bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring Computing Environment Possibilities for Risk Oriented Testing
Authors: Malik Vinita , Singh Sukhdip
Published: October 2017

The present research effort analyses various application areas of risk oriented testing and indentifies the gaps from the past .We need risk oriented testing not only for identifying risks in the projects but also for the maximum optimization of resources .Our research stresses on risk oriented testing in pervasive and evolutionary computational areas as due to dynamicity of such computing environment ,the project imbibes risk in great measure and needs to be taken care in early stages of the project . Risk oriented testing requires concentration in both of these application areas as extremely little work has been done in this regard.
Analysis of a paediatric orthopaedic network: A six-year experience in the South West of the United Kingdom
Authors: Bruce D. , Kocialkowski C. , Bintcliffe F. , Monsell F. , Barnes J. , Brown R.
Published: October 2017

Purpose

We report our experience of a paediatric orthopaedic network, based on a ‘hub and spoke’ model, covering the South West of the United Kingdom. We identify the areas of most clinical concern, the effect of the network on stream-lining patient management and the benefits of the network to the clinician.

Methods

Prospective data were collected from the minutes of the bi-annual meetings of the South West Paediatric Network (UK) between November 2006 and May 2012. Data collected included details of the condition, previous treatment, problems, complications and advice given. Cases continue to be followed up in subsequent meetings.

Results

In total 131 cases were included and hip conditions were discussed most frequently (35.1%). The most common indication for discussion was to support and confirm the local management plan. In total, a mean average of 8.75 cases in total were presented per consultant during the study period, with those within ten to 12 years of starting independent practice presenting the majority. The clinical outcome for patients discussed in this forum was local provision of care in 74%, with transfer to the regional centre in 15.7%. Following advice, 14% of direct referrals were given appropriate advice and avoided a journey to the tertiary centre.

Conclusion

The network has enabled local provision of care, reduced the burden of travel on patients and prevented unnecessary referrals to the tertiary centre. Additionally, it provides a mechanism to reassure and educate clinicians.
Linfoma de Burkitt orbitario en una paciente de 3 años de edad
Authors: Lotero Díaz Viviana , Castro-Delgado Oscar Eduardo , Castro Delgado Mario Fernando
Published: October 2017

Los linfomas primarios de ojo y anexos oculares representan el 1.5% de los linfomas no Hodgkin en la población anglosajona. Uno de sus tipos histológicos, el linfoma de Burkitt en la localización orbitaria, es una condición muy poco frecuente. Presentamos el caso de una paciente femenina de 3 años de edad con aparición de masa a nivel del parpado inferior izquierdo asociada a proptosis, con 15 días de evolución, a quien se le realizó una resonancia magnética nuclear de órbitas que confirmó procesos neoproliferativos. Posteriormente, fue sometida a una resección quirúrgica. Los estudios de inmunohistoquímica confirmaron el diagnóstico de linfoma de Burkitt. La importancia del reporte de este caso radica en que muestra que este padecimiento se debe tener en cuenta dentro de los posibles diagnósticos diferenciales cuando se presenta la aparición de masas orbitarias.
Interview with Jonathan Cohen: Beginning the Legacy of SLOVO Journal
Authors: Cohen Jonathan
Published: October 2017

DIRECTOR OF CONCILIATION RESOURCES, JONATHAN COHEN, IN CONVERSATION WITH SLOVO’S EXECUTIVE EDITOR BORIMIR TOTEV.
Jonathan Cohen joined Conciliation Resources in December 1997 and developed the Caucasus programme. In September 2008, he became Director of Programmes overseeing all Conciliation Resources’ regional programmes and was appointed Executive Director in May 2016. Previously he was deputy director of the Foundation on Inter-Ethnic Relations in The Hague, working with the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities. Before that he worked for International Alert and the Peace Research Institute Oslo. He has been a board member of the DFID/CAF Partnerships in the Non-Profit Sector Programme for Russia; acted as a consultant to United Nations Volunteers, the Heinrich Boell Foundation, the Berghof Foundation and taught at the London School of Economics. 
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Walter Benjamin in Venezuela
Authors: Gilbert Chris
Published: October 2017

Benjamin's philosophy presents problems best addressed not academically, but in dialogue with living political processes. And it is in Latin America, particularly Venezuela, that Benjamin's ideas have been most vividly illustrated and interrogated.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.
El museo: un espacio educativo para la igualdad social. El caso pionero del Museo Pedagógico Nacional en España (1882-1941)
Authors: Mateo De Castro Javier
Published: October 2017

