bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Geothermal field of the transition area between the Anatolian Plate and the East European Platform
Authors: Siamak Mansouri Far
Published: January 2020

Heat flow data from the Eastern Mediterranean region indicates an extensive province of low heat flow, spreading over the whole basin of the Mediterranean to the east of Crete (Levantine Sea), Cyprus, and Northern Egypt. Surface geology of East Anatolia is complex because of recent active tectonic and volcanic activity. The region is composed of major tectonic units of Pontides, the Anatolid-Tauride Belt and Bitlis Suture Zone, North and East Anatolian faults. Ophiolitic and young volcanic rocks can be observed in many parts of East Anatolia. The Black Sea is surrounded by the Alpine-Himalayan Orogenic Belt of Crimea, Greater Caucasus, Pontides, Rhodope-Stranja Massif, Eastern Srednegorie, North Dobrogea and older tectonic units of different origins and ages such as the Precambrian East European Craton, Moesian Platform, Istanbul Zone and Adzhar-Trialet Folded System. Low heat flow density dominates in the Black Sea. The lowest (less•30 mW/m2 ) values have been recorded in central parts of the Western and Eastern Black Sea basins with maximal sedimentary thickness. Geothermal studies within the territories of Ukraine have been under way since sixties. Many important features of the thermal field remain unstudied. This applies in particular to the Ukrainian Shield and to the southern part of the Carpathian region. In general, the territory of Alpine folding within Turkey, Marmara and Aegean seas, Caucasus is characterized by high heat flow. The anomaly of its highest values (above 100 –150 mW/m2 ) exists within western Turkey, where tectonic conditions of extension prevail and underground steam is used to produce electricity. Three heat flow density profiles crossing the studied region and heat flow map were compiled.
Perancangan Sistem Informasi Tes Online Kinerja Pegawai di PT. Ching Luh Indonesia Berbasis Web
Authors: Rahmawati Diah
Published: January 2020

PT. Ching Luh Indonesia yang berlokasi di Kabupaten Tangerang, merupakan salah satu perusahaan yang menggunakan metode evaluasi kinerja karyawan secara konvensional, dimana proses tersebut hanya dapat dilakukan melalui pertemuan antara karyawan dan pihak menejemen perusahaan selaku pelaksana evaluasi kinerja karyawan di PT. Ching Luh Indonesia. Sehingga dibutuhkan suatu sistem baru yang dapat menunjang kegiatan evaluasi kinerja karyawan. Sistem yang akan dirancang adalah sistem informasi tes online berbasis web, dimana dalam sistem ini terdapat fitur untuk pendistribusian materi, sehingga diharapkan dapat membantu kegiatan evaluasi kinerja kariawan. Dengan adanya sistem ini, karyawan dapat mengakses kegiatan evaluasi kinerja karyawan dimana saja tidak hanya terbatas di dalam ruangan yang disediakan oleh pihak perusahaan. Untuk pengembangan sistem ini lebih lanjut maka penulis menyarankan untuk menambah fitur-fitur yang belum tersedia di sistem pembelajaran saat ini, seperti video streaming, live chat, dan forum.
Skrining Fitokimia dan Evaluasi Sediaan Sabun Cair Ekstrak Etanol 96% Kulit Buah Salak Pondoh (Salacca zalacca (Gaertn.) Voss.) Sebagai Antioksidan
Authors: Adjeng Andi Nafisah Tendri , Hairah Sania , Herman Syahlan , Ruslin R , Fitrawan La Ode Muhammad , Sartinah Ari , Ali Nur Fitriana Muhammad , Sabarudin S
Published: January 2020

Pemanfaatan kulit buah Salacca zalacca (Gaertn.) Voss.) sebagai sumber antioksidan alami dalam sediaan sabun cair merupakan salah satu cara untuk mencegah efek buruk radikal bebas terhadap kesehatan kulit. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah melakukan skrining fitokimia terhadap senyawa metabolit sekunder yang terdapat dalam ekstrak etanol 96% kulit buah Salacca zalacca (Gaertn.) Voss.) dan memformulasi serta mengevaluasi sediaan sabun cair dari ekstrak tersebut.  Skrining fitokimia ekstrak dilakukan dengan menggunakan metode tabung. Penentuan variabel evaluasi sediaan sabun cair meliputi uji organoleptik, uji pH, tinggi busa dan viskositas. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa ekstrak etanol 96% kulit buah Salacca zalacca (Gaertn.) Voss.) mengandung Flavonoid, Saponin, Tanin, dan Alkaloid. Sediaan sabun cair memilki karakteristik yaitu konsistensi yang cair, berwarna kuning kecoklatan, aroma rose. Tingkat keasaman (pH) adalah 10,46 dengan viskositas adalah 600 cPs dan Kestabilan busa mencapai 85% dimana semua hasil evaluasi karakteristik sediaan sabun cair ekstrak Salacca zalacca (Gaertn.) Voss.) sesuai dengan parameter Standar Nasional Indonesia (SNI)Kata kunci: ekstrak, etanol, sabun, Salacca zalacca, antioksidan
Empowering Students Via Travel: Probing the Arab-Israeli Conflict from the Field
Authors: Snow Jonathan
Published: January 2020

