bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Assessment of the Functional and Ecological Aspect of Novel Intermittent Stream Valves for Spraying Seed Potatoes
Authors: Gierz Łukasz , Przybył Krzysztof , Koszela Krzysztof , Semkło Łukasz , Kwiecień Sebastian
Published: April 2020

It is important to protect potatoes from insects and diseases at an early stage of their development. Pesticides are necessary to prevent loss caused by Colorado potato beetles feeding on potato leaves. Nowadays, there are attempts to reduce the use of chemical agents to the minimum necessary level. This article describes the construction of a novel valve that applies chemicals in an intermittent stream during potato treatment. Thus, it is possible to reduce the emission of chemicals to the natural environment. The article also describes the research site where the valve was tested, provides the results of laboratory investigations on different types of sprayer nozzles and their validation. Apart from that, the degree of the seed potato surface covering with the dressing was assessed in order to select the right sprayer nozzle and working pressure. The results of field tests of the seed dresser prototype with novel nozzles showed that they effectively dressed seed potatoes while saving 2 L (50%) of the chemical per hectare. Fissure sprayers achieved the highest degree of covering (up to 78%) with the first version of the valve (without auxiliary airflow). When the innovative valve (the second solution with auxiliary airstream) was applied at a distance of 50 mm from the seed potato fall path S, the highest degree of coverage with the dressing substance (up to 88%) was observed for the ejector sprayer. When the distance between the valve and the seed potato fall, path S was increased from 50 to 100 mm, the degree of surface coverage was lower for both of the valves used in the tests.
Optimizing Training Population Size and Content to Improve Prediction Accuracy of FHB-Related Traits in Wheat
Authors: Adeyemo Emmanuel , Bajgain Prabin , Conley Emily , Sallam Ahmad , Anderson James
Published: April 2020

Genomic selection combines phenotypic and molecular marker data from a training population to predict the genotypic values of untested lines. It can improve breeding efficiency as large pools of untested lines can be evaluated for selection. Training population (TP) composition is one of the most important factors affecting the accuracy of genomic prediction. The University of Minnesota wheat breeding program implements genomic selection at the F5 stage for Fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance. This study used field data for FHB resistance in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to investigate the use of small-size TPs designed with and without stratified sampling for three FHB traits in three different F5 populations (TP17, TP18, and TP19). We also compared the accuracies of these two TP design methods with the accuracy obtained from a large size TP. Lastly, we evaluated the impact on trait predictions when the parents of F5 lines were included in the TP. We found that the small size TP selected randomly, without stratification, had the lowest predictive ability across the three F5 populations and across the three traits. This trend was statistically significant (p = 0.05) for all three traits in TP17 and two traits in TP18. Designing a small-size TP by stratified sampling led to a higher accuracy than a large-size TP in most traits across TP18 and TP19; this is because stratified sampling allowed the selection of a small set of closely related lines. We also observed that the addition of parental lines to the TP and evaluating the TP in two replications led to an increase in predictive abilities in most cases.
Nontraditional Antibiotics—Challenges and Triumphs
Authors: Hansford Karl A.
Published: April 2020

The pursuit of nontraditional antibiotics is becoming an increasingly important means to tackle seemingly insurmountable challenges faced by contemporary antibiotic researchers as they overcome the shifting landscape of bacterial pathogenesis, particularly for Gram-negative bacteria [...]
Better Not to Use Vulnerability’s Reference for Exploitability Prediction
Authors: Yang Heedong , Park Seungsoo , Yim Kangbin , Lee Manhee
Published: April 2020

About half of all exploit codes will become available within about two weeks of the release date of its vulnerability. However, 80% of the released vulnerabilities are never exploited. Since putting the same effort to eliminate all vulnerabilities can be somewhat wasteful, software companies usually use different methods to assess which vulnerability is more serious and needs an immediate patch. Recently, there have been some attempts to use machine learning techniques to predict a vulnerability’s exploitability. In doing so, a vulnerability’s related URL, called its reference, is commonly used as a machine learning algorithm’s feature. However, we found that some references contained proof-of-concept codes. In this paper, we analyzed all references in the National Vulnerability Database and found that 46,202 of them contained such codes. We compared prediction performances between feature matrix with and without reference information. Experimental results showed that test sets that used references containing proof-of-concept codes had better prediction performance than ones that used references without such codes. Even though the difference is not huge, it is clear that references having answer information contributed to the prediction performance, which is not desirable. Thus, it is better not to use reference information to predict vulnerability exploitation.
Pine Resin Derivatives as Sustainable Additives to Improve the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Injected Moulded Thermoplastic Starch
Authors: Aldas Miguel , Pavon Cristina , López-Martínez Juan , Arrieta Marina Patricia
Published: April 2020