Este trabajo de investigación analiza el papel del Museo Pedagógico Nacional en la redefinición del modelo de museo y de la educación española. La importancia de esta institución radica en el convencimiento de los responsables del museo –miembros de la Institución Libre de Enseñanza– de la centralidad de la cuestión educativa en la transición de la sociedad española hacia un sistema social más equitativo. Partiendo de esta hipótesis, los objetivos de este trabajo son definir el sustrato conceptual que impulsó el surgimiento de este museo y su funcionamiento; describir la transformación del modelo museístico que estos postulados implicaron y, por último, analizar algunas de las propuestas museográficas dirigidas por este centro con la intención de fomentar la igualdad a través de la educación. La metodología de trabajo consiste en un procedimiento ordenado deductivo. Partiendo de un marco teórico que analiza el papel de la educación en la igualdad y la situación española en ese contexto temporal, se relacionan los postulados de los institucionistas con el diseño del museo en su conjunto para finalizar con el análisis del impacto de los mismos a través del estudio de dos casos concretos: las dos exposiciones de bordados celebradas en 1913 y 1915. Las fuentes incluyen varios escritos de Manuel Bartolomé Cossío, director del Museo, así como numerosas referencias procedentes del ámbito de la museología. La actual vigencia de la educación como una de las funciones propias del museo evidencia la pertinencia histórica de los aspectos tratados, erigiéndose en su principal conclusión.
Música, cultura y sociedad en el ámbito local: el caso de Andújar a través del semanario El Guadalquivir (1907-1917)
Authors: Pérez Colodrero Consuelo
Published: October 2017

Este trabajo, participando de los objetivos y metodología propuestos por el RIPM (Répertoire International de la Presse Musicale), realiza una aproximación a la actividad musical de una localidad andaluza, Andújar, a principios del siglo xx (1907-1917), a través de uno de sus periódicos más importantes, El Guadalquivir, un semanario de orientación conservadora destinado a la información y al entretenimiento. Los resultados obtenidos sugieren, siempre dentro de la línea ideológica de la publicación estudiada, que la vida musical estuvo claramente relacionada (a) con las vicisitudes políticas, sociales y económicas de la plaza y (b) con una serie de entidades privadas y de figuras de la alta burguesía locales, cuyas actividades no obstante estuvieron enriquecidas y complementadas por las desplegadas en torno al cinematógrafo y las bandas de música, de mayor calado popular.
Morphological, genetic and pigment diversity of Nerium indicum Mill in Iran
Authors: Mohammadi F. , Sharifi-Sirchi G. , Samsampour D.
Published: October 2017

The Nerium indicum Mill organs and parts of the 40 genotypes were sampled from 5 habitats of southand south east of Iran. In total, 15 morphological and pigmentvariables were measured. Analysis of variance was carried out based on completely randomized design and revealed significance differencesat p â‰¤ 0.05, 0.01 and 0.001 for the most variablesindicating a large-scale diversity among the genotypes. Cluster analysis divided the genotypes into 3 main groups. The first and second principal components had 34.73% and 18.67% of the variance, respectively. The main factors had 76.79% accumulated eigenvalue. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers used to assess the population structure and genetic variation. In total, 361 polymorphic band amplified from effective 14 chosen RAPD markers. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed 67% and 33% within and between populations genetic variation respectively. Cluster analysis by using UPGMA method divided genotypes into 6 main groups. A high cophenetic correlation coefficient (r = 0.90) was obtained. The first and second principle coordinates had 29.31% and 25.78% of the variance, respectively.
Optimizing expression of antiviral cyanovirin-N homology gene using response surface methodology and protein structure prediction
Authors: Lotfi H. , Hejazi M. A. , Heshmati M. K. , Mohammadi S. A. , Zarghami N.
Published: October 2017

Cyanovirin-N (CVN) is well known as an anti-HIV protein. The efficient production of low cost microbicides for preventing the HIV-infection  has lately become a requirement worldwide. The aim of the present study was to optimize the expression of antiviral Cyanovirin-N homology gene found in the indigenous strain of Nostoc ellipsospourum LZN using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Protein Structure Analysis. Optimization of three induction factors (IPTG concentration (0.1, 0.55 and 1mM), temperature for bacterial growth (20, 28.5 and 37°C) and induction time (4, 10 and 16h) was done using RSM and Box-Behnken Design. Total RNA extraction was performed and mRNA levels were quantified in each experimental design by one-step SYBR qPCR. Protein structure was predicted using I-TASSER server. The full-length sequence of LZN-CVN gene is 306 bp in length, due mostly to five mutations. RSM analysis showed that the optimum condition to obtain maximum fold change was a concentration of 0.6mM IPTG, temperature set to 29°C and a 12h long induction time. The extracted protein from periplasmic fraction (8 kDa) was verified via SDS-PAGE. The high percentage of LZN-CVN similarity was demonstrated with PDB (Protein Data Bank) accession code of 2rp3A (CVN domain B mutant) and the ligand binding sites were related to N42, V43, D44, G45, S52, N53 and E56 residues. Different expression systems could assist in the development of anti-HIV proteins in a large scale. The LZN-CVN protein was successfully expressed in the E.coli system. RSM could be applied to a series of mathematical and statistical methods for modeling and analysis of responses which are influenced by various variables of interest.
rs3918242 variant genotype frequency and increased TIMP-2 and MMP-9 expression are positively correlated with cancer invasion in urinary bladder cancer
Authors: Pençe S. , í–zbek E. , Ozan Tiryakioğlu N. , Ersoy Tunali N. , Pençe H. H. , Tunali H.
Published: October 2017

