bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beyond the Biological Effect of a Chemically Characterized Poplar Propolis: Antibacterial and Antiviral Activity and Comparison with Flurbiprofen in Cytokines Release by LPS-Stimulated Human Mononuclear Cells
Authors: Governa Paolo , Cusi Maria Grazia , Borgonetti Vittoria , Sforcin José Mauricio , Terrosi Chiara , Baini Giulia , Miraldi Elisabetta , Biagi Marco
Published: September 2019

Bee propolis, especially Euro-Asian poplar propolis, is among the most well-known natural products traditionally used to treat pharyngitis and minor wounds. The aim of this research was to investigate the pharmacological properties responsible for poplar propolis effectiveness using, for the first time, different in vitro approaches applied to a chemically characterized sample. The anti-inflammatory activity was compared with flurbiprofen by determining pro-inflammatory cytokines released by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The antibacterial activity against Gram+ and Gram- bacteria was assessed, as well as antiviral effects on H1N1 influenza a virus. Poplar propolis (5 and 25 µg/mL) exerted a concentration-dependent anti-inflammatory activity. In this range of concentrations, propolis effect was not inferior to flurbiprofen on cytokines released by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human PBMC. Poplar propolis was found to upregulate IL-6 and IL-1β in non-stimulated PBMC. S. aureus, S. pyogenes, and S. pneumoniae were the most susceptible bacterial strains with inhibitory concentrations ranging from 156 to 625 µg/mL. A direct anti-influenza activity was not clearly seen. Effective anti-inflammatory concentrations of propolis were significantly lower than the antibacterial and antiviral ones and results suggested that the anti-inflammatory activity was the most important feature of poplar propolis linked to its rationale use in medicine.
The Origin and Propagation of the Antarctic Centennial Oscillation
Authors: Davis W. Jackson , Taylor Peter J. , Davis W. Barton
Published: September 2019

The Antarctic Centennial Oscillation (ACO) is a paleoclimate temperature cycle that originates in the Southern Hemisphere, is the presumptive evolutionary precursor of the contemporary Antarctic Oscillation (AAO), and teleconnects to the Northern Hemisphere to influence global temperature. In this study we investigate the internal climate dynamics of the ACO over the last 21 millennia using stable water isotopes frozen in ice cores from 11 Antarctic drill sites as temperature proxies. Spectral and time series analyses reveal that ACOs occurred at all 11 sites over all time periods evaluated, suggesting that the ACO encompasses all of Antarctica. From the Last Glacial Maximum through the Last Glacial Termination (LGT), ACO cycles propagated on a multicentennial time scale from the East Antarctic coastline clockwise around Antarctica in the streamline of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). The velocity of teleconnection (VT) is correlated with the geophysical characteristics of drill sites, including distance from the ocean and temperature. During the LGT, the VT to coastal sites doubled while the VT to inland sites decreased fourfold, correlated with increasing solar insolation at 65°N. These results implicate two interdependent mechanisms of teleconnection, oceanic and atmospheric, and suggest possible physical mechanisms for each. During the warmer Holocene, ACOs arrived synchronously at all drill sites examined, suggesting that the VT increased with temperature. Backward extrapolation of ACO propagation direction and velocity places its estimated geographic origin in the Southern Ocean east of Antarctica, in the region of the strongest sustained surface wind stress over any body of ocean water on Earth. ACO period is correlated with all major cycle parameters except cycle symmetry, consistent with a forced, undamped oscillation in which the driving energy affects all major cycle metrics. Cycle period and symmetry are not discernibly different for the ACO and AAO over the same time periods, suggesting that they are the same climate cycle. We postulate that the ACO/AAO is generated by relaxation oscillation of Westerly Wind velocity forced by the equator-to-pole temperature gradient and propagated regionally by identified air-sea-ice interactions.
Exploring the Bacterial Communities of Infernaccio Waterfalls: A Phenotypic and Molecular Characterization of Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas Strains Living in a Red Epilithic Biofilm
Authors: Chiellini Carolina , Chioccioli Sofia , Vassallo Alberto , Mocali Stefano , Miceli Elisangela , Fagorzi Camilla , Bacci Giovanni , Coppini Ester , Fibbi Donatella , Bianconi Giovanna , Canganella Francesco , Fani Renato
Published: September 2019

Acquarossa river (Viterbo, Italy) was the site of a prospering Etruscan civilization thanks to metallurgical activity around 625–550 B.C. This caused the spread of heavy metals throughout the area. Rocks along the river probably act as a filter for these elements and they are covered by two different biofilms (epilithons). They differ for both color and bacterial composition. One is red and is enriched with Pseudomonas strains, while the other one is black and Acinetobacter is the most represented genus. Along the river lay the Infernaccio waterfalls, whose surrounding rocks are covered only by the red epilithon. The bacterial composition of this biofilm was analyzed through high throughput sequencing and compared to those ones of red and black epilithons of Acquarossa river. Moreover, cultivable bacteria were isolated and their phenotype (i.e., resistance against antibiotics and heavy metals) was studied. As previously observed in the case of Acquarossa river, characterization of bacterial composition of the Infernaccio red epilithon revealed that the two most represented genera were Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas. Nonetheless, these strains differed from those isolated from Acquarossa, as revealed by RAPD analysis. This work, besides increasing knowledge about the ecological properties of this site, allowed to isolate new bacterial strains, which could potentially be exploited for biotechnological applications, because of their resistance against environmental pollutants.
An Entropy-Based Algorithm with Nonlocal Residual Learning for Image Compressive Sensing Recovery
Authors: Xie Zhonghua , Liu Lingjun , Yang Cui
Published: September 2019

