bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Distribution of EU-Funded Projects Relating to Social Policy in Lithuanian Municipalities in 2004–2006 and 2007–2013
Authors: Ūselytė-Kravčionok Monika
Published: December 2018

From the start of membership in the European Union (EU), Lithuania implemented two EU funding periods, from 2004 to 2006 and from 2007 to 2013. The current funding period for 2014–2020 is not covered. During each period, different goals were raised. The first period was dedicated for infrastructure projects which was important to provide the basis for further development. Mostly social service centers, pre-primary education institutions, elderly care centers, schools and other social service infrastructure have been improved or developed. During the second financing period, the aim of projects was to develop social dialogue, services and service quality assurance, life-long education and human resources. Because of the absence of knowledge how EU-funded projects are distributed by Lithuanian municipalities this article attempts to answer this question. This article presents the distribution of EU-funded social policy projects in Lithuanian municipalities. All projects are quantitatively mapped.
The analysis of the maps divides municipalities into five categories according to the number of implemented projects. During the first funding period, projects were unevenly distributed in municipalities, but the gap between the major cities of Lithuania was quite proportional to the size of municipalities. During the second funding period, Vilnius and Kaunas municipalities increased the number of realised projects by four and five times, respectively.
For the whole period 2004–2013, the largest potential of EU-funded projects was realised in the two major cities of Lithuania, Vilnius and Kaunas, with a disproportionate gap between them and both the third largest city and other municipalities.
Defining the Local Leadership Profile: What is the Best Mayor for Lithuanian Citizens?
Authors: Lazauskienė Aistė , Bučaitė-Vilkė Jurga
Published: December 2018

The article focuses on the changes in local political leadership and political identity emphasizing different dimensions of the social and political capital of the municipality mayor. The main objective is to reveal how different societal groups perceive the political, administrative and community experience of the mayor determining the complex profiles of local political leadership and role in local communities. The theoretical discussion is complemented with the results of the representative public opinion survey of Lithuanian inhabitants performed in February–March 2016. The empirical results reveal different perceptions of the mayor image which is more based on the ‘managerial’ leadership style rather than considering him as a politician. The relationships with the local community are perceived as less significant which also reveals the weak identification within local issues and fragmented social interactions with a variety of interest groups. The results contribute to the discussion on different value profiles and patterns of residents towards collective action and local political identity.
“We Do Not Need This Chaos”: Attitudes of the Lithuanian People Towards Refugees
Authors: Janušauskienė Diana
Published: December 2018

This article analyses attitudes of the Lithuanian people towards refugees, and is based on the empirical research carried out at the Institute of Sociology, Lithuanian Social Research Centre, in 2016. Taking into consideration the results of the previous research on the factors that determine the attitudes towards refugees, this article looks at the peculiarities of the attitudes of the Lithuanian people. The article argues that people are very sceptical and concerned about refugees coming to Lithuania and, in particular, tend to place first the negative consequences of migration. The attitudes of the people are determined by general intolerance towards ‘other’ people, as well as by the negative image of the refugees created by the media.
Disciplining the Disciplined? ‘Culture of Confession’ in Academic Discourse in Poland
Authors: Ostrowicka Helena , Spychalska-Stasiak Justyna
Published: December 2018

The article consists of two major parts: theoretical-methodological and empirical. It begins with introducing the theoretical background of Foucault’s confessing society concept. The concept explores the functional relationship between academic discourse and confession the aim of which is to acquire data, information and knowledge about the characteristics and states of the subjects. The second part of the paper presents the results of the analysis of ‘the practices of confession’ in the current academic discourse in Poland. The empirical material comprises texts published in the monthly periodical Forum Akademickie. The studies provided answers to four fundamental questions: Who confesses? What is the object of confession? What is the form of the confession? Who/what encourages the confession? In conclusion, the authors reflect on what kind of ‘truth’ about the university is produced by academic confessions. The study shows that academic discourse co-creates the ‘culture of confession’ in public statements about the Academics’ biographies, choices and career plans, by revealing the ‘secrets’ of scientific work. The mechanisms of the production of ‘the truth’ about university work in two areas: in the relation of scientists to society and in relations between the Academics.
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY: PROBLEM OR PROJECT BASED ON LEARNING?
Authors: AGINAKO ARRI ZALOA , GARMENDIA MUJIKA MIKEL , BEZANILLA  ALBISUA Mª JOSÉ , SOLABERRIETA MENDEZ ENEKO
Published: December 2018

In engineering education, when choosing methodologies to promote the development of professional skills that satisfy both, the requirements of the evaluation agencies and employers, two options, among others, are being considered: Problem-based learning (PBL) and Project-based learning (PjBL).However, there is a certain discrepancy in published research regarding to the suitability of applying one or other methodology, and about the way they should be integrated into the engineering academic programs. Moreover, no meta-analysis using a significant number of subjects has been found in the literature that quantitatively compares the influence of both methodologies to the development of professional skills. This study makes a first approach using the students' assessment of the methodologies, with a questionnaire, as common comparison test. A set of statistical tests of comparison of means values were conducted between two groups of students (PjBL and PBL students). The results show that project-based learning seems to have more influence to develop professional skills in engineering studies at the University of the Basque Country
A NOVEL METHOD FOR STRATEGIC DECISION MAKING BASED ON PROJECT MANAGEMENT MATURITY
Authors: TOLEDO GANDARIAS NEREA , OTEGI OLASO JOSE RAMON
Published: December 2018