Fully bio-based materials based on thermoplastic starch (TPS) were developed starting from corn starch plasticized with glycerol. The obtained TPS was further blended with five pine resin derivatives: gum rosin (GR), disproportionated gum rosin (dehydroabietic acid, RD), maleic anhydride modified gum rosin (CM), pentaerythritol ester of gum rosin (LF), and glycerol ester of gum rosin (UG). The TPS–resin blend formulations were processed by melt extrusion and further by injection moulding to simulate the industrial conditions. The obtained materials were characterized in terms of mechanical, thermal and structural properties. The results showed that all gum rosin-based additives were able to improve the thermal stability of TPS, increasing the degradation onset temperature. The carbonyl groups of gum rosin derivatives were able to interact with the hydroxyl groups of starch and glycerol by means of hydrogen bond interactions producing a significant increase of the glass transition temperature with a consequent stiffening effect, which in turn improve the overall mechanical performance of the TPS-resin injected moulded blends. The developed TPS–resin blends are of interest for rigid packaging applications.
Adaptive Visual Servoing Control for Hoisting Positioning Under Disturbance Condition
Authors: Tong Shenghao , Zhang Ke , Shi Huaitao , Zhao Jinbao , Sun Jie
Published: April 2020

This paper proposes a visual servo scheme for hoisting positioning under disturbance conditions. In actual hoisting work, disturbances such as equipment and load vibration are inevitable, which brings challenges to the development of a visual servo for hoisting positioning. The main problems are as follows: (1) the correlation between visual error and disturbance is not considered or well resolved; (2) the disturbance has a great influence on the control stability, but it is difficult to model. At present, there is no detailed research on the above problems. In this paper, the visual error is defined by the image error of the feedback signal based on dynamic equations containing disturbances. An adaptive sliding mode control algorithm is employed to decrease the influence of external disturbance, and the coefficient of the slide surface is established based on the adaptive gain. In view of the belief that it is difficult to model disturbance terms, a nonlinear disturbance observer is introduced to obtain equivalent disturbance. On this basis, an adaptive control algorithm with disturbance compensation is proposed to improve the robustness of the visual servo system. We use Lyapunov’s method to analyze the stability conditions of the system. Compared with the other state-of-the-art methods, the simulation results show that our method has superior performance in convergence, accuracy, and restraining disturbance. Finally, the proposed algorithm is applied to the hoisting platform for experimental research, which proves the effectiveness of the controller.
Efficacy of Allicin against Plant Pathogenic Fungi and Unveiling the Underlying Mode of Action Employing Yeast Based Chemogenetic Profiling Approach
Authors: Sarfraz Muhammad , Nasim Muhammad Jawad , Jacob Claus , Gruhlke Martin C. H.
Published: April 2020

Allicin (diallylthiosulfinate) is the principal organosulfur compound present in freshly damaged garlic tissue which exhibits a wide range of biological actions including antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and anticancer properties. The antifungal activities of allicin were investigated against plant pathogenic fungi of agriculture importance. Furthermore, a yeast genome haploinsufficiency screening was also employed to decipher the antifungal mode of action of allicin. Wildtype and 1152 yeast mutant strains (each deprived of one specific allele of an essential gene in a diploid strain) were screened against allicin. Allicin exhibited promising antifungal properties against all the tested plant pathogens. Haploinsufficiency screening revealed three hypersensitive yeast mutants with gene deletions coding for proteins involved in DNA replication, mitochondrial translation and chromatids cohesion. These processes play a vital role in the cell cycle, growth and viability of yeast cells. Taken together, the results of the present study unravel the excellent antifungal activities and mechanisms and modes of action of allicin. These findings also indicate the potential use of allicin as an alternative “green” fungicide (fumigant) in agriculture.
Soil Hg Contamination Impact on Earthworms’ Gut Microbiome
Authors: Brantschen Jeanine , Gygax Sebastian , Mestrot Adrien , Frossard Aline
Published: April 2020

Mercury (Hg) is one of the most toxic heavy metals and is known for its persistence in the environment and potential to accumulate along the food chain. In many terrestrial polluted sites, earthworms are in direct contact with Hg contamination by ingesting large quantities of soil. However, little is known about the impact of Hg soil pollution on earthworms’ gut microbiome. In this study, two incubation experiments involving earthworms in soils from a long-term Hg-polluted site were conducted to assess: (1) the effect of soil Hg contamination on the diversity and structure of microbial communities in earthworm, cast and soil samples; and (2) how the gut microbiome of different digestive track parts of the earthworm responds to soil Hg contamination. The large accumulation of total Hg and methyl-Hg within the earthworm tissues clearly impacted the bacterial and fungal gut community structures, drastically decreasing the relative abundance of the dominating gut bacterial class Mollicutes. Hg-tolerant taxa were found to be taxonomically widespread but consistent along the different parts of the earthworm digestive tract. This study revealed that although Hg might not directly affect the health of macro-organisms in the food-web such as earthworms, their metabolism and legacy in the soil might be impacted through changes in their gut microbiome.
Performance Comparison and Evaluation of Two Small Chili Pepper Harvester Prototypes That Attach to Walking Cultivators
Authors: Kim Tae-Hyeong , Kim Dae-Cheol , Cho Yongjin
Published: April 2020