To study the role of MMP9 and TIMP2 genotypes and expression in predisposition to bladder cancer and relation with metastasis. 100 urinary bladder cancer patients and 100 healthy controls were included in the study. rs3918242 and rs8179090 genotypes were determined with PCR-RFLP. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was employed to assess the MMP-9 and TIMP-2 expression in tumors and adjacent healthy tissues. Variant genotype (TT) for rs3918242 polymorphism and rs8179090 variant genotype are not associated with bladder cancer risk. rs3918242 genotype was significantly associated with tumor invasion. In contrast with this, rs8179090 genotype has not shown a significant association with tumor invasion. Both SNPs did not show a significant association with metastatic status. MMP-9 was upregulated in tumors in comparison to cancer free tissues. Significant increase in the expression of MMP-9 was also observed in invasive tumors. TIMP-2 expression was significantly increased in tumors in comparison to cancer free tissues and in metastatic tumors in comparison to non-metastatic tumors. Tissues with rs3918242 variant genotype have shown increased MMP-9 expression.  rs3918242 promoter polymorphism of MMP-9 is significantly associated with tumor invasion, however; there is no positive correlation between TIMP-2 rs8179090 promoter polymorphism variant frequency and invasion. MMP-9 and TIMP-2 genes are upregulated in cancerous tissues when compared to normal bladder tissues.
Left Supraclavicular Lymphadenopathy as the Only Clinical Presentation of Prostate Cancer: A Case Report
Authors: Abusultan Mohanad , Hanzel Pavel , Durcansky D. , Hajtman A.
Published: October 2017

Prostate cancer usually metastasis to the regional lymph nodes and can rarely metastases to nonregional supradiaphragmatic lymph nodes. Cervical lymph node metastasis of prostate cancer is extremely rare. However, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cervical lymphadenopathy in male patients with adenocarcinoma of unknown primary site. In this report we present a rare case of metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma with left supraclavicular lymphadenopathy as the only clinical presentation with no other evidence of metastasis to the regional lymph nodes or bone metastasis.
Reoxidation Processes Prediction in Gating System by Numerical Simulation for Aluminium Alloys
Authors: Brůna M. , Bolibruchová D. , Pastirčák R.
Published: October 2017

Pouring of liquid aluminium is typically accompanied by disturbance of the free surface. During these disturbances, the free surface oxide films can be entrained in the bulk of liquid, also pockets of air can be accidentally trapped in this oxide films. The resultant scattering of porosity in castings seems nearly always to originate from the pockets of entrained air in oxide films. Latest version of ProCast software allows to identify the amount of oxides formed at the free surface and where they are most likely to end-up in casts. During a filling calculation, ProCast can calculate different indicators which allow to better quantify the filling pattern. The fluid front tracking indicator “Free surface time exposure” has the units [cm2*s]. At each point of the free surface, the free surface area is multiplied by the time. This value is cumulated with the value of the previous timestep. In addition, this value is transported with the free surface and with the fluid flow. Experiments to validate this new functions were executed.
The Design of Cast Technological Equipment for Heat Treatment Furnaces
Authors: Drotlew A. , Piekarski B. , Słowik J.
Published: October 2017

Various examples of the design of cast elements of the equipment used in furnaces for the heat treatment of machine parts are given. Shortcomings in their performance are indicated. Reasons for required stability of equipment are briefly discussed. Elements of equipment illustrate the possibilities of using a charge-carrying pallet with dimensions of 900×600×45 mm as a basis for multi-component technological equipment. Introducing additional elements, such as metal baskets, intermediate pallets or crossbars to the main pallet, it becomes possible to create different configurations of this equipment. The technological equipment presented and discussed here is offered to different plants which heat-treat a wide variety of produced parts. It was found that the reliability and durability of new designed equipment can be checked only during practical use. For large plants dealing with the heat treatment of bulk quantities of parts homogeneous or similar in shape is recommended to use the dedicated tooling.
Features of Cast Iron Smelting in Induction Crucible Furnaces
Authors: Grachev V.
Published: October 2017

The article describes the trend towards increased use of induction crucible furnaces for cast iron smelting. The use of gas cupola’s duplex process – induction crucible furnace – has been proved the effective direction of scientific and technical advance in the foundry industry. Gas cupolas and induction furnaces are used for cast iron smelting at the Penza Compressor Plant where in the 1960s the author developed and introduced gas cupolas for the first time in the world. In the article, the author represents the findings of the investigation on thermodynamics of crucible reduction of silicon, which is pivotal when choosing the technological mode for cast iron smelting in induction furnaces. The author proposes a new reaction crucible diagram with due account of both partial pressure and activity of the components involved into the process. For the first time ever, the electrochemical mechanism of a crucible reaction has been studied and the correctness of the proposed diagram has been confirmed.
Approximation of Ausferrite Content in the Compacted Graphite Iron with the Use of Combined Techniques of Data Mining
Authors: Regulski K. , Wilk-Kołodziejczyk D. , Kacprzyk B. , Gumienny G. , Rojek G. , Mrzygłód B.
Published: October 2017

