bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Mixed Method Investigation of Social Science Graduate Students’ Statistics Anxiety Conditions Before and After the Introductory Statistics Course
Authors: Huang Liuli
Published: June 2018

Research frequently uses quantitative approach to explore undergraduates’ statistics anxiety conditions. However, few studies of adults’ statistics anxiety use qualitative method or focus solely on graduate students. Moreover, even less studies focus on comparing adults’ anxiety levels before and after the introductory statistics course. This line of study is important to pursue since the introductory statistics course should play the very important roles of both preparing students’ the foundation knowledge of higher level statistics course, and inspiring students’ interests for higher level course. In addition, graduate students tend to have different backgrounds, learning motivations, and learning habits compared to their undergraduate counterparts. Overall, limited mixed research method is available on social sciences graduate students’ (1) statistics anxiety before and after the introductory statistics course and (2) actions taken to decrease the anxiety. This study seeks to fill this gap by incorporating a mixed research method to explore social sciences graduate students’ statistics learning processes. Findings suggest that the social sciences graduate students’ anxiety levels diminished after the introductory statistics course, even though they also experienced severe statistics anxiety at the very beginning. These findings became essential for institutions, higher education instructors, and social sciences statistics learners to consider.
A Comparative Study of Students’ Happiness Levels and Thinking Styles in Physical Education and Sport Teaching, and Other Departments, in Turkey
Authors: Tingaz Emre Ozan , Hazar Muhsin , Baydar Hacer Ozge , Gokyurek Belgin , Cakıroglu Temel
Published: June 2018

The objectives of this research were to compare the happiness and thinking styles of undergraduate students in the Physical Education and Sports Teaching Department and different departments, and to examine the relations between the students’ happiness levels and their thinking styles. Using the correlational study design 661, undergraduate students were determined by a convenience sampling method. Participants were selected in terms of being easily accessible from Gazi University, which is located in the Ankara province, Turkey. The analysis indicated that the Department of Physical Education and Sports Teaching students' average level of happiness was significantly higher than in some other departments. However, the Department of Physical Education and Sports Teaching students' need for cognition was not significantly different from the students from other departments. Physical Education and Sports Teaching students' faith in intuition was significantly higher than the Department of Guidance and Psychological Counseling students’. Besides, the happiness levels and thinking styles did not differ significantly by gender. There was a positive correlation between their faith in intuition and happiness. However, there was no significant relation between their happiness levels and need for cognition, nor need for cognition and their faith in intuition.
Quality of Life After Cataract Surgery in Jordan
Authors: Al-Zubi Khalid , Hijazeen Maali , Nasser Rana
Published: June 2018

PURPOSE: Cataract surgery is used for the removal of cloudy lens of eyes to reduce chances of blindness or any kind of visual impairments. The surgery is helpful to treat vision impairment, reduce chances of blindness, and bring positive impacts on quality of life among patients. The study aims to demonstrate key improvements in quality of life in terms of visual acuity and general quality of life after cataract surgery in Amman, Jordan.METHODS: The effect of cataract surgery on quality of life is assessed by using qualitative research methodology based on interviews of patients that have undergone cataract surgery. After collection of data, it is organized in forms of themes, and thematic analysis method was used for analysis of these themes.RESULTS: The outcomes obtained from data collected from participants have provided evidences that quality of life of participants has been improved after this surgery. Moreover, this study has also revealed that cataract surgery is effective to improve quality of life of participants by providing psychological, social, and emotional support.CONCLUSION: The study has concluded that cataract surgery in Jordan not only improve quality of life in terms of visual acuity, but also bring improvements in psychological and mental wellness of a person.
Prediction of Epitopes in the Proteome of Helicobacter pylori
Authors: Navarro-Quiroz Elkin , Navarro-Quiroz Roberto , España-Puccini Pierine , Villarreal José Luis , Perez Anderson Díaz , Ponce Cecilia Fernandez , Bilbao Jorge , Vasquez Lucy , Mendoza Dary Luz
Published: June 2018

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a group I carcinogen and is one of the most efficient human pathogens with over half of the world's population colonized by this gram-negative spiral bacterium. H. pylori can cause a chronic infection in the stomach during early childhood that persists throughout life due to diverse mechanisms of immune response evasion. H. pylori has several factors strongly associated with increased risk of disease such as toxins, adhesins, and chemoattractants, some of which are highly polymorphic, phase variable, and have different functions. Conventional treatments involve the use of antibiotics. However, treatment frequently fails due to the resistance H. pylori has progressively developed to antibiotics. This creates the need for different treatments made possible by identifying new therapeutic targets in the pathogen’s genome.The purpose of this study was an in silico prediction of T- and B- epitopes in H. pylori proteins. Twenty-two external membrane proteins from H. pylori Strain 26695 (accession number NC_000915) were identified using the web tool Vaxign (http://www.violinet.org/vaxign/). A total of one-hundred epitopes (60 class I epitopes and 40 class II epitopes) that could be used to develop novel non-antibiotics drugs for an H. pylori infection were predicted.
Noninvasive Prediction of Pulmonary Hypertension in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by Echocardiography With & It's Co-Relation With the Disease Severity (Hospital Based Study)
Authors: Al Obaidy Muhammed Waheeb , Aljubouri Adnan M. , Ehsan Rana
Published: June 2018

