bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
English Oral Communication Apprehension in Students of Indonesian Maritime
Authors: Aeni Nur , Jabu Baso , Rahman Muhammad Asfah , Strid John Evar
Published: July 2017

Oral communication is essential for people’s workplace performance as well as for university students learning English. Speaking fluently is also crucial for maritime academy students prepared to work in industries abroad. Students need to believe in their ability to speak English. For this reason, sound communication skills are necessary for maritime students so they can compete with seafarer or sailor from other countries. The purpose of this research was to identify the level of oral communication apprehension of nautical students of Akademi Maritim Indonesia (Indonesian Maritime Academy) AIPI Makassar. The sample consisted of 10 first year students at nautical of AMI AIPI Makassar. Data was gathered through questionnaires adapted from Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Class Scale (FLCAS). The findings indicated that students were generally apprehensive in EFL oral communication. The students showed the highest apprehension for public speaking. The level of nautical students’ apprehension based on observation and supported by the modified FLCAS were 20% in the low category, 60% in the moderate category, and 20% in the high category. Students in the high apprehension category showed more symptoms than students in the moderate and low apprehension categories.
Robust Support Vector Regression Model in the Presence of Outliers and Leverage Points
Authors: Dhhan Waleed , Midi Habshah , Alameer Thaera
Published: July 2017

Support vector regression is used to evaluate the linear and non-linear relationships among variables. Although it is non-parametric technique, it is still affected by outliers, because the possibility to select them as support vectors. In this article, we proposed a robust support vector regression for linear and nonlinear target functions. In order to carry out this goal, the support vector regression model with fixed parameters is used to detect and minimize the effects of abnormal points in the data set. The efficiency of the proposed method is investigated by using real and simulation examples.
Analysis of Hull Coating Renewal in Ship Repairing
Authors: Dev Arun Kr , Saha Makaraksha
Published: July 2017

Hull coating (external blasting and painting) renewal (repair) is a part of routine ship maintenance. It is carried out only when the ship is in a dock (graving dock, floating dock, or slipway). For a regular maintenance schedule, the scope of hull coating repairing works dictates the duration of stay of a ship in the dock. It is very vital therefore to estimate the scope of work for hull coating before docking. As soon as the ship is docked, a joint hull inspection by representatives of the owner, dry-dock, and coatings supplier accurately determines the hull coatings scope of work. Most of the time, the inspection result does not match with the preplanned dock operation schedule. Hence, the overall dock operation schedule gets affected due to delay or early undocking of a ship. Hull coating repair and related information for 149 cargo ships were collected from a single shipyard. It was analyzed and presented in both tabular and graphical forms to show the relationship between the scope of work and the age, size, and type of ships. The physical size of a ship has a great influence on the hull blasting and painting repairing works irrespective of design parameters and types of the ship. Using ship dimensions, actual surface area, and other factors, a method of estimating the hull coating scope is proposed. In this article, the authors have made an attempt to identify the independent variables that influence the scope of work (dependent variable), and suggested the possible interrelationships between the dependent and independent variables, which appeared to be linear.

1. Introduction

For a newly built ship, the external hull is coated with two types of painting system, namely, anticorrosive painting system and antifouling painting system. Anticorrosive painting system is to protect the steel from corrosion caused by oxidation, and antifouling painting system is to protect the underwater surface from marine growth. After proper surface preparation, multiple coats of anticorrosive paint are applied to the entire hull (underwater and above water) as per painting schemes followed by multiple coats of antifouling paints to the underwater area.
Design a Ship Autopilot using Neural Network
Authors: Tung Le Thanh
Published: July 2017

Ship autopilots play an important role in insurance of safe navigation and efficient transportation as else. For their successful design and development, many control techniques were and are being developed. In this paper, the application of artificial neural network (ANN) is investigated to design an autopilot for a surface ship. Feed forward multilayered architecture of ANN is used for approximation of the inverse model of the ship. The designed autopilot acts like an optimal one because of using a cost function for generation of ANN training data. The performance of designed autopilot is evaluated in still water and different wave frequencies. The stability and robustness of the designed system is proved through simulation, carried out in Matlab. The results show that the proposed autopilot can efficiently be used to control the course of a ship in a range of parameter variation.

1. Introduction

The main duty of an autopilot is to keep the course of ship in a predefined direction using mostly the rudder. The safety and efficiency of transportation are directly dependent on the performance of ship autopilots. For this, a lot of techniques like proportional-integral-derivative controller, optimal control theory, adaptive control, and nonlinear control are used to improve the autopilot performance. The major feature of these approaches is that they require the exact knowledge of dynamics of controlled objects, which is difficult to obtain in practice due to complexity of ship hydrodynamics. For adaptive and nonlinear control there are some demerits like difficult design and stability analysis. The mentioned above disadvantages can be overcome by using artificial neural network (ANN) because of ANN approximation ability of arbitrary smooth function with required accuracy (Haykin 1999; Terekhov 2002). The first way of application of ANN to ship steering is to use a conventional controller for training the neural network (NN) controller (Endo et al. 1989; Burns & Richter 1996; Unar 1999; Khizer et al. 2013; Pathan et al. 2012a, 2012b; Velagic 2006; Zirilli et al. 2000; Alarcin 2007; Alarcin et al. 2010). Another way to develop NN controller is to integrate NN with other control techniques in sense of adaptive control (Cao et al. 2000; Tzung-hang et al. 2001; Ming-chung & Zi-yi 2013; Li et al. 2004; Jun & Liu 2013; Xu et al. 2014; Xiao et al. 2011; Wang et al. 2013; Yang & Zhao 2006; Leonessa & VanZwieten 2004; Hu & Pan 2012).
Creating a context for learning: Activating children’s whole number knowledge prepares them to understand fraction division
Authors: Sidney Pooja Gupta , Alibali Martha Wagner
Published: July 2017

