bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Free Fibular Flap in Mandibular Defect Reconstruction in Perspective of a Tertiary Care Hospital of Bangladesh
Authors: Kabir Mohammad Iqbal , Rahaman Muhammad Mizanur , Rabby Md Atiqul Islam , Hasan Shamim , Rob Md Abdur , Chowdhury Golam Mohiuddin , Haider Ismat Ara
Published: July 2019

Introduction:The principal objectives of reconstruction after mandible resection are to restore physiological articulation, chewing, swallowing functions and esthetics of the patient. Metal plate and bone graft are usually used to achieve this purpose.From the point of view of bone resorption and augmented exposure to infection, free vascularized fibular flap (FFF), comprising alive bone, have shown a lower infection rate and high rate of success.

Materials and Methods: The study population of this clinical report included undertaking mandibular reconstruction by transplantation of a free vascularized fibular flap at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Dhaka Dental College between May 2014 to November 2014. The factors consider for studying were as following- age, sex, primary disease , period of reconstruction, mandibular defect classification, mandible resection range, height of reconstructed mandibular bone, number of locations of mandible osteotomy, vascular anastomosis and complication.

Results: Primary disease comprised one was ameloblastoma, one was recurrent ameloblastoma, and another was post-surgical facial deformity. According to the CAT classification body was the most commonly observed defect. All mandibular bones were left as single barrel. There were 2 cases of primary reconstruction and 1 of secondary reconstruction. Free fibular flap ranges from 12-18 cm. No postoperative complications were seen in any case.

Conclusion: Vascularized fibular flap is good choice in wide-range faults hard to fill with an iliac block graft. Further studies including greater samples of patients undertaking fibular bone transplantation are needed to comparatively investigate its merits in more detail.

Medicine Today 2019 Vol.31(2): 80-84
ENHANCING STUDENTS’ CONFIDENCE AND MOTIVATION IN LEARNING ENGLISH WITH THE USE OF ONLINE GAME TRAINING SESSIONS
Authors: Tsymbal Svitlana V.
Published: July 2019

Effective ESL teaching/learning has always been one of the most important interest areas for researchers and educators-practitioners. Over the past twenty years, teaching methods have been developed to enhance the students’ motivation and self-confidence with the purpose of improving their language skills. Learners with higher motivation do better in English, and learners with self-confidence tend to be more successful in learning. The contemporary society is constantly changing and developing new technologies. Using online games in ESL classroom is one of such methods supplementing the teaching-learning process. Learners are often motivated by hands-on and active learning opportunities. The students are able to work on accomplishing a goal by choosing specific actions. They experience the consequences of the actions, which is one of the ways that a game-based learning experience is similar to real life. In this article, we examined how the Kahoot game-based method of teaching ESL may affect the attitude of university students towards the language and their level of motivation and confidence. The obtained data revealed that using Kahoot training sessions was mostly successful in enhancing students’ confidence and motivation in learning English and the majority of students revealed positive attitudes to using Kahoot in language learning. However, 11% of students considered using online games to be a waste of time and 22% of students thought that learning English should not have fun as a necessary requirement. The author suggests that game-based method of teaching could be of use when utilized systematically over the academic year. However, university teachers should try various approaches and strategies to create a supportive learning environment in the classroom where learners feel interested, safe and secure to set and pursue their learning goals.
Karşılıksız Yararlanma Suçları
Authors: KOÇAK Mehmet Faruk
Published: July 2019

Ekonomik faaliyetlerin tarihin son dönemlerinde karmaşıklaşarak gelişmesi ile malvarlığı değerlerini tehdit eden fiillerin niteliği de değişmiştir. Bu hal, birçok ülke hukukunda olduğu gibi Türk Hukukunda da karşılıksız yararlanma suçlarının düzenlenmesine neden olmuştur. Bu doğrultuda, karşılıksız yararlanma başlığı altında üç ayrı suç düzenlemesine yer veren Türk Ceza Kanunu’nun m.163 hükmünün birinci fıkrasında hizmet otomatlarından; ikinci fıkrasında telefon hatlarından veya elektromanyetik yayınlardan; üçüncü fıkrasında ise elektrik, su ve doğal gazdan bedel ödemeksizin yararlanma fiili cezai yaptırıma bağlamıştır. Çalışmanın birinci bölümünde suçun tarihi gelişimi ve cezalandırma gereği irdelenmiş; ikinci bölümde Yargıtay içtihatları ışığında suç incelemesi yapılmış; üçüncü bölümde ise muhakeme aşaması anlatılmıştır.
Roma Usul Hukukunda Condemnatio In Id Quod Facere Potest İlkesi
Authors: KAYAK Sevgi
Published: July 2019

