bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Distinct Effects of Immunosuppressive Drugs on the Anti-Aspergillus Activity of Human Natural Killer Cells
Authors: Schmidt Stanislaw , Schubert Ralf , Demir Asuman , Lehrnbecher Thomas
Published: November 2019

As the prognosis of invasive aspergillosis remains unacceptably poor in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), there is a growing interest in the adoptive transfer of antifungal effector cells, such as Natural Killer (NK) cells. Because immunosuppressive agents are required in most HSCT recipients, knowledge of the impact of these compounds on the antifungal activity of NK cells is a prerequisite for clinical trials. We, therefore, assessed the effect of methylprednisolone (mPRED), cyclosporin A (CsA) and mycophenolic acid (MPA) at different concentrations on proliferation, apoptosis/necrosis, and the direct and indirect anti-Aspergillus activity of human NK cells. Methylprednisolone decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis of NK cells in a significant manner. After seven days, a reduction of viable NK cells was seen for all three immunosuppressants, which was significant for MPA only. Cyclosporin A significantly inhibited the direct hyphal damage by NK cells in a dose-dependent manner. None of the immunosuppressive compounds had a major impact on the measured levels of interferon-γ, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted; CCL5). Our data demonstrate that commonly used immunosuppressive compounds have distinct effects on proliferation, viability and antifungal activity of human NK cells, which should be considered in designing studies on the use of NK cells for adoptive antifungal immunotherapy.
Citric Acid Enhances Plant Growth, Photosynthesis, and Phytoextraction of Lead by Alleviating the Oxidative Stress in Castor Beans
Authors: Mallhi Zahid Imran , Rizwan Muhammad , Mansha Asim , Ali Qasim , Asim Sadia , Ali Shafaqat , Hussain Afzal , Alrokayan Salman H. , Khan Haseeb A. , Alam Pravej , Ahmad Parvaiz
Published: November 2019

Lead (Pb) toxicity has a great impact in terms of toxicity towards living organisms as it severely affects crop growth, yield, and food security; thus, warranting appropriate measures for the remediation of Pb polluted soils. Phytoextraction of heavy metals (HMs) using tolerant plants along with organic chelators has gained global attention. Thus, this study examines the possible influence of citric acid (CA) on unveiling the potential phytoextraction of Pb by using castor beans. For this purpose, different levels of Pb (0, 300, 600 mg kg−1 of soil) and CA (0, 2.5, and 5 mM) were supplied alone and in all possible combinations. The results indicate that elevated levels of Pb (especially 600 mg kg−1 soil) induce oxidative stress, including hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malanodialdehyde (MDA) production in plants. The Pb stress reduces the photosynthetic traits (chlorophyll and gas exchange parameters) in the tissues of plants (leaves and roots), which ultimately lead to a reduction in growth as well as biomass. Enzyme activities such as guaiacol peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, and catalase are also linearly increased in a dose-dependent manner under Pb stress. The exogenous application of CA reduced the Pb toxicity in plants by improving photosynthesis and, ultimately, plant growth. The upsurge in antioxidants against oxidative stress shows the potential of CA-treated castor beans plants to counteract stress injuries by lowering H2O2 and MDA levels. From the results of this study, it can be concluded that CA treatments play a promising role in increasing the uptake of Pb and reducing its phytotoxicity. These outcomes recommend that CA application could be an effective approach for the phytoextraction of Pb from polluted soils by growing castor beans.
The Electrochemical Oxidation of Hydroquinone and Catechol through a Novel Poly-geminal Dicationic Ionic Liquid (PGDIL)–TiO2 Composite Film Electrode
Authors: Guo Yanni , He Deliang , Xie Aomei , Qu Wei , Tang Yining , Zhou Lei , Zhu Rilong
Published: November 2019

A novel poly-geminal dicationic ionic liquid (PGDIL)-TiO2/Au composite film electrode was successfully prepared by electrochemical polymerization of 1,4-bis(3-(m-aminobenzyl)imidazol-1-yl)butane bis(hexafluorinephosphate) containing polymerizable anilino groups in the electrolyte containing nano-TiO2. The basic properties of PGDIL–TiO2/Au composite films were studied by SEM, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and differential pulse voltammetry. The SEM results revealed that the PGDIL–TiO2 powder has a more uniform and smaller particle size than the PGDIL. The cyclic voltammetry results showed that the catalytic effect on electrochemical oxidation of hydroquinone and catechol of the PGDIL–TiO2 electrode is the best, yet the Rct of PGDIL–TiO2 electrode is higher than that of PGDIL and TiO2 electrode, which is caused by the synergistic effect between TiO2 and PGDIL. The PGDIL–TiO2/Au composite electrode presents a good enhancement effect on the reversible electrochemical oxidation of hydroquinone and catechol, and differential pulse voltammetry tests of the hydroquinone and catechol in a certain concentration range revealed that the PGDIL–TiO2/Au electrode enables a high sensitivity to the differentiation and detection of hydroquinone and catechol. Furthermore, the electrochemical catalytic mechanism of the PGDIL–TiO2/Au electrode was studied. It was found that the recombination of TiO2 improved the reversibility and activity of the PGDIL–TiO2/Au electrode for the electrocatalytic reaction of HQ and CC. The PGDIL–TiO2/Au electrode is also expected to be used for catalytic oxidation and detection of other organic pollutants containing –OH groups.
Annual Green Water Resources and Vegetation Resilience Indicators: Definitions, Mutual Relationships, and Future Climate Projections
Authors: Zampieri Matteo , Grizzetti Bruna , Meroni Michele , Scoccimarro Enrico , Vrieling Anton , Naumann Gustavo , Toreti Andrea
Published: November 2019

