bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A reterospective study of maternal and fetal outcome of adolescent pregnancy in Kawthaung province, Myanmar
Authors: Aung Soe Htet
Published: August 2017

Objectives : To study maternal and neonatal outcomes of adolescent pregnancies (< 19 years) and to compare the outcomes with pregnant women between 20-34 years.Materials and Methods: This retrospective comparative study was performed in No. (13), Military Hospital (100) Bedded from 1stNovember 2014 to 31st October 2015. The case records of all adolescent mothers who delivered in hospital were retrieved. The major complications and the outcome were compared between adolescent mothers and adults mothers (20 -34 years) who delivered in the same period.Results: During the study period there were 262 deliveries in our hospital, of which 64 (24.4%) were teenage mothers. The mean age of the adolescent mothers was 18.01 (±0.95) and mean gestational period of adolescent mothers was 37.8 weeks (±1.23), comparing to mean age of adult pregnancy was 27.45 (±3.8) and the gestational period was 38.7 weeks (±0.95), Adolescent mothers were significantly higher in inadequate AN visits (18.3% vs. 11.4%), Serology Positive at AN visit (16.7 % vs. 6.4 %), anemia (23% vs. 7.8%), PROM (26.7% vs. 15.1%), eclampsia (15% vs. 6.6%), emergency CS (31.7% vs. 18.7%), poor Apgar score (10% vs. 3 %) and low birth babies (11.6% vs. 3%).Conclusions: Pregnant teenagers are definitely at greater risk, requiring more attention and effective antenatal care for prevention and treatment of anemia, prematurity, IUGR and LBW. To prevent the adverse outcome, steps should be taken to avoid teenage pregnancies by creating public awareness and health education about reproductive health in Kawthaung province.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.16(4) 2017 p.535-540
Effect of light exposure during sleep on the curricular and extracurricular activities of medical students
Authors: Shantakumar Swamy Ravindra , Kumar Naveen , Adnan Farah Suziantiebinti , Yacob Fateen Najwabinti Mohd , Ismai Fateen Nadhirabinti , Samsuddin Hastantibinti , Rosleli Husnabinti , Shantkumar Swamy Rajeev
Published: August 2017

Introduction: Many researches have demonstrated the effect of artificial light exposure during sleep on the circadian rhythm that controls the sleep-wake cycle. Lighting during sleep suppresses the melatonin that is responsible for the sleep-wake cycle. Consequently, this affects students academic performance and their involvement in curricular and extracurricular activities.Aims: We conducted a study to find the effects of the exposure of light during sleep on students sleep quality, level of concentration in class, academic performances and involvement in extracurricular activities.Material and methods: A cross sectional study was performed by distributing a questionnaire to 238 second year medical undergraduate students.Results: We found that 84% of the respondents usually slept with light off. Students sleeping with light on reported having a lower quality of sleep and also reported having more difficulty concentrating in class. As compared to students with lights off during sleep, those who reported sleeping with the light on also reported scoring lower marks and less extracurricular activity,Conclusion: Sleeping with lights on during sleep appears to be related to poor sleep quality, lowered level of concentration in class, lower students academic performances and less involvement in extracurricular activities.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.16(4) 2017 p.541-544
Keratosis Follicularis Spinulosa Decalvans in a female child- a rare presentation
Authors: Chowdhury Joyeeta , Ghoshal Loknath , Bannerjee Saikat
Published: August 2017

Congenital alopecia universalis is a very rare presentation. A 6 year old girl came to us with total alopecia and multiple horny keratosis pilaris like skin lesions all over the body. The alopecia was mostly non-scarring with a few patches of scarring over the scalp. Histology from scalp revealed follicular plugging with perifollicular infiltrate of lymphocytes and plasma cells. The case was diagnosed as Keratosis follicularis spinulosa decalvans. This is very rare and even rarer in females.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.16(4) 2017 p.591-593
Choledochal Cyst Coexisting with Gallbladder Carcinoma - An Uncommon Case Report
Authors: Bhuiyan Jahangir Hossain , Aziz Mohibul , Faruk Omar , Hasan Mahbub
Published: August 2017

Choledochal Cyst is a relatively rare condition. Even rarer is a choledochal cyst in association with a gallbladder carcinoma. This study reports a rare case of choledochal cyst coexisting with gallbladder carcinoma in a Bangladeshi patient. A 35 year old lady presented at IBN Sina Medical College Hospital, Kallyanpur, Dhaka with the history of recurrent right upper quadrant abdominal pain from childhood, which became severe for last 4 days before admission. The pain was colicky in nature and radiated to the back. Episodes were associated with low-grade fever, anorexia as well as vomiting. The preoperative diagnosis was made by abdominal ultrasound and MRCP. Exploratory laparotomy, enbloc cholecystectomy with excision of the choledochal cyst and roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy was also done. Post operative recovery was uneventful. Patient was followed up for six months and no obvious complication was noticed. Early suspicion of this rare pancreato-billiary disease is important because surgical treatment is the only way to avoid the complications of the disease.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.16(4) 2017 p.602-605
Medical Professional and Usage of Social Media
Authors: Yousuf Rabeya , Bakar Sheikh Muhammad Abu , Haque Mainul , Islam Md Nurul , Salam Abdus
Published: August 2017