Condemnatio in id quod facere potest, Roma Hukukunda borçlular yararına usul hukuku aracıdır. Kural olarak, borçlu borcun tamamı için sorumludur. Borçlunun malları borcu ödemeye yetmediği zaman borçlu acz içinde demektir. Bu borçlunun malvarlığı bonorum venditio yoluyla satışa çıkarılır. Bu ise, borçlunun infamis (şerefsizlik) olmasına neden olurdu. In id quod facere potest mahkûmiyeti sayesinde borçlular borç miktarının tamamı yerine, mahkûmiyet anında sadece malvarlıklarında fiilen bulunan değerlerin toplam tutarı ile sorumlu tutulmuşlardır. In id quod facere potest mahkûmiyeti ile ilgili olarak hemen belirtelim ki, kavramı ifade etmek üzere bu tabir yerine “beneficiae competentiae” tabiri de kullanılmıştır. Aslında “beneficium competentiae” tabiri Roma hukuku kökenli değildir. In id quod facere potest Roma hukuku kaynaklarında bir defi olarak nitelendirilir. In id quod facere potest, borçlunun kişiliğine bağlıdır, başkasına devredilemez.
Yerleşme ve Seyahat Özgürlüğü ile Çalışma Hakkı Bağlamında Şartlı Mülteciler
Authors: YENER KESKİN Cansu
Published: July 2019

Türkiye 1951 tarihli Birleşmiş Milletler Mültecilerin Hukuki Statüsüne İlişkin Cenevre Sözleşmesi’nde yer alan şartlara göre mülteci statüsü kazanabilecek olup da Avrupa ülkeleri dışında meydana gelen olaylar sebebiyle Türkiye’ye sığınmış kişilere “şartlı mülteci” statüsü vermektedir. Günümüzde Avrupa’da meydana gelen olaylar sebebiyle mülteci statüsünden yararlanmak amacıyla gelen sığınmacıların sayısı azdır. Ancak bunun aksine Avrupa dışından ırkı, dini, vatandaşlığı, belli bir toplumsal gruba mensubiyeti veya siyasi düşüncelerinden dolayı zulme uğrayacağından haklı sebeple korktuğu için Türkiye’ye sığınan kişilerin sayısı her geçen gün artmaktadır. Şartlı mültecilere, mültecilerden farklı olarak, Birleşmiş Milletler Mülteciler Yüksek Komiserliği (BMMYK) tarafından mülteci olarak kabul edilebilecekleri üçüncü ülkeye yerleştirilinceye kadar Türkiye’de belirli bir süre ile koruma sağlanmaktadır. Çok azı BMMYK tarafından üçüncü ülkeye yerleştirilebiliyor olmaları sebebiyle; sosyal, ekonomik ve kültürel hayat açısından Türkiye’ye adapte olabilmeleri ve gelecek planı yapabilmeleri zorlaşmaktadır. Ayrıca Türk hukukunda şartlı mülteciler, mültecilere oranla, başta yerleşme ve seyahat özgürlüğü ile çalışma hakkı olmak üzere bazı haklardan yararlanma konusunda belirli kısıtlamalara tabidirler. Bu makalede şartlı mültecilerin yerleşme ve seyahat özgürlüğü ile çalışma hakları Türkiye’de mülteci statüsüne sahip kişilerin hakları ile karşılaştırılarak irdelenmekte ve böylece şartlı mültecilerin yaşadığı problemler ele alınmaktadır.
Yazılı Anayasalar ve İdari Devlet: İdare Hukukunun Anayasal Karakteri Üzerine
Authors: GİNSBURG Tom
Published: July 2019

.
DHA Upregulates FADS2 Expression in Primary Cortical Astrocytes Exposed to Vitamin A
Authors: DZIEDZIC B. , BEWICZ-BINKOWSKA D. , ZGORZYNSKA E. , STULCZEWSKI D. , WIETESKA L. , KAZA B. , WALCZEWSKA A.
Published: July 2019

