bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Redox-Active Monolayers Self-Assembled on Gold Electrodes—Effect of Their Structures on Electrochemical Parameters and DNA Sensing Ability
Authors: Malecka Kamila , Menon Shalini , Palla Gopal , Kumar Krishnapillai Girish , Daniels Mathias , Dehaen Wim , Radecka Hanna , Radecki Jerzy
Published: January 2020

The background: The monolayers self-assembled on the gold electrode incorporated transition metal complexes can act both as receptor (“host” molecules) immobilization sites, as well as transducer for interface recognitions of “guest” molecules present in the aqueous solutions. Their electrochemical parameters influencing the sensing properties strongly depend on the transition metal complex structures. The objectives: The electrochemical characterization of the symmetric terpyridine–M2+–terpyridine and asymmetric dipyrromethene–M2+–terpyridine complexes modified with ssDNA probe covalently attached to the gold electrodes and exploring their ssDNA sensing ability were the main aims of the research presented. The methods: Two transition metal cations have been selected: Cu2+ and Co2+ for creation of redox-active monolayers. The electron transfer coefficients indicating the reversibility and electron transfer rate constant measuring kinetic of redox reactions have been determined for all SAMs studied using: Cyclic Voltammetry, Osteryoung Square-Wave Voltammetry, and Differential Pulse Voltammetry. All redox-active platforms have been applied for immobilization of ssDNA probe. Next, their sensing properties towards complementary DNA target have been explored electrochemically. The results: All SAMs studied were stable displaying quasi-reversible redox activity. The linear relationships between cathodic and anodic current vs. san rate were obtained for both symmetric and asymmetric SAMs incorporating Co2+ and Cu2+, indicating that oxidized and reduced redox sites are adsorbed on the electrode surface. The ssDNA sensing ability were observed in the fM concentration range. The low responses towards non-complementary ssDNA sequences provided evidences for sensors good selectivity. The conclusions: All redox-active SAMs modified with a ssDNA probe were suitable for sensing of ssDNA target, with very good sensitivity in fM range and very good selectivity. The detection limits obtained for SAMs incorporating Cu2+, both symmetric and asymmetric, were better in comparison to SAMs incorporating Co2+. Thus, selection of the right transition metal cation has stronger influence on ssDNA sensing ability, than complex structures.
Herb–Drug Interaction of Red Ginseng Extract and Ginsenoside Rc with Valsartan in Rats
Authors: Jeon Ji-Hyeon , Lee Sowon , Lee Wonpyo , Jin Sojeong , Kwon Mihwa , Shin Chul Hwi , Choi Min-Koo , Song Im-Sook
Published: January 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the herb–drug interactions involving red ginseng extract (RGE) or ginsenoside Rc with valsartan, a substrate for organic anion transporting polypeptide (OATP/Oatp) transporters. In HEK293 cells overexpressing drug transporters, the protopanaxadiol (PPD)-type ginsenosides- Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Rg3, compound K, and Rh2-inhibited human OATP1B1 and OATP1B3 transporters (IC50 values of 7.99–68.2 µM for OATP1B1; 1.36–30.8 µM for OATP1B3), suggesting the herb–drug interaction of PPD-type ginsenosides involving OATPs. Protopanaxatriol (PPT)-type ginsenosides-Re, Rg1, and Rh1-did not inhibit OATP1B1 and OATP1B3 and all ginsenosides tested didn’t inhibit OCT and OAT transporters. However, in rats, neither RGE nor Rc, a potent OATP inhibitor among PPD-type ginsenoside, changed in vivo pharmacokinetics of valsartan following repeated oral administration of RGE (1.5 g/kg/day for 7 days) or repeated intravenous injection of Rc (3 mg/kg for 5 days). The lack of in vivo herb–drug interaction between orally administered RGE and valsartan could be attributed to the low plasma concentration of PPD-type ginsenosides (5.3–48.4 nM). Even high plasma concentration of Rc did not effectively alter the pharmacokinetics of valsartan because of high protein binding and the limited liver distribution of Rc. The results, in conclusion, would provide useful information for herb–drug interaction between RGE or PPD-type ginsenosides and Oatp substrate drugs.
Linking Genes to Molecules in Eukaryotic Sources: An Endeavor to Expand Our Biosynthetic Repertoire
Authors: Ganley Jack G. , Derbyshire Emily R.
Published: January 2020

The discovery of natural products continues to interest chemists and biologists for their utility in medicine as well as facilitating our understanding of signaling, pathogenesis, and evolution. Despite an attenuation in the discovery rate of new molecules, the current genomics and transcriptomics revolution has illuminated the untapped biosynthetic potential of many diverse organisms. Today, natural product discovery can be driven by biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) analysis, which is capable of predicting enzymes that catalyze novel reactions and organisms that synthesize new chemical structures. This approach has been particularly effective in mining bacterial and fungal genomes where it has facilitated the discovery of new molecules, increased the understanding of metabolite assembly, and in some instances uncovered enzymes with intriguing synthetic utility. While relatively less is known about the biosynthetic potential of non-fungal eukaryotes, there is compelling evidence to suggest many encode biosynthetic enzymes that produce molecules with unique bioactivities. In this review, we highlight how the advances in genomics and transcriptomics have aided natural product discovery in sources from eukaryotic lineages. We summarize work that has successfully connected genes to previously identified molecules and how advancing these techniques can lead to genetics-guided discovery of novel chemical structures and reactions distributed throughout the tree of life. Ultimately, we discuss the advantage of increasing the known biosynthetic space to ease access to complex natural and non-natural small molecules.
Analysis and Model of Cortical Slow Waves Acquired with Optical Techniques
Authors: Celotto Marco , De Luca Chiara , Muratore Paolo , Resta Francesco , Allegra Mascaro Anna Letizia , Pavone Francesco Saverio , De Bonis Giulia , Paolucci Pier Stanislao
Published: January 2020

