Sharon , Prayaga Madhurima , Foo Michelle , Haffari Gholamreza , Liu Ming , Bergmeir Christoph , Ananda-Rajah Michelle
Published: September 2019

Clinical audit of invasive mold disease (IMD) in hematology patients is inefficient due to the difficulties of case finding. This results in antifungal stewardship (AFS) programs preferentially reporting drug cost and consumption rather than measures that actually reflect quality of care. We used machine learning-based natural language processing (NLP) to non-selectively screen chest tomography (CT) reports for pulmonary IMD, verified by clinical review against international definitions and benchmarked against key AFS measures. NLP screened 3014 reports from 1 September 2008 to 31 December 2017, generating 784 positives that after review, identified 205 IMD episodes (44% probable-proven) in 185 patients from 50,303 admissions. Breakthrough-probable/proven-IMD on antifungal prophylaxis accounted for 60% of episodes with serum monitoring of voriconazole or posaconazole in the 2 weeks prior performed in only 53% and 69% of episodes, respectively. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy within 2 days of CT scan occurred in only 54% of episodes. The average turnaround of send-away bronchoalveolar galactomannan of 12 days (range 7–22) was associated with high empiric liposomal amphotericin consumption. A random audit of 10% negative reports revealed two clinically significant misses (0.9%, 2/223). This is the first successful use of applied machine learning for institutional IMD surveillance across an entire hematology population describing process and outcome measures relevant to AFS. Compared to current methods of clinical audit, semi-automated surveillance using NLP is more efficient and inclusive by avoiding restrictions based on any underlying hematologic condition, and has the added advantage of being potentially scalable.
Smoking as an Independent Risk Factor for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Due to the α7-Nachr Modulating the JAK2/STAT3 Signaling Axis
Authors: Li Ching-Li , Lin Yen-Kuang , Chen Hsin-An , Huang Chien-Yu , Huang Ming-Te , Chang Yu-Jia
Published: September 2019

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a worldwide health problem. Currently, there is no effective clinical therapeutic strategy for HCC. Smoking is associated with several malignant diseases including cancers. Experimental approach: However, the impact of smoking on HCC is still unresolved. Retrospectively reviewed HCC patients diagnosed between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2015 at Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital (Ministry of Health and Welfare). We found that smoking was associated with a poor prognosis, especially recurrence and patient survival after curative surgery using a clinicopathological analysis. Results: Our univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7-nAChR) was an oncogene and risk factor for post-resection recurrence. The α7-nAChR was overexpressed in HCC tissues compared to their non-tumor counterparts. Silencing the α7-nAChR reduced the viability of HCC cells, suppressed cellular proliferation, attenuated migration and invasion, and diminished the tumor’s sphere-formation ability, with concurrent downregulation of expression levels of the TGR5, p-JAK2, p-STAT3 (Tyr705/Ser727), RhoA, ROCK1, MMP2, and MMP9 proteins. Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between α7-nAChR and JAK2 expressions (p = 0.01) in HCC specimens, as well as their membranous co-localization. Conclusion: Together, we demonstrated that the α7-nAChR may be an independent prognosticator of the progression and prognosis of HCC patients. These findings suggest that the α7-nAChR drives the progression and recurrence of HCC through JAK2/STAT3 signaling and is a novel target for anti-HCC therapy.
The Impact of Process Parameters on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Stainless Steel/Carbon Steel Clad Rebar
Authors: Feng Ying-ying , Yu Huan , Luo Zong-an , Misra R.D.K. , Xie Guang-ming
Published: September 2019

In this study, a 304/20MnSi stainless-steel clad rebar was prepared by single-pass compression process using the MMS-200 Thermal Mechanical Simulator. The impact of different degrees of deformation and deformation temperature on microstructure evolution and the mechanical properties of stainless steel clad rebars were investigated. The study indicated that with the increase of the degree of deformation, the content of pearlite in a carbon steel matrix was increased, and the grains refined. The metallurgical bonding of the bonded interface was formed under high temperature and high extrusion force. With the increase of the deformation temperature, more bainite was obtained on the side of carbon steel, and the grain size increased. The obvious diffusion of Fe, Cr and Ni elements near the bonding interface resulted in higher microhardness of the stainless steel side and smaller microhardness of the carbon steel side. Moreover, the engineering stress-strain curves obtained by the tensile test showed that the plastic deformation of stainless steel and carbon steel was more coordinated. With the increase of deformation temperature and the degree of deformation, the tensile strength of the stainless steel clad rebar was as high as 690 MPa and the elongation was 26%, which was superior to the properties of the clad rebar prepared by other process parameters.
Co-Culture of Osteoblasts and Endothelial Cells on a Microfiber Scaffold to Construct Bone-Like Tissue with Vascular Networks
Authors: Inomata Kouki , Honda Michiyo
Published: September 2019