Teaching the intricacies of the Arab-Israeli conflict to undergraduates in a comprehensive and dispassionate manner presents numerous difficulties, even under controlled classroom conditions. As logistically difficult as it is, traveling to the region and exploring the issues through direct interactions with its various peoples, places, groups, and polities allows for a unique and meaningful opportunity to unravel otherwise unfathomable elements of this complex case. This paper documents the particular successes, challenges, and missteps of a recent international travel-learning course which brought a group of American undergraduates to Israel and the West Bank for an intensive learning experience.
Post-Election Coalition-Building in a Comparative Politics Classroom
Authors: Howe Adam
Published: January 2020

Embedded in a unit on legislative institutions in an Introduction to Comparative politics course, students work through the process of post-election coalition-building, a frequent occurrence in parliamentary democracies. The activity is based on politics in the UK. Students have an entire class session (1 hour 15 minutes) to form coalitions that will be cohesive enough to withstand pressures from competing elites and the public. The purpose of this activity is to enhance student understanding of parliamentary electoral systems while also gaining a more detailed understanding of parties and institutional rules in parliamentary democracies. Most importantly, this simulation strives to foster student understanding of the complexities inherent to strategic bargaining, thus demonstrating how both formal and informal institutions structure the behavior of elites.
Leadership in Academia of Pakistan: Perception of Crisis Situation and Solutions
Authors: A. Yasin Shehla , Shahida Batool Syeda , Asir Ajmal Muhammad
Published: January 2020

In current study, aim was to explore effective academic leadership in Pakistani higher education institutes. It was an attempt to understand how people in academia perceive effective academic leadership and what are the qualities expected in an effective academic leader? It was also attempted to explore if academicians feel that there is a crisis of leadership in Pakistani higher education institutes? What are the reasons and solution for this crisis situation? Purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample of teachers, students, and psychologists. Three focus groups were conducted one after another. Sample (N = 21) included 13 women and 8 men with age range 21-50 years. Sample was selected from different private and public universities and hospitals of Lahore. Emerging themes were analyzed using bottom up thematic analysis. Results indicated that an effective academic leader should have IQ and EQ, be visionary, and should bring everyone together. The participants mostly agreed that there is leadership crisis in Pakistani higher education institutes. They described various reasons for the crisis situation which mainly implied the responsibility to existing leaders, infrastructure, social decline, and policies.
Exploring Modes, Strategies, and Psychosocial Consequences of Cyberbullying Perpetration and Victimization Among University Students
Authors: Kanwal Hira , Jami Humaira
Published: January 2020

The purpose of the study was to explore modes, strategies, and consequences of cyberbullying perpetration and victimization among university students. In-depth interviews of 14 volunteer university students (8 male and 6 female) were conducted who volunteered to participate in the study in which 10 participants were “cybervictims” whereas 4 were “cyberbully-victim”. Interview guide was used for conducting unstructured interviews. Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed different experiences in cyberspace with respect to gender and role (cybervictim and cyberbully-victim) in experiencing cyberbullying and cyber-victimization. Three themes emerged that is psychological consequences (emotional, behavioral, and cognitive), social consequences (family and peers), and change in lifestyle (online, offline, and academic). Facebook was found to be the most prevalent mode of cyberbullying. The cyberbully-victim participants derived more happiness while bullying and had revengeful attitude; whereas, cybervictims experienced more depression, increased family surveillance, social isolation, and became aware of negative consequences of social networking sites, became more vigilant and conscious in cyberspace. Moreover, the consequences reported by cyberbully-victim were distrust on security settings, low academic achievement, and their peers learnt from their cyberspace experience. Perception of cyber-victimization was different across gender and its psychological impact was more pronounced for girls than boys. The results and implications were discussed in Pakistani context.
Development and Validation of Psychological Skills Scale for Hockey Players and Cricketers
Authors: Solomon Vicar , Malik Farah , Kausar Rukhsana
Published: January 2020

The present research was carried to develop an indigenous, valid, and reliable scale to assess psychological skills of hockey players and cricketers. An initial item pool of 130 items was generated through detailed, open-ended, and semi-structured interviews with six international hockey players and two international cricketers, whereas, a preliminary questionnaire was administered on 518 players (261 hockey players and 257 cricketers). Principal Factor Analysis with Varimax rotation postulated 84 items with three distinct factors: Psycho-Performance Skills, Perceived Psychological Support, and Psycho-Competitiveness. The internal consistency of the items for Psychological Skills Scale for Hockey Players and Cricketers was determined by using Cronbach’s alpha that emerged .94 for final 84 items, whereas, Psycho-Performance Skills, Perceived Psychological Support, and Psycho-Competitiveness had .92, .90, and .87 reliability; respectively. Further researches can be conducted to confirm these three factors extracted through this study by including other sports or considering various other psychological skills of hockey players and cricketers. This research would be helpful for Pakistan Hockey Federation and Pakistan Cricket Board to determine psychological profiling of cricketers and develop psychological profiling system based on the results of Psychological Skills Scale for hockey players and cricketers.
DC-MMS: Diagnostic Checklist of Major Depression, Mania and Schizophrenia
Authors: Nawaz Nazia , Farhana Jahangir Syeda , Shaheen Nighat
Published: January 2020

