bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methylation Pattern of the SOCS3 and IL6R Promoters in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Cieśla Marek , Kolarz Bogdan , Majdan Maria , Darmochwał-Kolarz Dorota
Published: March 2020

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays an essential function in the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), mainly through its proinflammatory effect, which may lead to joint destruction. The genes encoding IL-6 receptor (IL6R) and suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) play a key role in the IL-6 signaling pathway, but their epigenetic regulation remains unclear. The aim of the study was to investigate how the presence of methylation in the SOCS3 and IL6R promoters is associated with the morbidity and severity of RA. A total of 146 unrelated individuals, 122 with RA and 24 healthy controls, were enrolled in the study. All subjects were genotyped with regard to the rs4969168 and rs4969170 polymorphisms in the SOCS3 gene and the rs2228145 and rs4129267 polymorphisms in IL6R. The methylation study included 52 patients with RA and 24 healthy controls. Qualitative real-time methylation-specific PCR was used to evaluate methylation status. We found no differences between patients and healthy controls in the methylation pattern in the IL6R and SOCS3 promoter regions and in variants frequency. The methylation profiles of the SOCS3 and IL6R promoters do not support the hypothesis that the genes SOCS3 and IL6R involved in the JAK-STAT signaling pathway are epigenetically deregulated in whole blood.
Co-Amoxiclav Induced Immune Haemolytic Anaemia: A Case Report
Authors: Karunathilaka H. G. C. S. , Chandrasiri D. P. , Ranasinghe P. , Ratnamalala V. , Fernando A. H. N.
Published: March 2020

Drug-induced immune haemolytic anaemia (DIIHA) is extremely rare. We herein report a case of DIIHA due to co-amoxiclav. A 53-year-old male being treated for left-sided pyelonephritis with intravenous co-amoxiclav developed symptoms and signs of anaemia on the third day of treatment. He was found to have evidence of haemolysis with a positive Coombs test and IgG antibodies and C3d. Co-amoxiclav was identified as the probable culprit, using the Naranjo adverse drug reaction probability scale. Upon discontinuation of the drug and blood transfusion, the patient’s haematological parameters stabilised. Steroids were not required in the treatment. Diagnosis of DIIHA is made through a history of intake of co-amoxiclav, clinical and laboratory features of haemolysis, and a positive Coombs test. An autoantibody screen is most commonly negative. It is essential for clinicians to be aware about this rare complication caused by commonly prescribed drugs and be able to accurately diagnose and initiate treatment.
A 15-Gene Immune, Stromal, and Proliferation Gene Signature that Significantly Associates with Poor Survival in Patients with Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Kandimalla Raju , Tomihara Hideo , Banwait Jasjit K. , Yamamura Kensuke , Singh Gagandeep , Baba Hideo , Goel Ajay
Published: March 2020

Purpose:

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal disease with dismal survival rates. Tumor microenvironment (TME), comprising of immune cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts, plays a key role in driving poor prognosis and resistance to chemotherapy. Herein, we aimed to identify a TME-associated, risk-stratification gene biomarker signature in PDAC.

Experimental Design:

The initial biomarker discovery was performed in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA, n = 163) transcriptomic data. This was followed by independent validation of the gene signature in the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC, n = 95), E-MTAB-6134 (n = 288), and GSE71729 (n = 123) datasets for predicting overall survival (OS), and for its ability to detect poor molecular subtypes. Clinical validation and nomogram establishment was undertaken by performing multivariate Cox regression analysis.

Results:

Our biomarker discovery effort identified a 15-gene immune, stromal, and proliferation (ISP) gene signature that significantly associated with poor OS [HR, 3.90; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.36–6.41; P < 0.0001]. This signature also robustly predicted survival in three independent validation cohorts ICGC [HR, 2.63 (1.56–4.41); P < 0.0001], E-MTAB-6134 [HR, 1.53 (1.14–2.04); P = 0.004], and GSE71729 [HR, 2.33 (1.49–3.63); P < 0.0001]. Interestingly, the ISP signature also permitted identification of poor molecular PDAC subtypes with excellent accuracy in all four cohorts; TCGA (AUC = 0.94), ICGC (AUC = 0.91), E-MTAB-6134 (AUC = 0.80), and GSE71729 (AUC = 0.83). The ISP-derived high-risk patients exhibited significantly poor OS in a clinical validation cohort [n = 119; HR, 2.62 (1.50–4.56); P = 0.0004]. A nomogram was established which included the ISP, CA19-9, and T- and N-stage for eventual clinical translation.

Conclusions:

We report a novel gene signature for risk-stratification and robust identification of patients with PDAC with poor molecular subtypes.
DWI/FLAIR Mismatch during Hyperacute Infarction of the Percheron Artery: Time Is Thalamus!
Authors: Francioni Valentina , Pirro Fiammetta , D’Anna Gennaro , Cairo Matteo , Appollonio Ildebrando , Ferrarese Carlo , Tremolizzo Lucio
Published: March 2020

The artery of Percheron (AOP) is a single dominant thalamo-perforating artery that supplies bilaterally the medial thalami with variable contribution to the rostral midbrain. Occlusion of the AOP causes indeed variable and unspecific clinical symptoms due to this complex anatomy, and very often this diagnosis is delayed with the impossibility of recurring to intravenous thrombolysis (rTPA). Here, we report a case of AOP stroke that received a prompt diagnosis and therapy, owing to the availability of MR brain scan, showing a DWI/FLAIR mismatch typical of hyperacute infarctions. This case points out the importance of a high level of suspicion of AOP stroke, together with the correct implementation of imaging studies.
Caracterização de pacientes intoxicados por drogas de abuso em terapia intensiva
Authors: Santana Cleiton José , Hungaro Anai Adario , Cristophoro Rosangela , Elvira Indianathan De Kassia Santana , Gavioli Aroldo , Oliveira Magda Lúcia Félix de
Published: March 2020

