bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Automatsko testiranje web-aplikacija uz podršku web-drivera Geb
Authors: Petković Mario , Čandrlić Sanja , Ašenbrener Katić Martina
Published: June 2019

Svakodnevnim korištenjem raznih softvera ljudi se susreću s pogreškama nastalim u procesu njihova razvoja. One mogu biti trivijalne, ali mogu biti i kritične za korištenje određenih funkcionalnosti softvera. Pogreške prilikom razvoja su neizbježne, zato se u testiranje softvera ulažu velike količine novca i vremena. No, unatoč velikom trudu i ulaganju, nemoguće je pronaći apsolutno sve pogreške prije izlaska softvera u produkciju. Pri tome nam može pomoći automatsko testiranje. U
radu je prikazan proces automatskog testiranja web-aplikacija primjenom
alata za automatsko testiranje: web-drivera Geb, programskog jezika Groovy i testnog frameworka Spock. Rezultati ovog istraživanja pokazali su da kombinacija navedenih alata predstavlja odgovarajuće i kompletno rješenje za provedbu automatskog testiranja web-aplikacija.
Usvojenost zelenog
marketinga među mladim potrošačima u Hrvatskoj
Authors: Širola Davor , Rosandić Anabela
Published: June 2019

Posljednjih godina globalne promjene koje se događaju u okolini i u društvu dovode do sve veće svijesti pojedinaca o potrebi očuvanja okoliša, a time i očuvanja vlastite kvalitete života. Povećanjem ekološke svijesti dolazi do stvaranja novog segmenta potrošača, tzv. zelenih potrošača, koji se zalažu za proizvode koji nemaju negativne utjecaje na okolinu u kojoj živimo. Nastankom zelenih potrošača stvaraju
se i oblikuju aktivnosti koje se mogu nazvati zelenim marketingom, što podrazumijeva proizvode koji uzimaju u obzir njihov utjecaj na okoliš i društvo. Empirijsko istraživanje u sklopu rada provedeno je primjenom teorije planiranog ponašanja s ciljem utvrđivanja varijabli koje predstavljaju prediktore spremnosti na kupnju i uporabu ekoloških proizvoda i usluga prvenstveno u mlađe populacije. Rezultati istraživanja upućuju da su stavovi zabrinutosti za okoliš, znanje o tematici ekologije i svijest o važnosti očuvanja okoliša statistički značajno povezani s namjerama kupnje i uporabe ekoloških proizvoda i usluga, dok subjektivne norme nemaju statistički značajnu povezanost. Veća zabrinutost za okoliš utvrđena je kod žena te kod starijeg dijela ispitanika.
Translation error
analysis in Treat
Authors: Majcunić Suzana , Matetić Maja , Brkić Bakarić Marija
Published: June 2019

The aim of this research paper is to conduct a thorough analysis of inter-annotator agreement in the process of error analysis, which is well-known for its subjectivity and low level of agreement. Since the process is tiresome in its nature and the available user interfaces are pretty distinct from what the average annotator is accustomed to, a user-friendly Windows 10 application offering a more attractive user interface is developed with the aim to simplify the process of error analysis. Translations are performed with Google Translate engine and English-Croatian is selected as the language pair. Since there has been a
lot of dispute on inter-annotator agreement and the need for guidelines
has been often been emphasized as crucial, the annotators are given a very detailed introduction into the process of error analysis itself. They are given a presentation with a list of the MQM guidelines enriched
with tricky cases. All annotators are native speakers of Croatian as the target language and have a linguistic background. The results demonstrate that a stronger agreement indicates more similar backgrounds
and that the task of selecting annotators should be conducted more carefully. Furthermore, a training phase on a similar test set is deemed
necessary in order to gain a stronger agreement.
SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC ESTIMATION OF METFORMIN IN HUMAN PLASMA
Authors: Sri Dr Bhavya , Fatima Amina , Rambabu Dr D.
Published: June 2019

To develop a simple, selective and sensitive spectrophotometric method and validated for the determination of metformin in human plasma. The method was applied for the determination of metformin from pharmaceutical preparations and plasma samples and after spiking with metformin. The results were checked by standard addition method. A number of pharmaceutical additives and plasma matrix did not affect the determination of metformin. The proposed method was found to be accurate and precise for routine estimation of metformin hydrochloride in human plasma.

Keywords: Metformin, spectrophotometric, standard addition, plasma, pharmaceutical preparation
Well drilling in permafrost regions: dynamics of the thawed zone
Authors: Eppelbaum Lev V. , Kutasov Izzy M.
Published: June 2019

In the cold regions, warm mud is usually used to drill deep wells. This mud causes formation thawing around wells, and as a rule is an uncertain parameter. For frozen soils, ice serves as a cementing material, so the strength of frozen soils is significantly reduced at the ice–water transition. If the thawing soil cannot withstand the load of overlying layers, consolidation will take place, and the corresponding settlement can cause significant surface shifts. Therefore, for long-term drilling or oil/gas production, the radius of thawing should be estimated to predict platform stability and the integrity of the well. It is known that physical properties of formations are drastically changed at the thawing–freezing transition. When interpreting geophysical logs, it is therefore important to know the radius of thawing and its dynamics during drilling and shut-in periods. We have shown earlier that for a cylindrical system the position of the phase interface in the Stefan problem can be approximated through two functions: one function determines the position of the melting-temperature isotherm in the problem without phase transitions, and the second function does not depend on time. For the drilling period, we will use this approach to estimate the radius of thawing. For the shut-in period, we will utilize an empirical equation based on the results of numerical modelling.
Preparación para la entrevista personal de admisión a la Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia: de los sueños que se suspiran a las metas que se trabajan
Authors: Elgegren Vásquez Úrsula
Published: June 2019