Image recovery from compressive sensing (CS) measurement data, especially noisy data has always been challenging due to its implicit ill-posed nature, thus, to seek a domain where a signal can exhibit a high degree of sparsity and to design an effective algorithm have drawn increasingly more attention. Among various sparsity-based models, structured or group sparsity often leads to more powerful signal reconstruction techniques. In this paper, we propose a novel entropy-based algorithm for CS recovery to enhance image sparsity through learning the group sparsity of residual. To reduce the residual of similar packed patches, the group sparsity of residual is described by a Laplacian scale mixture (LSM) model, therefore, each singular value of the residual of similar packed patches is modeled as a Laplacian distribution with a variable scale parameter, to exploit the benefits of high-order dependency among sparse coefficients. Due to the latent variables, the maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimation of the sparse coefficients cannot be obtained, thus, we design a loss function for expectation–maximization (EM) method based on relative entropy. In the frame of EM iteration, the sparse coefficients can be estimated with the denoising-based approximate message passing (D-AMP) algorithm. Experimental results have shown that the proposed algorithm can significantly outperform existing CS techniques for image recovery.
A Generic Model for Quantum Measurements
Authors: Auffèves Alexia , Grangier Philippe
Published: September 2019

In previous articles, we presented a derivation of Born’s rule and unitary transforms in Quantum Mechanics (QM), from a simple set of axioms built upon a physical phenomenology of quantization—physically, the structure of QM results of an interplay between the quantized number of “modalities” accessible to a quantum system, and the continuum of “contexts” required to define these modalities. In the present article, we provide a unified picture of quantum measurements within our approach, and justify further the role of the system–context dichotomy, and of quantum interferences. We also discuss links with stochastic quantum thermodynamics, and with algebraic quantum theory.
Emotional Speech Recognition Based on the Committee of Classifiers
Authors: Kamińska Dorota
Published: September 2019

This article presents the novel method for emotion recognition from speech based on committee of classifiers. Different classification methods were juxtaposed in order to compare several alternative approaches for final voting. The research is conducted on three different types of Polish emotional speech: acted out with the same content, acted out with different content, and spontaneous. A pool of descriptors, commonly utilized for emotional speech recognition, expanded with sets of various perceptual coefficients, is used as input features. This research shows that presented approach improve the performance with respect to a single classifier.
The Sampling Distribution of the Total Correlation for Multivariate Gaussian Random Variables
Authors: Rowe Taylor , Day Troy
Published: September 2019

The sampling distribution of the total correlation (TC) for a d-dimensional standardized multivariate Gaussian random variable with an identity covariance matrix is derived. It is shown to be the distribution of a sum of generalized beta random variables. It is also shown that, for large dimension and sample size, a central limit theorem holds, providing a Gaussian approximation to the sampling distribution for high dimensional data.
Learnability for the Information Bottleneck
Authors: Wu Tailin , Fischer Ian , Chuang Isaac L. , Tegmark Max
Published: September 2019

The Information Bottleneck (IB) method provides an insightful and principled approach for balancing compression and prediction for representation learning. The IB objective I ( X ; Z ) − β I ( Y ; Z ) employs a Lagrange multiplier β to tune this trade-off. However, in practice, not only is β chosen empirically without theoretical guidance, there is also a lack of theoretical understanding between β , learnability, the intrinsic nature of the dataset and model capacity. In this paper, we show that if β is improperly chosen, learning cannot happen—the trivial representation P ( Z | X ) = P ( Z ) becomes the global minimum of the IB objective. We show how this can be avoided, by identifying a sharp phase transition between the unlearnable and the learnable which arises as β is varied. This phase transition defines the concept of IB-Learnability. We prove several sufficient conditions for IB-Learnability, which provides theoretical guidance for choosing a good β . We further show that IB-learnability is determined by the largest confident, typical and imbalanced subset of the examples (the conspicuous subset), and discuss its relation with model capacity. We give practical algorithms to estimate the minimum β for a given dataset. We also empirically demonstrate our theoretical conditions with analyses of synthetic datasets, MNIST and CIFAR10.
Numerical Simulation of a Supersonic Ejector for Vacuum Generation with Explicit and Implicit Solver in Openfoam
Authors: Macia Ll , Castilla R. , Gamez-Montero P. J. , Camacho S. , Codina E.
Published: September 2019

