bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Major factors affecting the snow simulations by the JULES in New Zealand
Authors: Yang Yang , Uddstrom Michael , Turner Richard , Revell Mike
Published: August 2019

Snow frequently occurs over New Zealand. The seasonal snow accumulation can be about 3 m deep in early spring at some locations. Thus, for numerical weather prediction and climate modelling over New Zealand, a reliable, sophisticated snow model that can properly describe the physical processes associated with snow cover is required. In the past, owing to a lack of snow observations, modelling and verification of snow processes was limited over New Zealand. In the present study, the multilayer snow scheme of the Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES)—the land surface model used in New Zealand regional weather and climate models—was used to simulate the snow water equivalent (SWE) and snow density at two sites in the South Island of New Zealand. The model captured seasonal and interannual variability in snow accumulation and melt. However, large errors in the simulated SWE (up to 300 mm) were found during snowmelt periods and in relatively warm winters when a significant amount of liquid water was present in snow. Sensitivity tests showed that errors in the simulated long wave radiation (a negative bias of about 6 W/m2), snow albedo (0.05–0.10) and air temperature for snow occurrence (
T
c, about 0.5 K) were the major factors causing large errors in the simulated SWE. In addition, the simulated snow density was lower than observed. The relatively warm and humid maritime climate of New Zealand appears to make snow simulation in New Zealand more sensitive to long wave radiation, snow albedo and
Tc than for continents.
Optimal decay rates and small global solutions to the dissipative Boussinesq equation
Authors: Su Xiao , Wang Shubin
Published: August 2019

This work is devoted to the small amplitude solutions for the initial value problem of the multidimensional dissipative Boussinesq equation. We firstly derive the pointwise estimates of the fundamental solutions by the energy method in the Fourier space. We give the asymptotic profiles of solutions to the corresponding linear problem to get the optimal decay rate for the
‐norm of solutions in all space dimensions. Under smallness assumptions on the initial data, we study the global existence and uniqueness of solutions by the contractive mapping principle in the solution spaces with time weighted norm.
Asymptotic formulas for generalized Baskakov‐Durrmeyer operators
Authors: Ulusoy Ada Gülsüm
Published: August 2019

The paper deals with general Baskakov‐Durrmeyer operators containing several previous definitions as special cases. We construct a new sequence of BaskakovDurrmeyer operators depending on a parameter γ. We present a quantitative Voronovskaya type theorem in terms of weighted modulus of smoothness using sixth‐order central moment. In addition, we studied Grü ss‐type Voronovskaya theorem. All results in this work show that our new operators are flexible and sensitive to the rate of convergence to f, depending on our selection of γ(x).
Analytical study and experimental verification of the surface wave loss on a tensor impedance surface
Authors: Mighani Mojtaba , Dadashzadeh Gholamreza
Published: August 2019

In this article, propagation loss is investigated for a surface wave (SW) when enters from a scalar impedance surface (SIS) to a tensor impedance surface (TIS). This loss has two components: (a) loss due to change in the propagation direction and mode transformation of the SW and (b) loss due to the surface impedance mismatch between the SIS and the TIS. First, two analytical methods are presented to calculate the loss and then the methods are verified by a sample structure, which is fabricated with the printed circuit technology at 15.1‐15.75 GHz frequency bandwidth. The calculated total loss for the sample structure is 8.7 dB and 5.6 dB at 15.1 and 15.7 GHz, respectively, which is in good agreement with the measured results.
Miniaturized dual‐band loop‐type ground radiation antenna with enhanced bandwidth for mobile devices
Authors: Kim Min‐Gi , Kim Hyeongdong
Published: August 2019

In this article, a miniaturized wide‐band and dual‐band loop‐type ground radiation antenna for mobile devices is proposed. The antenna feed structure, which consists of two shunt capacitors and a shunt inductor, enhances the bandwidth in both bands by generating an additional parallel feeding resonance in each band. Compared to the reference dual‐band loop‐type ground radiation antenna with a single loop feed that only uses a capacitor in series, the bandwidth of the proposed antenna is 1.6 and 2.13 times wider in the low and high bands, respectively under a 3:1 voltage standing wave ratio. The measured results indicate that the proposed antenna provides good radiation performance.
Survey of activity pacing across healthcare professionals informs a new activity pacing framework for chronic pain/fatigue
Authors: Antcliff Deborah , Keenan Anne‐Maree , Keeley Philip , Woby Steve , McGowan Linda
Published: August 2019

Introduction

Activity pacing is considered a key component of rehabilitation programmes for chronic pain/fatigue. However, there are no widely used guidelines to standardize how pacing is delivered. This study aimed to undertake the first stage in developing a comprehensive evidence‐based activity pacing framework.

Methods

An online survey across pain/fatigue services in English National Health Service trusts explored healthcare professionals' opinions on the types/uses of pacing, aims, facets and perceived effects. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics for closed‐ended questions and thematic analysis for open‐ended questions. Purposeful recruitment with a snowball effect engaged 92 healthcare professionals (physiotherapists, occupational therapists, nurses, doctors and psychologists) to the study.