Tomando en cuenta el Espíritu de la Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (UPCH) fundada en su compromiso con la excelencia, la integridad, la formación humana y la proyección comunitaria, se viene trabajando desde el año 2011 en el desarrollo del perfil del ingresante a UPCH, no solo en relación a las habilidades conversacionales, sino también en las habilidades sociales, habilidades para gestionar sus emociones, habilidades para planificar su vida y sus actividades así como el proceso de darse cuenta de las estrategias que puede utilizar para relacionarse con diferentes tipos de personas. El programa de entrenamiento para la entrevista personal de admisión se basa en la integración de los aportes de la Psicología Humanista, el enfoque Gestalt, la Logoterapia y la Programación Neurolingüística.

Taking into account the Spirit of the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (UPCH) founded in the commitment to excellence, integrity, human formation and community outreach, since 2011 we have been working on the development of the profile of the entrant to UPCH, not only regarding the conversational skills, also in social skills, skills to manage their emotions, skills to take care of their life and activities as the process of realizing the strategies that can be used to relate to different types of people. The training program for the personal admission interview is based on the integration of the contributions of Humanistic Psychology, the Gestalt approach, Logotherapy and Neurolinguistic Programming.
Deep Convolutional Neural Network with Structured Prediction for Weakly Supervised Audio Event Detection
Authors: Choi Inkyu , Bae Soo Hyun , Kim Nam Soo
Published: June 2019

Audio event detection (AED) is a task of recognizing the types of audio events in an audio stream and estimating their temporal positions. AED is typically based on fully supervised approaches, requiring strong labels including both the presence and temporal position of each audio event. However, fully supervised datasets are not easily available due to the heavy cost of human annotation. Recently, weakly supervised approaches for AED have been proposed, utilizing large scale datasets with weak labels including only the occurrence of events in recordings. In this work, we introduce a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) model called DSNet based on densely connected convolution networks (DenseNets) and squeeze-and-excitation networks (SENets) for weakly supervised training of AED. DSNet alleviates the vanishing-gradient problem and strengthens feature propagation and models interdependencies between channels. We also propose a structured prediction method for weakly supervised AED. We apply a recurrent neural network (RNN) based framework and a prediction smoothness cost function to consider long-term contextual information with reduced error propagation. In post-processing, conditional random fields (CRFs) are applied to take into account the dependency between segments and delineate the borders of audio events precisely. We evaluated our proposed models on the DCASE 2017 task 4 dataset and obtained state-of-the-art results on both audio tagging and event detection tasks.
A CFOA-Based Voltage-Mode Multifunction Biquadratic Filter and a Quadrature Oscillator Using the CFOA-Based Biquadratic Filter
Authors: Wang San-Fu , Chen Hua-Pin , Ku Yitsen , Chen Po-Yu
Published: June 2019

This paper proposes a new high-input impedance current feedback operational amplifier (CFOA)- based voltage-mode multifunction biquadratic filter and a voltage-mode quadrature oscillator using the proposed high-input impedance CFOA-based biquadratic filter. The proposed high-input impedance CFOA-based voltage-mode multifunction biquadratic filter uses three CFOAs, three resistors, and two grounded capacitors with two inputs and three outputs. The filter can simultaneously realize non-inverting low-pass, non-inverting band-pass, and non-inverting band-reject filtering functions at the high-input impedance terminal while the inverting band-pass and non-inverting high-pass filtering functions can also be obtained by applying another high-input impedance terminal. The filter offers orthogonal control of resonance angular frequency and quality factor. The proposed high-input impedance CFOA-based voltage-mode multifunction biquadratic filter can be used to implement a voltage-mode quadrature oscillator with an independently controlled the frequency of oscillator and the condition of oscillation. The OrCAD PSpice simulation and experimental results of the commercially available integrated circuit, AD844AN, are used to confirm the characteristics of the proposed filter and oscillator.
Liquid Biopsies for Ovarian Carcinoma: How Blood Tests May Improve the Clinical Management of a Deadly Disease
Authors: Mari Roxane , Mamessier Emilie , Lambaudie Eric , Provansal Magali , Birnbaum Daniel , Bertucci François , Sabatier Renaud
Published: June 2019