The present study was designed to develop a Computer Software for computer based diagnosis of schizophrenia, mania, and patients having major depression on the basis of their nonverbal communicative patterns. The study was conducted into two phases. The first phase consisted of (a), recording videos of non verbal communicative patterns of patients in order to assign behavioural patterns to each on the basis of observations of recorded videos by a panel of three clinical psychologists named as Aware Group and (b), defining of those patterns (for each disorder) by practitioners called the Unaware Group as they were unknown to the behaviors posed by the patients recorded in the videos, in order to verify the assigned patterns by the Aware Group. The second phase comprised of developing the diagnostic software and its validation on the basis of obtained information. Results revealed that non-verbal behavioural patterns associated with each disorder are significant tools that can be used as differential diagnostic criteria by the clinicians. The findings concluded that nonverbal behavioural cues can reliably be used for diagnosing different mental disorders with an accuracy of 97%, 100%, and 97% for Schizophrenia, Major Depression, and Mania, respectively.
Erratum to: Effectiveness Analysis of a Two Non-Identical Unit Standby System with Switching Device and Proviso of Rest
Authors: Kour Darpandeep , Joorel J. P. Singh , Sharma Neha
Published: January 2020

International Journal of Mathematical, Engineering and Management Sciences, 4(6), 1496–1507, 2019. https://dx.doi.org/10.33889/IJMEMS.2019.4.6-118.
Combining Ability of Quality Protein Maize Inbred Lines for Yield and Morpho-Agronomic Traits under Optimum as Well as Combined Drought and Heat-Stressed Conditions
Authors: Chiuta Nyasha E. , Mutengwa Charles S.
Published: January 2020

Drought and heat stress have perceptibly become major maize (Zea mays L.) yield reducing factors in Sub-Saharan Africa. As such, the objectives of this study were to: (i) determine the type of gene action conditioning tolerance to combined drought and heat stress (CDHS), and (ii) identify inbred lines with good combining ability for yield and other morpho-agronomic traits under CDHS. Twenty-four single cross hybrids (SCHs) obtained from crossing 10 inbred lines in a 4 × 6 North Carolina Design II, and a drought-tolerant check, were evaluated under CDHS and optimum conditions in the field. The experiment was laid out in a 5 × 5 alpha lattice incomplete block design, replicated three times. Additive gene effects influenced all the traits under CDHS except grain yield, which was influenced by non-additive gene effects. A preponderance of additive genetic effects was observed for all traits recorded under optimum conditions. Inbred lines L30, L6, L5, L17 and L2 showed good combining ability for yield under CDHS, indicating that they could be good parental lines in hybridization programs. Based on the results, SCHs L2*30, L6*13 and L5*18 exhibited high specific combining ability (SCA) effects for yield under CDHS. These hybrids are recommended for further multi-locational evaluation to determine the stability of their performance.
Effects of Mycorrhizae on Physiological Responses and Relevant Gene Expression of Peach Affected by Replant Disease
Authors: Gao Wei-Qin , Lü Li-Hui , Srivastava A. , Wu Qiang-Sheng , Kuča Kamil
Published: January 2020

A potted experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF), Acaulospora scrobiculata, on peach seedlings grown in non-replant (NR) and replant (R) soils, to establish whether AMF inoculation alleviated soil replant disease through changes in physiological levels and relevant gene expression. After 15 weeks of mycorrhization, root mycorrhizal colonization was heavily inhibited by R treatment versus NR treatment. AMF plants under NR and R soil conditions displayed significantly higher total plant biomass than non-AMF plants. AMF inoculation significantly increased root sucrose and fructose concentrations and root catalase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, and phenylalanine ammonialyase activities under R conditions. Likewise, salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, chitinase, total soluble phenol, and lignin concentrations in roots were significantly higher in AMF than in non-AMF seedlings grown in R soil. Over-expression of PpCHI, PpLOX1, PpLOX5, PpAOC3, PpAOC4, and PpOPR2 in roots was observed in AMF-inoculated seedlings, as compared to that of non-AMF-inoculated seedlings grown in R soils. Thus, mycorrhizal fungal inoculation conferred a greater tolerance to peach plants in R soil by stimulating antioxidant enzyme activities, disease-resistance substance levels, and the expression of relevant genes.
Comparison of Techniques and Solvents on the Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Potential of Extracts from Acacia dealbata and Olea europaea
Authors: Borges Anabela , José Helena , Homem Vera , Simões Manuel
Published: January 2020

Ethnopharmacological use of plant natural extracts has been known since ancient times. The optimization of plant molecule extraction is fundamental in obtaining relevant extraction yields. The main purpose of this study was to understand the role of different extraction techniques (solid-liquid, ultrasound, Soxhlet, and microwave) and solvents (water, methanol, ethanol, acetone, dichloromethane, and hexane) on the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of extracts from Olea europaea (olive) and Acacia dealbata (mimosa). Crude plant extracts were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli by the disk diffusion method. The antioxidant capacity of the extracts was determined by ABTS (2,2-azinobis (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) methods. In terms of extraction yield, ultrasound extraction and the solvents methanol, acetone (O. europaea) or water (A. dealbata) were found to be the best options. However, ethanol and acetone proved to be the best solvents to extract compounds with antimicrobial activity and antioxidant capacity, respectively (regardless of the extraction method employed). Soxhlet and microwave were the best techniques to extract compounds with antimicrobial activity, whereas any of the tested techniques showed the ability to extract compounds with antioxidant capacity. In most of the cases, both plant extracts (mimosa and olive) were more efficient against S. aureus than E. coli. In the present study, both mimosa and olive leaf crude extracts proved to have antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, increasing the demand of these natural products as a source of compounds with health benefits.
A Novel Screening Strategy Reveals ROS-Generating Antimicrobials That Act Synergistically against the Intracellular Veterinary Pathogen Rhodococcus equi
Authors: Mourenza Álvaro , Gil José A. , Mateos Luís M. , Letek Michal
Published: January 2020