This article presents the methodology for exploratory analysis of data from microstructural studies of compacted graphite iron to gain knowledge about the factors favouring the formation of ausferrite. The studies led to the development of rules to evaluate the content of ausferrite based on the chemical composition. Data mining methods have been used to generate regression models such as boosted trees, random forest, and piecewise regression models. The development of a stepwise regression modelling process on the iteratively limited sets enabled, on the one hand, the improvement of forecasting precision and, on the other, acquisition of deeper knowledge about the ausferrite formation. Repeated examination of the significance of the effect of various factors in different regression models has allowed identification of the most important variables influencing the ausferrite content in different ranges of the parameters variability.
Assessing the Surface Distortion of Plaster Molds Made with the Use of SLA Models
Authors: Shumkov A.A. , Ablyaz T.R. , Muratov K.R.
Published: October 2017

The method of determining the accuracy of polymer molds in plaster forms has been discussed. Distortion of the surface of molds and plaster molds has been assessed. It has been found that the presence of monolithic and porous structure in the samples does not change the accuracy of the surfaces when forms are prepared for removing the material of the model. It has been found that in case of full-mold casting it is more expedient to form the mold cavity with cellular adjustable structures of molding prototypes.
Self-Hardening AlZn10Si8Mg Aluminium Alloy as an Alternative Replacement for AlSi7Mg0.3 Aluminium Alloy
Authors: Vicen M. , Fabian P. , Tillová E.
Published: October 2017

This article deals with the fatigue properties of newly used AlZn10Si8Mg aluminium alloy where the main aim was to determine the fatigue strength and compare it with the fatigue strength of AlSi7Mg0.3 secondary aluminium alloys which is used in the automotive industry for cyclically loaded components. AlZn10Si8Mg aluminium alloy, also called UNIFONT 90, is self-hardening (without heat treatments), which contributes to economic efficiency. This is one of the main reasons why is compared, and may be an alternative replacement for AlSi7Mg0.3 alloy which is heat treated to achieve required mechanical properties. The experiment results show that the fatigue properties of AlZn10Si8Mg alloy are comparable, if not better, than AlSi7Mg0.3 alloy. Fatigue properties of AlZn10Si8Mg alloy are achieved after seven days of natural ageing, immediately after casting and achieving value of fatigue strength is caused by structural components formed during solidification of the melt.
Implementation of Nanoparticles in Materials Applied in Foundry Engineering
Authors: Kmita A. , Roczniak A.
Published: October 2017

The ceaseless progress of nanotechnology, observed in the last years, causes that nanomaterials are more and more often applied in several fields of industry, technique and medicine. E.g. silver nanoparticles are used in biomedicine for disinfection and polymer nanoparticles allow insulin transportation in pharmacology. New generation materials containing nanoparticles are also used in the chemical industry (their participation in the commercial market equals app. 53 %). Nanomaterials are used in electronics, among others for semiconductors production (e.g. for producing nanoink Ag, which conducts electric current).

Nanomaterials, due to their special properties, are also used in the foundry industry in metallurgy (e.g. metal alloys with nanocrystalline precipitates), as well as in investment casting and in moulding and core sand technologies. Nanoparticles and containing them composites are applied in several technologies including foundry practice, automotive industry, medicine, dentistry etc. it is expected that their role and market share will be successively growing.
Analysis of Power Equipment Level on the Example of Farm Tractors in Selected Farms of Przeworsk Province
Authors: Juściński Sławomir , Piekarski Wiesław , Chomik Zdzisław
Published: October 2017

Decisions concerning investments in farm tractors is a significant problem of modern agricultural production. Ensuring efficient performance of agrotechnical treatments and a rational level of use of tractors in the aspect of exploitation costs are a derivative of the power equipment level in a farm. The paper presents studies carried out in 31 selected farms, which run production on the total acreage of 937 ha of agricultural land (AL) and exploit 70 tractors. Analysis covered information on: area of farms, number and power of used tractors, investments in technical equipment concerning purchase of farm tractors and a production profile. In the investigated farms at the average per 100 ha of the agricultural land area there was 7.47 tractors, 90% of respondents actively used subsidies available from the EU structural funds. A high energy equipment level was determined in particular in farm with a smaller acreage. Over 87% of farm used more than one tractor and the age of the third each did not exceed six years.
Evaluation of the Improvement Possibilities of Physical Properties of Mineral Fodder Additives
Authors: Sobczak Paweł , Zawiślak Kazimierz , Mazur Jacek , Panasiewicz Marian
Published: October 2017

The paper presents a change in physical properties of loose, dust fodder additives (aluminosilicate) after mixing them with oil or glycerine. Additives where mixed in a blade mixer with the same mixing time for all samples, which was 1 minute. Tests with oil or glycerine were carried out in the following amounts: 5%, 10%. For mixtures of additives with oil or glycerine a selected group of physical properties was determined. Method of determination of physical properties was the same for all samples i.e. the same additives − without oil and glycerine as well as mixtures with their participation. Obtained research results and their analysis unanimously indicate that adding any amount of oil or glycerine for additives improves selected physical properties of mixtures.
Genetic polymorphisms of CYP2C9, CYP2C19, and CYP3A5 in Kosovar population
Authors: Krasniqi Valon , Dimovski Aleksandar , Bytyqi Hasime Qorraj , Eftimov Aleksandar , Šimičević Livija , Božina Nada
Published: October 2017