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of most common cause of death. Pulmonary hypertension, one of the major and under diagnosed complications of COPD which have a great impact on outcome of COAD and associated with frequent exacerbations and bad prognosis. Echocardiography provides a rapid, noninvasive, portable, and accurate method to evaluate changes related to pulmonary hypertension in COAD.OBJECTIVE OF STUDY: Study pulmonary artery systolic pressure and Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion in patients with COAD by 2D ECHO Doppler and correlate them with COPD severity.METHOD: Cross sectional study was conducted on 50 COPD patients in Baghdad teaching hospital (age>40 year) from first of January to the end of June, 2017. First, the diagnosis of COPD was confirmed and evaluated for staging by history, clinical examination, and spirometery.All patients have undergone ECG and 2D echocardiography and systolic pulmonary artery pressure and Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion (TAPSE) were calculated. Patients with other cardiac or respiratory problems (asthma, pulmonary TB, lung malignancy, connective tissue diseases, interstitial lung disease, and cardiac ischemia, left side heart failure) were excluded from this study.RESULTS: Study of PASP by TR jet with the use of 2D ECHO on 50 patients with COPD showed that 20 patients had normal echo study , mild increase in PASP was found in 15 patients, moderate 11, and severe increase in 4 patients.Study of TAPSE by 2D ECHO showed that 35 patients had normal TAPSE values, while others 15 had abnormal values classified as mild, moderate, and severe: 3, 9, and 3, respectively.A significant associations between echo findings of increasing PASP and abnormal TAPSE, with decrease in FEV1, and oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximeter, duration since COPD was diagnosed and MRC dyspnea scale.CONCLUSION: High incidence of pulmonary hypertension with increasing severity of COAD. Echocardiography is useful and effective tool for detection of PHT secondary to COPD.
Strategies for Integrating Cultural Values in Ethics Education for Nurses
Authors: Mpeli Moliehi Rosemary
Published: June 2018

BACKGROUND: Limited usage of cultural values has prevailed in ethics education, probably due to controversial issues of cultural relativism .There is, however, an urgent need to bridge the gap between education and practice to ensure cultural appropriate ethical nursing care.METHODS: A literature review was done to identify transformative theory and strategies that may encourage students to recall, reflect and discuss self-identified morality.RESULTS: The proposed approach draws on transformative learning theory of Mezirow, and introduces strategies for aligning values with ethical theories. The article suggests that instead of imposing moral theories on students, transformative learning strategies should be implemented to reframe students’ ingrained values and realise the assimilation of these values in moral theories.CONCLUSION: Reframing and assimilation are necessary to bridge the gap between ethics education and practice in nursing. The strategies may enable intercultural dialogues that are deemed necessary for harmonious interaction among people with varied and dynamic cultural values and identities.
Salvia Hispanica L (Chia Seeds) as Brain Superfood – How Seeds Increase Intelligence
Authors: Onneken Peter
Published: June 2018

The influence of nutrition on cognitive abilities is undisputed in academic literature. Omega-3 fatty acids in particular delivered convincing results in several studies. In recent years chia seeds (Salvia Hispanica L) are becoming increasingly popular in Europe as well. In a trial the authors divided the study participants into two groups: an intervention group and a control group. The participants of the intervention group consumed a daily dose of 5 grams chia seeds over a time period of 21 days.In total, the test group that participated in the intervention performed significantly better in the retest than the comparison group. They improved their verbal intelligence and enhanced their ability in problem solving. Insofar, the classification of Salvia Hispanica L as a superfood, respectively brain superfood, is scientifically justified.
Insight Into Special Education Teachers’ Practices With Preschool Children in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Algahtani Faris H.
Published: June 2018

Special educational teachers’ practices in a centre for children with intellectual disabilities in Saudi Arabia were shown to be influenced by the Islamic and Arab context together with differing understandings of disability and American-influenced treatments of what are seen as inappropriate behaviours. Knowledge of the interventions which teachers find useful and effective enables identification of potential improvements in educational services for preschool children. In this interpretive qualitative study, data were collected from semi-structured interviews with fifteen teachers in a single centre. Findings identified through thematic analysis of the data are presented in three main categories: play as intervention, structure, and behaviour improvement. Teachers emphasized the importance of correcting behaviour as a prerequisite for more academic learning, with some acknowledgement of a child’s need for freedom and growing interest in Montessori. Key issues of initial teacher training and professional development would be addressed by the adoption of a more child-centred approach may be more suited to an Islamic approach to childhood.
Testing the Impact of Brief Counseling on Non-Urgent Client Self-Esteem, Social Connectedness, Recommending Their University and Active Alumnus Intent
Authors: Blau Gary , DiMino John , Barron Allyce , Davis Kathleen , Grace Kelly , Lopez Andrea
Published: June 2018

The purpose of this study was to test brief counseling impact on four outcomes. Two outcomes, self-esteem and social connectedness, were more typical for a University Counseling Center (UCC) to address. However, two other outcomes were more related to a university’s academic mission, i.e., recommending the university and active alumnus intent. Using a longitudinal sample of 60 matched non-urgent undergraduate clients at a UCC, brief counseling increased all four outcomes: social connectedness, self-esteem, recommending the university, and active alumnus intent. For this study, brief counseling was defined as a median of three counseling sessions after intake (range 1 to 8) over a median period of six weeks (range 4 to 10 weeks). In addition, these scale means were compared to a control group of business undergraduates not in counseling. The counseled sample at Time 2 compared favorably to the non-counseled sample on recommending the university and active alumnus intent. To better support its students’ success and university enrollments, UCCs need to consider new avenues to promote their advocacy by gathering data more directly connected to a university’s mission.
Material Value-Ethics
Authors: Vohánka Vlastimil ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: June 2018