Satellites offer a privileged view on terrestrial ecosystems and a unique possibility to evaluate their status, their resilience and the reliability of the services they provide. In this study, we introduce two indicators for estimating the resilience of terrestrial ecosystems from the local to the global levels. We use the Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (NDVI) time series to estimate annual vegetation primary production resilience. We use annual precipitation time series to estimate annual green water resource resilience. Resilience estimation is achieved through the annual production resilience indicator, originally developed in agricultural science, which is formally derived from the original ecological definition of resilience i.e., the largest stress that the system can absorb without losing its function. Interestingly, we find coherent relationships between annual green water resource resilience and vegetation primary production resilience over a wide range of world biomes, suggesting that green water resource resilience contributes to determining vegetation primary production resilience. Finally, we estimate the changes of green water resource resilience due to climate change using results from the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project (CMIP6) and discuss the potential consequences of global warming for ecosystem service reliability.
Denoising Algorithm for the FY-4A GIIRS Based on Principal Component Analysis
Authors: Fan Sihui , Han Wei , Gao Zhiqiu , Yin Ruoying , Zheng Yu
Published: November 2019

The Geostationary Interferometric Infrared Sounder (GIIRS) is the first high-spectral resolution advanced infrared (IR) sounder onboard the new-generation Chinese geostationary meteorological satellite FengYun-4A (FY-4A). The GIIRS has 1650 channels, and its spectrum ranges from 700 to 2250 cm−1 with an unapodized spectral resolution of 0.625 cm−1. It represents a significant breakthrough for measurements with high temporal, spatial and spectral resolutions worldwide. Many GIIRS channels have quite similar spectral signal characteristics that are highly correlated with each other in content and have a high degree of information redundancy. Therefore, this paper applies a principal component analysis (PCA)-based denoising algorithm (PDA) to study simulation data with different noise levels and observation data to reduce noise. The results show that the channel reconstruction using inter-channel spatial dependency and spectral similarity can reduce the noise in the observation brightness temperature (BT). A comparison of the BT observed by the GIIRS (O) with the BT simulated by the radiative transfer model (B) shows that a deviation occurs in the observation channel depending on the observation array. The results show that the array features of the reconstructed observation BT (rrO) depending on the observation array are weakened and the effect of the array position on the observations in the sub-center of the field of regard (FOR) are partially eliminated after the PDA procedure is applied. The high observation and simulation differences (O-B) in the sub-center of the FOR array notably reduced after the PDA procedure is implemented. The improvement of the high O-B is more distinct, and the low O-B becomes smoother. In each scan line, the standard deviation of the reconstructed background departures (rrO-B) is lower than that of the background departures (O-B). The observation error calculated by posterior estimation based on variational assimilation also verifies the efficiency of the PDA. The typhoon experiment also shows that among the 29 selected assimilation channels, the observation error of 65% of the channels was reduced as calculated by the triangle method.
Lunar Calibration for ASTER VNIR and TIR with Observations of the Moon in 2003 and 2017
Authors: Kouyama Toru , Kato Soushi , Kikuchi Masakuni , Sakuma Fumihiro , Miura Akira , Tachikawa Tetsushi , Tsuchida Satoshi , Obata Kenta , Nakamura Ryosuke
Published: November 2019

The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), which is a multiband pushbroom sensor suite onboard Terra, has successfully provided valuable multiband images for approximately 20 years since Terra’s launch in 1999. Since the launch, sensitivity degradations in ASTER’s visible and near infrared (VNIR) and thermal infrared (TIR) bands have been monitored and corrected with various calibration methods. However, a unignorable discrepancy between different calibration methods has been confirmed for the VNIR bands that should be assessed with another reliable calibration method. In April 2003 and August 2017, ASTER observed the Moon (and deepspace) for conducting a radiometric calibration (called as lunar calibration), which can measure the temporal variation in the sensor sensitivity of the VNIR bands enough accurately (better than 1%). From the lunar calibration, 3–6% sensitivity degradations were confirmed in the VNIR bands from 2003 to 2017. Since the measured degradations from the other methods showed different trends from the lunar calibration, the lunar calibration suggests a further improvement is needed for the VNIR calibration. Sensitivity degradations in the TIR bands were also confirmed by monitoring the variation in the number of saturated pixels, which were qualitatively consistent with the onboard and vicarious calibrations.
Inter-Calibration of the OSIRIS-REx NavCams with Earth-Viewing Imagers
Authors: Doelling David , Khlopenkov Konstantin , Haney Conor , Bhatt Rajendra , Bos Brent , Scarino Benjamin , Gopalan Arun , Lauretta Dante S.
Published: November 2019