Results

Pacing was highly utilized, with perceived long‐term benefits for patients (n = 83, 90.2% healthcare professionals instructed pacing). The most endorsed aim of pacing was “achievement of meaningful activities” (24.5% of ranked votes). The least endorsed aim was “to conserve energy” (0.1% of ranked votes). The most frequently supported facet of pacing was “breaking down tasks” (n = 91, 98.9%). The least supported facet was “stopping activities when symptoms increase” (n = 6, 6.5%). Thematic analysis showed recurring themes that pacing involved flexibility and sense of choice.

Conclusions

Pacing is a multidimensional coping strategy and complex behaviour. The message is clear that pacing should enable increases in meaningful activities, as opposed to attempting to avoid symptoms. The survey findings have informed the development of an activity pacing framework to guide healthcare professionals on the multiple components of pacing. This will help to standardize and optimize treatments for chronic pain/fatigue and enable future investigations.
Adjustable continence therapy (ProACT) for the treatment of male stress urinary incontinence: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Larson Troy , Jhaveri Hasan , Yeung Lawrence L.
Published: August 2019

Aims

First, to evaluate the efficacy of adjustable balloon devices or adjustable continence therapy (ProACT) in the treatment for male stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Second, to investigate the safety profile and rates of adverse events associated with the implantation of adjustable balloon devices.

Method

A review of the literature was performed by searching the PubMed database with the most applicable search terms. We narrowed included studies with adult male patients with SUI; outcomes included pads or pad weight per day and quality of life (QOL) questionnaires, as well as safety outcomes.

Results

In total, 19 studies were included with a total of 1264 patients and 4517 patient‐years of follow‐up data (mean follow‐up time 3.6 years). ProACT implantation resulted in an incontinence QOL improvement of 30.8 points from baseline. At baseline, patients on average were using 4.0 pads per day (PPD) (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.6‐5.4), which was reduced to an average of 1.1 PPD (95% CI: 0.5‐1.7) after ProACT implantation. The number of patients that were considered “dry” was 60.2% (95% CI: 54.2%‐65.9%) and the number of patients who were found to be either “dry” or improved greater than 50% was 81.9% (95% CI: 74%‐87.8%).

Conclusions

Implantation of adjustable balloon devices is efficacious and safe for the treatment of male SUI. Given the minimal invasiveness of the therapy, adjustable balloon devices may be a serious option as a first‐line treatment in nonirradiated patients with SUI who are not ideal candidates for the artificial urinary sphincter.
Ray‐based reflection traveltime tomography using approximate stationary points
Authors: Li Xiangyue , Min Dong‐Joo , Hwang Jongha , Oh Ju‐Won
Published: August 2019

Reflection traveltime tomography has been used to describe subsurface velocity structures which, in practice, can be used as a background or initial model for pre‐stack depth migration or full waveform inversion. Conventional reflection traveltime tomography is performed by solving an optimization problem based on a ray‐tracing method. As a result, reflection traveltime tomography requires heavy computational efforts to carry out ray tracing and solve a large matrix equation. In addition, like most data‐domain tomography methods, reflection traveltime tomography depends on initial guesses and suffers from non‐uniqueness and uncertainty of solutions. In this research, we propose a deterministic ray‐based reflection traveltime tomography method by applying seismic interferometry. This method does not suffer from the non‐uniqueness problem and does not require a priori information on subsurface media. By adding a virtual layer (whose properties are known) on top of the real surface and applying convolution‐type interferometry, we approximately determine the stationary points (i.e., incident raypaths in the virtual layer). Then, we generate reflection points for a range of assumed velocities and estimate the velocity by considering the number of reflection points and the traveltime difference between the observed and calculated data. The reflection surface can then be recovered by using the estimated velocity. Once the first target layer is resolved, we can recover the whole media by recursively applying the same method to the lower layers. Numerical examples using surface seismic profile data for homogeneous‐layer (with a low‐velocity layer) and inhomogeneous‐layer models and real field data experiments on the Congo data set demonstrate that our method can successfully recover the velocities and depths of subsurface media without initial guesses. However, our method has some limitations for multi‐layer models because the method does not have sufficient reflection points for the deeper layers.
A fitted numerical method for parabolic turning point singularly perturbed problems with an interior layer
Authors: Munyakazi Justin B. , Patidar Kailash C. , Sayi Mbani T.
Published: August 2019

The objective of this paper is to construct and analyze a fitted operator finite difference method (FOFDM) for the family of time‐dependent singularly perturbed parabolic convection–diffusion problems. The solution to the problems we consider exhibits an interior layer due to the presence of a turning point. We first establish sharp bounds on the solution and its derivatives. Then, we discretize the time variable using the classical Euler method. This results in a system of singularly perturbed interior layer two‐point boundary value problems. We propose a FOFDM to solve the system above. Through a rigorous error analysis, we show that the scheme is uniformly convergent of order one with respect to both time and space variables. Moreover, we apply Richardson extrapolation to enhance the accuracy and the order of convergence of the proposed scheme. Numerical investigations are carried out to demonstrate the efficacy and robustness of the scheme.
Archaeological hunting patterns of Amazonian horticulturists: The Guarani example
Authors: Acosta Alejandro , Carbonera Mirian , Loponte Daniel
Published: August 2019