Social media connect people by sharing text, photos, audio and videos among themselves. Medical professional and patients also communicate through social media; however, issues of privacy and confidentiality of medical professions in regards to medical and health care decisions contradict with the openness of the usage of social media. Member of the medical profession can use social media but need to abide by the code of conduct of medical ethics in order to render the best possible services. This paper emphasizes on the needs of inclusion of social media usage in future health care providers curriculum by the higher educational institutions in order to aware of the ethical and professional aspect.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.16(4) 2017 p.606-609
Fixing the Women or Fixing Universities: Women in HE Leadership
Authors: Burkinshaw Paula , White Kate
Published: August 2017

The lack of women in leadership across higher education has been problemitised in the literature. Often contemporary discourses promote ‘fixing the women’ as a solution. Consequently, interventions aimed at helping women break through ‘the glass ceiling’ abound. This article argues that the gendered power relations at play in universities stubbornly maintain entrenched inequalities whereby, regardless of measures implemented for and by women, the problem remains. The precariousness for women of leadership careers is explored through two separate but complementary case studies (from different continents and different generations) each one illuminating gender power relations at work. The article concludes by arguing that it is universities themselves that need fixing, not the women, and that women’s growing resistance, particularly of the younger generation, reflects their dissatisfaction with higher education leadership communities of practice of masculinities.
Are Astrocytes the Predominant Cell Type for Activation of Nrf2 in Aging and Neurodegeneration?
Authors: Liddell Jeffrey
Published: August 2017

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcription factor that regulates hundreds of antioxidant genes, and is activated in response to oxidative stress. Given that many neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington’s disease and multiple sclerosis are characterised by oxidative stress, Nrf2 is commonly activated in these diseases. Evidence demonstrates that Nrf2 activity is repressed in neurons in vitro, and only cultured astrocytes respond strongly to Nrf2 inducers, leading to the interpretation that Nrf2 signalling is largely restricted to astrocytes. However, Nrf2 activity can be observed in neurons in post-mortem brain tissue and animal models of disease. Thus this interpretation may be false, and a detailed analysis of the cell type expression of Nrf2 in neurodegenerative diseases is required. This review describes the evidence for Nrf2 activation in each cell type in prominent neurodegenerative diseases and normal aging in human brain and animal models of neurodegeneration, the response to pharmacological and genetic modulation of Nrf2, and clinical trials involving Nrf2-modifying drugs.
Reformulation-Linearization Technique Approach for Kidney Exchange Program IT Healthcare Platforms
Authors: Yuh Junsang , Chung Seokhyun , Cheong Taesu
Published: August 2017

Kidney exchange allows a potential living donor whose kidney is incompatible with his intended recipient to donate a kidney to another patient so that the donor’s intended recipient can receive a compatible kidney from another donor. These exchanges can include cycles of longer than two donor–patient pairs and chains produced by altruistic donors. Kidney exchange programs (KEPs) can be modeled as a maximum-weight cycle-packing problem in a directed graph. This paper develops a new integer programming model for KEPs by applying the reformulation-linearization technique (RLT) to enhance a lower bound obtained by its linear programming (LP) relaxation. Given the results obtained from the proposed model, the model is expected to be utilized in the integrated KEP IT (Information Technology) healthcare platform to obtain plans for optimized kidney exchanges.
FE Model and Operational Modal Analysis of Lower Limbs
Authors: Pionteck Aymeric , Chiementin Xavier , Munera Marcela , Murer Sébastien , Chadefaux Delphine , Rao Guillaume
Published: August 2017

Human lower limbs are exposed to vibrations on a daily basis, during work, transport or sports. However, most of the FE (Finite Elements) and OMA (Operational Modal Analysis) studies focus either on the whole body or on the hand-arm system. The study presented herein aims at identifying the modal parameters of the lower limbs using a 2D FE model updated using OMA. A numerical model is proposed, and a modal analysis has been performed on 11 subjects. Two repeatable modal frequencies were extracted: 52 . 54 ± 2 . 05 Hz and 118 . 94 ± 2 . 70 Hz , which were used to update the mechanical properties of the numerical model. The knowledge of these modal characteristics makes it possible to design new equipment that would absorb these specific vibrations and possibly reduce the risk of related diseases in the field of sports and transport.
Evaluation of Affordable Housing Program in Papua New Guinea: A Case of Port Moresby
Authors: Ezebilo Eugene
Published: August 2017

