bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Descrición e prescrición na Gramática de Saco
Authors: González Seoane Ernesto X.
Published: May 2019

A aparición, a mediados do século XIX, das primeiras gramáticas do galego propicia a reflexión dos seus autores acerca de dúas cuestións fundamentais: por unha banda, determinar que variedade ou variedades se van empregar como punto de referencia do estudo gramatical e, por outra, decidir se o enfoque con que se vai abordar este será eminentemente descritivo ou de carácter máis ben prescritivo.O traballo analiza o posicionamento de Saco con respecto a estas dúas cuestións, poñéndoo en relación coas opinións dos seus contemporáneos. Neste sentido, canto ao ideal de lingua, o traballo salienta a fidelidade de Saco ao galego rústico e aldeán, que contrasta agudamente coas posicións maioritarias sostidas por outros autores do momento, que manifestan polo xeral uns fortes prexuízos antipopularistas. Por outra banda, constátase tamén a adopción na gramática de Saco dunha perspectiva decididamente descritiva, que se manifesta na incorporación no texto de variantes de diferente tipo (fonético, morfolóxico, léxico) e nunha forte contención dos comentarios de carácter prescritivo.
O galeguismo católico. Entre o rexionalismo e o nacionalismo
Authors: Beramendi Justo
Published: May 2019

Análise do rexionalismo católico-tradicionalista galego, marco ideolóxico no que se encadra o pensamento do franciscano Samuel Eiján, e co que comparte un tradicionalismo basal, certas prácticas de apostolado socialcatólico, a oposición aos movementos e sistemas políticos especificamente contemporáneos e un dobre patriotismo no que cohabitaban o amor e a vindicación de Galicia no plano lingüístico, étnico e histórico coa lealdade á nación española no plano político.
Warfare in Livonia at the beginning of the 18th century in relations of English ambassador Philippe Plantamour from Berlin
Authors: Sawicki Mariusz
Published: May 2019

An important element in current historical research is the analysis of diplomatic relations focusing on the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. They show the history of the Polish-Lithuanian state, its internal and foreign policy from a different historical perspective. In 1700, the Great Northern War broke out and changed the political power system in Central and Eastern Europe for the next decades. Diplomats from foreign courts were interested in this war, including Philippe Plantamour, secretary of the British embassy in Berlin. He sent his reports to the British Isles in which he posted information on warfare in Livonia. The aim of the article will be to analyze diplomatic reports that can help us answer the question of how the Great Northern War was seen in London. The method used is a critical analysis of the manuscript. The research will explain what information was included in Philippe Plantamours reports and whether they were true.
Wilsoncu Kamu Yönetiminde Alman Kökenlerin Yokluğu: “Von Stein, Bluntschli ve Hegel”
Authors: TURAN İsmail Bahadır
Published: May 2019

Bu çalışmada, Lorenz von Stein ve Johann C. Bluntschli’nin, Woodrow Wilson’a olası etkileri
araştırılacaktır. Kamu Yönetimi’nde köken sorununa dair süren tartışmalarda, Alman ülkelerinde üretilen
yönetime ilişkin bilgi, merkeze yerleştirilmektedir. Von Stein ve Bluntschli’ye de bu tartışmalarda önemli
anlamlar yüklenmekte ve Hegel’in sadık takipçileri oldukları kabul edilmektedir. Bu bağlamda, Hegel ve
Alman Organik Devlet Kuramı üzerinden Von Stein ve Bluntschli’ye, oradan da Wilson’a bir çizginin varlığı
öne sürülmektedir. Ancak Hegel dizgesi dışında kalan bu yazarların, ifade edilen çizgi bağlamında Wilson’u
etkilediklerini ileri sürmek mümkün değildir. Wilson’un, Alman Organik Devlet Kuramı ve özellikle
Bluntschli’nin eserlerinden, ayrıntılı olarak incelemeksizin sadece kendi hedefleri doğrultusunda yararlandığı
söylenebilir. Dolayısıyla Wilson’un amacının, bireyin kişisel çıkarlarının yıkıcı etkisi yerine, genelin çıkarlarını
gerçekleştirmek, ABD’deki kayırmacılık uygulamalarını sona erdirmek, siyasetin yıkıcı ve manipüle edici
etkisinden uzak kalacak “idari aygıtı” kurmak olduğu değerlendirilmektedir.
Kadın Hükümlülerin Bağlanma Stilleri ve Stresle Başa Çıkma Tutumlarının İncelenmesi
Authors: Utaş-Akhan Latife , Kürtüncü Meltem , Sükut Özge , Batmaz Makbule
Published: May 2019

