bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New Pulmonary Valvuloplasty Technique by Use of an Hourglass-Shaped Balloon in 3 Adults with Severe Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
Authors: Kilic Teoman , Sahin Tayfun , Karauzum Kurtulus , Ural Ertan , Pedersen Wesley R.
Published: May 2018

Percutaneous balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty is the preferred therapy for pulmonary valve stenosis. However, the designs of the cylindrical balloons historically used for valvuloplasty have limitations, especially in patients who have large pulmonary annular diameters. The hourglass-shaped V8 Aortic Valvuloplasty Balloon may prove to be an effective alternative. The balloon has 2 large bulbous segments that are separated by a narrowed waist. The geometric shape is maintained throughout inflation, improving fixation and enabling broader leaflet opening. We present our first experience with the V8 balloon in 3 adults who had severe, symptomatic pulmonary valve stenosis. In addition to describing their cases, we detail our sizing technique for pulmonary valvuloplasty with the V8 balloon. Our successful results suggest that the V8 balloon is efficient and safe for balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty in adults with severe pulmonary valve stenosis.
Cardiac Magnetic Resonance to Evaluate Percutaneous Pulmonary Valve Implantation in Children and Young Adults
Authors: Gonzalez de Alba Cesar , Molina Berganza Fernando , Brownlee John , Khan Muhammad , Adebo Dilachew
Published: May 2018

Experience with cardiac magnetic resonance to evaluate coronary arteries in children and young adult patients is limited. Because noninvasive imaging has advantages over coronary angiography, we compared the effectiveness of these techniques in patients who were being considered for percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation.

We retrospectively reviewed the cases of 26 patients (mean age, 12.53 ± 4.85 yr; range, 5–25 yr), all of whom had previous right ventricular-to-pulmonary artery homografts. We studied T2-prepared whole-heart images for coronary anatomy, velocity-encoded cine images for ventricular morphology, and function- and time-resolved magnetic resonance angiographic findings. Cardiac catheterization studies included coronary angiography, balloon compression testing, right ventricular outflow tract, and pulmonary artery anatomy.

Diagnostic-quality images were obtained in 24 patients (92%), 13 of whom were considered suitable candidates for valve implantation. Two patients (8%) had abnormal coronary artery anatomy that placed them at high risk of coronary artery compression during surgery. Twelve patients underwent successful valve implantation after cardiac magnetic resonance images and catheterization showed no increased risk of compression. We attempted valve implantation in one patient with unsuitable anatomy but ultimately placed a stent in the homograft.

Magnetic resonance imaging of coronary arteries is an important noninvasive study that may identify patients who are at high risk of coronary artery compression during percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation, and it may reveal high-risk anatomic variants that can be missed during cardiac catheterization.
Murmur Associated with Diastolic Paradoxical Jet Flow in a 43-Year-Old Man with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Yamano Michiyo , Kawasaki Tatsuya , Shiraishi Hirokazu , Kamitani Tadaaki , Shima Takatomo , Nakamura Takashi , Matoba Satoaki
Published: May 2018

A diastolic paradoxical jet flow, often seen in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, is a unique flow from the apex toward the base of the left ventricle during isovolumic relaxation. To date, this phenomenon appears to have been noninvasively detected only on echocardiograms. We report the case of a 43-year-old man with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and a diastolic paradoxical jet flow, in whom cardiac auscultation revealed a soft S4, a systolic ejection murmur, and a low-pitched early diastolic murmur immediately after S2 at the apex. On comparing his echocardiographic findings with those on phonocardiograms and apexcardiograms, we confirmed that the unusual murmur coincided with the diastolic jet flow. To our knowledge, this is the first case in which heart murmurs associated with a diastolic paradoxical jet flow have been clearly described. Because these flows can increase the risk of adverse outcomes, detecting any associated murmurs by methods other than echocardiography is worthwhile, even in the era of advanced imaging techniques.
Investigation of social anxiety level of migrated and not migrated secondary school student
Authors: Kıran Binnaz , Bozkur Binaz , Kaya Alim
Published: May 2018

It is thought that children whose family migrated may have a high social anxiety due to being not acepted by public and being exposed to negative evaluation. This study examines the social anxiety of migrated and nonmigrated children in terms of gender, socio-economic level and prevalence of child labour. The study group included 727 migrated and nomigrated secondary school students in Mersin. Data were collected with the Social Anxiety Scale for Children and the Personal Information Sheet. As a result, it is found that social anxiety differs depending on migration, gender, working situation and their reasons for migration. Child labour and low socio-economic level are more prevalent in the immigrant group. In this contex, it can be asserted that immigration constitutes to be a risk factor for experiencing social anxiety problems. Considering that migration is a continuing phenomenon, it would be necessary for some institutions such as the Ministry of Family and Social Policies, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, to carry out preventive studies collaboratively to ensure the children from migrant families are less affected by social anxiety and similar psychological difficulties.
Use of Cement Stabilized Rammed Earth for Load Bearing Wall with Appropriate Finishes-Case Study
Authors: Kandamby G.W. T.C.
Published: May 2018

