bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled, Acute Feeding Equivalence Trial of Small, Catalytic Doses of Fructose and Allulose on Postprandial Blood Glucose Metabolism in Healthy Participants: The Fructose and Allulose Catalytic Effects (FACE) Trial
Authors: Braunstein Catherine R. , Noronha Jarvis C. , Glenn Andrea J. , Viguiliouk Effie , Noseworthy Rebecca , Khan Tauseef A. , Au-Yeung Fei , Blanco Mejia Sonia , Wolever Thomas M.S. , Josse Robert G. , Kendall Cyril W.C. , Sievenpiper John L.
Published: June 2018

Recent literature suggests that catalytic doses (≤10 g/meal or 36 g/day) of D-fructose and D-allulose may reduce postprandial blood glucose responses to carbohydrate loads in people with and without type 2 diabetes by inducing glycogen synthesis. To assess the effect of small single doses of fructose and allulose on postprandial blood glucose regulation in response to a 75 g-oral glucose tolerance test (75 g-OGTT) in healthy individuals, we conducted an acute randomized, crossover, equivalence trial in healthy adults. Each participant randomly received six treatments, separated by a minimum one-week washout. Treatments consisted of a 75 g-OGTT with the addition of fructose or allulose at 0 g (control), 5 g or 10 g. A standard 75 g-OGTT protocol was followed with blood samples at −30, 0, 30, 60, 90, 120 min. The primary outcome was the difference in plasma glucose incremental area under the curve (iAUC). A total of 27 participants underwent randomization with data available from 25 participants. Small doses of fructose or allulose did not show a significant effect on plasma glucose iAUC or other secondary markers of postprandial blood glucose regulation in response to a 75 g-OGTT in healthy individuals. These results were limited by the low power to detect a significant difference, owing to greater than expected intra-individual coefficient of variation (CV) in plasma glucose iAUC. Overall, we failed to confirm the catalytic effects of small doses of fructose and allulose in healthy individuals. Future trials may consider recruiting larger sample sizes of healthy individuals. Trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov identifier, NCT02459834.
Revealing the Mechanical Properties of Emulsion Polymer Isocyanate Film in Humid Environments
Authors: Guo Jing , Hu Hongjiu , Zhang Kefeng , He Yaolong , Guo Xingming
Published: June 2018

Knowledge of the mechanical behaviors of polymer film in humid environments is of great significance for predicting the long-term performance of emulsion polymer isocyanate (EPI) as a high-performance wood adhesive. A tri-copolymer latex was cross-linked by the general polymeric methylene diisocyanate (p-MDI) and aqueous emulsified isocyanate (EMDI) at different loadings for preparing EPI. Furthermore, a series of uniaxial tension tests under different relative humidity (RH) were carried out on cured EPI samples before and after post-curing treatment, and the corresponding chemical structure, as well as the microstructure of polymers, was investigated in detail. In addition, a constitutive equation was formulated to calculate the viscoelastic characteristics of the adhesive layer. The results indicate that the EPI films reveal various kinds of intrinsic deformation as RH increases, and the tensile rupture stress and stiffness would obviously decrease, even at cross-linker weight ratios of up to 20%. Furthermore, the moisture resistance could be markedly improved by increasing the isocyanate content and post-cure. Importantly, EMDI-cross-linked film not only exhibits much better mechanical properties than that containing p-MDI at 0–80% RH, but is also more sensitive to post-cure. Finally, the derived viscoelastic model could efficiently track moisture-dependent stress-strain curves of EPI films, and the obtained relaxation time further reveals the influence mechanism of isocyanate and post-cure on the mechanical response of the cured polymer under moist conditions.
Landslide Monitoring Using Multi-Temporal SAR Interferometry with Advanced Persistent Scatterers Identification Methods and Super High-Spatial Resolution TerraSAR-X Images
Authors: Zhao Feng , Mallorqui Jordi J. , Iglesias Rubén , Gili Josep A. , Corominas Jordi
Published: June 2018

Landslides are one of the most common and dangerous threats in the world that generate considerable damage and economic losses. An efficient landslide monitoring tool is the Differential Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (DInSAR) or Persistent Scatter Interferometry (PSI). However, landslides are usually located in mountainous areas and the area of interest can be partially or even heavily vegetated. The inherent temporal decorrelation that dramatically reduces the number of Persistent Scatters (PSs) of the scene limits in practice the application of this technique. Thus, it is crucial to be able to detect as much PSs as possible that can be usually embedded in decorrelated areas. High resolution imagery combined with efficient pixel selection methods can make possible the application of DInSAR techniques in landslide monitoring. In this paper, different strategies to identify PS Candidates (PSCs) have been employed together with 32 super high-spatial resolution (SHR) TerraSAR-X (TSX) images, staring-spotlight mode, to monitor the Canillo landslide (Andorra). The results show that advanced PSI strategies (i.e., the temporal sub-look coherence (TSC) and temporal phase coherence (TPC) methods) are able to obtain much more valid PSs than the classical amplitude dispersion (DA) method. In addition, the TPC method presents the best performance among all three full-resolution strategies employed. The SHR TSX data allows for obtaining much higher densities of PSs compared with a lower-spatial resolution SAR data set (Sentinel-1A in this study). Thanks to the huge amount of valid PSs obtained by the TPC method with SHR TSX images, the complexity of the structure of the Canillo landslide has been highlighted and three different slide units have been identified. The results of this study indicate that the TPC approach together with SHR SAR images can be a powerful tool to characterize displacement rates and extension of complex landslides in challenging areas.
A New Burr XII-Weibull-Logarithmic Distribution for Survival and Lifetime Data Analysis: Model, Theory and Applications
Authors: Oluyede Broderick , Makubate Boikanyo , Fagbamigbe Adeniyi , Mdlongwa Precious
Published: June 2018