When children learn about fractions, their prior knowledge of whole numbers often interferes, resulting in a whole number bias. However, many fraction concepts are generalizations of analogous whole number concepts; for example, fraction division and whole number division share a similar conceptual structure. Drawing on past studies of analogical transfer, we hypothesize that children’s whole number division knowledge will support their understanding of fraction division when their relevant prior knowledge is activated immediately before engaging with fraction division. Children in 5th and 6th grade modeled fraction division with physical objects after modeling a series of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems with whole number operands and fraction operands. In one condition, problems were blocked by operation, such that children modeled fraction problems immediately after analogous whole number problems (e.g., fraction division problems followed whole number division problems). In another condition, problems were blocked by number type, such that children modeled all four arithmetic operations with whole numbers in the first block, and then operations with fractions in the second block. Children who solved whole number division problems immediately before fraction division problems were significantly better at modeling the conceptual structure of fraction division than those who solved all of the fraction problems together. Thus, implicit analogies across shared concepts can affect children’s mathematical thinking. Moreover, specific analogies between whole number and fraction concepts can yield a positive, rather than a negative, whole number bias.
S’il vous plaît : le théâtre de boulevard au filtre de l’image dialectique
Authors: Cohen Emmanuel
Published: July 2017

En 1920, André Breton et Philippe Soupault composent ensemble S’il vous plaît, une comédie calquée sur les codes du théâtre de boulevard. Cette pièce offre l’occasion de comprendre les mécanismes et les enjeux à l’oeuvre dans la réécriture d’un genre théâtral associé au goût bourgeois, et ce pendant la première phase d’application au théâtre des procédés surréalistes alors en élaboration. À travers l’analyse de la pièce et de ses variantes, cet article tâche de mettre en lumière les liens qui unissent théâtre et surréalisme, et les limites de ces liens.
De Musidora à Mad Souri : l’influence du cinéma sur Le trésor des Jésuites de Breton et Aragon
Authors: Buisson Léa
Published: July 2017

La pièce de théâtreLe trésor des Jésuites(1928) témoigne de ce qui est probablement la dernière collaboration entre Breton et Aragon, qui la composent en hommage à Musidora, vedette du cinéma muet des années 1910. Notre intention est de démontrer qu’elle participe d’une esthétique cinématographique qui relève d’une volonté de rendre hommage au septième art en s’inspirant du film à épisodes. Après avoir examiné la genèse de la pièce, nous étudions les emprunts au contenu et à l’atmosphère du genre, et, enfin, nous voyons en quoi la structure de la pièce tente d’assimiler la plasticité temporelle du cinéma.
Hans Bellmer : portrait du premier marionnettiste d’un théâtre énergétique
Authors: Niclais Shirley
Published: July 2017

Dans « La dent, la paume » (Des dispositifs pulsionnels, 1973), Jean-François Lyotard envisage que l’aspect rituel de la représentation théâtrale puisse être aboli pour permettre l’avènement d’une nouvelle forme de présence scénique. Il cite alors l’oeuvre de Hans Bellmer qui manifeste probablement les principales exigences de ce « théâtre énergétique » dont il décrit les contours. Nous nous proposons de dresser le portrait de Bellmer, marionnettiste d’un après-Kleist, dont le pantin se voit libéré d’une fixité de la forme. La poupée, matrice d’une oeuvre et d’une vie, devient l’exemple même de l’objet surréaliste par excellence : celui d’un temps plus que d’un espace; peut-être une autre forme de théâtre.
Une enquête théorique et empirique sur les menaces externes à l’indépendance judiciaire dans le cadre du sentencing
Authors: Garcia Margarida , Dubé Richard
Published: July 2017

Dans sa dimension externe, l’indépendance judiciaire a traditionnellement été conçue en rapport avec les autres branches de l’État, les pouvoirs législatif et exécutif. Sur la base d’entretiens qualitatifs et dans le contexte spécifique de la détermination de la peine, cet article explore les contours de l’indépendance judiciaire par rapport à ce que les acteurs judiciaires peuvent considérer comme des menaces externes à leur liberté décisionnelle, menaces dépassant pour eux le cadre plus traditionnel de ce qui relève strictement de l’État. L’objectif que nous nous sommes fixé est d’offrir une perspective à la fois plus contemporaine et élargie des conditions susceptibles de favoriser la pleine protection de la zone de liberté décisionnelle qu’exige l’indépendance judiciaire. Cela nous a amenés à problématiser les menaces externes qui, sans être nécessairement étatiques, peuvent néanmoins compromettre, de l’extérieur, l’intégrité de la détermination de la peine. Nous nous sommes plus particulièrement intéressés aux menaces que représentent, dans ce contexte, les peines minimales obligatoires, celles émanant de la pression médiatique, de l’opinion publique et des demandes adressées au système pénal par les mouvements sociaux.
La fonction protectrice de la formule de modification de la Constitution
Authors: Grammond Sébastien
Published: July 2017