Objetivo: caracterizar o perfil epidemiológico de internações em terapia intensiva decorrentes de efeitos secundários do uso de álcool e outras drogas de abuso. Método: estudo transversal de 138 fichas de internados em terapia intensiva adulto de hospital escola com efeitos secundários à intoxicação por drogas de abuso. Utilizaram-se estatísticas descritivas e univariada. Resultados: a média anual de internações foi 27,6/mês, com maioria do sexo masculino (89,1%), idade média de 47,9 anos, usuários crônicos de álcool (92,75%) e com doença orgânica secundária ao uso de drogas (66,64%). O tempo médio de internação foi de 16,6 dias e 38,4% evoluíram a óbito. Conclusão: neste estudo, prevaleceram internados em estado crítico do sexo masculino, em idade economicamente ativa, por uso crônico de álcool e longo período de internação. Os óbitos foram estatisticamente associados à idade maior que 40 anos, a doenças do sistema digestivo e internações com duração até 17 dias.
Assistência dos profissionais de saúde às crianças e adolescentes em situações de violência
Authors: Freitas Rodrigo Jácob Moreira de , Moura Natana Abreu de , Feitosa Rúbia Mara Maia , Lima Deivson Wendell da Costa , Azevedo Livia Dayane Sousa , Monteiro Ana Ruth Macêdo
Published: March 2020

Objetivo: compreender a assistência realizada pelos profissionais de saúde às crianças e adolescentes que vivenciam situações de violência. Método: pesquisa fenomenológica por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas, aplicadas de setembro a dezembro de 2015, com nove profissionais de saúde do Centro de Atenção Psicossocial Infantojuvenil da capital do Ceará, Brasil. As falas transcritas foram categorizadas e analisadas conforme o referencial teórico da Fenomenologia Social de Alfred Schütz. Resultados: os entrevistados realizaram consultas individuais e atividades de grupo para explorar os sentimentos, conflitos e percepções das vítimas. Além disso, assistiram a família e desenvolveram ações com profissionais de outros serviços em busca de resoluções das questões sociais dos casos de violência. Conclusão: os profissionais de saúde precisam conhecer as motivações e os significados que eles atribuem às suas experiências com vítimas de violência para embasar novas ações nos serviços de saúde.
Características de usuários com diagnóstico de Transtorno Depressivo atendidos em um Centro de Atenção Psicossocial
Authors: Lima Lorraine Garbellini Barbosa , Santos Ariana Elite dos , Santos Bruna Lopes Cardoso dos , Pedrão Luiz Jorge
Published: March 2020

Objetivo: descrever o perfil de usuários diagnosticados com transtorno depressivo atendidos em um centro de atenção psicossocial de um município do interior do estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Método: quantitativo, descritivo, exploratório, de natureza epidemiológica. Os dados foram extraídos do prontuário de usuários atendidos dentro do período selecionado, compilados em planilha do Microsoft Excel 2016 e analisados no software estatístico Stata 16. Resultados: prevalência do sexo feminino, idade média de 48 anos, sem companheiro (a), sem variação significativado histórico familiar, um nível de escolaridade que permite o seu ingresso no mercado de trabalho, sem comorbidades, que não utilizam substâncias químicas e sem variação significativa à ideação suicida. Conclusão: com a análise das variáveis, foi possível compreender melhor as características dos usuários, o que poderá contribuir para planejamentos assistenciais mais adequados a essa população.
Guidance for Cardiac Electrophysiology During the COVID-19 Pandemic from the Heart Rhythm Society COVID-19 Task Force; Electrophysiology Section of the American College of Cardiology; and the Electrocardiography and Arrhythmias Committee of the Council on Clinical Cardiology, American Heart Association
Authors: Lakkireddy Dhanunjaya R. , Chung Mina K. , Gopinathannair Rakesh , Patton Kristen K. , Gluckman Ty J. , Turagam Mohit , Cheung Jim , Patel Parin , Sotomonte Juan , Lampert Rachel , Han Janet K. , Rajagopalan Bharath , Eckhardt Lee , Joglar Jose , Sandau Kristin , Olshansky Brian , Wan Elaine , Noseworthy Peter A. , Leal Miguel , Kaufman Elizabeth , Gutierrez Alejandra , Marine Joseph E. , Wang Paul J. , Russo Andrea M.
Published: March 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic that is wreaking havoc on the health and economy of much of human civilization. Electrophysiologists have been impacted personally and professionally by this global catastrophe. In this joint article from representatives of the Heart Rhythm Society, the American College of Cardiology, and the American Heart Association, we identify the potential risks of exposure to patients, allied healthcare staff, industry representatives, and hospital administrators. We also describe the impact of COVID-19 on cardiac arrhythmias and methods of triage based on acuity and patient comorbidities. We provide guidance for managing invasive and noninvasive electrophysiology procedures, clinic visits, and cardiac device interrogations. In addition, we discuss resource conservation and the role of telemedicine in remote patient care along with management strategies for affected patients.
Does Syntax Need to Grow on Trees? Sources of Hierarchical Inductive Bias in Sequence-to-Sequence Networks
Authors: McCoy R. Thomas , Frank Robert , Linzen Tal
Published: March 2020