Ovarian cancers (OvC) are frequent, with more than 22,000 new cases each year for 14,000 deaths in the United States. Except for patients with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, diagnostic methods, prognostic tools, and therapeutic strategies have not much improved in the last two decades. High throughput tumor molecular analyses have identified important alterations involved in ovarian carcinoma growth and spreading. However, these data have not modified the clinical management of most of patients. Moreover, tumor sample collection requires invasive procedures not adapted to objectives, such as the screening, prediction, or assessment of treatment efficacy, monitoring of residual disease, and early diagnosis of relapse. In recent years, circulating tumor biomarkers (also known as “liquid biopsies”) such as circulating tumor cells, circulating nucleotides (DNA or miRNA), or extracellular vesicles, have been massively explored through various indications, platforms, and goals, but their use has not yet been validated in routine practice. This review describes the methods of analysis and results related to liquid biopsies for ovarian epithelial cancer. The different settings that a patient can go through during her journey with OvC are explored: screening and early diagnosis, prognosis, prediction of response to systemic therapies for advanced stages, and monitoring of residual subclinical disease.
Human Colorectal Carcinoma Infiltrating B Lymphocytes Are Active Secretors of the Immunoglobulin Isotypes A, G, and M
Authors: Mullins Christina Susanne , Gock Michael , Krohn Mathias , Linnebacher Michael
Published: June 2019

Despite the importance of tumor infiltrating B cells (TiBc) in immunological circuits, their functional role is scarcely investigated. Here, we analyzed immunoglobulin (Ig) secretion of the subtypes IgA, IgG, and IgM of TiBc from freshly resected primary and secondary colorectal carcinomas (CRC) by FluoroSpot (n = 30 CRC) directly ex vivo. High, intermediate, and low secretion was observed in 33%, 37%, and 30% of the tumors for IgA; in 10%, 27%, and 63% for IgG; and in 21%, 36%, and 50% for IgM, respectively. These ex vivo data validate our previous findings: Most TiBc present in the CRC microenvironment are functional since they produce and actively secrete Ig (IgA > IgG > IgM). Of note, the presence of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II expressing cells in the tumor micromilieu only correlated with IgG secretion (p = 0.0004). Supporting recent findings in several other tumor entities, TiBc in CRC thus likely can contribute to tumor control in a dual role of sole antigen-presentation and additionally anti-tumoral Ig-production.
Periodontal Bone-Ligament-Cementum Regeneration via Scaffolds and Stem Cells
Authors: Liu Jin , Ruan Jianping , Weir Michael D. , Ren Ke , Schneider Abraham , Wang Ping , Oates Thomas W. , Chang Xiaofeng , Xu Hockin H. K.
Published: June 2019

Periodontitis is a prevalent infectious disease worldwide, causing the damage of periodontal support tissues, which can eventually lead to tooth loss. The goal of periodontal treatment is to control the infections and reconstruct the structure and function of periodontal tissues including cementum, periodontal ligament (PDL) fibers, and bone. The regeneration of these three types of tissues, including the re-formation of the oriented PDL fibers to be attached firmly to the new cementum and alveolar bone, remains a major challenge. This article represents the first systematic review on the cutting-edge researches on the regeneration of all three types of periodontal tissues and the simultaneous regeneration of the entire bone-PDL-cementum complex, via stem cells, bio-printing, gene therapy, and layered bio-mimetic technologies. This article primarily includes bone regeneration; PDL regeneration; cementum regeneration; endogenous cell-homing and host-mobilized stem cells; 3D bio-printing and generation of the oriented PDL fibers; gene therapy-based approaches for periodontal regeneration; regenerating the bone-PDL-cementum complex via layered materials and cells. These novel developments in stem cell technology and bioactive and bio-mimetic scaffolds are highly promising to substantially enhance the periodontal regeneration including both hard and soft tissues, with applicability to other therapies in the oral and maxillofacial region.
FAIM: An Antagonist of Fas-Killing and Beyond
Authors: Huo Jianxin , Xu Shengli , Lam Kong-Peng
Published: June 2019

Fas Apoptosis Inhibitory Molecule (FAIM) is an anti-apoptotic protein that is up-regulated in B cell receptor (BCR)-activated B cells and confers upon them resistance to Fas-mediated cell death. Faim has two alternatively spliced isoforms, with the short isoform ubiquitously expressed in various tissues and the long isoform mainly found in the nervous tissues. FAIM is evolutionarily conserved but does not share any significant primary sequence homology with any known protein. The function of FAIM has been extensively studied in the past 20 years, with its primary role being ascribed to be anti-apoptotic. In addition, several other functions of FAIM were also discovered in different physiological and pathological conditions, such as cell growth, metabolism, Alzheimer’s disease and tumorigenesis. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying FAIM’s role in these conditions remain unknown. In this review, we summarize comprehensively the functions of FAIM in these different contexts and discuss its potential as a diagnostic, prognostic or therapeutic target.
Crack-Growth Behavior in Thermal Barrier Coatings with Cyclic Thermal Exposure
Authors: Song Dowon , Song Taeseup , Paik Ungyu , Lyu Guanlin , Jung Yeon-Gil , Choi Baig-Gyu , Kim In-Soo , Zhang Jing
Published: June 2019