Le Renvoi sur la Loi sur la Cour suprême et le Renvoi sur la réforme du Sénat ont souvent été interprétés comme élargissant l’ensemble des normes qui font partie de la Constitution. L’auteur soutient que, dans ces deux avis consultatifs, la Cour suprême a plutôt mis en application la fonction protectrice de la formule de modification de la Constitution. Cela signifie que cette formule fixe des limites à l’action du législateur ordinaire. En effet, une interprétation historique et téléologique des articles 41 et 42 de la Loi constitutionnelle de 1982 conduit à la conclusion que les auteurs de la Constitution ont voulu limiter le pouvoir du Parlement ou des législatures provinciales de modifier certaines caractéristiques essentielles des principales institutions du régime politique canadien. L’auteur aborde ensuite les conséquences de cette lecture des deux avis consultatifs sur les réformes éventuelles de la Cour suprême, de la magistrature fédérale, du Sénat et du mode de scrutin.
La réception de la kafala dans l’ordre juridique québécois : vers un renversement du paradigme conflictuel?
Authors: Al-Dabbagh Harith
Published: July 2017

Une institution ancestrale, la kafala, constitue un moyen de protection important de l’enfant privé de famille dans de nombreux pays musulmans. Inédite au Québec, cette institution n’a de cesse d’interpeller les professionnels et juristes quant à sa nature exacte et à ses effets. Cette procédure a fréquemment été utilisée comme un expédient pour l’adoption, par une personne domiciliée au Québec, d’un enfant musulman dont la loi d’origine prohibe l’adoption. La kafala met à l’épreuve la méthode conflictuelle classique dans sa capacité à accueillir des institutions mal connues ou inconnues. La kafala, dont la nature juridique est difficile à cerner, est généralement jugée trop originale pour être intégrée dans la catégorie « adoption ». Est-ce pour autant méconnaître sa nature exacte? L’auteur tâche de démontrer le contraire. Les réponses contradictoires du droit québécois de l’adoption internationale, partagées entre fermeture frileuse et ouverture généreuse, laissent entrevoir une évolution plus libérale de la méthode des conflits de lois à l’épreuve du pluralisme culturel.
“The Devil Made Me Do It.” Popular Spirituality in a Rural Québec Parish, 1736–1901
Authors: Abbott Frank
Published: July 2017

This paper examines popular tales involving the Devil in the rural Québec parish of St-Joseph-de-Beauce, 70 kilometers southeast of Québec City. A microhistorical examination of the interaction between popular beliefs and clerical discourse in the parish over an extended period of time offers valuable insights into the functional details of the relationship between parishioners and curés that might otherwise be missed, misinterpreted, or even invisible at the diocesan level. Popular stories about Satan in Beauce County reveal how Catholicism intersected with popular belief systems in rural Québec. On the one hand, people’s fear of the Devil reinforced the clerical message that their spiritual needs took precedence over the inclinations of their bodies. But people also produced their own versions of the clergy’s construction of the Devil, and added content which often differed from the clerical version of Satan. Understanding the popular views of the Devil sheds more light on the ways that orthodox Catholic belief became blended with popular customs and tales, as well as how ordinary Catholics responded to the Church’s messages from the pulpit and in the confessional (or why they did not).
Dynamics of genomic innovation in the unicellular ancestry of animals
Authors: Grau-Bové Xavier , Torruella Guifré , Donachie Stuart , Suga Hiroshi , Leonard Guy , Richards Thomas A , Ruiz-Trillo Iñaki
Published: July 2017

Which genomic innovations underpinned the origin of multicellular animals is still an open debate. Here, we investigate this question by reconstructing the genome architecture and gene family diversity of ancestral premetazoans, aiming to date the emergence of animal-like traits. Our comparative analysis involves genomes from animals and their closest unicellular relatives (the Holozoa), including four new genomes: three Ichthyosporea and Corallochytrium limacisporum. Here, we show that the earliest animals were shaped by dynamic changes in genome architecture before the emergence of multicellularity: an early burst of gene diversity in the ancestor of Holozoa, enriched in transcription factors and cell adhesion machinery, was followed by multiple and differently-timed episodes of synteny disruption, intron gain and genome expansions. Thus, the foundations of animal genome architecture were laid before the origin of complex multicellularity – highlighting the necessity of a unicellular perspective to understand early animal evolution.
Dissection of specific binding of HIV-1 Gag to the 'packaging signal' in viral RNA
Authors: Comas-Garcia Mauricio , Datta Siddhartha AK , Baker Laura , Varma Rajat , Gudla Prabhakar R , Rein Alan
Published: July 2017

