bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Observation of alkaline earth complexes M(CO)
8
(M = Ca, Sr, or Ba) that mimic transition metals
Authors: Wu Xuan , Zhao Lili , Jin Jiaye , Pan Sudip , Li Wei , Jin Xiaoyang , Wang Guanjun , Zhou Mingfei , Frenking Gernot
Published: August 2018

Carbonyls in the s block

Conventional wisdom in chemistry distinguishes transition metals from other elements by their use of d orbitals in bonding. Wu
et al.
now report that alkaline earth metals can slide their electrons from s- to d-orbital bonding motifs as well (see the Perspective by Armentrout). Calcium, strontium, and barium all form coordination complexes with a cubic arrangement of eight carbonyl ligands and an 18-electron valence shell. The compounds were characterized in frozen neon matrices by vibrational spectroscopy and in gas phase by mass spectrometry.

Science
, this issue p.
912
; see also p.
849
From oncogenic mutation to dynamic code
Authors: Kolch Walter , Kiel Christina
Published: August 2018

Oncogenic BRAF mutations can distort downstream signaling outcomes
Fusion oncogenes—genetic musical chairs
Authors: Imielinski Marcin , Ladanyi Marc
Published: August 2018

Ewing sarcoma–driver fusion genes can result from complex genomic rearrangements
Understanding the double slit
Through Two Doors at Once
Anil Ananthaswamy
Dutton, 2018. 301 pp.
Authors: Frappier Mélanie
Published: August 2018

Glimpses of quantum truth appear in diverse interpretations of the famous physics experiment
Mechanism of Macrolide-Induced Inhibition of Pneumolysin Release Involves Impairment of Autolysin Release in Macrolide-Resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae
Authors: Domon Hisanori , Maekawa Tomoki , Yonezawa Daisuke , Nagai Kosuke , Oda Masataka , Yanagihara Katsunori , Terao Yutaka
Published: August 2018

Streptococcus pneumoniae
is a leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia. Over the past 2 decades, macrolide resistance among
S. pneumoniae
organisms has been increasing steadily and has escalated at an alarming rate worldwide.
First Report of an OXA-48- and CTX-M-213-Producing Kluyvera Species Clone Recovered from Patients Admitted in a University Hospital in Madrid, Spain
Authors: Hernández-García Marta , León-Sampedro Ricardo , Pérez-Viso Blanca , Morosini María Isabel , López-Fresneña Nieves , Díaz-Agero Cristina , Coque Teresa M. , Ruiz-Garbajosa Patricia , Cantón Rafael
Published: August 2018

Enterobacterales
species other than
Klebsiella pneumoniae
also contribute to OXA-48 carbapenemase endemicity. We studied the emergence of an OXA-48-producing
Kluyvera
species clone, which expresses the novel CTX-M-213 enzyme, colonizing patients in our hospital.
A Simple Exercise for Teaching Bacteriophage Concepts in the Undergraduate Laboratory Using Commercially Available Disinfectant
Authors: Khan Latifa B. , Read Hannah M.
Published: August 2018

Virus and bacteriophage are key components in any microbiology teaching. We have used a commercially available disinfectant (TRIGENE) to demonstrate plaques formation from bacteriophages on confluent bacterial lawns. We have designed a laboratory exercise on phage typing using these plaques in a single practical class to teach the concepts of bacteria-virus interactions, specificity, and diversity in a second year biomedical science course. The artificial bacteriophage-plaques are economical and capable of reliably mimicking bacteriophage effects. Use of the disinfectant to mimick bacteriophage effects eliminated the need to source and reproduce real bacteriophages, enabling fast preparation and demonstration of plaque assay in an undergraduate laboratory. Our phage typing teaching exercise facilitated effective students’ learning about bacteriophages with minimal laboratory skills or instructor intervention.
Using Scaffolding and Deliberate Practice to Improve Abstract Writing in an Introductory Biology Laboratory Course
Authors: Christian Natalie , Kearns Katherine D.
Published: August 2018

Abstracts play the pivotal role of selling an article to a prospective reader, and for students, the ability to communicate science in concise written form may foster scientific thinking. However, students struggle with abstract composition, and we lack evidence-based educational innovations to help them develop this skill. We designed, implemented, and assessed an intervention for abstract composition with elements of scaffolding and transparency to ask whether deliberate practice improves concise scientific writing in early career undergraduate biology majors. We evaluated student performance by analyzing abstracts written before and after the intervention and by assessing pre- and posttest student concept maps. We found that scaffolded learning improved student abstract writing, with the greatest gains in students’ ability to describe the motivation for their work. Using a set of tested tools to teach scientific writing has important implications for strengthening students’ capacity to reinforce and synthesize content in the future, whether that is in laboratory course exercises, in independent research, or as a transferable skill to general critical thinking.
Exploring Infectious Disease Outbreaks and Herd Immunity Through Simulations with a Visual Appeal
Authors: Schwingel Johanna M.
Published: August 2018

