bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The digital pill
Authors: Wong Steven , Chan Victoria
Published: March 2019

Compliance with prescription medication regimens is poor in patients who suffer from chronic conditions as well as from diseases that affect public health. It is thought that improving medication adherence can have a profound effect on patient health, though medication compliance remains a problem despite the availability of many modalities. Recently, digitalizing medication adherence was made possible by Proteus Digital Health, Inc using an ingestible sensor that emits an electric field upon digestion. This signal is detected by an externally worn adhesive monitor, which records the time at which the signal is received, along with other biometric markers such as heart rate. This system is currently under United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review for use in a combination pill that also contains aripiprazole, a partial dopamine agonist used for the treatment of certain serious psychiatric conditions. Digitalizing medication adherence can have tremendous applications in all fields of medicine, though issues of drug costs, patient privacy, and patient autonomy may need to be addressed.
Drugs as diagnostic tools
Authors: Arseneau Nicole , Muzlera Carlos
Published: March 2019

Mr Simon, age 36, presents to his family physician with concerns about his weight. He has gained 20 kg in the past 4 months, and has developed purple striae on his abdomen. His body mass index (BMI) is currently 34, and on physical examination, he is found to have a rounded face, a large dorsal fat pad, and a waist circumference of 112 cm. His blood pressure is elevated at 145/95 mmHg, while all other vitals are normal. He also mentions worsening acne on his face, shoulders, and upper back, as well as mild depression for the past 3 months. His past medical history is significant only for an appendectomy at age 10. He has no family history of diabetes, obesity, or cardiac disease. The only medication he has been on for the past 3 years is a multivitamin supplement. He does not smoke, drinks approximately 5 alcoholic drinks per week, and does not take any illicit drugs.
Cover art
Authors: Neferu Ramona
Published: March 2019

Cover art by Ramona Neferu. 

Description: The scene depicts various characters powering a complex system of contraptions by engaging in healthy habits and behaviours (exercise, cooking with whole foods, vaccinations, sun safety, screening, etc). The end result is good health through preventive medicine as depicted in the “Cup of Good Health”, and shows that preventive health equates to the additive and synergistic effects of multiple healthy habits by individuals and communities, as opposed to an unnecessary amount of medical involvement (or a supposedly magic pill or concoction) after a preventable condition occurs. The style of the piece was partially inspired by the Rube Goldberg machine, where a complicated chain reaction of events leads to a simple end goal. Although the message of Rube Goldberg machine depictions is generally that the system is over-engineered to complete a simple task, the aim of this cover art is to show that the seemingly overwhelming and complicated preventive medicine approach can be broken down into attainable habits and interventions in order to achieve benefit in the long run.
Does participation in family medicine interest group events at Canadian medical schools influence residency decisions?
Authors: Kim George , Mailloux Janina , Van de Kleut Caleb
Published: March 2019

Undergraduate medical students established family medicine interest groups (FMIGs) across Canada to enhance their exposure to family medicine as a medical specialty. However, there has been limited research performed to evaluate if FMIGs are fulfilling their role in promoting postgraduate training in family medicine. The objective of this study was to determine whether or not participation in FMIG events influenced the residency decisions of fourth year medical students attending the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. 32 fourth year students from the class of 2015 responded to an online survey. Overall, this study determined that FMIG events provided students with a greater understanding of the opportunities in family medicine (23/32), but did not influence residency decisions. The study was limited given the small cohort of medical students surveyed. In the future, it may be beneficial to pursue a Canada-wide research study of FMIGs to survey a larger number of students, and improve the validity and generalizability of the results.
Reduction of maternal and neonatal harm through prevention of the primary Cesarean section
Authors: Welton Andrew
Published: March 2019

While there are clear life-saving indications for Cesarean section (C-section), rates of this procedure have seen a continued rise without a concomitant improvement in maternal or neonatal outcomes. There is some evidence that outcomes may actually be worse for low-risk C-sections versus vaginal delivery. However, this is not necessarily common knowledge for healthcare providers, and therefore, their patients. Measures to safely reduce the C-section rate target management of labour arrest and specific indications for progression to C-section. In the active phase of the first stage of labour, C-section should be considered only in cases of failure to progress after 4 hours of adequate uterine contraction, or 6 hours of inadequate contraction. In the second stage of labour, expectant management of 3 hours of pushing in nulliparous women and 2 hours in multiparous women is safe and appropriate. Furthermore, manual rotation and operative vaginal delivery in the second stage are reasonable alternatives to C-section. Expectant management is also appropriate for certain non-reassuring fetal heart rate tracings. In post-dates pregnancies, induction of labour reduces both rates of C-section and neonatal mortality. Finally, evidence supports the use of external cephalic version in breech presentation as well as a more conservative approach to suspected macrosomia and multiple pregnancy. Taken together, these measures target the most common indications for progression to C-section and can allow us to safely reduce the C-section rate. Educating patients and physicians on the risks of the procedure and reasonable alternatives can improve outcomes for mothers and neonates.
Skin cancer
Authors: Chambers Spencer
Published: March 2019