Slow waves (SWs) are spatio-temporal patterns of cortical activity that occur both during natural sleep and anesthesia and are preserved across species. Even though electrophysiological recordings have been largely used to characterize brain states, they are limited in the spatial resolution and cannot target specific neuronal population. Recently, large-scale optical imaging techniques coupled with functional indicators overcame these restrictions, and new pipelines of analysis and novel approaches of SWs modelling are needed to extract relevant features of the spatio-temporal dynamics of SWs from these highly spatially resolved data-sets. Here we combined wide-field fluorescence microscopy and a transgenic mouse model expressing a calcium indicator (GCaMP6f) in excitatory neurons to study SW propagation over the meso-scale under ketamine anesthesia. We developed a versatile analysis pipeline to identify and quantify the spatio-temporal propagation of the SWs. Moreover, we designed a computational simulator based on a simple theoretical model, which takes into account the statistics of neuronal activity, the response of fluorescence proteins and the slow waves dynamics. The simulator was capable of synthesizing artificial signals that could reliably reproduce several features of the SWs observed in vivo, thus enabling a calibration tool for the analysis pipeline. Comparison of experimental and simulated data shows the robustness of the analysis tools and its potential to uncover mechanistic insights of the Slow Wave Activity (SWA).
Smoothing the Surface and Improving the Electrochemical Properties of NaxMnO2 by a Wet Chemical Method
Authors: Zhao Siliang , Lin Zhiping , Wu Fugen , Xiao Feng , Xu Jiantie
Published: January 2020

NaxMnO2 (NMO) is treated by a wet chemical method in this paper. The treated NMO can form a copper oxide coating layer, and some of the coating layer can be peeled off, smoothing the surface of particles. Electrochemical measurement shows that treated NMO can maintain 72.6% of its specific capacity after 300 cycles, which is better than the 58.7% specific capacity of untreated NMO materials. Additionally, the ratio of capacity remaining rate can be improved from an initial 87% to 99.5%. So, this wet chemical method is available to smooth the electrode surface and reduce the internal impedance, and thus to effectively improve electrochemical performance during the battery cycle.
Systematic Design of Polypyrrole/Carbon Fiber Electrodes for Efficient Flexible Fiber-Type Solid-State Supercapacitors
Authors: Sung Yu-Shun , Lin Lu-Yin
Published: January 2020

Fiber-type supercapacitors (FSC) have attracted much attention as efficient energy storage devices for soft electronics. This study proposes the synthesis of polypyrrole (PPy) on carbon fiber (CF) using electropolymerization as the energy storage electrode for FSC. Effects of the electrolyte, applied current, and time of electropolymerization for synthesizing PPy on CF are investigated. The configuration of the electrochemical system is also studied to better understand the electropolymerization of PPy. The highest specific capacitance (CM) of 308.2 F/g are obtained for the PPy electrode prepared using 0.5 M pyrrole and 0.3 M NaClO4 as the electrolyte at 40 mA for 20 min. The FSC assembled with PPy electrodes and the polyvinyl alcohol/H3PO4 gel electrolyte shows a CM value of 30 F/g and the energy density of 5.87 Wh/kg at the power density of 60.0 W/kg. Excellent cycling stability with CM retention of 70% and Coulombic efficiency higher than 98% in 3000 times charge/discharge process, and the good bending capability with CM retention of 153% and 148%, respectively, under the bending angle of 180° and the bending times of 600 are achieved. This work gives deeper understanding of electropolymerization and provides recipes for fabricating an efficient PPy electrode for soft energy storage devices.
Genotoxicity of Silver Nanoparticles
Authors: Rodriguez-Garraus Adriana , Azqueta Amaya , Vettorazzi Ariane , López de Cerain Adela
Published: January 2020

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used in diverse sectors such as medicine, food, cosmetics, household items, textiles and electronics. Given the extent of human exposure to AgNPs, information about the toxicological effects of such products is required to ensure their safety. For this reason, we performed a bibliographic review of the genotoxicity studies carried out with AgNPs over the last six years. A total of 43 articles that used well-established standard assays (i.e., in vitro mouse lymphoma assays, in vitro micronucleus tests, in vitro comet assays, in vivo micronucleus tests, in vivo chromosome aberration tests and in vivo comet assays), were selected. The results showed that AgNPs produce genotoxic effects at all DNA damage levels evaluated, in both in vitro and in vivo assays. However, a higher proportion of positive results was obtained in the in vitro studies. Some authors observed that coating and size had an effect on both in vitro and in vivo results. None of the studies included a complete battery of assays, as recommended by ICH and EFSA guidelines, and few of the authors followed OECD guidelines when performing assays. A complete genotoxicological characterization of AgNPs is required for decision-making.
Anti-Menopausal Effects of Cornus officinalis and Ribes fasciculatum Extract In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Park Eunkuk , Lim Eunguk , Yeo Subin , Yong Yoonjoong , Yang Junga , Jeong Seon-Yong
Published: January 2020