Selective packaging of HIV-1 genomic RNA (gRNA) requires the presence of a cis-acting RNA element called the ‘packaging signal’ (Ψ). However, the mechanism by which Ψ promotes selective packaging of the gRNA is not well understood. We used fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and quenching data to monitor the binding of recombinant HIV-1 Gag protein to Cy5-tagged 190-base RNAs. At physiological ionic strength, Gag binds with very similar, nanomolar affinities to both Ψ-containing and control RNAs. We challenged these interactions by adding excess competing tRNA; introducing mutations in Gag; or raising the ionic strength. These modifications all revealed high specificity for Ψ. This specificity is evidently obscured in physiological salt by non-specific, predominantly electrostatic interactions. This nonspecific activity was attenuated by mutations in the MA, CA, and NC domains, including CA mutations disrupting Gag-Gag interaction. We propose that gRNA is selectively packaged because binding to Ψ nucleates virion assembly with particular efficiency.
Economic activity and patterns of infant growth in a high altitude district of Peru
Authors: Hoke Morgan K.
Published: July 2017

Objectives

Changing economic activities bring significant cultural, epidemiological, and nutritional transitions. Infancy represents a critical period when rapid growth and metabolic programming occur, making infants particularly vulnerable to long‐lasting biological changes due to such transitions. This paper examines the relationship between residence in distinct economic production zones (urban, herding, and dairy) and early growth in a highland district of Peru.

Methods

The length, weight, body mass index, and triceps skinfold of 93 infants (55 boys and 38 girls, aged 2 to 24 months) from 3 economic zones were measured at two time points 6 months apart. Z‐scores were calculated based on the WHO Growth Reference for children under 5 years of age. Comparisons were made to the reference group and between economic zones to examine the impacts of different economic activities on infant growth.

Results

Female infants had significantly higher height‐for‐age z‐scores (HAZ) than males (P < 0.05). Across zones, dairying infants had the highest HAZ scores and the lowest prevalence of stunting. There was a significant association between zone and HAZ at baseline. While these associations were attenuated in measurements, taken 6 months later, longitudinal growth monitoring revealed differential patterns of weight gain and adiposity deposition across the zones with herding infants showing consistent high adiposity and urban infants gaining both weight and adiposity between rounds.

Discussion

Changes in economic activity are bringing about nutritional and epidemiological transitions in the Nuñoa district. Economic activity is a key factor influencing early growth with distinct longitudinal growth patterns in each economic zone.
Combination of cellulose nanofibers and chain‐end‐functionalized polyethylene and their applications in nanocomposites
Authors: Dang Xiaofei , Cao Xinyu , Ke Linnan , Ma Yongmei , An Jingjing , Wang Fosong
Published: July 2017

In this study, nanofiber cellulose (NFC) based on a 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine‐1‐oxyl radical oxidization method was successfully combined with chain‐end‐functionalized polyethylene containing alkoxysilane via silanization. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, contact angle measurements, Molau tests, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses provided further evidence for the effectiveness of the surface modifications. The hydrophilic surface characteristics of NFC were changed to apparently hydrophobic for the modified nanofiber cellulose (M‐NFC). Then, the linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE)/M‐NFC nanocomposite was prepared, and the mechanical properties, thermal properties, and crystallization properties of the LLDPE–M‐NFC were investigated by tensile testing, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and dynamic mechanical analysis. The results show that after modification, the thermal stability of NFC was enhanced. The interface between M‐NFC and the matrix was good. The tensile strength and Young's modulus values of the nanocomposites were enhanced compared with those of LLDPE; in particular, the tensile strength and Young's modulus of the blend with 5 wt % M‐NFC increased by 56 and 106%, respectively. The storage modulus of the nanocomposites was enhanced obviously over a wide temperature range. The addition of a small amount of M‐NFC had slight effects on the crystallinity and melting temperature of LLDPE. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45387.
Effects of the reagent molar ratio on the phase separation and properties of waterborne polyurethane for application in a water‐based ink binder
Authors: Zhihui Yang , Guangfeng Wu , Huixuan Zhang
Published: July 2017

Waterborne polyurethane (WPU) dispersions with a high solid content and low viscosity were prepared successfully by a two‐step polymerization with isophorone diisocyanate, poly(propylene glycol), and dimethylol propionic acid as the main raw materials. The molar ratio of hard segments to soft segments was controlled to investigate its influence on the particle size, particle morphology, stability of dispersions, and final properties of the WPU films. Measurements including attenuated total reflectance/Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, X‐ray diffraction, polarizing optical microscopy, and contact angle tests were used to characterize the bulk structures, phase separation, thermal stability, crystallinity, and wettability of the WPU dispersions. The results indicate that all of the WPU dispersions with a high solid content (ca. 40 wt %) and low viscosity (ca. 20–50 mPa s) displayed excellent stability. The prepared WPU dispersions with acetone contents of 5–7 wt % could be used directly as an ink binder without removing the acetone; this is beneficial to industrial applications of water‐based ink binders. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.2017,134, 45406.
Kinetic analysis of the swelling behavior of poly(n‐butylacrylate‐1,6‐hexanedioldiacrylate) networks in 4‐cyano‐4′‐n‐pentyl‐biphenyl (5CB)
Authors: Bouchaour Tewfik , Bouberka Zohra , Dali Youcef Boumédiène , Maschke Ulrich
Published: July 2017