: Rhodococcus equi is a facultative intracellular pathogen that causes infections in foals and many other animals such as pigs, cattle, sheep, and goats. Antibiotic resistance is rapidly rising in horse farms, which makes ineffective current antibiotic treatments based on a combination of macrolides and rifampicin. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies are urgently needed to treat R. equi infections caused by antimicrobial resistant strains. Here, we employed a R. equi mycoredoxin-null mutant strain highly susceptible to oxidative stress to screen for novel ROS-generating antibiotics. Then, we used the well-characterized Mrx1-roGFP2 biosensor to confirm the redox stress generated by the most promising antimicrobial agents identified in our screening. Our results suggest that different combinations of antibacterial compounds that elicit oxidative stress are promising anti-infective strategies against R. equi. In particular, the combination of macrolides with ROS-generating antimicrobial compounds such as norfloxacin act synergistically to produce a potent antibacterial effect against R. equi. Therefore, our screening approach could be applied to identify novel ROS-inspired therapeutic strategies against intracellular pathogens.
Molecular Characterization of White Wines Antioxidant Metabolome by Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Romanet Remy , Bahut Florian , Nikolantonaki Maria , Gougeon Régis D.
Published: January 2020

The knowledge about the molecular fraction contributing to white wines oxidative stability is still poorly understood. However, the role of S- and N-containing compounds, like glutathione and other peptides, as a source of reductant in many oxidation reactions, and acting against heavy metals toxicity, or lipid and polyphenol oxidation as ROS-scavenger is today very well established. In that respect, the aim of the present study is to introduce an original analytical tool for the direct determination of the available nucleophilic compounds in white wine under acidic pH conditions. One step derivatization of nucleophiles has been realized directly in wines using 4-methyl-1,2-benzoquinone (4MeQ) as an electrophilic probe. Derivatization conditions considering probe concentration, pH, reaction time, MS ionisation conditions and adducts stability, were optimized using model solutions containing standard sulfur and amino compounds (GSH, Cys, HCys and Ser-Aps-Cys-Asp-Ser, Asp-Met, Met and Glu). Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometer (UHPLC-QqTOF-MS) analysis of up to 92 white wines from different cultivars (Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Semillon) followed by Multivariate analysis (PLS DA) and Wilcoxon test allowed to isolate up to 141 putative wine relevant nucleophiles. Only 20 of these compounds, essentially thiols, were detectable in samples before derivatization, indicating the importance of the quinone trapping on the revelation of wine unknown nucleophiles. Moreover, annotation using online database (Oligonet, Metlin and KEGG) as well as elementary formula determined by isotopic profile, provided evidence of the presence of amino acids (Val, Leu, Ile, Pro, Trp, Cys and Met) and peptides with important antioxidant properties. The complimentary set of MS/MS spectral data greatly accelerated identification of nucleophiles and enabled peptides sequencing. These results show that probing wines with 4-methyl-1,2-benzoquinone enhances thiols ionisation capacity and gives a better screening of specific S- N- containing functional compounds as part of the white wines antioxidant metabolome.
Computational Simulation of Cardiac Function and Blood Flow in the Circulatory System under Continuous Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device Support during Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Bozkurt Selim
Published: January 2020

Prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) is high in heart failure patients supported by a continuous flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD); however, the long term effects remain unclear. In this study, a computational model simulating effects of AF on cardiac function and blood flow for heart failure and CF-LVAD support is presented. The computational model describes left and right heart, systemic and pulmonary circulations and cerebral circulation, and utilises patient-derived RR interval series for normal sinus rhythm (SR). Moreover, AF was simulated using patient-derived unimodal and bimodal distributed RR interval series and patient specific left ventricular systolic functions. The cardiovascular system model simulated clinically-observed haemodynamic outcomes under CF-LVAD support during AF, such as reduced right ventricular ejection fraction and elevated systolic pulmonary arterial pressure. Moreover, relatively high aortic peak pressures and middle arterial peak flow rates during AF with bimodal RR interval distribution, reduced to similar levels as during normal SR and AF with unimodal RR interval distribution under CF-LVAD support. The simulation results suggest that factors such as distribution of RR intervals and systolic left ventricular function may influence haemodynamic outcome of CF-LVAD support during AF.
Low-Cost, Compact, and Rapid Bio-Impedance Spectrometer with Real-Time Bode and Nyquist Plots
Authors: Santoso Didik R. , Pitaloka Bella , Widodo Chomsin S. , Juswono Unggul P.
Published: January 2020