Learners that are exposed to the same training data might generalize differently due to differing inductive biases. In neural network models, inductive biases could in theory arise from any aspect of the model architecture. We investigate which architectural factors affect the generalization behavior of neural sequence-to-sequence models trained on two syntactic tasks, English question formation and English tense reinflection. For both tasks, the training set is consistent with a generalization based on hierarchical structure and a generalization based on linear order. All architectural factors that we investigated qualitatively affected how models generalized, including factors with no clear connection to hierarchical structure. For example, LSTMs and GRUs displayed qualitatively different inductive biases. However, the only factor that consistently contributed a hierarchical bias across tasks was the use of a tree-structured model rather than a model with sequential recurrence, suggesting that human-like syntactic generalization requires architectural syntactic structure.
Theoretical Limitations of Self-Attention in Neural Sequence Models
Authors: Hahn Michael
Published: March 2020

Transformers are emerging as the new workhorse of NLP, showing great success across tasks. Unlike LSTMs, transformers process input sequences entirely through self-attention. Previous work has suggested that the computational capabilities of self-attention to process hierarchical structures are limited. In this work, we mathematically investigate the computational power of self-attention to model formal languages. Across both soft and hard attention, we show strong theoretical limitations of the computational abilities of self-attention, finding that it cannot model periodic finite-state languages, nor hierarchical structure, unless the number of layers or heads increases with input length. These limitations seem surprising given the practical success of self-attention and the prominent role assigned to hierarchical structure in linguistics, suggesting that natural language can be approximated well with models that are too weak for the formal languages typically assumed in theoretical linguistics.
Pausanias’ Careful Language of Sexual Violence
Authors: Cundy Jody Ellyn
Published: March 2020

This article considers the vocabulary of sexual violence in the Periegesis Hellados. The vocabulary of sexual assault in the Periegesis encompasses the related noun and verb pairings ἁρπαγή and ἁρπάζω, αἰσχύνη and αἰσχύνω, βία and βιάζω, and ὕβρις, ὑβρίζω. All denote ‘rape’ defined as ‘nonconsensual sex’ (though matters of consent are sometimes ambiguous), but they are not used interchangeably in the text. Several patterns emerge from this analysis: first, the language of violence and sacrilege correlates with suffering in Pausanias’ usage, so the more explicitly violent and transgressive the sexual assault, the more likely it is that aspects of the victim’s experience and agency will be included in the account. Second, racial formation is a key operator in the narratives of sexual assault, so Greek stereotypes about barbarian alterity are amplified in the representations of rape in Pausanias’ text.
Early Modern Ottoman Politics of Emotion: What Has Love Got to Do With It?
Authors: Tekgül Nil
Published: March 2020

Despite a growing interest worldwide in the history of emotions, the topic has attracted the attention of scholars of Ottoman history only recently. In an attempt to understand the motivations underlying political undertakings, this article explores emotions, with a specific focus on mahabbet (love) and merhamet (compassion). It examines the social meaning attached to and the cultural importance of love and compassion in early modern Ottoman political language. I claim that as a socially constructed and political emotion, compassion was historically and culturally significant, serving as a tool to formulate political relations of domination and subordination.
The Music of Sacrifice
Authors: Sfyroeras Pavlos
Published: March 2020

The widely attested use of music in sacrificial ritual invites us to consider how it shapes the participants’ perception of both. I argue that ritual gestures and musical accompaniment complement each other to define the parameters of the divine presence in the cultic moment. On the one hand, in light of Hesiod’s canonical aetiology, sacrifice divides mortals and immortals, as they partake of different parts of the sacrificial victim. On the other hand, according to our various literary sources, music elicits identical responses from gods and men; human pleasure, in fact, is projected onto a divinity that is understood as fully present among the human spectators and/or performers. A corollary is that in visual and literary depictions divine musicians serve as models for what is essentially a human activity. While gods are imagined as recipients of sacrificial offerings, it is only music that makes them into full participants.
‘Tuning the Lyre, Tuning the Soul’
Authors: Lynch Tosca A.C.
Published: March 2020

This paper will focus on Plato’s thought-provoking depiction of justice as special kind of harmonia (Resp. 4.443c-444a) that epitomises the best possible organisation of the soul, exploring his nuanced use of the model of lyre tunings in performative, theoretical as well as educational terms. By comparing Plato’s use of harmonic imagery with technical discussions of lyre tunings and their key role in educational settings, I will show how Plato exploited distinctive features of traditional Greek lyre harmoniai to give shape to his innovative understanding of the structure of the soul and the harmonious, but not strifeless, relationship between its individual components. In the second part of this paper, I will look at how the model outlined in the Republic sheds light on the musical structure that gives shape to the World Soul in the Timaeus, advancing a new interpretation of its elusive harmonic organisation.
The Notion of Synthesis in Harmonic Science (and Beyond)
Authors: Rocconi Eleonora
Published: March 2020

In ancient Greece, harmonics fully acquires the dignity of ‘science’ thanks to Aristoxenus of Tarentum, who first gives an account of a rigorous method of analysis of the structures underlying melodies. One of the most interesting concepts discussed in his extant writings is the notion of synthesis, which he uses to describe any orderly combination of elements (whether they are sounds, intervals or letters) into a sequence. This principle, which according to him governs the way of combining items in patterns, is described as a ‘natural’ principle (i.e. inherent in melos or lexis) and lies at the very bottom of his idea of ‘attuned melody’ (melos hērmosmenon), the specific object under investigation in his harmonics. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the pivotal significance of this notion within Aristoxenus’ thought and to identify its reception in later authors, not only within harmonics but also within the realm of rhetoric.
Two Touchstones for Philosophy: Naive Experience and Common Sense
Authors: Woudenberg René van
Published: March 2020