Rammed earth is one of the traditional technology used for putting up houses in most parts of the world and it is
being now rapidly developed through researches due to its valuable qualities especially strength, durability,
environmental friendly and affordability. As a result, cement has been introduced as a stabilizer to gain high strength
and durability. Local building codes and guidelines have been established to design and construct rammed earth
walls successfully in buildings. Aim of this paper is to demonstrate the application of cement stabilized rammed earth
for making load bearing walls of two storey house combining with reinforced cement concrete beams, lintels, slab and
stairway. These walls have been structurally designed by following the code of engineering design of earth buildings
NZS 4297:1998 published by New Zealand and applying strength parameters derived for local soils. House
construction was totally completed in 2015 with smooth and rough wall finishes for internal and external surfaces of
walls to get the good appearance to the house.
Mechanical and Microstructure properties analysis of Friction Stir Welded Similar and Dissimilar Mg alloy joints
Authors: Mishra Akshansh , Gupta Anish Das , Sharma Abhishek Kumar , Nidigonda Gopikrishna
Published: May 2018

Friction Stir Welding is used already in routine, as well as critical applications, for the joining of structural components made of aluminium and its alloys. Indeed, it has been convincingly demonstrated that the process results in strong and ductile joints, sometimes in systems which have proved difficult using conventional welding techniques. The aim of this study was to evaluate microstructures, tensile strength and Hardness of welded specimen of Magnesium-Magnesium (Mg/Mg) similar joints and Magnesium-Aluminium (Mg/Al) dissimilar joints.
Air Terminal Design using Photovoltaic Panels with Energy Conservation Optimization Approach
Authors: Bayat Sahar , Yazdanfar Seyed Abbas , Hosseini Seyed Bagher
Published: May 2018

Today, excessive consumption of fossil fuels in architecture, especially air terminals and with the increase in the
number of terminals along with population growth, the energy shortage crisis in the not-so-distant future in this
high-use structure predicted. Therefore, the present study aims was designing an air terminal using photovoltaic
panels with an energy efficiency optimization approach. The most important energy efficiency of the sun is its direct
conversion to electricity. One of the systems for direct conversion of energy from radiation to electrical energy is the
photovoltaic system. Advantages of using photovoltaic panels have led to the growing use of these plates at various
scales. In addition, the use of photovoltaic panels as structural elements in architecture has created innovations in
the building industry and has given a new meaning to the architecture. The use of photovoltaics in terminals is a
smart method to bring contemporary architecture to a new concept in green architecture. Finally, we can say that
photovoltaic module has a double function in the terminal; that is, photovoltaic module also replaces conventional
building materials and they produce electricity. By replacing photovoltaics, cost of materials is deducted from the
total cost of the building and the cost of the photovoltaic acquisition is partially offset. Such as the integration of
photovoltaics with the roof which is the best way to get the maximum efficiency of the system in which the sun is
perpendicular to it.
Semi-automatic generation of a virtual representation of a production cell
Authors: Thongnuch Suthida , Fay Alexander , Drath Rainer
Published: May 2018

Nowadays there are commercial tools and academic solutions that support and contribute to Virtual Commissioning (VC). However, the main obstacle which hinders the broader application of VC in practice is the modeling time and effort required to create a proper simulation model. The modeling is also separated from the current project development lifecycle. This paper presents a semi-automatic method to transform the 3D geometry model of a production cell into a simulation-enabled virtual representation (i. e., a high fidelity simulation model of the cell). The geometry is combined with dynamic behavior which is a behavior description modeled intuitively based on VDI 2860. The entire method is embedded into a virtual commissioning workflow and is exemplified by a production cell with conveyors. Several commercial modeling and simulation tools are used and combined in the workflow to demonstrate the applicability. The presented methodology bases on AutomationML.
Obtaining as-built models of manufacturing plants from point clouds
Authors: Meidow Jochen , Usländer Thomas , Schulz Karsten
Published: May 2018

The capability to adapt a manufacturing plant to changing requirements gains increasing importance in industrial production environments, e. g., triggered by Industrie 4.0 scenarios. A virtual as-built model of a manufacturing plant and its surrounding factory building provides important decision support and relevant information for digital twins, e. g., to trace assets and asset types across their whole lifetime, planning of renovations, plant and machine topology changes, or the simulation-based analysis of production processes. Based on point clouds obtained by terrestrial laser scanning or photogrammetric acquisition, reverse engineering can be applied to extract and to reconstruct relevant objects in a form suitable for CAD programs. In this article, we review approaches to capture a scene by point measurements and to reconstruct the geometry of its components given specific object models. This comprises the discussion of various representation schemes for objects and their relations, strategies for object recognition, and the explication of methods for model instantiation. Furthermore, depending on the requirements for specific tasks, we identify technology gaps and specify the degree of maturity of the related techniques.
Teaching the Mandarin utterance-final particlelethrough authentic materials
Authors: Su Danjie , Tao Hongyin
Published: May 2018