Bu çalışma kadın hükümlülerin bağlanma stillerinin ve stresle başa çıkma tutumlarının belirlenmesi amacıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırma ilişkisel, tanımlayıcı türde bir araştırmadır. Araştırma İstanbul ilinde bulunan bir kadın kapalı cezaevinde, 1 Eylül-31 Aralık 2012 tarihleri arasında gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırmanın evrenini İstanbul ilindeki bir kapalı cezaevinde bulunan 273 hükümlü oluşturmaktadır. Örneklemi ise amaçlı örneklem yöntemi ile seçilen, araştırmaya alınma kriterlerine uygun ve araştırmanın uygulanacağı tarihte kadın kapalı cezaevinde kalan 130 kadın hükümlü oluşturmuştur. Araştırmada araştırmacılar tarafından hazırlanan sosyo-demografik özellikleri kapsayan veri toplama formu, ilişki ölçekleri anketi ve stresle başa çıkma tutumları envanteri (SBTE) kullanılmıştır. Araştırmaya katılan kadın hükümlülerin yaş ortalaması 34.55±9.223 olarak bulunmuştur. Cezaevinde kalan kadın hükümlülerin stresle başa çıkma tutumlarının ve bağlanma stillerinin, medeni durum, yaş, ebeveyn ile yaşama/yaşamama gibi sosyo-demografik özelliklerinden etkilendiği söylenebilir. Evli olanların ve aktivitelere katılanların daha olumlu stratejiler kullanabildikleri, anne babasından birini ya da her ikisini kaybetmiş olanların daha saplantılı bağlanma gösterdikleri; katılımcıların maneviyat ve dini yöntemlerle baş etme gibi stratejileri kullandığı araştırmadan çıkarılabilecek sonuçlardır.
Rearing of Hermetia Illucens on Different Organic By-Products: Influence on Growth, Waste Reduction, and Environmental Impact
Authors: Bava Luciana , Jucker Costanza , Gislon Giulia , Lupi Daniela , Savoldelli Sara , Zucali Maddalena , Colombini Stefania
Published: May 2019

The aim of the study was to evaluate the use of three by-products as growing substrates for Hermetia illucens (Black Soldier Fly (BSF)) larvae: okara, maize distiller, brewer’s grains, and a control hen diet. The study focused on larval growth and bioconversion performance, production of methane by larvae and environmental burden of larvae production, using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) on a lab scale. Chemical composition of substrates differed: okara had the highest crude protein and ether extract contents, while brewer’s grains showed the highest fiber content. Larvae fed on a hen diet and maize distiller exhibited the highest final weights (2.29 and 1.97 g, respectively). Larvae grown on okara showed the highest indexes for waste reduction and efficiency of conversion of the ingested feed. The BSF larvae did not produce any detectable traces of CH4. LCA evaluation showed that larvae production on a hen diet resulted in the most impact for most of environmental categories, for the inclusion of soybean meal in the diet (for climate change, 5.79 kg CO2 eq/kg dry larvae). Feed production activities resulted in the main contributions to environmental impact. In order to compare the larvae production obtained on all substrates, an environmental impact was attributed to okara and brewer’s grain through a substitution method, and, by this approach, the best sustainable product resulted from the larvae grown on the maize distiller.
Studies of Fracture Damage Caused by the Proppant Embedment Phenomenon in Shale Rock
Authors: Masłowski Mateusz , Kasza Piotr , Czupski Marek , Wilk Klaudia , Moska Rafał
Published: May 2019

This paper concerns the effect of proppant embedment related to hydraulic fracturing treatment. This phenomenon occurs if the strength of a dry reservoir rock is lower than that of proppant grains. The aim of this research was the laboratory determination of the loss of width of the proppant pack built of light ceramic grains. A laboratory simulation of the embedment phenomenon was carried out for a shale rock on a hydraulic press in a heated embedment chamber specially prepared for this purpose. Tests were conducted at high temperature and axial compressive stress conditions. The surfaces of cylindrical core plugs (fracture faces) were imaged under an optical microscope equipped with 3D software. The fracture faces were examined and compared before and after the embedment phenomenon. Analysis of the obtained images of the fracture face was done, based on a research method of the embedment phenomenon developed at the Oil and Gas Institute—National Research Institute. On the basis of the laboratory tests, the parameters characterizing the embedment phenomenon were defined and discussed. In addition, the percentage reduction in the width of the proppant pack was determined.
Equivalent Circuit Parameter Calculations and Characteristics Analysis of 2-DoF Direct Drive Induction Motor with a Slotted Solid Rotor
Authors: Feng Haichao , Si Jikai , Wu Wei , Dong Lianghui , Cheng Zhiping
Published: May 2019

In this paper, a modified equivalent circuit model (ECM), which considers the effects of an arc-shaped stator structure and saturation, is presented to calculate the characteristics of a two-degree-of-freedom direct drive induction motor (2DoFDDIM). The motor has a novel slotted solid rotor (SSR), which is slotted along the axial and circumferential directions, and copper is cast in the slots. The SSR is equivalent to a cage rotor by analyzing the current distribution using the circuit diagram. The corrected ECM parameter expressions of a cage rotor are proposed to calculate the SSR parameters. The characteristics obtained by ECM and finite element method are compared to verify the accuracy of the modified ECM. This paper provides reference for calculating the parameters of the induction motor with SSR.
Spreading Dynamics of Droplet Impact on a Wedge-Patterned Biphilic Surface
Authors: Yang Yanjie , Chen Xiaoqian , Huang Yiyong
Published: May 2019