A quick review of social media indicates many people do not understand the importance of herd immunity and routine vaccinations toward curbing the spread of preventable infectious disease. This simulation is carried out in two consecutive phases. The first phase illustrates disease progression using acid-base chemistry and a pH indicator to identify participants who are infected during a simulated infectious disease outbreak. The second phase demonstrates the effectiveness of immunizations and resulting herd immunity during the same simulated infectious disease outbreak. A buffer is employed to serve as immune contacts not susceptible to infection. The pH indicators’ bright color (indicating an infection) is a welcomed visual for students and increases engagement while they anticipate whether their tube will turn pink or not.
Implications of parental lifestyle changes and education level on adolescent offspring weight: a population based cohort study - The HUNT Study, Norway
Authors: Naess Marit , Sund Erik R , Holmen Turid Lingaas , Kvaløy Kirsti
Published: August 2018

Objective

Obesity tends to cluster in families reflecting both common genetics and shared lifestyle patterns within the family environment. The aim of this study was to examine whether parental lifestyle changes over time, exemplified by changes in weight and physical activity, could affect offspring weight in adolescents and if parental education level influenced the relationship.

Design, setting and participants

The population-based cohort study included 4424 parent-offspring participants from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study, Norway. Exposition was parental change in weight and physical activity over 11 years, and outcome was offspring weight measured in z-scores of body mass index (BMI) in mixed linear models.

Results

Maternal weight reduction by 2–6 kg was significantly associated with lower offspring BMI z-scores: −0.132 (95% CI −0.259 to −0.004) in the model adjusted for education. Parental weight change displayed similar effect patterns on offspring weight regardless of parents’ education level. Further, BMI was consistently lower in families of high education compared with low education in the fully adjusted models. In mothers, reduced physical activity level over time was associated with higher BMI z-scores in offspring: 0.159 (95% CI 0.030 to 0.288). Associations between physical activity change and adolescent BMI was not moderated by parental education levels.

Conclusion

Lifestyle changes in mothers were associated with offspring BMI; reduced weight with lower—and reduced physical activity with higher BMI. Father’s lifestyle changes, however, did not significantly affect adolescent offspring’s weight. Overall, patterns of association between parental changes and offspring’s BMI were independent of parental education levels, though adolescents with parents with high education had lower weight in general.
Venous sinus stenting for idiopathic intracranial hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Nicholson Patrick , Brinjikji Waleed , Radovanovic Ivan , Hilditch Christopher Alan , Tsang Anderson Chun On , Krings Timo , Mendes Pereira Vitor , Lenck Stéphanie
Published: August 2018

Background

Stenting of the intracranial venous sinuses is used as a treatment in certain cases of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). Interest in, and experience of, this technique is growing, particularly in recent years. We sought to provide an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of the use of venous stenting in these patients, examining clinical outcomes.

Methods

A literature search of venous stenting in IIH patients was performed. Using random-effects meta-analysis, we evaluated the following outcomes: clinical resolution of papilledema; headaches and pulsatile tinnitus; recurrence of symptoms after stenting; and complications.

Results

Twenty articles from 18 different centers were included. In a total of 474 patients. 418 were female (88%). The mean age of the patients was 35, while the mean body mass index (BMI) was 35 kg/m2. Median follow-up was 18 months. The overall rate of improvement in papilloedema was 93.7% (95% CI 90.5% to 96.9%), while the overall rate of improvement or resolution of headache was 79.6% (95% CI 73.3% to 85.9%). Pulsatile tinnitus resolved in 90.3% (95% CI 83.8% to 96.70%), while the overall rate of recurrence of IIH symptoms after stenting was 9.8% (95% CI 6.7% to 13%). The rate of major complications was 1.9% (95% CI 0.07% to 3.1%).

Conclusions

Venous sinus stenting in patients with IIH who are refractory to medical therapy appears to have an excellent safety profile and is associated with significant improvements in headaches, pulsatile tinnitus, and papilledema.
Risk factors for situs defects and congenital heart disease in primary ciliary dyskinesia
Authors: Best Sunayna , Shoemark Amelia , Rubbo Bruna , Patel Mitali P , Fassad Mahmoud R , Dixon Mellisa , Rogers Andrew V , Hirst Robert A , Rutman Andrew , Ollosson Sarah , Jackson Claire L , Goggin Patricia , Thomas Simon , Pengelly Reuben , Cullup Thomas , Pissaridou Eleni , Hayward Jane , Onoufriadis Alexandros , O’Callaghan Christopher , Loebinger Michael R , Wilson Robert , Chung Eddie MK , Kenia Priti , Doughty Victoria L , Carvalho Julene S , Lucas Jane S , Mitchison Hannah M , Hogg Claire
Published: August 2018

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is associated with abnormal organ positioning (situs) and congenital heart disease (CHD). This study investigated genotype–phenotype associations in PCD to facilitate risk predictions for cardiac and laterality defects. This retrospective cohort study of 389 UK patients with PCD found 51% had abnormal situs and 25% had CHD and/or laterality defects other than situs inversus totalis. Patients with biallelic mutations in a subset of nine PCD genes had normal situs. Patients with consanguineous parents had higher odds of situs abnormalities than patients with non-consanguineous parents. Patients with abnormal situs had higher odds of CHD and/or laterality defects.
Improving communication: the key to more effective MSE processes
Authors: Miller Shana K. , Anganuzzi Alejandro , Butterworth Doug S. , Davies Campbell R. , Donovan Greg P. , Nickson Amanda , Rademeyer Rebecca A. , Restrepo Victor
Published: August 2018