Supersonic ejectors are used extensively in all kind of applications: compression of refrigerants in cooling systems, pumping of volatile fluids or in vacuum generation. In vacuum generation, also known as zero-secondary flow, the ejector has a transient behaviour. In this paper, a numerical and experimental research of a supersonic compressible air nozzle is performed in order to investigate and to simulate its behaviour. The CFD toolbox OpenFOAM 6 was used, with two density-based solvers: explicit solver rhoCentralFoam, which implements Kurganov Central-upwind schemes, and implicit solver HiSA, which implements the AUSM+up upwind scheme. The behaviour of the transient evacuation ranges between adiabatic polytropic exponent at the beginning of the process and isothermal at the end. A model for the computation of the transient polytropic exponent is proposed. During the evacuation, two regimes are encountered in the second nozzle. In the supercritic regime, the secondary is choked and sonic flow is reached. In the subcritic regime, the secondary flow is subsonic. The final agreement is good with the two different solvers, although simulation tends to slightly overestimate flow rate for large values region.
Performance and Emission Parameters of Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) Engine: A Review
Authors: Mofijur M. , Hasan M.M. , Mahlia T.M.I. , Rahman S.M. Ashrafur , Silitonga A.S. , Ong Hwai Chyuan
Published: September 2019

Strict emission regulations and demand for better fuel economy are driving forces for finding advanced engines that will be able to replace the conventional internal combustion engines in the near future. Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines use a different combustion technique; there are no spark plugs or injectors to assist the combustion. Instead, when the mixtures reach chemical activation energy, combustion auto-ignites in multiple spots. The main objective of this review paper is to study the engine performance and emission characteristics of HCCI engines operating in various conditions. Additionally, the impact of different fuels and additives on HCCI engine performance is also evaluated. The study also introduces a potential guideline to improve engine performance and emission characteristics. Compared to conventional compression ignition and spark ignition combustion methods, the HCCI combustion mode is noticeably faster and also provides better thermal efficiency. Although a wide range of fuels including alternative and renewable fuels can be used in the HCCI mode, there are some limitation/challenges, such as combustion limited operating range, phase control, high level of noise, cold start, preparation of homogeneous charge, etc. In conclusion, the HCCI combustion mode can be achieved in existing spark ignition (SI) engines with minor adjustments, and it results in lower oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and soot emissions, with practically a similar performance as that of SI combustion. Further improvements are required to permit extensive use of the HCCI mode in future.
Short-Term Load Forecasting for a Single Household Based on Convolution Neural Networks Using Data Augmentation
Authors: Acharya Shree Krishna , Wi Young-Min , Lee Jaehee
Published: September 2019

Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) is spreading to households in some countries, and could be a source for forecasting the residential electric demand. However, load forecasting of a single household is still a fairly challenging topic because of the high volatility and uncertainty of the electric demand of households. Moreover, there is a limitation in the use of historical load data because of a change in house ownership, change in lifestyle, integration of new electric devices, and so on. The paper proposes a novel method to forecast the electricity loads of single residential households. The proposed forecasting method is based on convolution neural networks (CNNs) combined with a data-augmentation technique, which can artificially enlarge the training data. This method can address issues caused by a lack of historical data and improve the accuracy of residential load forecasting. Simulation results illustrate the validation and efficacy of the proposed method.
Methods of Mechanical Mining of Compact-Rock—A Comparison of Efficiency and Energy Consumption
Authors: Krzysztof Kotwica , Piotr Małkowski
Published: September 2019

This paper compares the methods of mechanical mining of rock in terms of their efficiency, energy consumption, and the durability of the tools they involve. It presents the advantages of mechanical heading-driving methods. In the first part, we described the methods used to assess rock workability, and the influence of rock types and parameters on mining efficiency. Furthermore, we discussed the compact-rock mining process in terms of the energy it consumes. We provided the description of the most common mechanical methods, such as milling, static crumpling and undercutting, including the tools involved, and the requirements and limitations for the use of these methods. The paper presents unique machinery solutions designed to reduce the energy consumed by mining processes. In the final part of the paper, we propose a solution to select the mechanical method of rock mining as a function of rock type and parameters.
Is the Dry-Band Characteristic a Function of Pollution and Insulator Design?
Authors: Albano Maurizio , Haddad A. Manu , Bungay Nathan
Published: September 2019

This paper assesses the dry-band formation and location during artificial pollution tests performed on a 4-shed 11kV insulator with conventional and textured surface designs in a clean-fog chamber and with the application of a voltage ramp-shape source. The different designs present the same overall geometrical dimensions, but the textured ones are characterized by the application of a patented insulator surface design. Three pollution levels, extremely high, high and moderate, were considered. A newly developed MATLAB procedure is able to automatically recognize the perimeter of the insulator, the trunk and shed areas on infra-red recordings. In addition, using the vertical axis identification, all trunks are subdivided into zones and into left and right areas, significantly increasing the capability of abnormalities detection. Any temperature increase within these areas enables to detect the appearance and the extension of dry bands. The results of the analysis of the statistical location and extension development over time of the dry bands during these set of comparative tests show a clear distinction between designs and pollution levels. These results may offer interesting design guidelines for dry-band control.
Evaluating the Efficiency of Transit-Oriented Development Using Network Slacks-Based Data Envelopment Analysis
Authors: Lee Eun Hak , Shin Hosuk , Cho Shin-Hyung , Kho Seung-Young , Kim Dong-Kyu
Published: September 2019