The influence of apex angle and tilting angle on droplet spreading dynamics after impinging on wedge-patterned biphilic surface has been experimentally investigated. Once the droplet contacts the wedge-patterned biphilic surface, it spreads radially on the surface, with a tendency toward a more hydrophilic area. After reaching the maximum spreading diameter, the droplet contracts back. From the experimental results, the normalized diameter β ( β = D / D 0 ) was found to be related with the Weber number ( W e = ρ D V 2 / γ ) as β max ∼ W e 1 / 5 . during the first spreading process. Below 67.4°, a larger apex angle can help a droplet to spread on the surface more quickly. The maximum spreading diameter has a tendency to increase with the Weber number, and then decrease after the Weber number, beyond 2.7. Approximately, the critical Weber number is about 5, when the droplet lifts off the surface. Considering the effect of apex angle, the maximum normalized spreading diameter has a rough expression as β ∼ α τ
Targeting Cyclooxygenase-2 in Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma: Focus on Genetic Background
Authors: Ullrich Martin , Richter Susan , Seifert Verena , Hauser Sandra , Calsina Bruna , Martínez-Montes Ángel M. , ter Laak Marjolein , Ziegler Christian G. , Timmers Henri , Eisenhofer Graeme , Robledo Mercedes , Pietzsch Jens
Published: May 2019

Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) is a key enzyme of the tumorigenesis-inflammation interface and can be induced by hypoxia. A pseudohypoxic transcriptional signature characterizes pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) of the cluster I, mainly represented by tumors with mutations in von Hippel–Lindau (VHL), endothelial PAS domain-containing protein 1 (EPAS1), or succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) subunit genes. The aim of this study was to investigate a possible association between underlying tumor driver mutations and COX-2 in PPGLs. COX-2 gene expression and immunoreactivity were examined in clinical specimens with documented mutations, as well as in spheroids and allografts derived from mouse pheochromocytoma (MPC) cells. COX-2 in vivo imaging was performed in allograft mice. We observed significantly higher COX-2 expression in cluster I, especially in VHL-mutant PPGLs, however, no specific association between COX-2 mRNA levels and a hypoxia-related transcriptional signature was found. COX-2 immunoreactivity was present in about 60% of clinical specimens as well as in MPC spheroids and allografts. A selective COX-2 tracer specifically accumulated in MPC allografts. This study demonstrates that, although pseudohypoxia is not the major determinant for high COX-2 levels in PPGLs, COX-2 is a relevant molecular target. This potentially allows for employing selective COX-2 inhibitors as targeted chemotherapeutic agents and radiosensitizers. Moreover, available models are suitable for preclinical testing of these treatments.
Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy in Cancer Diagnosis, Prognosis and Monitoring
Authors: Guerrini Luca , Alvarez-Puebla Ramon A.
Published: May 2019

As medicine continues to advance our understanding of and knowledge about the complex and multifactorial nature of cancer, new major technological challenges have emerged in the design of analytical methods capable of characterizing and assessing the dynamic heterogeneity of cancer for diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring, as required by precision medicine. With this aim, novel nanotechnological approaches have been pursued and developed for overcoming intrinsic and current limitations of conventional methods in terms of rapidity, sensitivity, multiplicity, non-invasive procedures and cost. Eminently, a special focus has been put on their implementation in liquid biopsy analysis. Among optical nanosensors, those based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) have been attracting tremendous attention due to the combination of the intrinsic prerogatives of the technique (e.g., sensitivity and structural specificity) and the high degree of refinement in nano-manufacturing, which translate into reliable and robust real-life applications. In this review, we categorize the diverse strategic approaches of SERS biosensors for targeting different classes of tumor biomarkers (cells, nucleic acids and proteins) by illustrating key recent research works. We will also discuss the current limitations and future research challenges to be addressed to improve the competitiveness of SERS over other methodologies in cancer medicine.
In Vivo Evaluation of Dual-Targeted Nanoparticles Encapsulating Paclitaxel and Everolimus
Authors: Houdaihed Loujin , Evans James Christopher , Allen Christine
Published: May 2019

A synergistic combination of paclitaxel (PTX) and everolimus (EVER) can allow for lower drug doses, reducing the toxicities associated with PTX, while maintaining therapeutic efficacy. Polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) of high stability provide opportunities to modify the toxicity profile of the drugs by ensuring their delivery to the tumor site at the synergistic ratio while limiting systemic drug exposure and the toxicities that result. The goal of the current study is to evaluate the in vivo fate of human epidermal factor receptor 2 (HER2) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) dual-targeted PTX+EVER-loaded NPs (Dual-NPs) in an MDA-MB-231-H2N breast cancer (BC) tumor-bearing mouse model. The pharmacokinetic parameters, plasma area under the curve (AUC) and half-life (t1/2z) were found to be 20-fold and 3 to 4-fold higher, respectively, for the drugs when administered in the Dual-NPs in comparison to the free-drug combination (i.e., PTX+EVER) at an equivalent dose of PTX. While maintaining anti-tumor efficacy, the levels of body weight loss were significantly lower (p < 0.0001) and the overall degree of neurotoxicity was reduced with Dual-NPs treatment in comparison to the free-drug combination when administered at an equivalent dose of PTX. This study suggests that Dual-NPs present a promising platform for the delivery of the PTX and EVER combination with the potential to reduce severe PTX-induced toxicities and in turn, improve quality of life for patients with BC.
A Multifunctional Graphene Oxide Platform for Targeting Cancer
Authors: Bugárová Nikola , Špitálsky Zdenko , Mičušík Matej , Bodík Michal , Šiffalovič Peter , Koneracká Martina , Závišová Vlasta , Kubovčíková Martina , Kajanová Ivana , Zaťovičová Miriam , Pastoreková Silvia , Šlouf Miroslav , Majková Eva , Omastová Mária
Published: May 2019