The use of management strategy evaluation (MSE) to design and test candidate fisheries management approaches is expanding globally. Participation of managers, scientists, and stakeholders should be an integral component of the MSE process. Open and effective communication among these groups is essential for the success of the MSE and the adoption of the management approach based on it. The highly technical nature of MSE and newness of the approach to many audiences present considerable communication challenges and have, unfortunately, slowed progress in some cases. We draw on diverse experiences with MSE to identify two areas in which the implementation of MSE in multinational fora may be improved: (i) the use of formally constituted “intermediary groups” as a forum for exchange at the management–science interface and (ii) the development of engaging, yet uncomplicated, visual communication tools for conveying key results to different audiences at each stage. While our focus is the MSE processes underway in the regional fisheries management organizations for tunas and tuna-like species, the advice provided is also pertinent for other fisheries, international and domestic alike, pursuing MSE.
Ab-initio prediction of structural, electronic and magnetic properties of Hexafluoromanganete(IV) complexes
Authors: Faizan M. , Khan S. H. , Khan A. , Laref A. , Murtaza G.
Published: August 2018

In this work, detailed electronic structure calculations of alkali metal fluorides A2MnF6 (A = K, Rb, Cs) have been performed using ab-initio calculating techniques based on density functional theory (DFT). We applied different exchange correlation functionals, namely Wu–Cohen generalized gradient approximation (WC-GGA), modified Becke Johnson potential (mBJ) and GGA plus Hubbard U method in order to treat the exchange correlation energy. The calculated lattice constants are found in excellent agreement with earlier experimental results. The electronic band structure and density of states show that Cs2MnF6 is half metallic, exhibiting semiconductivity in spin up direction and metallic behavior in spin down direction. The compounds, K2MnF6 and Rb2MnF6, are predicted as wide bandgap materials. The DFT + U method gives quite accurate results of the electronic bandgap as compared with other approximations. The states Mn-3d and F-2p contribute largely to the conduction and valence energy bands. Additionally, magnetic calculations reveal strong ferromagnetic nature of these compounds. The half-metallic nature along with ferromagnetism make Cs2MnF6 a promising candidate for future applications in spintronics. Furthermore, the wide bandgap observed in K2MnF6 and Rb2MnF6 indicate their utility for light-emitting diodes (LEDs) transparent lenses and optical coatings.
Implementing beneficial prioritization of traffic flow in complex networks
Authors: Alweimine A. Ould Baba , Bamaarouf O. , Rachadi A. , Ez-Zahraouy H.
Published: August 2018

Despite the reality of traffic prioritization in real networks as the internet, this has almost been ignored in designed routing protocols. In this work, we propose a priority policy where packets are prioritized according to their destination. This procedure is applied to a fraction f of nodes; packets are classified as High Priority if their destinations are among the fraction f, otherwise the packets are treated as Low Priority. Using numerical simulation we found that the prioritization of nodes with high degree (hubs) is always more efficient than the prioritization of nodes with small degree or the random prioritization of nodes. Moreover, we observed three regimes based on the prioritized fraction f in the network: the first one is characterized by an improvement of the High Priority Traffic (HPT) flow without any degradation of the flow of the Low Priority Traffic (LPT). In the second regime, the HPT gains some performance at the expense of a loss of the performance in the LPT flow. While in the last regime the LPT experiences a low performance without any noticeable improvement in HPT compared to the normal flow.
Cancellation and regular derivations
Authors: Bourqui David , Sebag Julien
Published: August 2018

In this paper, we establish a criterion for every complete separated linearly topologized ring to be isomorphic to a ring of power series, i.e. to be a cylinder over another complete topological ring. We use this criterion to establish a general statement of cancellation in the category of local complete but non-necessarily adic topological [Formula: see text]-algebras.
Uniformly moving non-singular dislocations with elliptical core shape in anisotropic media
Authors: Pellegrini Yves-Patrick
Published: August 2018

To allow for “relativistic”-like core contraction effects, an anisotropic regularization of steadily moving straight dislocations of arbitrary orientation is introduced, with two scale parameters [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] along the direction of motion and transverse to it, respectively. The dislocation core shape is an ellipse. When [Formula: see text], the model reduces to the Peierls–Eshelby dislocation, the fields of which are non-differentiable on the slip plane. For finite [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], fields are everywhere differentiable. Applying the author’s so-called “causal” Stroh formalism to the model, explicit expressions for the regularized fields in anisotropic elasticity are derived for any velocity. For faster-than-wave velocities, Mach-cone angles are found insensitive to the ratio [Formula: see text], as must be. However, the larger [Formula: see text], the weaker the intensity of the cone branches. An expression is given for the radiative dissipative force opposed to motion. From this expression, it is inferred that the concept of a “radiation-free” intersonic velocity can, when not applicable, be replaced by that of a “least-radiation” velocity.
Weakest Precondition Reasoning for Expected Runtimes of Randomized Algorithms
Authors: Kaminski Benjamin Lucien , Katoen Joost-Pieter , Matheja Christoph , Olmedo Federico
Published: August 2018