Natural herbal medicines have been developed for the treatment and prevention of women’s menopausal symptoms. In this study, we investigated the anti-menopausal effects of Cornus officinalis (CO) and Ribes fasciculatum (RF) extracts in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts, and COV434 granulosa cells in vitro and ovariectomized (OVX) ddY mice in vivo. Combination treatment of CO and RF extract at 7:3 ratio inhibited lipid accumulation via Plin1 and Adipoq downregulation in a cocktail of dexamethasone, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, and insulin (DMI)-induced differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. In addition, CO + RF treatment significantly enhanced osteoblastic differentiation, with mineralized nodule formation occurring through the upregulation of osteoblast-inducing markers in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. Increased production of estradiol and mRNA expression of ERα (ESR1) were observed in androstenedione-induced COV434 granulosa cells treated with the CO + RF extract. In CO + RF-treated mice, fatty hepatocyte deposition and abdominal visceral fat tissues reduced with OVX-induced uterine atrophy. Furthermore, bone mineral density and bone mineral content were significantly enhanced by CO + RF in mouse models of ovariectomy-induced femoral bone loss. Taken together, our findings suggested that CO + RF promoted estrogenic activity and had anti-obesity and anti-osteoporotic effects in vitro and in vivo. Thus, a combination of CO and RF extracts may be a good therapeutic strategy for managing women’s menopausal syndromes.
Eating Behavior (Duration, Content, and Timing) Among Workers Living under Different Levels of Urbanization
Authors: Tiuganji Natalia M. , Nehme Patricia , Marqueze Elaine C. , Isherwood Cheryl M. , Martins Andressa J. , Vasconcelos Suleima , Cipolla-Neto José , Lowden Arne , Skene Debra J. , Moreno Claudia R. C.
Published: January 2020

Urbanization has contributed to extended wakefulness, which may in turn be associated with eating over a longer period. Here, we present a field study conducted in four groups with different work hours and places of living in order to investigate eating behavior (duration, content, and timing). Anthropometric measures were taken from the participants (rural (n = 22); town (n = 19); city-day workers (n = 11); city-night workers (n = 14)). In addition, a sociodemographic questionnaire was self-answered and 24-h food recalls were applied for three days. The 24-h food recalls revealed that fat intake varied according to the groups, with the highest consumption by the city-day workers. By contrast, city-day workers had the lowest intake of carbohydrate, whereas the rural group had the highest. In general, all groups had some degree of inadequacy in food consumption. Eating duration was negatively correlated with total energy intake, fat, and protein consumption in the rural and town groups. There was a positive correlation between body mass index and eating duration in both city groups. The rural group had the earliest start time of eating, and this was associated with a lower body mass index. This study suggested that food content and timing, as well as eating duration, differed according to place of living, which in turn may be linked to lifestyle.
The Evaluation and Use of a Food Frequency Questionnaire Among the Population in Trivandrum, South Kerala, India
Authors: Vijay Amrita , Mohan Leena , Taylor Moira A. , Grove Jane I. , Valdes Ana M. , Aithal Guruprasad P. , Shenoy K.T.
Published: January 2020

Dietary record tools such as food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and food diaries (FD) are the most commonly used choices for assessing dietary intakes in most large-scale epidemiological studies. The authors developed a self-administered 360-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to assess dietary intakes amongst a population-based cohort in South Kerala. In the validation study (n = 460), the data were collected using FFQs that were administered on three different occasions which were then compared to 7-day food records. The intake of foods and nutrients was higher as determined by the FFQ than that assessed using food records. Spearman correlations for macro-nutrients ranged from 0.72 for protein to 0.61 for carbohydrates and for micronutrients, from 0.71 for vitamin B6 to 0.34 for magnesium. The correlation was improved with energy-adjusted nutrient intakes. On average, the exact agreement for the macronutrients ranged from 48.2% to 57.1%, and that for micronutrients ranged from 66.7% to 41.9%, with the median percentage of 49.58%. The authors conclude that the FFQ has an acceptable reproducibility, however, there was a systematic trend towards higher estimates with the FFQ for most nutrients compared to the FD records.
The Role of Dietary Carbohydrates in Gestational Diabetes
Authors: Mustad Vikkie A. , Huynh Dieu T.T. , López-Pedrosa José M. , Campoy Cristina , Rueda Ricardo
Published: January 2020