Diagnosis of oncological diseases remains at the forefront of current medical research. Carbonic Anhydrase IX (CA IX) is a cell surface hypoxia-inducible enzyme functionally involved in adaptation to acidosis that is expressed in aggressive tumors; hence, it can be used as a tumor biomarker. Herein, we propose a nanoscale graphene oxide (GO) platform functionalized with magnetic nanoparticles and a monoclonal antibody specific to the CA IX marker. The GO platforms were prepared by a modified Hummers and Offeman method from exfoliated graphite after several centrifugation and ultrasonication cycles. The magnetic nanoparticles were prepared by a chemical precipitation method and subsequently modified. Basic characterization of GO, such as the degree of oxidation, nanoparticle size and exfoliation, were determined by physical and chemical analysis, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). In addition, the size and properties of the poly-L-lysine-modified magnetic nanoparticles were characterized. The antibody specific to CA IX was linked via an amidic bond to the poly-L-lysine modified magnetic nanoparticles, which were conjugated to GO platform again via an amidic bond. The prepared GO-based platform with magnetic nanoparticles combined with a biosensing antibody element was used for a hypoxic cancer cell targeting study based on immunofluorescence.
Cancer Mutations in FGFR2 Prevent a Negative Feedback Loop Mediated by the ERK1/2 Pathway
Authors: Szybowska Patrycja , Kostas Michal , Wesche Jørgen , Wiedlocha Antoni , Haugsten Ellen Margrethe
Published: May 2019

Tight regulation of signaling from receptor tyrosine kinases is required for normal cellular functions and uncontrolled signaling can lead to cancer. Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) is a receptor tyrosine kinase that induces proliferation and migration. Deregulation of FGFR2 contributes to tumor progression and activating mutations in FGFR2 are found in several types of cancer. Here, we identified a negative feedback loop regulating FGFR2 signaling. FGFR2 stimulates the Ras/MAPK signaling pathway consisting of Ras-Raf-MEK1/2-ERK1/2. Inhibition of this pathway using a MEK1/2 inhibitor increased FGFR2 signaling. The putative ERK1/2 phosphorylation site at serine 780 (S780) in FGFR2 corresponds to serine 777 in FGFR1 which is directly phosphorylated by ERK1/2. Substitution of S780 in FGFR2 to an alanine also increased signaling. Truncated forms of FGFR2 lacking the C-terminal tail, including S780, have been identified in cancer and S780 has been found mutated to leucine in bladder cancer. Substituting S780 in FGFR2 with leucine increased FGFR2 signaling. Importantly, cells expressing these mutated versions of S780 migrated faster than cells expressing wild-type FGFR2. Thus, ERK1/2-mediated phosphorylation of S780 in FGFR2 constitutes a negative feedback loop and inactivation of this feedback loop in cancer cells causes hyperactivation of FGFR2 signaling, which may result in increased invasive properties.
Obesity as an Inflammatory Agent Can Cause Cellular Changes in Human Milk due to the Actions of the Adipokines Leptin and Adiponectin
Authors: Morais Tassiane , de Abreu Luiz , de Quental Ocilma , Pessoa Rafael , Fujimori Mahmi , Daboin Blanca , França Eduardo , Honorio-França Adenilda
Published: May 2019

Adiponectin and leptin play roles in the hunger response, and they can induce the inflammatory process as the initial mechanism of the innate immune response. It is possible for alterations in the levels of these adipokines to compromise the functional activity of human colostrum phagocytes. Therefore, the objective of this study is to analyze the effects of adiponectin and leptin on colostrum mononuclear (MN) cells. Colostrum was collected from 80 healthy donors, who were divided into two groups: the control group and the high body mass index (BMI) group. MN cells were used to analyze phagocytosis by flow cytometry, and reactive oxygen species (ROS), intracellular calcium, and apoptosis were assessed by fluorimetry using a microplate reader. Adipokines restored the levels of phagocytosis to the high BMI group (p < 0.05), with a mechanism that is action-dependent on the release of ROS and intracellular calcium. However, adiponectin and leptin simultaneously contributed to better microbicidal activity, thus reflecting an increase in the apoptosis level (p < 0.05) in the high BMI group. Probably, the maintenance of the balance between adiponectin and leptin levels enhances the protection and decreases the indices of neonatal infection in the breastfeeding infants of women with high BMI values. Therefore, policies that support pre-gestational weight control should be encouraged.
Disposal of High-Level Nuclear Waste in Deep Horizontal Drillholes
Authors: Muller Richard A. , Finsterle Stefan , Grimsich John , Baltzer Rod , Muller Elizabeth A. , Rector James W. , Payer Joe , Apps John
Published: May 2019

Spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste can be disposed in deep horizontal drillholes in sedimentary, metamorphic or igneous rocks. Horizontal drillhole disposal has safety, operational and economic benefits: the repository is deep in the brine-saturated zone far below aquifers in a reducing environment of formations that can be shown to have been isolated from the surface for exceedingly long times; its depth provides safety against inadvertent intrusion, earthquakes and near-surface perturbations; it can be placed close to the reactors and interim storage facilities, minimizing transportation; disposal costs per ton of waste can be kept substantially lower than for mined repositories by its smaller size, reduced infrastructure needs and staged implementation; and, if desired, the waste could be retrieved using “fishing” technology. In the proposed disposal concept, corrosion-resistant canisters containing unmodified fuel assemblies from commercial reactors would be placed end-to-end in up to 50 cm diameter horizontal drillholes, a configuration that reduces mechanical stresses and keeps the temperatures below the boiling point of the brine. Other high-level wastes, such as capsules containing 137Cs and 90Sr, can be disposed in small-diameter horizontal drillholes. We provide an overview of this novel disposal concept and its technology, discuss some of its safety aspects and compare it to mined repositories and the deep vertical borehole disposal concept.
What Drives Intensification of Land Use at Agricultural Frontiers in the Brazilian Amazon? Evidence from a Decision Game
Authors: Nascimento Nathália , West Thales A. P. , Börner Jan , Ometto Jean
Published: May 2019