This article presents a wp--style calculus for obtaining bounds on the expected runtime of randomized algorithms. Its application includes determining the (possibly infinite) expected termination time of a randomized algorithm and proving positive almost--sure termination—does a program terminate with probability one in finite expected time? We provide several proof rules for bounding the runtime of loops, and prove the soundness of the approach with respect to a simple operational model. We show that our approach is a conservative extension of Nielson’s approach for reasoning about the runtime of deterministic programs. We analyze the expected runtime of some example programs including the coupon collector’s problem, a one--dimensional random walk and a randomized binary search.
QuMan
Authors: Sfakianakis Yannis , Kozanitis Christos , Kozyrakis Christos , Bilas Angelos
Published: August 2018

Modern data centers consolidate workloads to increase server utilization and reduce total cost of ownership, and cope with scaling limitations. However, server resource sharing introduces performance interference across applications and, consequently, increases performance volatility, which negatively affects user experience. Thus, a challenging problem is to increase server utilization while maintaining application QoS.

In this article, we present
QuMan
, a server resource manager that uses application isolation and profiling to increase server utilization while controlling degradation of application QoS. Previous solutions, either estimate interference across applications and then restrict colocation to “compatible” applications, or assume that application requirements are known. Instead,
QuMan
estimates the required resources of applications. It uses an isolation mechanism to create properly-sized resource slices for applications, and arbitrarily colocates applications.
QuMan
’s mechanisms can be used with a variety of admission control policies, and we explore the potential of two such policies: (1) A policy that allows users to specify a minimum performance threshold and (2) an automated policy, which operates without user input and is based on a new combined QoS-utilization metric. We implement
QuMan
on top of Linux servers, and we evaluate its effectiveness using containers and real applications. Our single-node results show that
QuMan
balances highly effectively the tradeoff between server utilization and application performance, as it achieves 80% server utilization while the performance of each application does not drop below 80% the respective standalone performance. We also deploy
QuMan
on a cluster of 100 AWS instances that are managed by a modified version of the Sparrow scheduler [37] and, we observe a 48% increase in application performance on a highly utilized cluster, compared to the performance of the same cluster under the same load when it is managed by native Sparrow or Apache Mesos.
A Collaborative System for Suitable Wheelchair Route Planning
Authors: Barczyszyn Guilherme L. , Camenar Letícia M. De O. , Nascimento Diego De F. Do , Kozievitch Nádia P. , Silva Ricardo D. Da , Almeida Leonelo D. A. , Santi Juliana De , Minetto Rodrigo
Published: August 2018

Route planning is a challenging problem for urban computing that usually involves the processing of a huge amount of data and collaborative user feedback. Traditionally, route planning services are street-based, that is, even paths for a pedestrian are suggested in terms of streets. However, such models are not suitable for users with certain disabilities. To address this problem, we have performed a requirement analysis with a group of wheelchair-users and their companions to understand their urban mobility experience. Given that perspective, we describe in this article a sidewalk-based model to accommodate the needs for a wheelchair route planning service. The model is mathematically defined as a graph, where the vertices are the city block corners and the edges are the sidewalks or crosswalks. The edge costs are derived from important accessibility features, such as distance, path inclination, and existence and maintenance conditions of curb ramps, crosswalks, and sidewalks. The model has been designed so that user feedback is considered to help updating the model when accessibility issues are detected, by wheelchair-users and companions, or solved, by the department of city planning. We also present a route planning algorithm that provides a set of alternative routes based on accessibility conditions, and a shortcut recommender algorithm to support accessibility-related decision making by the department of city planning. Experiments, by using PgRouting and PostGIS with open data, are reported for a Brazilian city neighborhood to validate the model and the route planning service.
ARM Virtualization
Authors: Dall Christoffer , Li Shih-Wei , Lim Jin Tack , Nieh Jason
Published: August 2018

ARM servers are becoming increasingly common, making server technologies such as virtualization for ARM of growing importance. We present the first study of ARM virtualization performance on server hardware, including multi-core measurements of two popular ARM and x86 hypervisors, KVM and Xen. We show how ARM hardware support for virtualization can enable much faster transitions between VMs and the hypervisor, a key hypervisor operation. However, current hypervisor designs, including both Type 1 hypervisors such as Xen and Type 2 hypervisors such as KVM, are not able to leverage this performance benefit for real application workloads on ARMv8.0. We discuss the reasons why and show that other factors related to hypervisor software design and implementation have a larger role in overall performance. Based on our measurements, we discuss software changes and new hardware features, the Virtualization Host Extensions (VHE), added in ARMv8.1 that bridge the gap and bring ARM's faster VM-to-hypervisor transition mechanism to modern Type 2 hypervisors running real applications.
Bringing Platform Harmony to VMware NSX
Authors: Pettit Justin , Pfaff Ben , Stringer Joe , Tu Cheng-Chun , Blanco Brenden , Tessmer Alex
Published: August 2018