A new compound distribution called Burr XII-Weibull-Logarithmic (BWL) distribution is introduced and its properties are explored. This new distribution contains several new and well known sub-models, including Burr XII-Exponential-Logarithmic, Burr XII-Rayleigh-Logarithmic, Burr XII-Logarithmic, Lomax-Exponential-Logarithmic, Lomax–Rayleigh-Logarithmic, Weibull, Rayleigh, Lomax, Lomax-Logarithmic, Weibull-Logarithmic, Rayleigh-Logarithmic, and Exponential-Logarithmic distributions. Some statistical properties of the proposed distribution including moments and conditional moments are presented. Maximum likelihood estimation technique is used to estimate the model parameters. Finally, applications of the model to real data sets are presented to illustrate the usefulness of the proposed distribution.
How Do Policies and Actors’ Attitudes, Interests and Interactions Influence Farmland Conversion Outcomes in Land-Use Planning?
Authors: Skog Kristine Lien
Published: June 2018

Conversion of farmland to built-up land threatens future supply of food and other ecosystem services. However, little research covers how different goods provided by farmland are taken into consideration in planning processes or how different actors influence land-use outcomes. This paper explores this by undertaking a comparative case study in two Norwegian municipalities. One of the main findings is that the national policies’ emphasis on food security is not decisive for local farmland preservation decisions. The land-use plan of the municipality which has the strictest farmland conversion policy is guided by other local values, such as the farmland’s provision of place identity and local food. In both municipalities, informal support networks of developers, other landowners, business interests, and politicians are established. Farmland preservation interests were less visible locally, and politicians found conversion proposals difficult to resist. The municipality which had converted most farmland was in favor of opening more land for development than needed. Then, the possibility space for development interest groups to influence land-use outcome increased. Findings indicate that farmland preservation policies require more emphasis on local public goods and inclusion of farmland preservation interests within the community. Further, farmland preservation strategies could benefit from linking agricultural policies and land-use planning, as well as more restrictive land-use planning.
Emotional Durability Design Nine—A Tool for Product Longevity
Authors: Haines-Gadd Merryn , Chapman Jonathan , Lloyd Peter , Mason Jon , Aliakseyeu Dzmitry
Published: June 2018

How can we develop products that consumers want to use for longer? The lifetime of electrical products is an ongoing concern in discussions about the circular economy. It is an issue that begins at an industry level, but that directly influences the way in which consumers use and discard products. Through a series of workshops and knowledge exchange sessions with Philips Lighting, this paper identifies which design factors influence a consumer’s tendency to retain their products for longer. These were distilled into a guiding framework for new product developers—The Emotional Durability Design Nine—consisting of nine themes: relationships, narratives, identity, imagination, conversations, consciousness, integrity, materiality, and evolvability. These nine themes are complemented by 38 strategies that help in the development of more emotionally engaging product experiences. We propose that the framework can be applied at multiple points during the new product development process to increase the likelihood that ‘emotion building’ features are integrated into an end product.
Special Incentives for Rehabilitation of Tourism Destinations to Improve the Profitability of Accommodations: The Case of the Canary Islands
Authors: Rodríguez-Díaz Rosa , Rodríguez-Díaz Manuel
Published: June 2018

Public administrations’ commitment to improving tourist destinations has contributed to a consensus in the Canary Islands, particularly with the private sector, about regulations for urban development and the necessary financing alternatives for the rehabilitation of lodgings. The objective of the study is to demonstrate their favorable impact on companies’ profitability, a significant variable to consider in the decision-making process of managers. The analysis of incentives as well as urban planning and financing requirements, comparing some of them to other regions, is carried out. The study concludes that the more ambitious the project is in terms of the increase in the number of beds and the category, the better the company’s position will be, because the revenues increase without a proportional growth in costs.
Historical and Empirical Basis for Communal Title in Minerals at the National Level: Does Ownership Matter for Human Development?
Authors: Flomenhoft Gary
Published: June 2018