Providing affordable housing has been a long-standing issue for governments of most countries. In an attempt to address the issue, affordable housing programs have been introduced with the aim of improving household’s access to housing, as well as sustain their wellbeing. This paper reports on a study of the activities of affordable housing program (AHP) in Papua New Guinea (PNG), using Port Moresby as a case. It also reports a potential strategy for improving effectiveness of the program. Data was collected from interviews involving private property developers, building contractors, and an official of the National Housing Corporation. Documents related to PNG housing sector and AHP were also reviewed. The results show that the criteria used for measuring housing affordability is lacking in PNG. Low-income households do not benefit from the AHP, which focuses mainly on homeownership scheme. Role of the public sector and private sector in the provision of affordable housing is not clear. Most private developers would like to supply more houses to the housing market. However, the developers face challenges such as shortages of secure land, high cost of materials for constructing houses, and lack of trunk infrastructure. If the aim is to improve effectiveness of the AHP, there is a need to develop criteria for measuring housing affordability and to introduce affordable housing schemes that meet low-income household’s preferences and demand. It is necessary to reduce housing costs by making more secure land available for development, providing trunk infrastructure, and sourcing building materials locally. The sustainability of AHP should be given due consideration during the planning and design phase. The findings could assist urban development managers and planners in designing a more effective AHP in PNG.
A Case of Systemic Infection Caused by Streptococcus pyogenes Oral Infection in an Edentulous Patient
Authors: Inagaki Yumi , Abe Masanobu , Inaki Ryoko , Zong Liang , Suenaga Hideyuki , Abe Takahiro , Hoshi Kazuto
Published: August 2017

Background: Infections in the oral and maxillofacial region can sometimes extend beyond the oral cavity, with serious consequences. Most oral infections are odontogenic, occurring through the root apex of the tooth or the periodontal pocket. It thus makes sense that edentulous patients have a much lower risk of oral bacterial infection. For this reason, while there are many reports on systemic infections caused by oral infections, few of these describe such infections in edentulous patients. Case presentation: We present a case of oral and maxillofacial cellulitis followed by sepsis due to Streptococcus pyogenes infection in an 89-year-old Japanese edentulous woman. S. pyogenes was detected in the wound of left maxilla and the blood sample. S. pyogenes has been reported to be one of the most common and influential aerobic bacteria associated with deep neck infection and subsequent systemic infection. Left maxillary sinusitis was observed, and this could be the origin of the S. pyogenes infection. S. pyogenes derived from the sinusitis and leaked to the oral cavity might have caused systemic infection through wounding of the oral mucosa. Fortunately, intensive antibiotic therapy was effective, and the patient recovered without any surgical procedures. Conclusions: We experienced a rare case of oral and maxillofacial cellulitis followed by sepsis due to a Streptococcus pyogenes infection in an old edentulous woman. This result indicated that, while edentulous patients are considered to have no risk of odontogenic infection, they still carry a risk of bacterial infection.
Atangana–Baleanu and Caputo Fabrizio Analysis of Fractional Derivatives for Heat and Mass Transfer of Second Grade Fluids over a Vertical Plate: A Comparative Study
Authors: Khan Arshad , Ali Abro Kashif , Tassaddiq Asifa , Khan Ilyas
Published: August 2017

This communication addresses a comparison of newly presented non-integer order derivatives with and without singular kernel, namely Michele Caputo–Mauro Fabrizio (CF) C F ( ∂ β / ∂ t β ) and Atangana–Baleanu (AB) A B ( ∂ α / ∂ t α ) fractional derivatives. For this purpose, second grade fluids flow with combined gradients of mass concentration and temperature distribution over a vertical flat plate is considered. The problem is first written in non-dimensional form and then based on AB and CF fractional derivatives, it is developed in fractional form, and then using the Laplace transform technique, exact solutions are established for both cases of AB and CF derivatives. They are then expressed in terms of newly defined M-function M q p ( z ) and generalized Hyper-geometric function p Ψ q ( z ) . The obtained exact solutions are plotted graphically for several pertinent parameters and an interesting comparison is made between AB and CF derivatives results with various similarities and differences.
Logical Entropy and Logical Mutual Information of Experiments in the Intuitionistic Fuzzy Case
Authors: Markechová Dagmar , Riečan Beloslav
Published: August 2017

In this contribution, we introduce the concepts of logical entropy and logical mutual information of experiments in the intuitionistic fuzzy case, and study the basic properties of the suggested measures. Subsequently, by means of the suggested notion of logical entropy of an IF-partition, we define the logical entropy of an IF-dynamical system. It is shown that the logical entropy of IF-dynamical systems is invariant under isomorphism. Finally, an analogy of the Kolmogorov–Sinai theorem on generators for IF-dynamical systems is proved.
A Review of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Strategies and the Spent Nuclear Fuel Management Technologies
Authors: Rodríguez-Penalonga Laura , Moratilla Soria B.
Published: August 2017

Nuclear power has been questioned almost since its beginnings and one of the major issues concerning its social acceptability around the world is nuclear waste management. In recent years, these issues have led to a rise in public opposition in some countries and, thus, nuclear energy has been facing even more challenges. However, continuous efforts in R&D (research and development) are resulting in new spent nuclear fuel (SNF) management technologies that might be the pathway towards helping the environment and the sustainability of nuclear energy. Thus, reprocessing and recycling of SNF could be one of the key points to improve the social acceptability of nuclear energy. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to review the state of the nuclear waste management technologies, its evolution through time and the future advanced techniques that are currently under research, in order to obtain a global vision of the nuclear fuel cycle strategies available, their advantages and disadvantages, and their expected evolution in the future.
Energy Performance Assessment of a 2nd-Generation Vacuum Double Glazing Depending on Vacuum Layer Position and Building Type in South Korea
Authors: Kim Seung-Chul , Yoon Jong-Ho , Lee Ru-Da
Published: August 2017