Bioelectric impedance spectroscopy (BIS) has been widely used to study the electrical properties of biological tissue based on the characteristics of the complex electrical impedance dispersions. One of the problems in using the BIS method is the length of time required for the data acquisition process and possibly data analysis as well. In this research, a compact and work rapidly BIS instrumentation system has been developed at a low cost. It is designed to work in the frequency range of 100 Hz to 100 kHz, which is generally used in the fields of biophysics and medical physics. The BIS instrumentation system is built using several integrated modules. The modules are an AC current source to produce a selectable injection current; a data acquisition system to measure voltage, current, and phase difference rapidly and simultaneously; and software to calculate and display measurement results in the form of Bode and Nyquist plots in real time. The developed BIS system has been validated using a simple RC circuit as the sample being tested. The average time needed in the process of data acquisition and analysis until the formation of impedance dispersion curves in the form of Bode and Nyquist plots, for 54 sample frequencies, is less than one minute. The system is able to identify R and C values of the sample with a maximum error of 1.5%. In addition, some simple application examples are also presented in this paper.
On One Interpolation Type Fractional Boundary-Value Problem
Authors: Marynets Kateryna
Published: January 2020

We present some new results on the approximation of solutions of a special type of fractional boundary-value problem. The focus of our research is a system of three fractional differential equations of the mixed order, subjected to the so-called “interpolation” type boundary restrictions. Under certain conditions, the aforementioned problem is simplified via a proper parametrization technique, and with the help of the numerical-analytic method, the approximate solutions are constructed.
Insight the Biological Activities of Selected Abietane Diterpenes Isolated from Plectranthus spp.
Authors: Sitarek Przemysław , Toma Monika , Ntungwe Epole , Kowalczyk Tomasz , Skała Ewa , Wieczfinska Joanna , Śliwiński Tomasz , Rijo Patricia
Published: January 2020

Natural compounds isolated from plants are excellent starting points in drug design and have been widely studied as anticancer agents; they hence find use in a considerable proportion of anticancer drugs. The genus Plectranthus (Lamiaceae) comprises a large and widespread group of species with various applications in traditional medicine. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of treatment with four abietane diterpenoids isolated from P. madagascariensis and P. ecklonii, 6,7-dehydroroyleanone, 7β,6β-dihydroxyroyleanone, 7α-acetoxy-6β-hydroxyroyleanone and parvifloron D, in initiating apoptosis in a glioma cell line. The pure compounds were found to exhibit anticancer effects in primary H7PX glioma cells line by inducing apoptosis G2/M cell cycle arrest and double-strand breaks, indicated by increased levels of phosphorylated H2A.X and decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential; they also influenced the expression of pro- and anti-apoptotic genes (Bax, Bcl-2, TP53, or Cas-3). Our findings indicate that these compounds may offer potential as beneficial antitumor drugs but further in vivo studies are needed.
New Treatment Options for Advanced Gastroesophageal Tumours: Mature for the Current Practice?
Authors: Puhr Hannah Christina , Preusser Matthias , Prager Gerald , Ilhan-Mutlu Aysegül
Published: January 2020

Several clinical trials attempted to identify novel treatment options for advanced gastroesophageal tumours in first, second and further lines. Although results of targeted therapy regimens were mainly disappointing, novel immunotherapy agents showed promising activity, which led to their approval in second and third lines in many countries. This review focuses on the results of recent clinical trials investigating novel agents including targeted therapies, immunotherapy components and chemotherapies and discuss their current impact as well as current approval status on the treatment armamentarium of advanced gastroesophageal tumours.
CD22 Expression in B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Biological Significance and Implications for Inotuzumab Therapy in Adults
Authors: Lanza Francesco , Maffini Enrico , Rondoni Michela , Massari Evita , Faini Angelo Corso , Malavasi Fabio
Published: January 2020

CD22 is a surface molecule expressed early during the ontogeny of B cells in the bone marrow and spleen, and can be found on B cells isolated from the different lymphoid compartments in humans. CD22 is expressed by most blasts from the majority (60–90%) of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Current therapies in adults with newly diagnosed B-ALL are associated with complete remission (CR) rates of 50–90%. However, 30–60% of these patients relapse, and only 25–40% achieve disease-free survival of three years or more. Chemotherapy regimens for patients with refractory/relapsed B-ALL are associated with CR rates ranging from 31% to 44%. Novel immune-targeted therapies, such as blinatumomab and inotuzumab (a humanized anti-CD22 monoclonal antibody conjugated to the cytotoxic antibiotic agent calicheamicin), provide potential means of circumventing chemo-refractory B-ALL cells through novel mechanisms of action. Eighty percent of inotuzumab-treated B-ALL patients may achieve a CR state. This review is focused on the biological and clinical activities of CD22 antibodies in B-ALL, and provides evidence about the potential role played by qualitative and quantitative analysis of the CD22 molecule on individual B-ALL blasts in predicting the depletion of leukemic cells, and, ultimately, leading to better clinical response rates.
Targeting Aggrephagy for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Malampati Sandeep , Song Ju-Xian , Chun-Kit Tong Benjamin , Nalluri Anusha , Yang Chuan-Bin , Wang Ziying , Gopalkrishnashetty Sreenivasmurthy Sravan , Zhu Zhou , Liu Jia , Su Chengfu , Krishnamoorthi Senthilkumar , Iyaswamy Ashok , Cheung King-Ho , Lu Jia-Hong , Li Min
Published: January 2020