Crack-growth behavior in yttria-stabilized zirconia-based thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) is investigated through a cyclic thermal fatigue (CTF) test to understand TBCs’ failure mechanisms. Initial cracks were introduced on the coatings’ top surface and cross section using the micro-indentation technique. The results show that crack length in the surface-cracked TBCs grew parabolically with the number of cycles in the CTF test. Failure in the surface-cracked TBC was dependent on the initial crack length formed with different loading levels, suggesting the existence of a threshold surface crack length. For the cross section, the horizontal crack length increased in a similar manner as observed in the surface. By contrast, in the vertical direction, the crack did not grow very much with CTF testing. An analytical model is proposed to explain the experimentally-observed crack-growth behavior.
A Comparative Study of Multifunctional Coatings Based on Electrospun Fibers with Incorporated ZnO Nanoparticles
Authors: Rivero Pedro J. , Iribarren Alvaro , Larumbe Silvia , Palacio José F. , Rodríguez Rafael
Published: June 2019

In this work, polymeric fibers of polystyrene (PS) with incorporated ZnO nanoparticles have been deposited onto an aluminum alloy substrate (6061T6) by using the electrospinning technique. In order to optimize the deposition process, the applied voltage and flow rate have been evaluated in order to obtain micrometric electrospun fibers with a high average roughness and superhydrophobic behavior. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) has also been employed in order to corroborate the amount of ZnO incorporated into the electrospun fibers, whereas differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) has been performed in order to determine the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the polymeric electrospun fibers. In addition, a specific thermal treatment (Tg + 20 °C) of the synthesized electrospun fibers has been evaluated in the resultant corrosion resistance. A comparative study with previously reported results corresponding to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) fibers is carried out along this paper to show the changes in behavior due to the different compositions and fiber diameters. The coating has produced an important reduction of the corrosion current of the aluminum substrate in two orders of magnitude, showing also an important enhancement against pitting corrosion resistance. Finally, this deposition technique can be used as an innovative way for the design of both superhydrophobic and anticorrosive surfaces in one unique step over metallic substrates with arbitrary geometry.
Exergy Analysis of the Heart with a Stenosis in the Arterial Valve
Authors: Brandão Roll Julio , Leone Borges Matheus , Keutenedjian Mady Carlos Eduardo , de Oliveira Junior Silvio
Published: June 2019

In the past decade, several articles have proposed the use of an exergy perspective to analyze physiological systems of the human body under different physical conditions. Such a perspective focuses on the exergy transformations and the efficiency of the biological processes. This may aid the medical field in assessments of a patient’s physical health by means of an index (exergy efficiency) based on the quality of the energy conversion in a given process within the human heart. As a follow-up, a model was developed to describe the evolution of the transvalvular pressure gradient in the aortic valve as a function of stenosis severity. This model was created using physiological data from 40 patients available in the literature, as well as 32 operating points from different bileaflet aortic valve prosthesis. A linear regression results in values around 14.0 kPa for the pressure gradient in the most severe case, evolving from 1.0 kPa for a healthy scenario. The thermodynamic model assesses the irreversibilities associated with energy conversion processes related to metabolism: exergy destroyed at the valves, exergy increased in the flow, and the power of the heart. Results indicate that destroyed exergy reaches values of 10 W (almost 10% of total basal metabolic rate of the whole body). Exergy efficiency is 15% for a healthy heart, decreasing as a function of the severity of the stenosis to values lower than 5%.
Genomic Evidence of Recombination in the Basidiomycete Wallemia mellicola
Authors: Sun Xiaohuan , Gostinčar Cene , Fang Chao , Zajc Janja , Hou Yong , Song Zewei , Gunde-Cimerman Nina
Published: June 2019

One of the most commonly encountered species in the small basidiomycetous sub-phylum Wallemiomycotina is Wallemia mellicola, a xerotolerant fungus with a widespread distribution. To investigate the population characteristics of the species, whole genomes of twenty-five strains were sequenced. Apart from identification of four strains of clonal origin, the distances between the genomes failed to reflect either the isolation habitat of the strains or their geographical origin. Strains from different parts of the world appeared to represent a relatively homogenous and widespread population. The lack of concordance between individual gene phylogenies and the decay of linkage disequilibrium indicated that W. mellicola is at least occasionally recombining. Two versions of a putative mating-type locus have been found in all sequenced genomes, each present in approximately half of the strains. W. mellicola thus appears to be capable of (sexual) recombination and shows no signs of allopatric speciation or specialization to specific habitats.
Do Differences in Social Environments Explain Gender Differences in Recreational Walking across Neighbourhoods?
Authors: Ghani Fatima , Rachele Jerome N , Loh Venurs HY , Washington Simon , Turrell Gavin
Published: June 2019

Within a city, gender differences in walking for recreation (WfR) vary significantly across neighbourhoods, although the reasons remain unknown. This cross-sectional study investigated the contribution of the social environment (SE) to explaining such variation, using 2009 data from the How Areas in Brisbane Influence healTh and AcTivity (HABITAT) study, including 7866 residents aged 42–67 years within 200 neighbourhoods in Brisbane, Australia (72.6% response rate). The analytical sample comprised 200 neighbourhoods and 6643 participants (mean 33 per neighbourhood, range 8–99, 95% CI 30.6–35.8). Self-reported weekly minutes of WfR were categorised into 0 and 1–840 mins. The SE was conceptualised through neighbourhood-level perceptions of social cohesion, incivilities and safety from crime. Analyses included multilevel binomial logistic regression with gender as main predictor, adjusting for age, socioeconomic position, residential self-selection and neighbourhood disadvantage. On average, women walked more for recreation than men prior to adjustment for covariates. Gender differences in WfR varied significantly across neighbourhoods, and the magnitude of the variation for women was twice that of men. The SE did not explain neighbourhood differences in the gender–WfR relationship, nor the between-neighbourhood variation in WfR for men or women. Neighbourhood-level factors seem to influence the WfR of men and women differently, with women being more sensitive to their environment, although Brisbane’s SE did not seem such a factor.
Environmental Correlates of Motor Competence in Children—The Skilled Kids Study
Authors: Niemistö Donna , Finni Taija , Haapala Eero , Cantell Marja , Korhonen Elisa , Sääkslahti Arja
Published: June 2019