Land-use change results from the decisions of diverse actors in response to economic and political contexts. Identification of underlying decision-making processes is key to understanding land-use patterns, anticipating trends, and designing effective environmental governance mechanisms. Here, we use a scenario-based decision game to examine hypothetical land-use decisions among four groups of rural producers in the municipalities of Sinop, Guarantã do Norte and Novo Progresso in the Brazilian Amazon. We simulate changes in agricultural prices, production cost, and frequency of environmental monitoring (in situ inspections) to understand how land-use decisions are made and change with shifts in economic and governance incentives. Hypothetical land-use decisions vary across scenarios, but not across study sites; environmental law enforcement influence land decisions, but not to the extent of dominating market factors and not for all types of producers. Decision games cannot substitute approaches to explain behavioral responses from observational data. However, they can provide immediate feedback on behavioral hypotheses before comprehensive observational data becomes available and support the development of models for land-use policy planning at local and regional scales.
Survey and Perspectives of Vehicular Wi-Fi versus Sidelink Cellular-V2X in the 5G Era
Authors: Bazzi Alessandro , Cecchini Giammarco , Menarini Michele , Masini Barbara M. , Zanella Alberto
Published: May 2019

The revolution of cooperative connected and automated vehicles is about to begin and a key milestone is the introduction of short range wireless communications between cars. Given the tremendous expected market growth, two different technologies have been standardized by international companies and consortia, namely IEEE 802.11p, out for nearly a decade, and short range cellular-vehicle-to-anything (C-V2X), of recent definition. In both cases, evolutions are under discussion. The former is only decentralized and based on a sensing before transmitting access, while the latter is based on orthogonal resources that can be also managed by an infrastructure. Although studies have been conducted to highlight advantages and drawbacks of both, doubts still remain. In this work, with a reference to the literature and the aid of large scale simulations in realistic urban and highway scenarios, we provide an insight in such a comparison, also trying to isolate the contribution of the physical and medium access control layers.
ACTN3 R577X Genotype and Exercise Phenotypes in Recreational Marathon Runners
Authors: Del Coso Juan , Moreno Victor , Gutiérrez-Hellín Jorge , Baltazar-Martins Gabriel , Ruíz-Moreno Carlos , Aguilar-Navarro Millán , Lara Beatriz , Lucía Alejandro
Published: May 2019

Background: Homozygosity for the X-allele in the ACTN3 R577X (rs1815739) polymorphism results in the complete absence of α-actinin-3 in sarcomeres of fast-type muscle fibers. In elite athletes, the ACTN3 XX genotype has been related to inferior performance in speed and power-oriented sports; however, its influence on exercise phenotypes in recreational athletes has received less attention. We sought to determine the influence of ACTN3 genotypes on common exercise phenotypes in recreational marathon runners. Methods: A total of 136 marathoners (116 men and 20 women) were subjected to laboratory testing that included measurements of body composition, isometric muscle force, muscle flexibility, ankle dorsiflexion, and the energy cost of running. ACTN3 genotyping was performed using TaqMan probes. Results: 37 runners (27.2%) had the RR genotype, 67 (49.3%) were RX and 32 (23.5%) were XX. There was a difference in body fat percentage between RR and XX genotype groups (15.7 ± 5.8 vs. 18.8 ± 5.5%; effect size, ES, = 0.5 ± 0.4, p = 0.024), whereas the distance obtained in the sit-and-reach-test was likely lower in the RX than in the XX group (15.3 ± 7.8 vs. 18.4 ± 9.9 cm; ES = 0.4 ± 0.4, p = 0.046). Maximal dorsiflexion during the weight-bearing lunge test was different in the RR and XX groups (54.8 ± 5.8 vs. 57.7 ± 5.1 degree; ES = 0.5 ± 0.5, p = 0.044). Maximal isometric force was higher in the RR than in the XX group (16.7 ± 4.7 vs. 14.7 ± 4.0 N/kg; ES = −0.5 ± 0.3, p = 0.038). There was no difference in the energy cost of running between genotypes (~4.8 J/kg/min for all three groups, ES ~0.2 ± 0.4). Conclusions: The ACTN3 genotype might influence several exercise phenotypes in recreational marathoners. Deficiency in α-actinin-3 might be accompanied by higher body fatness, lower muscle strength and higher muscle flexibility and range of motion. Although there is not yet a scientific rationale for the use of commercial genetic tests to predict sports performance, recreational marathon runners who have performed such types of testing and have the ACTN3 XX genotype might perhaps benefit from personalized strength training to improve their performance more than their counterparts with other ACTN3 genotypes.
A Four-Pseudogene Classifier Identified by Machine Learning Serves as a Novel Prognostic Marker for Survival of Osteosarcoma
Authors: Liu Feng , Xing Lu , Zhang Xiaoqian , Zhang Xiaoqi
Published: May 2019