The purpose of this research is to evaluate transit-oriented development (TOD) efficiency in Seoul using the network slacks-based measure data envelopment analysis (NSBM DEA) model. The smartcard data and socio-economic data are used to evaluate the transit efficiency of 352 subway station areas in Seoul. To measure the TOD efficiency, the two-stage network is designed with the transit design stage and the transit efficiency stage. The overall efficiency score of each station area is estimated through each score of the stage. The results of the efficiency evaluation by station area indicate that the overall efficiency score average is 0.349, with the transit design score and efficiency score estimated to be 0.453 and 0.245, respectively. The results indicate that the balance of each stage is crucial to achieve an efficient station in the concept of transit efficiency. With the efficiency scores of the 352 subway station areas, the TOD efficiency is also evaluated by the administrative units in Seoul. The results of district analysis reveal that the top 10 efficient administrative units are characterized by both residential and commercial land use. The results indicate that efficiency is found to be good in areas having both residential and commercial characteristics.
Wake Characteristics and Power Performance of a Drag-Driven in-Bank Vertical Axis Hydrokinetic Turbine
Authors: Lee Jiyong , Musa Mirko , Feist Chris , Gao Jinjin , Shen Lian , Guala Michele
Published: September 2019

Preliminary design of a new installation concept of a drag-driven vertical axis hydrokinetic turbine is presented. The device consists of a three-bladed, wheel-shaped, turbine partially embedded in relatively shallow channel streambanks. It is envisioned to be installed along the outer banks of meandering rivers, where the flow velocity is increased, to maximize energy extraction. To test its applicability in natural streams, flume experiments were conducted to measure velocity around the turbine and power performance using Acoustic Doppler Velocimetry and a controlled motor drive coupled with a torque transducer. The experiment results comprise the power coefficient, the spatial evolution of the mean velocity deficit, and a description of the flow structures generated by the turbine and responsible for the unsteadiness of the wake flow. Applying a triple decomposition on the Reynolds stresses, we identify the dominant contribution to such unsteadiness to be strongly associated with the blade passing frequency.
Traveling Waves-Based Method for Fault Estimation in HVDC Transmission System
Authors: Muzzammel Raheel
Published: September 2019

The HVDC transmission system is winning hearts of researchers and electrical engineers because of its notable merits as compared to the HVAC transmission system in the case of long-distance bulk power transmission. The HVDC transmission system is known for its low losses, effective control ability, efficiency and reliability. However, because of the sudden build-up of fault current in the HVDC transmission system, conventional relays and circuit breakers are required to be modified. Detection of fault location is an important parameter of protection of the HVDC transmission system. In this research paper, fault location methods based on traveling waves are reviewed for the HVDC transmission system. Arrival time and natural frequency are the two parameters of measurement in traveling waves. Advantages and disadvantages of methods of traveling waves with respect to their quantities of measurements are analyzed critically. Further, a two-terminal HVDC test grid is simulated over Matlab/Simulink. Different types of AC and DC faults and at different locations are analyzed on a test grid. A traveling wave-based technique of fault estimation is developed and is evaluated for identification, classification and finding location of faults to validate its performance. Moreover, this technique is supported with analysis of fast Fourier transform to accelerate its practicality and realization.
A Novel Temperature–Hysteresis Model for Power Battery of Electric Vehicles with an Adaptive Joint Estimator on State of Charge and Power
Authors: Lei Xu , Zhao Xi , Wang Guiping , Liu Weiyu
Published: September 2019

The battery state of charge (SOC) and state of power (SOP) are two essential parameters in the battery management system. For power lithium-ion batteries, temperature variation and the hysteresis effect are two of the main negative contributions to the accuracy of model-based SOC and SOP estimation. Thereby, a reliable circuit model is established herein to accurately estimate the working state of batteries. Considering the effect that temperature and hysteresis have on the electrical system, a unique fully-coupled temperature–hysteresis model is proposed to describe the interrelationship among capacity, hysteresis voltage, and temperature comprehensively. The key parameters of the proposed model are identified by experiments operated on lithium-ion batteries under varying ambient temperatures. Then we build a multi-state joint estimator to calculate the SOC and SOP on the basis of the temperature–hysteresis model. The effectiveness of the advanced model is verified by experiments at different temperatures. Moreover, the proposed joint estimator is verified by the improved dynamic stress test. The experimental results indicate that the proposed estimator making use of the temperature–hysteresis model can estimate SOC and SOP accurately and robustly. Our results also prove invaluable in terms of the construction of a flexible battery management system for applications in the actual industrial field.
Carbon and Water Footprint of Energy Saving Options for the Air Conditioning of Electric Cabins at Industrial Sites
Authors: Santin Maurizio , Chinese Damiana , Saro Onorio , De Angelis Alessandra , Zugliano Alberto
Published: September 2019