In this paper I explore, in sections 2 and 3, respectively, Herman Dooyeweerd’s notion of naive experience and the notion of common sense as found in the writings of Thomas Reid and G. E. Moore. I argue in section 4 that naive experience and common sense are assigned a structurally similar functional role by their advocates—viz., the role of touchstone for philosophy. In the final section I stage a conversation between Dooyeweerd and Reid about the touchstones they adopt.
Synthesis of Poly(styrene-b-styrenesulfonic acid) and its Blend with PPO for Proton Exchange Membrane
Authors: Cho Chang G. , You Young G. , Jang Hye Y. , Woo Jung K. , An Sung K.
Published: March 2020

Poly(styrene-b-styrenesulfonic acid sodium salts) (PS-b-PSSNa) were synthesized via stable free radical polymerization (SFRP) using 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) radical and the block copolymers were blended with poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO)
to prepare polymer electrolyte membranes (PEM). The ratio of block length and total molecular weight of PS-b-PSSA were varied, and weight ratio of PPO/PS-b-PSSA was also controlled. The blend membranes showed good proton conductivity, low methanol permeability, and good thermal
property.
Novel Silicon–Carbon Fullerene-Like Nanostructures: An Ab Initio Study on the Stability of Si54C6 and Si60C6 Clusters
Authors: Srinivasan Aravind , Ray Asok K.
Published: March 2020

Silicon fullerene like nanostructures with six carbon atoms on the surface of Si60 cages by substitution, as well as inside the cage at various symmetry orientations have been studied within the generalized gradient approximation to density functional theory. Full geometry
optimizations have been performed without any symmetry constraints using the Gaussian 03 suite of programs and the LANL2DZ basis set. Thus, for the silicon atom, the Hay-Wadt pseudopotential with the associated basis set are used for the core electrons and the valence electrons, respectively.
For the carbon atom, the Dunning/Huzinaga double zeta basis set is employed. Electronic and geometric properties of the nanostructures are presented and discussed in detail. It was found that optimized silicon–carbon fullerene like nanostructures have increased stability compared to
bare Si60 cage and the stability depends on the orientation of carbon atoms, as well as on the nature of bonding between silicon and carbon atoms and also on the carbon–carbon bonding.
Time-Resolved Fluorescence Detection of Mosaic DNA Chip
Authors: He Quanguo , Chen Hong , Nie Libo , Tang Jianxin , Xiao Pengfeng
Published: March 2020

We demonstrated a time-resolved fluorescence (TRF) label and detection of mosaic DNA chip in this paper. We synthesized oligonucleotide sequences in situ on glass slides directly, and then sliced them up into small pieces and patched up the pieces bearing different sequences
to generate a mosaic DNA chip. With multiple 4, 7-bis(chlorosulfophenyl)-1, 10-phenanthroline-2, 9-dicarboxylic acid (BCPDA, abbreviated as BCPDA) labeling method based on avidin-biotin amplification, we established a TRF detection format on the mosaic DNA chip. The detection method allows
discriminatory signals for perfect match, one-base mismatch, two-base mismatch, and three-base mismatch by TRF labeled DNA hybridization, whereby Europium (III, Eu3+) was captured and released on the principle of complexation and dissociation interaction between BCPDA and Eu3+
solution when the BCPDA-tagged avidin and biotin-capped oligonucleotide sequence linked. The fluorescence spectra and related lifetimes were determined. We also compared the TRF detection mode with the conventional fluorescence one. These results showed the former is a potential alternative
replacement of the latter, especially for labeling the mosaic DNA chip. The discovery is of fundamental interest and has significant implications to biochips and biosensors based on time-resolved-fluorescence detection.
A New Hydrothermal Route for Synthesis of Molybdenum Disulphide Nanorods and Related Nanostructures
Authors: Ota Jyoti R. , Srivastava Suneel K.
Published: March 2020

A simple approach to prepare nanorods of Molybdenum Disulphide (MoS2) using hydrothermal method by reacting aqueous solutions of (NH4)6Mo7O24 · 4 H2O, C2H4NS and Na2S2O4
at 190 °C for 24 h is described. The hydrothermal product has been subsequently subjected to the thermal treatment in nitrogen atmosphere at 675 °C for 6 h and characterized. X-ray diffraction (XRD) of the hydrothermal product indicated the formation of MoS2 relatively with
much lower crystallinity compared to when it thermally treated. Energy dispersive analysis (EDX) was done to know the chemical composition of the product. TEM showed onset growth of MoS2 nanorods within the hydrothermal products itself and in thermally treated products it was prominent
with the diameter of the nanorods ranging between 10–20 nm. Photoluminescence spectra MoS2 nanorods shows an intense absorbance at around 429 nm. TGA of the MoS2 nanorods in air and nitrogen atmosphere has also been studied. The extent of formation of MoS2
from the precursors obtained at 190 °C for duration of 12, 18, and 24 h and annealed at 675 °C for 6 h under nitrogen atmosphere is also demonstrated based on XRD data.
Influence of Cation-adsorption and Sonochemical Approaches on the Preparation of Gold Catalyst
Authors: Xu Xiuyan , Li Jinjun , Liu Xinmei , Hao Zhengping , Zhao Wei
Published: March 2020