This paper explores the impact of mineral ownership on the resource curse as measured by the Human Development Index. We start from the basic assumption that the Earth and its minerals are common pool resources, and the sharing of benefits would improve development outcomes. Communal title to minerals exists at the international level for the deep seabed, outer space objects, and, potentially Antarctica, and at the sub-national level through communal title to land, such as traditional landowners and aboriginal tribes. A comprehensive summary of national mining title laws for 199 countries was completed in order to determine if communal ownership is recognized at the national level. The finding is that this type of ownership is non-existent at the national level. The methods include historiography, extensive compilation of national constitutions and mining laws, and linear regression analysis. Ownership titles were combined into centralized and decentralized categories, and simple regression conducted to determine correlation with the human development index (HDI) for 199 countries. Initial findings are that decentralized mineral ownership titles are statistically correlated with higher HDI outcomes.
Participatory Mapping as an Approach to Identify Grazing Pressure in the Altay Mountains, Mongolia
Authors: Altmann Brianne A. , Jordan Greta , Schlecht Eva
Published: June 2018

Sustainable rangeland management is crucial for maintaining forage resources in pastoral systems, globally. However, pastoral regions are often remote and therefore data poor when it comes to resource monitoring. We tested participatory mapping as a means to rapidly assess rangeland use to identify areas with high grazing pressure. Participatory geographic information system data and herbaceous biomass production data were collected and georeferenced to establish a grazing pressure index for a summer pasture in the Mongolian Altay; simultaneously, a survey on herder perceptions and their recommended rangeland management measures was conducted. Areas with intense use, such as campsites and small and bovine ruminant grazing areas, corresponded with low biomass production and were found to be unsustainably grazed, likely prone to rangeland degradation. Participatory mapping was well received by herders and proved to be an effective method to appraise their herds’ impact on rangeland resources. The process incited discussion and awareness regarding not only spatial, but also temporal aspects of rangeland management. Participatory mapping is thus a valuable tool that should be incorporated into local management initiatives in order to quickly monitor rangeland use for creating feasible management plans.
Dynamics on Binary Relations over Topological Spaces
Authors: Chen Chung-Chuan , Conejero J. Alberto , Kostić Marko , Murillo-Arcila Marina
Published: June 2018

The existence of chaos and the quest of dense orbits have been recently considered for dynamical systems given by multivalued linear operators. We consider the notions of topological transitivity, topologically mixing property, hypercyclicity, periodic points, and Devaney chaos in the general case of binary relations on topological spaces, and we analyze how they can be particularized when they are represented with graphs and digraphs. The relations of these notions with different types of connectivity and with the existence of Hamiltonian paths are also exposed. Special attention is given to the study of dynamics over tournaments. Finally, we also show how disjointness can be introduced in this setting.
Non-Primate Lentiviral Vectors and Their Applications in Gene Therapy for Ocular Disorders
Authors: Cavalieri Vincenzo , Baiamonte Elena , Lo Iacono Melania
Published: June 2018

Lentiviruses have a number of molecular features in common, starting with the ability to integrate their genetic material into the genome of non-dividing infected cells. A peculiar property of non-primate lentiviruses consists in their incapability to infect and induce diseases in humans, thus providing the main rationale for deriving biologically safe lentiviral vectors for gene therapy applications. In this review, we first give an overview of non-primate lentiviruses, highlighting their common and distinctive molecular characteristics together with key concepts in the molecular biology of lentiviruses. We next examine the bioengineering strategies leading to the conversion of lentiviruses into recombinant lentiviral vectors, discussing their potential clinical applications in ophthalmological research. Finally, we highlight the invaluable role of animal organisms, including the emerging zebrafish model, in ocular gene therapy based on non-primate lentiviral vectors and in ophthalmology research and vision science in general.
A Review of In-Situ and Remote Sensing Technologies to Monitor Water and Sanitation Interventions
Authors: Andres Luis , Boateng Kwasi , Borja-Vega Christian , Thomas Evan
Published: June 2018

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), announced in September 2015, present a vision of achieving a higher level of human health and well-being worldwide by the year 2030. The SDG targets specific to water and sanitation call for more detailed monitoring and response to understand the coverage and quality of safely managed sources. It is hoped that improved monitoring of water and sanitation interventions will reveal more cost-effective and efficient ways of meeting the SDGs. In this paper, we review the landscape of approaches that can be used to support and improve on the water and sanitation targets SDG 6.1, “By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all”, and SDG 6.2, “By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations”.
« Au coeur des choses » : ce que nous disent les objets des mobilités sociales bourgeoises (1600-1825)
Authors: Flamein Richard
Published: June 2018