Two prototypes of small chili pepper harvesters that attach to walking cultivators were designed and manufactured before field performance tests were conducted. The two prototypes were designed and manufactured with different main frame materials, forms of divider, picking guides, and helix rotation speeds. The maximum helix speed of the first prototype was 500 rpm, and the helix rotation speeds of the second prototype were a minimum of 510 rpm and a maximum of 730 rpm. Field performance tests were conducted on two species of chili, the AR Legend and the Jeokyoung, to determine which was suitable for mechanization. The Jeokyoung species was found to be most suitable for mechanization as its harvest efficiency was higher and its pepper left on plant rate and ground fall loss rate were lower than AR Legend’s. When the first and second prototypes were compared at helix rotation speeds of 500 to 510 rpm, in the case of the AR Legend, the average harvest efficiency of the second prototype was higher than the first prototype by 2.2%, the average pepper left on plant rate was lower by 2.1%, and the average ground fall loss rate was lower by 3.9%. In the case of the Jeokyoung, the performance of the second prototype was further improved over the first prototype as the average harvest efficiency increased to 5.2%, and the difference in average ground fall loss rate increased to 8.8%.
MBSEsec: Model-Based Systems Engineering Method for Creating Secure Systems
Authors: Mažeika Donatas , Butleris Rimantas
Published: April 2020

This paper presents how Model-Based System Engineering (MBSE) could be leveraged in order to mitigate security risks at an early stage of system development. Primarily, MBSE was used to manage complex engineering projects in terms of system requirements, design, analysis, verification, and validation activities, leaving security aspects aside. However, previous research showed that security requirements and risks could be tackled in the MBSE model, and powerful MBSE tools such as simulation, change impact analysis, automated document generation, validation, and verification could be successfully reused in the multidisciplinary field. This article analyzes various security-related techniques and then clarifies how these techniques can be represented in the Systems Modeling Language (SysML) model and then further exploited with MBSE tools. The paper introduces the MBSEsec method, which gives guidelines for the security analysis process, the SysML/UML-based security profile, and recommendations on what security technique is needed at each security process phase. The MBSEsec method was verified by creating an application case study that reflects real-world problems and running an experiment where systems and security engineers evaluated the feasibility of our approach.
Protective Action of Betulinic Acid on Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury through Inflammation and Energy Metabolic Homeostasis
Authors: Jiang Wenjiao , Hao Kun
Published: April 2020

This work evaluated the protective effects of betulinic acid (BA) in vitro cerebral ischemia/reperfusion and provides clues about its pharmacological mechanism. A rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was established to investigate the effects of BA on cerebral ischemia. SHSY5Y cell injury was induced by oxygen–glucose deprivation and recovery (OGD/R) to further verify the action of BA in vitro. Our data show a significant improvement in infarct size, neurological score, and cerebral edema after BA treatment. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) data show that BA inhibited interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in vivo and in vitro. Protein expression results show that BA down-regulated hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), up-regulated adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK), peroxisome proliferative activated receptor (PPAR)-α, and PPAR-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), and blocked phosphorylation of IκBα and nuclear factor kappa Bp65 (NF-κB-p65) in the brains of MCAO rats and OGD/R-stimulated SHSY5Y cells. The results reveal the potent effects of BA on cerebral ischemia, suggesting that HIF-1α might be a crucial therapeutic target to regulate energy metabolism and inflammation.
Vertical Dynamic Response Prediction of the Electromagnetic Levitation Systems
Authors: Li Yajian , Zhou Danfeng , Li Jie
Published: April 2020

Due to the limited deviation range of the controllable levitation gap, the vehicle/track coupling dynamic problem of the maglev transportation system is very prominent. The stability of the electromagnetic levitation system is deeply affected by the track irregularity. It is found that there are obvious dynamic characteristic differences of the electromagnetic levitation system, and the deviation range of the levitation gap increases gradually with the increase of the train speed. This paper presents a vertical dynamics prediction method of the electromagnetic levitation system. Firstly, the model of the electromagnet module and the track is established. Then, the amplitude spectrum functions of the levitation gaps are obtained by using the discrete frequency excitation method. Based on the amplitude spectrum functions, the vertical dynamic response of the levitation system can be predicted. The amplitude spectral analysis results are consistent with the numerical simulation results.
Advanced Parameter-Setting-Free Harmony Search Algorithm
Authors: Jeong Yong-Woon , Park Seung-Min , Geem Zong Woo , Sim Kwee-Bo
Published: April 2020

In this paper, we propose an advanced parameter-setting-free (PSF) scheme to solve the problem of setting the parameters for the harmony search (HS) algorithm. The use of the advanced PSF method solves the problems of the conventional PSF scheme that results from a large number of iterations and shows good results compared to fixing the parameters required for the HS algorithm. In addition, unlike the conventional PSF method, the advanced PSF method does not use additional memory. We expect the advanced PSF method to be applicable to various fields that use the HS algorithm because it reduces the memory utilization for operations while obtaining better results than conventional PSF schemes.
UVI Image Segmentation of Auroral Oval: Dual Level Set and Convolutional Neural Network Based Approach
Authors: Tian Chenjing , Du Huadong , Yang Pinglv , Zhou Zeming , Weng Libin
Published: April 2020