Skin cancer is the most common type of neoplasm worldwide. Skin cancer can be classified as non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) or melanoma skin cancer (MSC). NMSCs are more common lesions, and typically carry a good prognosis. MSCs are rarer, but cause the majority of skin cancer-related death and morbidity. The biggest causative factor for any skin cancer is ultraviolet radiation exposure (UVR). UVR comes from the sun or synthetic sources such as tanning beds, making it highly avoidable through behavioral change. Despite this, the incidence of skin cancer in Canada has risen over the past decades at an alarming rate. There are many levels of preventive medicine currently in place attempting to change this trend. Primary strategies include wearing hats and protective clothing, as well as avoiding peak daytime hours and tanning beds. At a secondary level, clinical skin exams and public education work to identify disease at earlier stages to make treatments more effective. Both surgical and destructive management can be effective, but success is highly dependent on the stage of disease. Even with appropriate treatment there is a risk of complications including deformity, recurrence and even death. This emphasizes the best treatment for skin cancer is prevention and further underscores the need for behavioural changes at the population level.
Dermatoscopy in the evaluation of cutaneous lesions in patients with familial atypical multiple-mole melanoma syndrome
Authors: Bobotsis Robert , Chau Brandon
Published: March 2019

Skin cancer is currently the most common cancer type afflicting North Americans today and with an aging population the incidence is likely to increase. Certain skin cancers such as melanoma can result in significant morbidity and mortality especially if not identified and treated early. The traditional ABCDE rule (asymmetric shape, irregular borders, variation in colour, diameter >6 mm and evolution/elevation of the lesion) used to identify concerning tumours will in fact miss many early melanomas. This problem is exacerbated in patients with hereditary forms of melanoma such as Familial Atypical Multiple- Mole Melanoma (FAMMM) syndrome where multiple atypical nevi satisfying the ABCDE criteria are present and would therefore warrant biopsy. Most of these biopsies would be unnecessary and would increase the patient’s morbidity. Dermatoscopy is a clinical tool that provides a bridge between clinical and histopathologic evaluation and has proven to be helpful in triaging suspicious lesions in the general population and to be a first-line screening tool to increase the detection of early melanomas in patients with FAMMM.
A review of issues concerning implementation of cardiac rehabilitation programs
Authors: Danby Stuart , Yin Charles
Published: March 2019

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a tertiary preventative intervention for patients who have experienced adverse cardiac events such as a myocardial infarction (MI). Interdisciplinary CR teams focus on reducing multiple risk factors by addressing diet, exercise, and behavior change. CR programs have proven to be comparable in cost to other interventions for cardiac diseases, however the appropriate delivery of these programs faces multiple issues. One major barrier to effective delivery of CR programs is the lack of referral by the health care teams who assess cardiac patients. Other barriers are funding, team structure, and patient access to these programs. This article examines the issues facing CR delivery and possible ways to address them. Given the evidence for its efficacy and cost effectiveness, physicians should work to ensure proper CR referral and improved program delivery.
Cost Effective Technology of Alunite Ore Processing
Authors: Taghiyev Eldar I. , Tagijev Elšad , Agajeva Lale
Published: March 2019

Soda-alkaline method of alunite ore processing includes crushing, grinding and enrichment (flotation) of the alunite ore. Enriched alunite ore, containing 50 - 60% of alunite, is roasted at temperatures between 520о – 620о С for 1 – 3 hours. Roasted alunite is further leached with sodium carbonate solution (5–20 %). Proportion of sodium carbonate for binding of SO3 aluminum sulfate in alunite accounts for 100 – 110 % of stoichiometric quantities. Leaching takes place at temperatures around 70 – 100о С for 0.5 – 2.0 hours. Solution of the resulting pulp contains all the potassium sulfate from alunite and sodium sulfate from soda. Solution of sulfates is separated from the insoluble residue and is fed for conversion with potassium chloride. As result of this conversion we obtain quantities of potassium sulfate (fertilizer) and table (common) salt. The remaining insoluble residue contains all the aluminum oxide from alunite and waste rock. Further processing of the insoluble residue based on the Bayer out-of-autoclave process produces alumina and quartz sand. Besides alumina, this method makes it possible to get four times more the amount of potassium sulfate and certain volumes of table salt.

Taking into account the processing capacity of Ganja Alumina Plant (150,000 tons of alumina per year), this method allows the production of fertilizer, potassium sulfate (370,000 tons per year), coagulant for purification of water from mechanical impurities (49,000 tons per year), table salt (NaCl) (126,000 tons per year), and quartz sand for non-ferrous casting and production of construction materials (300,000 tons per year). Approximate yearly financial efficiency of the soda-alkaline technology for processing of 150,000 tons of alumina per year will be around 171,46 million USD.
Land Use Change and Urban Ecosystem Services: A Case Study of Urban Wetlands in a Rapidly Sprawling City in the Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico
Authors: Camacho-Valdez Vera , Tello-Alcaide Eva M. , Wootton Allen , Valencia-Barrera Emmanuel
Published: March 2019