VMware NSX virtualizes network functionality in a manner anal- ogous to how hypervisors virtualize compute resources. To do this, NSX must faithfully recreate virtual versions of network compo- nents, such as switches, routers, and firewalls. As this functionality becomes commoditized, NSX must move "up the stack" to provide more advanced features, such as load-balancers, IDS/IPS (intrusion detection and prevention systems), and DPI (deep packet inspec- tion) for classification. NSX is designed to work in all types of deployments-even those without any other VMware software. It integrates with ESXi, Linux KVM, and Hyper-V hypervisors; it is even being made to work on systems without a hypervisor, such as containers and third- party clouds. Each of these platforms has its own native forwarding plane. For the best user experience, all of the forwarding planes should provide the same behavior, but the disparate implemen- tations make this difficult in practice. As network functions be- come more complex and as NSX supports more forwarding planes, both duplication of effort and undesirable diversity of behavior in- creases. We propose a new approach to building advanced network func- tions in NSX. Under this approach, identical code runs on all of NSX's supported platforms. Applications will run at or near native performance, but with better security and identical cross-platform behavior. We demonstrate this by writing a single application to provide DPI functionality that runs in the fast paths of each of NSX's primary platforms: ESXi, Linux, and Edge gateway appli- ance. We evaluate the performance and correctness of our imple- mentation on the three platforms.
Comparison of quantitative multiple-breath specific ventilation imaging using colocalized 2D oxygen-enhanced MRI and hyperpolarized 3He MRI
Authors: Arai Tatsuya J. , Horn Felix C. , Sá Rui Carlos , Rao Madhwesha R. , Collier Guilhem J. , Theilmann Rebecca J. , Prisk G. Kim , Wild Jim M.
Published: August 2018

Two magnetic resonance specific ventilation imaging (SVI) techniques, namely, oxygen-enhanced proton (OE-1H) and hyperpolarized 3He (HP-3He), were compared in eight healthy supine subjects [age 32 (6) yr]. An in-house radio frequency coil array for 1H configured with the 3He transmit-receive coil in situ enabled acquisition of SVI data from two nuclei from the same slice without repositioning the subjects. After 3 × 3 voxel downsampling to account for spatial registration errors between the two SV images, the voxel-by-voxel correlation coefficient of two SV maps ranged from 0.11 to 0.63 [0.46 mean (0.17 SD); P < 0.05]. Several indexes were analyzed and compared from the tidal volume-matched SV maps: the mean of SV log-normal distribution (SVmean), the standard deviation of the distribution as a measure of SV heterogeneity (SVwidth), and the gravitational gradient (SVslope). There were no significant differences in SVmean [OE-1H: 0.28 (0.08) and HP-3He: 0.32 (0.14)], SVwidths [OE-1H: 0.28 (0.08) and HP-3He: 0.27 (0.10)], and SVslopes [OE-1H: −0.016 (0.006) cm−1 and HP-3He: −0.013 (0.007) cm−1]. Despite the statistical similarities of the population averages, Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated large individual intertechnique variability. SDs of differences in these indexes were 42% (SVmean), 46% (SVwidths), and 62% (SVslopes) of their corresponding overall mean values. The present study showed that two independent, spatially coregistered, SVI techniques presented a moderate positive voxel-by-voxel correlation. Population averages of SVmean, SVwidth, and SVslope were in close agreement. However, the lack of agreement when the data sets were analyzed individually might indicate some fundamental mechanistic differences between the techniques.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY To the best of our knowledge, this is the first cross-comparison of two different specific ventilation (SV) MRI techniques in the human lung (i.e., oxygen-enhanced proton and hyperpolarized 3He). The present study showed that two types of spatially coregistered SV images presented a modest positive correlation. The two techniques also yielded similar population averages of SV indexes such as log-normal mean, SV heterogeneity, and the gravitational slope, albeit with some intersubject variability.
Two-Parametric Immunological Score Development for Assessing Renal Involvement and Disease Activity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Sjӧwall Christopher , Bentow Chelsea , Aure Mary Ann , Mahler Michael
Published: August 2018

Objective. Anti-double-stranded (ds) DNA and anti-C1q autoantibodies are useful tools in the assessment of disease activity and nephritis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. This study aimed to explore the utility of these antibodies along with anti-Ku antibodies in an oligoparametric model approach for the assessment of disease activity and lupus nephritis. Methods. Samples from 261 well-characterized SLE patients were tested using chemiluminescent immunoassays (CIA) for anti-dsDNA and anti-Ku antibodies as well as by anti-C1q antibody ELISA (Inova Diagnostics, USA). Of these SLE patients, 26.4% had lupus nephritis (LN) at the time of blood draw or had a history of LN, and modified SLE disease activity index-2K (SLEDAI) scores were used to assess disease activity. Results. All three antibodies demonstrated higher prevalence and higher antibody levels in active versus inactive SLE patients and in LN versus non-LN patients. When oligoparametric analysis was performed, the likelihood of LN and patients with active disease increased with dual and triple positivity. Conclusions. Anti-dsDNA and anti-C1q antibodies are useful tools to identify disease activity and/or renal involvement in SLE patients. In addition, the combination of those antibodies in a two-parametric score might improve the clinical utility of those markers.
On the Development of Virtual Reality Scenarios for Computer-Assisted Biomedical Applications
Authors: Govea-Valladares Eder H. , Medellin-Castillo Hugo I. , Ballesteros Jorge , Rodriguez-Florido Miguel A.
Published: August 2018