The auroral ovals around the Earth’s magnetic poles are produced by the collisions between energetic particles precipitating from solar wind and atoms or molecules in the upper atmosphere. The morphology of auroral oval acts as an important mirror reflecting the solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling process and its intrinsic mechanism. However, the classical level set based segmentation methods often fail to extract an accurate auroral oval from the ultraviolet imager (UVI) image with intensity inhomogeneity. The existing methods designed specifically for auroral oval extraction are extremely sensitive to the contour initializations. In this paper, a novel deep feature-based adaptive level set model (DFALS) is proposed to tackle these issues. First, we extract the deep feature from the UVI image with the newly designed convolutional neural network (CNN). Second, with the deep feature, the global energy term and the adaptive time-step are constructed and incorporated into the local information based dual level set auroral oval segmentation method (LIDLSM). Third, we extract the contour of the auroral oval through the minimization of the proposed energy functional. The experiments on the UVI image data set validate the strong robustness of DFALS to different contour initializations. In addition, with the help of deep feature-based global energy term, the proposed method also obtains higher segmentation accuracy in comparison with the state-of-the-art level set based methods.
Quantitative Phase Dynamics of Cancer Cell Populations Affected by Blue Light
Authors: Feith Marek , Vičar Tomáš , Gumulec Jaromír , Raudenská Martina , Gjörloff Wingren Anette , Masařík Michal , Balvan Jan
Published: April 2020

Increased exposition to blue light may induce many changes in cell behavior and significantly affect the critical characteristics of cells. Here we show that multimodal holographic microscopy (MHM) within advanced image analysis is capable of correctly distinguishing between changes in cell motility, cell dry mass, cell density, and cell death induced by blue light. We focused on the effect of blue light with a wavelength of 485 nm on morphological and dynamical parameters of four cell lines, malignant PC-3, A2780, G361 cell lines, and the benign PNT1A cell line. We used MHM with blue light doses 24 mJ/cm2, 208 mJ/cm2 and two kinds of expositions (500 and 1000 ms) to acquire real-time quantitative phase information about cellular parameters. It has been shown that specific doses of the blue light significantly influence cell motility, cell dry mass and cell density. These changes were often specific for the malignant status of tested cells. Blue light dose 208 mJ/cm2 × 1000 ms affected malignant cell motility but did not change the motility of benign cell line PNT1A. This light dose also significantly decreased proliferation activity in all tested cell lines but was not so deleterious for benign cell line PNT1A as for malignant cells. Light dose 208 mJ/cm2 × 1000 ms oppositely affected cell mass in A2780 and PC-3 cells and induced different types of cell death in A2780 and G361 cell lines. Cells obtained the least damage on lower doses of light with shorter time of exposition.
What Polarimetric Weather Radars Offer to Cloud Modelers: Forward Radar Operators and Microphysical/Thermodynamic Retrievals
Authors: Ryzhkov Alexander V. , Snyder Jeffrey , Carlin Jacob T. , Khain Alexander , Pinsky Mark
Published: April 2020

The utilization of polarimetric weather radars for optimizing cloud models is a next frontier of research. It is widely understood that inadequacies in microphysical parameterization schemes in numerical weather prediction (NWP) models is a primary cause of forecast uncertainties. Due to its ability to distinguish between hydrometeors with different microphysical habits and to identify “polarimetric fingerprints” of various microphysical processes, polarimetric radar emerges as a primary source of needed information. There are two approaches to leverage this information for NWP models: (1) radar microphysical and thermodynamic retrievals and (2) forward radar operators for converting the model outputs into the fields of polarimetric radar variables. In this paper, we will provide an overview of both. Polarimetric measurements can be combined with cloud models of varying complexity, including ones with bulk and spectral bin microphysics, as well as simplified Lagrangian models focused on a particular microphysical process. Combining polarimetric measurements with cloud modeling can reveal the impact of important microphysical agents such as aerosols or supercooled cloud water invisible to the radar on cloud and precipitation formation. Some pertinent results obtained from models with spectral bin microphysics, including the Hebrew University cloud model (HUCM) and 1D models of melting hail and snow coupled with the NSSL forward radar operator, are illustrated in the paper.
Of Fire and Smoke Plumes, Polarimetric Radar Characteristics
Authors: Zrnic Dusan , Zhang Pengfei , Melnikov Valery , Mirkovic Djordje
Published: April 2020