This paper presents a novel method to evaluate the maturity of projects and organizations in order to minimize the risks. It is assumed that the higher the project management maturity (PMM) level is, the higher the performance of projects is, but a high PMM level requires investment. So far, the maturity of the major stakeholders to ensure they have enough competence to perform successfully, project complexity and success have not been considered by maturity evaluation methods. in this paper we go a step forward and investigate the relationship between those elements. As a result of this research, we present a novel model to evaluate the maturity of the Client and the Contractor and the complexity of the projects.. We have applied our model in qualitative research studies and demonstrate that it is a concise and useful framework for companies that seek optimum maturity levels. Our method is useful when the trust among organizations is low, and it provides stronger position to organizations facing a business opportunity.

Keywords: Project management maturity, project complexity, business strategy
DETERMINATION OF THE STRAIN HARDENING LAW OF ELECTROLITIC COPPER PROCESSED BY WIREDARWING
Authors: RODRIGUEZ ALABANDA OSCAR , GUERRERO VACAS GUILLERMO , SEVILLA HURTADO LORENZO , ROMERO CARRILLO PABLO EDUARDO
Published: December 2018

In the industrial process of multi-stage sequential drawing, the previously annealed wire is passed through a series of rows arranged consecutively by means of a traction system, progressively reducing its section while its length increases, causing the metal to harden.
In the present work a complete study of the material has been made, before and during the multi-stage wiredrawing process, to know the evolution of its main mechanical properties when being processed by drawing in successive stages.
The results obtained have allowed to establish a hardening law with great utility to predict the plastic behaviour of this metal when it is transformed by this process.
The study has been completed with a series of FEM simulations performed on the method of finite element analysis which have allowed to implement the behaviour law established from the experimental work and analyze the sequential process by numerical method.

Key Words: wire drawing, electrolytic copper, finite element method, mechanical properties, strain hardening
AMPLITUDE ATTENUATION LAWS OF ACOUSTIC EMISSION WAVES IN PLATE STRUCTURES
Authors: ZHANG JIANCHAO , HAO RUJIANG , GU XIAOHUI
Published: December 2018

Although acoustic emission technology has been used in the nondestructive testing of various plate structures, its further application and development remain limited because the laws governing the amplitude attenuation of acoustic emission waves in plate structures remain unclear. This study aimed to reveal the amplitude attenuation laws of acoustic emission waves in plate structures. Thus, in this study, the traditional model of amplitude attenuation, which is in the form of an exponential function, was improved in reference to cylindrical waves, and an amplitude attenuation model in the form of a power function suitable for plate structures was proposed. Moreover, an experimental system for the attenuation of acoustic emission waves in aluminum alloy plates was established to experimentally verify the proposed model. Finally, the amplitude attenuation laws of acoustic emission waves within the full field, near field, and far field of plate structures were discussed. Results show that the amplitude attenuation laws of acoustic emission waves within the full field, near field, and far field of plate structures all conform to the power function model and gradually reduce as propagation distance increases. In addition, the improved amplitude attenuation model better corresponds with the actual amplitude attenuation trend within the near-field range of the acoustic emission source than other forms of amplitude attenuation models. Specifically, the traditional model of amplitude attenuation model agrees with the actual attenuation laws of acoustic emission waves only within the far-field range of the acoustic emission source. The results of this study provide valuable references for the profound analysis of the propagation characteristics of acoustic emission waves in plate structures and will help promote the development and application of acoustic emission technology.

Keywords: Acoustic emission waves, Amplitude, Attenuation, Laws, Plate
LHC CELEBRATES 10 YEARS
Authors: BOSMAN MARTINE
Published: December 2018

The CERN Large Hadron Collider is a complex machine consisting of a 27 km underground ring where protons circulate in opposite directions and collide at a new energy frontier. The goal is to progress in the understanding of the fundamental structure of matter. Large detectors surround the collision points. They are capable of detecting all the particles produced in the proton collisions. The first 10 years of operation of the machine lead to the discovery of the Higgs boson, en important milestone for particle physics. Spanish research groups and industry participated in the construction. This participation generates returns. The future High Luminosity LHC upgrade will provide new opportunities.
Integrating the extracellular, intracellular, and intercellular pathogenic processes of the microbiome through glucose saturation, inhibition of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase subunit accA with asRNA, and through quantifying cell-to-cell quorum sensing
Authors: Hillman Tatiana
Published: December 2018

Bacteria ferment the glucose, from fiber, into Short Chain Fatty Acids, which help regulate many biochemical processes and pathways. We cultured Escherichia coli in Luria Broth enhanced with 15mM and 5mM of glucose. The 15mM concentration of qPCR products measured , for the target gene accA was 4,210 ng/μL. The 7.5μM sample had a concentration equaled to 375 ng/μL, and the 0μM sample had an accA concentration of 196 ng/μL. The gene accA, 1 of 4 subunits for the Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase enzyme, was suppressed by asRNA, producing a qPCR concentration of 63ng/μL. Antisense RNA for accA reduced the amount of Lux-S, a vital gene needed for propagating quorum-sensing signal molecules. Our purpose was to provide a more cumulative perspective for the pathogenesis of disease within the microbiome.
A Pragmatic Cross-Cultural Study of Complaints Expressions in Jordan and England
Authors: Al-Khawaldeh Nisreen
Published: December 2018