The Mandarin utterance-final particleleis among the most difficult and elusive grammatical features that learners of Chinese often encounter, owing to its rich interactional pragmatic functions and the lack of a counterpart in many first languages. In this article, we use media clips to illustrate a beginning-level language teaching unit for this feature. We show that authentic materials can be used to address pedagogical issues with some of the most difficult grammatical phenomena in Chinese and that this can be accomplished via material design, classroom activities, and assessment methods – all at the beginning level. (All relevant video clips used in this article can be found from this website:http://clicresearch.rice.edu/caslar-authentic-spoken-language/#le)
Recent initiatives in harmonization of hemostasis practice
Authors: Favaloro Emmanuel J. , Gosselin Robert , Olson John , Jennings Ian , Lippi Giuseppe
Published: May 2018

Accepting that standardizing and harmonizing laboratory practice has considerable value within laboratory medicine, including within the field of hemostasis, this paper concentrates on some recent and important initiatives in harmonizing hemostasis practice. Harmonization of hemostasis practice to improve clinical diagnosis and management is best driven by evidence and, in the absence of evidence, by consensus and expert opinion. To such end, there are various groups involved in such initiatives, and recent initiatives by these groups are highlighted in this review.
Which cytochrome P450 metabolizes phenazepam? Step by step in silico, in vitro, and in vivo studies
Authors: Ivashchenko Dmitriy V. , Rudik Anastasia V. , Poloznikov Andrey A. , Nikulin Sergey V. , Smirnov Valeriy V. , Tonevitsky Alexander G. , Bryun Eugeniy A. , Sychev Dmitriy A.
Published: May 2018

Background:

Phenazepam (bromdihydrochlorphenylbenzodiazepine) is the original Russian benzodiazepine tranquilizer belonging to 1,4-benzodiazepines. There is still limited knowledge about phenazepam’s metabolic liver pathways and other pharmacokinetic features.

Methods:

To determine phenazepam’s metabolic pathways, the study was divided into three stages: in silico modeling, in vitro experiment (cell culture study), and in vivo confirmation. In silico modeling was performed on the specialized software PASS and GUSAR to evaluate phenazepam molecule affinity to different cytochromes. The in vitro study was performed using a hepatocytes’ cell culture, cultivated in a microbioreactor to produce cytochrome P450 isoenzymes. The culture medium contained specific cytochrome P450 isoforms inhibitors and substrates (for CYP2C9, CYP3A4, CYP2C19, and CYP2B6) to determine the cytochrome that was responsible for phenazepam’s metabolism. We also measured CYP3A activity using the 6-betahydroxycortisol/cortisol ratio in patients.

Results:

According to in silico and in vitro analysis results, the most probable metabolizer of phenazepam is CYP3A4. By the in vivo study results, CYP3A activity decreased sufficiently (from 3.8 [95% CI: 2.94–4.65] to 2.79 [95% CI: 2.02–3.55], p=0.017) between the start and finish of treatment in patients who were prescribed just phenazepam.

Conclusions:

Experimental in silico and in vivo studies confirmed that the original Russian benzodiazepine phenazepam was the substrate of CYP3A4 isoenzyme.
Reducing formaldehyde emission from wood-based panels by modification of UF and MUF resins with condensates obtained from kiln-drying of wood
Authors: Ayrilmis Nadir , Kaptı Tolga , Gürel Ali , Ohlmeyer Martin
Published: May 2018

Liquid condensates collected during drying of lumber, sawdust or wood powder are usually discarded. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential utilization of such condensates from oak, beech and walnut, focusing on those obtained in a 7.8 MHz vacuum dryer. The condensate was replaced with the deionized water (5%) in the production of urea-formaldehyde (UF) and melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF) resins in the reactor. The technical properties of the resins and chemical properties of the liquid condensates were determined. Particleboards (PB) and middle density fiberboards (MDF) were produced from the control and modified resins. The technical properties of both modified resins were between the limit values of commercial UF and MUF resins used in the wood-based panel industry. The formaldehyde (F) emission from PB and MDF decreased significantly by incorporation of the condensates into the UF and MUF resins.
A pilot study exploring the impact of cardiac medications on ciliary beat frequency: possible implications for clinical management
Authors: Loomba Rohit S. , Bhushan Abhinav , Afolayan Adeleye J.
Published: May 2018

Background

Cilia are involved in several physiologic processes, and at least a single primary cilium can be found on nearly every cell in the human body. Various factors, such as pH, temperature, exposure to medications and toxins can impact ciliary function as is manifested by changes in the ciliary beat frequency. Those with ciliary dyskinesia may also have congenital cardiac malformations and may require care in a cardiac intensive care unit. This study investigates the effect on the ciliary beat frequency of medications frequently used in a cardiac intensive care unit.

Methods

The ciliated epithelial cells were obtained via nasal swab from a relatively healthy individual. These cells were cultured for 24 h. Video microscopy was then employed to determine the ciliary beat frequency at baseline and then at 15, 30, 60 and 90 min after exposure to either normal saline (control) or one of several medications. The ciliary beat frequency at each time point was then compared to the ciliary beat frequency at the same time point in the control sample as well as the baseline value for that particular sample.