Urban wetlands provide a wide range of ecosystem services that are important for human-well-being. Despite their social and environmental importance, the degradation of urban wetlands continues mainly due to land use changes induced by rapid urbanization. Estimating the impact of these changes on ecosystem services is crucial to support the decision-making process of city planners at different levels. In this study, the spatial extents of the urban wetlands of San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico were determined for the years 2001 and 2018 in order to relate the spatial changes between these years with the provision and economic value of ecosystem services. Google Earth and SPOT imagery were used to evaluate land use/land cover changes while international coefficients were used to assess the value of the ecosystem services by category. Findings reveal a 7.3% decrease in the urban wetland area and a 12.5% increase of urban areas during the study period. The ecosystem service valuation shows that the total value flow decreased around $5 million (2007 USD) during the 17-year period, mainly due to decreases in the potential for regulating and cultural services. The use of freely available land use/land cover data together with global ecosystem service estimates reduce the cost of ground data collection and provides quick and reliable information that could help decision makers with land use planning in the context of data-scarce regions.
PROSTHETIC MANAGEMENT OF ORAL SUBMUCOUS FIBROSIS: A CASE REPORT AN INNOVATIVE METHOD FOR FABRICATION OF SECTIONAL DENTURES
Authors: Kumari Sheela , Rai Rathika
Published: March 2019

Prosthetic rehabilitation of microstomia patients due to oral submucous fibrosis presents difficulties at all stages as the maximal oral opening is smaller than the size of a complete denture. Several techniques have been described for use when either standard impression trays or the denture itself becomes too difficult to place and remove from the mouth. This article describes a different design for the fabrication of maxillary and mandibular sectional trays to enable easier and efficient impression making in a patient with limited oral opening.
The Power of the Title "Why Have you Left the Horse Alone" by Maḥmūd Darwīsh
Authors: Taha Ibrahim
Published: March 2019

This article deals with various functions of the title of Darwīsh’s collection Why Have You Left the Horse Alone in three different contexts: as an independent and separate text; in relation to the poem in which it originally appeared; and in relation to all the poems in the collection. Our case discussion shows that the interpretation of the title means in fact a discussion of the entire text, or rather of all these texts. It also shows that the question/title has equally informative, rhetorical, provocative, and communicative facets, and as such our discussion grants it great summarizing and representational power. When all this power is given to the title as pre-text, it in essence also makes the title a post-text.
Michael G. Carter: A Bibliography
Authors: - -
Published: March 2019

A list of Mr. Carter's works.
Principles Behind the New Revised Edition of Brünnow and Fischer's "Arabische Chrestomathie": A Tribute to the Scholarly Methods of Michael G. Carter
Authors: Edzard Lutz
Published: March 2019

This paper examines the editorial principles underlying the eighth revised edition of Rudolf-Ernst Brünnow’s and August Fischer’s Arabische Chrestomathie aus Prosaschriftstellern, as carried out by Lutz Edzard and Amund Bjørsnøs. An essential feature of the added commentary to the text excerpts is the recourse to the methods and terminology in native Arabic grammatical theory. Throughout his career in research and teaching, Michael G. Carter has placed much weight on the appropriate application of native Arabic scholarship to an apt description and analysis of both Classical and Modern Standard Arabic, a principle also adopted in this new, eighth edition.
"Wilāyat al-faqīh" and Hizbullah's Relations with Iran
Authors: Alagha Joseph
Published: March 2019

Hizbullah in Lebanon has succeeded in employing Imām Khūmaynī’s theory of wilāyat al-faqīh (‘the guardianship of the jurisprudent’) as a cornerstone in its politico-religious ideology from 1978, molding, interpreting and adapting the original theory to suit Lebanese social and political conditions. In order to negotiate successive changes in the political system, Hizbullah has shifted its ideology to become a key player affecting the dynamic changes taking place in the Lebanese public sphere. However, it is assumed in many circles that Hizbullah is the proxy of Syria and Iran. Concentrating on the presumed Iranian influence, this article argues that Hizbullah has instead pursued an independent course of action in its attempt to influence the political system of Lebanon.
The "Pharaoh" Anecdote in Pre-Modern Arabic Historiography
Authors: Hirschler Konrad
Published: March 2019

This article examines the development of the pharaoh as a literary figure in Arabic historiography between the third/ninth and the ninth/fifteenth centuries. The first aim is to reflect upon the changing narrative structure of such anecdotes in texts ranging from the universal chronicle of al-Ṭabarī (d. 310/923) to the regional chronicle of al-Maqrīzī (d. 845/1442). The article’s second concern is to evaluate the plurality of meanings that emerged from these changes. This discussion is then linked to detailed consideration of the authors’ social contexts, with particular focus on that of al-Maqrīzī. The nexus between literary approach and social history that is proposed here offers a deeper understanding of the function of narrative resources that moved from text to text. Not only was this a salient feature of Arabic historiography, but also it allows us to reconsider the repeated appearance of such elements beyond describing them as simply ‘borrowing’ or ‘copying’. Indeed, the discussion concludes that authors skilfully drew from a pool of narrative devices and artfully established intertextual allusions across both time and genres.
Redefining Identity through Code Choice in "Al-Ḥubb fī ’l-manfā" by Bahāʾ Ṭāhir
Authors: Bassiouney Reem
Published: March 2019