Weather surveillance radars routinely detect smoke of various origin. Of particular significance to the meteorological community are wildfires in forests and/or prairies. For example, one responsibility of the National Weather Service in the USA is to forecast fire outlooks as well as to monitor wildfire evolution. Polarimetric variables have enabled relatively easy recognitions of smoke plumes in data fields of weather radars. Presented here are the fields of these variables from smoke plumes caused by grass fire, brush fire, and forest fire. Histograms of polarimetric data from plumes contrast these cases. Most of the data are from the polarimetric Weather Surveillance Radar 1988 Doppler (WSR-88D aka NEXRAD, 10 cm wavelength); hence, the wavelength does not influence these comparisons. Nevertheless, in one case, simultaneous observations of a plume by the operational Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR, 5 cm wavelength) and a WSR-88D is used to infer backscattering characteristic and, hence, sizes of dominant contributors to the returns. To interpret these measurements, Computational Electromagnetics (CEM) tools are applied. For one wildfire from Oklahoma, radar and satellite (GOES-16, Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) images are analyzed. The case demonstrates a potential to forecast fire intensification caused by a very rapid cold front. Finally, we suggest a possible way to extract the smoke plume return from the class of nonmeteorological scatterers.
Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Induces Apoptosis as a TRAIL Sensitizer via Activation of Caspase 8 and Death Receptor 5 in Human Colon Cancer Cells
Authors: Kwon Oh Sung , Jung Ji Hoon , Shin Eun Ah , Park Ji Eon , Park Woon Yi , Kim Sung-Hoon
Published: April 2020

Though epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major compound of green tea, has anti-diabetes, anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor effects, the underlying antitumor molecular mechanism of EGCG was not fully understood so far. Here the sensitizing effect of EGCG to tumor-necrosis-factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) was examined in colorectal cancers. Cotreatment of EGCG and TRAIL synergistically enhanced cytotoxicity and sub G1 accumulation, increased the number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-dT-mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL)-positive cells in SW480 and HCT116 cells. Furthermore, this cotreatment promoted the cleavages of poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and induced caspase 8 activation compared to TRAIL or EGCG alone in SW480 and HCT116 cells. Of note, cotreatment of EGCG and TRAIL increased the expression of death receptor 5 (DR5) at protein and mRNA levels and also DR5 cell surface level in colon cancer cells. Conversely, depletion of DR5 reduced the apoptotic activity of cotreatment of EGCG and TRAIL to increase cytotoxicity, sub-G1 population and PARP cleavages in colon cancer cells. Overall, our findings provide evidence that EGCG can be a sensitizer of TRAIL via DR5 and caspase 8 mediated apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells.
Applications of Network Science to Education Research: Quantifying Knowledge and the Development of Expertise through Network Analysis
Authors: Siew Cynthia S. Q.
Published: April 2020

A fundamental goal of education is to inspire and instill deep, meaningful, and long-lasting conceptual change within the knowledge landscapes of students. This commentary posits that the tools of network science could be useful in helping educators achieve this goal in two ways. First, methods from cognitive psychology and network science could be helpful in quantifying and analyzing the structure of students’ knowledge of a given discipline as a knowledge network of interconnected concepts. Second, network science methods could be relevant for investigating the developmental trajectories of knowledge structures by quantifying structural change in knowledge networks, and potentially inform instructional design in order to optimize the acquisition of meaningful knowledge as the student progresses from being a novice to an expert in the subject. This commentary provides a brief introduction to common network science measures and suggests how they might be relevant for shedding light on the cognitive processes that underlie learning and retrieval, and discusses ways in which generative network growth models could inform pedagogical strategies to enable meaningful long-term conceptual change and knowledge development among students.
Evaluation of the Physicochemical and Structural Properties and the Sensory Characteristics of Meat Analogues Prepared with Various Non-Animal Based Liquid Additives
Authors: Wi Gihyun , Bae Junhwan , Kim Honggyun , Cho Youngjae , Choi Mi-Jung
Published: April 2020

This study investigates the effects of various non-animal-based liquid additives on the physicochemical, structural, and sensory properties of meat analogue. Meat analogue was prepared by blending together textured vegetable protein (TVP), soy protein isolate (SPI), and other liquid additives. Physicochemical (rheological properties, cooking loss (CL), water holding capacity (WHC), texture and color), structural (visible appearance and microstructure), and sensory properties were evaluated. Higher free water content of meat analogue due to water treatment resulted in a decrease in viscoelasticity, the highest CL value, the lowest WHC and hardness value, and a porous structure. Reversely, meat analogue with oil treatment had an increase in viscoelasticity, the lowest CL value, the highest WHC and hardness value, and a dense structure due to hydrophobic interactions. SPI had a positive effect on the gel network formation of TVP matrix, but lecithin had a negative effect resulting in a decrease in viscoelasticity, WHC, hardness value and an increase in CL value and pore size at microstructure. The results of sensory evaluation revealed that juiciness was more affected by water than oil. Oil treatment showed high intensity for texture parameters. On the other hand, emulsion treatment showed high preference scores for texture parameters and overall acceptance.
Geographic Variability of Sugars and Organic Acids in Selected Wild Fruit Species
Authors: Akagić Asima , Oras Amila Vranac , Oručević Žuljević Sanja , Spaho Nermina , Drkenda Pakeza , Bijedić Amna , Memić Senad , Hudina Metka
Published: April 2020