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases in older individuals with specific neuropsychiatric symptoms. It is a proteinopathy, pathologically characterized by the presence of misfolded protein (Aβ and Tau) aggregates in the brain, causing progressive dementia. Increasing studies have provided evidence that the defect in protein-degrading systems, especially the autophagy-lysosome pathway (ALP), plays an important role in the pathogenesis of AD. Recent studies have demonstrated that AD-associated protein aggregates can be selectively recognized by some receptors and then be degraded by ALP, a process termed aggrephagy. In this study, we reviewed the role of aggrephagy in AD development and discussed the strategy of promoting aggrephagy using small molecules for the treatment of AD.
Angiogenic Effects of Human Dental Pulp and Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells and their Extracellular Vesicles
Authors: Merckx Greet , Hosseinkhani Baharak , Kuypers Sören , Deville Sarah , Irobi Joy , Nelissen Inge , Michiels Luc , Lambrichts Ivo , Bronckaers Annelies
Published: January 2020

Blood vessel formation or angiogenesis is a key process for successful tooth regeneration. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) possess paracrine proangiogenic properties, which are, at least partially, induced by their extracellular vesicles (EVs). However, the isolation of BM-MSCs is associated with several drawbacks, which could be overcome by MSC-like cells of the teeth, called dental pulp stromal cells (DPSCs). This study aims to compare the angiogenic content and functions of DPSC and BM-MSC EVs and conditioned medium (CM). The angiogenic protein profile of DPSC- and BM-MSC-derived EVs, CM and EV-depleted CM was screened by an antibody array and confirmed by ELISA. Functional angiogenic effects were tested in transwell migration and chicken chorioallantoic membrane assays. All secretion fractions contained several pro- and anti-angiogenic proteins and induced in vitro endothelial cell motility. This chemotactic potential was higher for (EV-depleted) CM, compared to EVs with a stronger effect for BM-MSCs. Finally, BM-MSC CM, but not DPSC CM, nor EVs, increased in ovo angiogenesis. In conclusion, we showed that DPSCs are less potent in relation to endothelial cell chemotaxis and in ovo neovascularization, compared to BM-MSCs, which emphasizes the importance of choice of cell type and secretion fraction for stem cell-based regenerative therapies in inducing angiogenesis.
Proteomic Analysis of Brain Region and Sex-Specific Synaptic Protein Expression in the Adult Mouse Brain
Authors: Distler Ute , Schumann Sven , Kesseler Hans-Georg , Pielot Rainer , Smalla Karl-Heinz , Sielaff Malte , Schmeisser Michael J , Tenzer Stefan
Published: January 2020

Genetic disruption of synaptic proteins results in a whole variety of human neuropsychiatric disorders including intellectual disability, schizophrenia or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In a wide range of these so-called synaptopathies a sex bias in prevalence and clinical course has been reported. Using an unbiased proteomic approach, we analyzed the proteome at the interaction site of the pre- and postsynaptic compartment, in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, striatum and cerebellum of male and female adult C57BL/6J mice. We were able to reveal a specific repertoire of synaptic proteins in different brain areas as it has been implied before. Additionally, we found a region-specific set of novel synaptic proteins differentially expressed between male and female individuals including the strong ASD candidates DDX3X, KMT2C, MYH10 and SET. Being the first comprehensive analysis of brain region-specific synaptic proteomes from male and female mice, our study provides crucial information on sex-specific differences in the molecular anatomy of the synapse. Our efforts should serve as a neurobiological framework to better understand the influence of sex on synapse biology in both health and disease.
Change of the Rainfall Seasonality Over Central Peruvian Andes: Onset, End, Duration and Its Relationship With Large-Scale Atmospheric Circulation
Authors: Giráldez Lucy , Silva Yamina , Zubieta Ricardo , Sulca Juan
Published: January 2020

Changes of the onset dates, end dates, and duration of the rainy season over central Peruvian Andes (Mantaro river basin, MRB) could severely affect water resources management and the main economic activities (e.g., rainfed agriculture, raising cattle, among others). Nonetheless, these changes have not been documented for the Tropical Andes. To asses that, we used daily datasets of observed rainfall during the 1965–2013 period. For this period, the average onset (end) date of the rainy season over the MRB occurs in the pentad 17 (19–23 September) [pentad 57 (7–11 April)]. The duration of the rainy season mainly is modulated by the onset dates due to it has higher variability than end dates. There is a reduction of 3 days/decade in the duration of wet season over the MRB for the last four decades due to the delay of the onset days. Furthermore, El Niño favors late-onset and early end of the rainy season, while La Niña favors early onset and late end of the rainy season in the MRB. Onset dates are related to the propagation of the convective region of the South American Monsoon System (SAMS), from the Caribbean region toward the central Amazon basin. Early (late)-onset days are associated with a southward (northward) shift of the South Atlantic Convergence Zone (SACZ) and weak (strong) convection over equatorial Atlantic that induces the southernmost propagation (eastward shift) of the SAMS.
“PhysIt”—A Diagnosis and Troubleshooting Tool for Physiotherapists in Training
Authors: Mirsky Reuth , Hibah Shay , Hadad Moshe , Gorenstein Ariel , Kalech Meir
Published: January 2020