Modern electric and electronic equipment in energy-intensive industries, including electric steelmaking plants, are often housed in outdoor cabins. In a similar manner as data centres, such installations must be air conditioned to remove excess heat and to avoid damage to electric components. Cooling systems generally display a water–energy nexus behaviour, mainly depending on associated heat dissipation systems. Hence, it is desirable to identify configurations achieving both water and energy savings for such installations. This paper compares two alternative energy-saving configurations for air conditioning electric cabins at steelmaking sites—that is, an absorption cooling based system exploiting industrial waste heat, and an airside free-cooling-based system—against the traditional configuration. All systems were combined with either dry coolers or cooling towers for heat dissipation. We calculated water and carbon footprint indicators, primary energy demand and economic indicators by building a TRNSYS simulation model of the systems and applying it to 16 worldwide ASHRAE climate zones. In nearly all conditions, waste-heat recovery-based solutions were found to outperform both the baseline and the proposed free-cooling solution regarding energy demand and carbon footprint. When cooling towers were used, free cooling was a better option in terms water footprint in cold climates.
Extraction of Information on Trees outside Forests Based on Very High Spatial Resolution Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Sun Bin , Gao Zhihai , Zhao Longcai , Wang Hongyan , Gao Wentao , Zhang Yuanyuan
Published: September 2019

The sparse Ulmus pumila L. woodland in the Otingdag Sandy Land of China is indispensable in maintaining the ecosystem stability of the desertified grasslands. Many studies of this region have focused on community structure and analysis of species composition, but without consideration of spatial distribution. Based on a combination of spectral and multiscale spatial variation features, we present a method for automated extraction of information on the U. pumila trees of the Otingdag Sandy Land using very high spatial resolution remote sensing imagery. In this method, feature images were constructed using fused 1-m spatial resolution GF-2 images through analysis of the characteristics of the natural geographical environment and the spatial distribution of the U. pumila trees. Then, a multiscale Laplace transform was performed on the feature images to generate multiscale Laplacian feature spaces. Next, local maxima and minima were obtained by iteration over the multiscale feature spaces. Finally, repeated values were removed and vector data (point data) were generated for automatic extraction of the spatial distribution and crown contours of the U. pumila trees. Results showed that the proposed method could overcome the lack of universality common to image classification methods. Validation indicated the accuracy of information extracted from U. pumila test data reached 82.7%. Further analysis determined the parameter values of the algorithm applicable to the study area. Extraction accuracy was improved considerably with a gradual increase of the Sigma parameter; however, the probability of missing data also increased markedly after the parameter reached a certain level. Therefore, we recommend the Sigma value of the algorithm be set to 90 (±5). The proposed method could provide a reference for information extraction, spatial distribution mapping, and forest protection in relation to the U. pumila woodland of the Otingdag Sandy Land, which could also support improved ecological protection across much of northern China.
Wormlike Micellar Solutions, Beyond the Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery Restrictions
Authors: Jafari Nodoushan Emad , Yi Taeil , Lee Young Ju , Kim Namwon
Published: September 2019

While traditional oil recovery methods are limited in terms of meeting the overall oil demands, enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques are being continually developed to provide a principal portion of our energy demands. Chemical EOR (cEOR) is one of the EOR techniques that shows an efficient oil recovery factor in a number of oilfields with low salinity and temperature ranges. However, the application of cEOR under the harsh conditions of reservoirs where most of today’s crude oils come from remains a challenge. High temperatures, the presence of ions, divalent ions, and heterogeneous rock structures in such reservoirs restrict the application of cEOR. Polymer solutions, surfactants, alkaline-based solutions, and complex multi-components of them are common chemical displacing fluids that failed to show successful recovery results in hostile conditions for various reasons. Wormlike micellar solutions (WMS) are viscoelastic surfactants that possess advantageous characteristics for overcoming current cEOR challenges. In this study, we first review the major approaches and challenges of commonly used chemical agents for cEOR applications. Subsequently, we review special characteristics of WMS that make them promising materials for the future of cEOR.
Prevalence, Virulence, and Antimicrobial Resistance of Campylobacter spp. in Raw Milk, Beef, and Pork Meat in Northern Poland
Authors: Andrzejewska Małgorzata , Szczepańska Bernadeta , Śpica Dorota , Klawe Jacek J.
Published: September 2019