The chemical variability of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.), wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca L.), cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) and rosehip (Rosa canina L.) based on the content of individual and total sugars and organic acids in fruit was investigated. The fruits were picked in fully ripened condition within the period from 2014 to 2015 from different locations. The fresh fruits were analyzed with the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) technique for the purpose of identifying and quantifying the content of glucose, fructose and sucrose, as well as malic, citric, fumaric and shikimic acids. However, the content of individual sugars and organic acids differed by locations as well as by growing year within the same wild fruit species. The differences between wild fruit species as well as among different locations are presented by principal component analysis (PCA). Based on results obtained, rosehip fruits with higher sugars and organic acids ratio (S/A) are suitable for production of “pekmez” and drying, while genotypes of cornelian cherry, wild strawberry and bilberry with lower S/A are recommended for production of juices and gelatin products. The research results show that specific environmental conditions may influence significantly the content of analyzed parameters, as is the case with cornelian cherry and rosehip. Considering that the food industry is searching for new products, the wild fruit species analyzed represent a promising source of ingredients for the development of beverages and foods with functional properties as well as for supplements and nutraceuticals.
Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolite Profiling for the Assessment of Freshness in Gilthead Sea Bream (Sparus aurata)
Authors: Mallouchos Athanasios , Mikrou Theano , Gardeli Chrysavgi
Published: April 2020

Gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) is one of the most important farmed Mediterranean fish species, and there is considerable interest for the development of suitable methods to assess its freshness. In the present work, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry-based metabolomics was employed to monitor the hydrophilic metabolites of sea bream during storage on ice for 19 days. Additionally, the quality changes were evaluated using two conventional methods: sensory evaluation according to European Union’s grading scheme and K-value, the most widely used chemical index of fish spoilage. With the application of chemometrics, the fish samples were successfully classified in the freshness categories, and a partial least squares regression model was built to predict K-value. A list of differential metabolites were found, which were distinguished according to their evolution profile as potential biomarkers of freshness and spoilage. Therefore, the results support the suitability of the proposed methodology to gain information on seafood quality.
Effect of Rearing System on the Straight and Branched Fatty Acids of Goat Milk and Meat of Suckling Kids
Authors: Ripoll Guillermo , Alcalde María Jesús , Argüello Anastasio , Córdoba María de Guía , Panea Begoña
Published: April 2020

Goat meat is considered healthy because it has fewer calories and fat than meat from other traditional meat species. It is also rich in branched chain fatty acids that have health advantages when consumed. We studied the effects of maternal milk and milk replacers fed to suckling kids of four breeds on the straight and branched fatty acid compositions of their muscle. In addition, the proximal and fatty acid compositions of colostrum and milk were studied. Goat colostrum had more protein and fat and less lactose than milk. Goat milk is an important source of healthy fatty acids such as C18:1 c9 and C18:2 n–6. Suckling kid meat was also an important source of C18:1c9. Dairy goat breeds had higher percentages of trans monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and most of the C18:1 isomers but lower amounts of total MUFAs than meat breeds. However, these dairy kids had meat with a lower percentage of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than meat kids. The meat of kids fed natural milk had higher amounts of CLA and branched chain fatty acids (BCFAs) and lower amounts of n–6 fatty acids than kids fed milk replacers. Both milk and meat are a source of linoleic, α-linolenic, docosahexaenoic, eicosapentaenoic and arachidonic fatty acids, which are essential fatty acids and healthy long-chain fatty acids.
Irradiation Investigation: Exploring the Molecular Gas in NGC 7293
Authors: Bublitz Jesse , Kastner Joel , Hily-Blant Pierre , Forveille Thierry , Santander-García Miguel , Bujarrabal Valentin , Alcolea Javier , Montez Rodolfo
Published: April 2020

Background: Many planetary nebulae retain significant quantities of molecular gas and dust despite their signature hostile radiation environments and energetic shocks. Photoionization and dissociation by extreme UV and (often) X-ray emission from their central stars drive the chemical processing of this material. Their well-defined geometries make planetary nebulae ideal testbeds for modeling the effects of radiation-driven heating and chemistry on molecular gas in photodissociation regions. Methods: We have carried out IRAM 30m/APEX 12m/ALMA radio studies of the Helix Nebula and its molecule-rich globules, exploiting the unique properties of the Helix to follow up our discovery of an anti-correlation between HNC/HCN line intensity ratio and central star UV Luminosity. Results: Analysis of HNC/HCN across the Helix Nebula reveals the line ratio increases with distance from the central star, and thus decreasing incident UV flux, indicative of the utility of the HNC/HCN ratio as a tracer of UV irradiation in photodissociation environments. However, modeling of the observed regions suggests HNC/HCN should decrease with greater distance, contrary to the observed trend. Conclusion: HNC/HCN acts as an effective tracer of UV irradiation of cold molecular gas. Further model studies are required.
Improving Supply Chain Profit through Reverse Factoring: A New Multi-Suppliers Single-Vendor Joint Economic Lot Size Model
Authors: Marchi Beatrice , Zanoni Simone , Jaber Mohamad Y.
Published: April 2020