The dynamic swelling behavior of chemically crosslinked poly(n‐butylacrylate/1,6‐hexanedioldiacrylate) [poly(Abu‐HDDA)] networks, immersed in an nematogenic and two isotropic solvents, was experimentally analyzed. These networks were elaborated by ultraviolet (UV)–visible light‐induced radical polymerization/crosslinking reactions of Abu/HDDA mixtures, to yield poly(Abu/0.5 wt % HDDA) and poly(Abu/5 wt % HDDA) networks corresponding to weakly and strongly crosslinked systems, respectively. The swelling behavior of these poly(Abu‐HDDA) networks was investigated by immersion in excess solvent, followed by subsequent measurements of the variation of the sample size by means of optical microscopy, depending on temperature and immersion time. Methanol and toluene were employed as isotropic solvents and the nematic liquid crystal molecule 4‐cyano‐4′‐n‐pentyl‐biphenyl, was considered as anisotropic medium. Swelling ratios were calculated by taking into account diameter sizes as function of immersion time compared to the dry state. Experimental data were analyzed using the Komori–Sakamoto approach and the results of this model were found to be in good agreement with the obtained data. The plateau values of the swelling curves at equilibrium were used to establish phase diagrams as function of temperature and solvent concentration. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45452.
Recognition of 5‐fluorouracil by thermosensitive magnetic surface molecularly imprinted microspheres designed using a computational approach
Authors: Zhang Li , Chen Lin , Zhang Huan , Yang Yongzhen , Liu Xuguang
Published: July 2017

Thermosensitive magnetic surface molecularly imprinted polymer microspheres based on thermosensitive monomer n‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) are applied for the recognition of 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU). A computational analysis is used to predict the interaction sites between 5‐FU and NIPAM, the stoichiometry of the synthesis procedure, and the affinity of imprinted cavities toward 5‐FU. Due to hydrogen bond interactions, a stable complex configuration of 5‐FU and NIPAM shows a binding energy of −46.50 kJ/mol confirming the suitability of imprinting 5‐FU into thermosensitive polymer network. After optimization, the appropriate stoichiometry of 5‐FU to NIPAM is set to 1:4 during the preparation process. The simulated imprinted cavities show affinity toward 5‐FU, with a binding energy of −112.24 kJ/mol. A preliminary experimental evaluation for the drug recognition of thermosensitive magnetic surface molecularly imprinted polymer microspheres is made, obtaining an adsorption capacity of 21.72 mg/g at 25 °C. Pseudo‐second‐order kinetics well describes the adsorption process. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45468.
Three‐dimensional full‐scale bone modeling for preoperative simulation of surgery in patients with elbow contractures due to bone deformities
Authors: Nagura Naoshige , Kenmoku Tomonori , Onuma Kenji , Fukushima Kensuke , Fujimaki Hisako , Takahira Naonobu , Takaso Masashi
Published: July 2017

Key Clinical Message

It is often difficult to treat for elbow contractures by malformation of bones. We planned a mobilization of elbow with using three‐dimensional full‐scale bone modeling. We found it was effective to use it in preoperative planning because we could recognize the elements of contractures in every deformity.
Spatial heterogeneity and scale‐dependent habitat selection for two sympatric raptors in mixed‐grass prairie
Authors: Atuo Fidelis Akunke , O'Connell Timothy John
Published: July 2017

Sympatric predators are predicted to partition resources, especially under conditions of food limitation. Spatial heterogeneity that influences prey availability might play an important role in the scales at which potential competitors select habitat. We assessed potential mechanisms for coexistence by examining the role of heterogeneity in resource partitioning between sympatric raptors overwintering in the southern Great Plains. We conducted surveys for wintering Red‐tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) and Northern Harrier (Circus cyanea) at two state wildlife management areas in Oklahoma, USA. We used information from repeated distance sampling to project use locations in a GIS. We applied resource selection functions to model habitat selection at three scales and analyzed for niche partitioning using the outlying mean index. Habitat selection of the two predators was mediated by spatial heterogeneity. The two predators demonstrated significant fine‐scale discrimination in habitat selection in homogeneous landscapes, but were more sympatric in heterogeneous landscapes. Red‐tailed hawk used a variety of cover types in heterogeneous landscapes but specialized on riparian forest in homogeneous landscapes. Northern Harrier specialized on upland grasslands in homogeneous landscapes but selected more cover types in heterogeneous landscapes. Our study supports the growing body of evidence that landscapes can affect animal behaviors. In the system we studied, larger patches of primary land cover types were associated with greater allopatry in habitat selection between two potentially competing predators. Heterogeneity within the scale of raptor home ranges was associated with greater sympatry in use and less specialization in land cover types selected.
Impact of lipoprotein apheresis with dextran‐sulfate adsorption on the expression of genes involved in cardiovascular health in the blood of patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia
Authors: Drouin‐Chartier Jean‐Philippe , Tremblay André J. , Bergeron Jean , Laflamme Nathalie , Lamarche Benoît , Couture Patrick
Published: July 2017