La signification des objets se trouve-t-elle dans les choses (Lorna Weatherill) ou dans les situations sociales dans lesquelles ils sont placés (Arjun Appadurai) ? Cette communication étudie très concrètement la signification fluctuante de l’objet dans le cadre des dynamiques sociales de la haute bourgeoisie d’Ancien Régime (XVIIe -début XIXe siècle). Comment se traduit, dans les objets, une ascension sociale ? De quelle charge symbolique sont-ils investis, à mesure que les mobilités deviennent plus complexes et se recoupent pour former le tissu fin de la culture matérielle au XVIIIe siècle ? Trois niveaux d’analyse sont retenus : celui d’une primo-ascension comparée entre de grands artistes (Le Brun et Rigaud) et la banque la plus prestigieuse de l’époque (les Le Couteulx) ; celui de la constitution des territoires emboîtés de la mobilité, conjuguant de façon empirique, la circulation des univers matériels, des sociabilités et des imaginaires. Enfin, celui de la montée en charge symbolique de l’objet, montrant combien l’identité en halo d’une bourgeoisie mobile se construit aussi sur l’aura des choses.
On the Transition of the Galaxy Quenching Mode at 0.5 < z < 1 in CANDELS
Authors: Liu F. S. , Jia Meng , Yesuf Hassen M. , Faber S. M. , Koo David C. , Guo Yicheng , Bell Eric F. , Jiang Dongfei , Wang Weichen , Koekemoer Anton M. , Zheng Xianzhong , Fang Jerome J. , Barro Guillermo , Pérez-González Pablo G. , Dekel Avishai , Kocevski Dale , Hathi Nimish P. , Croton Darren , Huertas-Company M. , Meng Xianmin , Tong Wei , Liu Lu
Published: June 2018

We investigate the galaxy quenching process at intermediate redshift using a sample of ∼4400 galaxies with M
* > 109 M
⊙ between redshift 0.5 and 1.0 in all five CANDELS fields. We divide this sample, using the integrated specific star formation rate (sSFR), into four subgroups: star-forming galaxies (SFGs) above and below the ridge of the star-forming main sequence (SFMS), transition galaxies and quiescent galaxies. We study their UVI (U − V versus V − I) color gradients to infer their sSFR gradients out to twice effective radii. We show that on average both star-forming and transition galaxies at all masses are not fully quenched at any radii, whereas quiescent galaxies are fully quenched at all radii. We find that at low masses (M
* = 109–1010 M
⊙) SFGs both above and below the SFMS ridge generally have flat sSFR profiles, whereas the transition galaxies at the same masses generally have sSFRs that are more suppressed in their outskirts. In contrast, at high masses (M
* > 1010.5 M
⊙), SFGs above and below the SFMS ridge and transition galaxies generally have varying degrees of more centrally suppressed sSFRs relative to their outskirts. These findings indicate that at z ∼ 0.5–1.0 the main galaxy quenching mode depends on its already formed stellar mass, exhibiting a transition from “the outside-in” at M
* ≤ 1010 M
⊙ to “the inside-out” at M
* > 1010.5 M
⊙. In other words, our findings support that internal processes dominate the quenching of massive galaxies, whereas external processes dominate the quenching of low-mass galaxies.
Statistical Study of Magnetic Nonpotential Measures in Confined and Eruptive Flares
Authors: Vasantharaju N. , Vemareddy P. , Ravindra B. , Doddamani V. H.
Published: June 2018

Using Solar Dynamics Observatory/Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager vector magnetic field observations, we studied the relation between the degree of magnetic non-potentiality with the observed flare/coronal mass ejection (CME) in active regions (ARs). From a sample of 77 flare/CME cases, we found in general that the degree of non-potentiality is positively correlated with the flare strength and the associated CME speed. Since the magnetic flux in the flare-ribbon area is more related to the reconnection, we trace the strong gradient polarity inversion line (SGPIL) and Schrijver’s R value manually along the flare-ribbon extent. Manually detected SGPIL length and R values show higher correlation with the flare strength and CME speed than automatically traced values without flare-ribbon information. This highlights the difficulty of predicting the flare strength and CME speed a priori from the pre-flare magnetograms used in flare prediction models. Although the total potential magnetic energy proxies show a weak positive correlation, the decrease in free energy exhibits a higher correlation (0.56) with the flare strength and CME speed. Moreover, eruptive flares have thresholds of SGPIL length (31 Mm), R value (1.6 × 1019 Mx), and free energy decrease (2 × 1031 erg) compared to confined flares. In 90% of eruptive flares, the decay-index curve is steeper, reaching

within 42 Mm, whereas it is beyond this value in >70% of confined flares. While indicating improved statistics in the predictive capability of AR eruptive behavior with flare-ribbon information, our study provides threshold magnetic properties for a flare to be eruptive.
The Allowed Parameter Space of a Long-lived Neutron Star as the Merger Remnant of GW170817
Authors: Ai Shunke , Gao He , Dai Zi-Gao , Wu Xue-Feng , Li Ang , Zhang Bing , Li Mu-Zi
Published: June 2018