Research shows an increasing interest in the area of cross-cultural pragmatics due to the existence of diverse problematic pragmatic norms (Al-Khawaldeh and Zegarac, 2013). It has been found that identifying cross-cultural differences in linguistic expression and socio-pragmatic norms of communicative acts would help to reduce problems in cross-cultural communication (Meier, 2010). To the best of the researcher's knowledge, no study has been conducted to compare the linguistic expression of complaining by Jordanian native speakers of Arabic and native speakers of English. To bridge the research gap, this study compares the number and types of politeness strategies that Jordanian native speakers of Arabic and native speakers of English use to complain. The study investigates the cultural styles and politeness strategies used by Jordanian native speakers Arabic and native speakers of English for expressing complaints. The analysis of the Discourse-Completion Tasks’ (DCT) results revealed that eleven complaints strategies were the most commonly-used by both groups, namely opting out, general annoyance, direct threat, accusation, prayer, advice, irony, rejoinder that shows no disapproval, exclamation, request for repair, and request for explanation. These strategies are manifested in the speech of both languages to save the hearer's face and remain polite when performing the inherently face-threatening speech act of complaint. Though both groups used various complaints strategies at overall frequencies that were closer, they were statistically distinguishable in the type of the linguistic expression of complaints, i.e. opting out and prayer. The results are then discussed from the universality and cultures-specificity perspective.
Singing in Translation: A Different Echo of Toyor Baby Songs
Authors: Affeich Andree , Bou Ali Maysaa
Published: December 2018

While translating, several factors must be considered, such as cultural differences, sentence structure, word choice, etc. Through this article, we aim to study the challenges of translating children’s songs and how rhythm and rhyme add further problems and difficulties to the translation process. In this type of translation, other elements are added to the equation where the choice of words for instance is bound by finding rhyming equivalents, and the translator must keep in mind the target audience, i.e. children, which requires the use of expressions that are easy and simple. Such considerations might consequently lead to changes in meaning on top of the changes in structure. This study will mostly focus on the methods and techniques adopted by the translators of children’s songs and will answer questions such as: how was the target language tailored to produce understandable and coherent songs carrying the messages and morals of the original? To what extent did the meaning of the target songs differ from that of the original songs? What are the techniques adopted and were they successful enough in producing songs faithful to the original ones?
Detection of human papillomavirus in cases of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by RNA‐seq and VirTect
Authors: Khan Atlas , Liu Qian , Chen Xuelian , Stucky Andres , Sedghizadeh Parish P. , Adelpour Daniel , Zhang Xi , Wang Kai , Zhong Jiang F.
Published: December 2018

Next‐generation sequencing provides an opportunity to detect viral species from RNA‐seq data of human tissues, but existing computational approaches do not perform optimally on clinical samples. We developed a bioinformatic method called VirTect for detecting viruses in neoplastic human tissues using RNA‐seq data. Here, we used VirTect to analyze RNA‐seq data from 363 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients and identified 22 human papillomavirus (HPV)‐induced HNSCCs. These predictions were validated by manual review of pathology reports on histopathologic specimens. VirTect showed better performance in recall and accuracy compared to the two existing prediction methods, VirusFinder and VirusSeq, in identifying viral sequences from RNA‐seq data. The majority of HPV carcinogenesis studies thus far have been performed on cervical cancer and generalized to HNSCC. Our results suggest that carcinogenesis of HPV‐induced HNSCC and other cases of HNSCC involve different genes, so understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms will have a significant impact on therapeutic approaches and outcomes. In summary, RNA‐seq together with VirTect can be an effective solution for the detection of viruses from tumor samples and can facilitate the clinicopathologic characterization of various types of cancers with broad applications for oncology.
Ashur
Authors: Frahm Eckart
Published: December 2018

Ashur (modern Qal‛at Širqāṭ, located 110 km south of Mosul on the right bank of the Tigris), was the religious, and for much of its history, the political center of the land of Assyria. The city's beginnings can be traced back to the third millennium
bce
. Ashur suffered major destruction by Median troops in 614
bce
but remained an important local town until the Sasanian conquest.
Hermopolis Magna (Greco‐Roman)
Authors: Maehler Herwig
Published: December 2018

Hermopolis Magna is situated on the west bank of the Nile some 40 km south of el‐Minia and 7 km north of Mellawi. Ever since the Old Kingdom, it had been an important cult center of Thoth, who was identified with Hermes by the Greeks.
Heroninos Archive
Authors: Rathbone Dominic
Published: December 2018

The Heroninos Archive is a group of over 400 letters and accounts in Greek which reveal many details of the Appianus estate, a very large private estate in the Fayyum area of Egypt in the mid‐third century
ce
. These details include its physical composition, types of agriculture practiced, labor force, and complex systems of management and accounting.
Apuleius
Authors: Harrison Stephen J.
Published: December 2018

