bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Autologous mitochondrial microinjection; a strategy to improve the oocyte quality and subsequent reproductive outcome during aging
Authors: Mobarak Halimeh , Heidarpour Mohammad , Tsai Pei-Shiue Jason , Rezabakhsh Aysa , Rahbarghazi Reza , Nouri Mohammad , Mahdipour Mahdi 
Published: November 2019

AbstractAlong with the decline in oocyte quality, numerous defects such as mitochondrial insufficiency and the increase of mutation and deletion have been reported in oocyte mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) following aging. Any impairments in oocyte mitochondrial function have negative effects on the reproduction and pregnancy outcome. It has been stated that infertility problems caused by poor quality oocytes in women with in vitro fertilization (IVF) and repeated pregnancy failures are associated with aging and could be overcome by transferring large amounts of healthy mitochondria. Hence, researches on biology, disease, and the therapeutic use of mitochondria continue to introduce some clinical approaches such as autologous mitochondrial transfer techniques. Following mitochondrial transfer, the amount of ATP required for aged-oocyte during fertilization, blastocyst formation, and subsequent embryonic development could be an alternative modality. These modulations improve the pregnancy outcome in women of high reproductive aging as well. In addition to overview the clinical studies using mitochondrial microinjection, this study provides a framework for future approaches to develop effective treatments and preventions of congenital transmission of mitochondrial DNA mutations/diseases to offspring. Mitochondrial transfer from ovarian cells and healthy oocytes could lead to improved fertility outcome in low-quality oocytes. The modulation of mitochondrial bioactivity seems to regulate basal metabolism inside target oocytes and thereby potentiate physiological activity of these cells while overcoming age-related infertility in female germ cells.
Analyzing Alternative Food Networks sustainability in Italy: a proposal for an assessment framework
Authors: Mastronardi Luigi , Marino Davide , Giaccio Vincenzo , Giannelli Agostino , Palmieri Margherita , Mazzocchi Giampiero 
Published: November 2019

AbstractThe aim of the paper is to evaluate the sustainability of Alternative Food Networks in Italy through the construction of a composite indicator, the Global Sustainability Index. The index is able to provide decision-makers with indications on synergies and tradeoffs between the different dimensions of sustainability. The methodological approach is of the quantitative type, and the information used in the study comes from a direct survey that involved 226 producers. The results show that the environmental indicators that take the greatest value are those concerning problems of great impact on the actual debate such as the loss of genetic diversity and the use of packaging for agro-food products. Regarding economic sustainability, the indicator with the highest value is related to the ability of the Alternative Food Networks to diversify sales channels. This evidence confirms the producers’ increasing difficulty to adopt mono-directional strategies, favoring a differentiation of markets and, consequently, a reduction of economic risks. In terms of social sustainability, two interesting evidences emerge: the considerable importance attributed to the information of the features of the products and the increase in work involvement following participation in the Alternative Food Networks.
Effectiveness of different methods of salicylic acid application on growth characteristics of tomato seedlings under salinity
Authors: Souri Mohammad Kazem , Tohidloo Ghasem 
Published: November 2019

AbstractBackgroundSoil salinity is a real challenge in nowadays crop production in many regions. Various strategies have been applied to increase plant salinity tolerance. Salicylic acid (SA) frequently has been reported to increase plant salinity tolerance; however, the comparative efficiency of soil (root) or foliar application of SA has not been well tested yet. In this study, the effects of root or leaf pretreatment, and leaf treatment with 100 mg L−1salicylic acid were evaluated on growth characteristics of tomato seedlings (Solanum lycopersicumMill) under salinity stress. The plants were grown 3 weeks in sand that were fed with Hoagland nutrient solution with or without 100 mM NaCl.ResultsThe results showed that salinity significantly reduced tomato seedling growth and traits of plant height, leaf area, shoot fresh weight, and nutrient concentration of potassium, calcium, iron and zinc compared to control plants. However, leaf SPAD value, root fresh and dry weights, leaf concentration of sodium, proline and soluble sugars were significantly increased under 100 mM NaCl salinity compared to control plants. Application of salicylic acid particularly by foliar pretreatment increased the tomato plant growth and those traits that were reduced by NaCl salinity. Application of SA, particularly foliar pretreatment, also increased the root fresh and dry weights, leaf proline and soluble sugars concentrations as compared with salinity alone. Foliar SA pretreatment significantly increased leaf K and Fe concentrations, whereas leaf Ca was significantly increased by either root or leaf pretreatment with SA under salinity.ConclusionThe results indicate that the most to least effective method of SA application was leaf pretreatment, root pretreatment and leaf treatment, respectively, to recover the reduced growth parameters of tomato plant under salinity stress.
An evaluation of the performance of vertical mixing parameterizations for tidal mixing in the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS)
Authors: Robertson Robin , Dong Changming 
Published: November 2019