Many physiotherapy treatments begin with a diagnosis process. The patient describes symptoms, upon which the physiotherapist decides which tests to perform until a final diagnosis is reached. The relationships between the anatomical components are too complex to keep in mind and the possible actions are abundant. A trainee physiotherapist with little experience naively applies multiple tests to reach the root cause of the symptoms, which is a highly inefficient process. This work proposes to assist students in this challenge by presenting three main contributions: (1) A compilation of the neuromuscular system as components of a system in a Model-Based Diagnosis problem; (2) The PhysIt is an AI-based tool that enables an interactive visualization and diagnosis to assist trainee physiotherapists; and (3) An empirical evaluation that comprehends performance analysis and a user study. The performance analysis is based on evaluation of simulated cases and common scenarios taken from anatomy exams. The user study evaluates the efficacy of the system to assist students in the beginning of the clinical studies. The results show that our system significantly decreases the number of candidate diagnoses, without discarding the correct diagnosis, and that students in their clinical studies find PhysIt helpful in the diagnosis process.
Investigation of the Noise Induced by Unstable Flow in a Centrifugal Pump
Authors: Lu Jiaxing , Liu Xiaobing , Zeng Yongzhong , Zhu Baoshan , Hu Bo , Hua Hong
Published: January 2020

In order to investigate the mechanism and the characteristics of the noise induced by unstable flow in a centrifugal pump, the internal flow characteristics in the pump were numerically researched, and the acoustic pressure fluctuations at the pump inlet and outlet were experimentally investigated. Obvious corresponding relationships between the flow instabilities, the cavitation and the noise were established. It was found that the rotating stall, the backflow, the hump, the occurrence of unstable flow and the cavitation in such a centrifugal pump were effectively detected through the noise, which could help to provide fundamental information on flow instabilities and guarantee safe and steady operating conditions for the system. The recirculation and prewhirl regions in the pump upstream pipe, which were caused by the backflow and the rotation of the impeller, presented the circumferential movement with a spiral shape, causing apparent broadband fluctuations at low frequency band of the acoustic pressure. The backflow and rotating stall could also result in broadband fluctuations of the pump outlet noise, which was distributed from 100 Hz to 150 Hz. Meanwhile, the broadband fluctuations of the pump outlet acoustic pressure distributed in the low frequency range, which was produced by the occurrence of cavitation, moved to the lower frequency band as the flow rate increased. The enhanced broadband fluctuations of the pump inlet and outlet noise distributed from 1 kHz to 6 kHz were caused by the coupling between the cavitation-induced noise and the system-produced noise. The broadband fluctuations of the pump inlet noise distributed between 6 kHz and 9 kHz were regarded as the typical frequency band of cavitation in the centrifugal pump.
Mineralogical and Geochemical Characterization of Asbestiform Todorokite, Birnessite, and Ranciéite, and Their host Mn-Rich Deposits from Serra D’Aiello (Southern Italy)
Authors: Bloise Andrea , Miriello Domenico , De Rosa Rosanna , Vespasiano Giovanni , Fuoco Ilaria , De Luca Raffaella , Barrese Eugenio , Apollaro Carmine
Published: January 2020

Manganese ores, especially the oxyhydroxides in their different forms, are the dominant Mn-bearing minerals that occur in marine and terrestrial environments, where they are typically found as poorly crystalline and intermixed phases. Mn oxyhydroxides have a huge range of industrial applications and are able to exert a strong control on the mobility of trace metals. This paper reports the results of a detailed study on the Mn oxyhydroxides occurring in the manganiferous deposit outcropping in the Messinian sediments from Serra D’Aiello (Southern Italy). Nine Mn samples were characterized in detail using X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry (TG), transmission electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive spectrometry (TEM/EDS), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The results indicated that the Mn deposit included the oxyhydroxide mineral species birnessite, todorokite, and rancièite. The size, morphology, and chemical composition of Mn oxyhydroxide samples were investigated in order to define their impact on the environment and human health. Todorokite displayed asbestiform shapes and could disperse fibers of breathable size in the air. Furthermore, since in-depth characterization of minerals within Mn deposits may be the first step toward understanding the genetic processes of manganese deposits, hypotheses about the genesis of the Mn oxyhydroxide deposits were discussed.
Beyond Healthiness: The Impact of Traffic Light Labels on Taste Expectations and Purchase Intentions
Authors: Kunz Sonja , Haasova Simona , Rieß Jannik , Florack Arnd
Published: January 2020

The aim of traffic light labels on food products is to help consumers assess their healthiness. However, it is not clear whether traffic light labels do not have undesired side effects by signaling lower tastiness of healthy product alternatives and reducing purchase intentions. We therefore conducted a study with consumers from Austria (N = 173) in which we presented the amount of sugar contained in products on labels with or without traffic light colors based on the coding criteria of the UK Food Standards Agency. Expectations of products’ healthiness and tastiness, as well as purchase intentions were assessed. The products were randomly sampled from the category of desserts from a supermarket. The declared amount of sugar was experimentally varied. The traffic light labels helped participants differentiate between the healthiness of products with different sugar levels. They did not affect the expected tastiness of the healthier alternatives. Moreover, participants did not report lower purchase intentions for products high in sugar, but a higher purchase intention for products low in sugar when traffic light colors were used compared to when they were not used.
Do Best-Selected Strains Perform Table Olive Fermentation Better than Undefined Biodiverse Starters? A Comparative Study
Authors: Paba Antonio , Chessa Luigi , Daga Elisabetta , Campus Marco , Bulla Monica , Angioni Alberto , Sedda Piergiorgio , Comunian Roberta
Published: January 2020