Due to the limited sensitivity of the current gravitational wave (GW) detectors, the central remnant of the binary neutron star (NS) merger associated with GW170817 remains an open question. In view of the relatively large total mass, it is generally proposed that the merger of GW170817 would lead to a short-lived hypermassive NS or directly produce a black hole (BH). There is no clear evidence to support or rule out a long-lived NS as the merger remnant. Here, we utilize the GW and electromagnetic (EM) signals to comprehensively investigate the parameter space that allows a long-lived NS to survive as the merger remnant of GW170817. We find that for some stiff equations of state, the merger of GW170817 could, in principle, lead to a massive NS, which has a millisecond spin period. The post-merger GW signal could hardly constrain the ellipticity of the NS. If the ellipticity reaches 10−3, in order to be compatible with the multi-band EM observations, the dipole magnetic field of the NS (B

p
) is constrained to the magnetar level of ∼1014 G. If the ellipticity is smaller than 10−4, B

p
is constrained to the level of ∼109–1011 G. These conclusions weakly depend on the adoption of the NS equation of state.
Formation of Large-scale Coronal Loops Interconnecting Two Active Regions through Gradual Magnetic Reconnection and an Associated Heating Process
Authors: Du Guohui , Chen Yao , Zhu Chunming , Liu Chang , Ge Lili , Wang Bing , Li Chuanyang , Wang Haimin
Published: June 2018

Coronal loops interconnecting two active regions (ARs), called interconnecting loops (ILs), are prominent large-scale structures in the solar atmosphere. They carry a significant amount of magnetic flux and therefore are considered to be an important element of the solar dynamo process. Earlier observations showed that eruptions of ILs are an important source of CMEs. It is generally believed that ILs are formed through magnetic reconnection in the high corona (>150″–200″), and several scenarios have been proposed to explain their brightening in soft X-rays (SXRs). However, the detailed IL formation process has not been fully explored, and the associated energy release in the corona still remains unresolved. Here, we report the complete formation process of a set of ILs connecting two nearby ARs, with successive observations by STEREO-A on the far side of the Sun and by SDO and Hinode on the Earth side. We conclude that ILs are formed by gradual reconnection high in the corona, in line with earlier postulations. In addition, we show evidence that ILs brighten in SXRs and EUVs through heating at or close to the reconnection site in the corona (i.e., through the direct heating process of reconnection), a process that has been largely overlooked in earlier studies of ILs.
Usefulness of Sunlight and Artificial UV Radiation Versus Chlorine for the Inactivation of Cryptosporidium Oocysts: An in Vivo Animal Study
Authors: Soliman Amany , El-Adawy Azza , Abd El-Aal Amany A. , Elmallawany Marwa A. , Nahnoush Reham K. , Abd Eiaghni Asmaa R. , Negm Mohamed Sherif , Mohsen Amira
Published: June 2018

BACKGROUND: Cryptosporidium is an important waterborne protozoan.AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sunlight being the natural source of UV and artificial UV irradiation on Cryptosporidium oocysts versus the effect of chlorination, being the traditional method of water disinfection and to provide an insight into the viability and degree of infectivity of Cryptosporidium oocysts, using an animal model.METHODS: An experimental study including 300 neonatal mice was carried out to investigate the effect of artificial ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and sunlight being the natural source of UV irradiation versus chlorine, the traditionally used water disinfectant on the infectivity of Cryptosporidium oocysts present in water. For each item, nine different exposure times were investigated. Parasitological assessment (Modified Ziehl Neelsen stained stool smears) and histopathological assessment of the excised segments of the small intestine (stained by both Haematoxylin & Eosin and ZN stain) of mice were used to verify the inactivation of oocysts.RESULTS: Cryptosporidium oocysts failed to induce any noticeable infection after 4 hours of artificial UV exposure that provided a UV dose of 10mJ/cm2 and after an 8 hours exposure to sunlight, whereas they showed resistance to disinfection by chlorine.CONCLUSION: The results of the study demonstrate the important role of an 8 hours sunlight exposure of potable water in plastic bottles in achieving complete inactivation of any contaminating Cryptosporidium oocysts, thus offering an applicable, economical and convenient method for the control of cryptosporidiosis especially in developing countries.
Oral administration of Bifidobacterium bifidum TMC3115 to neonatal mice may alleviate IgE-mediated allergic risk in adulthood
Authors: Cheng R.Y. , Yao J.R. , Wan Q. , Guo J.W. , Pu F.F. , Shi L. , Hu W. , Yang Y.H. , Li L. , Li M. , He F.
Published: June 2018