AbstractVertical mixing is important in the ocean for maintaining its stratification, redistributing temperature and salinity, distributing nutrients and pollutants, and the energy cascade. It plays a key role in ocean energy transport, climate change, and marine ecosystems. Getting the mixing right in ocean circulation and climate models is critical in reproducing ocean and climate physics. Ocean models, like the Regional Ocean Modeling System (Rutgers ROMS 3.4), provide several options for determining vertical mixing through the vertical mixing parameterization schemes. To evaluate which of these methods best reproduces realistic vertical mixing by internal tides, simulations of baroclinic tides generated by a seamount were performed using seven different vertical mixing parameterizations: Mellor-Yamada 2.5 (MY), Large-McWilliams-Doney’s Kpp (LMD), Nakanishi-Niino’s modification of Mellor-Yamada (NN), and four versions of Generic Length Scale (GLS). The GLS versions in ROMS 3.4 severely overmixed the water column within a day and were not considered realistic. We suspect that a coding error has been introduced for it. We focused on the performance of the MY, LMD, and NN vertical mixing parameterizations. LMD was found to overmix the water column. The performance of MY and NN were nearly equivalent and both well reproduced the observed velocity and diffusivity fields. NN performed slightly better by having a lower rms for M2 and K1, less benthic mixing, more mid-water column mixing, less overmixing, and fewer extremely high diffusivities (> 1 m2 s−1).
Homogenized earthquake catalog and b-value mapping for Ethiopia and its adjoining regions
Authors: Lamessa Geremew , Mammo Tilahun , K.Raghuvanshi Tarun 
Published: November 2019

AbstractThe Ethiopian rift which is part of East African Rift system passes through the middle of the country making it one of the most seismically active regions in the world. Thus, significant and damaging earthquakes have been reported and recorded in the past in this region. A homogeneous earthquake catalog is of basic importance for studying the earthquake occurrence pattern in space and time and for many engineering applications including assessment of seismic hazard, estimation of peak ground accelerations and determination of long-term seismic strain rates.The first earthquake catalogue for Ethiopia was prepared by Pierre Gouin and later, different authors attempted to compile a catalogue using different time period intervals and different earthquake magnitude scales. The b-value mapping and its implication never done for Ethiopia and its environs. The main purpose of the study is therefore first compile and homogenize earthquake catalog of Ethiopia including Read Sea and Gulf of Aden regions into Moment magnitude Mw scale through completeness analysis in time and magnitudes. Secondly, mapping b-values for different Seismgenic regions and understand its implications for magma induced Seismicity in the regions.During the present study, a new homogenized earthquake catalog in moment magnitude scale (Mw), covering about 3814 events is prepared for Ethiopia including Red sea and Gulf of Aden regions. The present study area is bounded within Latitude (40N − 200)N and Longitude (340N − 480)N E and have a magnitude range of Mw (3.0–7.1) with a total coverage period of 56 years (1960 to 2016). The catalog has been analyzed for magnitude completeness (Mc) using Gutenberg’s Frequency Magnitude Distribution law and it is found to be complete respectively for Mc ≥ 4.6 ± 0.03, Mc ≥ 4.6 ± 0.03, Mc ≥ 3.2, Mc ≥ 3.1 and Mc ≥ 5.1 for Afar including red sea and Gulf of Aden, Afar rift and Dabbahu Volcano, Northern, Central, and Southern Main Ethiopian Rifts. Further, the corresponding average b-value of the regions Afar including Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, Afar and Dabbahu Volcano separately, Northern Main Ethiopian Rift, Central Main Ethiopian Rift and Southern Main Ethiopian Rift respectively are estimated to be 1.17 ± 0.05, 1.15 ± 0.05, 0.843, 0.826 and 1.03 with respective period of completeness from 2003 to 2014, 2005 to 2014, 2001 to 2003, 2001 to 2003 and 1960 to 2016 for the regions. Later, mapping of the b-values in the Gutenberg-Richter relation from the newly developed catalog was performed by binning the regions into minimum of 0.050x0.050for Afar and Dabbahu region, 0.10x0.10for Main Ethiopian rifts and 0.20x0.20for the other regions. Thus, the b-value characteristics of various seismogenic zones within the area have been discussed. Hence, in this study, we clearly observed that magma chamber movement including mapping of volcanic centers and magmatic segments are mapped using b-values.
Comparison of cytotoxicity of black phosphorus nanosheets in different types of fibroblasts
Authors: Song Su-Jin , Raja Iruthayapandi Selestin , Lee Yu Bin , Kang Moon Sung , Seo Hee Jung , Lee Hyun Uk , Han Dong-Wook 
Published: November 2019