The purpose of this study was to determine whether raw milk, unpasteurized dairy products, pork, and beef available for sale in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie and Wielkopolska regions in Poland are contaminated with Campylobacter spp. bacteria and may be a potential source of infection. For isolated strains, antibiotic susceptibility and the presence of genes responsible for virulence were examined. Material for research included 1058 food samples collected between 2014 and 2018 with 454 samples of raw milk and unpasteurized dairy products (milk from vending machines, milk from owners of dairy cows, cheese, milk cream) and 604 samples of raw meat (pork, beef). The results indicated that 9.3% of the samples were positive for Campylobacter spp., and Campylobacter jejuni was predominant in this study. Campylobacter bacteria was not found in milk collected from vending machines, as well as cheese and milk cream samples. Campylobacter was noted in 12.7% of beef samples, 11.8% of raw milk purchased from individual suppliers, and 10.9% of pork samples. Resistance to erythromycin (2.0%), azithromycin (3.1%), gentamicin (4.1%), tetracycline (65.3%), and ciprofloxacin (71.4%) was determined using the disc diffusion method. Furthermore, the prevalence of racR, sodB, csrA, virB11, cdtB, iam, and wlaN genes were examined using the PCR method. The sodB, csrA, and cdtB genes exhibited the highest detection rate, but none of the genes were identified in 100% of the isolates. Statistically significant differences between the presence of virulence marker genes, including for iam, racR, and csrA markers, were noted among different sources of the isolates. Differences in the distribution of iam, wlaN, and virB11 were also shown between C. jejuni and C. coli strains. As a result of the analysis, it has been concluded that unpasteurized milk, beef, and pork could be a sources of Campylobacter pathogens. Moreover, this study revealed virulent properties of Campylobacter isolated from such food products and high resistance rates to fluoroquinolones, which may represent difficulties in campylobacteriosis treatment.
Multiple Emulsions with Extracts of Cactus Pear Added in A Yogurt: Antioxidant Activity, In Vitro Simulated Digestion and Shelf Life
Authors: Cenobio-Galindo Antonio de Jesús , Díaz-Monroy Gilberto , Medina-Pérez Gabriela , Franco-Fernández M. Jesús , Ludeña-Urquizo Fanny Emma , Vieyra-Alberto Rodolfo , Campos-Montiel Rafael Germán
Published: September 2019

Consumers demand so-called natural in which additive and antioxidant preservatives are from natural origin. Research focuses in using extracts from plants and fruits that are rich in bioactive compounds such as phenolics and betalains, but these are also prone to interact with proteins and are exposed to suffer degradation during storage. In this work, we developed a fortified yogurt with the addition of betalains and polyphenols from cactus pear extract encapsulated in a multiple emulsion (ME) (W1/O/W2). Different formulations of ME were made with two polymers, gum arabic (GA) and maltodextrin (MD) and with the best formulation of ME four types of yogurt were prepared using different % (w/w) of ME (0%, 10%, 20% and 30%). Bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, color and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were analyzed in the different yogurts over 36 days of shelf life. Furthermore, in vitro simulated digestion was evaluated. The yogurts had significant (p < 0.05) differences and the ME protected the bioactive compounds, activity of antioxidants and color. The ME did not affect the viability of LAB during 36 days of storage. The in vitro digestion showed the best bioaccessibilities of antioxidant compounds with the yogurts with ME.
Effect of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Oenococcus oeni, and Lactobacillus brevis on Composition of Bog Bilberry Juice
Authors: Chen Yuqi , Ouyang Xiaoyu , Laaksonen Oskar , Liu Xiaoyu , Shao Yuan , Zhao Hongfei , Zhang Bolin , Zhu Baoqing
Published: September 2019

This study investigated the impact of Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, Oenococcus oeni Viniflora® Oenos and Lactobacillus brevis CICC 6239 on bog bilberry juice with a considerably low pH and rich in anthocyanins content. Moreover, the effects of the strains on the composition of phenolic compounds, amino acids, ammonium ion, biogenic amines, reduced sugars, organic acids, and color parameters of the juice were studied. All three bacteria consumed sugars and amino acids but exhibited different growth patterns. Lactic acid was detected only in L. acidophilus inoculated juice. The content of the phenolic compounds, especially anthocyanins, decreased in juice after inoculation. The CIELa*b* analysis indicated that the juice inoculated with L. acidophilus and O. oeni showed a decrease on a* and b* (less red and yellow) but an increase on L (more lightness), whereas the color attributes of L. brevis inoculated juice did not significantly change. Based on this study, L. brevis showed the most optimal performance in the juice due to its better adaptability and fewer effects on the appearance of juice. This study provided a useful reference on the metabolism of lactic acid bacteria in low pH juice and the evolution of primary and secondary nutrients in juice after inoculated with lactic acid bacteria.
WGCNA Analysis of Salt-Responsive Core Transcriptome Identifies Novel Hub Genes in Rice
Authors: Zhu Mingdong , Xie Hongjun , Wei Xiangjin , Dossa Komivi , Yu Yaying , Hui Suozhen , Tang Guohua , Zeng Xiaoshan , Yu Yinghong , Hu Peisong , Wang Jianlong
Published: September 2019

Rice, being a major staple food crop and sensitive to salinity conditions, bears heavy yield losses due to saline soil. Although some salt responsive genes have been identified in rice, their applications in developing salt tolerant cultivars have resulted in limited achievements. Herein, we used bioinformatic approaches to perform a meta-analysis of three transcriptome datasets from salinity and control conditions in order to reveal novel genes and the molecular pathways underlying rice response to salt. From a total of 28,432 expressed genes, we identify 457 core differentially expressed genes (DEGs) constitutively responding to salt, regardless of the stress duration, genotype, or the tissue. Gene co-expression analysis divided the core DEGs into three different modules, each of them contributing to salt response in a unique metabolic pathway. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses highlighted key biological processes and metabolic pathways involved in the salt response. We identified important novel hub genes encoding proteins of different families including CAM, DUF630/632, DUF581, CHL27, PP2-13, LEA4-5, and transcription factors, which could be functionally characterized using reverse genetic experiments. This novel repertoire of candidate genes related to salt response in rice will be useful for engineering salt tolerant varieties.
Physical Activity and Brain Health
Authors: Di Liegro Carlo Maria , Schiera Gabriella , Proia Patrizia , Di Liegro Italia
Published: September 2019

