Smarter Open Government Data for Society 5.0: Are Your Open Data Smart Enough?

2021

Nowadays, governments launch open government data (OGD) portals that provide data that can be accessed and used by everyone for their own needs. Although the potential economic value of open (government) data is assessed in millions and billions, not all open data are reused. Moreover, the open (government) data initiative as well as users’ intent for open (government) data are changing continuously and today, in line with IoT and smart city trends, real-time data and sensor-generated data have higher interest for users. These “smarter” open (government) data are also considered to be one of the crucial drivers for the sustainable economy, and might have an impact on information and communi…

Combination of allyl isothiocyanate and cinnamaldehyde against the growth of mycotoxigenic fungi and aflatoxin production in corn

2021

Regular Strength and Sprint Training Counteracts Bone Aging: a 10- year Follow-up in Male Masters Athletes

2021

According to cross-sectional and interventional studies, high-intensity strength and impact-type training provide a powerful osteogenic stimulus even in old age. Longitudinal evidence on the ability of high-intensity training to attenuate age-related bone deterioration is currently lacking, however. This follow-up study assessed the role of continued strength and sprint training on bone aging in 40- to 85-year-old male sprinters (n=69) with long-term training background. pQCT-derived bone structural, strength and densitometric parameters of the distal tibia (5% distal-proximal tibia length) and tibial midshaft (50% length) were assessed at baseline and after 10 years. The groups of well-tra…

How to Predict the Suitability for Corneal Donorship?

2021

Background: In Germany, more than one-third of donor corneas harvested are not suitable for transplantation. We evaluated the factors associated with the usability of donor corneas. Method: Data from 2032 consecutive donor corneas harvested at the Rhineland-Palatinate Eye Bank in Mainz, Germany, were retrospectively analyzed. Factors of interest were age, sex, lens status, cause of death, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), death-to-explantation-interval (DEI), and the influence of these factors on the proportion of discarded donor corneas. Factors associated with endothelial cell density (ECD) were analyzed in a linear regression mixed model. Results: Higher donor age, male gender, pseudo…

Lifestyle in Undergraduate Students and Demographically Matched Controls during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain

2021

Few studies have used a multidimensional approach to describe lifestyle changes among undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic or have included controls. This study aimed to evaluate lifestyle behaviors and mental health of undergraduate students and compare them with an age and sex-matched control group. A cross-sectional web survey using snowball sampling was conducted several months after the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. A sample of 221 students was recruited. The main outcome was the total SMILE-C score. Students showed a better SMILE-C score than controls (79.8 + 8.1 vs. 77.2 + 8.3

High-multiplicity neutron events registered by NEMESIS experiment

2021

Neutron-induced interactions contribute to the signal-mimicking background in deep-underground searches for exotic phenomena such as Dark Matter, neutrino-less double beta decay, proton decay, etc. Apart from radioactive decay, the primary source of neutrons underground are high-energy muons from cosmic showers. While the maximum number of fission neutrons is around six and energies around one MeV, muon-induced interactions may generate hundreds of neutrons, also with high energies. Furthermore, these processes are not yet reproduced in numerical simulations with sufficient reliability. The main goal of the NEMESIS experiment is to improve our knowledge and understanding of cosmic muon-indu…

Preoperative CT-Based Deep Learning Model for Predicting Risk Stratification in Patients With Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors.

2021

ObjectiveTo develop and evaluate a deep learning model (DLM) for predicting the risk stratification of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).MethodsPreoperative contrast-enhanced CT images of 733 patients with GISTs were retrospectively obtained from two centers between January 2011 and June 2020. The datasets were split into training (n = 241), testing (n = 104), and external validation cohorts (n = 388). A DLM for predicting the risk stratification of GISTs was developed using a convolutional neural network and evaluated in the testing and external validation cohorts. The performance of the DLM was compared with that of radiomics model by using the area under the receiver operating char…

Are Future School Teachers Qualified to Teach Flood Risk? An Approach from the Geography Discipline in the Context of Climate Change

2021

The aims of this research, based on a case study (trainee teachers of Primary degree and Secondary Education–MAES of the University of Valencia, Spain), are to analyse the students’ memories and perceptions of their training about floods

The Assessment of Serum Concentrations of AGEs and Their Soluble Receptor (sRAGE) in Multiple Sclerosis Patients