Environment, physical activity (PA) and motor development are tightly interwoven during childhood. We examined the associations of environmental factors with motor competence (MC) in children. Children (N = 945, 50.1% boys, age = 3–7 years, mean = 5.4 years) from 37 childcare centres in the Southern (n = 17), Central (n = 13) and Northern Finland (n = 7) participated. The environmental factors comprised the geographical location (Southern, Central and Northern Finland) and residential density (metropolitan area, city, rural area and countryside) of the childcare centres’ based on postal codes and the national population density registry. MC was measured using the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD)-3, as well as by quantifying time spent outdoors and participation in organised sports via parental questionnaire. It was found that children from the countryside had better MC and spent most time outdoors, while children from the metropolitan area most frequently engaged in organised sports. Gender comparisons revealed that girls outperformed boys in locomotor skills, while boys were better in object control skills, had higher TGMD-3 score and spent more time outdoors. Time spent outdoors and participation in organised sports were associated positively with MC, but not in children from the countryside. In conclusion, higher population density was associated with lower MC and less time spent outdoors. The findings suggest that versatile outdoor environments may support motor development through PA.
Testing Market Efficiency with Nonlinear Methods: Evidence from Borsa Istanbul
Authors: Aliyev Fuzuli
Published: June 2019

Market efficiency has been analyzed through many studies using different linear methods. However, studies on financial econometrics reveal that financial time series exhibit nonlinear patterns because of various reasons. This paper examines market efficiency at Borsa Istanbul using a smooth transition autoregressive (STAR) type nonlinear model. I develop nonlinear ARCH and STAR models, a linear AR model and random walk model for 10 years’ weekly data and then out-of-sample forecast next 12 weeks’ return. Comparing forecast performance powers, I find that the STAR model outperforms random walk, that is Borsa Istanbul returns are predictable at the given period. The results show that the shareholders may earn abnormal return and identify the direction of the return change for the next week with at least 66% accuracy. Contrary to the linear level studies, these findings show that the Borsa Istanbul is not weak form efficient at nonlinear level within the studied period.
Impact of the ARSET Program on Use of Remote-Sensing Data
Authors: Prados Ana I. , Carleton-Hug Annelise , Gupta Pawan , Mehta Amita , Blevins Brock , Schmidt Cynthia , Barbato David G. , McCullum Amber Jean , Hook Elizabeth , Podest Erika , Follette-Cook Melanie , Hudson-Odoi Selwyn , Kinsey Tom
Published: June 2019

We show that training activities conducted through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s Applied Remote-Sensing Training (ARSET) program led to a significant increase in remote-sensing data use for decision-making. Our findings are based on survey data collected from 1041 ARSET participants from 117 countries who attended ARSET trainings between 2013 and 2016. To assess the impact of the ARSET program, we analyzed changes in three metrics. Results show that 83% of all respondents increased their knowledge of remote-sensing data products at least moderately, 79% increased their ability to access data, and 73% increased their ability to make decisions. We also examined how respondents are using remote-sensing data across 40 specific work tasks ranging from research to decision support applications. More than 50% of respondents reported an increase in data use for all except two of the tasks. ARSET will use these findings, together with participant data on future training needs, to set future directions for the program.
Proneural-Mesenchymal Transition: Phenotypic Plasticity to Acquire Multitherapy Resistance in Glioblastoma
Authors: Fedele Monica , Cerchia Laura , Pegoraro Silvia , Sgarra Riccardo , Manfioletti Guidalberto
Published: June 2019

Glioblastoma (GBM) is an extremely aggressive tumor of the central nervous system, with a prognosis of 12–15 months and just 3–5% of survival over 5 years. This is mainly because most patients suffer recurrence after treatment that currently consists in maximal resection followed by radio- and chemotherapy with temozolomide. The recurrent tumor shows a more aggressive behavior due to a phenotypic shift toward the mesenchymal subtype. Proneural-mesenchymal transition (PMT) may represent for GBM the equivalent of epithelial–mesenchymal transition associated with other aggressive cancers. In this review we frame this process in the high degree of phenotypic inter- and intra-tumor heterogeneity of GBM, which exists in different subtypes, each one characterized by further phenotypic variability in its stem-cell compartment. Under the selective pressure of different treatment agents PMT is induced. The mechanisms involved, as well as the significance of such event in the acquisition of a multitherapy resistance phenotype, are taken in consideration for future perspectives in new anti-GBM therapeutic options.
Mitochondrial Activity and Skeletal Muscle Insulin Resistance in Kidney Disease
Authors: Carré Jane E. , Affourtit Charles
Published: June 2019