The modelling of virtual environments and scenarios is an important area of research for the development of new computer-assisted systems in the areas of engineering and medicine, particularly in the area of biomechanics and biomedical engineering. One of the main issues while designing a virtual environment is the level of realism, which depends on the computing capacity and the level of accuracy and usefulness of the generated data. Thus, the dilemma is between the aesthetic realism and the information utility. This paper proposes a methodology to develop low-cost and high-quality virtual environments and scenarios for computer-aided biomedical applications. The proposed methodology is based on the open-source software Blender and the Visualization Toolkit libraries (VTK). In order to demonstrate the usability of the proposed methodology, the design and development of a computer-assisted biomedical application is presented and analysed.
Reliability Analysis of Toughened Vacuum Glass Based on Gray Relation Decision
Authors: Hu Dongfang , Liu Chang , Li Yanbing
Published: August 2018

The gray system theory was introduced in the design of toughened vacuum glass, and an evaluation mathematical model based on improved gray correlation was established. According to the service performance index of tempered vacuum glass, determine the index system of product evaluation. Based on the improved gray absolute correlation method, the module vacuum glass was analyzed and calculated. The weight of each evaluation index is obtained according to the deviation matrix, and the relevance of the sample data line to the reference data line is elaborated from the perspective of proximity and thus combined with the weight of each evaluation index to get the comprehensive gray correlation. The results of the trial design scheme are designed to prove its effectiveness in vacuum glass product quality evaluation and feasibility.
Antenna Configuration Method for RF Measurement Based on DOPs in Satellite Formation Flying
Authors: Mu Weiqing , Liu Rongke , Wang Zijie , Liu Yukai
Published: August 2018

Radio frequency (RF) measurement technology provides a relative navigation solution that can be of great importance to have significant potential for application to the satellite groups. With the development of the RF relative measurement sensors, it is found that the antenna configuration of the sensors affects the precision of relative position and attitude measurement. This study proposes improvements to the precision of the sensors by the virtue of the optimal antenna configuration. Furthermore, the concept of dilution of precision (DOP) is extended to the RF relative measurement sensors, and a new dilution called IDOP is proposed as a benchmark to determine the precision of relative position and attitude measurement in engineering applications of the space mission. In order to select the optimal antenna configuration in real time in a scene where the intersatellite position and attitude change dynamically, this study presents an optimal antenna configuration selection strategy and models the antenna configuration selection as a combinatorial optimization problem. Furthermore, the genetic algorithm (GA) with two encoding mechanisms is proposed to solve this problem. Finally, numerical results are presented to verify the robustness.
EZH1 Is Associated with TCP-Induced Bone Regeneration through Macrophage Polarization
Authors: Jia Xiaoshi , Xu Hudi , Miron Richard J. , Yin Chengcheng , Zhang Xiaoxin , Wu Min , Zhang Yufeng
Published: August 2018

Macrophages have been found to regulate the effects of biomaterials throughout the entire tissue repair process as an antigen-presenting cell. As a well-defined osteoconductive biomaterial for bone defect regeneration, tricalcium phosphate (TCP) has been found to facilitate a favourable osteoimmunomodulatory response that can shift macrophage polarization towards the M2 phenotype. In the present study, our group discovered that a histone methyltransferase enhancer of zeste1 (EZH1) was drastically downregulated in Thp1 cells stimulated by TCP, indicating that EZH1 may participate in the macrophage phenotype shifting. Furthermore, the NF-κB pathway in macrophages was significantly downregulated through stimulation of TCP, suggesting a potential interaction between EZH1 and the NF-κB pathway. Utilizing gene knock-down therapy in macrophages, it was found that depletion of EZH1 induced M2 macrophage polarization but did not downregulate NF-κB. When the NF-κB pathway was inhibited, the expression of EZH1 was significantly downregulated, suggesting that the inhibition of EZH1 may be regulated by the NF-κB pathway. These novel findings provide valuable insights into a potential gene target system that controls M2 macrophage polarization which ultimately favours a microenvironment suitable for bone repair.
Soil Microbial Community Structure and Diversity around the Aging Oil Sludge in Yellow River Delta as Determined by High-Throughput Sequencing
Authors: Kuang Shaoping , Su Yaqing , Wang Huihui , Yu Wenjuan , Lang Qiaolin , Matangi Ravichandra
Published: August 2018

Microorganisms are sensitive indicators of edaphic environmental variation. The Illumina MiSeq sequencing technology was used to analyze soil bacterial community diversity around an aging oil sludge in the Yellow River Delta. The alpha diversity index of soil bacterial community results (Ace, Chao, Shannon, and Simpson) determined that bacterial community diversity sampling within the scope of a 20 cm radius from the center of an aging oil sludge spot showed the most abundant diversity. The level of diversity distributed symmetrically with radial direction from the center of the aging oil sludge spot. Over the distance of 100 m from the center, bacterial community diversity tends to be monotonous, with small differences especially in the horizontal direction underground. The alpha-diversity indicators also showed that the bacterial diversity of samples were close under the aging oil sludge. In addition, the aging oil sludge inhibited the growth of bacteria compared with the referenced unpolluted soil sample and also increased the diversities of soil bacteria. At the phylum level, the Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Actinobacteria existing in the aging oil sludge-contaminated wetland soil constituted a larger proportion of the community, while the proportion of Firmicute was relatively less. On the contrary, Firmicute showed the highest content of 63.8% in the referenced soil. Under the genus level and family level, the corresponding strains that resisted the aging oil sludge were selected. According to the bacterial diversity analysis, the basic structure of the bacterial community which could be used for remediation of aging oil sludge-contaminated soil was also developed.
Novel Joint-Financing Model for Bilateral Capital Restricted Supply Chains under Cap-and-Trade Regulation
Authors: Huo Yanfang , Wang Xize , Deng Quan , Han Peng
Published: August 2018