This study examines the use of language and code choice in a modern Egyptian novel, al-Ḥubb fī ’l-manfā (Love in Exile) by Bahāʾ Ṭāhir (b. 1935). The study concentrates on the diglossic situation that prevails in the entire Arabic-speaking world, i.e. a situation in which there are two language varieties: a ‘High’ variety (standard Arabic) and a ‘Low’ one (vernacular dialects), each with a different function. The study will concentrate on the language varieties, or ‘codes’, used by the writer to depict dialogues between the different protagonists in the novel. The question posed is whether the dialogues in this, as well as in other novels published in Egypt and the Arab world, reflect realistic linguistic choices on the part of the protagonists, or whether this literature projects a different reality with different rules and language choices. If the latter case is true then language may be viewed as a tool to redefine reality and project different identities. It is argued that the choice of standard or vernacular has a discourse function, well as a creative one. This case study furthers our understanding of code choice in dialogue in the Arabic literature of Egypt, and of the Arab world in general.
Die "Marthiya" des Aʿshā Bāhila auf seinen Halbbruder al-Muntashir: Eine Thematische Untersuchung
Authors: Borg Gert
Published: March 2019

In some medieval anthologies of classical Arabic poetry we find a poem by the pre-Islamic poet Aʿshā Bāhila, who probably died in the beginning of the seventh century AD. This widely appreciated poem is a dirge in commemoration of his half-brother al-Muntashir b. Wahb, who died in battle. In this article, the poem is analysed and evaluated, and from the number of textual variants it becomes clear that both the text and the verse order are severely damaged. The number of transmissions of this poetic text can effectively be limited to three. A more essential factor that contributed to the dismembering of the text is that it may have become entangled with another dirge, composed by the sister of the deceased, Daʿjāʾ ukht al-Muntashir. Based on our knowledge of structure and thematic development of dirges composed by women, we are able to dissect these poems, and, in the process, we can ‘reconstruct’ both.
La Prose Amoureuse Arabo-Islamique: De l'isnād Traditionnel aux Sources Livresques
Authors: Balda-Tillier Monica
Published: March 2019

This article focuses on the method of transmission in aḫbār belonging tothe Arabic literary genre of love prose. The survey of the system ofquotations in thirteen love treatises written between the 4th/10th and the11th/17th centuries indicates that the traditional isnād, in which the names of the transmitters are included, was progressively abandoned. Authors starting from Muġulṭāy (d. 762/1361) chose instead to favour quotations of books by their titles, even though the preferred method of transmitting knowledge was still oral during the Mamluk period. Use of written ‘references’ not only indicates a formal change of conventional practice, but also implies the willingness of later authors to claim a kind ofauthorship in reshaping stories taken from old material.
Anglo-American ‘Traditional Islam’ and Its Discourse of Orthodoxy
Authors: Mathiesen Kasper
Published: March 2019

Since the late 1980’s a current or denomination that is often referred to as Traditional Islam has crystallised within the broader landscape of Sunni Islam in the English-speaking world. This analysis sheds light on Traditional Islam’s discourses of orthodoxy and orthopraxis, its historical narratives, rhetoric regarding contemporary Islam and how it construes the metastructure of Islam and the Islamic sciences. It is mainly based on essays by Nuh Ha Mim KELLER and Abdul Hakim MURAD and carves out an overview of contemporary Traditional Islam and its central fields of discourse and scholarly contention. Contemporary Traditional Islam’s understanding of Islam is established by reference to the famous ḥadīṯ Jibrīl that speaks of a tripartite structure of the religion consisting of islām, īmān and iḥsān. Through the specification of each of these subfields of revealed knowledge Traditional Islamic discourse instructs its adherents regarding the nature of orthodoxy and its understanding of the Islamic past, present and future. Traditional Islam’s discursive bid for orthodoxy challenges other strands and conceptualisations of normative Islam, not least those predominant within groups and currents associated within salafism, revivalism and reformism.
Metaphors of the Arab Spring: Figurative Construals of the Uprisings and Revolutions
Authors: Torlakova Ludmila
Published: March 2019

This paper presents some preliminary results of a project concerned with identifying and analyzing a number of Arabic metaphors used in political discourse to conceptualize the “Arab Spring.” It investigates how Modern Standard Arabic deals with new political and social issues. The study also deals with how particular metaphors were created. This requires examination from two directions: first, what kinds of language resources were used to communicate and evaluate what was happening and, second, what type of knowledge and experience was utilized as a source for the metaphors employed in the texts. Many of the metaphors are strongly connected with specific traditions, the Islamic context, and general cultural experi-ence, and some details concerning these areas are supplied.Key words: Arab Spring, political discourse, metaphor.
Significant Intersections between Legal and Rhetorical Theories: Lessons from an Interdisciplinary Reading of al-Bāqillānī’s Theory of Language
Authors: Friedman Rachel Anne
Published: March 2019