(1) Background: The application of high insulation to a building envelope helps reduce the heating load, but increases the cooling load. Evaluating the installation of high insulation glazing to buildings in climate zones with four distinct seasons, as in the case of South Korea, is very important; (2) Methods: This study compared the heating energy performance of four types of glazing, inside vacuum double glazing, outside vacuum double glazing, single vacuum glazing, and low-e double glazing, with fixed low-e coating positions on the inside of the room in a mock-up chamber under the same conditions. The annual energy consumption according to the building type was analyzed using a simulation; (3) Results: As the insulation performance of building envelopes has increased, the energy saving rate of inside vacuum double glazing has been increased further in office buildings. In residential buildings, the energy saving rate of inside vacuum double glazing with a low SHGC (solar heat gain coefficient) has become higher than that of outside vacuum double glazing; (4) Conclusions: Since the effects of SHGC on the energy saving rates are greater in high insulation buildings, SHGC should be considered carefully when selecting glazing in climate zones with distinct winter and summer seasons.
Thermal Convection in a Rotating Anisotropic Fluid Saturated Darcy Porous Medium
Authors: Haddad Shatha
Published: August 2017

The stability of the thermal convection in a fluid-saturated rotating anisotropic porous material is investigated. We take into account the rotation of a layer of saturated porous medium about an axis orthogonal to the planes bounding the layer. The permeability is allowed to be an anisotropic tensor. In particular, we restrict our attention to the case where the permeability in the vertical direction is different to that in the horizontal plane. The linear instability and nonlinear stability analysis, in the case where the inertial term vanishes, are performed. It is shown, by using an energy method, that the nonlinear critical Rayleigh numbers coincide with those of the linear analysis. The results reveal that the system becomes more stable when the rotation is present.
Regulation of Mitochondrial Structure and Dynamics by the Cytoskeleton and Mechanical Factors
Authors: Bartolák-Suki Erzsébet , Imsirovic Jasmin , Nishibori Yuichiro , Krishnan Ramaswamy , Suki Béla
Published: August 2017

Mitochondria supply cells with energy in the form of ATP, guide apoptosis, and contribute to calcium buffering and reactive oxygen species production. To support these diverse functions, mitochondria form an extensive network with smaller clusters that are able to move along microtubules aided by motor proteins. Mitochondria are also associated with the actin network, which is involved in cellular responses to various mechanical factors. In this review, we discuss mitochondrial structure and function in relation to the cytoskeleton and various mechanical factors influencing cell functions. We first summarize the morphological features of mitochondria with an emphasis on fission and fusion as well as how network properties govern function. We then review the relationship between the mitochondria and the cytoskeletal structures, including mechanical interactions. We also discuss how stretch and its dynamic pattern affect mitochondrial structure and function. Finally, we present preliminary data on how extracellular matrix stiffness influences mitochondrial morphology and ATP generation. We conclude by discussing the more general role that mitochondria may play in mechanobiology and how the mechanosensitivity of mitochondria may contribute to the development of several diseases and aging.
Wavelength and Polarization Affect Phototaxis of the Asian Citrus Psyllid
Authors: Paris Thomson , Allan Sandra , Udell Bradley , Stansly Philip
Published: August 2017

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), is a primary pest of citrus due to its status as a vector of the citrus disease, huanglongbing. We evaluated the effects of light of specific wavelength and polarization on phototactic behavior of D. citri using a horizontal bioassay arena. Wavelength-associated positive phototaxis was associated with short wavelength UV (350–405 nm) targets whereas little or no responses were seen in longer wavelength targets in the visible spectrum from green to orange (500–620 nm). Distance walked towards the visual target was greater for UV/blue wavelengths (350–430 nm) than for longer wavelengths. Distances walked towards 365 nm light were greater than to white light, and distances travelled to green, yellow and orange light were similar to those in darkness. A reduced light intensity decreased responses to white and UV (365 nm) light. Polarized light was discriminated and D. citri travelled greater distance in response to white vertically polarized light than to horizontally polarized or unpolarized light of equal intensity. Responses to polarized 405 nm light were greater than to unpolarized light, although without an effect of polarization plane. For 500 nm light, there was no difference between responses to polarized or unpolarized light. There was no effect of age on responses to 405 nm light although 1 day old psyllids travelled faster in the presence of 500 nm green compared to 4–7 day old psyllids. Movement in response to UV and relative stasis in response to longer wavelength light is consistent with observed behaviors of settling on foliage for feeding and dispersing out of the canopy when flush needed for reproduction is scarce.
Direct Photonic Fusion of Vitrified Bonding Materials
Authors: Jackson Mark , Toward Martin
Published: August 2017