This paper proposes a novel supply chain joint-financing pattern for SMEs with limited funds and financing difficulties. The proposed pattern was designed for green investment under cap-and-trade systems and to promote low-carbon economies characterized by bilateral capital restricted supply chains. The basic conditions for supply chain coordination of low-carbon buy-back contracts are derived through a basic model with no funding support. The joint-financing decisions model is analyzed according to the decision-making behavior of all parties and coordination among components of the supply chain system. The risk to which the bank is subjected under low-carbon transactions is also discussed. The proposed model not only reduces the carbon emissions of unit products, but also expands the scale of production. There are negative correlations between unit emissions reduction with the sharing coefficient of reduction costs, the loan rate, and the wholesale price. To minimize environmental effects while maximizing societal benefits, the government is recommended to ensure a reasonable trade-off between green-innovation subsidies and penalties.
Inhibition of α‐Glucosidase, Intestinal Glucose Absorption, and Antidiabetic Properties by Caralluma europaea
Authors: Ouassou Hayat , Zahidi Touda , Bouknana Saliha , Bouhrim Mohamed , Mekhfi Hassane , Ziyyat Abderrahim , Legssyer abdekhaleq , Aziz Mohamed , Bnouham Mohamed
Published: August 2018

Many medicinal plants around the world are used for therapeutic purposes against several diseases, including diabetes mellitus. Due to their composition of natural substances that are effective and do not represent side effects for users, unlike synthetic drugs, in this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of Caralluma europaea (CE) on α-glucosidase activity in vitro; then the kinetics of the enzyme were studied with increasing concentrations of sucrose in order to determine the inhibition type of the enzyme. In addition, this effect of Caralluma europaea (CE) was confirmed in vivo using rats as an experimental animal model. Among the five fractions of CE, only the ethyl acetate fraction of C. europaea (EACe) induced a significant inhibition of α‐glucosidase and its inhibition mode was competitive. The in vivo studies were conducted on mice and rats using glucose and sucrose as a substrate, respectively, to determine the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The results obtained showed that the EACe and the aqueous extract of C. europaea (AECe) have significantly reduced the postprandial hyperglycemia after sucrose and glucose loading in normal and diabetic rats. AECe, also, significantly decreased intestinal glucose absorption, in situ. The results obtained showed that Caralluma europaea has a significant antihyperglycemic activity, which could be due to the inhibition of α‐glucosidase activity and enteric absorption of glucose.
Impact of Biomarker-based Design Strategies on the Risk of False-Positive Findings in Targeted Therapy Evaluation
Authors: Vo Tat-Thang , Vivot Alexandre , Porcher Raphaël
Published: August 2018

Purpose:

When there is more than one potentially predictive biomarker for a new drug, the drug is often evaluated in different subpopulations defined by different biomarkers. We aim to (i) estimate the risk of false-positive findings with this approach and (ii) evaluate the cross-validated adaptive signature design (CVASD) as a potential alternative.

Experimental Design:

By using numerically simulated data, we compare the current approach and the CVASD across different settings and scenarios. We consider three strategies for CVASD. The first two CVASD strategies are different in terms of the partitioning of the overall significance level (between the population test and the subgroup test). In the third CVASD strategy, the order of the two tests is reversed, that is, the population test is realized when the prioritized subgroup test is not statistically significant.

Results:

The current approach results in a high risk of false-positive findings, whereas this risk is close to the nominal level of 5% once applying the CVASD, regardless of the strategy. When the treatment is equally effective to all patients, only the CVASD strategies could specify correctly the absence of a sensitive subgroup. When the treatment is only effective for some sensitive responders, the third CVASD strategy stands out by its ability to correctly identify the predictive biomarker(s).

Conclusions:

The drug–biomarker coevaluation based on a series of independent enrichment trials can result in a high risk of false-positive findings. CVASD with some appropriate adjustments can be a good alternative to overcome this multiplicity issue.
Is GPNMB the Achilles' Heel of Mo-MDSC While Marking Their Suppressive Activity?
Authors: Colombo Mario P.
Published: August 2018

Glycoprotein nonmetastatic B/DC-Hil/Osteoactivin on myeloid-derived suppressor cells impairs T lymphocytes through the binding of Syndecan-4, delineating a new checkpoint pair to be targeted perhaps in combination with PD-1/PD-L1 blockage.