Josef Seifert and John F. Crosby are the two main proponents of applied material value-ethics. Both reject all forms of suicide and abortion. Seifert also explicitly rejects euthanasia, torture, destructive stem-cell research, genetic enhancement, in vitro fertilization, and contraception. Crosby explicitly rejects spousal in vitro fertilization and spousal contraception. In this essay I examine whether their case should be regarded as convincing. Against Seifert, and possibly also against Crosby, I show why it definitely should not.
Public Happiness
Authors: Guaraldo Olivia ,   DePaul University
Published: June 2018

The aim of this article is to revisit public happiness as Arendt develops it explicitly in On Revolution—and implicitly elsewhere throughout her oeuvre—in order to philosophically evaluate its ability to beget a political-theoretical framework able to relate politics to an “affective realignment,” alternative to the hegemonic paradigms of “againstness” and “resistance.” I will analyze the Arendtian theoretical framework regarding action, freedom, and happiness in its relation to the thinker’s political ontology, testing its ability to restore for us a political imaginary that is generative and affirmative. Can Arendt can help us understand the political momentum of the present and by so doing help us reassess the political, freeing it from the depoliticized quagmire of these overtly neoliberal times?
Plato’s Psycho-paideia Mythos Again
Authors: Wang Keping
Published: June 2018

As is generally perceived, one of the leading themes in Plato’s Republic is psycho-paideia, education and enculturation of human soul or psyche (ψυχή) from a moralistic standpoint. Interestingly, the overall structure of the dialogue as a whole is philosophically framed to address the problem with the soul through a chain of myths or allegories. It commences with the myth of the magic ring of Gyges (359d-360d) that is deployed to expose the vulnerable nature of the human soul in the choice between the just and unjust deeds; later on it intermediates with the allegorical tripartition of the soul through the three prominent images of a man, a lion and a many-headed monster (588c-590c), employed to illustrate the complex traits of the soul itself and its possible likes and consequences; and finally, it ends up with the great myth of Er (614b-621b), especially designed to illuminate the postmortem experience of the wandering soul that witnessed how the divinely authorized reward-and-punishment principle is applied to the other afterlife souls, categorized into two broad types known as the just and the unjust. This experience is associated with transmigration in the mystic overtone of the Orphic-Pythagorean tradition. The myth of Er at the end of Plato’s Republic is usually conceived as an eschatological one, set in a philosophical context. It, thus, reveals the relationship between philomythos and phylosophos, and the interaction between myth and philosophy in a creative manner. Engaging and thought-provocating as it is, it is deployed to stir much reflection on the possible aspects of the human soul in terms of justice and injustice. In addition, it well demonstrates how Plato applies it as one of many typical cases to his philosophical discourse and speculative formulation with dramatic effect, mystical import and aesthetic pleasure. Teleologically, the story itself could be treated as a psycho-paideia mythos in principle. It is intended to help cultivate and save the soul through such three ways as the heavenly, the underground, and the philosophical. All this is assumed to feature a kind of poetic wisdom characteristic of Plato’s poetic philosophy as is exemplified in his dialogues. This poetic wisdom lies in such realms as philosophical rewriting of myths, organic contextuality, divine law in a moralized cosmos, symbolic expression of the oneness between absolute necessity and destiny, imaginative participation via mythical experience, and even bricolage intellectue working at cross-levels.
Sildenafil Induces Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in Human Colorectal Cancer HT-29 Cells
Authors: Wu-Ming Qin  , Kun Wang  , Jia-Rong Huang  , Xiao-Long Mei  , Zhi Shi
Published: June 2018

Phosphodiesterase is an enzyme that degrades the phosphodiester bond in the second messenger molecules cAMP and cGMP, and regulates the localization, duration, and amplitude of cyclic nucleotide signaling within subcellular domains. Sildenafil is a potent and selective inhibitor of the type 5 cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase used clinically to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension. In this study, we examined the effect of sildenafil on human colorectal cancer HT-29 cells. Our data showed that sildenafil induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and cotreatment with a ROS scavenger N-acetyl-L-cysteine partially reversed cell apoptosis caused by sildenafil in human colorectal cancer HT-29 cells. Overall, our study suggests that sildenafil appears to be a promising new treatment option for colorectal cancer.
«Al aire» del to barroc
Authors: Josa Lola
Published: June 2018

Resum: El paisatge bucòlic es va convertir en una espècie de partitura i de joc metalíric en els tons barrocs de tal manera que sembla com si els intèrprets i les veus que els canten només tinguessin que seguir les indicacions que els tòpics poètics dicten des del text per a que la sonoritat, l’harmonia i la música fossin possibles. Resulta molt curiós també que, tan tardanament, fos a propòsit de l’amor bucolicopastoral el pretext amb què l’incipient art del to es mostrés més experimental. Només aquest motiu musical podria justificar, que, a principis del segle XVII, proliferessin les composicions de tons de temàtica bucòlica i d’aquells altres que estan centrats en una Natura, si bé no idealitzada, no advertida pel més tardà panteisme egocèntric. En aquest treball ens centrarem, per tant, en les causes d’aquest esforç d’originalitat musical i de llurs èxits, així com la repercussió que va tenir en la poesia musicada. També seguirem l’evolució poeticomusical del to bucolicopastoral de la mà dels millors compositors peninsulars (alguns encara desconeguts) per a terminar oferint les característiques més significatives que permeten fixar-lo com una de les importants tipologies de la història de la música peninsular del segle XVII..
Paraules clau: to barroc, poesia i música del segle XVII, bucolisme líric, estudi interdisciplinar, llenguatge poeticomusical.
 