2021

Background: Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are involved in the pathogenesis of many diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of the study was to determine serum concentrations of AGEs and their soluble receptor (sRAGE) in MS patients and healthy controls and to investigate their possible influence on disease activity. Methods: Serum concentrations of AGE and sRAGE in patients with MS and healthy controls were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The mean serum AGE concentration in patients with MS was higher than in healthy controls, whereas the mean serum sRAGE concentration was lower than in the control gr…

Global responsibility: An exploratory corpus assisted discourse analysis of the Rohingya crisis in online media

2021

This study conducts an exploratory corpus-assisted discourse analysis of the representation of the Rohingya minority group across online news media in the United Kingdom. The purpose of the study is to identify and interpret the discursive patterns employed in popular online news media when depicting the Rohingya minority and associated crises affecting the group in Myanmar and worldwide. Through the use of a combination of frequency, collocation, and concordance analysis, a synchronic study was undertaken using data collected from fifteen major online news media producers in the United Kingdom. The data was collected over a period from January 2017 – August 2020 through freely accessible d…

Taxonomic investigation on Allium hirtovaginum group (Amaryllidaceae) from East Mediterranean area

2021

Within taxonomic studies on Allium sect. Codonoprasum from Mediterranean flora, populations belonging to A. hirtovaginum Candargy group were examined. Based on field investigation and herbarium surveyes, this group is represented by very critical and not well known taxa, distributed in the East Mediterranean, showing a marked morphological variability. Currently, the species referable to this group in addition to A. hirtovaginum are also A. pilosum Sibth. & Sm., A. aeginiense Brullo, Giusso & Terrasi and A. nerimaniae Koçyiğit & Kaya. Besides, other 13 species are here described as new to science, they are A. pythagoricum, A. pignattii, A. hippocraticum, A. abanticum, A. velutin…

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2021

To efficiently lower virus infectivity and combat virus epidemics or pandemics, it is important to discover broadly acting antivirals. Here, we investigated two naturally occurring polyphenols, Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and Resveratrol (RES), and polyphenol-functionalized nanoparticles for their antiviral efficacy. Concentrations in the low micromolar range permanently inhibited the infectivity of high doses of enteroviruses (107 PFU/mL). Sucrose gradient separation of radiolabeled viruses, dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopic imaging and an in-house developed real-time fluorescence assay revealed that polyphenols prevented infection mainly through clustering of…

In situ transcriptional profile of a germinal center plasmablastic burst hints at MYD88/CD79B mutants-enriched Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphomas

2021

AbstractThe germinal center (GC) reaction results in the selection of B-cells acquiring effector Ig secreting ability by progressing towards plasmablastic differentiation. This transition is associated with exclusion from the GC microenvironment. The aberrant expansion of plasmablastic elements within the GC fringes configures an atypical condition, the biological characteristics of which have not been defined yet. We investigated the in situ immunophenotypical and transcriptional characteristics of a non-clonal germinotropic expansion of plasmablastic elements (GEx) occurring in the tonsil of a young patient. Compared to neighboring GC and peri-follicular regions, the GEx showed a distinct…

Synchronizing Two Superconducting Qubits through a Dissipating Resonator

2021

A system consisting of two qubits and a resonator is considered in the presence of different sources of noise, bringing to light the possibility of making the two qubits evolve in a synchronized way. A direct qubit–qubit interaction turns out to be a crucial ingredient, as well as the dissipation processes involving the resonator. The detrimental role of the local dephasing of the qubits is also taken into account.

Ecologías de aprendizaje digital de los docentes : la escuela en casa durante la Covid-19 en la Comunidad Valenciana

2021

espanolEl articulo parte del estudio realizado entre marzo y junio de 2020 sobre el funcionamiento de la escuela en casa, mientras los centros educativos estuvieron cerrados. Se planteo como estudio de encuesta, descriptivo y correlacional, con muestreo no probabilistico por bola de nieve, utilizando cuestionarios online. El estudio presentado en este articulo se centra en los datos de docentes no universitarios de la Comunidad Valenciana. Parte del concepto de ecologias de aprendizaje docente como los elementos que el propio profesorado utiliza para formarse y observar nuevas oportunidades propias de aprendizaje. Desde ahi, el estudio analiza como se configuraron las ecologias de aprendiza…

Enzymatic Spermine Metabolites Induce Apoptosis Associated with Increase of p53, caspase-3 and miR-34a in Both Neuroblastoma Cells, SJNKP and the N-M…