Results

Epinephrine increased the ciliary beat frequency compared to the baseline and the controls up to 30 min and then subsequently led to a significant decrease in ciliary beat frequency at 90 min. On the one hand, norepinephrine, dexmedetomidine, procainamide, propranolol and enalapril all decreased ciliary beat frequency significantly throughout the 90-min observation period. On the other hand, Milrinone significantly increased the ciliary beat frequency throughout the observation period, while heparin had no impact on ciliary beat frequency.

Conclusions

The medications frequently used in cardiac intensive care unit impact ciliary function, with most being ciliodepressant. Further investigation is needed to determine the clinical impacts and whether these effects are exaggerated in those with ciliary dyskinesia.
Accuracy estimates of regularization methods and conditional well-posedness of nonlinear optimization problems
Authors: Kokurin Mikhail Y.
Published: May 2018

We investigate the nonlinear minimization problem on a convex closed set in a Hilbert space. It is shown that the uniform conditional well-posedness of a class of problems with weakly lower semicontinuous functionals is the necessary and sufficient condition for existence of regularization procedures with accuracy estimates uniform on this class. We also establish a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of regularizing operators which do not use information on the error level in input data. Similar results were previously known for regularization procedures of solving ill-posed inverse problems.
The use of the Rotterdam Transition Profile: 10 years in review
Authors: Zhang-Jiang Sofía , Gorter Jan Willem
Published: May 2018

The aim of this literature review was to describe the use and utility of the Rotterdam Transition Profile (RTP), as we near the tenth year since its publication in 2008. It is a tool to summarize a youth’s transition process to adulthood by classifying various domains of participation and health care into developmental stages. This review provided a comprehensive synthesis of available knowledge on the RTP by summarizing published and grey literature. Using search terms related to transition, social participation, and questionnaire, a systematic search was conducted for literature up to November 2017 in MEDLINE and Embase databases, and was supplemented with a hand-search using Google Scholar and a general internet search using Google Search. Inclusion criteria were specified to determine the papers selected for review, yielding fifty-five materials for detailed review. Combined analysis of published and grey literature identified nine papers that used some form of the RTP as a measure, 18 materials that cited the RTP or its domains but did not employ it as a measure, and twenty-eight materials that cited the original RTP development and validation paper for information not directly related to the RTP. The literature demonstrated that the RTP seems to be a useful tool to describe and monitor the transition process of adolescents and young adults, in both research and clinical settings. While it has been used with youth of 14–31 years of age across genders and health conditions, more evidence is needed to demonstrate its psychometric properties beyond construct validity in young adults with cerebral palsy.
Optional ergative, agentivity and discourse prominence – Evidence from Yali (Trans-New Guinea)
Authors: Riesberg Sonja
Published: May 2018

A phenomenon often termed “optional ergative marking” is found in a number of genetically unrelated languages. Yali, a Trans-New Guinea language spoken in West Papua, shows striking similarities to optional ergative systems as described in the literature. This paper focuses on the relation between agentivity and discourse prominence, and argues in favour of a systematic distinction between semantic and syntactic contexts as conditioning factors for optional ergative marking. It further provides new evidence for the close interplay of ergative marking and what has been termed “discourse prominence” in descriptions of some other languages and shows that in Yali, optional ergative marking operates on both the global and the local level of discourse.
Feeding strategy of two rodent species in a set-aside field and its influence on alimentary tract morphometry
Authors: Heroldova Marta , Janova Eva
Published: May 2018

We examined the feeding strategy of two dominant rodents, the common vole (Microtus arvalis) and the pygmy field mouse (Apodemus uralensis), in set-aside fields over a period of 1 year. Diet analysis revealed dominance of green plant shoots in common vole’s diet and seeds in the diet of the pygmy field mouse. Food availability in the set-aside fields was strongly correlated with the diet of the herbivorous common vole, but not with that of the granivorous pygmy-field mouse. Both feeding strategies reflect specific morphological adaptations of the digestive tract of both species. A comparison of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT; length and mass without oesophagus; including contents) of the common vole and pygmy field mouse revealed a correlation between body size and length and the GIT weight in both species. The common vole had a proportionally heavier GIT with a larger of the common vole and pygmy field mouse relative proportion of caecum. The GIT length was proportionally greater in juvenile females, while the GIT weight was greater in adult females of both species. The GIT morphometry of both species varied with season and reproductive status, presumably as food consumed altered in line with vegetation phenology and the rodent’s energy requirements.
Hong Kong bilingual legislation and plain language drafting: A communicative approach
Authors: Chan Clara Ho-yan
Published: May 2018