Cytochrome P450 genetic polymorphisms are responsible for individual variations in drug metabolism and drug-drug interactions. They are very important for pharmacogenetics, and their frequency varies across different populations. There is a big gap in the knowledge about the CYP gene family polymorphisms in the population of Kosovo, and the aim of our study was to fill that gap by determining the frequency of the most important variant alleles of CYP2C9, CYP2C19, and CYP3A5 in 234 nonrelated Kosovars. The allele frequencies of CYP2C9*2 and 2C9*3 were 17.52 %, and 10.89 %, respectively. Sixteen participants (6.81 %) were CYP2C9 poor metabolisers. The CYP2C19*2 and *17 variant frequencies were 13.03 % and 19.01 %, respectively. There were 2.13 % CYP2C19 poor and 4.27 % ultra-rapid metabolisers (homozygous carriers of the *17 allele). With regard to CYP3A5, the frequency of the *3 variant allele was 98.29 % (non-expressors), while the remaining participants (1.70 %) were expressors of CYP3A5. These findings are comparable with other European ethnicities, specifically those of Southeast Europe.
The examination of work-related musculoskeletal discomforts and risk factors in veterinarians
Authors: Ergan Mesut , Başkurt Ferdi , Başkurt Zeliha
Published: October 2017

This study aimed to determine the frequency of work-related musculoskeletal discomforts (WMSDs) observed in veterinarians and the risk factors that may bring about these. Two hundred and seven veterinarians working in three provinces in south west Turkey were included in the study. The demographic and occupational information on the participants was recorded. The Modified Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to evaluate the musculoskeletal problems of different body parts, which cause difficulties at work and result in staying away from work. 49.8 % of veterinarians mostly have problems with lower back, 41.1 % with back, and 39.1 % with neck. The frequency of WMSDs tends to increase with the progress of professional experience. Three work-related activities during which veterinarians experience most difficulties while at work are obstetric procedures (28 %), vaccination (25.6 %), and driving (23.2 %). It is statistically significant that arm problems are observed more in veterinarians working with large animal types (p<0.05). The high level of job related stress and low job satisfaction statistically significantly affect the formation of WMSDs (p<0.05). The study showed that a large number of veterinarians experienced work-related musculoskeletal pain and discomforts that could be caused by some physical and psychosocial risk factors. Therefore, it is recommended for veterinarians to receive education on ergonomics and exercise from the beginning of their professional lives to prevent WMSDs.
Emphasis on Cloud Optimization and Security Gaps: A Literature Review
Authors: Naidu P. Sanyasi , Bhagat Babita
Published: October 2017

Cloud computing is emerging as a significant new paradigm in the fields of Service-oriented computing, software engineering, etc. The paper aims to characterize the cloud environment and to study the cloud optimization problems. About 50 papers are collected from the standard journals, and it is first reviewed chronologically to find out the contributions in cloud security. After reviewing, the various challenges addressed in the cloud environment and its performance analysis is discussed. In the next section, the exploration of the meta-heuristic study of cloud optimization is done. The algorithms used in the cloud security challenges are discussed and reviewed. The algorithms such as Genetic Algorithm (GA), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) are exploited for the finding the cloud security problems. As the research outcome, case studies are taken and reviewed. Cloud computing is a vast field, and a lot of problems in it had to be addressed and solved.
Within-Laboratory Variance Outlier Detection: An Alternative to Cochran’s Test
Authors: Morton Michael J.
Published: October 2017

An important step in the full definition of an analytical method is the characterization of the within and between laboratory variability. This is typically done through collaborative studies involving multiple laboratories. The statistical analysis of the results of collaborative studies is generally carried out using standardized protocols such as those given in ISO 5725-2 or ASTM E691-14.

One aspect of the evaluation of collaborative studies is the identification of outlying laboratories which are then excluded from the variance calculation associated with the analytical method. Whether particular laboratories are identified as outliers can have a dramatic effect on the calculated variances.

The generally recommended approach to identify laboratories with excessive within-laboratory variation is Cochran’s Test or something similar. However, Cochran’s Test is very sensitive to non-normality of the underlying statistical distribution. When the assumption of normality is violated, Cochran’s Test can wrongly identify laboratories as outliers at much greater than the nominally stated error rate, even for deviations from normality that are very difficult to detect analytically.

In this paper, an alternative to Cochran’s Test, adapted from Levene’s Test, is proposed and shown to approximately maintain the stated error rate when the underlying distribution is not normal. This newly adapted test is recommended for future collaborative study analysis in place of Cochran’s Test.
Analysis of Nicotine and Nicotine-Related Compounds in Electronic Cigarette Liquids and Aerosols by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Liu Xinyu , Joza Peter , Rickert Bill
Published: October 2017