Writer, sophistic performer and Platonizing philosopher, ca. 125–after 170
ce
. Born and educated in Roman North Africa; studied in Athens and Rome, based in Carthage in the 160 s
ce
. Author of the
Metamorphoses
or
Golden Ass
(prose fiction),
Apologia
(self‐defense in court),
Florida
(extracts from declamations),
De Deo Socratis
(declamation) and a range of other works, mostly lost.
Psalms of Solomon
Authors: Atkinson Kenneth
Published: December 2018

The
Psalms of Solomon
is a collection of eighteen pseudonymous poems that recount an unknown Jewish community's response to the 63
bce
Roman conquest of Jerusalem.
Prostates
Authors: Zelnick‐Abramovitz Rachel
Published: December 2018

The
prostates
is a person who “stands before” or “in front,” but the word's semantic array is wider: it can mean protector, guardian, leader (political or military), and supervisor. In these functions, the
prostates
could act for a whole community,
polis
, or an individual – a metic or a manumitted slave.
Amenhotep (Amenophis) I–III
Authors: Dodson Aidan
Published: December 2018

Amenhotep I, Amenhotep II, and Amenhotep III, kings of Egypt during the 18th Dynasty, who reigned respectively around the late sixteenth, late fifteenth, and mid‐fourteenth centuries
bce
.
Animal mummies
Authors: Ikram Salima
Published: December 2018

The Egyptians mummified humans and other animals in order to preserve the body so that it could serve as a host for the soul throughout eternity. Many species of animals were mummified, ranging from scarab beetles to cattle to crocodiles. The mummified animals were of different types: pets, victual, sacred, votive, false/fake, and other, possibly protective.
Horemheb
Authors: Dodson Aidan
Published: December 2018

Horemheb, king of Egypt at the end of the 18th Dynasty, who reigned around the beginning of the thirteenth century
bce
.
Sheshonq I–
VI
Authors: Dodson Aidan
Published: December 2018

Shoshenq I, Shoshenq IIa, Shoshenq IIb, Shoshenq III, Shoshenq IV, Shoshenq V, and Shoshenq VI, kings (or potential kings in the case of IIa–c) of Egypt or part of Egypt during the 22nd and 23rd Dynasties, who reigned between the mid‐tenth and early eighth centuries
bce
.
Vesuvius
Authors: Scarpati Claudio , Perrotta Annamaria
Published: December 2018

Somma‐Vesuvius, located near Naples, produced large explosive eruptions (Plinian) that devastated the territory around the volcano and more frequent weaker explosive and effusive episodes. Villages and towns were destroyed and buried during the Bronze Age, the Roman period (e.g., Pompeii and Herculaneum), and the most recent activity cycle (1631–1944).
Cortona
Authors: Fracchia Helena
Published: December 2018

Cortona, in central Tuscany, allegedly founded by the Trojan hero Dardanos, was first mentioned by Herodotus (1.57) and later by Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Lycophron, and Silius Italicus: the settlement's ancient importance is documented archaeologically by a Villanovan village, Etruscan monumental grave circles, and a meeting house, an Etruscan palatial complex, by large princely burial tumuli (eighth to sixth centuries
bce
) and later chamber tombs (fourth to third centuries
bce
).
Roads, Roman Empire
Authors: Bekker‐Nielsen Tønnes
Published: December 2018

Compared to other premodern empires, the road network of the Roman Empire is set apart not only by its extent (now estimated at more than 100,000 km) but by its structure.
Tribuni plebis
Authors: Kondratieff Eric J.
Published: December 2018

Ancient sources relate that the tribunes of the plebs were created in the first plebeian secession (494–493
bce
) to act as officers for the assembly of the plebs, to pass resolutions (plebiscites) binding on the plebs, and to defend the plebs and their property against abusive magistrates. By 287
bce
, the tribunate had become Rome's principal legislative institution, its plebiscites binding on all Roman citizens. Through aggressive use of their legislative and obstructive powers,
popularis
tribunes of the later second century
bce
helped spark off the so‐called “Roman Revolution,” a century of civil and military conflict that culminated in the establishment of the Augustan principate and the reduction of the tribunate to an urban administrative position. Nevertheless, literary and epigraphic evidence indicates that the office of
tribunus plebis
continued as an important step on the
cursus honorum
into the late imperial era.
Scribes, Egypt
Authors: Imhausen Annette
Published: December 2018

The title “scribe” is attested since the Old Kingdom, ca. 2686–2160
bce
(for the earliest attestation of the scribal profession in the Pyramid texts).
Ninhursaga
Authors: Gadotti Alhena
Published: December 2018

Ninhursaga was a Mesopotamian goddess especially popular during the third millennium
bce
. Attested in documents from the mid‐third millennium onward, she played a crucial role in Mesopotamian religious thought until the beginning of the second millennium, when she was displaced by other goddesses.
Nutmeg
Authors: King Charles W.
Published: December 2018

Nutmeg is a spice that eventually passed from Indonesia to world‐wide usage and popularity. Its history and distribution prior to the early Middle Ages remain, however, very uncertain.
Social mobility, Pharaonic Egypt
Authors: Moreno García Juan Carlos
Published: December 2018