Osteosarcoma is a common malignancy with high mortality and poor prognosis due to lack of predictive markers. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that pseudogenes, a type of non-coding gene, play an important role in tumorigenesis. The aim of this study was to identify a prognostic pseudogene signature of osteosarcoma by machine learning. A sample of 94 osteosarcoma patients’ RNA-Seq data with clinical follow-up information was involved in the study. The survival-related pseudogenes were screened and related signature model was constructed by cox-regression analysis (univariate, lasso, and multivariate). The predictive value of the signature was further validated in different subgroups. The putative biological functions were determined by co-expression analysis. In total, 125 survival-related pseudogenes were identified and a four-pseudogene (RPL11-551L14.1, HR: 0.65 (95% CI: 0.44–0.95); RPL7AP28, HR: 0.32 (95% CI: 0.14–0.76); RP4-706A16.3, HR: 1.89 (95% CI: 1.35–2.65); RP11-326A19.5, HR: 0.52(95% CI: 0.37–0.74)) signature effectively distinguished the high- and low-risk patients, and predicted prognosis with high sensitivity and specificity (AUC: 0.878). Furthermore, the signature was applicable to patients of different genders, ages, and metastatic status. Co-expression analysis revealed the four pseudogenes are involved in regulating malignant phenotype, immune, and DNA/RNA editing. This four-pseudogene signature is not only a promising predictor of prognosis and survival, but also a potential marker for monitoring therapeutic schedule. Therefore, our findings may have potential clinical significance.
Classroom Standing Desks and Time-Series Variation in Sedentary Behavior and Physical Activity among Primary School Children
Authors: Kidokoro Tetsuhiro , Shimizu Yasuo , Edamoto Kanako , Annear Michael
Published: May 2019

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of height-adjustable standing desks on time-series variation in sedentary behavior (SB) among primary school children. Thirty-eight children aged 11–12 years (22 boys and 16 girls) from two classes at a primary school in Nagano, Japan, participated in this study. One class was allocated as the intervention group and provided with individual standing desks for 6 months, and the other was allocated as the control group. Time spent in SB, light-intensity physical activity (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) was measured using accelerometers (ActiGraph) at baseline and follow-up. Time spent in SB was significantly lower by 18.3 min/day on average in the intervention class at follow-up (interaction effects: F(1, 36) = 4.95, p = 0.035, η2 = 0.082). This was accompanied by a significant increase in time spent in MVPA (+19.9 min/day on average). Our time-series analysis showed significant decreases in SB during school time, while no change in SB was found during non-school time. This result indicates that the use of standing desks promotes an overall reduction in SB with no compensatory increase during non-school time.
What to Do When Accumulated Exposure Affects Health but Only Its Duration Was Measured? A Case of Linear Regression
Authors: Burstyn Igor , Barone-Adesi Francesco , de Vocht Frank , Gustafson Paul
Published: May 2019

Background: We considered a problem of inference in epidemiology when cumulative exposure is the true dose metric for disease, but investigators are only able to measure its duration on each subject. Methods: We undertook theoretical analysis of the problem in the context of a continuous response caused by cumulative exposure, when duration and intensity of exposure follow log-normal distributions, such that analysis by linear regression is natural. We present a Bayesian method to adjust duration-only analysis to incorporate partial knowledge about the relationship between duration and intensity of exposure and illustrate this method in the context of association of smoking and lung function. Results: We derive equations that (a) describe under what circumstances bias arises when duration of exposure is used as a proxy of cumulative exposure, (b) quantify the degree of such bias and loss of precision, and (c) describe how knowledge about relationship of duration and intensity of exposure can be used to recover an estimate of the effect of cumulative exposure when only duration was observed on every subject. Conclusions: Under our assumptions, when duration and intensity of exposure are either independent or positively correlated, we can be more confident in qualitatively interpreting the direction of effects that arise from use of duration of exposure per se. We can use external information on the relationship between duration and intensity of exposure (namely: correlation and variance of intensity), even if intensity of exposure is not available at the individual level, to make reliable inferences about the magnitude of effect of cumulative exposure on the outcome.
Psychosocial Motivators for Moderate Drinking among Young Asian Flushers in Singapore
Authors: Kim Hye Kyung , Lim Si En Rachel , Wong Kang Min Dorothy
Published: May 2019

Asians are more susceptible to alcohol flush syndrome and its associated health risks because they are genetically predisposed towards it. Guided by the theory of planned behaviour, this research examined the psychosocial factors associated with moderate alcohol consumption, in order to inform the development of a health campaign targeting young Asian “flushers” in Singapore. We employed a mixed-method design comprising an online survey and focus group discussions. The survey results identified perceived behavioural control as the most salient belief associated with moderate drinking intentions, particularly for Asian flushers. Although Asian flushers had more positive attitudes towards, and perceived behavioural control about drinking in moderation, they were more likely to consider that their peers disapprove of such a practice, compared to non-flushers. Additionally, Asian flushers did not consider themselves as having a higher risk of long-term health effects from alcohol consumption than non-Flushers despite their actual high-risk status. Focus group findings suggest that young Asian flushers have poor knowledge of, and skills associated with moderate drinking, in addition to feeling self-imposed social pressure. The study findings provide practical insights into bridging the information gap on Asian flush and promoting Asian flushers’ drinking in moderation.
From End Treatment to Source Prevention: Socio-Ecological Approaches to Promote Research on the Environment and Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases with Special Reference to China
Authors: Shan Xi-Zhang , Li Yong , Lai Kun
Published: May 2019