Supply chain finance has been gaining attention in theory and practice. A company’s financial position affects its performance and survivability in dynamic and volatile markets. Those that have weak financial performance are vulnerable when operating in environments that are uncertain and financially unstable. Companies adopt various solutions and techniques to manage, effectively and efficiently, the flow of money to and from its suppliers and buyers. Reverse factoring is an innovative technique in supply chain financing. This paper develops a joint economic lot size model where a vendor coordinates operational and financial decisions with its multiple suppliers through the establishment of a reverse factoring arrangement. The creditworthy vendor systematically informs a financial institution (e.g., bank) of payment obligations to selected suppliers, enabling the latter to borrow against the value of the relevant accounts receivable at low interest (borrowing) rates. The paper also presents a numerical example and a sensitivity analysis to illustrate the behavior of the model and to compare the economic and operational performance of a supply chain with and without a reverse factoring agreement. The results show that the establishment of a reverse factoring agreement within the supply chain improves the economic performance and impacts on the operational decisions.
Correlation Studies between Land Cover Change and Baidu Index: A Case Study of Hubei Province
Authors: Zhao Yongqing , Li Rendong , Wu Mingquan
Published: April 2020

Current land cover research focuses primarily on spatial changes in land cover and the driving forces behind these changes. Among such forces is the influence of policy, which has proven difficult to measure, and no quantitative research has been conducted. On the basis of previous studies, we took Hubei Province as the research area, using remote sensing (RS) images to extract land cover change data using a single land use dynamic degree and a comprehensive land use dynamic degree to study land cover changes from 2000 to 2015. Then, after introducing the Baidu Index (BDI), we explored its relationship with land cover change and built a tool to quantitatively measure the impact of changes in land cover. The research shows that the key search terms in the BDI are ‘cultivated land occupation tax’ and ‘construction land planning permit’, which are closely related to changes in cultivated land and construction land, respectively. Cultivated land and construction land in all regions of Hubei Province are affected by policy measures with the effects of policy decreasing the greater the distance from Wuhan, while Wuhan is the least affected region.
Role of microRNAs in Venous Thromboembolism
Authors: Morelli Vânia M. , Brækkan Sigrid K. , Hansen John-Bjarne
Published: April 2020

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs that execute their function by targeted downregulation of gene expressions. There is growing evidence from epidemiological studies and animal models suggesting that the expression level of miRNAs is dysregulated in venous thromboembolism (VTE). In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the role of miRNAs as biomarkers for VTE and provide general insight into research exploring the modulation of miRNA activity in animal models of venous thrombosis. Up to now, published studies have yielded inconsistent results on the role of miRNAs as biomarkers for VTE with most of the reports focused on diagnostic research. The limited statistical power of the individual studies, due to the small sample sizes, may substantially contribute to the poor reproducibility among studies. In animal models, over-expression or inhibition of some miRNAs appear to influence venous thrombus formation and resolution. However, there is an important gap in knowledge on the potential role of miRNAs as therapeutic targets in VTE. Future research involving large cohorts should be designed to clarify the clinical usefulness of miRNAs as biomarkers for VTE, and animal model studies should be pursued to unravel the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of VTE and their potential as therapeutic targets.
Impact of Medication Regimen Simplification on Medication Administration Times and Health Outcomes in Residential Aged Care: 12 Month Follow Up of the SIMPLER Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Sluggett Janet K. , Hopkins Ria E. , Chen Esa YH , Ilomäki Jenni , Corlis Megan , Van Emden Jan , Hogan Michelle , Caporale Tessa , Ooi Choon Ean , Hilmer Sarah N. , Bell J. Simon
Published: April 2020

In the SImplification of Medications Prescribed to Long-tErm care Residents (SIMPLER) cluster-randomized controlled trial, we evaluated the impact of structured medication regimen simplification on medication administration times, falls, hospitalization, and mortality at 8 residential aged care facilities (RACFs) at 12 month follow up. In total, 242 residents taking ≥1 medication regularly were included. Opportunities for simplification among participants at 4 RACFs were identified using the validated Medication Regimen Simplification Guide for Residential Aged CarE (MRS GRACE). Simplification was possible for 62 of 99 residents in the intervention arm. Significant reductions in the mean number of daily medication administration times were observed at 8 months (−0.38, 95% confidence intervals (CI) −0.69 to −0.07) and 12 months (−0.47, 95%CI −0.84 to −0.09) in the intervention compared to the comparison arm. A higher incidence of falls was observed in the intervention arm (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 2.20, 95%CI 1.33 to 3.63) over 12-months, which was primarily driven by a high falls rate in one intervention RACF and a simultaneous decrease in comparison RACFs. No significant differences in hospitalizations (IRR 1.78, 95%CI 0.57–5.53) or mortality (relative risk 0.81, 95%CI 0.48–1.38) over 12 months were observed. Medication simplification achieves sustained reductions in medication administration times and should be implemented using a structured resident-centered approach that incorporates clinical judgement.
Assessment of the Impact of Parental BMI on the Incidence of Overweight and Obesity in Children from Ukraine
Authors: Dereń Katarzyna , Wyszyńska Justyna , Nyankovskyy Serhiy , Nyankovska Olena , Łuszczki Edyta , Sobolewski Marek , Mazur Artur
Published: April 2020