Gestational diabetes (GDM) is hyperglycemia that is recognized for the first time during pregnancy. GDM is associated with a wide range of short- and long-term adverse health consequences for both mother and offspring. It is a complex disease with a multifactorial etiology, with disturbances in glucose, lipid, inflammation and gut microbiota. Consequently, its management is complex, requiring patients to self-manage their diet, lifestyle and self-care behaviors in combination with use of insulin. In addition to nutritional recommendations for all pregnant women, special attention to dietary carbohydrate (CHO) amount and type on glucose levels is especially important in GDM. Dietary CHO are diverse, ranging from simple sugars to longer-chain oligo- and poly- saccharides which have diverse effects on blood glucose, microbial fermentation and bowel function. Studies have established that dietary CHO amount and type can impact maternal glucose and nutritional recommendations advise women with GDM to limit total intake or choose complex and low glycemic CHO. However, robust maternal and infant benefits are not consistently shown. Novel approaches which help women with GDM adhere to dietary recommendations such as diabetes-specific meal replacements (which provide a defined and complete nutritional composition with slowly-digested CHO) and continuous glucose monitors (which provide unlimited monitoring of maternal glycemic fluctuations) have shown benefits on both maternal and neonatal outcomes. Continued research is needed to understand and develop tools to facilitate patient adherence to treatment goals, individualize interventions and improve outcomes.
Muscle Phenotype, Proteolysis, and Atrophy Signaling During Reloading in Mice: Effects of Curcumin on the Gastrocnemius
Authors: Mañas-García Laura , Bargalló Nuria , Gea Joaquim , Barreiro Esther
Published: January 2020

We hypothesized that curcumin may mitigate muscle protein degradation and loss through attenuation of proteolytic activity in limb muscles of mice exposed to reloading (7dR) following immobilization (7dI). In gastrocnemius of mice (female C57BL/6J, 10 weeks) exposed to recovery following a seven-day period of hindlimb immobilization with/without curcumin treatment, markers of muscle proteolysis (systemic troponin-I), atrophy signaling pathways and histone deacetylases, protein synthesis, and muscle phenotypic characteristics and function were analyzed. In gastrocnemius of reloading mice compared to unloaded, muscle function, structure, sirtuin-1, and protein synthesis improved, while proteolytic and signaling markers (FoxO1/3) declined. In gastrocnemius of unloaded and reloaded mice treated with curcumin, proteolytic and signaling markers (NF-kB p50) decreased and sirtuin-1 activity and hybrid fibers size increased (reloaded muscle), while no significant improvement was seen in muscle function. Treatment with curcumin elicited a rise in sirtuin-1 activity, while attenuating proteolysis in gastrocnemius of mice during reloading following a period of unloading. Curcumin attenuated muscle proteolysis probably via activation of histone deacetylase sirtuin-1, which also led to decreased levels of atrophy signaling pathways. These findings offer an avenue of research in the design of therapeutic strategies in clinical settings of patients exposed to periods of disuse muscle atrophy.
The Search for Quorum Sensing in Botrytis cinerea: Regulatory Activity of Its Extracts on Its Development
Authors: Rosero-Hernández Esteban D. , Echeverri Fernando L.
Published: January 2020

Botrytis cinerea is a phytopathogenic fungus that causes large crop and post-harvest losses. Therefore, new and effective strategies are needed to control the disease and to reduce resistance to fungicides. Modulating pathogenicity and virulence by manipulating microbial communication is a promising strategy. This communication mechanism, called Quorum Sensing (QS), has already been reported in bacteria and yeasts; however, it has not yet been studied in B. cinerea. To establish the existence of this biochemical process in B. cinerea, we prepared extracts at different growth times (D1-D12), which were applied to fresh cultures of the same fungi. The chemical analysis of the extracts obtained from several fermentations showed different compositions and biological activities. We confirmed the presence of several phytotoxins, as well as compounds 1-phenylethanol and 3-phenylpropanol. Day five extract (0.1%) inhibited conidia germination and elongation of germ tubes, day seven extract (1%) produced the greatest phytotoxic effect in tomato leaves, and day nine extract (0.1%) was a sporulation inhibitor. In contrast, the extracts from days 7, 9, and 12 of fermentation (0.1% and 0.01%) promoted pellet and biofilm formation. Sporulation was slightly induced at 0.01%, while at 0.1% there was a great inhibition. At the highest extract concentrations, a biocidal effect was detected, but at the lowest, we observed a QS-like effect, regulating processes such as filamentation, morphogenesis, and pathogenesis. These results of the biological activity and composition of extracts suggest the existence of a QS-like mechanism in B. cinerea, which could lead to new non-biocidal alternatives for its control through interference in the pathogenicity and virulence mechanisms of the fungi.
Ultra-Stable UiO-66 Involved Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for Specific and Sensitive Determination of Tyramine Based on Quartz Crystal Microbalance Technology
Authors: Yao Chi-Xuan , Zhao Ning , Liu Jing-Min , Fang Guo-Zhen , Wang Shuo
Published: January 2020