The Earth-viewed images acquired by the space probe OSIRIS-REx during its Earth gravity assist flyby maneuver on 22 September 2017 provided an opportunity to radiometrically calibrate the onboard NavCam imagers. Spatially-, temporally-, and angularly-matched radiances from the Earth viewing GOES-15 and DSCOVR-EPIC imagers were used as references for deriving the calibration gain of the NavCam sensors. An optimized all-sky tropical ocean ray-matching (ATO-RM) calibration approach that accounts for the spectral band differences, navigation errors, and angular geometry differences between NavCam and the reference imagers is formulated in this paper. Prior to ray-matching, the GOES-15 and EPIC pixel level radiances were mapped into the NavCam field of view. The NavCam 1 ATO-RM gain is found to be 9.874 × 10−2 Wm−2sr−1µm−1DN−1 with an uncertainty of 3.7%. The ATO-RM approach predicted an offset of 164, which is close to the true space DN of 170. The pre-launch NavCam 1 and 2 gains were compared with the ATO-RM gain and were found to be within 2.1% and 2.8%, respectively, suggesting that sensor performance is stable in space. The ATO-RM calibration was found to be consistent within 3.9% over a factor of ±2 NavCam 2 exposure times. This approach can easily be adapted to inter-calibrate other space probe cameras given the current constellation of geostationary imagers.
Design and CFD Analysis of the Fluid Dynamic Sampling System of the “MicroMED” Optical Particle Counter
Authors: Mongelluzzo Giuseppe , Esposito Francesca , Cozzolino Fabio , Franzese Gabriele , Ruggeri Alan Cosimo , Porto Carmen , Molfese Cesare , Scaccabarozzi Diego , Saggin Bortolino
Published: November 2019

MicroMED is an optical particle counter that will be part of the ExoMars 2020 mission. Its goal is to provide the first ever in situ measurements of both size distribution and concentration of airborne Martian dust. The instrument samples Martian air, and it is based on an optical system that illuminates the sucked fluid by means of a collimated laser beam and detects embedded dust particles through their scattered light. By analyzing the scattered light profile, it is possible to obtain information about the dust grain size and speed. To do that, MicroMED’s fluid dynamic design should allow dust grains to cross the laser-illuminated sensing volume. The instrument’s Elegant Breadboard was previously developed and tested, and Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) analysis enabled determining its criticalities. The present work describes how the design criticalities were solved by means of a CFD simulation campaign. At the same time, it was possible to experimentally validate the results of the analysis. The updated design was then implemented to MicroMED’s Flight Model.
Crowdsourced Security Reconstitution for Wireless Sensor Networks: Secrecy Amplification
Authors: Ostadal Radim , Matyas Vashek , Svenda Petr , Nemec Lukas
Published: November 2019

Research in the area of security for Wireless Sensor Networks over the past two decades has yielded many interesting findings. We focus on the topic of (re-)securing link keys between sensor nodes through so-called secrecy amplification (SA) protocols. Crowdsourcing is at the very heart of these SA protocols. Not only do SA protocols work wonders even for low-level constrained nodes with no tamper resistance, they exhibit astonishing performance in networks under significant attacker control. Our work shows that even when 50% of all network links are compromised, SA protocols can re-secure over 90% of the link keys through an intriguingly simple crowdsourcing mechanism. These protocols allow us to re-take control without any broadly coordinated cooperation, without knowledge of the compromised links, with only very limited knowledge of each particular network node and independently of decisions made by other nodes. Our article first outlines the principles of and presents existing approaches to SA, introducing most of the important related concepts, then presents novel conclusive results for a realistic attacker model parametrised by attacker behaviour and capabilities. We undertook this work using two very different simulators, and we present here the results of analyses and detailed comparisons that have not previously been available. Finally, we report the first real, non-simulated network test results for the most attractive SA protocol, our implementations of which are available as open-source code for two platforms: Arduino and TinyOS. This work demonstrates the practical usability (and the attractive performance) of SA, serving as a ripe technology enabler for (among others) networks with many potentially compromised low-level devices.
A Complete Automatic Target Recognition System of Low Altitude, Small RCS and Slow Speed (LSS) Targets Based on Multi-Dimensional Feature Fusion
Authors: Wu Qi , Chen Jie , Lu Yue , Zhang Yue
Published: November 2019

Low altitude, small radar cross-section (RCS), and slow speed (LSS) targets, for example small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), have become increasingly significant. In this paper, we propose a new automatic target recognition (ATR) system and a complete ATR chain based on multi-dimensional features and multi-layer classifier system using L-band holographic staring radar. We consider all steps of the processing required to make a classification decision out of the raw radar data, mainly including preprocessing for the raw measured Doppler data including regularization and main frequency alignment, selection, and extraction of effective features in three dimensions of RCS, micro-Doppler, and motion, and multi-layer classifier system design. We design creatively a multi-layer classifier system based on directed acyclic graph. Helicopters, small fixed-wing, and rotary-wing UAVs, as well as birds are considered for classification, and the measured data collected by L-band radar demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed complete ATR classification system. The results show that the ATR classification system based on multi-dimensional features and k-nearest neighbors (KNN) classifier is the best, compared with support vector machine (SVM) and back propagation (BP) neural networks, providing the capability of correct classification with a probability of around 97.62%.
A Novel Sub-Bottom Profiler and Signal Processor
Authors: Tan Cheng , Zhang Xuebo , Yang Peixuan , Sun Miao
Published: November 2019