The purpose of this study is to show the effects of the direct fusion of raw materials used for vitrified grinding wheels by photonic interactions. The paper describes the construction of a sintering apparatus that employs a pulsed neodymium: yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser to fuse a combination of raw materials such as ball clay, feldspar, and borax to form a partially-crystalline glass material. The experimental results show that lasers can replace traditional methods of glass frit formation by fusing raw materials used in the manufacture of glass bonds for vitrified grinding wheels. X-ray diffraction data shows that a glass with short range order has formed using the new method. The work described herein provides a new avenue for glass frit formation applied to grinding wheel manufacture.
Study on Microstructure and Properties of Bimodal Structured Ultrafine-Grained Ferrite Steel
Authors: Niu Gang , Wu Huibin , Zhang Da , Gong Na , Tang Di
Published: August 2017

The objective of the study research was to obtain bimodal structured ultrafine-grained ferrite steel with outstanding mechanical properties and excellent corrosion resistance. The bimodal microstructure was fabricated by the cold rolling and annealing process of a dual-phase steel. The influences of the annealing process on microstructure evolution and the mechanical properties of the cold-rolled dual-phase steel were investigated. The effect of bimodal microstructure on corrosion resistance was also studied. The results showed that the bimodal characteristic of ferrite steel was most apparent in cold-rolled samples annealed at 650 °C for 40 min. More importantly, due to the coordinated action of fine-grained strengthening, back-stress strengthening, and precipitation strengthening, the yield strength (517 MPa) of the bimodal microstructure improved significantly, while the total elongation remained at a high level of 26%. The results of corrosion experiments showed that the corrosion resistance of bimodal ferrite steel was better than that of dual-phase steel with the same composition. This was mainly because the Volta potential difference of bimodal ferrite steel was smaller than that of dual-phase steel, which was conducive to forming a protective rust layer.
The Role of Seawater on the Trace Element Geochemistry of Some UK Coals and a Tribute to Goldschmidt
Authors: Spears David
Published: August 2017

The Pennsylvanian coals in the UK were deposited in a low-lying delta plain which was periodically inundated by the sea. This resulted in high S contents, mainly due to early diagenetic pyrite. Based on a statistical analysis of the geochemical data, pyrite is the major host for As, Se, Hg, Tl and Pb and an important host for Mo, Cd, Ni, Sb and Cu. All of these elements are enriched in the coals compared with non-marine mudrocks in the sequence, as is Ge and Be, although theirs is an organic association. The pattern of enrichment in the coals is similar to that in marine shales and coals overlain by marine shales, demonstrating the seawater influence. Goldschmidt was a pioneer in the geochemical study of coals and this paper will demonstrate that many of his ideas have stood the test of time.
Biochemical and Comparative Transcriptomic Analyses Identify Candidate Genes Related to Variegation Formation in Paeonia rockii
Authors: Shi Qianqian , Li Long , Zhang Xiaoxiao , Luo Jianrang , Li Xiang , Zhai Lijuan , He Lixia , Zhang Yanlong
Published: August 2017

Paeonia rockii is a wild tree peony species with large and dark purple variegations at the base of its petals. It is the genetic resource for various variegation patterns in tree peony cultivars, which is in contrast to the pure white petals of Paeonia ostii. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the formation of variegation in this plant is still unknown. Here, we conducted Illumina transcriptome sequencing for P. rockii, P. ostii (with pure white petals) and their F1 individuals (with purple-red variegation). A total of 181,866 unigenes were generated, including a variety of unigenes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis and sequestration and the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis. The dark purple or purple-red variegation patterns mainly occurred due to the proportions of cyanidin (Cy)- and peonidin (Pn)-based anthocyanins. The variegations of P. rockii exhibited a “Cy > Pn” phenotype, whereas the F1 progeny showed a “Pn > Cy” phenotype. The CHS, DFR, ANS, and GST genes might play key roles in variegation pigmentation in P. rockii according to gene expression and interaction network analysis. Two R2R3-MYB transcription factors (c131300.graph_c0 and c133735.graph_c0) regulated variegation formation by controlling CHS, ANS and GST genes. Our results indicated that the various variegation patterns were caused by transcriptional regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes, and the transcription profiles of the R2R3-MYBs provided clues to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this trait. The petal transcriptome data produced in this study will provide a valuable resource for future association investigations of the genetic regulation of various variegation patterns in tree peonies.
Copper-Catalyzed Synthesis of Unsymmetrical Diorganyl Chalcogenides (Te/Se/S) from Boronic Acids under Solvent-Free Conditions
Authors: Saba Sumbal , Botteselle Giancarlo , Godoi Marcelo , Frizon Tiago , Galetto Fábio , Rafique Jamal , Braga Antonio
Published: August 2017

The efficient and mild copper-catalyzed synthesis of unsymmetrical diorganyl chalcogenides under ligand- and solvent-free conditions is described. The cross-coupling reaction was performed using aryl boric acids and 0.5 equiv. of diorganyl dichalcogenides (Te/Se/S) in the presence of 3 mol % of CuI and 3 equiv. of DMSO, under microwave irradiation. This new protocol allowed the preparation of several unsymmetrical diorganyl chalcogenides in good to excellent yields.
Cryochemical Synthesis of Polymorphous Nanostructures of a Steroid Neurohormone
Authors: Morozov Yurii , Chistyakov Dmitry , Chernyshev Vladimir , Sergeev Gleb
Published: August 2017