Insulin resistance is a key feature of the metabolic syndrome, a cluster of medical disorders that together increase the chance of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In turn, type 2 diabetes may cause complications such as diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Obesity is a major risk factor for developing systemic insulin resistance, and skeletal muscle is the first tissue in susceptible individuals to lose its insulin responsiveness. Interestingly, lean individuals are not immune to insulin resistance either. Non-obese, non-diabetic subjects with chronic kidney disease (CKD), for example, exhibit insulin resistance at the very onset of CKD, even before clinical symptoms of renal failure are clear. This uraemic insulin resistance contributes to the muscle weakness and muscle wasting that many CKD patients face, especially during the later stages of the disease. Bioenergetic failure has been associated with the loss of skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity in obesity and uraemia, as well as in the development of kidney disease and its sarcopenic complications. In this mini review, we evaluate how mitochondrial activity of different renal cell types changes during DKD progression, and discuss the controversial role of oxidative stress and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species in DKD. We also compare the involvement of skeletal muscle mitochondria in uraemic and obesity-related muscle insulin resistance.
Sex and Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction: From Pathophysiology to Clinical Studies
Authors: Tadic Marijana , Cuspidi Cesare , Plein Sven , Belyavskiy Evgeny , Heinzel Frank , Galderisi Maurizio
Published: June 2019

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) represents the most frequent form of heart failure in women, with almost two-fold higher prevalence than in men. Studies have revealed sex-specific HFpEF pathophysiology, and suggested the possibility of a sex-specific therapeutic approach in these patients. Some cardiovascular risk factors, such as arterial hypertension, obesity, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, and race, show specific features that might be responsible for the development of HFpEF in women. These risk factors are related to specific cardiovascular changes—left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and hypertrophy, ventricular–vascular coupling, and impaired functional capacity—that are related to specific cardiac phenotype and HFpEF development. However, there is no agreement regarding outcomes in women with HFpEF. For HFpEF, most studies have found higher hospitalization rates for women than for men. Mortality rates are usually not different. Pharmacological treatment in HFpEF is challenging, along with many unresolved issues and questions raised. Available data on medical therapy in patients with HFpEF show no difference in outcomes between the sexes. Further investigations are necessary to better understand the pathophysiology and mechanisms of HFpEF, as well as to improve and eventually develop sex-specific therapy for HFpEF.
The Effects of Silica-Based Fillers on the Properties of Epoxy Molding Compounds
Authors: Linec Mitja , Mušič Branka
Published: June 2019

Global design and manufacturing of the materials with superb properties remain one of the greatest challenges on the market. The future progress is orientated towards researches into the material development for the production of composites of better mechanical properties to the existing materials. In the field of advanced composites, epoxy molding compounds (EMCs) have attained dominance among the common materials due to their excellent properties that can be altered by adding different fillers. One of the main fillers is often based on silicon dioxide (SiO2). The concept of this study was to evaluate the effects of the selected silica-based fillers on the thermal, rheological, and mechanical properties of EMCs. Various types of fillers with SiO2, including crystalline silica and fused silica, were experimentally studied to clarify the impact of filler on final product. Fillers with different shape (scanning electron microscope, SEM), along with different specific surface area (specific surface area analyzer, BET method) and different chemical structure, were tested to explore their modifications on the EMCs. The influence of the fillers on the compound materials was determined with the spiral flow length (spiral flow test, EMMI), glass transition temperature (differential scanning calorimetry, DSC), and the viscosity (Torque Rheometer) of the composites.
Fluorinated Bioactive Glass Nanoparticles: Enamel Demineralization Prevention and Antibacterial Effect of Orthodontic Bonding Resin
Authors: Nam Hyung-Jin , Kim You-Min , Kwon Yong Hoon , Yoo Kyung-Hyeon , Yoon Seog-Young , Kim In-Ryoung , Park Bong-Soo , Son Woo-Sung , Lee Seung-Min , Kim Yong-Il
Published: June 2019

Orthodontic treatment involving the bonding of fixed appliances to tooth surfaces can cause white spot lesions (WSLs). WSLs increase the likelihood of cavity formation and hence require preservation and prosthetic restoration. Therefore, the prevention of WSLs is of greater importance than treatment. Application of fluoride or the use of fluoride-containing mouthwash can prevent WSLs, but this requires patient cooperation and additional time and cost. Bioactive glass containing 2.5% fluoride was synthesized and mixed with the orthodontic bonding adhesive Transbond XT Low Flow (LV) at ratios of 1, 3, and 5% to prepare orthodontic adhesive samples. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to characterize the samples. The Vickers hardness test, bracket retention test, and adhesive remnant index (ARI) of the samples were analysed to determine their mechanical properties. To determine the biological cytotoxicity, the cell activity of the samples was evaluated using cell viability tests and the antibacterial activity was analysed using Streptococcus mutans. To evaluate the anti-demineralization effect, the sample was bonded to extracted teeth and a pH cycle test was performed. Micro computed tomography data were obtained from the bonded teeth and sample, and the anti-demineralization effect was evaluated using the ImageJ software program. The Vickers hardness of the sample was higher than that of LV and was dependent on the concentration of fluoride-containing bioactive glass (FBAG). The bracket retention test and ARI of the sample showed no significant differences from those of LV. The cell viability test showed no significant changes at 24 and 48 h after application of the sample. The fluoride ion release test indicated an ion release rate of 9.5–17.4 μg/cm2. The antibacterial activity of the experimental group containing FBAG was significantly higher than that of the LV group. The anti-demineralization test showed a concentration-dependent increase. However, the resin containing 5 mass% FBAG (FBAG5) showed a statistically-significant increase compared with LV. The orthodontic adhesive containing FBAG showed antibacterial and anti-demineralization effects, thus indicating possible WSL prevention activity.
A Co-Rotational Based Anisotropic Elasto–Plastic Model for Geometrically Non-Linear Analysis of Fibre Reinforced Polymer Composites: Formulation and Finite Element Implementation
Authors: Dean Aamir , Safdar Nabeel , Rolfes Raimund
Published: June 2019