Abū Bakr al-Bāqillānī (d. 403/1013) was a preeminent scholar and an influential participant in a diverse range of Islamic discourses including the Ashʿarī school of theology and the Mālikī school of law. Al-Bāqillānī’s texts are often studied within the context of individual disciplines, but this article demonstrates that an interdisciplinary reading of his scholarly production uncovers significant areas of overlap. These intersections bring to light topics of sustained concern for al-Bāqillānī that crosscut his work and allow him to draw together various Islamic intellectual discourses. Through looking at three such intersections, on the topics of bayān, muḥkamāt and mutashābihāt, and the so-called Mysterious Letters, this article shows that al-Bāqillānī’s argument in favor of the clarity and eminent understandability of language, including all of the Qurʾān, is best understood through a cross-disciplinary reading of al-Bāqillānī’s oeuvre. Bringing to-gether al-Bāqillānī’s thought in the two seemingly disparate genres of uṣūl al-fiqh (legal theory) and iʿjāz al-Qurʾān (the inimitability of the Qurʾān) serves the dual purpose of examining the relationship between these fields and shedding light on al-Bāqillānī’s work across disciplines. It thus contributes to a more com-plete picture of the identity of a scholar who was concerned with providing a consistent and multifaceted theory of language within a broader synthesis of Islamic thought.Key words: Language, al-Bāqillānī, uṣūl al-fiqh, iʿjāz al-Qurʾān, bayān, interdisciplinary
h - Satiric Literature and Other “Popular” Literary Genres in Egypt Today
Authors: Jacquemond Richard
Published: March 2019

This article starts by describing some characteristics of current Egyptian popular literature, based on field observation at the Cairo 2016 book fair and a survey of the Egyptian authors available on the social network Goodreads, and puts the stress on the spectacular rejuvenation this market experienced in the last ten years. It focuses then on one of this market’s main genres, namely, satiric literature, and suggests through the analysis of various authors’ trajectories and works that it reveals a tension between reformism and subversion, a tension similar to the one that characterises the predicament of the Egyptian intelligentsia in the post-2011 context.Key words: Egypt, readership, bestsellers, satire, youth, reformism, subversion
THEMED SECTION (a-h, complete): Approaches to the Etymology of Arabic
Authors: Guth (ed.) Stephan
Published: March 2019

No abstract available.
(i) Father Figures
Authors: Yordanova Mihaila
Published: March 2019

No abstract available.
k - Le soufisme New Age des salles de yoga
Authors: Chams Dalia
Published: March 2019

In trendy yoga studios, a new type of Sufism practice is flourishing in Egypt, that we can call New Age Sufism. It’s merging traditional Sufi practices as ḏikr, with Zen meditation and yoga breathing techniques. People who attend this kind of sessions are more or less highly ranked; they are looking for another way to reach serenity and inner peace, to avoid post-revolution stress.This paper aims to analyse this kind of practice by first describing a Sufi meditation session, in order to explain how it creates a new type of Sufism New Age, more universal and not linked to a religion in particular. Then, it sheds light on the target group this neo-Sufism is attracting and the reasons behind these practises. At the end, the paper emphasises other related aspects of this phenomenon in the cultural field.
Membrane-modifying properties of hydrated fullerene C60 in combination with Spirulina platensis cell culture
Authors: Ovsyannikova Tatyana , Falko Oksana , Kovalenko Alina , Goloiad Michael , Lipina Olga , Chizhevskiy Victor
Published: March 2019

The study is devoted to the development of new promising nanocomponent compositions with membrane-modulating properties. The effect of a solution of hydrated fullerene C60 and a cell suspension of blue-green algae Spirulina platensis on the activity of free radical lipid peroxidation and oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria of rat liver was studied. Fullerene C60 and suspension of Spirulina platensis cells were administered to Wistar rats for 30 days, once a day, intragastrically, both jointly and singly. The rate of oxygen consumption of phosphorylating and non-phosphorylating mitochondria (in V3 and V4 states), the rate and efficiency of ADP phosphorylation (ADP/Δt and ADP/O), respiratory control coefficient (RC) were changed in rat liver mitochondria. In the same samples, the concentration of diene, triene, oxodiene, and tetraene fatty acids was measured. The results of our studies have shown that the solution of hydrated fullerene C60 serves as a structural modifier of the lipid bilayer of cell membranes, the effect of which can be corrected by using an antioxidant component such as a suspension of Spirulina platensis cells.
Cytotoxicity of carnosine, taxifolin, linalool and their combinations with acids to the cells of human cervical carcinoma (HeLa)
Authors: Rokaitytė Anita , Zaborskienė Gintarė , Baliukonienė Violeta , Jovaišienė Jurgita , Gustienė Sonata
Published: March 2019