We analyse the hunting patterns based on faunal records of horticultural groups from the Atlantic Forest grouped in the Guarani archaeological unit, which are the material and behavioural expression of populations of Amazon origin who practiced slash‐and‐burn agriculture in the Atlantic Forest of Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay. The analysed temporal block ranges from ca. 1373 to 1698 of the Common Era. The characteristics of the faunal assemblages are the high level of the taxa richness and the equitability, where no taxa predominate over the others. The capture decision was probably guided primarily by the weight of the potential prey (preferentially terrestrial mammals) considering thresholds above 10 kg per individual, which have provided the greatest biomass. Nevertheless, small preys are numerically important and taxonomically very diverse. Fish mostly comprise small individuals, with no taxonomic selectivity. The hunted animals were transported completely to the villages. Terrestrial prey and fish were preponderantly boiled in ceramic containers. All the best ranked preys locally available were hunted, so in the long term, there were no exceptions to consumption. The hunting strategies are concordant with historical and ethnographic observations that include a broad diet with low taxonomic selectivity, small foraging range, and garden hunting.
Identifying risk factors associated with worse outcomes in adolescents and young adults undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Friend Brian D. , Tang Kevin , Markovic Daniela , Elashoff David , Moore Theodore B. , Schiller Gary J.
Published: August 2019

Background

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) have unique risk factors and poor outcomes when compared to children, but this population has not been well studied. A hematopoietic stem cell transplantation‐comorbidity index (HCT‐CI) has been developed in adults to help predict outcomes, yet this index does not seem suitable for a younger population. Therefore, we sought to examine the prevalence of various risk factors in AYAs undergoing allogeneic HSCT and determine which factors had the greatest impact on overall survival (OS) and treatment‐related mortality (TRM).

Procedures

This was accomplished by retrospectively collecting data on 241 patients who received their first allogeneic HSCT at UCLA between 2005 and 2015. We investigated the effect of multiple predictors using the Cox proportional hazards model and Fine and Gray competing risk model for OS and TRM, respectively.

Results

Our results showed that AYAs undergoing allogeneic HSCT had poor outcomes, with 5‐year OS and NRM of 48% and 30%, respectively. We demonstrated that compared to a baseline model, the addition of the HCT‐CI did not improve its ability to predict OS, while substituting individual comorbidities, that is, an unweighted comorbidity score, resulted in significant improvement in model performance. The factors associated with inferior outcomes were used to develop an AYA‐specific risk score.

Conclusions

The comorbidities included in the HCT‐CI as well as additional risk factors seen in younger populations need to be studied in prospective studies with the goal of validating and refining a risk score specific to AYA patients undergoing allogeneic HSCT.
Transcriptomic Analysis of Breast Cancer Stem Cells and Development of a pALDH1A1:mNeptune Reporter System for Live Tracking
Authors: Bidan Nadège , Bailleul‐Dubois Justine , Duval Jérémy , Winter Marie , Denoulet Marie , Hannebicque Karine , El‐Sayed Ihsan Y. , Ginestier Christophe , Forissier Violaine , Charafe‐Jauffret Emmanuelle , Macario Manon , Matsunaga Yukiko T , Meignan Samuel , Anquez François , Julien Sylvain , Bonnefond Amélie , Derhourhi Mehdi , Le Bourhis Xuefen , Lagadec Chann
Published: August 2019

Many solid cancers are hierarchically organized with a small number of cancer stem cells (CSCs) able to regrow a tumor, while their progeny lacks this feature. Breast CSC is known to contribute to therapy resistance. The study of those cells is usually based on their cell‐surface markers like CD44high/CD24low/neg or their aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity. However, these markers cannot be used to track the dynamics of CSC. Here, a transcriptomic analysis is performed to identify segregating gene expression in CSCs and non‐CSCs, sorted by Aldefluor assay. It is observed that among ALDH‐associated genes, only ALDH1A1 isoform is increased in CSCs. A CSC reporter system is then developed by using a far red‐fluorescent protein (mNeptune) under the control of ALDH1A1 promoter. mNeptune‐positive cells exhibit higher sphere‐forming capacity, tumor formation, and increased resistance to anticancer therapies. These results indicate that the reporter identifies cells with stemness characteristics. Moreover, live tracking of cells in a microfluidic system reveals a higher extravasation potential of CSCs. Live tracking of non‐CSCs under irradiation treatment show, for the first time, live reprogramming of non‐CSCs into CSCs. Therefore, the reporter will allow for cell tracking to better understand the implication of CSCs in breast cancer development and recurrence.
Polyisobutylene containing covalently bound antioxidant moieties
Authors: Parada Corey M. , Parker Grace L. , Storey Robson F.
Published: August 2019