Nanosize mesoporous ZrO2 support was synthesized via a solid-state reaction route. A new preparation method involving cation-adsorption and sono-chemical procedure was developed for mesoporous ZrO2 supported nano-gold catalyst.
Electronic Structure of P-Doped ZnO Films with p-Type Conductivity
Authors: Vaithianathan Veeramuthu , Moon Jong Ha , Chang Chang-Hwan , Asokan Kandasami , Kim Sang Sub
Published: March 2020

The electronic structure of laser-deposited P-doped ZnO films was investigated by X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy (XANES) at the O K-, Zn K-, and Zn L3-edges. While the O K-edge XANES spectrum of the n-type P-doped ZnO
demonstrates that the density of unoccupied states, primarily O 2p–P 3sp hybridized states, is significantly high, the O K-edge XANES spectrum of the p-type P-doped ZnO shows a sharp decrease in intensity of the corresponding feature indicating that P replaces
O sites in the ZnO lattice, and thereby generating PO. This produces holes to maintain charge neutrality that are responsible for the p-type behavior of P-doped ZnO. Both the Zn K-, and Zn L3-edge XANES spectra of the P-doped ZnO reveal that Zn plays
no significant role in the p-type behavior of ZnO:P.
A Facile Method for Construction of Antifouling Surfaces by Self-Assembled Polymeric Monolayers of PEG-Silane Copolymers Formed in Aqueous Medium
Authors: Park Sangjin , Chi Young Shik , Choi Insung S. , Seong Jiehyun , Jon Sangyong
Published: March 2020

Self-assembled polymeric monolayers (PMs) on Si/SiO2 wafers were prepared in water from a series of random copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA) and 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (TMSMA), denoted as poly(TMSMA-r-PEGMA). Four
polymers of poly(TMSMA-r-PEGMA) were synthesized by free radical polymerization with a systematic variation of co-monomer feed ratios. Regardless of PEG grafting density in the copolymers, all PMs formed approximately 1 nm-thick film as measured by ellipsometry. However, the PMs with
a higher grafting density of PEG resulted in more hydrophilic surfaces in terms of water contact angle. The protein resistance of the PMs was evaluated using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein. Analyses by ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
(XPS) showed that the PMs of the copolymers markedly reduced the nonspecific adsorption of proteins compared to the unmodified Si/SiO2 wafers. The study also revealed that the PMs prepared from the copolymers with a higher PEG grafting density were more effective in resisting the
nonspecific protein adsorption.
Synthesis of L-Phenylalanine Stabilized Gold Nanoparticles and Their Thermal Stability
Authors: Nayak Nimai C. , Shin Kwanwoo
Published: March 2020

Here we described the two synthesis methods of L-phenylalanine (L-phe) coated gold nanoparticles through a reduction of aqueous chloroaurate ions directly by L-phe, and also the borohydride reduction of chloroauric acid followed by capping with L-phe molecules. Phenylalanine reduced
gold nanoparticles and the phenylalanine capped gold nanoparticles were evaluated by transmission electron microscope and UV-vis spectroscopy, and then their thermal stabilities were compared. We found that the phenylalanine reduced gold nanoparticles were unstable and form linearly
arranged aggregates on aging, while as the phenylalanine capped gold nanoparticles were stable for months in ambient condition.
Signal Enhancement of Surface Plasmon Resonance Based on Gold Nanoparticle-Antibody Complex for Immunoassay
Authors: Lee Woochang , Oh Byung-Keun , Kim Yong-Wan , Choi Jeong-Woo
Published: March 2020

In the immunoassay based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) system, the signal enhancement was done by means of the conjugate of gold (Au) nanoparticle-antibody fragment. Antibody fragment was prepared for the improved immobilization based on Au-thiol interaction. Through the ellipsometric
analysis on surface, the conjugation between Au and antibody fragment was performed in the oriented manner. The optimal fabrication conditions such as concentration and incubation time were determined for the constant size of the fabricated nanoparticle-antibody conjugate. Through the plot
of SPR angle difference versus antigen concentration, the linear correlation was achieved, of which the detection limit was 100 fg/ml.
Colorimetric Anion Sensing and Color Imaging Based on Catalyzed Deprotection in a New Azonaphthol Chromophore
Authors: Choi Moon Soo , Cho Il Hoon , Lyoo Won Seok , Lee Taek Seung
Published: March 2020

We synthesized an ortho-phenylazonaphthol compound of which hydroxyl group was protected by a thermo-labile tert-butoxycarbonyl (t-Boc) group, in which hydroxyazo- and hydrazone-tautomerism could be blocked. The chromophore obtained by protection with t-Boc
group was exclusively present as a hydroxyazo tautomer and exhibited blue-shifted absorption spectrum compared to their parent azohydrazone tautomerizing chromophore. With this compound, we performed colorimetric anion sensing based on the deprotection-induced possible azohydrazone formation
in dye chromophore subsequently resulting in naked-eye color change. Besides, the t-Boc protected chromophore could be used as a color imaging material via thermolysis of thermo-labile t-Boc groups resulting in formation of azohydrazone form with red shifted absorption.
The Shape Control of ZnO Based Nanostructures
Authors: Jung M. N. , Ha S. Y. , Kim H. S. , Ko H. J. , Ko H. , Lee W. H. , Oh D. C. , Murakami Y. , Yao T. , Chang J. H.
Published: March 2020