The objective of this study was to develop and validate an analytical method for determining nicotine and nicotine related compounds (i.e., nicotine-N-oxide, cotinine, nornicotine, anatabine, myosmine, anabasine, and β-nicotyrine) in e-cigarette aerosols and e-liquids. Aerosol collection was achieved using a Cambridge collection pad. The sample preparation consisted of adding deuterated internal standards to the collection pad and extracting with 100 mM ammonium acetate solution using a wrist-action shaker. The filtrate was then analyzed by LC-MS/MS using a Gemini NX C18 column (3 μm, 150 × 3 mm) with a mobile phase gradient system consisting of acetonitrile and 10% acetonitrile in 10 mM ammonium bicarbonate (pH = 8.0) and electrospray ionization (ESI) in the positive mode. The e-liquid was analyzed using the same instrumental parameters, but simplifying the sample preparation procedure by adding deuterated internal standards directly to the 100-mg sample. The sample was then extracted with 100 mM ammonium acetate solution, sonicated, and filtered. In this study, the method’s accuracy, robustness, and reliability were enhanced by using deuterated analogues of each compound as internal standards and by applying two ion-transition pairs for each compound for the confirmation and quantification. Validation experiments demonstrated good sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility. All the target compound calibrations exhibited satisfactory linearity from 0.050 to 5.0 mg/mL (r2 > 0.995). The average recoveries for e-liquids varied from 85.2% (nicotine-N-oxide) to 110% (β-nicotyrine) with recoveries for all compounds exhibiting a coefficient of variation (CV) < 5.0%. Similarly, the average recoveries for e-cigarette aerosols varied from 87.8% (for nicotine-N-oxide) to 111% (for myosmine) with all CV < 8.8%. The LOD and LOQ for e-liquids for all target compounds ranged from 0.234 and 0.781 μg/g (cotinine) to 1.66 and 5.48 μg/g (nicotine-Noxide). For e-cigarette aerosols these limits ranged from 0.094 and 0.312 μg/collection (cotinine) to 0.872 and 2.87 μg/collection (nicotine-N-oxide). This methodology was used to quantitatively determine if any of the target compounds were present in a variety of sample matrices, including e-cigarette solutions and aerosols, and was successfully applied to stability studies, to monitor changes in the target compound levels which might be caused by e-cigarette formulations, components and the storage conditions.
Petrographic composition and forms of bituminous coal lithotypes in the Upper Carboniferous Formations of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin
Authors: Misiak Jacek
Published: October 2017

Bituminous coal samples were collected from mine excavations of six mines in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin. I n the mentioned mining excavations, the stratighaphic sections, in the form of spot samples, were measured. Based on the macroscopic and microscopic observation, an attempt was made to determine the different lithotypes of coal. Vitrain coal is made of tellinite and collotelinite; the thickness of the layers varies from very thin, thin, medium, to coarse. Durain, which is dominated by macerals from the vitrinite group, is characterized by a darker, almost black color, genetically linked to heavily flooded peat areas, where the deposited phytogenic material is subjected to humification and gelification processes. A brighter durain, with a dark gray color, is dominated by macerals from the inertinite group that originated in the shallower areas of peat bogs where the water level was periodically lowered, which has led to the oxidation of the material deposited in the peat bog. Fusain is another coal component or constituent; it is produced as a result of peat bog fires. It is a charred (not burned) material deposited in the form of layers, lenses, usually with a thickness of up to several millimeters (or, less commonly, several centimeters), or dispersed in the form of shreds in the durain. The petrographic composition is dominated by fusinite and inertodetrinite. Fusain occurs in two varieties: soft (empty cellular spaces) and hard, usually mineralized with carbonates (siderite) or sulphides (pyrite, marcasite). The structure of bituminous coal is, due to its origin, most often laminated and consists of alternating dull and bright layers. Occasionally, such layering can be observed in bright coal, which is the result of layering of large parts of gelified plant materials. When it comes to larger sections of dull coal (without bright coal) in the profile, a solid structure can be observed. Some of the sections in the coal seam profiles show a distorted structure; warped, sometimes shredded layers of vitrain in durain, often containing lenses or shreds of fusain, can be observed.
CFD Analysis of BED Textural Characteristics on TBR Behavior: Hydrodynamics and Scaling-up
Authors: Cordero Mario E. , Uribe Sebastián , Zárate Luis G. , Hernandez-Servin Jose A. , Reyes Ever Peralta , Regalado-Méndez Alejandro , Natividad Reyna
Published: October 2017

In recent years, CFD has played an important role in the understanding and design of TBR’s. In this work, through CFD with Eulerian approach, a three-phase heterogeneous reactor model was developed, were the accuracy of Interfacial Momentum Exchange Model (IMEM) for the gas-solid interaction, the effect of a more detailed catalytic bed geometry description, and the pellet shape over TBR hydrodynamics of two fluid phases interacting with the solid phase was studied. Then, a second model was developed, where the validated hydrodynamic model was coupled with mass transport for an HDS process of light gasoil. Additionally, in order to insight into the scaling up process of a TBRs, the proposed columns behaviors were compared against literature columns using four different ways, and it was found that the best predictions were obtained when the models’ holdup were equaled to those evaluated in literature columns. Since in reliable literature deviations in pressure drop predictions of around 30% can be found, the model results show significant improvement against literature, achieving 5 times better accuracy in predicting pressure drops, and 50% improvement in holdup prediction; the coupled model reproduces the same conversion values compared with literature data, and predicts conversions with 95% accuracy
Effect of L-carnitine on diabetes-induced changes of skeletal muscles in rats
Authors: Samir Shereen M. , Abbas Amr M. , Safwat Sally M. , Elserougy Hanaa G.
Published: October 2017

Background:

Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are at risk of experiencing chronic complications such as retinopathy, nephropathy and myopathy. We aimed to evaluate the effects of L-carnitine on type II DM (T2DM)-induced biochemical, contractile and pathological changes in skeletal muscles of rats.