Lipoprotein apheresis (LA) with dextran sulfate adsorption (DSA) is a reliable method to decrease LDL‐cholesterol (C) concentrations in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH). The objective of the present study was to investigate the impact of LA with DSA on the mRNA expression of genes associated with cardiovascular health in the whole blood of HoFH patients. Blood samples were collected before and after LA treatment with DSA in 9 HoFH patients. Microarray analyses were performed to measure the whole blood expression of >30 000 annotated genes pre‐ and post‐LA. Concomitant reductions in LDL‐C (median −73.8%, range: −55.9 to −82.0, P = .0001) and lipoprotein (a) concentrations (median −74.1%, range −65.6 to −84.1, P = .003) were induced with LA treatment. LA with DSA did not impact the whole blood mRNA expression of most key genes involved in cardiovascular health, including those associated with cholesterol, fatty acid and lipoprotein metabolism. However, LA with DSA significantly upregulated the whole blood expression of early growth response protein (EGR)1 (1.94‐fold, P = .02), EGR3 (1.56‐fold, P = .0008) and B‐cell lymphoma 3‐encoded protein (BCL3; 1.25‐fold, P = .03). In conclusion, this study demonstrated that a single LA treatment with DSA has very limited impact on the whole blood expression of a broad spectrum of genes associated with cardiovascular health. Our results suggest that contact between blood cells and the primary membrane or extracorporeal circulation could upregulate the expression of EGR1, EGR3, BCL3, and MMP9 in blood cells.
Circulating Activin A predicts survival in cancer patients
Authors: Loumaye Audrey , de Barsy Marie , Nachit Maxime , Lause Pascale , van Maanen Aline , Trefois Pierre , Gruson Damien , Thissen Jean‐Paul
Published: July 2017

Background

Several experimental evidences pinpoint the possible role of Activin A (ActA) as a driver of cancer cachexia. Supporting this hypothesis, we showed recently that human cancer cachexia is associated with high ActA levels. Moreover, ActA levels were correlated with body weight loss and skeletal muscle density, two prognostic factors in cancer patients. Our goal was therefore to investigate the value of ActA to predict survival in cancer patients.

Methods

Patients with colorectal or lung cancer were prospectively enrolled at the time of diagnosis or relapse between January 2012 and March 2014. At baseline, patients had clinical, nutritional, and functional assessment. Body composition and skeletal muscle density were measured by CT scan, and plasma ActA concentrations were determined. Overall survival (OS) was analysed since inclusion to 24 months later.

Results

Survival data were available for 149 patients out of 152. Patients with high ActA (≥408 pg/mL) had lower OS than those with low levels, regardless the type of cancer (OS in colorectal cancer, 50% vs. 79%, P < 0.05; and in lung cancer, 27% vs. 67%, P = 0.001). The multivariable analysis confirmed the prognostic value of ActA independently of tumour stage or inflammatory markers, particularly in lung cancer. Low muscularity was also an independent prognostic factor.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrates that high ActA level is an independent prognosis factor of survival in cancer patients. More than a basic marker of the severity of the neoplastic disease or of the inflammatory process, ActA seems to influence survival by contributing to the development of cachexia and loss of skeletal muscle mass.
Assessment of the medicines use pattern among the general public in the state of Penang, Malaysia
Authors: Dawood Omar Thanoon , Hassali Mohamed Azmi , Saleem Fahad , Aljadhey Hisham
Published: July 2017

Objectives

This study aims to evaluate the pattern of medicines use among the general public on Penang Island, Malaysia, and to evaluate the association between medicines used and the demographic characteristics of the participants.

Method

A cross‐sectional study was conducted among 1000 subjects from the general public in Penang Island. The majority of subjects (n = 888) completed the survey, giving a response rate of 88.8%. A convenience sampling method was used to invite the respondents to participate in this survey. A self‐administered questionnaire was used to obtain the data from all the respondents.

Result

This study showed that most respondents commonly used vitamins and minerals (53%), pain relievers (38.5%), health supplements (35.5%) and herbal beverages (27.1%), while 34.1% of them reported using antibiotics and 14.8% reported using chronic medicines for their chronic diseases. Both socio‐demographic data and the presence of chronic diseases were significantly associated with using medicines (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The use of some medicines is common among the general public of Penang Island, Malaysia. Nowadays, many people tend to use medicines to prevent future disease or to decrease the symptoms of diseases, especially chronic diseases. Additional steps must be taken to increase the awareness of medicine use in terms of their side effects and interactions, as well as to foster a better understanding of appropriate and safe use of medicines. This is an important issue to strengthen the quality use of medicines among Malaysians.
Gabapentin: a surprising drug with many uses
Authors: Nguyen Timothy , Li Yang , Refua Sahar
Published: July 2017

Gabapentin is an interesting drug and it has many uses. There are two gabapentin formulations with multiple brand names. Gabapentin is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as an adjunct agent in partial seizures, post‐herpetic neuralgia and restless legs syndrome. It is also used for a variety of other conditions, such as neuropathic pain, alcohol withdrawal syndrome, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, post‐op pain, fibromyalgia, hot sweats, haemodialysis‐associated pruritus, and to potentiate opioids effect.
Association of the Cardiometabolic Staging System with Individual Engagement and Quality of Life in the US Adult Population
Authors: Tsai Sandra A. , Xiao Lan , Lv Nan , Liu Ying , Ma Jun
Published: July 2017

Objective

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships of Cardiometabolic Disease Staging (CMDS), a validated five‐stage system for assessing risk for diabetes, cardiovascular mortality, and all‐cause mortality, with measures of individual engagement and health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) in the US adult population.