Little information is available regarding possible synergistic or antagonistic biochemical interactions among different bioactive substances. The objective of this study was to investigate interactions between flavonoid (taxifolin, TXF), essential oil (linalool, LN), dipeptide (carnosine, CAR), vitamin (ascorbic acid, AA), lactic acid (LA), and their mixtures on cell apoptosis and proliferation-related variables in the human cervical cancer HeLa cells. The effect of the bioactive components on the viability of cultured cells was determined using the MTT assay, and the indirect quantification of cell death was determined with crystal violet dye. Using the MTT method, we found that LA (0.4 µM, 0.2 µM and 0.1 µM), TXF (1.0 mM, 0.5 mM and 0.3 mM) and CAR (50.0 mM, 25.0 mM and 13.0 mM) induced acute cytotoxic effects of HeLa cells after 24 h of treatment (P ≤ 0.05). The combination of the three compounds mixture (TXF, CAR and AA or LA) resulted in a significant lower percentage of cells number than the cells treated with that’s substances alone in different concentrations (P < 0.05). Our study demonstrated that combination treatment with CAR+TXF and addition of acids is able to induce intracellular acidification in cells, and to inhibit the viability of the cancer HeLa cells.
Influence of music therapy on the telomere length: a brief review and a pilot study
Authors: Spivak Irina M. , Smirnova Tatiana Yu. , Urazova Arina S. , Runov Andrey L. , Vasilishina Anastasia A. , Kropotov Andrey V. , Spivak Dimitri L.
Published: March 2019

Relation between music perception and telomere length is discussed. Telomeres are now considered as markers of general health and as possible predictor of life expectancy, while their length correlates with either the risk of age-related pathologies or with higher adaptive performance. The ability to withstand agerelated telomere shortening by means of practicing psychological training is discussed. Problems and prospects of present-day music therapy are reviewed, as well as absence of studies of alteration of telomere length, related to music perception. Sixty-three practically healthy young (aged 24 ± 5 years) randomly selected Russian-speaking students were divided into three subgroups, each of which listened to music of a specific type for 14 days, 90 minutes each day. Before and after the two-week course, the telomere length and telomerase activity in blood samples were measured. A limited but statistically reliable increase in the telomere length and in telomerase activity is demonstrated to have occurred as a result of completing the music course. Classical music tends to bring about less stress, positively affect one’s mood, and physiology, and, finally, such essential aging markers as telomerase activity and the telomere length. Non-classical music conditioned manifestation of some stress, which tended to affect the telomere length in a negative way. In order to cope with this difficulty, telomerase was activated.
The use of mathematical models for the regulation of hydrogenerator voltage control
Authors: Shkrabets Fedor , Radchenko Vitalij
Published: March 2019

The problem of increasing the efficiency level of hydrogenerator voltage control with regard to its systemic role – the mobile power reserve of the energy system – is considered. An analysis of existing technical solutions of circuits with self-excitation of the hydrogenerator shows the presence of unavoidable time constants of feedback circuits, significantly reducing the dynamic efficiency of voltage control systems. The development of solutions that eliminate the inertia of feedback increases the stability and dynamic efficiency of the main equipment of hydropower stations.
Improvement methods for solving the distribution network reconfiguration problem
Authors: Nguyen Ha Duc , Valeev Ilgiz Mirgalimovich
Published: March 2019

The paper presents methods for solving the distribution network reconfiguration problem based on heuristic algorithms. In particular, the study solved the distribution network reconfiguration problem for active power losses reduction. The application of the method to a sample network proved effective compared to other algorithms, especially in case of large-scale and complex systems. In addition, the paper considers the influence of the location and capacity of distributed generations on the distribution network reconfiguration problem in different cases. The results show that the distribution network reconfiguration problem combined with optimization location and size of distributed generations is the most efficient solution for minimizing power loss and enhancing voltage profile. The proposed methods have been also successfully applied in the small- and medium-scale practical radial distribution networks. The simulation results show that the proposed methods can be used as reference materials for network reconfiguration problems with single and multi-objectives.
Investigation of the energy efficiency of waste utilization technology, with considering the use of low-temperature separation of the resulting gas mixtures
Authors: Vambol Sergij , Vambol Viola , Sobyna Vitaliy , Koloskov Volodymyr , Poberezhna Liubov
Published: March 2019

Currently, there are existing technologies for high-temperature waste disposal, which use the resulting gas as fuel for recycling newly formed waste. However, the composition of waste is not constant, and contents of their components are different, thus, the need for fuel gas for burning is not stable. Therefore, such gas is constantly lost. Thus, the purpose of the article is to present the study results of the energy efficiency of high-temperature waste disposal technology, which includes low-temperature separation of the resulting gas mixtures, which allows accumulating fuel products. By means of numerical simulation an analysis of the functioning of energy-technological facility of separation of multicomponent hydrocarbon mixtures with the subsequent optimization of its parameters in order to improve its efficiency and decrease energy costs for waste gasification was performed. For this purpose, the classical approach and generally accepted thermodynamics relations were used, including the Peng-Robinson equation of state for the description of coefficients of heat-physical characteristics of working bodies. The complexity of calculation of multicomponent systems (with three and more components) does not allow application of the state diagrams. Thus, for the simulation of heat-physical characteristics the REFPROP program was employed. The energy efficiency of the proposed technology of energy resources production at waste utilization was shown. The amount of products obtained by the facility is equal to 5.242 kg/hour of the fuel product No. 1 with methane content of 99.98% and 54.76 kg/hour of the fuel product No. 2 with low quantity of methane. This confirms the economic efficiency of such technology of disposal.
Lietuvos upių ekologinio nuotėkio vertinimas
Authors: Gailiušis Brunonas , Adžgauskas Gintaras , Tomkevičienė Aldona , Meilutytė-Lukauskienė Diana
Published: March 2019