Bone is based on an elaborate system of mineralization and vascularization. In hard tissue engineering, diverse biomaterials compatible with osteogenesis and angiogenesis have been developed. In the present study, to examine the processes of osteogenesis and angiogenesis, osteoblast-like MG-63 cells were co-cultured with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) on a microfiber scaffold. The percentage of adherent cells on the scaffold was more than 60% compared to the culture plate, regardless of the cell type and culture conditions. Cell viability under both monoculture and co-culture conditions was constantly sustained. During the culture periods, the cells were spread along the fibers and extended pseudopodium-like structures on the microfibers three-dimensionally. Compared to the monoculture results, the alkaline phosphatase activity of the co-culture increased 3–6 fold, whereas the vascular endothelial cell growth factor secretion significantly decreased. Immunofluorescent staining of CD31 showed that HUVECs were well spread along the fibers and formed microcapillary-structures. These results suggest that the activation of HUVECs by co-culture with MG-63 could enhance osteoblastic differentiation in the microfiber scaffold, which mimics the microenvironment of the extracellular matrix. This approach can be effective for the construction of tissue-engineered bone with vascular networks.
Tunable Magnetocaloric Properties of Gd-Based Alloys by Adding Tb and Doping Fe Elements
Authors: Xu Lingfeng , Qian Chengyuan , Ai Yongchang , Su Tong , Hou Xueling
Published: September 2019

In this paper, the magnetocaloric properties of Gd1−xTbx alloys were studied and the optimum composition was determined to be Gd0.73Tb0.27. On the basis of Gd0.73Tb0.27, the influence of different Fe-doping content was discussed and the effect of heat treatment was also investigated. The adiabatic temperature change (ΔTad) obtained by the direct measurement method (under a low magnetic field of 1.2 T) and specific heat capacity calculation method (indirect measurement) was used to characterize the magnetocaloric properties of Gd1−xTbx (x = 0~0.4) and (Gd0.73Tb0.27)1−yFey (y = 0~0.15), and the isothermal magnetic entropy (ΔSM) was also used as a reference parameter for evaluating the magnetocaloric properties of samples together with ΔTad. In Gd1−xTbx alloys, the Curie temperature (Tc) decreased from 293 K (x = 0) to 257 K (x = 0.4) with increasing Tb content, and the Gd0.73Tb0.27 alloy obtained the best adiabatic temperature change, which was ~3.5 K in a magnetic field up to 1.2 T (Tc = 276 K). When the doping content of Fe increased from y = 0 to y = 0.15, the Tc of (Gd0.73Tb0.27)1−yFey (y = 0~0.15) alloys increased significantly from 276 K (y = 0) to 281 K (y = 0.15), and a good magnetocaloric effect was maintained. The annealing of alloys (Gd0.73Tb0.27)1−yFey (y = 0~0.15) at 1073 K for 10 h resulted in an average increase of 0.3 K in the maximum adiabatic temperature change and a slight increase in Tc. This study is of great significance for the study of magnetic refrigeration materials with adjustable Curie temperature in a low magnetic field.
Strength Increasing Additive Manufacturing Fused Filament Fabrication Technology, Based on Spiral Toolpath Material Deposition
Authors: Avdeev Artem , Shvets Andrey , Gushchin Ilya , Torubarov Ivan , Drobotov Aleksey , Makarov Aleksey , Plotnikov Aleksander , Serdobintsev Yuri
Published: September 2019

The paper provides an overview of ways to increase the strength of polymer products obtained by fused filament fabrication (FFF) technology. An algorithm for calculating the spiral toolpaths for the material deposition using multi-axis printing is proposed. The design of the five-axis device for spiral-shaped deposition of the material is shown. The description of the proposed printing method is given. The results of comparative three-point bend and compression tests are presented. The standard samples obtained in the usual way by FFF technology, as well as samples with 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 reinforcing layers obtained by spiral deposition of the material were investigated. The description of the tests is given, the dependences of the strength of the products on the number of reinforcing layers are obtained. Conclusions about the influence of the layer deposition method on the strength of the products are formulated.
Robust Stability of Hurwitz Polynomials Associated with Modified Classical Weights
Authors: Arceo Alejandro , Garza Luis E. , Romero Gerardo
Published: September 2019

In this contribution, we consider sequences of orthogonal polynomials associated with a perturbation of some classical weights consisting of the introduction of a parameter t, and deduce some algebraic properties related to their zeros, such as their equations of motion with respect to t. These sequences are later used to explicitly construct families of polynomials that are stable for all values of t, i.e., robust stability on these families is guaranteed. Some illustrative examples are presented.
Transportation and Batching Scheduling for Minimizing Total Weighted Completion Time
Authors: Wei Hongjun , Yuan Jinjiang , Gao Yuan
Published: September 2019