Methods

Data from the 2011‐2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used to derive the CMDS stages, five participant engagement measures, and four HRQOL measures among adult participants ≥ 40 years of age. Analyses accounted for the complex sampling design and sample weights.

Results

Higher CMDS was associated with greater participant awareness of cardiometabolic risk, but after adjusting for covariates, only Stage 4 remained significant (odds ratio: 5.08; 95% CI: 3.25, 7.94). Higher CMDS was associated with receiving recommendations to engage in a healthy lifestyle, not meeting 2008 physical activity guidelines, and fewer leisure time moderate activities after controlling for covariates. For HRQOL measures, Stage 4 was associated with a higher likelihood of perceiving health as fair or poor (odds ratio: 4.85; 95% CI: 2.42, 9.73).

Conclusions

Higher CMDS was associated with greater individual awareness of risk, less leisure time physical activity, and worse self‐rated health. CMDS is a clinically practical method for identifying individuals for targeted preventive strategies.
A Health Behavior Score is Associated with Hypertension and Obesity Among Australian Adults
Authors: Livingstone Katherine M. , McNaughton Sarah A.
Published: July 2017

Objective

To investigate associations between a health behavior score and prevalence of hypertension and overweight/obesity.

Methods

Adults (n = 4,609; 19‐85 years) were included from the cross‐sectional Australian National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey. A health behavior score was derived based on individuals meeting recommendations for diet quality, smoking, physical activity, sedentary time, and sleep. Poisson regression estimated the prevalence ratio (PR) of hypertension and overweight/obesity by health behavior score.

Results

Individuals meeting three (PR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.54‐0.86; P = 0.001), four (PR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.59‐0.96; P = 0.024), or five (PR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.43‐0.94; P = 0.024) health behavior recommendations had a lower hypertension PR compared with those meeting zero or one recommendation. The PR of overweight/obesity was lower in individuals meeting three (PR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.95‐1.02; P = 0.019), four (PR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.91‐0.99; P = 0.019), or five (PR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.90‐0.99; P = 0.022) recommendations compared with those meeting zero or one.

Conclusions

Hypertension and overweight/obesity prevalence were lower in individuals who had above‐average diet quality, never smoked, were physically active, spent less time sedentary, and got adequate sleep. These findings support a holistic approach to public health recommendations.
Reliability of the EchoMRI Infants System for Water and Fat Measurements in Newborns
Authors: Toro‐Ramos Tatiana , Paley Charles , Wong William W. , Pi‐Sunyer F. Xavier , Yu Wen W. , Thornton John , Gallagher Dympna
Published: July 2017

Objective

The precision and accuracy of a quantitative magnetic resonance (EchoMRI Infants) system in newborns were determined.

Methods

Canola oil and drinking water phantoms (increments of 10 g to 1.9 kg) were scanned four times. Instrument reproducibility was assessed from three scans (within 10 minutes) in 42 healthy term newborns (12‐70 hours post birth). Instrument precision was determined from the coefficient of variation (CV) of repeated scans for total water, lean mass, and fat measures for newborns and the mean difference between weight and measurement for phantoms. In newborns, the system accuracy for total body water (TBW) was tested against deuterium dilution (D2O).

Results

In phantoms, the repeatability and accuracy of fat and water measurements increased as the weight of oil and water increased. TBW was overestimated in amounts >200 g. In newborns weighing 3.14 kg, fat, lean mass, and TBW were 0.52 kg (16.48%), 2.28 kg, and 2.40 kg, respectively. EchoMRI's reproducibility (CV) was 3.27%, 1.83%, and 1.34% for total body fat, lean mass, and TBW, respectively. EchoMRI‐TBW values did not differ from D2O; mean difference, −1.95 ± 6.76%, P = 0.387; mean bias (limits of agreement), 0.046 kg (−0.30 to 0.39 kg).

Conclusions

The EchoMRI Infants system's precision and accuracy for total body fat and lean mass are better than established techniques and equivalent to D2O for TBW in phantoms and newborns.
Exploration on the microwave‐assisted synthesis and formation mechanism of polyaniline nanostructures synthesized in different hydrochloric acid concentrations
Authors: Qiu Biwei , Li Zhoujing , Wang Xia , Li Xiaoyan , Zhang Jinrui
Published: July 2017