Polyisobutylene (PIB) bearing covalently bound antioxidants is reported. TiCl4‐catalyzed cleavage/alkylation reactions were conducted on poly(isobutylene‐co‐isoprene) (EXXON® Butyl 068; = 3.37 × 105 g/mol, (Ð) = 1.29, and 1.08 mol % isoprene) at −70 °C in 60/40 hexane/dichloromethane in the presence of 2,6‐di‐tert‐butylphenol (DTP). Resulting PIB s ranged from 30,000 to 85,300 g/mol and number average DTP functionalities (Fn) ranged from 4.3 to 12.0. 1H NMR showed that 25%–40% of the DTP moieties underwent de‐tert‐butylation to form mono‐tert‐butyl phenol moieties. DTP‐functionalized and nonfunctionalized control PIBs were subjected to thermogravimetric analysis in nitrogen and in air. In nitrogen, commercial control PIBs (olefinic end groups) showed delayed onset of thermal degradation (T10 = 380–381 °C) relative to both control PIBs produced by living polymerization (tert‐chloride end groups) and DTP‐functionalized PIBs (T10's all within the range of 366–370 °C). All PIBs showed lower degradation temperatures in air compared to nitrogen. Various control PIBs suffered 90% weight loss in air at temperatures ranging from 372 °C to 410 °C; DTP‐functionalized PIBs did not suffer 90% weight loss in air until 412–414 °C. Oxidative induction time analysis showed that all control PIBs suffered catastrophic degradation within 6 min, and most within 1 min, but DTP‐functionalized PIBs resisted degradation for >100 min. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 1836–1846
Construction of meanings during life‐limiting illnesses and its impacts on palliative care: Ethnographic study in an African context
Authors: Agom David A. , Neill Sarah , Allen Stuart , Poole Helen , Sixsmith Judith , Onyeka Tonia C. , Ominyi Jude
Published: August 2019

Objective

Knowledge about how people make meaning in cancer, palliative, and end‐of‐life care is particularly lacking in Africa, yet it can provide insights into strategies for improving palliative care (PC). This study explored ways in which cancer patients, their families, and health care professionals (HCPs) construct meaning of their life‐limiting illnesses and how this impact on provision and use of PC in a Nigerian hospital.

Methods

This ethnographic study utilised participant observation, informal conversations during observation, and interviews to gather data from 39 participants, comprising service users and HCPs in a Nigerian hospital. Data were analysed using Spradley's framework for ethnographic data analysis.

Results

Meaning‐making in life‐limiting illness was predominantly rooted in belief systems. Most patients and their families, including some HCPs, perceived that cancer was caused by the devil, mystical, or supernatural beings. They professed that these agents manifested in the form of either spiritual attacks or that wicked people in society used either poison or acted as witches/wizards to inflict cancer on someone. These beliefs contributed to either nonacceptance of, or late presentation for, PC by most of patients and their families, while some professionals depended on supernatural powers for divine intervention and tacitly supporting religious practices to achieve healing/cure.

Conclusions

Findings revealed that cultural and religious world views about life‐limiting illnesses were used in decision‐making process for PC. This, therefore, provided evidence that could improve the clinicians' cultural competence when providing PC to individuals of African descent, especially Nigerians, both in Nigerian societies and in foreign countries.
Synthesis and herbicidal activity of novel pyrazole aromatic ketone analogs as HPPD inhibitor
Authors: Fu Qing , Cai Peng‐Peng , Cheng Long , Zhong Liang‐Kun , Tan Cheng‐Xia , Shen Zhong‐Hua , Han Liang , Xu Tian‐Ming , Liu Xing‐Hai
Published: August 2019

BACKGROUND

4‐Hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD, EC 1.13.11.27) has been a good target for herbicide discovery. In order to discover novel HPPD herbicides, a series of pyrazole aromatic ketone analogs were designed and synthesized.

RESULTS

The 25 pyrazole aromatic ketone analogs synthesized were tested for herbicidal activity and compounds A1, A3, A4, A17, A20 and A25 displayed excellent herbicidal activity against Chenopodium serotinum, Stellaria media and Brassica juncea at 37.5 g ha−1. In addition, compounds A1, A5, A9, A10, A16, A17, A20 and A25 exhibited good crop selectivity for wheat, maize and rice at 150 g ha−1. Inhibition activities against AtHPPD proved the compounds were HPPD inhibitors. The structure–activity relationship of these pyrazole aromatic ketone analogs was studied using molecular docking.

CONCLUSION

These pyrazole aromatic ketone derivatives could be used as lead structures for development of HPPD herbicides against dicotyledonous weeds with further structure modification. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Multiple channels of DEET repellency in Drosophila
Authors: Guo Hao , Kunwar Kishor , Smith Dean
Published: August 2019

BACKGROUND

N,N‐Diethyl‐meta‐toluamide (DEET) is the prophylactic insect repellent used most widely to inhibit insect bites. Despite its use since 1944, the mechanism of DEET repellency remains controversial. Here, we revisited the role of smell and taste in DEET repellence using Drosophila as a model.

RESULTS

Analysis of the responses of individual olfactory receptor neuron (ORN) classes to DEET reveals that 11 ORNs are activated and two are inhibited by this compound. Blocking individual ORN classes in the antenna does not block DEET repellence. This argues against the existence of a single ORN mediating DEET repellence in Drosophila. Activation of all ORCO‐expressing neurons using channelrhodopsin favors attraction, not repellence, in behavioral valence. We also demonstrate that gustatory neurons are highly sensitive to DEET. We used RNA interference to screen candidate receptors encoded by gene families involved in the detection of bitter compounds, including 34 gustatory receptors (Grs), 14 ionotropic receptors (Irs), five pick‐pocket subunits (PPKs), three transient receptor potential ion channels (TrpA, TrpL, Painless) and one metabotropic glutamate receptors gene (DmXR). We saw striking defects in DEET‐mediated oviposition behavior when expression of either Gr32a or Gr33a was inhibited.