2021

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a common malignant solid tumor in children and accounts for 15% of childhood cancer mortality. Amplification of the N-Myc oncogene is a well-established poor prognostic marker in NB patients and strongly correlates with higher tumor aggression and resistance to treatment. New therapies for patients with N-Myc-amplified NB need to be developed. After treating NB cells with BSAO/SPM, the detection of apoptosis was determined after annexin V-FITC labeling and DNA staining with propidium iodide. The mitochondrial membrane potential activity was checked, labeling cells with the probe JC-1 dye. We analyzed, by real-time RT-PCR, the transcript of genes involved in the apoptot…

Exploring the miRNA-mediated response to combined stresses in melon plants

2021

AbstractClimate change has been associated with a higher incidence of combined adverse environmental conditions that can promote a significant decrease in crop productivity. However, knowledge on how a combination of stresses might affect plant development is still scarce. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been proposed as potential targets for improving crop-productivity. Here, we have combined deep-sequencing, computational characterization of responsive miRNAs and validation of their regulatory role in a comprehensive analysis of melon’s response to several combinations of four stresses (cold, salinity, short day, and infection with a fungus). Twenty-two miRNA families responding to double and/or …

Instagram and political campaigning in the 2017 German federal election. A quantitative content analysis of German top politicians’ and parliamentary…

2021

This article compares the communication strategies of party and candidate accounts on Instagram during the 2017 German federal election. Building upon previous research, we conceptualize how the di...

Methodological approaches to the valuation of forest ecosystem services: An overview of recent international research trends

2021

Forests represent the most important source of ecosystem services (ES) on a global level both for the production of goods and for the provision of services and externalities, nevertheless scientific research in the economic field is lacking. Currently the number of documents relating to ES is 16 673, of which only 1 379 concern the forestry sector. The aim of this study is to provide an overview of scientific research trends in the field of economic evaluation of forest ecosystem services (FES). To this end, an on-line bibliographic survey was carried out on the main scientific search engines, which made it possible to quantify the works and at the same time to detect the main evaluation me…

miRNomic Signature in Very Low Birth-Weight Neonates Discriminates Late-Onset Gram-Positive Sepsis from Controls

2021

Background and Objectives. Neonatal sepsis is a serious condition with a high rate of mortality and morbidity. Currently, the gold standard for sepsis diagnosis is a positive blood culture, which takes 48–72 h to yield results. We hypothesized that identifying differentially expressed miRNA pattern in neonates with late-onset Gram-positive sepsis would help with an earlier diagnosis and therapy. Methods. This is a prospective observational study in newborn infants with late-onset Gram positive bacterial sepsis and non-septic controls. Complementary to blood culture, an aliquot of 0.5 mL of blood was used to determine small non-coding RNA expression profiling using the GeneChip miRNA 4.0 Arr…

Disaster Risk Reduction for All? Understanding Intersectionality in Disaster Situations

2021

When designing digital services for citizens in a disaster situation, the diversity of its audience and their particular needs are not always sufficiently taken into account. Variables like digital equipment available, environment, disabilities, socio-economic status, etc., play a significant role in people’s ability to access and exchange important information through digital means. In this paper, we will examine some factors that lead to this inequality, and we see that they tend to boil down to a lack of awareness or focus on the diversity of the population, and this affects not only people with disabilities, but also other disadvantaged groups. More broadly, we will examine this in term…

Sub- to Super-Poissonian crossover of current noise in helical edge states coupled to a spin impurity in a magnetic field

2021

Edge states of two-dimensional topological insulators are helical and single-particle backscattering is prohibited by time-reversal symmetry. In this work, we show that an isotropic exchange coupling of helical edge states (HES) to a spin 1/2 impurity subjected to a magnetic field results in characteristic backscattering current noise (BCN) as a function of bias voltage and tilt angle between the direction of the magnetic field and the quantization axis of the HES. In particular, we find transitions from sub-Poissonian (antibunching) to super-Poissonian (bunching) behavior as a direct consequence of the helicity of the edge state electrons. We use the method of full counting statistics with…

Challenges on accessing finance for micro-enterprises in Latvia

2021

Financial support of companies for their development is considered and realised by many countries worldwide, also in Latvia. Latvia has been receiving critical remarks from entrepreneurs in regard to high level of refuse for financing from the financing institution ALTUM which is the principal intermediary of EU funds and provides resources to support entrepreneurship in Latvia. Statistical data indicate that there are significant reductions of micro-enterprises during recent years. The survey data showed that ALTUM rejected 39 % of the surveyed micro-enterprises from those who had submitted applications within three years. In turn, only 6 % of micro-enterprises have received full financing…

Assessment and Updating of the Fortification Model from 2006

2021

In 2006 the, the Panel on Nutrition, Dietetic Products, Novel Food and Allergy in the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (VKM) adapted a Danish model for assessing applications concerning food fortification into Norwegian conditions. The fortification model is presently used by the Norwegian Food Safety Authorities as a tool in the management of applications on food fortification.
  