In this paper, we introduce a novel sub-bottom profiler, making good use of the Mills cross configuration of multibeam sonar and synthetic aperture techniques of the synthetic aperture sonar system. The receiver array is mounted along the ship keel, while the transmitter array is mounted perpendicular to the receiver array. With the synthetic aperture technique, the along-track resolution can be greatly improved. The system often suffers from motion error, which severely degrades the imaging performance. To solve this problem, the imaging algorithm with motion compensation (MC) is proposed. With the presented method, the motion error is first estimated based on overlapped elements between successive pulses. Then, the echo data is processed by using the range migration algorithm based on the phase center approximation (PCA) method, which simultaneously performs the MC with the estimated motion error. In order to validate the proposed sub-bottom profiler and data processing method, some simulations and lake trial results are discussed. The processing results of the real data further indicate that the presented configuration has great potential to find buried objects in seabed sediments.
A Flexible Portable Glucose Sensor Based on Hierarchical Arrays of Au@Cu(OH)2 Nanograss
Authors: Jiang Min , Sun Peng , Zhao Jie , Huo Lihua , Cui Guofeng
Published: November 2019

Flexible physiological medical devices have gradually spread to the lives of people, especially the elderly. Here, a flexible integrated sensor based on Au nanoparticle modified copper hydroxide nanograss arrays on flexible carbon fiber cloth (Au@Cu(OH)2/CFC) is fabricated by a facile electrochemical method. The sensor possesses ultrahigh sensitivity of 7.35 mA mM−1 cm−2 in the linear concentration range of 0.10 to 3.30 mM and an ultralow detection limit down to 26.97 nM. The fantastic sensing properties can be ascribed to the collective effect of the superior electrochemical catalytic activity of nanograss arrays with dramatically enhanced electrochemically active surface area as well as mass transfer ability when modified with Au and intimate contact between the active material (Au@Cu(OH)2) and current collector (CFC), concurrently supplying good conductivity for electron/ion transport during glucose biosensing. Furthermore, the device also exhibits excellent anti-interference and stability for glucose detection. Owing to the distinguished performances, the novel sensor shows extreme reliability for practical glucose testing in human serum and juice samples. Significantly, these unique properties and the soft structure of silk fabric can provide a promising structure design for a flexible micro-device and a great potential material candidate of electrochemical glucose sensor.
The Optimization of Gel Preparations Using the Active Compounds of Arabica Coffee Ground Nanoparticles
Authors: Nurman Salfauqi , Yulia Ruka , Irmayanti  , Noor Erliza , Candra Sunarti Titi
Published: November 2019

Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.) ground nanoparticles contain phenolics compounds that have anti-inflammatory effects, so they can be used as sources of active compounds in anti-inflammatory gel preparations. This study aims to determine the optimum formulation of anti-inflammatory gel preparations using Arabica coffee ground nanoparticles as active compounds. Treatment optimization was performed using a Response Surface Methodology according to the Box-Behnken Design with a quadratic model in the Design Expert Version 10.0.3.0 software. In this study we used three factors (x): carbopol 940, triethanolamine (TEA), and nanoparticles, each of which consists of three levels, the response (y) observed including the acidity degree (pH), spreadability, viscosity and total phenolic content. ANOVA analysis results show that the quadratic model is very appropriate since it produces a high R2 value and a low PRESS value for all responses, as well as significant p-values (<0.0500) and an insignificant lack of Fit values (p-value> 5%). The optimum formulations for the gel preparations of the Arabica coffee ground nanoparticles obtained in this study are carbopol 940 (0.569%), TEA (0.468%), and nanoparticles (3.000%), which have values w/o an interval (0.994) and a desirable (0.981) response to acidity (5.212), spreadability (5.850 cm), viscosity (3734.244 cps) and total phenolic content (669.227 µgGAE/g).
Tourism as a Factor of Regional Development: Community Perceptions and Potential Bank Support in the Kopaonik National Park (Serbia)
Authors: Brankov Jovana , Penjišević Ivana , B. Ćurčić Nina , Živanović Branko
Published: November 2019