CONCLUSION

Our findings support a multimodal mechanism for DEET detection in fruit flies and indicate a prominent role for taste detection mediating DEET repellence. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Lethal and sublethal effects of fluralaner on the two‐spotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae)
Authors: Leviticus Kipchoge , Cui Li , Ling Han , Jia Zhong‐Qiang , Huang Qiu‐Tang , Han Zhao‐Jun , Zhao Chun‐Qing , Xu Lu
Published: August 2019

BACKGROUND

Two‐spotted spider mite (TSSM), Tetranychus urticae Koch is a serious agricultural pest and has developed high levels of resistance to many acaricides. Hence, screening new acaricides is important in the control of TSSM. Fluralaner, a novel isoxazoline, has high activity against agricultural and ectoparasitic pests; however, little information is available about its effects on agricultural mites. Lethal and sublethal effects of fluralaner towards TSSM eggs and female adults were therefore evaluated in this study.

RESULTS

Fluralaner exhibited higher activity towards TSSM female adults (LC50, 0.49 mg L−1) compared with commercial acaricides including fenpyroximate, pyridaben and hexythiazox, and also excellent activity towards eggs (LC50, 0.36 mg L−1). The results of a sublethal effect study showed a significant reduction in the duration and fecundity of female adults with increases in the tested concentrations. The net reproductive rate (R0) decreased to 67.34 ± 3.96 and 50.29 ± 3.40 offspring per individual in LC10 and LC30 treatments compared with control (108.31 ± 7.61 offspring per individual). The intrinsic rate of increase (r) and finite rate of increase (λ) in the controls (0.30 and 1.36 d−1) were significantly higher than in the LC30 treatment (0.25 and 1.29 d−1); whereas, they were almost identical to values for the LC10 treatment. No change in mean generation time (T) was observed at sublethal concentrations treatments.

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrated that fluralaner has high acaricidal activity and could be considered a potential acaricide for TSSM management. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
How to Improve the Performance of Porous Silicon‐Based Gas and Vapor Sensors? Approaches and Achievements
Authors: Korotcenkov Ghenadii , Rusu E.
Published: August 2019

It is shown that, along with the advantages, sensors based on porous silicon (PSi) have disadvantages that inhibit their widespread use. The parameters of PSi which can affect the performance of PSi‐based sensors are considered in detail, and approaches are analyzed that allow for the improvement of the main characteristics of PSi‐based gas and vapor sensors. It is concluded that despite the progress made in terms of improving the sensitivity, selectivity, and stability of PSi‐based sensors, further research and development in this direction is necessary, as the existing methods do not provide the required stability of the characteristics and selectivity of their response.
Moringa oleiferaand glycemic control: A review of current evidence and possible mechanisms
Authors: Ahmad Jamil , Khan Imran , Blundell Renald
Published: August 2019

Maintaining glycemic control in diabetes and prediabetes is necessary to prevent many health complications and mortality. Although different hypoglycemic drugs are used for this purpose, there is still a growing interest in the use of medicinal plants due to their low price, easy availability, and fewer or no side effects. Moringa (Moringa oleiferaLam.) is a medicinal plant that has been traditionally used in the management of diabetes. This review aims to present the existing literature published until February 2019 on the role of moringa leaves in glycemia and their physiological mechanisms. In the conducted studies, moringa leaves have shown to reduce glycemia, without causing any adverse effects. The proposed mechanisms for reducing glycemia include inhibition of α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase activities, increased glucose uptake in the muscles and liver, inhibition of glucose uptake from the intestine, decreased gluconeogenesis in the liver, and increased insulin secretion and sensitivity. However, these studies are limited in numbers and mostly conducted in animals, in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, long‐term human studies are required to determine the hypoglycemic effect of moringa leaves, their physiological mechanisms, active ingredients, and safety. Overall, this review provides evidence that moringa leaves have the possibility to be used as a glycemic control agent in diabetes and prediabetes.
Fast‐switching high‐voltage porous‐tip electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for rapid detection of antirheumatic drugs in adulterated herbal dietary supplements
Authors: Yao Ya‐Nan , Wu Lin , Sun Wan‐Yang , Luo Zhi‐Hui , Di Dandan , Yuan Zi‐Cheng , Huang Zhengxu , Hu Bin
Published: August 2019

Rationale

Herbal dietary supplements (HDSs) adulterated with undeclared synthetic drugs can lead to serious health problems

Methods

A fast‐switching positive/negative high‐voltage (+/− HV) was developed to apply on electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) with porous tips for rapid screening of five antirheumatic drugs in antirheumatic HDSs. The fast‐switching (switch‐time: 100 ms) negative and positive ions were alternately generated to perform full‐MS and tandem‐MS analysis, providing an effective method for rapid detection of analytes in whichever mode of detection was most suitable (negative or positive ion mode). The use of different tips and solvents was also optimized in this work.