This paper proposes law drafting techniques, especially in Chinese, that aim to enhance the fluency and readability of Hong Kong bilingual legislation. The study is based on the plain language guide published by the Department of Justice of Hong Kong in 2012, with the goal of helping the current legislation to comply with the guidelines. Using data from seven recently-enacted ordinances, the analysis illustrates drafting techniques for their English and Chinese versions in accordance with the plain language guide published by the Department of Justice. This process is accomplished by suggesting revisions for relevant Chinese sections of legislation and their corresponding English sections according to contrasting aspects of English and Chinese grammars. The discussion will also evaluate the plain language drafting and the overall theoretical and philosophical trend of law drafting in Hong Kong, in light of the “Seven Standards of Textuality” proposed by de Beaugrande and Dressler. This is believed to be the first undertaking to study plain legal language against its official guidelines in the Hong Kong context.
Anomalous temperature coefficient of resistance in graphene nanowalls/polymer films and applications in infrared photodetectors
Authors: Zhang Hui , Zhao Kangyi , Cui Songya , Yang Jun , Zhou Dahua , Tang Linlong , Shen Jun , Feng Shuanglong , Zhang Weiguo , Fu Yongqi
Published: May 2018

Graphene nanowalls (GNWs) exhibit outstanding optoelectronic properties due to their peculiar structure, which makes them a great potential in infrared (IR) detection. Herein, a novel IR detector that is composed of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and designed based on GNWs is demonstrated. Such detector possesses an anomalous temperature coefficient of resistance of 180% K−1 and a relatively high change rate of current (up to 16%) under IR radiation from the human body. It primarily attributes to the ultra-high IR absorption of the GNWs and large coefficient of thermal expansion of PDMS. In addition, the GNW/PDMS device possesses excellent detection performance in the IR region with a responsivity of ~1.15 mA W−1. The calculated detectivity can reach 1.07×108 cm Hz1/2 W−1, which is one or two orders of magnitude larger than that of the traditional carbon-based IR detectors. The significant performance indicates that the GNW/PDMS-based devices reveal a novel design concept and promising applications for the future new-generation IR photodetectors.
The crystal structure of 4-tert-butyl-N′-[(E)-(4-fluoro-3-methoxyphenyl)methylidene]benzohydrazide, C19H21F1N2O2
Authors: Ikram Muhammad , Khan Momin , Ahmad Sajjad , Rehman Sadia , Schulzke Carola
Published: May 2018

C19H21F1N2O2, monoclinic,Cc(no. 9),a= 14.337(3) Å,b= 15.549(3) Å,c= 8.0212(16) Å,β= 103.33(3)°,V= 1740.0(6) Å3,Z= 4,Rgt(F) = 0.0796,wRref(F2) = 0.2192, T = 170 K.
Emigdiano Blues: The California Indigenous Pigment Palette and an In Situ Analysis of an Exotic Colour
Authors: Bedford Clare , Robinson David Wayne , Gandy Devlin
Published: May 2018

The Native inhabitants of South Central California produced rock art containing red, orange, black, white, green and blue colours using a range of mineral and organic materials. Many of these same colours were used on material culture and body painting. This paper focuses on a sub-group of the Chumash, called the Emigdiano, who produced an enigmatic blue colour used in the creation of rock art. Here, we focus on the blue pigment at the rock shelter site of Three Springs in the Wind Wolves Preserve in South Central California. The composition of blue pigments has previously been the focus of discussion with suggestions that they were produced either using European pigments taken from Spanish missions, or that azurite from a local quarry was the source. Previous experimental work had demonstrated that it was possible for the blue to be produced from locally available azurite. Here we present the in situ analyses of these enigmatic blue pigments using handheld X-ray Fluorescence (pXRF). Results from pXRF analysis of rock art, quarried azurite samples and experimental rock art reconstructions showed that the Emigdiano Blue at Three Springs were not azurite based and was composed of optical blue (a mixture of black and white or grey materials which mimic the appearance of blue). This paper discusses the surprising implications of the use, given the availability of a ‘true’ blue pigment, and the wider ontological importance of combining multiple colours to produce the effect of blue in a rock art panel.
Rab23 and developmental disorders
Authors: Hor Catherine H.H. , Tang Bor Luen , Goh Eyleen L.K.
Published: May 2018

Rab23 is a conserved member of the Rab family of small GTPases that regulates membrane trafficking in eukaryotes. It is unique amongst the Rabs in terms of its implicated role in mammalian development, as originally illustrated by the embryonic lethality and open neural tube phenotype of a spontaneous mouse mutant that carries homozygous mutation of open brain, a gene encoding Rab23. Rab23 was initially identified to act as an antagonist of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling, and has since been implicated in a number of physiological and pathological roles, including oncogenesis. Interestingly, RAB23 null allele homozygosity in humans is not lethal, but instead causes the developmental disorder Carpenter’s syndrome (CS), which is characterized by craniofacial malformations, polysyndactyly, obesity and intellectual disability. CS bears some phenotypic resemblance to a spectrum of hereditary defects associated with the primary cilium, or the ciliopathies. Recent findings have in fact implicated Rab23 in protein traffic to the primary cilium, thus linking it with the primary cellular locale of Shh signaling. Rab23 also has Shh and cilia-independent functions. It is known to mediate the expression of Nodal at the mouse left lateral plate mesoderm and Kupffer’s vesicle, the zebrafish equivalent of the mouse node. It is thus important for the left-right patterning of vertebrate embryos. In this review, we discuss the developmental disorders associated with Rab23 and attempt to relate its cellular activities to its roles in development.
Jet Engines – The New Masters of Advanced Flight Control
Authors: Gal-Or Benjamin
Published: May 2018