This paper represents a case study examining perceptions about tourism and reactions of the local community and bank decision makers to its development. The survey method was applied to establish the community’s attitude towards the impact of tourism in different spheres of life in the Kopaonik National Park (Serbia). The sample of 195 adult respondents covered inhabitants of 16 communities located within the wider area of the national park. In parallel, the potential support of banks for tourism development was examined on a sample of 21 banks. The survey results identified strong positive attitudes towards tourism and the presence of tourists among the local population. Compared to other categories, the community’s members employed in tourism had more favorable perceptions of tourism. The findings of the study also revealed that younger and better educated members of the population had more positive attitudes towards tourism impacts. Certain independent economic variables (the impact of tourism on job creation) and non-economic ones (the impact of tourism on activities of the community, reactions to the presence of tourists) significantly predicted the community´s support for tourism. An analysis of potential bank support showed that future community involvement in the tourism industry should be initiated by an adequate approach and credit policy instruments in the wider area of the Kopaonik National park.
Impact of Spatial Change on Tourism by Bridge Connections between Islands: A Case Study of Ganghwa County in South Korea
Authors: Jeong Daeyoung , Choi Yun Eui , Jin Lilan , Chon Jinhyung
Published: November 2019

The purpose of this study is to (1) measure the change in street networks of islands that are connected by bridges using space syntax and verify the relationships among spatial centrality, traffic volume and tourism facilities (small accommodations) and (2) establish strategies for sustainable tourism management through identifying the impact of this island connection on tourism destinations. Ganghwa County (Ganghwa Island, Seokmo Island and Gyodong Island) in South Korea was chosen as the study area, and we applied the angular segment analysis (ASA) method by metric distance based on space syntax. The results of this study showed that the construction of sea-crossing bridges between islands affected street networks considering metric radii (on a local scale, a mid-scale and a global scale) and areas with high spatial centrality in the study area affected traffic volumes and increased the number of small accommodations following the construction of bridges. The core areas of the whole street network were analyzed, and alternative paths for tourist flow diffusion, tourism development, land use regulation and environmental education for responsible tourism were proposed as key strategies for sustainable tourism. The findings of this study will contribute to reducing the potential for social and ecological damage by providing practical management strategies for island tourism destinations connected by bridges.
Exploring Perspectives of the Information Technology Industry in a South African City
Authors: Das Dillip Kumar
Published: November 2019

The information technology (IT) industry has come to the forefront for economic development of several cities in developing countries such as India and China. Looking at the success of the IT industry in these countries, an argument has emerged that development of such industry in South African cities can revitalize their economy. Therefore, the study examined the potential of development of the IT industry in a South African city by using the case study of a largely service-oriented city—Bloemfontein. A survey research method and system dynamics modeling approach were used. Findings suggest that the city has the potential to emerge as an IT industrial city, however, there exist challenges with regards to infrastructure such as housing, built up space, energy, and attracting the knowledge workers to the city. Appropriate policy interventions to reinforce these infrastructures, which can assist to attract the knowledge workers, will enable enhancement in the earning from the IT industry. Also, the development of the IT industry will strengthen the housing and built up infrastructure for the IT industry as well as enhance the number of knowledge workers in the city.
The Relationships among Perceived Value, Intention to Use Hashtags, eWOM, and Brand Loyalty of Air Travelers
Authors: Kim Haeok Liz , Hyun Sunghyup Sean
Published: November 2019

This study analyzed the relationships between utilitarian value, hedonic value, intention to use an airline’s social networking service (SNS) hashtag, electronic word of mouth (eWOM), and brand loyalty. A research survey consisting of 220 samples was conducted with respondents who had experience using airline SNS hashtags. Finally, 204 answers were analyzed after excluding 16 unreliable answers. The results show that utilitarian value significantly influenced the intention to use hashtags, while hedonic value, intention to use, and eWOM had no significant effect on brand loyalty. Moreover, the correlation between utilitarian value and intention to use indicated that hashtags had a meaningful impact. However, hedonic value, intention to use, and eWOM were relatively inconsequential. This research ascertained behavioral intention based on previous studies of the theory of perceived value (utilitarian value and hedonic value) and the relationships between each variable. In addition, by analyzing the behavioral intention of customers from an airline perspective, it contributes to a more effective marketing strategy based on social curation. Thus, this research facilitates practical applications by finding a method to improve airline customers’ SNS activity and involving the brand loyalty of its customers.
Postgraduate Education of Board Members and R&D Investment—Evidence from China
Authors: Wang Chuanyi , Yang Jiale , Cheng Zhe , Ni Chaoqun
Published: November 2019

Increasing research and development (R&D) investment has been a common strategy to advance the sustainable development of economy and competitiveness across the world. Instead of external determinants, exploring the influence of internal factors such as the characteristics of board members is an important topic, yet under-researched. This article aims to reveal whether a firm’s R&D investment is related to the directors’ postgraduate education experience. Further, we want to explore whether this relationship shows heterogeneity in different industrial environments. We analyzed information from a sample of 1374 listed companies in China using descriptive statistics, ordinary least square (OLS) regression and instrumental variable (IV) estimation, and came to the following conclusions: First, the percentage of directors with doctorates significantly increases the chance of investing R&D activities. Second, in the second industry, the higher the proportion of postgraduate education degree holder as directors in a firm, the more expenditure the firm invests in R&D activities. Yet, there is no such association in the third industry. Finally, if a capital-driven strategy is adopted, directors with a master’s degree tend to reduce R&D investment in IT companies. Findings from this research not only enrich innovation management theory, upper echelon theory, and human capital theory, but also provide insights for corporate governance and national sustainable innovation.
Dynamic Behaviors Analysis of Asymmetric Stochastic Delay Differential Equations with Noise and Application to Weak Signal Detection
Authors: Wang Qiubao , Zhang Xing , Yang Yuejuan
Published: November 2019