Abstract: The bucolic landscape became a kind of sheet music and metalyrical game in baroque tonos in such a way that it seems as if the performers and the voices that sing them have only to follow the indications that the poetic topics dictate from the text so that the sonority, harmony and music were possible. It is very curious also that, so belatedly, it was on the subject of pastoral-bucolic love the pretext with which the incipient art of the tono was more experimental. Only this musical motif could justify, that, at the beginning of the XVII century, the compositions of bucolic tonos proliferated and of those others that are centered in a Nature, although not idealized, not noticed by the later egocentric pantheism. In this work we will focus, therefore, on the causes of this effort of musical originality and its achievements, as well as the repercussion that it had on musicalized poetry. We will also follow the poetic-musical evolution of the bucolic-pastoral tono along with the best peninsular composers (some still unknown) to end up offering the most significant characteristics that allow us to fix it as one of the important typologies of the history of the peninsular music of the XVII century.
Keywords: Baroque tono; Poetry and music of the seventeenth century; Lyric bucolicism; Interdisciplinary study; Poetic-musical language.
L’èxtasi poètic de Fontanella: metateatre i música a la Lloa per la Tragicomèdia pastoral d’amor, firmesa i porfia
Authors: Gilabert Gaston
Published: June 2018

Resum: En absència d’estudis monogràfics sobre la Lloa de Fontanella, aquest article n’ analitza l’estructura dramàtica, començant amb una reflexió sobre llur classificació dintre del gènere i sobre l’espai de la Barcelona del segle XVII que podria haver-la escenificat. La importància funcional que el poeta barceloní atorga a la música i al metateatre condueixen a una interpretació de la Lloa des d’un punt de vista poeticomusical, la qual cosa permet una nova lectura de certs passatges i una valoració crítica que afecta, no només a la peça en qüestió sinó a tota la Tragicomèdia pastoral d’amor, firmesa i porfia i al caràcter d’avantguarda del teatre català de l’Edat Moderna
Paraules clau: Francesc Fontanella, teatre català, literatura barroca, música, Barcelona.
 
Abstract: In the absence of monographic studies on Fontanella’s Lloa, this paper analyses its dramatic structure, starting with a reflection on their classification within the genre and on the context of 17th century Barcelona where it could have been staged. The functional importance that this Barcelonian poet grants to music and metatheatre leads to an interpretation of the Lloa from a poetic-musical point of view, which allows a new reading of certain passages and a critical evaluation that affects not only the piece in question, but also the whole Tragicomèdia pastoral d’amor, firmesa i porfia and the avant-garde character of the Catalan theatre of the Modern Age.
Keywords: Francesc Fontanella, Catalan theatre, baroque literature, music, Barcelona.
Ressenya a Laia de Ahumada, Eulàlia Duran i Grau. Converses íntimes. Cervera, Museu Comarcal de Cervera, 2017
Authors: Requesens Piquer Joan
Published: June 2018

Ressenya a Laia de Ahumada, Eulàlia Duran i Grau. Converses íntimes. Cervera, Museu Comarcal de Cervera, 2017, 94 pp. ISBN 978-84-938838-5-0.
 
Review  Laia de Ahumada, Eulàlia Duran i Grau. Converses íntimes. Cervera, Museu Comarcal de Cervera, 2017, 94 pp. ISBN 978-84-938838-5-0.
PRIMARNA ZDRAVSTVENA ZAŠTITA DJECE U HRVATSKOJ
Authors: Roganović Jelena
Published: June 2018