A new cryochemical strategy of producing nanoparticles and polymorphous nanostructures of drugs is used, which is based on the dynamic combination of high and low temperatures, gas and solid phases, and inert carrier gases. This technology is applied to the synthesis of nanoparticles of steroid neurohormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). We have optimized the conditions of synthesis of the new polymorphous DHEA structure, FVII. The molecules of DHEA in FVII structure are bound by hydrogen bonds via oxygen atoms. The grain size is 100 nm. It is shown that the yield and ratio of the resulting nanoforms of this hormone are determined by the nature and properties of the inert carrier gas. The highest yield and selectivity of FVII are observed when carbon dioxide is used as the carrier gas. In the case of helium, the FVII content decreases from 85 to 30% and other structures are formed. In experiments without carrier gas, nanoparticles are formed but no FVII is produced. The selectivity and the effect of carrier gas are considered on the basis of homogeneous and heterogeneous formation of nanoparticles and the relationship between particle selectivity and its activity. The synthesis of various polymorphous structures on the nanoscale is assumed to be the manifestation of the size effect in the synthesis of drugs.
Chemical Constituents of Murraya tetramera Huang and Their Repellent Activity against Tribolium castaneum
Authors: You Chun-Xue , Guo Shan-Shan , Zhang Wen-Juan , Geng Zhu-Feng , Liang Jun-Yu , Lei Ning , Du Shu-Shan , Deng Zhi-Wei
Published: August 2017

Sixteen compounds were isolated from the leaves and stems of Murraya tetramera Huang. Based on the NMR and MS spectral results, the structures were determined. It was confirmed that the isolated compounds included three new compounds (9, 10 and 13) and one new natural product (8), which were identified asmurratetra A (9), murratetra B (10), murratetra C (13) and [2-(7-methoxy-2-oxochromen-8-yl)-3-methylbut-2-enyl]3-methylbut-2-enoate (8), respectively. Meanwhile, the repellent activity against Tribolium castaneum was investigated for 13 of these isolated compounds. The results showed that the tested compounds had various levels of repellent activity against T. castaneum. Among them, compounds 1 (4(15)-eudesmene-1β,6α-diol), 11 (isoferulic acid) and 16 (2,3-dihydroxypropyl hexadecanoate) showed fair repellent activity against T. castaneum. They might be considered as potential leading compounds for the development of natural repellents.
Synthesis of New Hydrazone Derivatives for MAO Enzymes Inhibitory Activity
Authors: Can Nafiz Öncü , Osmaniye Derya , Levent Serkan , Sağlık Begüm Nurpelin , İnci Beril , Ilgın Sinem , Özkay Yusuf , Kaplancıklı Zafer Asım
Published: August 2017

In the present work, 14 new 1-substituted-2-phenylhydrazone derivatives were synthesized to evaluate their inhibitory activity against hMAO enzymes. The structures of the newly synthesized hydrazones 2a–2n were characterized by IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, HR-MS spectroscopic methods. The inhibitory activity of compounds 2a–2n against hMAO-A and hMAO-B enzymes was elucidated by using an in-vitro Amplex Red® reagent assay based on fluorometric methods. According to the activity studies, 2a and 2b were found to be the most active compounds against hMAO-A enzyme, with IC50 values of 0.342 µM and 0.028 µM, respectively. The most active compounds 2a–2b were evaluated by means of enzyme kinetics and docking studies. Moreover, these compounds were subjected to cytotoxicity and genotoxicity tests to establish their preliminary toxicological profiles and were found to be non-cytotoxic and non-genotoxic. Consequently, the findings of this study display the biological importance of compounds 2a, 2b as selective, irreversible and competitive inhibitors of hMAO-A. Docking studies revealed that there is a strong interaction between hMAO-A and the most active compound 2b.
Changes in Stress and Appetite Responses in Male Power-Trained Athletes during Intensive Training Camp
Authors: Oshima Satomi , Takehata Chisato , Sasahara Ikuko , Lee Eunjae , Akama Takao , Taguchi Motoko
Published: August 2017

An intensive consecutive high-volume training camp may induce appetite loss in athletes. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the changes in stress and appetite responses in male power-trained athletes during an intensive training camp. The measurements at Day 2 and at the end of a 9-day intensive training camp (Camp1 and Camp2, respectively) were compared with those of the resting period (Rest) and the regular training period (Regular; n = 13). The stress state was assessed based on plasma cortisol level, salivary immunoglobulin A level, and a profile of mood states score. The sensation of appetite was assessed using visual analog scale scores, and fasting plasma acylated ghrelin, insulin, and glucose were measured. The cortisol concentrations were significantly higher at Camp2 (466.7 ± 60.7 nmol∙L−1) than at Rest (356.3 ± 100.9 nmol∙L−1; p = 0.002) or Regular (361.7 ± 111.4 nmol∙L−1; p = 0.003). Both prospective and actual food consumption significantly decreased at Camp2, and acylated ghrelin concentration was significantly lower at Camp1 (34.2 ± 8.0 pg∙mL−1) and Camp2 (32.0 ± 8.7 pg∙mL−1) than at Rest (47.2 ± 11.2 pg∙mL−1) or Regular (53.4 ± 12.6 pg∙mL−1). Furthermore, the change in acylated ghrelin level was negatively correlated with the change in cortisol concentration. This study’s findings suggest that an early-phase physiological stress response may decrease the acylated ghrelin level in male power-trained athletes during an intensive training camp.
RETRACTED: Abdalla et al. A Bio Polymeric Adhesive Produced by Photo Cross-Linkable Technique. Polymers 2016, 8, 292 and Abdalla et al. Controlled Light Cross-Linking Technique to Prepare Healable Materials. Polymers 2017, 9, 241
Authors:   Polymers Editorial Office
Published: August 2017