ANTICIPATED UNITED STATES CONGRESS ACT should lead to reversing a neglected duty to the people by supporting FAA induced bill to civilize classified military air combat technology to maximize flight safety of airliners and cargo jet transports, in addition to FAA certifying pilots to master Jet-Engine Steering (“JES”) as automatic or pilot recovery when Traditional Aerodynamic-only Flight Control (“TAFC”) fails to prevent a crash and other related damages [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42]. Replacement of propeller driven air vehicles with jet engines marks the first jet-engine historical revolution. Yet designers of TAFC still a priori arrest jet engines to provide only brute force forward – a practice leading to wrong freezing of wings, tails, canards, landing gear, airframe and avionics prior to selection of off-the-shelf jet engine to fit that non-integrated design. A second jet-engine revolution is currently in. It originated by failures of TAFC to function and prevent catastrophes especially in post-stall flight domains, takeoff and landing, which mark the JES-Revolution. Full scale JES implementation started in 1986 in the U.S. by YF-22 design [24, 31, 32, 33, 34]. Three years later the YF-22 prototype was selected over the YF-23 that lacked IPA-78402 JES Technologies [31] like 60+ to 1 kill-ratio advantage during WVR air combat – a revolution gradually followed by RUSSIA, CHINA, INDIA, JAPAN and South KOREA [20, 21, 28]. Civilizing JES to maximize future passengers flight safety by preventing various airlines catastrophes [8] had been successfully first flight tested by a subscale JES-Boeing-727 under U.S. FAA support [8, 25]. Pro and cons of military vs. civil JES-technologies are presented by this editorial.
Die deutsche Krankenhauspolitik: Eine Geschichte verpasster Strukturreformen?
Authors: Dittmann Heidi
Published: May 2018

The introduction of the DRG system in 2003/04 can be considered the last real hospital reform. Although the latest reform was called Hospital Structure Act due to its insufficient structural components it is sometimes referred to as missed reform. Essential aspects of the institutional background remained unchanged. However, a closer look reveals even the introduction of the DRG system was only a change in the reimbursement of operating costs. Further structural changes were neither discussed nor induced. The same applies to all subsequent reforms. The key parameters of the regulatory framework are for the greater part the same as those established by the German Hospital Finance Act in 1972. Against this backdrop, the presented paper discusses the institutional background and potential reasons for its continuance. The focus is on the question, whether missed reforms are based on its optimality or which alternative explanations seem to be convincing.
Geldpolitischer Aktionismus, Ersparnisbildung und Kapitalallokation – Einige ökonomische Überlegungen
Authors: Prinz Aloys , Beck Hanno
Published: May 2018

In diesem Beitrag wird untersucht, wie private Haushalte auf Niedrig- bzw. Nullzinsen reagieren. Dabei wird angenommen, dass die Haushalte sich an Nominalwerten orientieren. Die stark expansive Geldpolitik mit sehr geringen Zinsen verzerren die Ersparnisbildung und die Risikoallokation privater Portfolios. Dies senkt das Nutzenniveau der Sparer-Haushalte. Darüber hinaus sind die Haushalte doppelt negativ von der Geldpolitik betroffen, da die Anlageerträge nicht nur geringer, sondern auch riskanter geworden sind. Des Weiteren kann eine Niedrig- bzw. Nullzinspolitik Vermögensmarkteffekte auslösen, wenn sie Anlagemittel auf bestehende Vermögensgüter umleitet. Deren Preise können dadurch inflatorisch erhöht werden, was letztlich zu Vermögenspreisblasen führen kann. Alles zusammengenommen ist kaum auszuschließen, dass diese Effekte auch makroökonomisch negative Folgewirkungen nach sich ziehen.
Intermolecular interactions in crystals of small unsubstituted cyclic ethers and substituted epoxides
Authors: Spackman Mark A.
Published: May 2018

CE-B3LYP model energies are used to investigate intermolecular interactions in crystals of the relatively weakly bound cyclic ethers, as well as a number of substituted epoxides that have been the focus of high-quality experimental electron density studies. This approach readily provides a complete picture of all intermolecular interactions in these molecular crystals, and CE-B3LYP lattice energies for the unsubstituted cyclic ethers are in excellent agreement with available thermodynamic data. When compared with the outcomes of multipole modelling of X-ray diffraction data, these results suggest that experimental interaction energies are typically underestimated and, contrarily, experimental lattice energies are typically overestimated. These observations deserve careful investigation.
A Novel Class of Chaotic Flows with Infinite Equilibriums and Their Application in Chaos-Based Communication Design Using DCSK
Authors: Rajagopal Karthikeyan , Çiçek Serdar , Khalaf Abdul Jalil M. , Pham Viet-Thanh , Jafari Sajad , Karthikeyan Anitha , Duraisamy Prakash
Published: May 2018