Abstract

Background
Two-dimensional black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNSs) have recently emerged as a successive novel nanomaterial owing to their uniqueness in optical and electrical properties. Although BPNSs have found a wide range of biomedical applications, their biosafety is still a major concern to be addressed.

Methods
In this study, we have prepared layered BPNSs using liquid exfoliation procedure, and evaluated their physicochemical properties using Fourier Transform-infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and Zetasizer analyses. We have investigated potential cytotoxicity of BPNSs against three different types of fibroblast cells, i.e. mouse embryonic fibroblast (NIH3T3), primary cultured normal human dermal fibroblast (nHDF), and fibrosarcoma (HT1080). Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was carried out to assess cellular metabolic activity in cells whereas lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity assay was helpful to study plasma membrane integrity.

Results
Our salient research findings showed that BPNSs were polydispersed in solution due to aggregation. Toxic response of BPNSs against fibroblast cells was in the order, HT1080>nHDF>NIH3T3. The nanosheets reduced the number of cancerous cells with significant difference to normal cells.

Conclusions
We suggest that BPNSs can be considered for cancer treatment as they destroy cancerous cells effectively. However, a comprehensive study is required to elucidate other biological effects of BPNSs.
Perioperative ultrasound imaging versus magnetic resonance imaging in management of lumbosacral spinal dysraphisms
Authors: Elmesallamy Wael Abd Elrahman Ali 
Published: November 2019

AbstractObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to correlate lumbosacral spinal ultrasound (LUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in patients with lumbosacral spinal dysraphisms to evaluate the value of LUS in diagnosis, intraoperative use, and during follow-up of those patients.MethodsA total of 24 patients aged up to 6 years old were operated for lumbosacral spinal dysraphisms at the Neurosurgery Department of Zagazig University hospitals during the period from January 2017 to August 2018. All patients were investigated preoperatively, intraoperatively, and on follow-up by LUS to compare the data with preoperative and follow-up MRI of the spine.ResultsThe median age was 11 months at the time of surgery. The most common anatomical description from the LUS study was thickened filum (18 cases). Using MRI findings as the standard reference, the sensitivity of LUS in detecting a thickened filum was 77.8% preoperatively and 62.5% postoperatively, with a specificity of 100%. The sensitivity and specificity of detecting conus level, solid masses, and cystic masses were 100%.ConclusionsLumbosacral spinal dysraphisms can be evaluated well by ultrasound imaging in age group up to 6 years old with 100% specificity (true negative) in comparison with MRI.
Verification with the utility of an established rapid assessment of brain safety for newly developed vaccines
Authors: Kim Gwang-Ho , Yi Sun Shin 
Published: November 2019