Geometrical non-linearity is one of the aspects to be taken into account for accurate analysis of fibre reinforced polymers (FRPs), since large displacements and rotations may be observed in many of its structural applications such as in aircraft wings and wind turbine blades. In this paper, a co-rotational formulation and implementation of an invariant-based anisotropic plasticity model are presented for geometrically non-linear analysis of FRPs. The anisotropic constitutive equations are formulated in the format of isotropic tensors functions. The model assumes an anisotropic pressure-dependent yield function, and in addition to this, a non-associated plastic potential function in order to model realistic plastic deformations in FRPs. The formulation is then cast in the co-rotational framework to consider the geometrical non-linear effects in an efficient manner. The developed model is implemented in the commercial finite element (FE) software ABAQUS/Implicit via the means of the user-defined material subroutine (UMAT). The kinematics within the co-rotational frame is explained briefly while the important aspects regarding the numerical treatment and implementation are discussed in detail. Representative numerical examples at different scales are presented to demonstrate the applicability and robustness of the proposed development.
A Novel Family of Triangular CoII2LnIII and CoII2YIII Clusters by the Employment of Di-2-Pyridyl Ketone
Authors: Efthymiou Constantinos G. , Ní Fhuaráin Áine , Mayans Júlia , Tasiopoulos Anastasios , Perlepes Spyros P. , Papatriantafyllopoulou Constantina
Published: June 2019

The synthesis, structural characterization and magnetic study of novel CoII/4f and CoII/YIII clusters are described. In particular, the initial employment of di-2-pyridyl ketone, (py)2CO, in mixed metal Co/4f chemistry, provided access to four triangular clusters, [CoII2MIII{(py)2C(OEt)(O)}4(NO3)(H2O)]2[M(NO3)5](ClO4)2 (M = Gd, 1; Dy, 2; Tb, 3; Y, 4), where (py)2C(OEt)(O)− is the monoanion of the hemiketal form of (py)2CO. Clusters 1–4 are the first reported Co/4f (1–3) and Co/Y (4) species bearing (py)2CO or its derivatives, despite the fact that over 200 metal clusters bearing this ligand have been reported so far. Variable-temperature, solid-state dc and ac magnetic susceptibility studies were carried out on 1–4 and revealed the presence of weak ferromagnetic exchange interactions between the metal ions (JCo-Co = +1.3 and +0.40 cm−1 in 1 and 4, respectively; JCo-Gd = +0.09 cm−1 in 1). The ac susceptibility studies on 2 revealed nonzero, weak out-of-phase (χ’’M) signals below ~5 K.
Corrosion Behavior of Different Brass Alloys for Drinking Water Distribution Systems
Authors: Choucri Jamal , Zanotto Federica , Grassi Vincenzo , Balbo Andrea , Ebn Touhami Mohamed , Mansouri Ilyass , Monticelli Cecilia
Published: June 2019

Some α + β’ brass components of drinking water distribution systems in Morocco underwent early failures and were investigated to assess the nature and extent of the corrosion attacks. They exhibited different corrosion forms, often accompanied by extensive β’ dezincification. In order to offer viable alternatives to these traditional low cost materials, the corrosion behavior of two representative α + β’ brass components was compared to that of brass alloys with nominal compositions CuZn36Pb2As and CuZn21Si3P, marketed as dezincification resistant. CuZn21Si3P is a recently developed eco-friendly brass produced without any arsenic or lead. Electrochemical tests in simulated drinking water showed that after 10 days of immersion CuZn21Si3P exhibited the highest polarization resistance (Rp) values but after longer immersion periods its Rp values became comparable or lower than those of the other alloys. After 150 days, scanning electron microscope coupled to energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) analyses evidenced that the highest dezincification resistance was afforded by CuZn36Pb2As (longitudinal section of extruded bar), exhibiting dealloying and subsequent oxidation of β’ only at a small depth. Limited surface dealloying was also found on CuZn21Si3P, which underwent selective silicon and zinc dissolution and negligible inner oxidation of both α and κ constituent phases, likely due to peculiar galvanic effects.
CMT Additive Manufacturing of a High Strength Steel Alloy for Application in Crane Construction
Authors: Plangger Josef , Schabhüttl Peter , Vuherer Tomaž , Enzinger Norbert
Published: June 2019