These two articles [1,2] published in Polymers will be marked as retracted.[...]
Characterizing Gene and Protein Crosstalks in Subjects at Risk of Developing Alzheimer’s Disease: A New Computational Approach
Authors: Padmanabhan Kanchana , Nudelman Kelly , Harenberg Steve , Bello Gonzalo , Sohn Dongwha , Shpanskaya Katie , Tiwari Dikshit Priyanka , Yerramsetty Pallavi , Tanzi Rudolph , Saykin Andrew , Petrella Jeffrey , Doraiswamy P. , Samatova Nagiza , Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: August 2017

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a major public health threat; however, despite decades of research, the disease mechanisms are not completely understood, and there is a significant dearth of predictive biomarkers. The availability of systems biology approaches has opened new avenues for understanding disease mechanisms at a pathway level. However, to the best of our knowledge, no prior study has characterized the nature of pathway crosstalks in AD, or examined their utility as biomarkers for diagnosis or prognosis. In this paper, we build the first computational crosstalk model of AD incorporating genetics, antecedent knowledge, and biomarkers from a national study to create a generic pathway crosstalk reference map and to characterize the nature of genetic and protein pathway crosstalks in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subjects. We perform initial studies of the utility of incorporating these crosstalks as biomarkers for assessing the risk of MCI progression to AD dementia. Our analysis identified Single Nucleotide Polymorphism-enriched pathways representing six of the seven Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway categories. Integrating pathway crosstalks as a predictor improved the accuracy by 11.7% compared to standard clinical parameters and apolipoprotein E ε4 status alone. Our findings highlight the importance of moving beyond discrete biomarkers to studying interactions among complex biological pathways.
Job Status of Women Head Clergy: Findings from the National Congregations Study, 1998, 2006, and 2012
Authors: Hoegeman Catherine
Published: August 2017

This paper investigates occupational gender inequality among head clergy in U.S. religious congregations. Prior research emphasized the stratification of the clergy occupational structure and the under-representation of women in head clergy positions. This paper focuses on women who are leading congregations. Data are from the National Congregations Study (1998, 2006, and 2012). I review the representation of women among head clergy, investigate the differences in congregational characteristics between those led by men and women, and explore whether men or women are more likely to have positions with non-standard employment forms. Findings show a mixed picture regarding equality for women clergy. By 2012, while women are still less likely than men to be head clergy, among head clergy there is not a significant difference between women and men in the likelihood of being a senior pastor (supervising other clergy). Also, there are no significant differences related to non-standard employment. The only significant congregational member characteristic is that women are more likely to lead predominantly white congregations. However, in 1998, 2006, and 2012, women were consistently significantly more likely than men to lead smaller congregations. While there may be few other differences between men and women head clergy job statuses, congregation size is arguably what matters most. Women’s lack of representation in larger congregations suggests continued gender inequality among head clergy.
Where the Heroes and Sky-Goers Gather: A Study of the Sauraṭa Pilgrimage
Authors: Donnelly Paul B.
Published: August 2017

Tibetan and Himālayan Buddhist doctrine and meditative traditions have been extensively studied and are well-known even to non-scholars, but pilgrimage and other non-elite practices have received far less attention. Pilgrimage is one of the most important practices for Tibetan and Himālayan Buddhists, whether traditional scholars, ordinary monks, lay yogis, or Buddhist laypeople. Scholarship on pilgrimage has increased significantly since the 1990s, and has tended to focus on territories within the political boundaries of the Tibetan provinces of the People’s Republic of China. This study looks at a pilgrimage in what was once the far western end of the Tibetan empire, but is now within the political boundaries of India. Being outside of the People’s Republic of China, this pilgrimage escaped the disruption of such practices that occurred within the PRC during the Cultural Revolution and after. Having interviewed people in the region, and performed the pilgrimage myself, this study shows that this pilgrimage possesses features common to Tibetan pilgrimage to sites of tantric power, but also has its own unique qualities. This study provides new data that contributes to the growing body of knowledge of Tibetan pilgrimage and to our understanding of such practices among the Buddhists of Himālayan India.
On the Extraction of Rare Earth Elements from Geothermal Brines
Authors: Smith York , Kumar Pankaj , McLennan John
Published: August 2017