We consider the coordination of transportation and batching scheduling with one single vehicle for minimizing total weighted completion time. The computational complexity of the problem with batch capacity of at least 2 was posed as open in the literature. For this problem, we show the unary NP-hardness for every batch capacity at least 3 and present a polynomial-time 3-approximation algorithm when the batch capacity is at least 2.
Tuning Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithms on Different Sized Problem Sets
Authors: Črepinšek Matej , Ravber Miha , Mernik Marjan , Kosar Tomaž
Published: September 2019

Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithms (MOEAs) have been applied successfully for solving real-world multi-objective problems. Their success can depend highly on the configuration of their control parameters. Different tuning methods have been proposed in order to solve this problem. Tuning can be performed on a set of problem instances in order to obtain robust control parameters. However, for real-world problems, the set of problem instances at our disposal usually are not very plentiful. This raises the question: What is a sufficient number of problems used in the tuning process to obtain robust enough parameters? To answer this question, a novel method called MOCRS-Tuning was applied on different sized problem sets for the real-world integration and test order problem. The configurations obtained by the tuning process were compared on all the used problem instances. The results show that tuning greatly improves the algorithms’ performance and that a bigger subset used for tuning does not guarantee better results. This indicates that it is possible to obtain robust control parameters with a small subset of problem instances, which also substantially reduces the time required for tuning.
Hijacking the Host Immune Cells by Dengue Virus: Molecular Interplay of Receptors and Dengue Virus Envelope
Authors: Begum Feroza , Das Sandeepan , Mukherjee Debica , Ray Upasana
Published: September 2019

Dengue virus (DENV) is one of the lethal pathogens in the hot climatic regions of the world and has been extensively studied to decipher its mechanism of pathogenesis and the missing links of its life cycle. With respect to the entry of DENV, multiple receptors have been recognized in different cells of the human body. However, scientists still argue whether these identified receptors are the exclusive entry mediators for the virus. Adding to the complexity, DENV has been reported to be infecting multiple organ types in its human host. Also, more than one receptor in a particular cell has been discerned to take part in mediating the ingress of DENV. In this review, we aim to discuss the different cells of the human immune system that support DENV infection and their corresponding receptors that DENV deploy to gain access to the cells.
Cyanate Induces Oxidative Stress Injury and Abnormal Lipid Metabolism in Liver through Nrf2/HO-1
Authors: Hu Ling , Tian Kuan , Zhang Tao , Fan Chun-Hua , Zhou Peng , Zeng Di , Zhao Shuang , Li Li-Sha , Smith Hendrea Shaniqua , Li Jing , Ran Jian-Hua
Published: September 2019

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is problem that has become one of the major issues affecting public health. Extensive clinical data suggests that the prevalence of hyperlipidemia in CKD patients is significantly higher than in the general population. Lipid metabolism disorders can damage the renal parenchyma and promote the occurrence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Cyanate is a uremic toxin that has attracted widespread attention in recent years. Usually, 0.8% of the molar concentration of urea is converted into cyanate, while myeloperoxidase (MPO) catalyzes the oxidation of thiocyanate to produce cyanate at the site of inflammation during smoking, inflammation, or exposure to environmental pollution. One of the important physiological functions of cyanate is protein carbonylation, a non-enzymatic post-translational protein modification. Carbamylation reactions on proteins are capable of irreversibly changing protein structure and function, resulting in pathologic molecular and cellular responses. In addition, recent studies have shown that cyanate can directly damage vascular tissue by producing large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Oxidative stress leads to the disorder of liver lipid metabolism, which is also an important mechanism leading to cirrhosis and liver fibrosis. However, the influence of cyanate on liver has remained unclear. In this research, we explored the effects of cyanate on the oxidative stress injury and abnormal lipid metabolism in mice and HL-7702 cells. In results, cyanate induced hyperlipidemia and oxidative stress by influencing the content of total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) in liver. Cyanate inhibited NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and the phosphorylation of adenosine 5′monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), activated the mTOR pathway. Oxidative stress on the cells reduced significantly by treating with TBHQ, an antioxidant, which is also an activator of Nrf2. The activity of Nrf2 was rehabilitated and phosphorylation of mTOR decreased. In conclusion, cyanate could induce oxidative stress damage and lipid deposition by inhibiting Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, which was rescued by inhibitor of Nrf2.
Stability and Catalase-Like Activity of a Mononuclear Non-Heme Oxoiron(IV) Complex in Aqueous Solution
Authors: Kripli Balázs , Sólyom Bernadett , Speier Gábor , Kaizer József
Published: September 2019