A rapid method was developed to determine the content of tyramine in food on the basis of the combination of molecular imprinting technique and the metal-organic frameworks. We developed the new molecular imprinted polymers based on metal-organic frameworks UiO-66 (named UiO-66@MIPs) as the sensing recognition element, the non-molecular imprinted polymers based on UiO-66 (named UiO-66@NIPs) was synthesized according the same steps without tyramine for comparison. The characterization of obtained UiO-66@MIPs was investigated through a series of characterization experiments. The results indicated that the octahedral shaped UiO-66 was encapsulated in the sol-gel polymer film, with a desirable thermal stability and possessed a specific surface area (SSA) of 994.3 m2·g−1. The imprinting factor of the UiO-66@MIPs for tyramine was 1.956 in static experiment. This indicates the synthesized UiO-66@MIPs have outstanding performance compered to UiO-66@NIPs on the static adsorption quantity and selective adsorption affinity. It’s to make use of advantages of the synthetic materials to develop a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor for the sensitive detection of tyramine. The detection limit of the system was 61.65 μg·L−1 within measurable concentration range from 80 to 500 μg·L−1. The prepared QCM sensor was verified in selectivity and application. The UiO-66@MIPs possess good behavior on selectivity, absorptivity, and chemical stability, so the UiO-66@MIPs achieve accurate and rapid trace detection of biogenic amines in food combining with the quartz crystal microbalance.
Compassion, Self-Sacrifice, and Karma in Warfare: Buddhist Discourse on Warfare as an Ethical and Soteriological Instruction for Warriors
Authors: Sugiki Tsunehiko
Published: January 2020

In premodern warrior societies, religions often provided the institutional basis for an ethics and soteriology for warriors, for whom fighting was a social role. This paper examines a Buddhist case in ancient India. I focus particularly on the discourse related to warfare in the middle-late period Mahāyāna scripture, the Satyakaparivarta, and elucidate its ethics and soteriology for kings. In the Satyakaparivarta, a king is encouraged to be a bodhisattva, who is mindful of impermanence and compassionate, who is not greedy, hateful, or delusional, and who protects sentient beings in conformity with the Ten Good Deeds. The text also teaches how a righteous king such as this, who employs warfare as a last resort to protect his people, can be saved from rebirth in hell, which occurs as a karmic retribution for his engagement in warfare. This discourse consists of elements such as compassion, self-sacrifice, and karma, which are derived from traditions both within and outside Buddhism and arranged so as to allow a king to play his role and still attain salvation. Buddhist discourse on warfare has multiple aspects. Exploring its ethical and soteriological aspect will be conducive to clarifying a form of Buddhism as a redemptive institution for warriors, which previous studies did not conduct sufficiently.
Removal of Calcium Carbonate Water-Based Filter Cake Using a Green Biodegradable Acid
Authors: Mohamed Abdelmjeed , Elkatatny Salaheldin , Al-Majed Abdulaziz
Published: January 2020

The filter cake is a very thin layer of solid particles deposited from the drilling fluid onto the surface of the drilled formation. This is essential during the drilling process as it reduces fluid filtrate invasion, contributing for the well’s integrity. When the drilling processes are over, this formation must be removed efficiently to allow for the primary cement jobs to be conducted efficiently, and for hydrocarbons to be produced without any restrictions. The removal process of the filter cake is challenging and requires specific techniques, depending on several factors including the filter cake homogeneity, drilling fluid components, weight of materials used, and the continuous phase of the drilling fluid (i.e., water or oil). This study evaluates the use of green biodegradable removal acid (GBRA) to dissolve calcium carbonate water-based filter cake. The removal efficiency of this new acid was analyzed using filtration and removal tests, conducted on a ceramic filter disc and real core samples at 212 °F. Then, the new formulation was subjected to physical properties measurements and biodegradation and corrosion tests. Furthermore, the performance of the new acid formulation was compared with 10 wt.% hydrochloric acid (HCl) to ensure its efficiency. The obtained results showed that the new acid formulation was effective at removing the filter cake, with a removal efficiency greater than 90%. The retained permeability was 100% and 94% with the ceramic filter disc and the real limestone core sample, respectively, confirming the good removal performance of the new acid formulation. The corrosion rate of GBRA (50 wt.%) at 212 °F was 0.032 lb/ft2, which was within the acceptable range according to oil industry practices (i.e., less than 0.05 lb/ft2 if the temperature is less than 250 °F), while HCl (10 wt.%) yielded a high corrosion rate of 0.68 lb/ft2.
Noise as a Factor of Green Areas Soundscape Creation
Authors: Sztubecka Małgorzata , Skiba Marta , Mrówczyńska Maria , Mathias Michael
Published: January 2020

The article’s research subject concerns soundscape acoustic perception and human perception. The article aims to support decision-making processes, based on the subjective assessment of green areas by visitors, allowing modeling of planning strategies in urban green areas. This would allow creating a friendly soundscape and managing it sustainably. The need to create a musical landscape can contribute to finding a new function and attractive form for the studied areas now and in the future. Research carried out for selected city parks in Bydgoszcz (Poland) took into consideration people’s responses in assessing the soundscape. Surveys conducted in selected parks provided information on noise sources and how consumers perceive noise during their stay in the park. A question about feeling described the reception of sound sources’ intensity by respondents (level of feeling: low, medium, high, and very high). The completed studies allow to “translate” subjective sound level responses to the numerical values of the correlation using fuzzy cognitive maps. The implemented scenarios show the possibility of using tools supporting the decision-making process in urban planning, taking into account existing acoustic conditions.
The Importance of the Phoenix Bird Technique (Resilience) in Teacher Training: CD-RISC Scale Validation
Authors: Cachón Zagalaz Javier , López Manrique Inés , San Pedro Veledo María Belén , Zagalaz Sánchez María Luisa , González González de Mesa Carmen
Published: January 2020