Social mobility in pharaonic Egypt was the consequence of periodic rearrangements of resources as a result of family cycles, economic hardship, inheritance division, political struggle, and development of the royal administration. Some people and social groups benefited from these occurrences to accumulate wealth and status and to ascend the social ladder, while other groups and individuals lost their property and became impoverished. Owing to the very nature of the sources preserved, links with the institutional sphere (temples, the crown, dignitaries, state departments, etc.) appear as crucial tools for social elevation, but they also opened the path to conflict and competition that might finally lead to instability and political struggles. However, there is also evidence about other means of social mobility, especially by private accumulation of wealth based on trade, specialized craftsmanship, and so on, developed by economically autonomous people, business‐women, traders, and wealthy peasants, among others.
Albright, William F. (1891–1971)
Authors: Winitzer Abraham
Published: December 2018

William F. Albright was a major twentieth‐century historian of the ancient Near East. On the basis of the immense gains in textual and archaeological data from this world in his day, Albright sought to define a historical approach to the study of the Bible and the origins of Israel. This approach, he urged, was distinct from prevailing alternatives in biblical and ancient Near Eastern studies, which were viewed by him as subjective or insular. By contrast, he contended that his scientific assembly of data enabled an objective analysis of history with respect to the questions that mattered most.
Gaius the Platonist
Authors: Tarrant Harold
Published: December 2018

Gaius was a prominent Platonist of the early second century
ce
, known from inscriptions at Delphi and from Galen as well as later Platonists. It is possible that he is only known to us thanks to Albinus having recorded his lectures in a work extending to eleven books. He is known to have lectured on Plato's
Republic
(book x) and
Timaeus
, and he emphasized that Plato's works used two different ways of communicating doctrine, according to his subject matter. His influence has sometimes been exaggerated owing to a “School of Gaius” theory popular until the late decades of the twentieth century and dependent upon the speculative identification of Alcinous with Albinus.
Instruments, astronomical
Authors: Evans James
Published: December 2018

Ancient astronomical instruments include the gnomon, from which sundials descended, as well as simple instruments for measuring angles, such as the quadrant, meridian ring, and dioptra. But they also include instruments of greater sophistication that were based on a deep understanding of the geometry of the celestial sphere, such as the armillary sphere and plane astrolabe.
Zuqnīn Chronicle
Authors: Wood Philip
Published: December 2018

The
Chronicle of Zuqnīn
is a Syriac universal chronicle beginning with the Creation and concluding in ca. 775
ce
. The first three parts of the chronicle are chiefly drawn from the Bible and the
Ecclesiastical Histories
of

E
usebius

, Socrates, and John of Ephesus. The
Chronicle of Zuqnīn
is the sole source for the so‐called
Chronicle of Joshua the Stylite
, a narrative of Roman‐Persian warfare on the Mesopotamian frontier from the reign of Anastasius, and for Part II of John of Ephesus’ history. The chronicle is based around dated lemmas, on the same model as the West Syrian minor chronicles, which has forced its author to divide up continuous narrative histories according to date.
Administration, Hittite
Authors: Bilgin Tayfun
Published: December 2018

Like its neighbors in the Near East, the Hittite state possessed a highly centralized administration. Its appanage and vassal kingdoms surrounded the core region of Hatti, which was divided into governorships but still remained under the direct control of the palace. Members of the extended royal family were widely involved in the administration. The state trained and employed numerous scribes, whose skills were essential in various administrative activities. A large group of officials and a network of state institutions were instrumental in the collection/redistribution and management of taxes and services.
Neratius Priscus (Lucius Neratius Priscus)
Authors: Jakab Eva
Published: December 2018

Lucius Neratius Priscus was a leading Roman jurist active in the early to mid‐second century
ce
. He held top administrative posts under Trajan and Hadrian. He was the longtime head of the Proculian school of jurists and a prolific author, who exercised a great influence on later legal writers.
A quality assurance for respiratory gated proton irradiation with range modulation wheel
Authors: Yasui Keisuke , Shimomura Akira , Toshito Toshiyuki , Tanaka Kenichiro , Ueki Kumiko , Muramatsu Rie , Katsurada Masaki , Hayashi Naoki , Ogino Hiroyuki
Published: December 2018

The purpose of this study was to provide periodic quality assurance (QA) methods for respiratory‐gated proton beam with a range modulation wheel (RMW) and to clarify the characteristics and long‐term stability of the respiratory‐gated proton beam. A two‐dimensional detector array and a solid water phantom were used to measure absolute dose, spread‐out Bragg peak (SOBP) width and proton range for monthly QA. SOBP width and proton range were measured using an oblique incidence beam to the lateral side of a solid water phantom and compared between with and without a gating proton beam. To measure the delay time of beam‐on/off for annual QA, we collected the beam‐on/off signals and the dose monitor‐detected pulse. We analyzed the results of monthly QA over a 15‐month period and investigated the delay time by machine signal analysis. The dose deviations at proximal, SOBP center and distal points were −0.083 ± 0.25%, 0.026 ± 0.20%, and −0.083 ± 0.35%, respectively. The maximum dose deviation between with and without respiratory gating was −0.95% at the distal point and other deviations were within ±0.5%. Proximal and SOBP center doses showed the same trend over a 15‐month period. Delay times of beam‐on/off for 200 MeV/SOBP 16 cm were 140.5 ± 0.8 ms and 22.3 ± 13.0 ms, respectively. Delay times for 160 MeV/SOBP 10 cm were 167.5 ± 15.1 ms and 19.1 ± 9.8 ms. Our beam delivery system with the RMW showed sufficient stability for respiratory‐gated proton therapy and the system did not show dependency on the energy and the respiratory wave form. The delay times of beam‐on/off were within expectations. The proposed QA methods will be useful for managing the quality of respiratory‐gated proton beams and other beam delivery systems.
Determinants of noticeable symptom improvement despite sub‐MCID change in SNOT‐22 score after treatment for chronic rhinosinusitis
Authors: Phillips Katie M. , Hoehle Lloyd P. , Caradonna David S. , Gray Stacey T. , Sedaghat Ahmad R.
Published: December 2018