Heme-type catalase is a class of oxidoreductase enzymes responsible for the biological defense against oxidative damage of cellular components caused by hydrogen peroxide, where metal-oxo species are proposed as reactive intermediates. To get more insight into the mechanism of this curious reaction a non-heme structural and functional model was carried out by the use of a mononuclear complex [FeII(N4Py*)(CH3CN)](CF3SO3)2 (N4Py* = N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)- 1,2-di(2-pyridyl)ethylamine) as a catalyst, where the possible reactive intermediates, high-valent FeIV=O and FeIII–OOH are known and spectroscopically well characterized. The kinetics of the dismutation of H2O2 into O2 and H2O was investigated in buffered water, where the reactivity of the catalyst was markedly influenced by the pH, and it revealed Michaelis–Menten behavior with KM = 1.39 M, kcat = 33 s−1 and k2(kcat/KM) = 23.9 M−1s−1 at pH 9.5. A mononuclear [(N4Py)FeIV=O]2+ as a possible intermediate was also prepared, and the pH dependence of its stability and reactivity in aqueous solution against H2O2 was also investigated. Based on detailed kinetic, and mechanistic studies (pH dependence, solvent isotope effect (SIE) of 6.2 and the saturation kinetics for the initial rates versus the H2O2 concentration with KM = 18 mM) lead to the conclusion that the rate-determining step in these reactions above involves hydrogen-atom transfer between the iron-bound substrate and the Fe(IV)-oxo species.
Statistical Methods for Rapid Quantification of Proteins, Lipids, and Carbohydrates in Nordic Microalgal Species Using ATR–FTIR Spectroscopy
Authors: Ferro Lorenza , Gojkovic Zivan , Gorzsás András , Funk Christiane
Published: September 2019

Attenuated total reflection–Fourier transform infrared (ATR–FTIR) spectroscopy is a simple, cheap, and fast method to collect chemical compositional information from microalgae. However, (semi)quantitative evaluation of the collected data can be daunting. In this work, ATR–FTIR spectroscopy was used to monitor changes of protein, lipid, and carbohydrate content in seven green microalgae grown under nitrogen starvation. Three statistical methods—univariate linear regression analysis (ULRA), orthogonal partial least squares (OPLS), and multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares (MCR–ALS)—were compared in their ability to model and predict the concentration of these compounds in the biomass. OPLS was found superior, since it i) included all three compounds simultaneously; ii) explained variations in the data very well; iii) had excellent prediction accuracy for proteins and lipids, and acceptable for carbohydrates; and iv) was able to discriminate samples based on cultivation stage and type of storage compounds accumulated in the cells. ULRA models worked well for the determination of proteins and lipids, but carbohydrates could only be estimated if already determined protein contents were used for scaling. Results obtained by MCR–ALS were similar to ULRA, however, this method is considerably easier to perform and interpret than the more abstract statistical/chemometric methods. FTIR-spectroscopy-based models allow high-throughput, cost-effective, and rapid estimation of biomass composition of green microalgae.
Chaetomadrasins A and B, Two New Cytotoxic Cytochalasans from Desert Soil-Derived Fungus Chaetomium madrasense 375
Authors: Guo Qing-Feng , Yin Zhen-Hua , Zhang Juan-Juan , Kang Wen-Yi , Wang Xue-Wei , Ding Gang , Chen Lin
Published: September 2019

Two new cytochalasans, Chaetomadrasins A (1) and B (2), along with six known analogues (3–8), were isolated from the solid-state fermented culture of desert soil-derived Chaetomium madrasense 375. Their structures were clarified by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses, and the absolute configurations of Compounds 1 and 2 were confirmed by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and calculated ECD. For the first time, Chaetomadrasins A (1), which belongs to the chaetoglobosin family, is characterized by the presence of all oxygen atoms in the form of Carbonyl. Chaetomadrasin B (2) represents the first example of chaetoglobosin type cytochalasan characterized by a hydroxy unit and carbonyl group fused to the indole ring. Compounds 1 and 2 displayed moderate cytotoxicity against HepG2 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.
Unravelling the Effects of the Healthy Primary School of the Future: For Whom and Where Is It Effective?
Authors: Bartelink Nina , van Assema Patricia , Kremers Stef , Savelberg Hans , Gevers Dorus , Jansen Maria
Published: September 2019

The ‘Healthy Primary School of the Future’ (HPSF) aims to integrate health and well-being within the whole school system. This study examined the two-year effects of HPSF on children’s dietary and physical activity (PA) behaviours at school and at home and investigated whether child characteristics or the home context moderated these effects. This study (n = 1676 children) has a quasi-experimental design with four intervention schools, i.e., two full HPSF (focus: nutrition and PA), two partial HPSF (focus: PA), and four control schools. Measurements consisted of accelerometry (Actigraph GT3X+) and questionnaires. Favourable effects on children’s dietary and PA behaviours at school were found in the full HPSF; in the partial HPSF, only on PA behaviours. Children in the full HPSF did not compensate at home for the improved health behaviours at school, while in the partial HPSF, the children became less active at home. In both the full and partial HPSF, less favourable effects at school were found for younger children. At home, less favourable effects were found for children with a lower socioeconomic status. Overall, the effect of the full HPSF on children’s dietary and PA behaviours was larger and more equally beneficial for all children than that of the partial HPSF.
A Review of Plant Vacuoles: Formation, Located Proteins, and Functions
Authors: Tan Xiaona , Li Kaixia , Wang Zheng , Zhu Keming , Tan Xiaoli , Cao Jun
Published: September 2019