Resilience is a personal characteristic or trait that is revealed in situations in which the individual shows high adaptation mechanisms. It is not a state of stress immunity but the ability to adapt to different circumstances. This characteristic is highly important for future teachers and their teaching activities. To analyze resilience levels of future teachers of nursery, primary and secondary education. First, this study is ainstrumental research carried out to revalidate the CD-RISC (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale) for teachers in training, and second, based on the foregoing results, it is a non-experimental empirical study. The participants were 373 students of degrees in Early Childhood Education, Primary Education, and a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education from two Spanish Universities and a Chilean university. Exploratory and a confirmatory factorial analysis were sequentially used to identify the number and composition of factors, and central tendency and dispersion tests, analysis of variance, and effect size were calculated. The programs and statistical tests used were SPSS.22, FACTOR.10.8.01, M-Plus.7.3, and G*Power 3.1.9.2. The instrumental research revealed a bifactorial distribution, resistant personality, resources and control. Females, older individuals, and those who attend primary education showed higher resilience levels than males, younger people, and children in early childhood education.
Validity of Dynamic Capabilities in the Operation Based on New Sustainability Narratives on Nature Tourism SMEs and Clusters
Authors: Rodríguez Alejandro J. Gutiérrez , Barón Nini Johanna , Martínez José Manuel Guaita
Published: January 2020

This study aims to validate the relationships between the dynamic capabilities in the operation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that constitute the Nature Tourism Cluster (also known as “ecotourism”) in Colombia, through the application of surveys to managers and owners of hotels and lodgings of rural tourism, travel agencies, tour guides and operators, bars, restaurants and tourist transport centers, whose data obtained, support our hypothesis that the dynamic capacities of absorption, adaptation and innovation influence the functioning of SMEs, while at the cluster level, there is an positive relationship in the interaction of absorption and innovation capabilities. The greatest contribution of our research consists in the development of an empirical study that is based on the main contributions of the dynamic capabilities promoted by Teece (absorption, adaptation and innovation), and that allowed to determine the degree of influence that managers have to take decisions and undertake sustainable ecotourism actions, both at the SME level and at the cluster level. For this reason, our research provides a better understanding of how dynamic capabilities operate at the individual commercial level, as well as at the cluster level, in the combination of absorption, adaptation and innovation capabilities to foster new sustainability narratives and maintain sustainable ecotourism. Our results also point out the limitations and challenges for the sustainable tourism sector in Colombia.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Growth in Europe: A Comparative Analysis of Determinants
Authors: González-Sánchez Mariano , Martín-Ortega Juan Luis
Published: January 2020

Understanding the underlying reasons for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions trends in different countries is fundamental for climate change mitigation. This paper identifies the main determinants that affect GHG emissions growth and assesses their impact and differences among countries in Europe. Previous studies have produced inconclusive results and presented several limitations, such as the lack of quality of the data used, the reduced identification of determinants and the use of methods that did not enable hypothesis testing. Conversely, this research identifies an extended list of determinants of GHG emissions, performs an in-depth statistical analysis and contrasts the significance of determinants using panel data and multiple linear regression models for the period 1990–2017 for the main Eurozone countries. The study found that GDP and final energy intensity are the main drivers for the reduction of GHG emissions in Europe. Furthermore, energy prices are not significant and heterogeneous results are found for the renewable energy, fuel mix and carbon intensity determinants, pointing to a different behavior at the country level. The uneven impact of the main determinants of GHG emission growth suggest that a differentiated application of European policies at country level will enhance the efficiency of mitigation efforts in Europe.
Institutional Ownership and Firm Performance under Stakeholder-Oriented Corporate Governance
Authors: Sakawa Hideaki , Watanabel Naoki
Published: January 2020

This study aimed to reveal the role of institutional investors with shareholder-oriented scopes in a stakeholder-oriented economy such as Japan. With financial globalization, the increasing number of institutional shareholders in Japanese corporations enables us to investigate whether their shareholder-oriented perspectives are conducive to taking on effective monitoring roles under stakeholder-oriented corporate governance. This study’s sample included large listed firms of the TOPIX 500 in Japan during 2010-2016. Using 2924 firm-year observations, the effect of institutional investors on firm performance was analyzed to test the role of institutional investors in stakeholder-oriented corporate governance. Our study showed that the monitoring role of institutional shareholders, or foreign shareholders, functions effectively in Japanese corporations. In addition, we showed that the monitoring roles of these are expected to strengthen firms through higher growth opportunities. These results implied that institutional shareholders contribute to enhancing sustainable firm performance and constructing sustainable corporate governance mechanisms in a stakeholder-oriented system.
Analysis of Multi-Stakeholders’ Behavioral Strategies Considering Public Participation under Carbon Taxes and Subsidies: An Evolutionary Game Approach
Authors: Chen Wanting , Hu Zhi-Hua
Published: January 2020