Tetrapod-shape ZnO nanostructures are formed on Si substrates by vapor phase transportation method. The effects of two important growth parameters, growth temperature and VI/II ratio, are investigated. The growth temperature is varied in the range from 600 °C to 900 °C to control
the vapor pressure of group II-element and the formation process of nanostructures. VI/II ratio was changed by adjusting the flux of carrier gas which affects indirectly the supplying rate of group VI-element. From the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), systematic variation of shape including
cluster, rod, wire and tetrapod was observed. ZnO tetrapods, formed at 800 °C under the carrier gas flux of 0.5 cc/mm2 min, show considerably uniform shape with 100 nm thick and 1 ∼ 1.5 μm long legs. Also stoichiometric composition (O/Zn ∼ 1) was observed without
any second phase structures. While, the decrease of growth temperature and the increase of carrier gas flux, results in the irregular shaped nanostructures with non-stoichiometric composition. The excellent luminescence properties, strong excitonic UV emission at 3.25 eV without deep level
emission, indicate that the high crystalline quality tetrapod structures can be formed at the optimized growth conditions.
Anionic Surfactant Sensing by Optical Properties of Erythrosin B
Authors: Saberi Zainab
Published: March 2020

The nonlinear optical properties, absorbance and fluorescence spectra of Erythrosin B (ErB) aqueous solution in different CTAB concentration was studied. Z-scan technique under laser light excitation at 532 nm, was used for study reverse saturable absorption (RSA) of ErB. it was observed
that the RSA of solution depend on CTAB concentration. A enhancing of absorbance and quenching of fluorescence is observed with increase of CTAB concentration in solution and the RSA can reduce the fluorescence intensity. It was proposed that the micelle can reduce the dye aggregation is solutions
and it can affect on linear and nonlinear optical properties of ErB.
Acoustical Studies on Beryllium Oxide/Silicone Oil Nanofluids
Authors: Britto T. Merita Anto , Jeevaraj A. Kingson Solomon
Published: March 2020

Molecular interactions of Silicone oil based Beryllium oxide nanofluids have been studied using ultrasonic parameters at room temperature. BeO nanoparticles synthesized by chemical precipitation method was used to prepare silicone oil based BeO nanofluids. BeO nanofluids were prepared
by dispersing synthesized BeO nanoparticles in the Silicone Oil base fluid with the help of sonication. Ultrasonic velocity for particle-fluid mixtures of Silicone oil with BeO has been carried out for different volume fraction (0 to 0.003) at 0.0005 intervals at room temperature. The data
experimentally measured has been used to estimate the various acoustical and thermodynamical parameters. The behavior of these parameters in this particle fluid system has been discussed in terms of inter/intramolecular interactions with respect to concentration. The particle base fluid molecular
interactions in the nanofluids cause an increment in velocity value of Silicone oil based nanofluids. The propagation of ultrasonic waves causes impedance which increases the intermolecular distance between the molecules. The transmission and reflection modes of sound waves in the nanoparticle
and base fluid molecules are noted by the specific acoustic impedance. It is noted that the acoustic impedance value increases with rise in concentration owing to the molecular interaction between BeO and silicone oil fluid molecules affecting the structural arrangement.
The Impact of Changes in Tropical Sea Surface Temperatures over 1979–2012 on Northern Hemisphere High-Latitude Climate
Authors: McCrystall Michelle R. , Hosking J. Scott , White Ian P. , Maycock Amanda C.
Published: March 2020

While rapid changes in Arctic climate over recent decades are widely documented, the importance of different driving mechanisms is still debated. A previous study proposed a causal connection between recent tropical Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) trends and circulation changes over northern Canada and Greenland (NCG). Here, using the HadGEM3-A model, we perform a suite of sensitivity experiments to investigate the influence of tropical SSTs on winter atmospheric circulation over NCG. The experiments are forced with observed SST changes between an “early” (1979–88) and “late” period (2003–12) and applied across the entire tropics (TropSST), the tropical Pacific (PacSST), and the tropical Atlantic (AtlSST). In contrast to the previous study, all three experiments show a negative 200-hPa eddy geopotential height (Z200) anomaly over NCG in winter, which is similar to the response in AMIP experiments from four other climate models. The positive Z200 NCG anomaly in ERA-Interim between the two periods is inside the bounds of internal variability estimated from bootstrap sampling. The NCG circulation anomaly in the TropSST experiment is associated with a Rossby wave train originating from the tropical Pacific, with an important contribution coming from the tropical Atlantic SSTs connected via an atmospheric bridge through the tropical Pacific. This generates anomalous upper-level convergence and a positive Rossby wave source anomaly near the North Pacific jet exit region. Hence, while a tropics–Arctic teleconnection is evident, its influence on recent Arctic regional climate differs from observed changes and warrants further research.
Il “salotto” di Anna Kuliscioff e Critica Sociale
Authors: Punzo Maurizio
Published: March 2020