Twenty-seven Lactobacillus pentosus strains, and the undefined starter for table olives from which they were isolated, were characterised for their technological properties: tolerance to low temperature, high salt concentration, alkaline pH, and olive leaf extract; acidifying ability; oleuropein degradation; hydrogen peroxide and lactic acid production. Two strains with appropriate technological properties were selected. Then, table olive fermentation in vats, with the original starter, the selected strains, and without starter (spontaneous fermentation) were compared. Starters affected some texture profile parameters. The undefined culture resulted in the most effective Enterobacteriaceae reduction, acidification and olive debittering, while the selected strains batch showed the lowest antioxidant activity. Our results show that the best candidate strains cannot guarantee better fermentation performance than the undefined biodiverse mix from which they originate.
Tourism, Transportation and Low-Carbon City System Coupling Coordination Degree: A Case Study in Chongqing Municipality, China
Authors: Deng Fumin , Fang Yuan , Xu Lin , Li Zhi
Published: January 2020

Tourism and transportation have extremely complex interactions. Tourism developments have expanded demand and stimulated transportation development, which has consequently affected the environment of cities striving towards low-carbon sustainable development. Therefore, there has been an increased research focus on the coordinated binary development of the tourism and transportation industries to ensure sustainable low-carbon cities. To this end also this paper first developed a comprehensive evaluation index system with three subsystems, seven aspects, and 31 indicators. Then, entropy weight and gray correlation were combined to determine the index weights and a physics coupling concept employed to build a tourism, transportation and low-carbon city (TTLC) coupling coordination degree model, which was then applied to quantitatively analyze the coupling and evolutionary trends in Chongqing’s TTLC efforts from 2008 to 2017. It was found that the overall coupling coordination was volatile and rising, and that industry scale, industry performance, and energy consumption had the most significant impact on the coupled systems, indicating that these key factors must be considered in macro decision-making. In general, it was shown that the combination of the coupling coordination degree model and entropy weight gray correlation was able to effectively evaluate dynamic coupling relationships.
Understanding Physical Activity Intentions in Physical Education Context: A Multi-Level Analysis from the Self-Determination Theory
Authors: Sánchez-Oliva David , Mouratidis Athanasios , Leo Francisco M. , Chamorro José L. , Pulido Juan J. , García-Calvo Tomás
Published: January 2020

Using self-determination theory as a framework, we aimed to study the relationships between perceived need support and need satisfaction with self-determined motivation and extracurricular physical activity intentions in the physical education (PE) classroom, including sex and out-of-school sport participation as moderators. Additionally, we aimed to test whether a need-supportive classroom environment in PE moderates these associations. Participants were 1259 students (556 males) aged between 12 to 16 years (Mage = 13.46 years; SD = 0.74) from 77 PE classes. At the student level we found (a) need satisfaction to predict positively autonomous motivation and negatively amotivation, and (b) autonomous motivation to predict positively and amotivation to predict negatively intentions to undertake extracurricular physical activities. At the classroom level, in need-supportive classes males benefit more than females in terms of increased autonomous motivation while females benefit more than males in terms of decreased amotivation. Finally, class-level perceived need support moderated (i.e., attenuated) the negative association between need satisfaction and amotivation and between amotivation and intentions. These results suggest a buffering role that a need-supportive classroom environment may have on students’ motivation and behavior.
Economic Evaluation of Hepatitis C Treatment Extension to Acute Infection and Early-Stage Fibrosis Among Patients Who Inject Drugs in Developing Countries: A Case of China
Authors: Liu Yin , Zhang Hui , Zhang Lei , Zou Xia , Ling Li
Published: January 2020

We aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of (1) treating acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) vs. deferring treatment until the chronic phase and (2) treating all chronic patients vs. only those with advanced fibrosis; among Chinese genotype 1b treatment-naïve patients who injected drugs (PWID), using a combination Daclatasvir (DCV) plus Asunaprevir (ASV) regimen and a Peg-interferon (PegIFN)-based regimen, respectively. A decision-analytical model including the risk of HCV reinfection simulated lifetime costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) of three treatment timings, under the DCV+ASV and PegIFN regimen, respectively: Treating acute infection (“Treat at acute”), treating chronic patients of all fibrosis stages (“Treat at F0 (no fibrosis)”), treating only advanced-stage fibrosis patients (“Treat at F3 (numerous septa without cirrhosis)”). Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were used to compare scenarios. “Treat at acute” compared with “Treat at F0” was cost-saving (cost: DCV+ASV regimen—US$14,486.975 vs. US$16,224.250; PegIFN-based regimen—US$19,734.794 vs. US$22,101.584) and more effective (QALY: DCV+ASV regimen—14.573 vs. 14.566; PegIFN-based regimen—14.148 vs. 14.116). Compared with “Treat at F3”; “Treat at F0” exhibited an ICER of US$3780.20/QALY and US$15,145.98/QALY under the DCV+ASV regimen and PegIFN-based regimen; respectively. Treatment of acute HCV infection was highly cost-effective and cost-saving compared with deferring treatment to the chronic stage; for both DCV+ASV and PegIFN-based regimens. Early treatment for chronic patients with DCV+ASV regimen was highly cost-effective.