See related article by Kobayashi et al., p. 828
Targeted Inhibition of ULK1 Promotes Apoptosis and Suppresses Tumor Growth and Metastasis in Neuroblastoma
Authors: Dower Christopher M. , Bhat Neema , Gebru Melat T. , Chen Longgui , Wills Carson A. , Miller Barbara A. , Wang Hong-Gang
Published: August 2018

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid malignancy in the pediatric population, accounting for over 9% of all cancer-related deaths in children. Autophagy is a cell self-protective mechanism that promotes tumor cell growth and survival, making it an attractive target for treating cancer. However, the role of autophagy in neuroblastoma tumor growth and metastasis is largely undefined. Here we demonstrate that targeted inhibition of an essential autophagy kinase, unc-51 like autophagy kinase 1 (ULK1), with a recently developed small-molecule inhibitor of ULK1, SBI-0206965, significantly reduces cell growth and promotes apoptosis in SK-N-AS, SH-SY5Y, and SK-N-DZ neuroblastoma cell lines. Furthermore, inhibition of ULK1 by a dominant-negative mutant of ULK1 (dnULK1K46N) significantly reduces growth and metastatic disease and prolongs survival of mice bearing SK-N-AS xenograft tumors. We also show that SBI-0206965 sensitizes SK-N-AS cells to TRAIL treatment, but not to mTOR inhibitors (INK128, Torin1) or topoisomerase inhibitors (doxorubicin, topotecan). Collectively, these findings demonstrate that ULK1 is a viable drug target and suggest that inhibitors of ULK1 may provide a novel therapeutic option for the treatment of neuroblastoma. Mol Cancer Ther; 17(11); 2365–76. ©2018 AACR.
Local Delivery of β-Elemene Improves Locomotor Functional Recovery by Alleviating Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Reducing Neuronal Apoptosis in Rats with Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Wang Jingyu , Li Heyangzi , Ren Yucheng , Yao Ying , Hu Jue , Zheng Mingzhi , Ding Yuemin , Chen Ying-ying , Shen Yueliang , Wang Lin-lin , Zhu Yongjian 
Published: August 2018

Background/Aims: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious global problem that leads to permanent motor and sensory deficits. This study explores the anti-apoptotic and neuroprotective effects of the natural extract β-elemene in vitro and in a rat model of SCI. Methods: CCK-8 assay was used to evaluate cell viability and lactate dehydrogenase assay was used to evaluate cytotoxicity. A model of cell injury was established using cobalt chloride. Apoptosis was evaluated using a fluorescence-activated cell sorting assay of annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide staining. A rat SCI model was created via the modified Allen’s method and Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scores were used to assess locomotor function. Inflammatory responses were assessed via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Apoptotic and surviving neurons in the ventral horn were respectively observed via terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining and Nissl staining. Western blotting was used to measure protein expression. Results: β-elemene (20 μg/ml) promoted cell viability by activating phosphorylation of the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway. β-elemene reduced CoCl2-induced cellular death and apoptosis by suppressing the expression levels of CHOP, cleaved-caspase 12, 78-kilodalton glucose-regulated protein, cleaved-caspase 3, and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. In the rat model of SCI, Nissl and TUNEL staining showed that β-elemene promoted motor neuron survival and reduced neuronal apoptosis in the spinal cord ventral horn. BBB scores showed that β-elemene significantly promoted locomotor behavioral recovery after SCI. In addition, β-elemene reduced the ELISA-detected secretion of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β. Conclusion: β-elemene reduces neuronal apoptosis by alleviating endoplasmic reticulum stress in vitro and in vivo. In addition, β-elemene promotes locomotor function recovery and tissue repair in SCI rats. Thus, our study provides a novel encouraging strategy for the potential treatment of β-elemene in SCI patients.
Inhibition of Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase Increased Lipid Accumulation Through SREBP1 Modulation
Authors: Pang Jing , Cui Ju , Xi Chao , Shen Tao , Gong Huan , Dou Lin , Lin Yajun , Zhang Tiemei 
Published: August 2018

Background/Aims: Excess energy intake leads to metabolic dysfunction, accompanied by oxidative stress and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) activation. Methods: To determine the role of PARP activation in the incidence of metabolic dysfunction, PJ34, the PARP inhibitor, was administered to the oleic acid-treated hepatoma cells and high-fat diet-fed mice. The expression of genes was detected by quantitative real-time PCR and western blotting. Lipid droplets in the cells and tissues were stained with Oil Red O. Results: PJ34 treatment aggravated oleic acid-induced lipid accumulation in hepatoma cells and induced SREBP1 expression by modulating the modification of transcription factor specificity protein 1 (Sp1). The high-fat diet-mice exhibited hyperglycemia, insulin resistance and lipid accumulation after 3 months of feeding. Although the serum level of lipid was not altered after PJ34 treatment, the expression level of lipogenic gene was up-regulated and the lipid accumulation was increased in the liver tissues of high-fat diet + PJ34-treated mice. In the high-fat diet + PJ34-treated mice, the insulin sensitivity was slightly changed and the levels of blood glucose and serum insulin were decreased compared with the mice fed with a high-fat diet alone. Conclusion: Taken together, PARP inhibition up-regulated the expression level of lipogenic gene and significantly induced lipid accumulation in the liver, which might worsen lipid metabolism disorders. These data will guide future research into the application of PARP inhibitors in the management of metabolic diseases.
Participação Política e o Golpe de 1964
Authors: Chammas Eduardo Zayat , Monteiro Fernando Augusto Fróio , Ferreira Fernando Sarti , Oliveira Lucas Monteiro de
Published: August 2018

Neste artigo, discutimos a participação política de setores da sociedade brasileira através de associações de classes às vésperas do golpe civil-militar de 1964. Usamos como referência os autores discutidos pelo grupo de estudos Fascismo e Ditadura.