Vacuoles, cellular membrane-bound organelles, are the largest compartments of cells, occupying up to 90% of the volume of plant cells. Vacuoles are formed by the biosynthetic and endocytotic pathways. In plants, the vacuole is crucial for growth and development and has a variety of functions, including storage and transport, intracellular environmental stability, and response to injury. Depending on the cell type and growth conditions, the size of vacuoles is highly dynamic. Different types of cell vacuoles store different substances, such as alkaloids, protein enzymes, inorganic salts, sugars, etc., and play important roles in multiple signaling pathways. Here, we summarize vacuole formation, types, vacuole-located proteins, and functions.
Experimental Study on Seismic Behavior of Masonry Walls Strengthened by Reinforced Mortar Cross Strips
Authors: Dong Kun , Sui Zheng-ang , Jiang Jitong , Zhou Xianxiang
Published: September 2019

Due to the poor seismic performance, strengthening of masonry structures is always a significant problem worthy to study. It has been proven that the bearing capacity of existing masonry buildings can be enhanced greatly with efficient strengthening measures. An experimental program was conducted to investigate seismic performance of un-reinforced masonry (URM) walls strengthened by reinforced mortar (RM) cross strips. Eleven walls were tested under horizontal low-cyclic load, simultaneously with a vertical constant load on the top face. Three URM walls were tested as reference. The other eight walls were externally strengthened with 40 and 60 mm thick of RM cross strips on one or both faces. Test results showed that externally strengthening with RM cross strips was an efficient way to enhance the seismic performance of URM walls. The failure modes were divided into shear failure and shear-compression failure. All the tested walls did not collapse until the test ended, while many diagonal cracks and few vertical cracks appeared on mortar strips. After strengthening, the shear capacity of the strengthened walls increased by at least 38.2%, and the reinforcement ratio was noted to be the key factor to influence the shear capacity with positive correlation. Besides, RM cross strips did improve deformation capacity greatly.
A Novel Hybrid Extreme Learning Machine Approach Improved by K Nearest Neighbor Method and Fireworks Algorithm for Flood Forecasting in Medium and Small Watershed of Loess Region
Authors: Ren Juanhui , Ren Bo , Zhang Qiuwen , Zheng Xiuqing
Published: September 2019

Sudden floods in the medium and small watershed by a sudden rainstorm and locally heavy rainfall often lead to flash floods. Therefore, it is of practical and theoretical significance to explore appropriate flood forecasting model for medium and small watersheds for flood control and disaster reduction in the loess region under the condition of underlying surface changes. This paper took the Gedong basin in the loess region of western Shanxi as the research area, analyzing the underlying surface and floods characteristics. The underlying surface change was divided into three periods (HSP1, HSP2, HSP3), and the floods were divided into three grades (great, moderate, small). The paper applied K Nearest Neighbor method and Fireworks Algorithm to improve the Extreme Learning Machine model (KNN-FWA-ELM) and proposed KNN-FWA-ELM hybrid flood forecasting model, which was further applied to flood forecasting of different underlying surface conditions and flood grades. Results demonstrated that KNN-FWA-ELM model had better simulation performance and higher simulation accuracy than the ELM model for flood forecasting, and the qualified rate was 17.39% higher than the ELM model. KNN-FWA-ELM model was superior to the ELM model in three periods and the simulation performance of three flood grades, and the simulation performance of KNN-FWA-ELM model was better in HSP1 stage floods and great floods.
Treatment of a Mature Landfill Leachate: Comparison between Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Photo-Fenton with Different Pretreatments
Authors: Tejera Javier , Miranda Ruben , Hermosilla Daphne , Urra Iñigo , Negro Carlos , Blanco Ángeles
Published: September 2019