This paper presents the dynamic behaviors of a second-order asymmetric stochastic delay system with a Duffing oscillator as well as through the detection of weak signals, which are analyzed theoretically and numerically. The dynamic behaviors of the asymmetric system are analyzed based on the stochastic center manifold, together with Hopf bifurcation. Numerical analysis revealed that the time delay could enhance the noise immunity of the asymmetric system so as to enhance the asymmetric system’s ability to detect weak signals. The frequency of the weak signal under noise excitation was detected through the ‘act-and-wait’ method. The small amplitude was detected through the transition from the chaotic to the periodic state. Theoretical analysis and numerical simulation indicate that the application of the asymmetric Duffing oscillator with delay to detect weak signal is feasible.
Toxicity and Organ Distribution of Mercury in Freshwater Fish (Oreochromis niloticus) after Exposure to Water Contaminated Mercury (HgII)
Authors: Suhendrayatna Suhendrayatna , Arahman Nasrul , Sipahutar Luky Wahyu , Rinidar Rinidar , Elvitriana Elvitriana
Published: November 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the toxicity and the distribution of mercury (Hg) in the main tissues of freshwater fish (Oreochromis niloticus) after being exposed to water containing Hg(II). A sample group of 10 fish, of mean weight 80–100 g wet weight, were exposed to different concentrations of Hg (0.0012; 0.0049; 0.0141; 0.0524; 0.1126; and 0.5110 mg-HgII/L) for 72 h under controlled conditions using the static method in ponds. A control medium was also prepared in two replications. Mortality of fish was closely monitored, and the test was repeated three times. For the toxicity test, observations were based on behavior, mortality, and anatomical pathology. The methodology was based on the OECD guidelines for testing of chemicals and lethal concentration (LC50) and particularly using the probit method. Thus, the mean value was obtained from two replications and then further calculated by a software (MiniTab® 16 version). Prior to analysis, samples were first lyophilized. The total concentration of Hg accumulation in the fish organs was analyzed using heat-vaporization atomic absorption spectrometry (HV-AAS) and a MA2000 automatic mercury analyzer. Results showed that toxicity (LC50) of freshwater fish was 0.1435 mg-Hg(II)/L. The internal organs showed some pathological changes including pale gills, anemic eyes, and a whitish body color after the exposure. Furthermore, histopathologically, exposure to mercury might also affect other organs, such as gills, liver, and hepatopancreas. Mercury was found in trace amounts, and its accumulation was found to be at least in the gills. Meanwhile, the highest accumulation was found in the muscle tissue with approximately 5.7183 µg/g dry weight. If they are put in order, the mercury accumulation in the tissue organs was varied from the highest to lowest one: Muscle > eye > bone > head > gill. Finally, it can be concluded that the Hg exposure could affect the histopathological condition of the tested fish.
Predictive Factors for a Satisfactory Treatment Outcome with Intravesical Botulinum Toxin A Injection in Patients with Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome
Authors: Wang Hsiu-Jen , Yu Wan-Ru , Ong Hueih-Ling , Kuo Hann-Chorng
Published: November 2019

A botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) intravesical injection can improve the symptoms of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). Patients with IC/BPS have different clinical characteristics, urodynamic features, and cystoscopic findings. This study assessed the treatment outcomes of a BoNT-A intravesical injection and aimed to identify the predictive factors of a satisfactory outcome. This retrospective study included IC/BPS patients treated with 100 U BoNT-A. The treatment outcomes were assessed by global response assessment (GRA) at 6 months. We classified patients according to different clinical, urodynamic, and cystoscopic characteristics and evaluated the treatment outcomes and predictive factors. A total of 238 patients were included. Among these patients, 113 (47.5%) had a satisfactory outcome (GRA ≥ 2) and 125 (52.5%) had an unsatisfactory outcome. Improvements in the IC symptom score, IC problem score, O’Leary–Sant symptom score, and visual analog scale score for pain were significantly greater in patients with a satisfactory outcome than in patients with an unsatisfactory outcome (all p = 0.000). The IC disease duration and maximal bladder capacity (MBC) were significantly different between patients with and without a satisfactory outcome. Multivariate analysis revealed that only the MBC was a predictor for a satisfactory outcome. Patients with a MBC of ≥760 mL and glomerulations of 0/1 (58.7%) or glomerulations of 2/3 (75.0%) frequently had a satisfactory outcome. We found that BoNT-A intravesical injection can effectively improve symptoms among patients with IC/BPS, with a remarkable reduction in bladder pain. A MBC of ≥760 mL is a predictive factor for a satisfactory treatment outcome.
Helicobacter pylori Virulence Factors Exploiting Gastric Colonization and its Pathogenicity
Authors: Ansari Shamshul , Yamaoka Yoshio
Published: November 2019