Organizirani oblici pedijatrijske zaštite postoje u Hrvatskoj stotinjak godina. Prvi školovani hrvatski pedijatar jebio Radovan Marković (1874 – 1920), koji je 1904. godine u zagrebačkoj Bolnici milosrdnih sestara osnovao prvi dječjiodjel na Balkanu. Hrvatska pedijatrija se razvijala na konceptu jedinstvene pedijatrije integrirane kurativne i preventivnezaštite. Nakon Drugog Svjetskog rata Hrvatska je imala malo pedijatara i nepovoljno stanje zdravstvene zaštite. Mortalitetdojenčadi je 1951. iznosio 131,2‰, a također su vrlo visoki bili mortalitet žena u porođaju i postotak porođaja bez stručnepomoći. U takvim uvjetima je prihvaćen koncept Svjetske zdravstvene organizacije i UNICEF-a o potrebi za specifičnomzdravstvenom zaštitom majki i djece pomoću posebno organizirane službe s piramidalnim modelom: dispanzera za primarnuzdravstvenu zaštitu majki i djece, intermedijarnih centara koji pružaju hospitalno zbrinjavanje bolesne djece i povezujurad primarne zdravstvene zaštite djece te formiranje Republičkog centra za koordinaciju, edukaciju kadrova i evaluacijuzdravstvene zaštite majki i djece. Za takav dispanzerski način rada provodila se posebna edukacija liječnika opće medicineza rad s djecom, najprije kroz šestomjesečne tečajeve socijalne pedijatrije, a zatim kroz dvosemestralne poslijediplomsketečajeve za zdravstvenu zaštitu majki i djece. Dio educiranih liječnika nastavio je s daljnjom edukacijom i specijalizacijomiz pedijatrije. Tijekom razvoja pedijatrijske djelatnosti na primarnoj razini, razvijala se i potrebna infrastruktura odnosnoprostori prilagođeni potrebama zdravstvene skrbi djece definirani Pravilnikom o minimalnim uvjetima u pogledu prostora,radnika i medicinsko-tehničke opreme za obavljanje zdravstvene djelatnosti (odvojen prostor za savjetovalište za zdravudjecu, izolacija, dodatni sanitarni čvorovi i drugo).
High mass resolution MALDI-TOF MS for profiling biomolecules in mixtures
Authors: Ng Wenfa
Published: June 2018

Intact biomolecules carry its identity through its atomic constituents and mass, while fragmented biomolecules require reconstruction for their identity to be retrieved. Hence, for profiling biomolecules in mixtures, the goal would be the gentle ionization of biomolecules by mass spectrometry without inducing fragmentation. Doing so generates an ensemble of ionized intact biomolecules able to be profiled by high sensitivity time-of-flight detector for accurate determination of each biomolecule mass, and thus, identity. Specifically, in time-of-flight detection, high mass resolution determination would require high sensitivity in detecting small differences in time of arrival of biomolecule ions to the detector. While current time-of-flight mass spectrometry provides high mass resolution, greater mass resolution is needed for discriminating different biomolecules in a mixture, where mass differences between biomolecules could be at the sub-Dalton level. With the ability to reliably detect biomolecules with sub-Dalton mass resolution, mass spectrometry with time-of-flight detector such as matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) could find use in identifying the compendium of biomolecules present in a mixture without tedious and time-consuming separation. The larger question would subsequently be coupling sample preparation needs with the conditions conducive for MALDI-TOF MS analysis. Overall, high mass resolution mass spectrometry techniques for profiling biomolecules would find use as an enabling tool in many areas of analytical science and biological sciences such as proteomics and metabolomics.
Besøk på sykehjem. En kvantitativ studie av sykehjemsbeboeres besøkshyppighet
Authors: Galek Joanna , Simonsen Morten , Grov Ellen-Karine , Sandvoll Anne Marie
Published: June 2018

Social contact is essential for the well-being of the nursing home residents.Visiting frequency in nursing homes is rarely investigated. The purpose of this study was to map the number of visits for nursing home residents. Nursing students collected data during their nursing home practice. 355 residents were included in this cross-sectional study. We explored the association between visit frequency and age, gender, type of department, activities of daily living (ADL) and length of stay. Data was analyzed using statistical analysis. The average number of visits was 8,8 per month. However, there were differences in visit frequency among the 15 institutions. Residents in the long-term department received fewer visits compared to the dementia and short-term department. Significant correlations between ADL function, gender, length of stay, age and frequency of visits were not found. More research to identify causes for the differences in visit frequency between different institutions is needed.Keywords: nursing homes; visiting; visit frequency; sykehjem; besøk; besøkshyppighet
Nutritional characterization of fatty acids and minerals in Brachystola magna (Girard) during their development
Authors: Monter-Miranda José Gabriel , Juan Manuel Tirado-Gallegos Paul Baruk Zamudio-Flores, , Emilio Ochoa-Reyes, Claudio Rios-Velasco Francisco Javier Molina-Corral, , Francisco Hernandez-Centeno Maria Hernandez-Gonzalez, , La Pena Haydee Yajaira Lopez de
Published: June 2018

Due to the growing demand for food sources, it is increasingly common to opt for entomophagy, in addition to contributing to the control of grasshopper Brachystola magna (Girard) insect considered a harmful pest for agriculture in the regions where it lives. In this study, a nutritional characterization on the grasshopper B. magna in four different stages of its biological cycle (egg, nymph 3, nymph 4 and adult) was performed. In the adult stage, values of protein and lipid content of 64.7 and 8.2%, respectively, were obtained through proximal chemical analysis. For the determination of fatty acids and minerals the techniques of gas chromatography and atomic absorption spectroscopy were used. The results of fatty acids and minerals indicated a high content of both, unsaturated fatty acids of eighteen carbons, especially oleic, and the minerals K+1, Mg+2 and Ca+2 with a relatively low presence of Na+1 due to its peculiar source of feed (bean). The results suggest that Brachystola magna (Girard) could be a potential source of consumption for healthy people and people with specific needs (people with cardiovascular problems of high protein requirements, such as caloric-protein malnutrition and bodybuilding).
Data integrity systems for organ contours in radiation therapy planning
Authors: Shah Veeraj P. , Lakshminarayanan Pranav , Moore Joseph , Tran Phuoc T. , Quon Harry , Deville Curtiland , McNutt Todd R.
Published: June 2018