Physical activity (PA) has been central in the life of our species for most of its history, and thus shaped our physiology during evolution. However, only recently the health consequences of a sedentary lifestyle, and of highly energetic diets, are becoming clear. It has been also acknowledged that lifestyle and diet can induce epigenetic modifications which modify chromatin structure and gene expression, thus causing even heritable metabolic outcomes. Many studies have shown that PA can reverse at least some of the unwanted effects of sedentary lifestyle, and can also contribute in delaying brain aging and degenerative pathologies such as Alzheimer’s Disease, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis. Most importantly, PA improves cognitive processes and memory, has analgesic and antidepressant effects, and even induces a sense of wellbeing, giving strength to the ancient principle of “mens sana in corpore sano” (i.e., a sound mind in a sound body). In this review we will discuss the potential mechanisms underlying the effects of PA on brain health, focusing on hormones, neurotrophins, and neurotransmitters, the release of which is modulated by PA, as well as on the intra- and extra-cellular pathways that regulate the expression of some of the genes involved.
Mutational Spectrum and Clinical Features of Patients with LOXHD1 Variants Identified in an 8074 Hearing Loss Patient Cohort
Authors: Maekawa Karuna , Nishio Shin-ya , Abe Satoko , Goto Shin-ichi , Honkura Yohei , Iwasaki Satoshi , Kanda Yukihiko , Kobayashi Yumiko , Oka Shin-ichiro , Okami Mayuri , Oshikawa Chie , Sakuma Naoko , Sano Hajime , Shirakura Masayuki , Uehara Natsumi , Usami Shin-ichi
Published: September 2019

Variants of the LOXHD1 gene, which are expressed in hair cells of the cochlea and vestibule, have been reported to cause a progressive form of autosomal recessive non-syndromic hereditary hearing loss, DFNB77. In this study, genetic screening was conducted on 8074 Japanese hearing loss patients utilizing massively parallel DNA sequencing to identify individuals with LOXHD1 variants and to assess their phenotypes. A total of 28 affected individuals and 21 LOXHD1 variants were identified, among which 13 were novel variants. A recurrent variant c.4212 + 1G > A, only reported in Japanese patients, was detected in 18 individuals. Haplotype analysis implied that this variation occurred in a mutational hot spot, and that multiple ancestors of Japanese population had this variation. Patients with LOXHD1 variations mostly showed early onset hearing loss and presented different progression rates. We speculated that the varying severities and progression rates of hearing loss are the result of environmental and/or other genetic factors. No accompanying symptoms, including vestibular dysfunction, with hearing loss were detected in this study. Few studies have reported the clinical features of LOXHD1-gene associated hearing loss, and this study is by far the largest study focused on the evaluation of this gene.
To Trim or Not to Trim: Effects of Read Trimming on the De Novo Genome Assembly of a Widespread East Asian Passerine, the Rufous-Capped Babbler (Cyanoderma ruficeps Blyth)
Authors: Yang Shang-Fang , Lu Chia-Wei , Yao Cheng-Te , Hung Chih-Ming
Published: September 2019

Trimming low quality bases from sequencing reads is considered as routine procedure for genome assembly; however, we know little about its pros and cons. Here, we used empirical data to examine how read trimming affects assembled genome quality and computational time for a widespread East Asian passerine, the rufous-capped babbler (Cyanoderma ruficeps Blyth). We found that scaffolds assembled from raw reads were always longer than those from trimmed ones, whereas computational times for the former were sometimes much longer than the latter. Nevertheless, assembly completeness showed little difference among the trimming strategies. One should determine the optimal trimming strategy based on what the assembled genome will be used for. For example, to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with phenotypic evolution, applying PLATANUS to gently trim reads would yield a reference genome with a slightly shorter scaffold length (N50 = 15.64 vs. 16.89 Mb) than the raw reads, but would save 75% of computational time. We also found that chromosomes Z, W, and 4A of the rufous-capped babbler were poorly assembled, likely due to a recently fused, neo-sex chromosome. The rufous-capped babbler genome with long scaffolds and quality gene annotation can provide a good system to study avian ecological adaptation in East Asia.
Can Fetuin-A, CRP, and WBC Levels Be Predictive Values in the Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis in Children with Abdominal Pain?
Authors: Güney Cengiz , Coskun Abuzer
Published: September 2019