This study focuses on the treatment of a mature landfill leachate by coagulation and photo-Fenton at different conditions. Optimal coagulation is carried out with ferric chloride in acid conditions; and with alum in near-neutral conditions, to minimize the use of sulphuric acid for pH adjustment (1 g/L vs. 7.2 g/L), the generation of sludge and the increase of conductivity in the final effluent. In both cases, a similar chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal is obtained, higher than 65%, which is high enough for a subsequent photo-Fenton treatment. However, the removal of absorbance at 254 nm (UV-254) was significantly higher with ferric chloride (83% vs. 55%), due to the important removal of humic acids at acid pH. The best results for coagulation are 2 g/L ferric chloride at initial pH = 5 and 5 g/L alum at initial pH = 7. After coagulation with ferric chloride, the final pH (2.8) is adequate for a homogeneous photo-Fenton using the remaining dissolved iron (250 mg/L). At these conditions, using a ratio H2O2/COD = 2.125 and 30 min contact time, the biodegradability increased from 0.03 to 0.51. On the other hand, the neutral pH after alum coagulation (6.7) allows the use of zero valent iron (ZVI) heterogeneous photo-Fenton. In this case, a final biodegradability of 0.32 was obtained, after 150 min, using the same H2O2/COD ratio. Both treatments achieved similar results, with a final COD, UV-254 and color removal greater than 90%. However, the economic assessment shows that the approach of ferric chloride + homogeneous photo-Fenton is much cheaper (6.4 €/m3 vs. 28.4 €/m3). Although the discharge limits are not achieved with the proposed combination of treatments, the significant increase of the pre-treated leachate biodegradability allows achieving the discharge limits after a conventional biological treatment such as sequencing batch reactor, which would slightly increase the total treatment cost.
Household Willingness to Pay for Wastewater Treatment and Water Supply System Improvement in a Ger Area in Ulaanbaatar City, Mongolia
Authors: Byambadorj Ariuntuya , Lee Han Soo
Published: September 2019

This study aimed to investigate the willingness of residents of ger (traditional nomadic house) areas to pay for improvements in the water supply and wastewater treatment system in terms of capital costs and operation and management (O&M) costs by contingent valuation (CV) method and payment card format. The problems in the ger area are a lack of a drainage system, the use of unimproved sanitation technology, and an unsafe water supply, in addition to the direct discharging of wastewater into pit latrines, soak pits, yards, and streets. The contribution of this study is the application of this method in a previously unstudied area to enhance the participation of ger communities that are absent in the development plan of Ulaanbaatar city. A field survey was conducted in one of the ger areas, the Damba planning unit, and 298 samples were collected from residents. Data were analyzed and compared using ordinary least squares (OLS) and Tobit regression models. Model results showed that the average total willingness to pay for the water supply and wastewater treatment facility installation was 1000 thousand Mongolian tugrik (MNT), and the average total willingness to pay for the operation and management costs was a maximum of 3000 MNT per month. The important factors affecting the residents’ willingness to pay (WTP) for installation were the housing type, current monthly payment for water supply, income level, and education, in order of significance. People living in their own detached house and educated greater than high school were more willing to pay for the installation of water supply and wastewater treatment facilities. Those who were paying higher for their monthly water supply were more willing to pay for the installation cost. With respect to the WTP for O&M cost, the WTP was associated with the family size, income level, housing, time for water access, and education, in order of significance. Families a larger number of members were more willing to pay, and low-income people were less willing to pay for O&M. Education showed a positive influence on the WTP for O&M. Water access time also affected the WTP of those who could not access water within 30 min, as they indicated low WTP values.
Análise morfométrica maxilar aplicada a osteotomia Le Fort I
Authors: Quintão Lívia Maria Vidigal , Pereira Talita Portela , Leite Isabel Cristina Gonçalves , Urbano Eduardo Stehling
Published: September 2019

Introdução: A osteotomia Le Fort I é uma técnica cirúrgica utilizada para a correção de deformidades dentofaciais e para que ocorra a mobilização da maxila é necessária a disjunção da sutura pterigomaxilar. Durante esse procedimento, complicações podem ocorrer, como hemorragia resultante da injúria da artéria maxilar interna ou de seus ramos terminais, na qual a artéria palatina descendente é mais comum de ser lesionada. Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi contribuir para o estabelecimento de parâmetros cirúrgicos seguros para realizar osteotomia le fort I com disjunção pterigomaxilar, por meio da obtenção de medidas das regiões maxilar e pterigomaxilar. Material e métodos: Foram selecionados quarenta crânios secos dos sexos masculino e feminino do Departamento de Anatomia de uma instituição pública e realizadas as medidas pelo método de inspeção direta com o uso de um paquímetro digital Mitutoyo® e um compasso Staedtler®. Foram medidas a altura e espessura da junção pterigomaxilar (JPM), a distância da sutura pterigomaxilar até o pilar zigomático, a distância desde o ponto mais inferior da sutura pterigomaxilar até a fissura orbital inferior (FOI), a extensão da parede lateral da cavidade nasal até o canal palatino descendente e o comprimento do septo nasal, bilateralmente. Para análise estatística dos resultados, utilizou-se o teste t para amostras independentes, com nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: Observou-se que para o lado direito, as médias das respectivas medidas foram de 14,88mm, 9,17mm, 27,60mm, 34,47mm e 36,86; e o lado esquerdo, as médias foram, respectivamente, 15,18mm, 9,08mm, 26,50mm, 34,70mm e 36,02mm. O valor médio do comprimento do septo nasal foi de 49,10mm. Conclusão: com base nos valores obtidos é possível estabelecer parâmetros operatórios para a osteotomia Le Fort I.
Integração do ensino da ultrassonografia point of care no currículo de graduação em medicina: um relato de experiência
Authors: Bastos Marcus Gomes , Teixeira Ronzani Flávio Augusto , Carmo Wander Barros , Toledo Gabriela Cumani , De Paula Rogerio Baumgratz
Published: September 2019