The purpose of this research is to develop effective data integrity models for contoured anatomy in a radiotherapy workflow for both real‐time and retrospective analysis. Within this study, two classes of contour integrity models were developed: data driven models and contiguousness models. The data driven models aim to highlight contours which deviate from a gross set of contours from similar disease sites and encompass the following regions of interest (ROI): bladder, femoral heads, spinal cord, and rectum. The contiguousness models, which individually analyze the geometry of contours to detect possible errors, are applied across many different ROI's and are divided into two metrics: Extent and Region Growing over volume. After analysis, we found that 70% of detected bladder contours were verified as suspicious. The spinal cord and rectum models verified that 73% and 80% of contours were suspicious respectively. The contiguousness models were the most accurate models and the Region Growing model was the most accurate submodel. 100% of the detected noncontiguous contours were verified as suspicious, but in the cases of spinal cord, femoral heads, bladder, and rectum, the Region Growing model detected additional two to five suspicious contours that the Extent model failed to detect. When conducting a blind review to detect false negatives, it was found that all the data driven models failed to detect all suspicious contours. The Region Growing contiguousness model produced zero false negatives in all regions of interest other than prostate. With regards to runtime, the contiguousness via extent model took an average of 0.2 s per contour. On the other hand, the region growing method had a longer runtime which was dependent on the number of voxels in the contour. Both contiguousness models have potential for real‐time use in clinical radiotherapy while the data driven models are better suited for retrospective use.
Effect of ECAP Processing on Corrosion Behavior and Mechanical Properties of the ZFW MP Magnesium Alloy as a Biodegradable Implant Material
Authors: Gholami‐Kermanshahi Mozhgan , Neubert Volkmar‐Dirk , Tavakoli Mansour , Pastorek Filip , Smola Bohumil , Neubert Volkmar
Published: June 2018

Equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) is used to investigate the influence of microstructural evolution on mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of an extruded Mg alloy (ZFW MP) via route BC at 579 K. The transmission electron microscope (TEM) and the optical microscope (OM) are used to observe the microstructure. Tensile testing and hardness measurement are used to investigate the mechanical properties at room temperature, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic measurements are used to examine the corrosion properties in Hank's solution at 37 °C. The ECAPed samples show the enhanced mechanical properties as compared with the extruded sample. The ECAPed ZFW MP alloy possesses a homogeneous microstructure due to dynamic recrystallization (DRX), as indicated by the resulting microstructures. However, the electrochemical measurements show that a reduction in the corrosion resistance is caused by the ECAP processing. A broader grain size distribution and a continuous network of the oxide layers along grain boundaries result in an improvement in the corrosion resistance in the extruded sample as compared with the ECAPed sample. However, better mechanical properties are observed with a further homogeneous microstructure in the ECAPed sample as compared with the extruded counterpart.
Unique Seamlessly Bonded CNT@Graphene Hybrid Nanostructure Introduced in an Interlayer for Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Li Xuanhua , Tong Tengteng , Wu Qinjiang , Guo Shaohui , Song Qiang , Han Jian , Huang Zhixiang
Published: June 2018

Carbon nanomaterials have been widely used as an interlayer for realizing efficient and stable perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Theoretically, the design of a carbon composite interlayer that combines excellent conductivity with a high specific surface area is a better strategy than the application of pure nanocarbons. Here, an unusual seamlessly bonded carbon nanotube@graphene (CNT@G) hybrid nanomaterial was strategically synthesized and demonstrated to behave as an efficient interlayer for realizing efficient and stable PSCs. Due to the advantage of the seamless bond, the as‐proposed hybrid nanostructure showed an apparent improvement compared to the use of CNTs only, graphene only, or a simple mixture of CNTs and graphene. The power conversion efficiency improved from 15.67% to 19.56% after introduction of the hybrid nanomaterial due to efficient carrier extraction, faster charge transport, and restrained carrier recombination. More importantly, PSCs with a CNT@G hybrid‐decorated hole transport layer (HTL) showed good thermal stability during a 50 h heat‐aging test at 100 °C and water stability under ambient humidity (30–50% relative humidity) for 500 h because the hybrid nanostructure exhibited an increased capability to block ion/molecule diffusion. Our results provide an alternative approach for fully exploring the potential application of nanocarbons in the development of high‐performance PSCs.
Wearables in Medicine
Authors: Yetisen Ali K. , Martinez‐Hurtado Juan Leonardo , Ünal Barış , Khademhosseini Ali , Butt Haider
Published: June 2018

Wearables as medical technologies are becoming an integral part of personal analytics, measuring physical status, recording physiological parameters, or informing schedule for medication. These continuously evolving technology platforms do not only promise to help people pursue a healthier life style, but also provide continuous medical data for actively tracking metabolic status, diagnosis, and treatment. Advances in the miniaturization of flexible electronics, electrochemical biosensors, microfluidics, and artificial intelligence algorithms have led to wearable devices that can generate real‐time medical data within the Internet of things. These flexible devices can be configured to make conformal contact with epidermal, ocular, intracochlear, and dental interfaces to collect biochemical or electrophysiological signals. This article discusses consumer trends in wearable electronics, commercial and emerging devices, and fabrication methods. It also reviews real‐time monitoring of vital signs using biosensors, stimuli‐responsive materials for drug delivery, and closed‐loop theranostic systems. It covers future challenges in augmented, virtual, and mixed reality, communication modes, energy management, displays, conformity, and data safety. The development of patient‐oriented wearable technologies and their incorporation in randomized clinical trials will facilitate the design of safe and effective approaches.
Full Electric Control of Exchange Bias at Room Temperature by Resistive Switching
Authors: Wei Lujun , Hu Zhenzhong , Du Guanxiang , Yuan Yuan , Wang Ji , Tu Hongqing , You Biao , Zhou Shiming , Qu Jiangtao , Liu Hongwei , Zheng Rongkun , Hu Yong , Du Jun
Published: June 2018