Results

The limits of detection of the five antirheumatic drugs were found to be less than 0.1 ng/g (S/N > 3). The reproducibility of the five drugs was measured to be 10.0–23.3% (n = 5). A single sample analysis could be completed within 1 min. Rapid screening of a total of 28 real HDS samples collected from the market was examined by the fast‐switching HV substrate‐tip ESI‐MS method, and the screening result was further validated by conventional liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Conclusions

Overall, our results demonstrated that fast‐switching HV substrate‐tip ESI‐MS is a rapid, reliable, and effective method for simultaneous screening of various analytes in complex samples.
A feasible strategy based on isotopic fine structures to enhance the reliability of metabolite identification by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry
Authors: Xu Lu , Li Xintong , Wang Xue , Song Aihua , Han Fei
Published: August 2019

Rationale

In the process of the identification of unknown metabolites, the most important thing is to determine their real chemical formulae according to the accurate masses which are determined by high‐resolution mass spectrometry. However, high mass accuracy alone is not enough to exclude false candidates. Use of isotopic fine structures (IFSs) derived from Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT‐ICR MS) as a single further constraint could decisively determine the molecular formulae for unknown metabolites.

Methods

Gastrodin, an active constituent from Gastrodia elata Bl., which can penetrate through the blood–brain barrier and rapidly decompose to p‐hydroxybenzyl alcohol in the brain, was selected as a model drug. The accurate masses, possible chemical formulae and IFSs of its metabolites in rat plasma were acquired using FT‐ICR MS.

Results

Besides gastrodin, a total of eight metabolites including two phase I and six phase II metabolites were detected. Their chemical formulae were decisively determined by IFSs. Furthermore, their chemical structures were identified by comparing their fragment ions with those of gastrodin. Results indicated the metabolic pathways of gastrodin in rats including deglycosylation, oxidation, glucuronidation, sulfate conjugation and glycine conjugation.

Conclusions

It is demonstrated that IFSs are effective in unambiguous determination of chemical formulae of metabolites. It could be used as a feasible strategy to enhance the reliability of metabolite identification in drug metabolism studies.
Channel recovery in a regulated river: Effects of an experimental and natural flood in the Snowy River, SE Australia
Authors: Rose Teresa , Erskine Wayne , Miners Brett
Published: August 2019

Experimental floods, generated downstream of dams, are used to recover specific bio‐geomorphic functions in regulated rivers. Studies of the effects of experimental floods vary in their objective, location, and the hydrological and bio‐geomorphic variables used to quantify recovery. Measurements of geomorphic change are required to guide future release strategies. The focus of this study was to determine if a large experimental flood in the Snowy River Australia, could promote geomorphic recovery of the river channel downstream of Jindabyne Dam following 35 years of flow regulation. The objectives of the release were to deepen, widen, and increase channel capacity and coarsen the riverbed substratum in the Jindabyne Gorge and Dalgety Uplands sections of the Snowy River. Data from the release were compared with that of a natural flood event that occurred after the experimental flow event. Both events showed channel adjustments and a degree of geomorphic recovery, but this varied between the two river sections. Marked channel adjustments occurred in the Dalgety Uplands reach following both the experimental and natural flood event and in the Jindabyne Gorge section following the natural flood event. Geomorphic changes were related to the hydrological character of each flood event. The number of flood peaks, the sequence of peaks, the flood duration, and the total energy expenditure differed markedly between the two events, and these four flood hydrological characteristics explained the greater geomorphic recovery associated with the natural flood event in the Jindabyne Gorge. No clear hydro‐geomorphic relationship was derived for channel change in the Dalgety Uplands where existing morphological constraints limit flood effectiveness.
Diet partitioning and trophic guild structure of fish assemblages in Chishui River, the last undammed tributary of the upper Yangtze River, China
Authors: Liu Fei , Wang Xue , Wang Meirong , Liu Huanzhang , Wang Jianwei
Published: August 2019

Knowledge of trophic ecology of fish species is fundamental to understand the organization mechanism of fish assemblages and crucial for developing effective management and conservation strategies. This study examined the diet partitioning and trophic guild structure of fish assemblages in Chishui River, the last undammed tributary of the upper Yangtze River, China. Specimens were collected in three sections along the upstream–downstream gradient in 2012. Digestive tract contents of 54 fish species, represented by 692 individuals, were analysed and quantified. Analysis showed that fish assemblages in the Chishui River utilized aquatic insects, algae, detritus, molluscs, and fishes as the main food resources, whereas terrestrial insects were consumed only occasionally. The trophic guild structure of fish assemblages changed gradually with the longitudinal gradient. Specially, the number of trophic guilds increased with downstream distance. In addition, the relative number of omnivorous species increased longitudinally, whereas the relative number of insectivorous species declined downstream. This study demonstrated how fish assemblages utilize the food resources under near‐natural conditions. These results provide valuable information for fish conservation and ecological restoration.
Di(pyridin‐4‐yl)aniline Derivatives with a Push‐Pull Electronic Structure: Synthesis and Electrochromic Properties
Authors: Zhou Chuan‐wen , Zhu Chun‐rong , Huang Zhen‐jie , Zhang Wei‐jing , Tang Qian , Gong Cheng‐bin
Published: August 2019