 The model from 2006 was based on intake calculations from dietary surveys from 1997-2000. Since then, new national dietary surveys have been published. These are the comprehensive nationwide Norwegian dietary surveys among adults (Norkost 3, 2010-2011), among young children (Småbarnskost,…

Proanthocyanidins and Where to Find Them: A Meta-Analytic Approach to Investigate Their Chemistry, Biosynthesis, Distribution, and Effect on Human He…

2021

Proanthocyanidins (PACs) are a class of polyphenolic compounds that are attracting considerable interest in the nutraceutical field due to their potential health benefits. However, knowledge about the chemistry, biosynthesis, and distribution of PACs is limited. This review summarizes the main chemical characteristics and biosynthetic pathways and the main analytical methods aimed at their identification and quantification in raw plant matrices. Furthermore, meta-analytic approaches were used to identify the main plant sources in which PACs were contained and to investigate their potential effect on human health. In particular, a cluster analysis identified PACs in 35 different plant famili…

The Dual/Global Value of SARS-CoV-2 Genome Surveillance on Migrants Arriving to Europe via the Mediterranean Routes.

2021

Despite the pandemic, 34,154 migrants, refugees or asylum-seekers landed in Sicily (Italy) in 2020, representing the main point of entry by sea into Europe. The SARS-CoV-2 surveillance program among migrants arriving to Sicily via the Mediterranean Sea, made by the combination of clinical examination and molecular testing, has been integrated by full-genome sequencing strains using the NGS technology from the last week of February. To date, more than one hundred full-genome strains have been sequenced and 8 different lineages have been identified mostly belonging to the lineages B.1.1.7 and B.1.525. As global access to COVID-19 vaccines should be ensured, the need to provide more detailed i…

CEO gender and SMEs innovativeness: evidence for Spanish businesses

2021

AbstractThis paper analyses the role of gender of the chief executive officer (CEO) on the propensity to introduce innovations using a sample of 1405 Spanish small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We examine whether there are significant differences between female- and male-led businesses in terms of their propensity to innovate, and whether these differences may be explained by factors related to the attributes of the CEO concerning risk tolerance, self-confidence, education level and cooperative behaviour. In particular, this study tests if the linkages between these managerial attributes and the propensity to innovate are influenced by the gender of the CEO. Using a multivariate pro…

The onset of deep recycling of supracrustal materials at the Paleo-Mesoarchean boundary.

2021

Abstract The recycling of supracrustal materials, and in particular hydrated rocks, has a profound impact on mantle composition and thus on the formation of continental crust, because water modifies the physical properties of lithological systems and the mechanisms of partial melting and fractional fractionation. On the modern Earth, plate tectonics offers an efficient mechanism for mass transport from the Earth's surface to its interior, but how far this mechanism dates back in the Earth's history is still uncertain. Here, we use zircon oxygen (O) isotopes to track recycling of supracrustal materials into the magma sources of early Archean igneous suites from the Kaapvaal Craton, southern …

Intramolecular Hydrogen Bond, Hirshfeld Analysis, AIM; DFT Studies of Pyran-2,4-dione Derivatives

2021

Intra and intermolecular interactions found in the developed crystals of the synthesized py-ron-2,4-dione derivatives play crucial rules in the molecular conformations and crystal stabili-ties, respectively. In this regard, Hirshfeld calculations were used to quantitatively analyze the different intermolecular interactions in the crystal structures of some functionalized py-ran-2,4-dione derivatives. The X-ray structure of pyran-2,4-dione derivative namely (3E,3′E)-3,3′-((ethane-1,2-diylbis(azanediyl))bis(phenylmethanylylidene))bis(6-phenyl-2H-pyran-2,4(3H)-dione) was determined. It crystallized in the monoclinic crystal system and C2/c space group with unit cell parameters: a = 14.0869(4) …

Foreign (In)Direct Investment in Chinese Contemporary Art Game: The Case Studies of Uli Sigg, Guy Ullens and beyond, 1989-2013

2021

The boom in Chinese contemporary art is the result of China’s opening to foreign investment and private entrepreneurship in 1978, and the significant contribution by the transnational art enterprises of long-term patron-investor-collectors, such as Uli Sigg and Guy Ullens, between approximately 1989 and 2013. Through the opportunity offered by the gap between the private market mechanism and national heritage process for the “art game”, these investors used a variation of the controversial “Saatchi model” to generate high ROI. A further effect has been to bring CCA onto the global stage and complete the ecosystem of the art industry, building a foundation for the art economy of post-Mao Chi…

Self-reported nonceliac wheat sensitivity in an outpatient digestive endoscopy center: high frequency but insufficient medical approach.