Considering public participation in environmental management, we developed a tripartite game model among governments, manufacturers and publics under carbon taxes and subsidies to investigate whether the mutual relationship between governments and the public can urge manufacturers to adopt low-carbon technology by examining the interaction effect among the multi-stakeholders. In this study, we focus on manufactured products without significant low-carbon peculiarity. For these products, consumers have no way to identify which are from low-carbon production and which are not. The results show that governments and the public have a complementary and coordinating relationship indeed. The regulation cost of governments, the supervision reward for the public and the supervision cost of the public can all influence the behavioral strategies among the multi-stakeholders, including governments, manufacturers and the public. With the regulation cost strengthens dramatically, governments can consider increasing the supervision reward to support the public to participate in the management of manufacturers’ behaviors. Publics should also actively improve their management ability, and the low cost of public participation in supervision is an effective reflection to make up for the lack of government regulation. The implementation of carbon taxes is more advantageous in urging low-carbon manufacturing than government subsidies for low-carbon production. A complete carbon label system can reflect the low-carbon preferences of consumers to help manufacturers integrate low-carbon behavior into their operational decisions.
Differential Immune Transcriptome and Modulated Signalling Pathways in Rainbow Trout Infected with Viral Haemorrhagic Septicaemia Virus (VHSV) and Its Derivative Non-Virion (NV) Gene Deleted
Authors: Chinchilla Blanca , Encinas Paloma , Coll Julio M. , Gomez-Casado Eduardo
Published: January 2020

Viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) is one of the worst viral threats to fish farming. Non-virion (NV) gene-deleted VHSV (dNV-VHSV) has been postulated as an attenuated virus, because the absence of the NV gene leads to lower induced pathogenicity. However, little is known about the immune responses driven by dNV-VHSV and the wild-type (wt)-VHSV in the context of infection. Here, we obtained the immune transcriptome profiling in trout infected with dNV-VHSV and wt-VHSV and the pathways involved in immune responses. As general results, dNV-VHSV upregulated more trout immune genes than wt-VHSV (65.6% vs 45.7%, respectively), whereas wt-VHSV maintained more non-regulated genes than dNV-VHSV (45.7% vs 14.6%, respectively). The modulated pathways analysis (Gene-Set Enrichment Analysis, GSEA) showed that, when compared to wt-VHSV infected trout, the dNV-VHSV infected trout upregulated signalling pathways (n = 19) such as RIG-I (retinoic acid-inducible gene-I) like receptor signalling, Toll-like receptor signalling, type II interferon signalling, and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) signalling, among others. The results from individual genes and GSEA demonstrated that wt-VHSV impaired the activation at short stages of infection of pro-inflammatory, antiviral, proliferation, and apoptosis pathways, delaying innate humoral response and cellular crosstalk, whereas dNV-VHSV promoted the opposite effects. Therefore, these results might support future studies on using dNV-VHSV as a potential live vaccine.
Evaluation of A Baculovirus-Expressed VP2 Subunit Vaccine for the Protection of White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease
Authors: Sunwoo Sun Young , Noronha Leela E. , Morozov Igor , Trujillo Jessie D. , Kim In Joong , Schirtzinger Erin E. , Faburay Bonto , Drolet Barbara S. , Urbaniak Kinga , McVey D. Scott , Meekins David A. , Palmer Mitchell V. , Balaraman Velmurugan , Wilson William C. , Richt Juergen A.
Published: January 2020

Epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) is an arthropod-transmitted RNA virus and the causative agent of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) in wild and domestic ruminants. In North America, white-tailed deer (WTD) experience the highest EHD-related morbidity and mortality, although clinical disease is reported in cattle during severe epizootics. No commercially licensed EHDV vaccine is available in North America. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate a subunit vaccine candidate to control EHD in WTD. Recombinant VP2 (rVP2) outer capsid proteins of EHDV serotypes 2 (EHDV-2) and 6 (EHDV-6) were produced in a baculovirus-expression system. Mice and cattle vaccinated with EHDV-2 or EHDV-6 rVP2 produced homologous virus-neutralizing antibodies. In an immunogenicity/efficacy study, captive-bred WTD received 2 doses of EHDV-2 rVP2 or sham vaccine, then were challenged with wild-type EHDV-2 at 30 d post vaccination. None of the rVP2-vaccinated deer developed clinical disease, no viral RNA was detected in their blood or tissues (liver, lung, spleen, kidney), and no EHDV-induced lesions were observed. Sham-vaccinated deer developed clinical disease with viremia and typical EHD vascular lesions. Here, we demonstrate a rVP2 subunit vaccine that can provide protective immunity from EHDV infection and which may serve as an effective tool in preventing clinical EHD and reducing virus transmission.
A Comparison between Elastic and Viscoelastic Asymmetric Dynamics of Elastically Supported AFG Beams
Authors: Gholipour Alireza , Ghayesh Mergen H. , Zhang Yueqiang
Published: January 2020

This investigation compares the dynamic simulation results of perfect, elastically-supported, axially-functionally-graded (AFG) beams between viscoelastic and elastic models. When modeling and simulating the dynamics of AFG beams, the elastic model is commonly assumed so as to simplify calculations. This investigation shows how the dynamics varies if viscosity is present. The nonlinear continuous/discretized, axial/transverse motion derivation procedure is explained briefly based on Hamilton’s principle for energy/energy-loss, Kelvin–Voigt viscosity, elastic foundation assumption, and exponential functions for material and geometric variations along the axial axis. A comparison between elastic and Kelvin–Voigt viscoelastic AFG beams on an elastic foundation shows that the viscosity influences the asymmetric dynamics of AFG beams; the viscosity effects become more dominant for larger motion amplitudes, for example.
Impact Analysis of Univariate and Multivariate Bias Correction on Rice Irrigation Water Needs in Jiangxi Province, China
Authors: Hanggoro Wido , Yuanshu Jing , Cudemus Leila , Zhihao Jing
Published: January 2020