Under microwave‐assisted synthesis, polyaniline (PANI) products with multiple nanostructures were synthesized by the oxidative polymerization of aniline and ammonium peroxodisulfate in the different concentrations of hydrochloric acid solutions. The structural analysis of PANI using FTIR, UV, and XPS indicated that phenazine‐like oligomers were produced in acid‐free and low acidic systems. Moreover, long linear PANI chains were obtained in the presence of highly acidic solutions. The morphology of PANI observed by SEM and TEM showed that nanoscale structures, including stacked sheets, nanotubes, branched nanofibers, and uniform nanofibers, occurred respectively in acid‐free solution, low acidity, medium and high acidity systems, effectively regulating by acidity. The formation mechanism of PANI nanostructures was explored here. The sheets were formed by the oligomers containing flat phenazine rings that can be stacked together with strong π–π interactions. Furthermore, nanotubes were fabricated by the self‐curling of thin sheets consisted of phenazine‐like oligomers with numerous linear units in the chains. The nanofibers are supposed to form by the linear PANI chains and the secondary growth during aniline polymerization caused the branch formation on the nanofibers. All results indicate that acidity, rather than microwave assistance, is the critical factor that determines the polymerization mechanism and the final nanostructure. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 3357–3369
Functionalization of polyesters with multiple B vitamins
Authors: Soxman Andrew G. , DeLuca Jenna M. , Kinlough Kylie M. , Iwig David F. , Mathers Robert T.
Published: July 2017

A method to covalently attach combinations of six different B vitamins provided an avenue to new functional thermosets without multi‐step coupling reactions. The melt polymerization strategy required no organic solvent and facilitated covalent attachment of OH (B1, B2, B5, B6) or COOH (B7, B9) groups on B vitamins via Fischer esterification. Characterization of model reactions with LC/MS, FTIR, and GPC confirmed covalent attachment. Based on control experiments, B vitamins demonstrated unexpected thermal stability and appreciable solubility in the melt polymerization. This approach was demonstrated with citric acid and diglycerol, but has wide‐ranging potential for other polar monomers with negative octanol–water partition coefficients (LogP). © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 3308–3316
Oral sinensetin, but not nobiletin alone, prevents MK801‐induced impairment of memory formation in mice, like nobiletin‐rich chinpi, a kampo medicine
Authors: Sun Wen , Kawahata Ichiro , Xu Huinan , Yoshida Masaaki , Ando Hidehiro , Yokosuka Akihito , Mimaki Yoshihiro , Yamakuni Tohru
Published: July 2017

Aim

Our pilot clinical study suggested that nobiletin‐rich Citrus reticulata peel, also known as nchinpi, has the potential to be beneficial as a kampo medicine for Alzheimer's disease. The nchinpi extract has a high content of polymethoxyflavones, including nobiletin and sinensetin. Our previous pharmacological study using cultured hippocampal neurons showed that the nchinpi extract more potently facilitated cAMP‐response element (CRE)‐mediated transcription associated with long‐term memory formation than did nobiletin alone, via a mechanism in which nobiletin and four other polymethoxyflavones, one being sinensetin, a potently CRE‐mediated transcription‐facilitating substance, cooperated. It remained unclear, however, whether nchinpi could be more effective in vivo in preventing memory deficits than could nobiletin alone. Here, we compared the impacts of the respective samples on N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor antagonism‐induced learning and memory disability.

Methods

The nchinpi extract or nobiletin was orally given to mice for 7 consecutive days to examine their respective impacts on this impairment on contextual fear conditioning test. In a separate analysis, sinensetin's impact was evaluated.

Results

Nchinpi extract at a dose corresponding to that of 25 mg/kg/day nobiletin prevented impaired memory formation, whereas nobiletin failed to exhibit such beneficial effects even when given at 50 mg/kg/day. Oral sinensetin prevented memory deficits at 25 mg/kg/day, unlike nobiletin.

Conclusion

Nchinpi acting in a multicomponent drug‐like fashion in vitro has an obvious advantage over nobiletin alone in the ability to prevent memory dysfunction in animals as well and, hence, might be beneficial in patients with dementia.
Homestead pond polyculture can improve access to nutritious small fish
Authors: Castine Sarah A. , Bogard Jessica R. , Barman Benoy K. , Karim Manjurul , Mokarrom Hossain Md. , Kunda Mrityunjoy , Mahfuzul Haque A. B. M. , Phillips Michael J. , Thilsted Shakuntala H.
Published: July 2017

In Bangladesh, homestead pond aquaculture currently comprises a polyculture of large fish species but provides an ideal environment to integrate a range of small fish species. Small fish consumed whole, with bones, head and eyes, are rich in micronutrients and are an integral part of diets, particularly for the poor. Results from three large projects demonstrate that the small fish, mola (Amblypharyngodon mola) contributes significantly to the micronutrients produced from all fish, in homestead ponds, in one production cycle. Mola contributed 98%, 56% and 35% of the total vitamin A, iron and zinc produced, respectively, despite comprising only 15% of the total fish production by weight. If consumed within the household, mola could contribute half of the vitamin A and a quarter of the iron intake recommended for a family of four, annually. Homestead ponds are uniquely accessible to women who prepare the household food. Further dissemination of the carp-small fish technology provides opportunities to target women and men together for training on fish production and consumption, nutrition and gender equity. Women only training is also recommended to enable them to engage fully, without feeling dominated by men. Partnering with the fisheries and health sectors will encourage sustainable uptake of this promising technology. Clearly, dissemination could have significant health benefits; however, improved monitoring and evaluation, particularly of dietary diversity and diet quality are essential. Research priorities should also include the production techniques of other small indigenous fish species (SIS), besides mola, and the power dynamics between women and men in operating homestead ponds.