Helicobacter pylori colonizes the gastric epithelial cells of at least half of the world’s population, and it is the strongest risk factor for developing gastric complications like chronic gastritis, ulcer diseases, and gastric cancer. To successfully colonize and establish a persistent infection, the bacteria must overcome harsh gastric conditions. H. pylori has a well-developed mechanism by which it can survive in a very acidic niche. Despite bacterial factors, gastric environmental factors and host genetic constituents together play a co-operative role for gastric pathogenicity. The virulence factors include bacterial colonization factors BabA, SabA, OipA, and HopQ, and the virulence factors necessary for gastric pathogenicity include the effector proteins like CagA, VacA, HtrA, and the outer membrane vesicles. Bacterial factors are considered more important. Here, we summarize the recent information to better understand several bacterial virulence factors and their role in the pathogenic mechanism.
Cellular Attachment and Entry Factors for Chikungunya Virus
Authors: Schnierle Barbara S.
Published: November 2019

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is clinically the most relevant member of the Alphavirus genus. Like alphaviruses in general, CHIKV has the capacity to infect a large variety of cells, tissues, and species. This broad host tropism of CHIKV indicates that the virus uses a ubiquitously expressed receptor to infect cells. This review summarizes the current knowledge available on cellular CHIKV receptors and the attachment factors used by CHIKV.
Characterization of Klebsiella pneumoniae ST11 Isolates and Their Interactions with Lytic Phages
Authors: Tan Demeng , Zhang Yiyuan , Cheng Mengjun , Le Shuai , Gu Jingmin , Bao Juan , Qin Jinhong , Guo Xiaokui , Zhu Tongyu
Published: November 2019

The bacterial pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae causes urinary tract infections in immunocompromised patients. Generally, the overuse of antibiotics contributes to the potential development and the spread of antibiotic resistance. In fact, certain strains of K. pneumoniae are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, making infection by these strains more difficult to treat. The use of bacteriophages to control pathogens may offer a non-antibiotic-based approach to treat multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections. However, a detailed understanding of phage–host interactions is crucial in order to explore the potential success of phage-therapy for treatment. In this study, we investigated the molecular epidemiology of nine carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae isolates from a local hospital in Shanghai, China. All strain isolates belong to sequence type 11 (ST11) and harbor the blaKPC-2 gene. The S1-PFGE (S1 nuclease pulsed field gel electrophoresis) pattern of the isolates did not show any relationship to the multilocus sequence typing (MLST) profiles. In addition, we characterized phage 117 and phage 31 and assessed the potential application of phage therapy in treating K. pneumoniae infections in vitro. The results of morphological and genomic analyses suggested that both phages are affiliated to the T7 virus genus of the Podoviridae family. We also explored phage–host interactions during growth in both planktonic cells and biofilms. The phages’ heterogeneous lytic capacities against K. pneumoniae strains were demonstrated experimentally. Subsequent culture and urine experiments with phage 117 and host Kp36 initially demonstrated a strong lytic activity of the phages. However, rapid regrowth was observed following the initial lysis which suggests that phage resistant mutants were selected in the host populations. Additionally, a phage cocktail (117 + 31) was prepared and investigated for antimicrobial activity. In Luria Broth (LB) cultures, we observed that the cocktail showed significantly higher antimicrobial activity than phage 117 alone, but this was not observed in urine samples. Together, the results demonstrate the potential therapeutic value of phages in treating K. pneumoniae urinary tract infections.
Correction: Zhu, S., et al. A New Digital Lake Bathymetry Model Using the Step-Wise Water Recession Method to Generate 3D Lake Bathymetric Maps Based on DEMs. Water 2019, 11, 1151
Authors: Zhu Siyu , Liu Baojian , Wan Wei , Xie Hongjie , Fang Yu , Chen Xi , Li Huan , Fang Weizhen , Zhang Guoqing , Tao Mingwei , Hong Yang
Published: November 2019

In the published article [1], the authors realized some errors in the affiliation and email address of Yang Hong, and thus wish to make the following revisions: Add the Affiliation 5 “School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA” for Yang Hong Change the email address of Yang Hong to yanghong@ou [...]
New Pond—Indicator Bacteria to Complement Routine Monitoring in a Wet/Dry Tropical Wastewater Stabilization System
Authors: Rose Alea , Padovan Anna , Christian Keith , Kaestli Mirjam , McGuinness Keith , Tsoukalis Skefos , Gibb Karen
Published: November 2019

Bacteria monitoring is a critical part of wastewater management. At tropical wastewater stabilization ponds (WSPs) in north Australia, sanitation is assessed using the standard fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) Escherichia coli and Enterococci. However, these bacteria are poor surrogates for enteric pathogens. A focus on FIB misses the majority of pond-bacteria and how they respond to the tropical environment. Therefore, we aimed to identify the unknown pond bacteria and indicators that can complement E. coli to improve monitoring. Over two years, we measured the bacterial community in 288 wastewater samples during the wet and dry seasons. The WSP community was spatially and temporally dynamic. Standard pond-water physicochemical measures like conductivity poorly explained these community shifts. Cyanobacteria represented >6% of the WSP bacterial population, regardless of sample timing and location. Fecal bacteria were abundant in the first pond. However, in downstream ponds, these bacteria were less abundant, and instead, environmental taxa were common. For each pond, we identified a bacterial fingerprint that included new candidate bacterial indicators of fecal waste and processes like nitrogen removal. Combining the new indicators with standard FIB monitoring represents a locally relevant approach to wastewater monitoring that facilitates new tests for human fecal pollution within tropical climates.
Mobilising Finance for WASH: Getting the Foundations Right
Authors: Pories Lesley , Fonseca Catarina , Delmon Victoria
Published: November 2019