Traditionally, electrochromic materials rely on counter redox materials like ferrocene to realize redox processes. In this work, two novel, closely related series of electrochromic materials bearing push‐pull electronic structure were designed and synthesised (N,N,N’,N’‐tetra(pyridin‐4‐yl)‐1,4‐phenylenediamine derivatives (TPPDs) and N,N,N′,N′‐tetra(pyridin‐4‐yl)benzidine derivatives (TPBDs)). When stimulated by an external electric field, both series of compounds exhibited intramolecular charge transfer because of their push‐pull electronic structures. Therefore, the TPPDs and TPBDs could undergo redox processes without the assistance of counter electrode chemicals. Furthermore, the TPPDs and TPBDs could replace the electrolyte that is required in conventional electrochromic devices (ECDs) because of their conductivity. This allowed the fabrication of a simple, single‐component ECD.
Rapid, Efficient, and Green Synthesis of Coumarin Derivatives via Knoevenagel Condensation and Investigating Their Biological Effects
Authors: Dinparast Leila , Hemmati Salar , Zengin Gokhan , Alizadeh Ali Akbar , Bahadori Mir Babak , Kafil Hossein Samadi , Dastmalchi Siavoush
Published: August 2019

Coumarins as naturally occurring heterocycles are chemically and biologically attractive compounds due to their diverse pharmacological properties. This study aimed to design a green method for the synthesis of coumarin derivatives followed by their biological investigations. To do so, coumarins were synthesized with excellent yields using a one‐pot procedure under solvent‐free conditions at room temperature with very short reaction times. 1‐hexyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bromide was used as a reaction medium and an alternative for common toxic solvents. The structure of coumarins was confirmed using spectroscopic techniques as well as elemental analysis. The cytotoxicity of coumarins was evaluated against A549 cancerous cells and was found to be non‐cytotoxic in nature. Also, their abilities for inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, tyrosinase, and α‐glucosidase were assessed. The results showed that some derivatives have mild to moderate inhibitory activity (IC50=3.64‐5.96 mm) against acetylcholinesterase. The tested coumarins have also moderately inhibited tyrosinase (IC50=3.95‐13.96 mm). The results of this study could be useful for the design and development of green and effective methods for the synthesis of new drugs with the core structure of coumarin.
Ytterbium Doped TiO2 Nanofibers on Activated Carbon Fibers Enhances Adsorption and Photocatalytic Activities for Toluene Removal
Authors: Liao Fang , Chu Lian‐Feng , Guo Cui‐Xiang , Guo Ya‐Jun , Ke Qin‐Fei , Guo Ya‐Ping
Published: August 2019

The combination of activated carbon fiber (ACF) adsorbents and ytterbium‐doped TiO2 (Yb‐TiO2) photocatalysts is a promising strategy for toluene removal. Herein, we firstly constructed Yb‐TiO2/ACF porous materials (Yb‐TiACFs) by the treatment of TiO2/ACF porous materials (TiACFs) with Yb(NO3)3 solutions. The ultralong Yb‐TiO2 nanofibers that were composed of many nanocrystals along [101] direction twisted around ACFs. The synergetic effects of Yb‐TiO2 and ACFs promoted toluene adsorption, and the adsorption trends matched well with pseudo‐second‐order kinetics model. It was firstly found that ACFs and Yb3+ dopants improved TiO2 quantum efficiency by driving electron‐hole separation and enhancing light adsorption activity. Yb‐TiACFs promoted the photocatalytic oxidation of toluene, and the photocatalytic activity was better than TiO2 nanocrystals (P25, Evonik Degussa). The toluene photodegradation trend on Yb‐TiACFs was fit well with apparent first‐order reaction kinetics model. The interesting findings demonstrated that Yb‐TiACFs were a promising platform for toluene removal via adsorption and photocatalysis synergetic effects.
Reframing the individual stress response: Balancing our knowledge of stress to improve responsivity to stressors
Authors: Liu Jenny Jing Wen , Reed Maureen , Vickers Kristin
Published: August 2019

Although responses to stressors have both adverse and positive consequences on health, many believe that stress is entirely negative. Research revealed that negative beliefs about stress can hinder well‐being and result in the avoidance of stressors. Stress‐optimizing interventions that target various stress appraisal processes may be a useful tool to reframe how individuals understand and respond to stressors. The current study extends previous findings on stress reframing and sought to examine the extent to which the presentation of information about stress outcomes may influence the individual to respond to subsequent stressors. Seventy‐seven undergraduate students (96% female) were randomized into one of four reframing conditions (balanced stress outcomes, negative stress outcomes, positive stress outcomes, and control) and underwent a psychosocial stressor. Results highlight similarities between balanced and positive framings of stress across measures of heart rate and blood pressure, whereas subjective ratings of stress and electrodermal activity suggest balanced framing may be efficacious in attenuating stress. Findings are discussed in the context of differing stress‐optimizing interventions and consider the complexities of the individual stress response.
Posttraumatic growth during cognitive behavioural therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder: Relationship to symptom change and introduction of significant other assessment
Authors: Schubert Christine F. , Schmidt Ulrike , Comtesse Hannah , Gall‐Kleebach Dominique , Rosner Rita
Published: August 2019