Tvenkiniai daro įtaką reguliuotų upių vandens organizmams, upės nuotėkiui, tvenkinio krantams ir upės vagai, požeminiams vandenims bei kraštovaizdžiui. Šiuo metu galiojantys teisės aktai reglamentuoja gamtosaugos debitą kaip 30 parų minimalaus debito dalį. Šis debitas tenkina tik minimalius vandens ekosistemos poreikius ir nepriklauso nuo metų vandeningumo. Tokia gamtosaugos debito apskaičiavimo praktika hidroelektrinėms palieka hidropikingo galimybę.
Straipsnyje aptariami kai kurie Lietuvos mažų ir vidutinių upių tvenkinių eksploatacijos aspektai. Siūloma vietoje gamtosaugos debito reguliuotai upei žemiau tvenkinio nustatyti ekologinį nuotėkį. Svarbiausia sąlyga apskaičiuojant ekologinį nuotėkį – tvenkinio lygių ir reguliuotos upės debitų kaitos panašumas su natūralių ežerų ir upių režimu. Nustatyta, kad neištirtų upių prietaka į tvenkinį ir ekologinis nuotėkis gali būti apskaičiuoti iš atraminių vandens matavimo stočių duomenų kiekviename 15 Lietuvos upių baseinų. Siekiant reguliuotų upių geros ekologinės būklės, siūloma tobulinti HE turbinas, leidžiančias naudoti upės nuotėkį HE plačiame debitų kaitos intervale, išvengiant pikinio darbo režimo (hidropikingo).
Management of Immunotherapy-Related Toxicities, Version 1.2019, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology
Authors: Thompson John A. , Schneider Bryan J. , Brahmer Julie , Andrews Stephanie , Armand Philippe , Bhatia Shailender , Budde Lihua E. , Costa Luciano , Davies Marianne , Dunnington David , Ernstoff Marc S. , Frigault Matthew , Hoffner Brianna , Hoimes Christopher J. , Lacouture Mario , Locke Frederick , Lunning Matthew , Mohindra Nisha A. , Naidoo Jarushka , Olszanski Anthony J. , Oluwole Olalekan , Patel Sandip P. , Reddy Sunil , Ryder Mabel , Santomasso Bianca , Shofer Scott , Sosman Jeffrey A. , Wahidi Momen , Wang Yinghong , Johnson-Chilla Alyse , Scavone Jillian L.
Published: March 2019

The aim of the NCCN Guidelines for Management of Immunotherapy-Related Toxicities is to provide guidance on the management of immune-related adverse events resulting from cancer immunotherapy. The NCCN Management of Immunotherapy-Related Toxicities Panel is an interdisciplinary group of representatives from NCCN Member Institutions and ASCO, consisting of medical and hematologic oncologists with expertise in a wide array of disease sites, and experts from the fields of dermatology, gastroenterology, neuro-oncology, nephrology, emergency medicine, cardiology, oncology nursing, and patient advocacy. Several panel representatives are members of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC). The initial version of the NCCN Guidelines was designed in general alignment with recommendations published by ASCO and SITC. The content featured in this issue is an excerpt of the recommendations for managing toxicity related to immune checkpoint blockade and a review of existing evidence. For the full version of the NCCN Guidelines, including recommendations for managing toxicities related to chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, visitNCCN.org.
Impact of FDI Inflow on Average Wage and Employment in Serbia
Authors: Perić Milica
Published: March 2019

Research question: This research comes to examine the impact of FDI inflow on average wage and on employment in Serbia in the period 2005-2017. Motivation: FDI tendentiously increases the economic growth rates, taking into consideration the fact that developed economies benefit from FDI because their local institutions are more productive, while developing countries benefit from “pieces“ of FDI, i.e., dissemination of technology and rarely evoke some relevant progress in economic growth. Despite the growing research in the FDI field, the scientific literature on average wage and employment in relation to FDI Inflow in Serbia is limited, which is the motivation to conduct this research. Idea: Therefore, the aim of this research is to estimate the relationship between FDI Inflow and average wage and employment. Data: The data are obtained from the official sites of the National Bank of Serbia and from the Statistical Office of Serbia. Tools: The methodology used is the multiple Linear Regression Model, applying the IBM SPSS software, in order to identify the impact of FDI Inflow on average wage and on employment using time lags. Findings: The results prove the absence of significant impact of FDI inflow on average wage and on employment within the country. The highest positive impact of FDI inflow appears to be in the year the inflow occurs for average wage, and in the second year of FDI inflow performance for employment. Contribution: This paper contributes to the awareness of low impact of FDI inflow on average wage and on employment in Serbia. Moreover, this research covers the gap in the literature in the field of FDI inflow in relation to average wage and employment within the country
The Prototype of a Wideband Ku-Band Conical Corrugated Horn Antenna with 3-D Printing Technology
Authors: Carkaci M. E. , Secmen M.
Published: March 2019