Responding to the substantial finance gap for achieving Sustainable Development Goals 6.1 and 6.2, the water and sanitation sector has mobilized to launch new blended finance vehicles with increasing frequency. The sustainability and scale-up of financial solutions is intended to support increased access to unserved, marginalized populations. However, without addressing foundational issues in the sector, any finance mechanism, whether public, private or blended, will be a short-term, band-aid solution and the sector will continue the cycle of dependency on external assistance. This paper presents the results of a collaborative effort of Water.org; the IRC water, sanitation and hygiene sector (WASH); and the World Bank Water Global Practice. Drawing from the latest research on effective public financial management and based on evidence from the countries where these organizations work, the paper demonstrates that sustainable success in mobilising finance on a large scale is dependent on a reasonable level of performance across 10 foundational areas. The paper presents evidence on the 10 foundational areas and discusses why other aspects of finance and governance, while necessary, are not sufficient. Better coordination amongst all development partners and governments, including a collective commitment to and prioritization of working on these foundational issues, is a necessary first step.
Safety netting in routine primary care consultations: an observational study using video-recorded UK consultations
Authors: Edwards Peter J , Ridd Matthew J , Sanderson Emily , Barnes Rebecca K
Published: November 2019

Background

Safety-netting advice is information shared with a patient or their carer designed to help them identify the need to seek further medical help if their condition fails to improve, changes, or if they have concerns about their health.

Aim

To assess when and how safety-netting advice is delivered in routine GP consultations.

Design and setting

This was an observational study using 318 recorded GP consultations with adult patients in the UK.

Method

A safety-netting coding tool was applied to all consultations. Logistic regression for the presence or absence of safety-netting advice was compared between patient, clinician, and problem variables.

Results

A total of 390 episodes of safety-netting advice were observed in 205/318 (64.5%) consultations for 257/555 (46.3%) problems. Most advice was initiated by the GP (94.9%) and delivered in the treatment planning (52.1%) or closing (31.5%) consultation phases. Specific advice was delivered in almost half (47.2%) of episodes. Safety-netting advice was more likely to be present for problems that were acute (odds ratio [OR] 2.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.30 to 3.64), assessed first in the consultation (OR 2.94, 95% CI = 1.85 to 4.68) or assessed by GPs aged ≤49 years (OR 2.56, 95% CI = 1.45 to 4.51). Safety-netting advice was documented for only 109/242 (45.0%) problems.

Conclusion

GPs appear to commonly give safety-netting advice, but the contingencies or actions required on the patient’s part may not always be specific or documented. The likelihood of safety-netting advice being delivered may vary according to characteristics of the problem or the GP. How to assess safety-netting outcomes in terms of patient benefits and harms does warrant further exploration.
Benefits and harms of aspirin to reduce colorectal cancer risk: a cross-sectional study of methods to communicate risk in primary care
Authors: Nguyen Peter , McIntosh Jennifer , Bickerstaffe Adrian , Maddumarachchi Sanjaya , Cummings Kara-Lynne , Emery Jon D
Published: November 2019

Background

New Australian guidelines recommend that GPs actively consider prescribing low-dose aspirin to patients aged 50–70 years to reduce their risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC). Patients and GPs need to understand the relative benefits and harms to support informed decision making.

Aim

To develop and examine different methods to communicate the benefits and harms of taking aspirin for CRC prevention.

Design and setting

A cross-sectional, vignette study with patients aged 50–70 years consecutively recruited from general practices in Melbourne, Australia, between July and August 2018.

Method

Summary estimates from meta-analyses of the effects of aspirin on the incidence of CRC, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal bleeding, and incidence rates in the Australian population to estimate outcomes in a hypothetical population of 10 000 people aged 50–70 years. These estimates were presented using four different risk communication formats. Participants were shown these different formats and asked if they would take aspirin to prevent CRC.

Results

A total of 313 participants were recruited (95.1% recruitment rate), of whom 304 completed the study. Most participants (71.7–75.3%) reported they would take aspirin irrespective of risk format presented. Bar charts (odds ratio [OR] 1.20, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.01 to 1.44) and expected frequency trees (OR 1.18, 95% CI = 0.99 to 1.41) were more strongly associated with the intentions to take aspirin compared with icon arrays. Bar charts were most preferred for presenting risk information.

Conclusion

A large proportion of participants in this study intended to take aspirin to reduce their CRC risk regardless of risk communication format. Bar charts and expected frequency trees were the preferred methods to present the benefits and harms of taking aspirin to prevent CRC.