Introdução: O termo ultrassonografia a beira do leito ou point of care (POCUS) tem sido utilizado para descrever o uso de ultrassons portáteis pelo médico quando do atendimento ao paciente. A POCUS está cada vez mais sendo integrada a prática médica como extensão do exame físico tradicional. Objetivo: Apresentar a experiência da implementação do ensino da POCUS no currículo de graduação da Faculdade de Medicina da UFJF. Relato de experiência: São descritos o processo e as condições de implementação da disciplina Ecografia Clínica (EC) I com os alunos do quarto período do curso de medicina da UFJF. Resultados: Avaliação cognitiva (AC) com opções de múltipla escolha, 88% dos estudantes obtiveram notas iguais ou superiores 80 pontos. Na AC de associação de imagens, o resultado foi ainda melhor, chegando 96% dos discentes com notas iguais ou superiores a 80 pontos (nenhum aluno obteve nota inferior a 60 pontos). No OSCE, o aproveitamento igual ou superior a 80 pontos foi alcançado por 92% dos alunos. Avaliação de satisfação com a disciplina EC I (escala do tipo Likert) pelos estudantes revelou que a maioria absoluta deles considera que a ultrassonografia melhorou a sua educação médica, melhorou a qualidade do seu exame físico e deveria ser mais inserida no currículo médico. Conclusão: a inserção da ultrassonografia no ensino de graduação em medicina é pedagogicamente adequada e aprovada pelos estudantes.
Perfil nutricional e percepção da imagem corporal em adolescentes de escolas públicas e privadas de município mineiro
Authors: Costa Jessica Almeida , Carrara Camila Ferreira , Silva Renata Maria Souza Oliveira , Mendes Ana Paula Carlos Cândido , Mendes Larissa Loures , Netto Michele Pereira
Published: September 2019

Introdução: A caracterização do perfil nutricional da população de adolescentes, assim como o diagnóstico de sobrepeso e obesidade, é de suma importância para auxiliar a elaboração de medidas de controle e reversão do quadro, possibilitando melhora na qualidade de vida e a prevenção das doenças crônicas não transmissíveis (DCNTs). Objetivo: Traçar o perfil nutricional e fatores associados (gênero, tipo de escola, idade e percepção da imagem corporal) em adolescentes de município de Minas Gerais. Material e Métodos: Estudo transversal, desenvolvido com estudantes de ambos os gêneros do ensino fundamental 2, com idade entre dez a dezesseis anos, matriculados em escolas públicas e privadas. Foram coletados dados antropométricos de 576 indivíduos, incluindo peso, altura e circunferência da cintura, padronizados de acordo com as orientações do Ministério da Saúde. Também foram coletados dados referentes ao hábito alimentar e a percepção da imagem corporal dos indivíduos, através de questionários semi-estruturados e auto preenchidos. Resultados: Dos adolescentes estudados, 58,7% pertenciam à rede pública de ensino, 64,9% do gênero feminino e a mediana de idade foi de 13 anos. Em relação ao estado nutricional, 1,5% da amostra encontrava-se com a estatura inadequada para a idade, 30,93% apresentavam excesso de gordura abdominal e 34,4% excesso de peso. Em relação a imagem corporal, observou-se que os indivíduos obesos e com sobrepeso apresentaram maior insatisfação com sua imagem corporal, quando comparados ao grupo dos indivíduos eutróficos. Em relação aos hábitos alimentares, 37,1% dos adolescentes relataram nunca realizar o café da manhã, mas em relação as outras refeições (almoço e janta) a maioria relatou consumir sempre. Em relação aos alimentos ultraprocessados, 41,2% dos adolescentes relataram consumir guloseimas diariamente e 33,2%, refrigerantes ou suco em pó. Conclusão: São necessárias medidas que promovam a alimentação saudável, visando a prevenção da obesidade, sobrepeso e das doenças crônicas não transmissíveis em adolescentes.
Miíase maxilofacial: relato de casos
Authors: Pereira Júnior Antônio José Araújo , Possas da Fonseca Pereira Isabela , Coelho da Silva Filho Nilson , Souza Mota Reis Clarissa
Published: September 2019