This study is about the design and production of a conical corrugated horn antenna used to feed reflector antennas in satellite communication (direct broadcast satellite-DBS) systems. The antenna designed with CST Microwave Studio program operates within wideband of 10.5-18.5 GHz at Ku-band. The prototype is realized with new generation 3D printing technology and conductive paint coating method, which makes the antenna lightweight and provides low cost and faster production. According to measurement results, the antenna has return loss almost better than 20 dB, gain value of minimum 14.5 dBi and sidelobe level of -18 dB at most within 1.76:1 frequency bandwidth. Antenna is observed to have a gain loss of at most 1.5-2 dB within the band as compared to the same antenna with high conductivity metal, which needs higher cost and production time for the manufacturing.
An Inverse Scattering Approach Based on Inhomogeneous Medium Green's Functions for Microwave Imaging of Brain Strokes
Authors: Konakyeri Arıcı E. , Yapar A.
Published: March 2019

In this study, an inverse scattering approach is investigated for the detection and imaging of an abnormal structure (a bleeding or a stroke) inside the human brain. The method is mainly based on the solution of an integral equation whose kernel is the Green’s function of the inhomogeneous medium (corresponding to a human head model) which is obtained by a numerical approach based on Method of Moments (MoM). In this context, an inverse scattering problem related to the difference of healthy and unhealthy brain models is formulated and a difference function is obtained which indicates the region where the anomaly is located by solving this inverse problem. In order to reduce the reflection effects caused by the electromagnetic differences between the free space and the brain, a matching medium is used as the background space.
Identification of an eight-gene signature for survival prediction for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma based on integrated bioinformatics analysis
Authors: Qiao Guo-jie , Chen Liang , Wu Jin-cai , Li Zhou-ri
Published: March 2019

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Despite recent advances in imaging techniques and therapeutic intervention for HCC, the low overall 5-year survival rate of HCC patients remains unsatisfactory. This study aims to find a gene signature to predict clinical outcomes in HCC.

Methods

Bioinformatics analysis including Cox’s regression analysis, Kaplan-Meier (KM) and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis and the random survival forest algorithm were performed to mine the expression profiles of 553 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) public database.

Results

We selected a signature comprising eight protein-coding genes (DCAF13, FAM163A, GPR18, LRP10, PVRIG, S100A9, SGCB, and TNNI3K) in the training dataset (AUC = 0.77 at five years, n = 332). The signature stratified patients into high- and low-risk groups with significantly different survival in the training dataset (median 2.20 vs. 8.93 years, log-rank test P < 0.001) and in the test dataset (median 2.68 vs. 4.24 years, log-rank test P = 0.004, n = 221, GSE14520). Further multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the signature was an independent prognostic factor for patients with HCC. Compared with TNM stage and another reported three-gene model, the signature displayed improved survival prediction power in entire dataset (AUC signature = 0.66 vs. AUC TNM = 0.64 vs. AUC gene model = 0.60, n = 553). Stratification analysis shows that it can be used as an auxiliary marker for many traditional staging models.

Conclusions

We constructed an eight-gene signature that can be a novel prognostic marker to predict the survival of HCC patients.
Effects of handling and short-term captivity: a multi-behaviour approach using red sea urchins, Mesocentrotus franciscanus
Authors: Bose Aneesh P.H. , Zayonc Daniel , Avrantinis Nikolaos , Ficzycz Natasha , Fischer-Rush Jonathan , Francis Fiona T. , Gray Siobhan , Manning Faye , Robb Haley , Schmidt Coralee , Spice Christine , Umedaly Aari , Warden Jeff , Côté Isabelle M.
Published: March 2019

Understanding the effects of captivity-induced stress on wild-caught animals after their release back into the wild is critical for the long-term success of relocation and reintroduction programs. To date, most of the research on captivity stress has focused on vertebrates, with far less attention paid to invertebrates. Here, we examine the effect of short-term captivity (i.e., up to four days) on self-righting, aggregation, and predator-escape behaviours in wild-caught red sea urchins, Mesocentrotus franciscanus, after their release back into the wild. Aggregation behaviour, which has been linked to feeding in sea urchins, was not affected by handling or captivity. In contrast, the sea urchins that had been handled and released immediately, as well as those that were handled and held captive, took longer to right themselves and were poorer at fleeing from predators than wild, unhandled sea urchins. These results indicate that handling rather than captivity impaired these behaviours in the short term. The duration of captivity did not influence the sea urchin behaviours examined. Longer-term monitoring is needed to establish what the fitness consequences of these short-term behavioural changes might be. Our study nevertheless highlights the importance of considering a suite of responses when examining the effects of capture and captivity. Our findings, which are based on a locally abundant species, can inform translocation efforts aimed at bolstering populations of ecologically similar but depleted invertebrate species to retain or restore important ecosystem functions.