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of parental body mass index (BMI) on the risk of having an overweight or obese child in Ukraine. This study included 22,576 parents (11,288 mothers and fathers) and the same number of children (boys 48%, girls 52%) aged 6.0–18.9 years who live in Ukraine. The study was conducted in randomly selected primary, secondary and high schools of Ukraine. Body weight and height was measured in triplicate. Based on the results obtained, BMI was calculated. The analysis was carried out based on z-score values of children and BMI classification of children. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated using logistic regression analysis. For fathers, 38.1% had normal BMI, 15.9% were obese, and 45.6% were overweight. For mothers, 52.1% of those surveyed had normal BMI, 31.8% were overweight and 13.5% were classified as obese. The vast majority (72.7%) of children had normal weight, 10.2% were overweight, and 15.0% were underweight. Children of overweight fathers had a higher risk of becoming overweight (OR = 1.41). Children of obese fathers had both a greater risk of being overweight (OR = 2.04) and obese (OR = 2.56). The odds ratios indicate that children of overweight mothers had a greater risk of being overweight (OR = 1.45) and obese (OR = 1.76). Children of obese mothers had both a greater risk of becoming overweight (OR = 2.05) and obese (OR = 2.70). More often, overweight and obese parents had children who also had higher BMI.
The Role of Subthreshold Micropulse Yellow Laser as an Alternative Option for the Treatment of Refractory Postoperative Cystoid Macular Edema
Authors: Verdina Tommaso , D’Aloisio Rossella , Lazzerini Andrea , Ferrari Cecilia , Valerio Edoardo , Mastropasqua Rodolfo , Cavallini Gian Maria
Published: April 2020

Background: To evaluate the efficacy and the safety of subthreshold micropulse yellow laser (SMYL) in the treatment of chronic postoperative cystoid macular edema (PCME), which is refractory to standard therapies. Methods: A retrospective chart review of ten eyes of ten patients affected by refractory PCME who underwent SMYL was performed. Five PCME cases were subsequent to uncomplicated cataract surgery (CS), two cases to complicated CS (CCS) with posterior capsule rupture and three cases occurred after retinal detachment surgery (RD). All conditions were refractory to conventional treatments prior to SMYL interventions for at least 4 months, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory eyedrops, topical steroids, oral indomethacin, sub-Tenon’s triamcinolone injections and Dexamethasone intravitreal implants. All patients underwent one or more treatments with 577 nm SMYL photo-stimulation, with 7 × 7 grids with confluent spots and a 5% duty cycle covering the whole edematous retina, including the foveal center. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) were obtained using OCT, and evaluated before and after the treatment at 1, 2, 3 and 6-month follow-ups. Results: A complete subfoveal macular edema resolution was observed in all of the eyes, with statistically significant improvements in terms of BCVA and CMT in all of the follow-up timelines (at 6 months, p = 0.002 and p = 0.005, respectively). The mean number of laser treatments was 1.3. At the final follow-up, a complete subfoveal edema reabsorption was observed in all patients with visual acuity improvement. No complications were observed in any case. Conclusions: SMYL seems to be a safe and effective treatment for the long-term resolution of refractory PCME and may be a useful alternative to expensive and invasive therapeutic options.
Umbilical Cord Milking in Infants Born at <37 Weeks of Gestation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Ortiz-Esquinas Inmaculada , Gómez-Salgado Juan , Rodriguez-Almagro Julián , Arias-Arias Ángel , Ballesta-Castillejos Ana , Hernández-Martínez Antonio
Published: April 2020

Umbilical cord milking (UCM) could be an alternative in cases where delayed umbilical cord clamping cannot be performed, therefore our objective was to evaluate the effects of UCM in newborns <37 weeks’ gestation. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Database of Clinical Trials, the clinicaltrails.gov database for randomized UCM clinical trials with no language restrictions, which we then compared with other strategies. The sample included 2083 preterm infants. The results of our meta-analysis suggest that UCM in premature infants can reduce the risk of transfusion (relative risk (RR)= 0.78 [95% confidence interval (CI),0.67–0.90]) and increase hemoglobin(pooled weighted mean difference (PWMD)= 0.89 g/L[95%CI 0.55–1.22]) and mean blood pressure (PWMD=1.92 mmHg [95% CI 0.55–3.25]). Conversely, UCM seems to increase the risk of respiratory distress syndrome (RR = 1.54 [95% CI 1.03–2.29]), compared to the control groups. In infants born at <33 weeks, UCM was associated with a reduced risk of transfusion (RR= 0.81 [95%CI 0.66–0.99]), as well as higher quantities of hemoglobin (PWMD= 0.91 g/L[95%CI 0.50–1.32]). UCM reduces the risk of transfusion in preterm infants, and increases initial hemoglobin, hematocrit, and mean blood pressure levels with respect to controls.