This study aimed to demonstrate whether exposure to bifidobacteria during early life influences immunity and alleviates the risk of immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergies in adulthood. BALB/c neonatal mice (n=54) were administered with a lyophilised cell preparation of Bifidobacterium bifidum TMC3115 (TMC3115) for 3 weeks. Following the intervention, the mice were immunised with intraperitoneal ovalbumin (OVA). The morphology and function of the intestinal epithelium were determined using histopathological examinations. Intestinal microbiota was detected using quantitative PCR and characterised using next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA genes from faecal DNA. Caecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Serum levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, and immunoglobulin E (IgE) and the percentage of splenic CD4+ T cells were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry, respectively. TMC3115 did not significantly affect body weight, and cause any severe systemic inflammation or other clinical symptoms among the neonatal or adult mice, although the crypt depths and Muc2-positive cells in some intestinal segments of neonatal mice were significantly lower than control. Oral TMC3115 administration significantly increased faecal microbial diversity, relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and caecal SCFAs production in neonatal mice. Following the intervention, neonatal mice treated with TMC3115 exhibited less increase in serum IgE levels induced by OVA in adults and significantly higher TNF-α and IL-10 levels than in control. Our findings indicate that the oral administration of bifidobacteria, particularly certain strains, such as TMC3115, during early life could alleviate the risk of IgE-mediated allergies in adult host animals. Modifications of intestinal microbiota, SCFAs metabolism and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 production by bifidobacteria may at least in part be a key mechanism underlying the effect of bifidobacteria on the IgE-mediated immune sensitivity of hosts to attacks by allergens at both neonatal and adult stages.
Development of antibodies for N-(1-deoxy-D-fructos-1-yl) fumonisin B1 and cross-reaction with modified fumonisins
Authors: Maragos C.M. , Sieve K.K. , Busman M.
Published: June 2018

Fumonisins are a group of mycotoxins that are routinely found worldwide in commodities such as maize. The group, which has many members, is generally characterised by the presence of one or more tricarballylic acid groups esterified to a long carbon backbone. The diversity of this group of toxins is further augmented by their ability to interact with matrix components non-covalently and to form covalent products with matrix constituents, such as carbohydrates and proteins. Covalent modifications to the toxins make it more difficult to assess the total amounts that may be present in a commodity. We developed monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) against a known product of the reaction of fumonisin B1 (FB1) with glucose: N-(1-deoxy-D-fructos-1-yl) fumonisin B1 (NDFrc-FB1). Similar reactions were used to produce fructosyl-analogs of fumonisins B2 and B3, as well as galactose, maltose, and rhamnose analogs of FB1. These analogs were tested in a competitive indirect ELISA for cross-reactivity towards one of the developed antibodies (Mab 213221). All of the carbohydrate analogs cross-reacted with the Mab, at levels ranging from 75% (the FB3 analog derived from D-glucose) to 181% (the FB1 analog derived from maltose). These results suggested the assay was capable of binding to a wide variety of fumonisin-carbohydrate derivatives. The same antibody was incorporated into an immunoaffinity column that was used to isolate modified fumonisins from a sample of naturally contaminated maize. These results demonstrate the potential to isolate and detect modified fumonisins and will facilitate efforts to determine the frequency of the occurrence of these compounds in maize.
Benzodiazepine Risks in Older People with Insomnia
Authors: Thomas Rashona , Ramos-Rivas Edid
Published: June 2018

Effectively managing drug therapy in the aging population is a multifaceted and often complex process. A delicate balance between must be maintained between therapeutic effects and adverse effects. Despite newer drug classes marketed for the treatment of insomnia, benzodiazepines are frequently prescribed for older people. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes occur with age that affect both drug concentrations and response to benzodiazepine therapy. The clinician's task is further complicated by extensive medication regimens often seen in older people that create the potential for significant drug interactions. This article reviews the pharmacokinetic differences in the benzodiazepines indicated for the treatment of insomnia, physiologic changes that affect drug choice, and benzodiazepine-associated risks in older people.

[
Psychiatr Ann.
2018;48(6):266–270.]
Public Relations and Advertising in the Context of E-Sports
Authors: Tomazic Tina , Druks Luka , Vilela Noemia Bessa
Published: June 2018

E-sports within the gaming industry characterize an economic sector that is engaged in the developing, marketing, and sale of video games. They represent many opportunities for advertising and public relations, which are very important to increase the visibility of e-sports. The use of both has proved far more effective, because it allowed a rapid increase in their popularity. The aim of this chapter is to compare the use of public relations and advertising in e-sports and to determine their appropriateness. So, the relationship between public relations, advertising, and e-sports is developed and researched for the first time here. The authors used qualitative comparative analysis between public relations and advertising in the context of e-sports based on Natus Vincere, one of the most important Ukrainian organizations in the gaming industry. The rise of the gaming industry and recent success of e-sports demonstrate the profitable economic potentials of gaming spectatorship.
Social Media and TV Watching Metrics
Authors: Sari Gülşah
Published: June 2018

In this chapter, in order to measure the relation between social media and television, the inside sequence published in Turkish television series during the broadcasting period of 2016-2017 was examined. The reason for the selection of this directory is that 39 episodes are broadcast throughout the episode, and the high interest in social media is a high percentage of TV ratings. The study looked at the follow-up measures in social media that were used to help measure social media in-line monitoring. The Kimola firm is one of the companies that conducts research on this subject. In the study, Kimola presented its published series of 39 episodes published in the series. As a result of this study, it shows that social media have an increasing role in the effect of watching television.
Romantic Relationships, Online Dating, and Mental Health Issues
Authors: Bhave Tejaswini
Published: June 2018