Studio o salotto che fosse, la stanza come “luogo” nel quale si manifestavano, oltre agli affetti famigliari di Filippo e Anna, l’elaborazione e il dialogo politici della coppia più celebrata del socialismo italiano, Turati e Kuliscioff, merita l’attenzione di storici e critici letterari. Vi passò fior fiore di personaggi che fecero la storia della politica e della cultura di quei decenni, in particolare nell’ambito laico socialista, contribuendo alla formazione di un buon numero di futuri combattenti contro il fascismo. Ricco di citazioni di testimoni di quei decenni, il saggio fornisce al lettore il sapore dell’ambiente colto e progressista, nel quale prendevano forma opzioni culturali e politiche che avrebbero trovato, nel primo dopoguerra, modo di crescere e affermarsi. Sotto questo profilo, di grande efficacia l’incrociarsi, nel salotto di casa Turati in portici Galleria a Milano, di generazioni e correnti di socialismo di ogni tipo, nello spirito di libertà e aperto confronto che lo contraddistingueva. Il “salotto” di Anna Kuliscioff era in realtà più uno studio che un salotto. Il 1° gennaio 1899 la stessa Kuliscioff, libera dopo quattro mesi di detenzione, datava la sua prima lettera da Milano a Turati, ancora detenuto a Pallanza, “da casa del tuo-nostro studio” (Turati e Kuliscioff, 1977: vol. I, 239) ed anche Turati si riferiva a quella stanza soprattutto come al loro studio: “la luce della Camera – scriveva per esempio il 30 novembre 1903 – fa rimpiangere le belle lampade del nostro studio e del nostro tinello” (Turati e Kuliscioff, 1977: vol. II, t. I, 130). In diverse occasioni però definiva “salotto”, senza alcuna ironia, quello stesso ambiente: “Il Bollettino e le inchieste dell’Ufficio del Lavoro sono tutte in salotto, nella libreria che è accanto alla porta della tua camera da letto dal lato della finestra”, il 14 giugno 1910 (Turati e Kuliscioff, 1977: vol. III, t. I, 242–243).
Polarization Perception and Support for Democracy: The Case of Taiwan
Authors: Hsiao Yi-ching , Yu Eric Chen-hua
Published: March 2020

Recently, the decline in support for democracy in consolidated democracies has gained substantial attention and provoked a heated scholarly debate (Foa and Mounk, 2016). As multiple reasons may contribute to explaining why citizens have lost faith in democratic systems, this article focuses on the linkage between political polarization and democratic support at the mass level. By using data from a recent survey conducted in Taiwan, we first construct two measures of party polarization—namely, the affective polarization score and perceived issue polarization score. While the former can be regarded as an identity-based polarization measure, the latter is a policy-based measure. Then, we explore the associations between the two polarization measures and various attitudes toward democracy. Our empirical findings suggest that Taiwanese people who have more diverse affects toward the two major parties are more likely to make a negative assessment of Taiwan’s current and future democracy and be less supportive of the democratic system. However, people who perceive a greater issue polarization between the two major parties do not necessarily have more positive or negative attitudes toward democracy. As an implication for future democratic development, this analysis suggests that affective party polarization may be harmful to the health of democracy.
Severity assessment using three common behavioral or locomotor tests after laparotomy in rats: a pilot study
Authors: Zieglowski Leonie , Kümmecke Anna , Ernst Lisa , Schulz Mareike , Talbot Steven R , Palme Rupert , Czaplik Michael , Tolba René H
Published: March 2020

The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate whether behavioral or locomotor tests (Open Field (OF), rotarod (RR), and CatWalk (CW)) can help assess the severity of laparotomy in rats.

The new EU Directive (2010/63/EU) mandates severity assessment in experiments involving animals. However, validated and objective methods are needed to relate trial-specific monitoring results to the degree of distress caused to individual animals. Therefore, we focused on non-invasive or minimally invasive, simple, and convenient severity assessment methods in a surgical model.

To evaluate surgical severity in this model, we compared moving velocity among three commonly used behavioral test methods (OF, RR, and CW) after midline laparotomy within postoperative 7 days.

In this study, 30 adult male Wistar Han rats ( n = 10 per test) were trained in their assigned test method and subsequently subjected to surgery. Severity scoring was performed daily using a modified score sheet developed previously. In addition, blood and fecal samples were collected to analyze surgical and postoperative corticosterone metabolite levels. We found significant differences among the experimental groups in terms of the analyzed parameters. In this context, the OF test was found to be the most suitable method for severity assessment after laparotomy in rats.
The role of ethanethiol in deaths from acute poisoning by gas mixtures: A suicide case involving a decomposed corpse and a review of the literature
Authors: Aquila Isabella , Ricci Cristoforo , Sacco Matteo Antonio , Gratteri Santo , De Aloe Luigi , De Pasquale Claudia Catia , Ricci Pietrantonio
Published: March 2020

The most common volatile substances used in suicide are liquefied petroleum gas mixtures, which consist of propane and butane gases mixed in different proportions. These substances are odourless and colourless. Some substances, such as ethanethiol, are added to liquefied petroleum gas mixtures to provide a garlic scent. The main causes of death in acute liquefied petroleum gas inhalation are cardiac arrest and asphyxia, but determining the manner of death is difficult. We present a case of a 30-year-old man found dead at home. On his head was a black plastic bag with a hole through which he had run a gas hose connected to a domestic liquefied petroleum gas cylinder tank. Toxicological analysis revealed butane and ethanethiol in his body. This study aims at understanding the lethal role of ethanethiol through the analysis of its chemical action and its influence on decomposition.
The making and unmaking of an urban diaspora: The role of the physical environment and materialities in belongingness, displacement and mobilisation in Toxteth, Liverpool
Authors: Vathi Zana , Burrell Kathy
Published: March 2020