Globally, the pandemic of non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs) has become a critical public health problem. Although NCD prevention has been shifting from individual behavioral interventions to broad environmental interventions, it is still necessary to promote research on the environment and NCDs as a whole. Therefore, this conceptual paper aimed to develop a general and novel framework to advance this line of research. The framework uses socio-ecological approaches that emphasize source prevention rather than the end treatment. Specifically, this framework comprehensively covered integrative research approaches, prioritized areas, urgent efforts, innovative methodologies, and improved funding. The framework used China as a typical context, where its public health policies, similar to other nations, still focus on the end treatment of NCDs, placing emphasis on biomedical approaches and technologies. China’s relevant efforts may furnish new insights and approaches concerning NCD prevention, and these efforts may benefit the improvement of global health and well-being. Such social-ecological research efforts can help to accelerate a shift from existing individual interventions to environmental interventions, thereby ultimately achieving the effective source prevention of NCDs in China and around the globe.
Trends in Health-Risk Behaviors among Chinese Adolescents
Authors: Guo Lan , Wang Tian , Wang Wanxin , Huang Guoliang , Xu Yan , Lu Ciyong
Published: May 2019

Adolescent health-risk behaviors can have long lasting negative effects throughout an individual’s life, and cause a major economic and social burden to society. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of the health-risk behaviors among Chinese adolescents and to test the trends in health-risk behaviors without and with adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. Data were drawn from the School-based Chinese Adolescents Health Survey, which is an ongoing school-based study about the health-risk behaviors among Chinese adolescents (7th to 12th grade). During the first wave through the third wave, the prevalence of lifetime, past 12-month, and past 30-day use of opioid decreased by 4.19%, 0.63%, and 0.56%, respectively. Moreover, the prevalence of lifetime, past 12-month, and past 30-day sedative use decreased by 3.03%, 0.65%, and 0.35%, respectively. During the three waves, most trends in the prevalence of health-risk behaviors were downward, with a few exceptions: The prevalence of lifetime smoking, drinking, methamphetamine use, and sleep disturbance increased by 7.15%, 13.08%, 0.48%, and 9.06%, respectively. The prevalence of lifetime 3,4-methylene dioxy methamphetamine use (from 0.49% to 0.48%), lifetime mephedrone use (from 0.30% to 0.24%), or suicide attempts (from 2.41% to 2.46%) remained stable.
What Role Should Government Play in the Personal Carbon Trading Market: Motivator or Punisher?
Authors: Guo Daoyan , Chen Hong , Long Ruyin
Published: May 2019

With increasing downstream carbon emissions, the implementation of a personal carbon trading scheme is urgently required. In order to facilitate the progress, government departments are supposed to adopt a motivating or punitive policy to make guidance for downstream carbon emissions reduction. This study determined and verified the evolutionarily stable strategies (ESSs) of government departments and individuals whose carbon emissions exceeded the initial carbon allowance (CEEICA individuals) by using the evolutionary game and numerical simulation methods, respectively. The findings show that the ESS of government departments is always a punitive policy during the variation of strategies of CEEICA individuals. The ESS of CEEICA individuals is an active plan when the added cost (the difference between emissions reduction cost and trading earning) is less than the carbon tax; otherwise, it is a passive plan. Furthermore, the rate of convergence can be significantly influenced by the probabilistic distances between initial strategies and the ESSs. On the basis of these findings, this study suggested implementing a “punishment first, motivation-supplemented” policy, and developing a stable operational mechanism for a personal carbon trading market.
Harmonising the OGC Standards for the Built Environment: A CityGML Extension for LandInfra
Authors: Kumar Kavisha , Labetski Anna , Ohori Ken Arroyo , Ledoux Hugo , Stoter Jantien
Published: May 2019

The relatively new Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standard LandInfra documents in its data model land and civil engineering infrastructure features. It has a Geography Markup Language (GML) implementation, OGC InfraGML, which has essentially no software support and is rarely used in practice. In order to share the benefits of LandInfra (and InfraGML) with a wider public, we have created the Infra Application Domain Extension (ADE), a CityGML ADE that allows us to store LandInfra features in CityGML. In this paper, we semantically map LandInfra to CityGML, describe our ADE, and discuss a few used cases where our ADE can be useful for applications for the built environment. We also provide software to automatically convert datasets from InfraGML to CityGML (and our ADE), and vice versa, as well as to validate them, which will help practitioners generate real-world InfraGML datasets.
Identifying Building Functions from the Spatiotemporal Population Density and the Interactions of People among Buildings
Authors: Zhuo Li , Shi Qingli , Zhang Chenyang , Li Qiuping , Tao Haiyan
Published: May 2019