This chapter attempts to present the overview of mental health issues associated with online dating and online romantic relationships with relevant research background. It briefly cautions about the possible risks involved in the world of online dating platforms and later delves into mental health concerns that can emerge out of experiences while selecting a potential partner online, developing a romantic relationship, and being involved in a romantic relationship online. It also discusses safety measures that need to be taken before and while being active on such online dating sites. The chapter draws attention to the specific role of mental health professionals that is needed while dealing with victims of online scams and abuse.
3D Reconstruction Algorithms Survey
Authors: Gabr Mohamed Karam , Elias Rimon
Published: June 2018

Over the past years, 3D reconstruction has proved to be a challenge. With augmented reality and robotics attracting more attention, the demand for efficient 3D reconstruction algorithms has increased. 3D reconstruction presents a problem in computer vision and as a result, much work has been dedicated to solving it. Different design choices were made to consider different components of the process. Examples of these differences are how the scanning process is tackled, how the 3D reconstructed world is represented, among other aspects. Therefore, an evaluation of these algorithms is necessary. This chapter focuses on the properties that facilitate the evaluation of 3D reconstruction algorithms and provides an evaluation of the various algorithms.
Proper Enhancement and Segmentation of the Overexposed Color Skin Cancer Image
Authors: Dhal Krishna Gopal , Ray Swarnajit , Sen Mandira , Das Sanjoy
Published: June 2018

Proper enhancement and segmentation of the overexposed color skin cancer images is a great challenging task in medical image processing field. Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) facilitates quantitative analysis of digital images with a high throughput processing rate. But, analysis of CAD purely depends on the input image quality. Therefore, in this study, overexposed and washed out skin cancer images are enhanced properly with the help of exact hue-saturation-intensity (eHSI) color model and contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE) method which is applied through this model. eHSI color model is hue preserving and gamut problem free. Any gray level image enhancement method can be easily employed for color image through this eHSI model. The segmentation of these enhanced color images has been done by employing one unsupervised clustering approach with the assistance of seven different gray level thresholding methods. Comparison of the segmentation efficiency of gray level thresholding methods has been done in the cases of overexposed as well as for enhanced images.
Behavioral Event Interview
Authors: Ravindranath Sindhu
Published: June 2018

The behavioral interview is used to bring forth the understanding of the competencies of a person. The interviews and aptitude tests we conduct will tell us about the educational and expertise factors of the interviewee's life. To understand specific components of his/her talents there is a requirement for a much more guiding narrative technique which will help the interviewee recount the specific acts he/she has done with respect to the competency the interviewer is looking for. There are certain preparations required for this as well. This chapter outlines the procedure for conducting the BEI with the competency clusters given. It also attempts to explain competencies and the process of how it can be used.
Information Problems in Competitive Markets and Their Impact on Labor Markets
Authors: Yavuz Hasan Bilgehan
Published: June 2018

Economic agents should be fully informed in order to maximize welfare by removing market disruptions. The full knowledge which is one of the assumptions of the traditional economic approach has been rejected in the recent studies and it is stated that the information is lacking and asymmetric and therefore market disruptions come to the forefront. Information created under certain conditions that economic agents use in their decisions and actions does not remove the problems of adverse selection and moral hazard. Information asymmetry among individuals will be minimized through institutions to be established in the obtaining, usage, and transfer of knowledge. Institutions such as signaling and discrimination, which will be created in the labor market in particular, will be able to provide economic efficiency by selecting qualified staff and paying based on efficiency.
The Assessment of Students' Competencies and Constructionism With Examples in Biological and Natural Sciences
Authors: Iancu Mariana.
Published: June 2018

The author approaches the necessity of the reform of the evaluation activity in the educational process at biology and natural sciences classes in various ways (i.e., the assessment of students' competencies, the assessment of construction of knowledge by students' efforts, assessment of students' productions, of projects, assessment of their experimental, practical and investigative activities, the assessment with the aid of informational and communicational technologies, the complementary use of modernized traditional methods and modern methods, the use of the new system “nothing is lost, everything is transformed,” for which this researcher contributes with examples and recommendations); all these are in accordance with Papert's constructionist ideas (e.g., to learn by doing). Also, the researcher treats and contributes with examples to the process of assessment of students' competencies and of their constructionism in natural sciences, according to Program for International Student Assessment (P.I.S.A.).
Developing Business Intelligence Product and Metacontent Map (BIP-Map)
Authors: Chee Chin-Hoong
Published: June 2018