Methods:

Thirty-two male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into the control, control+L-carnitine, T2DM and T2DM+L-carnitine groups. Plasma levels of glucose, insulin, malondialdehyde and antioxidants such as reduced glutathione, catalase and superoxide dismutase, haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), insulin sensitivity index (ISI) as well as the contractile properties of the gastrocnemius muscle were measured. Also, histopathological studies and immunohistochemical examination of the gastrocnemius muscle using the MuRF1 (muscle RING-finger protein-1) marker were performed.

Results:

In diabetic rats, malondialdehyde, glucose, insulin, HbA1c and MuRF1 were increased, whereas ISI and antioxidants were decreased and the contractile properties deteriorated. L-carnitine decreased malondialdehyde, glucose, insulin, HbA1c and MuRF1 and increased ISI and antioxidants. Also, L-carnitine improves the contractile properties in diabetic rats. Histopathological studies confirm our data.

Conclusions:

We conclude that L-carnitine exhibits protective effects on skeletal muscles of T2DM rats through its hypoglycemic and antioxidant actions as well as its inhibitory effect on protein degradation.
Heterogeneity of change in state affect following insulin therapy initiation in type 2 diabetic patients
Authors: Gruszczyńska Ewa , Kwissa-Gajewska Zuzanna , Kroemeke Aleksandra
Published: October 2017

The aim of the study was to explore heterogeneity of change in state affect following the introduction of insulin therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes. State affect was assessed twice among 305 patients: just before the introduction of insulin therapy and at 1-month follow-up. Latent class growth modeling showed that negative affect (NA) increased in 78% of the sample, whereas positive affect (PA) improved in only 17% of the participants. On the basis of cross-tabulation of these changes a 4-class model of emotional response to the new treatment was obtained. The largest subgroup of participants (57%) manifested “threat response”, i.e. moderate-stable PA with increase in NA. Participants in the “challenge response” subgroup (11.8%) showed increases in both NA and PA. The third class (10.2%) characterized by “no response”, had low-stable NA and moderate-stable PA. The smallest “stress response” subgroup (9.8%) showed increase in NA and high-stable PA. Gender, age and education level were significant covariates of group membership. Thus, the findings revealed heterogeneous emotional response to the new treatment, which may be of clinical relevance for improving diabetic patients’ adjustment through a more individual, person-centered approach.
Resources evaluation in patients with multiple sclerosis: A moderation effect of time since diagnosis
Authors: Nowaczyk Natalia , Cierpiałkowska Lidia
Published: October 2017

Multiple sclerosis significantly affects how patients maintain the resources they consider important. The aim of this paper is to describe the moderation effect of time since diagnosis on the evaluation of resources by patients with multiple sclerosis, on the basis of S.E. Hobfoll’s Conservation of Resources (COR) theory. The study was conducted using paper and pencil methods and involved 77 patients, of whom 32 received their diagnosis less than four years ago, and 45 more than four years ago. The patients’ resource evaluation was investigated using the Polish adaptation of the COR questionnaire. Patients who received their diagnosis more than four years ago were more likely to consider vital and spiritual resources to be more important. In patients diagnosed less than four years ago, the loss of economic, political, and vital resources was significant. It is shown moderation effect of time since diagnosis. The results may for the basis for further research.
The mechanism of non-numerical anchoring heuristic based on magnitude priming: is it just the basic anchoring effect in disguise?
Authors: Tomczak Pawel , Traczyk Jakub
Published: October 2017

The anchoring heuristic refers to phenomena when an arbitrary number affects subsequent numerical estimations. Oppenheimer, LeBoeuf and Brewer (2008) showed that it is not necessary for the anchor to be a numerical value (i.e., the act of drawing lines of different length effectively shifts numerical estimations), yet current models describing the anchoring heuristic do not fully account for the mechanism of non-numerical anchoring. However, this effect shows similarity to the basic anchoring effect - obtained without the comparative question and based on the availability of the given number in working memory. In this study, we attempt to verify whether those two effect share the same psychological mechanism. In Experiment 1, we show that non-numerical anchoring based on magnitude priming cannot be obtained when the lines are just observed. The examined mechanism proves to be dependent on the act of drawing, displaying limitations similar to the basic anchoring effect, previously pointed out by Brewer and Chapman (2002). By using the same numerical anchors in different size formats, in Experiment 2 we showed that anchoring based on magnitude priming occurs even when the numerical values do not affect the estimations. The results are discussed in the light of a possible mechanism that underlies the investigated effect.
Assessing size and subjective value of objects with diminutive names
Authors: Bocian Konrad , Bialobrzeska Olga , Parzuchowski Michal
Published: October 2017