AbstractIn the twenty-first century, high contagious infectious diseases such as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), FMD (Foot-and-Mouth Disease) and AI (Avian Influenza) have become very prevalent, causing treat harm to humans and animals in aspect of public health, and economical issues. The critical problem is that newly-reported infectious diseases that humans firstly experience are expected to continue to emerge, and these diseases will be spreading out rapidly. Therefore, rapid and safe supplies of effective vaccines are most pivotal to prevent the rapid prevalent of new infection, but international standards or assessing protocol the safety of urgent vaccines are not established well. In our previous study, since we established a module to assess the brain safety of urgent vaccines, therefore, it is necessary to verify that this established module for assessing brain safety could work effectively in commercially available two vaccines (one killed- and on live-vaccines). We compared the results of Evans blue (EB) assay and qPCR analysis by injection of two kinds of vaccines, PBS and Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) under the condition of the module previously reported. We confirmed that the brain safety test module for urgent vaccine we established is very reproducible. Therefore, it is believed that this vaccine safety testing method can be used to validate brain safety when prompt supply of a newly developed vaccines is needed.
Learning to make informed health choices: Protocol for a pilot study in schools in Barcelona
Authors: Martínez García Laura , Alonso-Coello Pablo , Asso Ministral Laia , Ballesté-Delpierre Clara , Canelo Aybar Carlos , de Britos Carol , Fernández Rodríguez Ana , Gallego Iborra Ana , Leo Rosas Victoria , Llaquet Paloma , Niño de Guzmán Quispe Ena Pery , Pérez-Gaxiola Giordano , Requeijo Carolina , Salas-Gama Karla , Samsó Jofra Laura , Terres Jordi , Urreta Iratxe , Rosenbaum Sarah 
Published: November 2019

Introduction: The Informed Health Choices (IHC) project has developed learning resources to teach primary school children (10 to 12-year-olds) to assess treatment claims and make informed health choices. The aim of our study is to explore both the students’ and teachers’ experience when using these resources in the context of Barcelona (Spain). Methods: During the 2019-2020 school year, we will conduct a pilot study with 4th and 5th-year primary school students (9 to 11-year-olds) from three schools in Barcelona. The intervention in the schools will include: 1) a workshop with the teachers, and 2) lessons to the students. The data collection will include: 1) initial assessment of the resources by the teachers, 2) non-participatory observations during the lessons, 3) semi-structured interviews with the students after a lesson, 4) assessment of the lessons by the teachers, 5) treatment claim assessment by the students, and 6) final assessment of the resources by the teachers. We will use ad hoc questionnaires and guides to register the data. We will perform a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the data to explore understandability, desirability, suitability, usefulness, facilitators and barriers of the resources. The most relevant results will be discussed and some recommendations on how to use, how to adapt (if needed), and how to implement the IHC resources to this context will be agreed. We will publish the study results in a peer-reviewed journal and in several Internet resources (web pages, electronic bulletins, and social media), and we will present them to the different users of interest in conferences, workshops, and meetings. Ethical considerations: The study protocol has obtained an approval exemption from the Ethics Committee of the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (Barcelona, Spain).
Big Data Biopolitics
Authors: Kafer Gary 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
This article considers the medial logics of American terrorist watchlist screening in order to study the ways in which digital inequities result from specific computational parameters. Central in its analysis is Secure Flight, an automated prescreening program run by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) that identifies lowand high-risk airline passengers through name-matching algorithms. Considering Secure Flight through the framework of biopolitics, this article examines how passenger information is aggregated, assessed and scored in order to construct racialised assemblages of passengers that reify discourses of American exceptionalism. Racialisation here is neither a consequence of big data nor a motivating force behind the production of risk-assessment programs. Both positions would maintain that discrimination is simply an effect of an information management system that considers privacy as its ultimate goal, which is easily mitigated with more accurate algorithms. Not simply emerging as an effect of discriminatory practices at airport security, racialisation formats the specific techniques embedded in terrorist watchlist matching, in particular the strategies used to transliterate names across different script systems. I argue thus that the biopolitical production of racialised assemblages forms the ground zero of Secure Flight’s computational parameters, as well as its claims to accuracy. This article concludes by proposing a move away from the call to solve digital inequities with more precise algorithms in order to carefully interrogate the forms of power complicit in the production and use of big data analytics.
STOMACH SECRETORY FUNCTION UNDER MUSCLE LOAD IN THE CONDITIONS OF PHARMACOLOGICAL BLOCADE OF M-CHOLINORECEPTORS AND β-ADRENOCEPTORS
Authors: Kuznetsov A , Smelysheva L , Arkhipova O , Moskovkin A , Sazhina N 
Published: November 2019