Electric control of exchange bias (EB) is of vital importance in energy‐efficient spintronics. Although many attempts have been made during the past decade, each has its own limitations for operation and thus falls short of full direct and reversible electrical control of EB at room temperature. Here, a novel approach is proposed by virtue of unipolar resistive switching to accomplish this task in a Si/SiO2/Pt/Co/NiO/Pt device. By applying certain voltages, the device displays obvious EB in the high‐resistance‐state while negligible EB in the low‐resistance state. Conductive filaments forming in the NiO layer and rupturing near the Co–NiO interface are considered to play dominant roles in determining the combined resistive switching and EB phenomena. This work paves a new way for designing multifunctional and nonvolatile magnetoelectric random access memory devices.
Solution‐Processed High‐Performance Hybrid Photodetectors Enhanced by Perovskite/MoS2 Bulk Heterojunction
Authors: Peng Zi‐Yu , Xu Jian‐Long , Zhang Jing‐Yue , Gao Xu , Wang Sui‐Dong
Published: June 2018

A hybrid structure strategy, utilizing a perovskite/MoS2 bulk heterojunction (BHJ) as the photosensitizer and a reduced graphene oxide (rGO) layer as the conducting channel, is developed to realize high‐performance photodetectors. All the active layers are prepared by a simple and low‐cost solution process. The perovskite/MoS2 BHJ can significantly suppress the recombination of photogenerated carriers due to the selective electron trapping in the MoS2 nanoflakes, and thus the photoinduced hole transfer from perovskite to rGO is facilitated to largely increase the photocurrent. The hybrid photodetectors show excellent figures of merit, such as high responsivity of 1.08 × 104 A W−1, high detectivity of 4.28 × 1013 Jones, high external quantum efficiency of 2.0 × 106%, and fast photoresponse time less than 45 ms. The demonstration of flexible photodetectors on a flexible substrate finds potential applications in wearable and portable electronics. This work highlights the significance of a hybrid structure, combining an appropriate BHJ film with a graphene channel, as a general and effective way for achieving low‐cost and high‐performance photodetectors.
Intraflower variation in nectar secretion: Secretion patterns and pollinator behavior in male‐ and female‐phase flowers
Authors: Misaki Ando , Itagaki Tomoyuki , Matsubara Yutaka , Sakai Satoki
Published: June 2018

Premise of the Study

Plants that secrete abundant nectar attract many pollinator visits, potentially leading to a high frequency of geitonogamous pollination. However, intraflower variation in nectar volume might enhance early departure from the flower or inflorescence, reducing geitonogamy. To examine the adaptive significance of multiple nectar‐producing spurs within flowers, we related intraflower variation in nectar characteristics to pollinator foraging behavior and plant reproductive success in protandrous Aquilegia buergeriana var. oxysepala.

Methods

We investigated if nectar volume and sugar mass relate to spur length and if intraflower variation in nectar characteristics differ between male‐ and female‐phase flowers. Because male function requires more pollinator visits than female function, male‐phase flowers are expected to have greater nectar volume and lower intraflower variation in nectar volume than female‐phase flowers. We used intraflower variation in spur length as an indicator of variation in nectar characteristics and investigated how spur length variation affects pollinator behavior, pollen removal, and seed production.

Key Results

Male‐phase flowers had greater nectar volume and lower intraflower variation in nectar volume than female‐phase flowers. Intraflower variation in spur length reduced the duration of bumblebee visits. Short visits reduced seed production, but increased pollen removal.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that high intraflower variation in nectar production rate can reduce geitonogamy and potentially increase the genetic diversity of pollen received. Such pattern of nectar secretion within and among flowers may allow flowers to ensure effective pollen transfer or high seed production.
Chiral Induction in [2+2+2] Cycloaddition Reactions
Authors: Pla‐Quintana Anna , Roglans Anna
Published: June 2018

Chiral compounds containing six‐membered rings, whether aromatic or not, are of interest in a wide range of disciplines, including material science, medicinal chemistry, and agrochemistry. As transition‐metal‐catalyzed [2+2+2] cycloaddition reactions are one of the most elegant routes for the construction of six‐membered rings, significant effort has been given to developing asymmetric variants. In this focus review, we bring together the work that has been done in optimizing diastereoselective [2+2+2] cycloaddition reactions of enantiomerically pure substrates. Two different approaches—chirality induction and chirality transfer—are considered in a review organized by the type of chiral element being constructed (central, axial, or helical). The general challenges that are involved are highlighted and possible future directions in the field are discussed.
Electrochemical Methods as Enabling Tools for Glycosylation
Authors: Manmode Sujit , Matsumoto Kouichi , Nokami Toshiki , Itoh Toshiyuki
Published: June 2018