Background: Acute appendicitis (AA) is the most common cause of emergency surgery. Therefore, perforation is common. Early diagnosis and new markers are needed. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of plasma Fetuin-A (FA) levels in patients with an acute abdomen (AB). Material and Method: This prospective study included 107 patients younger than 16 years of age who were admitted to the emergency department for abdominal pain between January and December 2018. The patients who presented abdominal pain were divided into two groups as AA and other causes (OC) of AB. Patients with acute appendicitis; intraperitoneal, retrocolic/retrocecal, and appendicitis were divided into three groups. Additionally, the AA group was divided into two groups as perforated appendicitis and non-perforated appendicitis. Serum FA levels of the patients were evaluated in the emergency department. Results: In the AA group, C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell (WBC) levels were higher, and FA levels were significantly lower than in the AB group. Intraperitoneal localization was 95.2% and perforation was frequent. When significant values in the univariate regression analysis for acute abdomen and perforation were compared in the multivariate regression analysis, CRP, WBC, and FA levels were found to be prognostic. Furthermore, decreased FA levels were associated with AA, while too greatly decreased FA levels were associated with the risk of perforation. Conclusion: Current diagnosis can be made by history, physical examination, laboratory, and imaging methods in appendicitis cases. While trying to diagnose AA in children, the FA, CRP, and WBC levels may be predictive values to identify risk factors.
Acute Exercise and Academic Achievement in Middle School Students
Authors: Harveson Andrew T. , Hannon James C. , Brusseau Timothy A. , Podlog Leslie , Papadopoulos Charilaos , Hall Morgan S. , Celeste EvaRose
Published: September 2019

(1) The purpose of this study was to examine the acute effects of aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, and non-exercise on measures of academic achievement and cognition in pre-adolescent students. (2) In a randomized crossover design, sixty-three participants with a mean age of 13.7 ± 0.47 years completed 20 min of aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, or non-exercise with a period of seven days between each bout. Immediately after each bout, participants were tested for academic achievement and cognitive performance. Academic achievement was assessed using standardized, age-appropriate mathematics tests. Cognition was measured using the Dot, Word, and Color tasks of the Stroop Test (Victoria version). (3) Participants scored significantly higher on the mathematics tests (F1,62 = 4.50, p = 0.038) and all elements of the Stroop Test (Dot: F1,62 = 8.14, p = 0.006; Word: F1,62 = 9.90, p = 0.003; Color: F1,62 = 7.57, p = 0.008) following acute resistance exercise as compared to non-exercise. Math test performance was not statistically different between the aerobic and resistance exercise treatments (F1,62 = 0.214, p = 0.645), but participants did perform significantly better on all elements of the Stroop Test following resistance exercise as compared to aerobic exercise (Dot: F1,61 = 25.82, p < 0.001; Word: F1,62 = 14.73, p < 0.001; Color: F1,62 = 20.14, p < 0.001). (4) Resistance exercise acutely influenced academic achievement and cognition in a positive manner. Such results add to the growing body of research that may support an increase in the prescription of varied exercise modalities within school settings for the purposes of improving academic performance and student health.
The Paths to Negative and Positive Experiences of Informal Caregiving in Severe Mental Illness: A Study of Explanatory Models
Authors: Campos Luísa , Mota Cardoso Carlos , Marques-Teixeira João
Published: September 2019

The experience of caregiving in severe mental illness is a valuable concept for research and clinical practice as it can provide access to the idiosyncratic assessment of negative and positive dimensions of informal caregiving, thus allowing the design of interventions focused on reducing risk factors and promoting protective factors. This study was aimed at testing explanatory models of negative and positive experiences of caregiving considering the role of the caregiver’s perceptions of difficulties, satisfaction, and coping. A convenience sample of 159 informal caregivers of patients with schizophrenia was used in this study. Different variables were considered: (1) perception of difficulties (Caregiver’s Assessment of Difficulties Index); (2) perception of satisfaction (Caregiver’s Assessment of Satisfaction Index); (3) perception of coping (Caregiver’s Assessment of Managing Index); and (4) the experience of caregiving (Experience of Caregiving Inventory). Using structural equation modeling, the results revealed the following: (1) the perception of difficulties and of satisfaction coexist; (2) the negative experiences of caregiving are predominantly explained by the perception of difficulties and of coping with stress; and (3) the positive experiences of caregiving are mainly explained by the perception of sources of intrapersonal satisfaction, while the perception of coping does not have robust predictive value.
Gender and Psychological Well-Being
Authors: Matud M. Pilar , López-Curbelo Marisela , Fortes Demelza
Published: September 2019

Background: Research has consistently reported gender differences in mental health, but studies on differences in psychological well-being between women and men have not yielded conclusive results. The aim of this study was to examine the relevance of gender to the psychological well-being of adult individuals. A cross-sectional study with a sample of 1700 men and 1700 women from the general Spanish population was conducted. Their ages ranged from 21 to 64 years, and they were assessed with Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scales and the Bem Sex Role Inventory. Results: Men scored higher than women in self-acceptance and autonomy, and women scored higher than men in personal growth and positive relations with others. The most relevant variable in the psychological well-being of both women and men was high masculinity. Other relevant variables in women’s well-being were high femininity, not having a manual occupation, not being homemakers, and professional occupation. Men´s well-being also was higher in professional men and in men with a skilled non-manual occupation, men with high femininity and men who were not single, divorced or widowed. Conclusions: Adherence to traditional gender roles is relevant to the psychological well-being of women and men, and women and men whose self-concept includes both masculine-instrumental and feminine-expressive characteristics have greater well-being.