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) may play a role in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as it is supposed to have either beneficial or dysfunctional effects on treatment‐related PTS symptom (PTSS) changes. This study examined whether cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for PTSD patients can foster PTG assessed by self‐reports and reports from significant others. Forty‐eight PTSD patients participating in trauma‐focused CBT were assessed twice: at the beginning of therapy (T1) and after 3 months of therapy (T2, N = 34). We used the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), and constructed a significant other version of the PTGI (PTGI‐SOA). The PTSS severity declined during the course of treatment, whereas PTG levels remained stable. Both the PTGI and PTGI‐SOA were associated with higher PTSS reduction at T2. The results suggest that PTG is associated with greater improvement in PTSS during trauma‐focused CBT, even though treatment could not directly enhance PTG. Significant other assessments seem to be a promising approach to improve PTG measurement.
SFLA‐based heuristic method to generate software structural test data
Authors: Ghaemi Amir , Arasteh Bahman
Published: August 2019

Software testing is one of the significant stages in software development life cycle which is a costly and time‐consuming task. Automatic tests data generation is one of the traditional techniques to reduce the cost and time spent in software testing. Different evolutionary algorithms have been proposed to generate test data which cover target paths in a software program. In this paper, shuffled frog leaping algorithm (SFLA) is proposed to generate structural test data. The proposed SFLA algorithm is characterized by high convergence speed and simple implementation. In the proposed SFLA, branch coverage is used as the fitness function to generate effective test data. For comparing the performance of the proposed SFLA with genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimization (PSO), ant colony optimization (ACO), and artificial bee colony (ABC), seven benchmark programs were used. The results indicated that the proposed SFLA has an average of 99.99% for branch coverage, average 99.97% for success rate, and 2.03 for the average number of generation for covering all branches.
The Novel Combination of Strength and Ductility in 0.4C‐7Mn‐3.2Al Medium Manganese Steel by Intercritical Annealing
Authors: Lv Chao , Wang YanHua , Huang Xingmin , Zhang Lei , Fu QinQin , Wu Min , Zhang Juan
Published: August 2019

By altering the temperature and duration of intercritical annealing (IA), the mechanical stability of retained austenites (RAs) is intentionally regulated in newly designed cold‐rolled medium manganese steel of Fe‐0.4C‐7Mn‐3.2Al (in wt%). Consequently, a novel combination of ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and total elongation (TE) (e.g., 1118 MPa and 67%) is obtained in duplex steel, and the corresponding product of UTS and TE can reach 75 GPa%. Both twinning‐induced plasticity (TWIP) and transformation‐induced plasticity (TRIP) take effect step by step during deformation and are conducive to the outstanding properties.
Uniform Substitution at One Fell Swoop
Authors: Platzer André
Published: August 2019

Uniform substitution of function, predicate, program or game symbols is the core operation in parsimonious provers for hybrid systems and hybrid games. By postponing soundness-critical admissibility checks, this paper introduces a uniform substitution mechanism that proceeds in a linear pass homomorphically along the formula. Soundness is recovered using a simple variable condition at the replacements performed by the substitution. The setting in this paper is that of differential hybrid games, in which discrete, continuous, and adversarial dynamics interact in differential game logic
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An Exploratory Diagnostic Model for Ordinal Responses with Binary Attributes: Identifiability and Estimation
Authors: Culpepper Steven Andrew
Published: August 2019

Diagnostic models (DMs) provide researchers and practitioners with tools to classify respondents into substantively relevant classes. DMs are widely applied to binary response data; however, binary response models are not applicable to the wealth of ordinal data collected by educational, psychological, and behavioral researchers. Prior research developed confirmatory ordinal DMs that require expert knowledge to specify the underlying structure. This paper introduces an exploratory DM for ordinal data. In particular, we present an exploratory ordinal DM, which uses a cumulative probit link along with Bayesian variable selection techniques to uncover the latent structure. Furthermore, we discuss new identifiability conditions for structured multinomial mixture models with binary attributes. We provide evidence of accurate parameter recovery in a Monte Carlo simulation study across moderate to large sample sizes. We apply the model to twelve items from the public-use, Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998–1999 approaches to learning and self-description questionnaire and report evidence to support a three-attribute solution with eight classes to describe the latent structure underlying the teacher and parent ratings. In short, the developed methodology contributes to the development of ordinal DMs and broadens their applicability to address theoretical and substantive issues more generally across the social sciences.
The role of land tenure in livelihood transitions from fishing to tourism
Authors: Fabinyi Michael
Published: August 2019

Coastal tourism has been supported by the growth of middle-class tourist markets, promoted by governments who view it as an important avenue for economic growth and backed by environmental organisations who regard it as an alternative, more environmentally sustainable livelihood than capture fisheries. How policymakers and households in coastal areas negotiate the challenges and opportunities associated with growing tourism and declining capture fisheries is increasingly important. Drawing on extended ethnographic fieldwork from the Philippines between 2006 and 2018, this paper examines the transition from fishing to tourism and the consequences for one coastal community. I focus on land tenure as a key variable that shapes the effects and opportunities associated with livelihood transitions from fishing to tourism. While tourism has not been inherently positive or negative, the ability of local households to negotiate the boom and obtain the full benefits out of it is questionable. Many fishers have switched their primary livelihood activity to tourism, including the construction of tourist boats, working as tour guides or providing accommodation. However, the growth of tourism has prompted several attempts to evict the community, including from local elites who aimed to develop resorts on the coast and a recent push by the national administration to ‘clean up’ tourist sites around the country. I argue that land tenure in coastal communities should be more of a focus for researchers working in small-scale fisheries, as well as for researchers working on land rights.