2021

Objective: 'Self-reported wheat sensitivity' (SRWS) is a self-reported condition caused by wheat ingestion in the absence of celiac disease or wheat allergy. The aim of the study was to investigate the frequency and characteristics of SRWS in outpatients referred for digestive endoscopy. Methods: The study, performed at the University of Palermo, enrolled 496 outpatients. Results: Seven individuals (1.4%) had an already established diagnosis of celiac disease. The questionnaire was administered to the other 489 individuals: 98 subjects (20%) were SRWS, the remaining 391 served as controls (i.e. not-SRWS). SRWS patients were younger (P < 0.001), with a higher percentage of females (P = 0.…

Evaluation of the coupled high-resolution atmospheric chemistry model system MECO(n) using in situ and MAX-DOAS NO<sub>2</sub&am…

2021

Abstract. We present high spatial resolution (up to 2.2×2.2 km2) simulations focussed over south-west Germany using the online coupled regional atmospheric chemistry model system MECO(n) (MESSy-fied ECHAM and COSMO models nested n times). Numerical simulation of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) surface volume mixing ratios (VMRs) are compared to in situ measurements from a network with 193 locations including background, traffic-adjacent and industrial stations to investigate the model's performance in simulating the spatial and temporal variability of short-lived chemical species. We show that the use of a high-resolution and up-to-date emission inventory is crucial for reproducing the spatial varia…

Training of Physical Therapists to Deliver Individualized Biopsychosocial Interventions to Treat Musculoskeletal Pain Conditions: A Scoping Review

2021

Abstract Objective Current guidelines recommend management of musculoskeletal pain conditions from a biopsychosocial approach; however, biopsychosocial interventions delivered by physical therapists vary considerably in effectiveness. It is unknown whether the differences are explained by the intervention itself, the training and/or competency of physical therapists delivering the intervention, or fidelity of the intervention. The aim was to investigate and map the training, competency assessments, and fidelity checking of individualized biopsychosocial interventions delivered by physical therapists to treat musculoskeletal pain conditions. Methods A scoping review methodology was employed,…

Identifikasi Telur Cacing pada Saluran Pencernaan Satwa Liar yang Dipelihara Masyarakat di Manokwari, Papua Barat

2021

Investment of parasitic worms of captive wildlife was an impact on their health condition. This study was conducted to determine the intensity of parasitic worm infection in wild animals kept by communities in Manokwari, West Papua. The Natif method was used, by centrifuge of 20 birds and 20 mammals (Kangaroo and Deer) faeces collected from the sites. Sampling was carried out from October to November 2016. The analysis of collected faecal samples showed that bird species were not indicated (negatively infected by worm). In mammals, Nematodes and cestodes were found. Identification of existing findings showed that 3 (three) types of worm eggs were found, namely Taenia sp in kangaroos (Macrop…

A look into the future of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe : an expert consultation

2021

How will the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic develop in the coming months and years? Based on an expert survey, we examine key aspects that are likely to influence COVID-19 in Europe. The future challenges and developments will strongly depend on the progress of national and global vaccination programs, the emergence and spread of variants of concern, and public responses to nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). In the short term, many people are still unvaccinated, VOCs continue to emerge and spread, and mobility and population mixing is expected to increase over the summer. Therefore, policies that lift restrictions too much and too early risk another damaging wave. This ch…

Hypercholesterolemic patients have higher eryptosis and erythrocyte adhesion to human endothelium independently of statin therapy

2021

BACKGROUND Phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization out of the membrane facilitates the eryptotic erythrocytes (EE) binding to endothelial cells (EC), potentially leading to atherosclerosis. Thus, the levels of eryptosis and interactions of EE-EC in hypercholesterolemic patients, either non-medicated or medicated, compared with healthy subjects were studied. METHODS A total of 56 subjects clustered into three groups: (control (n = 20), hypercholesterolemic non-treated (HCNT) (n = 15), and statin-treated (HCT) (n = 21)) were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Biochemical parameters were determined with validated and standard methods. PS exposure was estimated from annexin-V-binding, cell…