Background

The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of the 22‐item Sino‐Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT‐22) is specific but not sensitive for identifying patients experiencing noticeable improvement in symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). It is unclear why some patients with less than 1 MCID change in SNOT‐22 score nevertheless report noticeable improvement in their CRS symptoms.

Methods

This investigation was a retrospective study of 247 CRS patients undergoing medical management who completed SNOT‐22 surveys in 2 consecutive visits 2‐12 months apart. The validated nasal, sleep, ear/facial discomfort, and emotional SNOT‐22 subdomain scores were calculated. At the second visit, patients reported their global change in CRS symptoms on a 5‐item transition rating scale as: “Much worse”; “A little worse”; “About the same”; “A little better”; or “Much better.” Patient‐reported improvement in symptoms (at least “A little better”) was tested for association with changes in SNOT‐22 subdomain scores.

Results

In the entire cohort, patient‐reported improvement in CRS symptoms was associated with improvement in all SNOT‐22 subdomain scores (p < 0.001). In patients with less than 1 MCID (12 points) of change in the SNOT‐22, only the nasal subdomain (adjusted odds ratio, 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.79‐0.99; p = 0.042) was associated with patient‐reported improvement in CRS symptoms. Changes in none of the other SNOT‐22 subdomain scores were associated with patient‐reported improvement in CRS symptoms.

Conclusions

Among patients with less than 1 MCID change in the SNOT‐22, improvement in only nasal symptoms—but not extranasal symptoms—of CRS is associated with those who nevertheless report improvement of their CRS symptoms.
Obstructive sleep apnea treatment, slow wave activity, and amyloid‐β
Authors: Ju Yo‐El S. , Zangrilli Margaret A. , Finn Mary Beth , Fagan Anne M. , Holtzman David M.
Published: December 2018

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) increases risk of dementia, a relationship that may be mediated by amyloid‐β (Aβ) and downstream Alzheimer disease pathology. We previously showed that OSA may impair Aβ clearance and affect the relationship between slow wave activity (SWA) and Aβ. In this study, SWA and CSF Aβ were measured in participants with OSA before and 1 to 4 months after treatment. OSA treatment increased SWA, and SWA was significantly correlated with lower Aβ after treatment. Greater improvement in OSA was associated with greater decreases in Aβ. We propose a model whereby OSA treatment may affect both Aβ release and clearance. Ann Neurol 2018 ANN NEUROL 2019;85:291–295.
Dendritic molecules give excellent long‐lasting desalination fouling resistance to reverse osmosis membrane by generating an amine‐rich layer
Authors: Chen Li‐Ye , Zhang Pan , Gai Jing‐Gang
Published: December 2018

The organic fouling of polyamide membranes is one of the most serious problems in reverse osmosis fields such as sea water desalination and sewage disposal. In this study, poly(ethylene imine)–poly(ethylene glycol) dendrimer is used to improve the fouling resistance of polyamide reverse osmosis membranes. A crucial pretreatment is carried out with a reaction between poly(ethylene imine) and acyl chloride on the nascent polyamide surface, generating an amine‐rich selective layer. Poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether is then attached to the primary amine group. The results illustrate a remarkable improvement in membrane surface hydrophilicity after modification (the contact angle decreases from 96.7° to 49.5°). Dynamic fouling tests are implemented with bovine serum albumin as a typical protein foulant, in which the membranes show very low protein adsorption (flux recovery ratio 96.9%). After 11‐cycle fouling tests, the membranes show excellent long‐term stability and remarkable antifouling property and cleaning performance. This approach of grafting a dendrimer might provide new insight for antifouling modifications for membranes. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47368.
Enzymatic degradation, electronic, and thermal properties of graphite‐ and graphene oxide‐filled biodegradable polylactide/poly(ε‐caprolactone) blend composites
Authors: Botlhoko Orebotse Joseph , Makwakwa Dimakatso , Ray Suprakas Sinha , Ramontja James
Published: December 2018