The availability of rare earth elements from primary resources has come into question in the last two decades. This has sparked various government and industry initiatives to examine potential rare earth element resources apart from virgin ore bodies. Geothermal fluids are potentially significant sources of valuable minerals and metals, while co-recovery with geothermal energy production would be an attractive sustainable system. In this work, we give a brief survey of data collected on rare earth element concentrations in geothermal fluids. A survey of methods and technologies for extracting rare earth elements from geothermal is discussed along with the feasibility of recovering rare earth elements from geothermal brines. Based on the findings of this study, rare earth element extraction from geothermal fluids is technically possible, but neither economically viable nor strategically significant at this time.
Mapping Regional Urban Extent Using NPP-VIIRS DNB and MODIS NDVI Data
Authors: Wang Run , Wan Bo , Guo Qinghua , Hu Maosheng , Zhou Shunping
Published: August 2017

The accurate and timely monitoring of regional urban extent is helpful for analyzing urban sprawl and studying environmental issues related to urbanization. This paper proposes a classification scheme for large-scale urban extent mapping by combining the Day/Night Band of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership Satellite (NPP-VIIRS DNB) and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer products (MODIS NDVI). A Back Propagation (BP) neural network based one-class classification method, the Present-Unlabeled Learning (PUL) algorithm, is employed to classify images into urban and non-urban areas. Experiments are conducted in mainland China (excluding surrounding islands) to detect urban areas in 2012. Results show that the proposed model can successfully map urban area with a kappa of 0.842 on the pixel level. Most of the urban areas are identified with a producer’s accuracy of 79.63%, and only 10.42% the generated urban areas are misclassified with a user’s accuracy of 89.58%. At the city level, among 647 cities, only four county-level cities are omitted. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme, three contrastive analyses are conducted: (1) comparing the urban map obtained in this paper with that generated by the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program/Operational Linescan System Nighttime Light Data (DMSP/OLS NLD) and MODIS NDVI and with that extracted from MCD12Q1 in MODIS products; (2) comparing the performance of the integration of NPP-VIIRS DNB and MODIS NDVI with single input data; and (3) comparing the classification method used in this paper (PUL) with a linear method (Large-scale Impervious Surface Index (LISI)). According to our analyses, the proposed classification scheme shows great potential to map regional urban extents in an effective and efficient manner.
Insight into the Mechanism of CO Oxidation on WO3(001) Surfaces for Gas Sensing: A DFT Study
Authors: Jin Hua , Zhou Hegen , Zhang Yongfan
Published: August 2017

The mechanism of CO oxidation on the WO3(001) surface for gas sensing performance has been systematically investigated by means of first principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Our results show that the oxidation of CO molecule on the perfect WO3(001) surface induces the formation of surface oxygen vacancies, which results in an increase of the surface conductance. This defective WO3(001) surface can be re-oxidized by the O2 molecules in the atmosphere. During this step, the active O2− species is generated, accompanied with the obvious charge transfer from the surface to O2 molecule, and correspondingly, the surface conductivity is reduced. The O2− species tends to take part in the subsequent reaction with the CO molecule, and after releasing CO2 molecule, the perfect WO3(001) surface is finally reproduced. The activation energy barriers and the reaction energies associated with above surface reactions are determined, and from the kinetics viewpoint, the oxidation of CO molecule on the perfect WO3(001) surface is the rate-limiting step with an activation barrier of about 0.91 eV.
Dual Quaternions as Constraints in 4D-DPM Models for Pose Estimation
Authors: Martinez-Berti Enrique , Sánchez-Salmerón Antonio-José , Ricolfe-Viala Carlos
Published: August 2017

The goal of this research work is to improve the accuracy of human pose estimation using the Deformation Part Model (DPM) without increasing computational complexity. First, the proposed method seeks to improve pose estimation accuracy by adding the depth channel to DPM, which was formerly defined based only on red–green–blue (RGB) channels, in order to obtain a four-dimensional DPM (4D-DPM). In addition, computational complexity can be controlled by reducing the number of joints by taking it into account in a reduced 4D-DPM. Finally, complete solutions are obtained by solving the omitted joints by using inverse kinematics models. In this context, the main goal of this paper is to analyze the effect on pose estimation timing cost when using dual quaternions to solve the inverse kinematics.
Evaluation of Flexible Force Sensors for Pressure Monitoring in Treatment of Chronic Venous Disorders
Authors: Parmar Suresh , Khodasevych Iryna , Troynikov Olga
Published: August 2017

The recent use of graduated compression therapy for treatment of chronic venous disorders such as leg ulcers and oedema has led to considerable research interest in flexible and low-cost force sensors. Properly applied low pressure during compression therapy can substantially improve the treatment of chronic venous disorders. However, achievement of the recommended low pressure levels and its accurate determination in real-life conditions is still a challenge. Several thin and flexible force sensors, which can also function as pressure sensors, are commercially available, but their real-life sensing performance has not been evaluated. Moreover, no researchers have reported information on sensor performance during static and dynamic loading within the realistic test conditions required for compression therapy. This research investigated the sensing performance of five low-cost commercial pressure sensors on a human-leg-like test apparatus and presents quantitative results on the accuracy and drift behaviour of these sensors in both static and dynamic conditions required for compression therapy. Extensive experimental work on this new human-leg-like test setup demonstrated its utility for evaluating the sensors. Results showed variation in static and dynamic sensing performance, including accuracy and drift characteristics. Only one commercially available pressure sensor was found to reliably deliver accuracy of 95% and above for all three test pressure points of 30, 50 and 70 mmHg.