A business intelligence (BI) system provides users with multi-dimensional information (a so-called “BI product”) to support decision making. However, existing BI systems overlook the lineage metadata which supports individual data quality dimensions such as data believability and ease of understanding. Using a design science research paradigm, this chapter proposes and develops an integrated framework (known as BI product and metacontent map – “BIP-Map”) to facilitate the traceability and accountability of BI products. Specifically, the business workflow layer of the integrated framework is modelled using business process modelling notation, and an information product map is used to model the second layer's information manufacturing process, whilst the third layer represents the metacontent detail of the data validation stage, from source system through to ETL, to the data warehousing stage. The integrated framework addresses individual-related data quality issues and builds user confidence by enhancing the traceability and accountability of a BI product.
Transformative Analytics and Logistics Pricing
Authors: Peck Jr. Jeffrey Drue , Gendron Michael S. , Black Tera
Published: June 2018

Raw materials and products are moved and created globally through complex supply chains. Within those supply chains, logistics is what enables the goods to move through distribution and reach the end consumer. Being such a widely used process, this is what motivates the researchers to examine the logistics portion of the supply chain from an analytical perspective and attempt to determine the relationship between various market forces and their impact on the cost of logistics. This will be accomplished with transformative analytics techniques, such as multivariate regression modeling focusing on areas such as directionality and precipitation. That should enable logistics managers, researchers, and others to better understand the factors that go into the cost of logistics services, and thus impact pricing of goods dependent on those services. In a world where logistics managers rely heavily on “gut feel,” utilizing business intelligence and analytics can better enable decision making.
Post-Holocaust Heritage of Trauma
Authors: Steir-Livny Liat
Published: June 2018

In the 1930s, after the Nazis came to power in Germany, tens of thousands of Jews immigrated to Eretz-Israel. Many of them kept on missing their former homeland and culture, while simultaneously despising Germany. This chapter analyzes the complex identity of these Jews, who had to leave Germany, but could not really detach themselves from the homeland that betrayed them, as reflected in the film The Flat (2011). In the film, Director Arnon Goldfinger reveals a family secret: his grandparents, Kurt and Gerda Tuchler, maintained close contacts with a Nazi couple, the Von Mildensteins, before and after the Holocaust. In a world of post-Holocaust, the analysis of the film tells the story of a transgenerational transfer of the trauma, and its different effect on three generations.
Non-Invasive Monitoring of Glucose Level Changes Utilizing a mm-Wave Radar System
Authors: Shaker George , Smith Karly , Omer Ala Eldin , Liu Shuo , Csech Clement , Wadhwa Udeshaya , Safavi-Naeini Safieddin , Hughson Richard
Published: June 2018

This article discusses recent developments in the authors' experiments using Google's Soli alpha kit to develop a non-invasive blood glucose detection system. The Soli system (co-developed by Google and Infineon) is a 60 GHz mm-wave radar that promises a small, mobile, and wearable platform intended for gesture recognition. They have retrofitted the setup for the system and their experiments outline a proof-of-concept prototype to detect changes of the dielectric properties of solutions with different levels of glucose and distinguish between different concentrations. Preliminary results indicated that mm-waves are suitable for glucose detection among biological mediums at concentrations similar to blood glucose concentrations of diabetic patients. The authors discuss improving the repeatability and scalability of the system, other systems of glucose detection, and potential user constraints of implementation.
Treatment Success of Hip and Core or Knee Strengthening for Patellofemoral Pain: Development of Clinical Prediction Rules
Authors: Earl-Boehm Jennifer E. , Bolgla Lori A. , Emory Carolyn , Hamstra-Wright Karrie L. , Tarima Sergey , Ferber Reed
Published: June 2018

Context: 

Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is a common injury that interferes with quality of life and physical activity. Clinical subgroups of patients may exist, one of which is caused by proximal muscle dysfunction.

Objectives: 

To develop clinical prediction rules that predict a positive outcome after either a hip and core- or knee-focused strengthening program for individuals with PFP.

Design: 

Secondary analysis of data from a randomized control trial.

Setting: 

Four university laboratories.

Patients or Other Participants: 

A total of 199 participants with PFP.

Intervention(s): 

Participants were randomly allocated to either a hip and core-focused (n = 111) or knee-focused (n = 88) rehabilitation group for a 6-week program.

Main Outcome Measure(s): 

Demographics, self-reported knee pain (visual analog scale) and function (Anterior Knee Pain Scale), hip strength, abdominal muscle endurance, and hip range of motion were evaluated at baseline. Treatment success was defined as a decrease in visual analog scale score by ≥2 cm or an increase in the Anterior Knee Pain Scale score by ≥8 points or both. Bivariate relationships between the outcome (treatment success) and the predictor variables were explored, followed by a forward stepwise logistic regression to predict a successful outcome.

Results: 

Patients with more pain, better function, greater lateral core endurance, and less anterior core endurance were more likely to have a successful outcome after hip and core strengthening (88% sensitivity and 54% specificity). Patients with lower weight, weaker hip internal rotation, stronger hip extension, and greater trunk-extension endurance were more likely to have success after knee strengthening (82% sensitivity and 58% specificity).

Conclusion: 

The patients with PFP who have more baseline pain and yet maintain a high level of function may experience additional benefit from hip and core strengthening. The clinical prediction rules from this study remain in the developmental phase and should be applied with caution until externally validated.