Buildings are fundamental components of cities. Understanding the function of buildings is therefore of great importance for urban development and management. Some studies have identified building functions using spatiotemporal data, which assumes that buildings with the same function have similar temporal activity patterns. However, these methods present difficulties in coping with the situation when buildings with the same function have heterogeneous activity patterns. To solve this problem, this research proposes a new method to identify building functions from the perspective of the spatial distribution and spatial interactions of human activities. First, taxi data were used to acquire the spatiotemporal interaction characteristics among buildings with different functions. Then, the spatiotemporal population density distribution was adopted to depict the building vitality. Finally, an iterative clustering method was introduced to identify the building functions. The proposed scheme was applied in the Haizhu district of Guangzhou and compared with the traditional method. The results prove that the spatial interaction characteristics are more helpful than the temporal variation characteristics and therefore can be used to improve the accuracy of building function identification. A higher accuracy for identifying building functions can be realized by combining the spatiotemporal interactions and building vitality characteristics. The overall accuracy reaches 0.8566, with a Kappa coefficient of 0.8174, which are both better than the results of using a single characteristic only.
Natriuretic Peptides in Heart Failure with Preserved Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction: From Molecular Evidences to Clinical Implications
Authors: Tanase Daniela Maria , Radu Smaranda , Al Shurbaji Sinziana , Baroi Genoveva Livia , Florida Costea Claudia , Turliuc Mihaela Dana , Ouatu Anca , Floria Mariana
Published: May 2019

The incidence of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is increasing and its challenging diagnosis and management combines clinical, imagistic and biological data. Natriuretic peptides (NPs) are hormones secreted in response to myocardial stretch that, by increasing cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), counteract myocardial fibrosis and hypertrophy, increase natriuresis and determine vasodilatation. While their role in HFpEF is controversial, most authors focused on b-type natriuretic peptides (BNPs) and agreed that patients may show lower levels. In this setting, newer molecules with an increased specificity, such as middle-region pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP), emerged as promising markers. Augmenting NP levels, either by NP analogs or breakdown inhibition, could offer a new therapeutic target in HFpEF (already approved in their reduced EF counterparts) by increasing the deficient cGMP levels found in patients. Importantly, these peptides also retain their prognostic value. This narrative review focuses on NPs’ physiology, diagnosis, therapeutic and prognostic implication in HFpEF.
Cardiac Troponins are Among Targets of Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity in hiPCS-CMs
Authors: Adamcova Michaela , Skarkova Veronika , Seifertova Jitka , Rudolf Emil
Published: May 2019

Modern diagnostic strategies for early recognition of cancer therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction involve cardiac troponins measurement. Still, the role of other markers of cardiotoxicity is still unclear. The present study was designed to investigate dynamics of response of human cardiomyocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPCS-CMs) to doxorubicin with the special emphasis on their morphological changes in relation to expression and organization of troponins. The hiPCS-CMs were treated with doxorubicin concentrations (1 and 0.3 µM) for 48 h and followed for next up to 6 days. Exposure of hiPCS-CMs to 1 µM doxorubicininduced suppression of both cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) gene expression. Conversely, lower 0.3 µM doxorubicin concentration produced no significant changes in the expression of aforementioned genes. However, the intracellular topography, arrangement, and abundance of cardiac troponin proteins markedly changed after both doxorubicin concentrations. In particular, at 48 h of treatment, both cTnT and cTnI bundles started to reorganize, with some of them forming compacted shapes extending outwards and protruding outside the cells. At later intervals (72 h and onwards), the whole troponin network collapsed and became highly disorganized following, to some degree, overall changes in the cellular shape. Moreover, membrane permeability of cardiomyocytes was increased, and intracellular mitochondrial network rearranged and hypofunctional. Together, our results demonstrate complex effects of clinically relevant doxorubicin concentrations on hiPCS-CM cells including changes in cTnT and cTnI, but also in other cellular compartments contributing to the overall cytotoxicity of this class of cytostatics.
Helium-Induced Changes in Circulating Caveolin in Mice Suggest a Novel Mechanism of Cardiac Protection
Authors: Weber Nina C. , Schilling Jan M. , Warmbrunn Moritz V. , Dhanani Mehul , Kerindongo Raphaela , Siamwala Jamila , Song Young , Zemljic-Harpf Alice E. , Fannon McKenzie J. , Hollmann Markus W. , Preckel Benedikt , Roth David M. , Patel Hemal H.
Published: May 2019

The noble gas helium (He) induces cardioprotection in vivo through unknown molecular mechanisms. He can interact with and modify cellular membranes. Caveolae are cholesterol and sphingolipid-enriched invaginations of the plasma-membrane-containing caveolin (Cav) proteins that are critical in protection of the heart. Mice (C57BL/6J) inhaled either He gas or adjusted room air. Functional measurements were performed in the isolated Langendorff perfused heart at 24 h post He inhalation. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometry (EPR) of samples was carried out at 24 h post He inhalation. Immunoblotting was used to detect Cav-1/3 expression in whole-heart tissue, exosomes isolated from platelet free plasma (PFP) and membrane fractions. Additionally, transmission electron microscopy analysis of cardiac tissue and serum function and metabolomic analysis were performed. In contrast to cardioprotection observed in in vivo models, the isolated Langendorff perfused heart revealed no protection after He inhalation. However, levels of Cav-1/3 were reduced 24 h after He inhalation in whole-heart tissue, and Cav-3 was increased in exosomes from PFP. Addition of serum to muscle cells in culture or naïve ventricular tissue increased mitochondrial metabolism without increasing reactive oxygen species generation. Primary and lipid metabolites determined potential changes in ceramide by He exposure. In addition to direct effects on myocardium, He likely induces the release of secreted membrane factors enriched in caveolae. Our results suggest a critical role for such circulating factors in He-induced organ protection.