Commodity polymers are the most widely used materials for electronic packaging applications. However, they are nondegradable and causing serious environmental damage. Addressing this challenge, the relative effects of graphite (G) and graphene oxide (GO) dispersion on the enzymatic degradation, electronic properties, thermal degradation, and crystallization behavior of enzyme degradable polylactide/poly(ε‐caprolactone) blend composites is investigated. Owing to the oxygenated surface functionalities and excellent thermal conductivity arising from the carbon structure, the randomly dispersed GO particles do not provide electrical pathways and facilitate large enhancements in the electrical resistivity (126%) and thermal conductivity (72%) of the blend composites. However, while the G particles enhanced the thermal conductivity of the composites, they had little effect on enzymatic degradation. Furthermore, they reduced the electrical resistivity, particularly at high concentration (0.25 wt % G), as a result of the conducting delocalized electrons in the G structure and due to network formation. We also find that the energy required to initiate and propagate the thermal degradation process for GO‐filled blend composites is relatively lower than that of G‐filled blend composite. However, the former composites show higher crystallization rate coefficients value than that of G‐filled composites and the neat blend, thereby providing better crystallization ability and miscibility with the matrix. In summary, the GO‐filled blend composites are observed to show potential for use in sustainable materials for thermal management applications. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47387.
Synthesis of UV and thermal dual curing oligomer for solder resist ink using ink‐jet printing
Authors: Liang Zhihao , Wang Xiaomei , Feng Liangting , Wu Xuefen
Published: December 2018

A novel solder resist ink for inkjet printing containing the ultraviolet (UV) and thermal dual curing oligomer is introduced in this work. Three kinds of acrylic monomers for the synthesis of the oligomer are successful prepared and their structures are determined by Fourier transfer infrared. Both UV curing process and thermostability are monitored under UV differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. For the photoreaction process, the oligomer using Lauryl methacrylate as the material of copolymerization possesses the highest reactivity and conversion of carbon–carbon double bond. Besides, this kind of oligomer also owns excellent thermostability, just losing 5.9% of its weight at 288 °C. The solder resist inks containing the oligomers and jetting by the inkjet printer are tested with the adhesion, soldering resistance, and other performances, presenting the outstanding heat resistance and wide application prospects. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.2019,136, 47428.
NIR light‐triggered gelling in situ of porous silicon nanoparticles/PEGDA hybrid hydrogels for localized combinatorial therapy of cancer cells
Authors: Xia Bing , Zhang Weiwei , Shi Jisen , Li Jiachen , Chen Zhenyu , Zhang Qi
Published: December 2018

Porous silicon‐based nanocomposite hydrogels were readily constructed with the gelation of poly(ethylene glycol) double acrylates (PEGDA) macromers, due to the initiation of singlet oxygen photosensitized with porous silicon nanoparticles (PSiNPs) under near‐infrared (NIR) light irradiation. Multifunctional PSiNPs/PEGDA nanocomposite hydrogels showed strong fluorescence, excellent biodegradability, significant photothermal effect, and sustained drug release with high efficiency (>80%). Finally, in situ growth of PSiNPs/PEGDA hybrid hydrogels on cancer cells was also achieved by NIR light, and then their biodegradation, drug release and synergistic chemo‐phototherapeutic efficacy were further demonstrated, which could provide a significant localized inhibition for the viability, adherence, and migration of cancer cells in vitro. Thus, we suggested that these resultant hybrid hydrogels would have important potential on local cancer therapy in future clinical practice. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47443.
L‐Fucose production by engineered Escherichia coli
Authors: Liu Jing‐Jing , Lee Jae Won , Yun Eun Ju , Jung Sang‐Min , Seo Jin‐Ho , Jin Yong‐Su
Published: December 2018

L‐Fucose (6‐deoxy‐L‐galactose) is a major constituent of glycans and glycolipids in mammals. Fucosylation of glycans can confer unique functional properties and may be an economical way to manufacture L‐fucose. Research can extract L‐fucose directly from brown algae, or by enzymatic hydrolysis of L‐fucose‐rich microbial exopolysaccharides. However, these L‐fucose production methods are not economical or scalable for various applications. We engineered an Escherichia coli strain to produce L‐fucose. Specifically, we modified the strain genome to eliminate endogenous L‐fucose and lactose metabolism, produce 2′‐fucosyllactose (2′‐FL), and to liberate L‐fucose from 2′‐FL. This E. coli strain produced 16.7 g/L of L‐fucose with productivity of 0.1 g·L−1·h−1 in a fed‐batch fermentation. This study presents an efficient one‐pot biosynthesis strategy to produce a monomeric form of L‐fucose by microbial fermentation, making large‐scale industrial production of L‐fucose feasible.
Interaction of cell culture process parameters for modulating mAb afucosylation
Authors: Nguyen Dang Anh , Mun Melissa , Rose Christopher M. , Ahyow Patrick , Meier Angela , Sandoval Wendy , Yuk Inn H.
Published: December 2018

The extent of afucosylation, which refers to the absence of core fucose on Fc glycans, can correlate positively with the antibody‐dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity of a monoclonal antibody (mAb). Therefore, it is important to maintain consistent afucosylation during cell culture process scale‐up in bioreactors for a mAb with ADCC activity. However, there is currently a lack of understanding about the impact of partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2)—a parameter that can vary with bioreactor scale—on afucosylation. Using a small‐scale (3 L) bioreactor model that can modulate pCO
2 levels through modified configurations and gassing strategies, we identified three cell culture process parameters that influence afucosylation of a mAb produced by a recombinant Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell line: pCO
2, media hold duration (at 37°C), and manganese. These three‐independent parameters demonstrated a synergistic effect on mAb afucosylation; increase in pCO
2, media hold duration, and manganese consistently increased afucosylation. Our investigations into the underlying mechanisms through proteomic analysis indicated that the synergistic interactions downregulated pathways related to guanosine diphosphate‐fucose synthesis and fucosylation, and upregulated manganese transport into the CHO cells. These new findings highlight the importance of considering potential differences in culture environment and operations across bioreactor scales, and understanding the impact of their interactions on product quality.
Three‐dimensional nanofibrous polystyrene scaffolds modify macrophage phenotypes and activate macrophage angiogenic potential
Authors: Olkowski Radosław , Czarnowska Elżbieta , Wojasiński Michał , Niderla‐Bielińska Justyna , Ciach Tomasz , Ratajska Anna
Published: December 2018