Numerous studies show that language (in its grammatical forms or morphology) can influence both perceptual judgments, as well as the mental categorization of objects in memory. Previous research showed that using diminutive names of objects resulted in being less satisfied with owning said objects and lowering their perceived value. In the present studies, to explore this phenomenon, we decided to investigate whether the influence of a diminutive on the reduction in the subjective value of an object is determined by the perceived size of the object, in accordance with the „bigger is better” heuristic. In Study 1 participants estimated a banknote to be smaller when it was presented with a diminutive label “banknocik” (banknote with diminutive) than “banknot” (banknote). However, this was not related to the perceived subjective value of the banknote. In Study 2 participants declared that they could buy less with a coin labeled as “pieniążek” (coin with diminutive) than “pieniądz” (coin), but the effect was not linked to the perceived size of the coins. In Study 3 a candy bar labeled as “batonik” (candy bar with diminutive) was evaluated worse than the same product labeled “baton” (candy bar), however, once again this was not related to the evaluation of its size (weight). Thus, we show that the effect of diminutives on the reduction in the subjective value of an object is independent of the evaluation of the size of the object and we consider other explanations for the occurrence of this phenomenon.
Association of Serum Prolactin Concentrations with Renal Failure in Diabetic Patients
Authors: Fard Amin Abdollahzade , Abbasnezhad Peiman , Makhdomi Khadijeh , Salehi Morteza , Karamdel Hamid Reza , Saboory Ehsan
Published: October 2017

Background and aims: Diabetes is one of the causes of end-stage renal disease, so that about 70% of all diabetic patients have nephropathy. Prolactin is a hormone that is affected by diabetes but the interaction between diabetes and prolactin has not been understood properly. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between changes in serum prolactin levels in diabetic patients with renal failure.

Material and methods: In this study 223 individuals were participated and after assessment of inclusion/exclusion criteria 189 individuals were evaluated. Finally, the individuals were divided into three groups: Control (C), Diabetic (D), and Diabetic Nephropathy (DN). Blood samples were collected between 8.00 a.m. and 12.00 a.m. for measurement of prolactin levels and biochemical analysis.

Results: The results showed that sodium, potassium, urea, creatinine and prolactin significantly increased in DN group compared to control individuals (P< 0.001). The prolactin levels were significantly decreased in the group of patients with diabetes (P< 0.001).

Conclusion: The results of the current study indicated that serum prolactin level decreased in diabetes while it increased in diabetic nephropathy.
Assessment of Metabolic Syndrome and Clinical Significance of Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients
Authors: Kaur Raminderjit , Kaur Manpreet , Kapoor Rohit , Singh Jatinder
Published: October 2017

Background and Aims: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a constellation of various CVD risk factors comprised of abdominal obesity, glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia, hypertension and dyslipidemia. The present study was aimed to assess the prevalence of MS in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients, and to evaluate the clinical significance of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in these patients.

Methods: The sample comprised of 251 T2DM patients. MS was evaluated in all the studied subjects according to NCEP-ATP III, IDF and JIS criteria. The subjects were screened for demographic as well as clinical characteristics.

Results: Prevalence of MS was estimated to be 65%, 69% and 75% according NCEP-ATP-III, IDF and JIS criteria respectively. JIS criteria was only preceded for further analysis as it explained the highest prevalence and also showed the better level of agreement (0.862) with IDF criteria. Abdominal obesity was the most frequent component of MS in the studied subjects. Moreover, 20.21% of MS subjects were found to have very high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) / future mortality according to different combinations of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and ankle brachial index (ABI).

Conclusions: The study revealed an increased prevalence of MS in the studied subjects. Risk of CVD may be better explained when these subjects were segregated according to different combinations of baPWV and ABI.
Potential Consequences of DGAT2 and BTN Genes Polymorphism in Iraqi Holstein Cattle
Authors: Al-Shuhaib Mohammed Baqur S. , Al-Fihan Rawan A. , Al-Qutbi Ali A. , Al-Thuwaini Tahreer M.
Published: October 2017

This study was conducted to describe the genetic polymorphism within the bovine diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) gene and 5′-UTR of butyrophilin (BTN) gene by several in vitro tools, as well as to predict their consequences using several in silico tools. After withdrawing blood, extracting DNA, and designing specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers, single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and PCR experiments were performed. Each different SSCP set was sequenced and analyzed. Two genotypes were detected with two alleles. Concerning DGAT2, the AA genotype was the most common, and seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were found in the AB genotype while four SNPs were found in the AA genotype. The only coding SNP (p.Ala7Val) was found in the AB genotype. Concerning BTN, the AB genotype was the most common, and twenty-two novel SNPs were detected in the AB genotype, while six SNPs were observed in the AA genotype. The effect of the observed coding and noncoding SNPs was computationally analyzed. It was shown that the coding SNP, p.Ala7Val, was predicted to have functional consequences on the DGAT2 protein structure and function. Several outcomes were deduced from several noncoding SNPs in both genetic fragments studied. This study determines the pattern of polymorphism within the DGAT2 and BTN genes to conceive their consequences within Holstein breed.