Aim. The article deals with establishing the effect of muscle load on the stomach secretory function in the conditions of partial pharmacological blockade of M-cholinoreceptors and β-adrenoceptors in patients with duodenal acidification. Materials and methods. 22 males aged 18–23 years participated in the study. The stomach secretory function at rest under a 30-minute cycle ergometer load of 36 900 kgm combined with a partial pharmacological blockade of M-cholinoreceptors (1.5 mg per kg of body mass) and β-adrenoceptors (0.6 mg obsidan per kg of body mass) was studied using gastric and gastroduodenal intubation. Results. The blockade of M-cholinoreceptors at muscle rest provoked a noticeable decrease in the total content of electrolytes (p < 0.01), enzymes (p < 0.001), HCL (p < 0.001), and proteolytic activity (p < 0.001) in gastric juice. The combined activity of atropine and physical load in the conditions of duodenal acidification inhibited the amount of secretion significantly to 49.9 ± 11.1%, HCl to 29.7 ± 9.4%, pepsinogen to 19.8 ± 7.4% (p ˂ 0.001). The blockade of β-adrenoceptors significantly decreased the stomach secretory function in the conditions of basal secretion and duodenal acidification. After using a 10% dried cabbage decoction as a stimulator we registered an increase in the amount of secretion up to 141.1 ± 12.2%, HCl discharge – to 186.3 ± 21.9%, and pepsinogen – to 188.5 ± 20.4%. The same tendency was registered for the cycle ergometer test in the conditions of the blockade of β-adrenoceptors. Conclusion. The effect of muscle load on the stomach secretory function contributes significantly to the role of the sympathetic nervous system. Duodenal acidification in the conditions of the blockade of β-adrenoceptors intensifies the inhibitory effect, while stimulation with a dry cabbage decoction improves the stomach secretory function.
REACTIVITY OF THE VEGETATIVE NERVOUS SYSTEM INFLUENCED BY NON-VERBAL INFORMATION
Authors: Baiguzhin P , Shibkova D , Kudryashov A , Baiguzhina O 
Published: November 2019

Aim. The article deals with establishing the HRV indicators influenced by non-verbal information. Materials and methods. Vegetative nervous system reactions have been estimated under the influence of non-verbal information as a response to the emotional state of the passive repeaters. The functional status of the repeaters was influenced by an emotional video. A recipient was in an isolated room surrounded by the group of the passive repeaters and was not subjected to a direct influence of the emotional video. The assessment of the vegetative responses in repeaters has been performed using tone- and pulsometry, in recipients – using the mathematical and time-domain analysis of a cardiorhythmogram. ECG recording was synchronized with video demonstration and divided into 9 conditional stages, each of 100 cardiocycles. The reliability of differences has been assessed with the Wilcoxon non-parametric criterion. Results. The intensity of vegetative nervous system reactions in both groups has been registered during the stages preceded by a video demonstration. In recipients, the high frequency of the significant changes in RRNN, RMSSD, pNN50, HR, M, Mo, AMo, VRI proves body sensitivity to non-verbal information. The low variability of certain indicators such as VR, SDNN, AMo, VB, and SI allows us to establish their specificity. Conclusion. The presence and intensity of a vegetative reaction in the recipients is determined by the modality of the emotion formed in a passive repeater. This effect can be possibly considered as an emotional resonance in the recipient induced by asthenic emotions and the feeling of compassion and regret in the repeater as a response to an emotional video.