Electrochemical methods have been widely used for organic synthesis including glycosylation. Electrochemical oxidation via single electron transfer (SET) is a powerful method to activate various types of glycosyl donors. Their oxidation potentials, which reflect the reactivity of glycosyl donors under anodic oxidation conditions are tunable by changing protecting groups and the anomeric leaving groups of glycosyl donors. Not only thioglycosides but also other chalcogenoglycosides have been studied as highly reactive glycosyl donors. Recently, automated electrochemical assembly, which is an automated electrochemical solution‐phase synthesis of oligosaccharides was successfully demonstrated by the rational optimization of thioglycosides as both glycosyl donors and acceptors through electrochemical measurements and DFT calculations.
Im Kampf gegen Krebs: Polyoxometallate als nächste Generation metallhaltiger Medikamente
Authors: Bijelic Aleksandar , Aureliano Manuel , Rompel Annette
Published: June 2018

Polyoxometallate (POMs) haben großes Potenzial, verschiedene Tumorarten zu inhibieren; ihre Toxizität und unspezifischen Wechselwirkungen mit Biomolekülen verhindern jedoch eine klinische Anwendung. Der Schwerpunkt bei biologisch aktiven POMs liegt gegenwärtig auf organisch funktionalisierten POMs und POM‐basierten Nanokomposit‐Strukturen, da diese Hybride eine erhöhte Aktivität gegen Tumoren aufweisen, bei einer gleichzeitig deutlich verringerten Toxizität gegen normale Zellen. Während die Antitumoraktivität von POMs ausreichend beschrieben ist, sind ihre Wirkungsmechanismen noch weitgehend unbekannt. Dieser Aufsatz gibt einen Überblick über die zytotoxischen Effekte von POMs, wobei der Schwerpunkt auf POM‐basierten Hybriden und Nanokomposit‐Strukturen liegen soll. Postulierte Wirkungsmechanismen werden vorgestellt und molekulare Targets identifiziert. POMs könnten sich zur nächsten Generation metallhaltiger Krebsmedikamente entwickeln, die selektiv nur Krebszellen angreifen und gesunde Zellen verschonen.
Sonocrystallization of Interesterified Soybean Oil With and Without Agitation
Authors: Kadamne Jeta V. , Martini Silvana
Published: June 2018

Interesterified soybean oil was crystallized at 29, 34, and 35 °C with and without the use of high‐intensity ultrasound. Samples were crystallized using either (1) continued agitation for the entire crystallization process (CA) or (2) agitation for 10 min (A10) followed by static crystallization. Sonication and agitation decreased the induction period of nucleation at higher temperatures and changed the crystal morphology, crystallization kinetics, and viscoelasticity of the sample. Sonication reduced the crystal sizes and significantly (P <0.05) increased the viscosity (5.2 ± 1.2 to 2369.6 ± 712.1 Pa s) and elastic modulus (83.2 ± 4.1 to 69,236.7 ± 26,765 Pa) of the crystalline networks obtained at 29 °C under A10 condition. An increase in viscosity and elasticity was also observed for sonicated samples crystallized at 34 and 35 °C under A10 and all CA conditions but these differences were not statistically significant (P >0.05). Sonication increased crystallization rates for all conditions tested. Kinetic constants obtained from an Avrami fit increased from1.3 × 10−5 to 6.8 × 10−5 min−n for samples crystallized at 29 °C A10 without and with sonication, respectively, and from 2.6 × 10−9 to 2.4 × 10−7 min−n for samples crystallized at 34 °C A10 without and with sonication, respectively. This increase in the crystallization rate was also observed for samples crystallized under the CA condition at 29 °C.
Life‐cycle analysis of integrated biorefineries with co‐production of biofuels and bio‐based chemicals: co‐product handling methods and implications
Authors: Cai Hao , Han Jeongwoo , Wang Michael , Davis Ryan , Biddy Mary , Tan Eric
Published: June 2018

New integrated biorefinery (IBR) concepts are being investigated to co‐produce hydrocarbon fuels and high‐value bio‐based chemicals to improve the economic viability of IBRs, to enhance biomass resource utilization efficiencies, and to maximize potential greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions. Unlike fuel‐only biorefineries, IBRs may co‐produce a significant amount of bio‐based chemicals, whose emission implications for specific biorefinery products and the biorefinery as a whole need to be evaluated. We discuss this in principle and apply three sets of co‐product handling methods to conduct life‐cycle analysis (LCA) of modeled IBRs with co‐production of two bioproduct examples – succinic acid and adipic acid – alongside a renewable diesel blendstock fuel product. The LCA results for the specific co‐product handling methods that were examined shed light on potential artifacts of product‐specific LCA with selected co‐product methods. We discuss the advantages and limitations of each method and conclude that (i) a system‐level or ‘black‐box’ LCA allocation method is too simplistic to reflect appropriately the GHG burdens of distinctly different processing trains for fuels and chemicals in the IBR context, and (ii) the displacement method is the only co‐product handling method that accounts fully for the emission effects of both the fuel product and the non‐fuel bio‐based co‐products in the IBRs within the context of the existing fuel‐focused GHG regulatory framework. Alternatively, biorefinery system‐level LCA combines benefits of individual products to offer a complete picture. This system‐level LCA approach offers a holistic LCA without somewhat arbitrary decisions either on an allocation basis or by the selection of an evaluation metric based on specific products. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.