This work investigates the feasibility of manufacturing a near net shape structural part directly on a subassembly for application in crane construction without post-machining. Single- and multi-pass welding experiments, using the Cold Metal Transfer process (CMT), were executed to identify and verify suitable process parameters. The obtained parameters were then used to manufacture a wall structure and an optical measurement of the resulting geometry was performed. Mechanical properties of the all-weld metal in the as-built condition in different directions were determined. The results for tensile testing showed similar values to the filler material specifications and fracture toughness matched literature values, but a decrease of impact toughness was obtained. Although mechanical testing showed no significant anisotropy, hardness measurements showed the influence of the local temperature profile. Finally, strategies to manufacture a complex structural part were investigated. It was possible to establish a stable process to manufacture a section of the specified geometry in a first attempt. However, results indicate that there is still further work necessary to optimize this process and to investigate the influences on the mechanical properties of the final component.
The Comparison of Cracking Susceptibility of IN52M and IN52MSS Overlay Welds
Authors: Chen Min-Yi , Wu Tai-Jung , Chen Tai-Cheng , Jeng Sheng-Long , Tsay Leu-Wen
Published: June 2019

Overlay-welding of IN52M and IN52MSS onto CF8A stainless steel (SS) was conducted by a gas tungsten arc welding process in multiple passes. An electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA) was applied to determine the distributions and chemical compositions of the grain boundary microconstituents, and the structures were identified by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The hot cracking of the overlay welds was related to the microconstituents at the interdendritic boundaries. The formation of γ-intermetallic (Ni3(Nb,Mo)) eutectics was responsible predominantly for the hot cracking of the 52M and 52MSS overlays. The greater Nb and Mo contents in the 52MSS overlay enhanced the formation of coarser microconstituents in greater amounts at the interdendritic boundaries. Thus, the hot cracking sensitivity of the 52MSS overlay was higher than that of the 52M overlay. Moreover, migrated grain boundaries were observed in the 52M and 52MSS overlays but did not induce ductility dip cracking (DDC) in this study.
Effects of Nb Content on the Mechanical Alloying Behavior and Sintered Microstructure of Mo-Nb-Si-B Alloys
Authors: Yang Tao , Guo Xiping
Published: June 2019

Different from conventional Mo-Si-B-based alloys consisting of Moss, Mo3Si, and Mo5SiB2, Mo3Si-free Mo-Si-B-based alloys (Moss+Mo5Si3+Mo5SiB2 or Moss+Mo5SiB2) show great potentials for more excellent oxidation resistance and elevated temperature strength. In the present work, alloying element Nb was added to Mo-12Si-10B (at.%)-based alloy to suppress the formation of the Mo3Si phase. Mo-12Si-10B-xNb (x = 10, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, and 40) bulk alloys were fabricated using mechanical alloying followed by cold pressing and then sintering at 1773 K for 2 h. Effects of Nb content on the mechanical alloying behavior and then sintered microstructure were studied. The addition of Nb with an amount less than 30 at.% accelerated the mechanical alloying process, but 40 at.% Nb addition decreased the process due to excessive cold welding and high powder volume. For the sintered bulk alloy prepared from the mechanically alloyed powders milled for 30 h, a critical Nb content between 24 and 26 at.% was found to suppress Mo3Si production and γNb5Si3 phase formed in the alloys with the addition of Nb content more than 26 at.%. Prolongation of a prior milling process could facilitate the suppression of Mo3Si and delay the formation of niobium silicides.
Consumption of Aged White Wine under a Veil of Flor Reduces Blood Pressure-Increasing Plasma Nitric Oxide in Men at High Cardiovascular Risk
Authors: Roth Irene , Casas Rosa , Ribó-Coll Margarita , Estruch Ramón
Published: June 2019

Background: Hypertension remains the largest attributable risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and a reduction of cardiovascular events is linked to diminished elevated blood pressure (BP) values. High alcohol intake is a common cause of hypertension, but some studies have suggested that moderate wine consumption may reduce BP and increase plasma nitric oxide (NO) due to its polyphenol content. Objective: The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of Andalusian aged white wine (AWW) under a veil of flor, an alcoholic beverage with a moderate polyphenol content, with those of gin, an alcoholic beverage without polyphenols, on BP and plasma NO in men at high cardiovascular risk. Methods: This study was designed as an open, randomized crossover-controlled trial in which 38 high-risk male volunteers, aged 55 to 80, received 30 g of ethanol daily in the form of AWW or gin. This was carried out over the course of three weeks, after a two-week washout period. At baseline and after each intervention period, BP, anthropometric parameters, and plasma NO were measured; food intake was also recorded, and physical activity was monitored. Results: Compared to gin, AWW significantly reduced systolic and diastolic BP (p ≤ 0.033; both) and increased plasma NO levels (p = 0.013). Additionally, changes in BP values observed after AWW significantly correlated with increases in plasma NO. No changes in food intake, physical activity, body weight, or waist were observed between the two intervention periods. Conclusions: Moderate daily consumption of AWW may be useful to reduce elevated BP due to an increase of NO synthesis. This effect could be attributed to grape-derived compounds in AWW, such as polyphenols, which are not present in gin.