Regional climate models (RCMs) provide an improved representation of climate information as compared to global climate models (GCMs). However, in climate-agricultural impact studies, accurate and interdependent local-scale climate variables are preferable, but both RCMs and GCMs are still subjected to bias. This study compares univariate bias correction (UBC) and multivariate bias correction (MBC) method to simulate rice irrigation water needs (IWNs) in Jiangxi Province, China. This research uses the daily output of Hadley Centre Global Environmental Model version 3 regional climate model (HadGEM3-RA) forced with ERAINT (ECMWF ERA Interim) data and 13 Jiangxi ground-based observations, and the observation data are reference data with 1989–2005 defined as a calibration period and 2006–2007 as a validation period. The result shows that UBC and MBC methods favorably bias-corrected all climate variables during the calibration period, but still no significant difference is noted between the two methods. However, the UBC ignores the relationship between climate variables, while MBC preserves the climate variables’ interdependence which affect subsequent analyses. In rice IWNs simulation analysis, MBC has better skill at correcting bias compare to UBC in ETo (evapotranspiration) and Peff (effective rainfall) components. Nonetheless, both methods have a low ability to correct extreme values bias. Overall, both techniques successfully reduce bias, even though they are still less effective for precipitation compared to maximum and minimum temperature, relative humidity and windspeed.
Human Activities and Climate Variability Affecting Inland Water Surface Area in a High Latitude River Basin
Authors: Chen Liwen , Zhang Guangxin , Xu Y. Jun , Chen Shengbo , Wu Yanfeng , Gao Zongting , Yu Haiyang
Published: January 2020

Spatiotemporal changes in the surface area of inland water bodies have important implications in regional water resources, flood control, and drought hazard prediction. Although inland water bodies have been investigated intensively, few studies have looked at the effect of human activities and climate variability on surface area of inland waters at a larger scale over time and space. In this study, we used MODIS (MOD13Q1) images to determine water surface area extent at 250 m spatial resolution. We then applied this algorithm with MOD13Q1 images taken at 16-day intervals from 2000 to 2018 to a large river basin in China’s northeast high latitude region with dense stream network and abundant wetlands to investigate spatiotemporal distribution and dynamics of inland water bodies. The study identified 209 ponds, lakes, and reservoirs with an average total surface area of 2080 km2 in the past 19 years. The total water surface area fluctuated largely from 942 km2 to 5169 km2, corresponding to rainfall intensity and flood. We found that the total water surface area in this high latitude river basin showed an increasing trend during the study period, while the annual precipitation amount in the river basin also had an increasing trend concurrently. Precipitation and irrigation significantly contributed to the monthly change of water surface area, which reached the highest during June and August. The increase of water surface area was significant in the lower basin floodplain region, where agricultural irrigation using groundwater for rice production has progressed. Four nationally important wetland preserves (Zhalong, Xianghai, Momoge, and Chagan Lake) in the river basin made up nearly 50% of the basin’s total water surface area, of which Zhalong, Xianghai, and Momoge are designated by The Ramsar Convention as wetland sites of international importance. Seasonally, these water bodies reached their maximal surface area in August, when both the monsoon weather and agricultural discharge prevailed. This study demonstrates that water surface area in a high latitude river basin is affected by both human activities and climate variation, implying that high latitude regions will likely experience more changes in surface water distribution as global climate change continues and agriculture becomes intensified.
Increased Long-term Risk of Anal Fistula After Proctologic Surgery: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Assaraf Julie , Lambrescak Elsa , Lefèvre Jérémie H , de Parades Vincent , Bourguignon Josée , Etienney Isabelle , Taouk Milad , Atienza Patrick , Zeitoun Jean-David
Published: January 2020

Purpose: Anal fistula is a common condition in proctology, usually requiring surgical treatment. Few risk factors have been clearly identified based on solid evidence. Our research objective was to determine whether history of anal surgery was a risk factor for subsequent anal fistula.Methods: We conducted a case-control study from January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2013 in our tertiary center, comprising 280 cases that underwent surgery for anal fistula and 123 control patients seeking a consultation for upper gastrointestinal symptoms. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease were excluded. For both cases and controls, the following variables were recorded: sex, any prior anal surgery, diabetes mellitus, infection with human immunodeficiency virus, and smoking status. For each variable, confidence interval and odds ratio (OR) were calculated.Results: In univariate analysis, male sex (73.2% vs. 31.7%, P < 0.0001), active smoking (38.1% vs. 22%, P = 0.0015), and prior anal surgery (16.0% vs. 4.1%, P = 0.0008) were associated with higher risk of anal fistula. In multivariate analysis, only male sex (OR, 5.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.42 to 9.10; P < 0.0001) and previous anal surgery (OR, 4.48; 95% CI, 1.79 to 13.7; P = 0.0008) remained independently associated with anal fistula occurrence.Conclusion: The epidemiology of anal fistula is poorly assessed despite the high frequency at which it is diagnosed. Our findings suggest that history of any kind of anal surgery is a risk factor for further onset of anal fistula. Surgeons and patients must be informed of this issue.