Introdução: A miíase é uma afecção produzida pela infestação de larvas de moscas em pele e outros tecidos, sendo mais frequente nos países subdesenvolvidos e tropicais. Além disso, quando diagnosticada e tratada tardiamente pode levar o paciente a óbito. Objetivo: Há várias formas de tratamento descritas e a escolha da terapia varia a cada caso, segundo o número de larvas e o tecido envolvido. O intuito deste trabalho é relatar dois casos clínicos de miíase envolvendo a região maxilofacial, demonstrando a eficiência e a segurança da terapia escolhida. Relato de caso: Dois pacientes foram tratados através da remoção mecânica das larvas com auxílio de pinça e administração, por via oral, de antiparasitário (Ivermectina 12mg, dose única). Observou-se uma redução total de larvas nas feridas sem nenhuma intercorrência significativa. Conclusão: A remoção mecânica das larvas associada com Ivermectina em dose única é uma opção viável para o tratamento de miíase na região maxilofacial.
Relato de caso: melanoma primário de vagina
Authors: Pinto Marina Gontijo , Drumond Denise Gasparetti , Júnior Homero Gonçalves , Pannain Gabriel Duque , Batalha Sophia Helena
Published: September 2019

Introdução: Melanoma maligno de vagina é um tumor raro e agressivo com incidência de 0,46 casos a cada milhão de mulheres por ano, descrito pela primeira vez por Poronas, em 1887. São relatados aproximadamente 500 casos mundialmente. É uma variante mucosa do melanoma, acometendo regiões não expostas à radiação ultravioleta. Representa menos de 3% dos tumores primários malignos da vagina, de prognóstico ruim e taxa sobrevida em 5 anos de 5-25%. O tratamento preconizado é controverso e assunto de discussões. Existem poucos dados na literatura, justificando o relato deste caso, que contribuirá para novos estudos a fim de definir um melhor tratamento. Objetivo: Relatar um caso de melanoma primário de vagina invasor. Relato de caso: Paciente do sexo feminino, 78 anos, relatava sangramento vaginal há 6 meses e secreção serosanguinolenta de odor fétido. Ao exame ginecológico, visualizou-se lesão vegetante em parede vaginal esquerda, com sangramento ativo, friável e odor fétido, ausência de lesões em colo uterino e útero de volume habitual. A biópsia evidenciou à imunohistoquímica neoplasia de células epitelioides com atipias proeminentes com pigmento melânico associado à extensão pagetoide para camadas superficiais do epitélio, mitoses atípicas e positividade forte e difusa para Melan A e proteína S100, favorecendo a hipótese de Melanoma invasor primário de vagina. A ressonância magnética da pelve evidenciou linfonodo inguinal heterogêneo à esquerda. Desfecho: Paciente submetida à colpectomia com excisão de lesão neoplásica em parede anterior da vagina e ressecção de lesões suspeitas em paredes laterais da vagina e parede lateral direita da vulva, sem intercorrências cirúrgicas. Conclusão: O caso relatado fomenta a discussão de doença rara e que mesmo quando o diagnóstico e o tratamento são instituídos, tem seu prognóstico ainda muito imprevisível, no que diz respeito à cura e melhoria da qualidade de vida.
Limitações no cotidiano das pessoas com lesão crônica
Authors: Nogueira Rodrigues Rayssa , Lopes Macedo Maísa Mara , Silva Souza Débora Aparecida , Teixeira Moraes Juliano , Moura Lanza Fernanda , Nogueira Cortez Daniel
Published: September 2019

Introdução: A lesão de pele é considerada crônica quando ultrapassa seis semanas para cicatrizar, sendo um problema de saúde pública, devido ao impacto psicológico, social e econômico para o paciente, com elevados e crescentes custos para o sistema de saúde. Objetivo: compreender as limitações no cotidiano das pessoas com lesões crônicas. Material e métodos: estudo descritivo, exploratório, de abordagem qualitativa, realizado em um município de Minas Gerais com nove usuários de uma unidade básica de saúde.  Utilizou-se a entrevista aberta para a coleta de dados, que após transcrição na íntegra foram submetidas à Análise de Conteúdo na modalidade temática. Resultados: os indivíduos descreveram que a dor dificultava a realização dos afazeres domésticos e ocupacionais. A limitação de conviver com a lesão crônica também se relacionava com a dependência para realizar essas ativida­des. O afastamento social foi relatado pelos participantes devido ao odor e secreção, o que ocasionava a baixa autoestima. Conclusão: as lesões repercutem sobre as esferas psicoemocionais dos pacientes, com impactos negativos sobre a qualidade de vida. Demonstra, portanto, a importância do atendimento pautado no acolhimento humanizado e na escuta sensível durante todo o tratamento.