Discovering chaotic systems with interesting features has been of interest in the recent years. One such important and interesting feature is the type and shape of equilibrium points. We introduce a class of chaotic systems which could show different types of infinite equilibrium points. The fundamental properties of the proposed systems like bifurcation diagram and Lyapunov exponents are investigated. An electronic circuit of the presented chaotic systems is implemented. In addition, a chaos-based communication application by the differential chaos shift keying method with the new chaotic system is designed and tested for engineering application. According to the design test results, the proposed chaos-based communication system is successful. Therefore, the new chaotic system can be used in chaos-based communication systems.
Structural, spectral and docking studies of a coordination polymer of zinc(II) formed by a pyridine-derived linker
Authors: Marandi Farzin , Moeini Keyvan , Alizadeh Fereshteh , Mardani Zahra , Quah Ching Kheng , Loh Wan-Sin
Published: May 2018

A mixed ligand zinc coordination polymer, {Zn(μ-DPE)(DBM)2}
n
(1) (HDBM: dibenzoylmethane and DPE: (E)-1,2-di(pyridin-4-yl)ethene), was prepared and identified by elemental analysis, FT-IR, 1H NMR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In the 1D linear coordination polymer of 1, the zinc atom has a ZnN2O4 environment with octahedral geometry. These complex units are linked by the bridging of the planar N2 donor DPE ligands. In the coordination network of complex 1, in addition to the hydrogen bonds, the network is more stabilized by π–π stacking interactions between pyridine and β-diketone moieties of the ligands. These interactions increase the ability of the compound to interact with biomacromolecules (BRAF kinase, CatB, DNA gyrase, HDAC7, rHA, RNR, TrxR, TS and Top II) as investigated by docking calculations.
Potential of Rice Husk Ash (RHA) as a Supplementary Cementitious Material in Concrete
Authors: Ahsan Mohammad Badrul , Hossain Zahid
Published: May 2018

Supplementary cementitious material (SCM) is often used to make concrete more durable by improving its mechanistic properties. Rice husk ash (RHA) has the potential of being a SCM because of its pozzolanic activity. Arkansas produces a huge amount of RHA, which mostly originates from the world’s largest rice miller, Riceland Foods, Inc. The RHA produced here is treated as an agricultural waste product and stored in nearby temporary storages, resulting in costly disposal processes as well as environmental hazards. Because the potential of this local RHA as a SCM has not been studied in the past, the present research study aims at exploring the potential of RHA as SCM through laboratory-based experiments. Three different graded RHA (600-RHA, 150-RHA, and 44-RHA) were incorporated in this study. The 600-RHA and 150-RHA were coarse in nature as they had a particle size of 600 μm and 150 μm, respectively, and did not meet the AASHTO M 321-04, Standard Specification for High-Reactivity Pozzolans for Use in Hydraulic-Cement Concrete, Mortar, and Grout, specification. The 600-RHA sample was collected from a plant site and was further ground to produce the 150-RHA sample. The 44-RHA sample was obtained from a commercial industry, and it was incorporated in this study for comparative analyses. Each type of RHA with two different percentages (10 % and 20 %) of replacement of Type I Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) was investigated in this research. It was found that coarser RHA-modified concrete (600-RHA and 150-RHA) showed reduced strength properties while finer RHA (44-RHA) exhibited improved concrete properties. As a result, 44-RHA can be used as SCM in replacement of the OPC. The coarse RHA could be utilized in backfill and flowable fill as controlled low strength material. Further grinding of the coarse RHA followed by burning may improve the properties of modified concrete.
Research on Connection between Essential Properties and Micromechanism of Organic Silicon–Modified Cement Mortar
Authors: Li Faping , Liu Jiesheng
Published: May 2018

This article aimed to research the effect of organic silicon on the density, mechanical strength, water absorption, porosity, and crack resistance of cementitious construction materials. Modified cement mortar was prepared by adding different amounts of organic silicon into control cement mortar. Mechanical strength was evaluated using bending and compressive strength tests. Porosity was evaluated to assess the inner structure of cement mortar. Furthermore, the micromechanism of modified cement mortar and control cement mortar was explored using the nitrogen-absorption test and a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Experimental results showed that for the organic silicon and mix design used in this article, the incorporation of organic silicon generally reduced the mechanical strength and density and increased the water absorption, porosity, and crack resistance. In addition, the analysis of the nitrogen-absorption test and SEM test revealed the modified mechanism and the connection between the macroscopic properties and micromechanism of modified cement mortar.
Rutting Evaluation of Alaskan Asphalt Pavement Containing Sustainable Materials
Authors: Zhao Sheng , Liu Jenny
Published: May 2018