3D scaffolds represent an attractive substrate for studying macrophage activation and modification since they mimic extracellular matrix (ECM). However, macrophage response to such materials, particularly with respect to angiogenic potential is still poorly recognized. Therefore, we investigated the effect of 3D nanofibrous polystyrene scaffolds (NPSs) versus tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) on THP‐1‐derived macrophages in various environmental conditions, for example, standard (m0), pro‐inflammatory (m1), or anti‐inflammatory (m2) with respect to pro‐angiogenic potential. There were no differences in the expression of TNF‐α and IL‐10 mRNAs and respective proteins in cells cultured on NPSs compared with flat polystyrene (TCPS), however, NPSs induced an increased VEGF production by macrophages cultured in m0 and m1 media. Cells cultured in m1, and m2 conditions secreted elevated amounts of TNF‐α and IL‐10, respectively, irrespective of substrate surface geometry. Each macrophage population contains large, medium, and small cells. Moreover, there were significant differences in the proportion of large to small macrophages depending on the medium composition, that is, in m0, m1, and m2 media these proportions were 1:4, 1:3, and 1:10, respectively. The ultrastructure and the immunoexpression of TNF‐α and IL‐10 were analyzed under a confocal microscope. The results demonstrated differences in cell ultrastructure and suggested that the larger cells were pro‐inflammatory macrophages, while the smaller cells were anti‐inflammatory macrophages. In conclusion, NPSs activate macrophage pro‐angiogenic potential. In addition, an increase in the proportion of pro‐inflammatory macrophages relative to anti‐inflammatory ones in a given population favors this potential.
Feeling and body investigators (FBI): ARFID division—An acceptance‐based interoceptive exposure treatment for children with ARFID
Authors: Zucker Nancy L. , LaVia Maria C. , Craske Michelle G. , Foukal Martha , Harris Adrianne A. , Datta Nandini , Savereide Erik , Maslow Gary R.
Published: December 2018

Objective

Individuals with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) experience impairing health consequences from insufficient nutritional variety and/or quantity. Early medical conditions and/or somatic symptoms such as abdominal pain may lead some with ARFID to experience somatic sensations as aversive. As such, food avoidance may be part of a broader behavioral repertoire aimed at suppressing bodily sensations. Avoiding these necessary and informative signals (e.g., growls of hunger) may subvert the emergence of healthy self‐awareness and self‐regulation. Teaching children with ARFID to engage adaptively with bodily sensations may help decrease aversiveness, increase self‐awareness, and increase approach behaviors.

Method

Drawing from interventions for panic disorder and irritable bowel syndrome, we developed an acceptance‐based interoceptive exposure treatment for young children with ARFID, Feeling and Body Investigators (FBI)‐ARFID Division. Using playful cartoons and developmentally sensitive exposures, we teach young children how to map interoceptive sensations onto meanings (e.g., emotions) and actions (e.g., if I feel nervous, I'll hold someone's hand).

Results

We present a case study of a 4‐year old child with lifelong poor appetite/food indifference.

Discussion

Some individuals with ARFID may avoid food to avoid internal sensations. Developmentally appropriate interoceptive exposures may decrease ARFID symptoms while increasing more general self‐regulation skills.
Could repetitive negative thinking interfere with corrective learning? The example of anorexia nervosa
Authors: Reilly Erin E. , Lavender Jason M. , Berner Laura A. , Brown Tiffany A. , Wierenga Christina E. , Kaye Walter H.
Published: December 2018

Identifying processes that may interfere with corrective learning during treatments for anorexia nervosa (AN) may help to improve the effectiveness of existing interventions. We propose that certain cognitive processes characteristic of the AN temperament may help explain previous findings in AN suggesting difficulty updating previously learned associations and learning from feedback. Specifically, we hypothesize that engagement in repetitive negative thinking (RNT), including worry and rumination, could interfere with corrective learning that is critical to the success of behavioral treatments. In doing so, we draw from existing work in anxiety and mood disorders linking RNT to the maintenance of symptoms and poorer response to cognitive‐behavioral treatments. Next, we outline hypothesized mechanisms through which engagement in RNT before, during, and after exposure to aversive stimuli could interfere with learning in AN. We then provide recommendations for how these hypothesized associations could be tested in future research. Although prior work has suggested that RNT processes are common among individuals with AN, this work has been primarily descriptive in nature. We propose that extending this work through direct examination of the impact of active engagement in RNT on corrective learning could aid in identifying AN maintenance processes that could be explicitly targeted in treatment.