Focusing on Toxteth – a distinct and ethnically diverse locality in Liverpool, UK – this article explores the (un)making and re-making of diasporic space in different guises by urban diverse communities and the material aspects or fallouts of this for place and identity. Based on extensive ethnographic research, it shows how a series of localised developments – a history of external marginalisation, an urban trauma of rioting, a protracted experience of eviction, various programmes of regeneration and localised responses to all these – are all inscribed in the physical, as well as cognitive, landscape of the area, both co-creating the boundaries of place, as well as periodically resisting them. The article suggests that this focus on the physical – the material infrastructures of the area – is especially important in understanding how marginalised urban communities are affected by, and galvanise in response to, change.
Extended urbanisation and the spatialities of infectious disease: Demographic change, infrastructure and governance
Authors: Connolly Creighton , Keil Roger , Ali S. Harris
Published: March 2020

This paper argues that contemporary processes of extended urbanisation, which include suburbanisation, post-suburbanisation and peri-urbanisation, may result in increased vulnerability to infectious disease spread. Through a review of existing literature at the nexus of urbanisation and infectious disease, we consider how this (potential) increased vulnerability to infectious diseases in peri- or suburban areas is in fact dialectically related to socio-material transformations on the metropolitan edge. In particular, we highlight three key factors influencing the spread of infectious disease that have been identified in the literature: demographic change, infrastructure and governance. These have been chosen given both the prominence of these themes and their role in shaping the spread of disease on the urban edge. Further, we suggest how a landscape political ecology framework can be useful for examining the role of socio-ecological transformations in generating increased risk of infectious disease in peri- and suburban areas. To illustrate our arguments we will draw upon examples from various re-emerging infectious disease events and outbreaks around the world to reveal how extended urbanisation in the broadest sense has amplified the conditions necessary for the spread of infectious diseases. We thus call for future research on the spatialities of health and disease to pay attention to how variegated patterns of extended urbanisation may influence possible outbreaks and the mechanisms through which such risks can be alleviated.
Book review: Sukti Dasgupta and Sher Singh Verick (Eds.). Transformation of Women at Work in Asia: An Unfinished Development Agenda
Authors: Balakrishnan Geeta
Published: March 2020

Sukti Dasgupta and Sher Singh Verick (Eds.). Transformation of Women at Work in Asia: An Unfinished Development Agenda. New Delhi: SAGE Publications India, 2016, pp. 312, ₹995, ISBN 9789385985058 (Hardcover).
Book review: Jacqueline Goodman (Ed.), Global Perspectives on Gender and Work Readings and Interpretations
Authors: Srivastava Nilima
Published: March 2020

Jacqueline Goodman (Ed.), Global Perspectives on Gender and Work Readings and Interpretations. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Inc, 2012, p. 606. ₹1,495. ISBN: 978-0-7425-5613-3 (Hardcover).
The Spirit and the poor in West Africa and Tanzania: A Pentecostal response to David J. Bosch’s “mission in the wake of the Enlightenment”
Authors: Droll Anna Marie
Published: March 2020

This article describes a pneumatological methodology of Christian mission in solidarity with the poor, which is exhibited by African Pentecostal-Charismatics in ministry in Tanzania and West Africa today. The methodology is drawn from the experiences of dreams and visions as they fund an approach rooted in two pneumatological essentials for mission praxis: (1) “poverty of spirit” as an epistemological requisite and (2) the power of Spirit for mission in an oppressive spirit-filled world. The thesis argued here is that this methodological approach to missions is evidence of the “creative tension” between mission and eschatology that missiologist David Bosch called for. As well, this en-Spirited missions motif critiques the rationalist neglect of experience Bosch lamented and satisfies as an example of what he envisioned as an “emerging ecumenical missionary paradigm.”
Transscleral versus endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation outcomes for refractory glaucoma
Authors: Lanzagorta-Aresti Aitor , Montolío-Marzo Santiago , Davó-Cabrera Juan María , Piá-Ludeña Jose Vicente
Published: March 2020

Objectives:

Evaluate the efficacy of transscleral cyclophotocoagulation versus endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation to reduce intraocular pressure.

Methods:

A retrospective, non-randomized cohort study with 1 year of follow-up included 62 eyes of 62 refractory glaucoma patients who underwent transscleral cyclophotocoagulation or endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation.

Results:

Thirty-two patients were enrolled in transscleral cyclophotocoagulation group and 30 patients in endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation group, and the follow-up period was 1 year. The mean preoperative intraocular pressure was 35.6 ± 12.9 mm Hg in the transscleral cyclophotocoagulation group and 31.8 ± 8.8 mm Hg in the endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation group without significant difference ( p = 0.18). When we compare both groups, there was no difference at 1 month ( p = 0.46) and 3 months ( p = 0.21) after surgery. However, there was a statistically significant difference at month 6 ( p = 0.0055) and 1 year ( p = 0.0019), finding lower intraocular pressure in the transscleral cyclophotocoagulation group. Cumulative success for intraocular pressure <21 mm Hg was 93.8% in transscleral cyclophotocoagulation group and 83.3% in endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation group after 1 year ( p = 0.2). For intraocular pressure <18 mm Hg, the success rate was 78.1% in transscleral cyclophotocoagulation group and 63.3% in endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation group ( p = 0.06), and for intraocular pressure <16 mm Hg, the success rate was 62.5% in transscleral cyclophotocoagulation group and 43.3% in endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation group ( p = 0.02). Hypotony ( p = 0.01) and vision loss of two lines ( p = 0.01) were statistically significant lower in endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation group.

Conclusion:

This study demonstrates that both transscleral cyclophotocoagulation and endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation are effective at decreasing intraocular pressure. However, transscleral cyclophotocoagulation is related to more complications than endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation, whereas endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation shows lower intraocular pressure decrease than transscleral cyclophotocoagulation.