Permanent pavement deformation, or rutting, is one of the most noticeable distresses in hot mix asphalt. In Alaska, pavement rutting concerns exist at different levels because of seasonal climate change and traffic variation across the entire state. A number of sustainable materials in recent years have been used in Alaska’s pavement construction for their durability and economic and environmental benefits. These materials include modified or highly modified asphalt, warm mix asphalt (WMA), and recycled asphalt pavement (RAP). Using these materials in asphalt pavements may overturn the current understanding of rutting performance in Alaska. Therefore, this study aimed at conducting comprehensive rutting evaluations of these sustainable materials and their applications in Alaska. Based on data collected from 29 Alaskan mixtures, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (ρ) was used to discover the link between asphalt pavement analyzer (APA) rut depth and asphalt mixture performance tester parameters for rutting evaluation in order to identify good rutting indicators. The correlation of APA rut depth and flow number (FN) was found to be the strongest, and FN was recommended for rutting evaluation if the APA test was not available. APA results confirmed the good rutting resistance of asphalt mixtures containing high-end modified binders, such as WMA that is produced by adding Sasobit and RAP. Preliminary field evaluation showed no significant rutting concerns in Alaska regarding the application of mixtures containing modified binders, WMA, and RAP.
Cold Compression of 7075 and Factors Influencing Stress Relief
Authors: Robinson J. S. , Wimpory R. C. , Tanner D. A. , Mooney B. , Truman C. E. , Panzner T.
Published: May 2018

The residual stresses in heat-treated 7075 aluminum alloy blocks have been characterized using neutron diffraction, X-ray diffraction, and incremental center-hole drilling. Specimens were quenched to induce high-magnitude residual stresses, which were then stress relieved by the controlled application of plastic deformation using a cold compression technique. The experimental variables investigated were the quench water temperature and the postquench delay. This delay is considered to influence the final residual stress magnitudes because of hardening precipitation occurring by natural aging during the period between quenching and the application of plastic deformation. Cold compression significantly lowered the residual stresses in all specimens. Neutron diffraction measurements demonstrated a benefit to applying plastic deformation as soon as possible after quenching. However, this beneficial effect was not evident when characterizing surface residual stresses using hole drilling or X-ray diffraction.
Circadian Behavioral Responses to Light and Optic Chiasm-Evoked Glutamatergic EPSCs in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus of ipRGC Conditional vGlut2 Knock-Out Mice
Authors: Moldavan Michael G. , Sollars Patricia J. , Lasarev Michael R. , Allen Charles N. , Pickard Gary E.
Published: May 2018

Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) innervate the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), a circadian oscillator that functions as a biological clock. ipRGCs use vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (vGlut2) to package glutamate into synaptic vesicles and light-evoked resetting of the SCN circadian clock is widely attributed to ipRGC glutamatergic neurotransmission. Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is also packaged into vesicles in ipRGCs and PACAP may be coreleased with glutamate in the SCN. vGlut2 has been conditionally deleted in ipRGCs in mice [conditional knock-outs (cKOs)] and their aberrant photoentrainment and residual attenuated light responses have been ascribed to ipRGC PACAP release. However, there is no direct evidence that all ipRGC glutamatergic neurotransmission is eliminated in vGlut2 cKOs. Here, we examined two lines of ipRGC vGlut2 cKO mice for SCN-mediated behavioral responses under several lighting conditions and for ipRGC glutamatergic neurotransmission in the SCN. Circadian behavioral responses varied from a very limited response to light to near normal photoentrainment. After collecting behavioral data, hypothalamic slices were prepared and evoked EPSCs (eEPSCs) were recorded from SCN neurons by stimulating the optic chiasm. In cKOs, glutamatergic eEPSCs were recorded and all eEPSC parameters examined (stimulus threshold, amplitude, rise time or time-to-peak and stimulus strength to evoke a maximal response) were similar to controls. We conclude that a variable number but functionally significant percentage of ipRGCs in two vGlut2 cKO mouse lines continue to release glutamate. Thus, the residual SCN-mediated light responses in these cKO mouse lines cannot be attributed solely to ipRGC PACAP release.
Integration of Enhancer-Promoter Interactions with GWAS Summary Results Identifies Novel Schizophrenia-Associated Genes and Pathways
Authors: Wu Chong , Pan Wei
Published: May 2018

It remains challenging to boost statistical power of genome-wide association studies (GWASs) to identify more risk variants or loci that can account for “missing heritability.” Furthermore, since most identified variants are not in gene-coding regions, a biological interpretation of their function is largely lacking. On the other hand, recent biotechnological advances have made it feasible to experimentally measure the three-dimensional organization of the genome, including enhancer–promoter interactions in high resolutions. Due to the well-known critical roles of enhancer–promoter interactions in regulating gene expression programs, such data have been applied to link GWAS risk variants to their putative target genes, gaining insights into underlying biological mechanisms. However, their direct use in GWAS association testing is yet to be exploited. Here we propose integrating enhancer–promoter interactions into GWAS association analysis to both boost statistical power and enhance interpretability. We demonstrate that through an application to two large-scale schizophrenia (SCZ) GWAS summary data sets, the proposed method could identify some novel SCZ-associated genes and pathways (containing no significant SNPs). For example, after the Bonferroni correction, for the larger SCZ data set with 36,989 cases and 113,075 controls, our method applied to the gene body and enhancer regions identified 27 novel genes and 11 novel KEGG pathways to be significant, all missed by the transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) approach. We conclude that our proposed method is potentially useful and is complementary to TWAS and other standard gene- and pathway-based methods.