The fads2 gene encoding Δ6-desaturase, the rate-limiting enzyme of the LCPUFA biosynthesis is expressed in astrocytes. Dietary fatty acids, which cross the blood-brain barrier, may regulate the transcription of lipogenic enzymes through activation of transcription factors such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs). The PPARs form the transcription complex with retinoid X receptors (RXRs) that are activated by 9-cis retinoic acid, a metabolite of vitamin A (VA). The study examines whether challenge of astrocytes with VA, prior 24-h treatment with palmitic acid (PA), α-linolenic acid (ALA) or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has the effect on the FADS2 expression. RT-qPCR showed that in astrocytes not challenged with VA, PA increased fads2 gene expression and DHA decreased it. However, in VA-primed astrocytes, PA doubled the FADS2 mRNA levels, while DHA increased fads2 gene expression, oppositely to non-primed cells. Furthermore, similar changes were seen in VA-primed astrocytes with regard to Δ6-desaturase protein levels following PA and DHA treatment. ALA did not have any effect on the FADS2 mRNA and protein levels in either VA-primed or non-primed astrocytes. These findings indicate that in the presence of vitamin A, DHA upregulates fads2 gene expression in astrocytes.
Prosody Drives Structure: The Case of Compounds in Akan
Authors: Marfo Charles
Published: July 2019

This paper discusses compound constructions in Akan, which are mostly nouns. Compounding is generally explained as a morphosyntactic word-formation process and the resulting compound word is commonly described as a “new” linguistic unit (Haspelmath, 2002; Marfo, 2009). The paper focuses on Noun-Noun (N-N) and Noun-Adjective (N-Adj) compounds in Akan and particularly contends that, for N-N and N-Adj compounds to be realized in Akan, the compound members should map into one prosodic phrase. It is also suggested that the same mapping should be the case if there could be proper or consistent realization of some phonological changes that occur in the compound. In this direction, the paper explains that the syntactic structure of the compound (i.e., the noun phrase (NP)), does not solely ensure the domain of the Akan compound nor the domain properties that trigger the rules that apply in it, but phonological information as well; thus, prosodic constraints are observed. Furthermore, the structure of the Akan compound is illuminated in terms of Attribute-Value Matrix (e.g., Butt & King, 1998). The paper reiterates in conclusion that compounds in Akan and rules that apply in them are better accounted for through dictates of the prosodic structure.
Mandarin Language Learning Anxiety Among Non-Chinese Learners: A Case of Universiti Teknologi MARA
Authors: Ting Hie Ling , Yeo Jiin Yih , Chin Vicky
Published: July 2019

Learning Mandarin as a foreign language or third language can be very difficult for non-Chinese learners. In the process of learning Mandarin, non-Chinese learners may experience certain level of foreign language anxiety. The objectives of this study are to investigate Mandarin language anxiety level and its associated factors among non-Chinese learners. This study involved 221 non-Chinese learners who enrolled in Introductory Mandarin Language in Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sarawak. The instrument for this study included the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) developed by Horwitz, Horwitz and Cope (1986). The collected data were analysed using Statistical package for Social Science (SPSS) 22. The results of the study indicated that most of the non-Chinese learners experienced a moderate level of anxiety while learning Mandarin. The main factor that contributed to their language anxiety was communication apprehension, followed by fear of negative evaluation and test anxiety.
A Personalized Autism Diagnosis CAD System Using a Fusion of Structural MRI and Resting-State Functional MRI Data
Authors: Dekhil Omar , Ali Mohamed , El-Nakieb Yaser , Shalaby Ahmed , Soliman Ahmed , Switala Andrew , Mahmoud Ali , Ghazal Mohammed , Hajjdiab Hassan , Casanova Manuel F. , Elmaghraby Adel , Keynton Robert , El-Baz Ayman , Barnes Gregory
Published: July 2019

Autism spectrum disorder is a neuro-developmental disorder that affects the social abilities of the patients. Yet, the gold standard of autism diagnosis is the autism diagnostic observation schedule (ADOS). In this study, we are implementing a computer-aided diagnosis system that utilizes structural MRI (sMRI) and resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) to demonstrate that both anatomical abnormalities and functional connectivity abnormalities have high prediction ability of autism. The proposed system studies how the anatomical and functional connectivity metrics provide an overall diagnosis of whether the subject is autistic or not and are correlated with ADOS scores. The system provides a personalized report per subject to show what areas are more affected by autism-related impairment. Our system achieved accuracies of 75% when using fMRI data only, 79% when using sMRI data only, and 81% when fusing both together. Such a system achieves an important next step towards delineating the neurocircuits responsible for the autism diagnosis and hence may provide better options for physicians in devising personalized treatment plans.
Early Tumor Shrinkage and Depth of Response Evaluation in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Treated with First Line Chemotherapy: An Observational Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Vivaldi Caterina , Fornaro Lorenzo , Cappelli Carla , Pecora Irene , Catanese Silvia , Salani Francesca , Cacciato Insilla Andrea , Kauffmann Emanuele , Donati Francescamaria , Pasquini Giulia , Massa Valentina , Napoli Niccolò , Lencioni Monica , Boraschi Piero , Campani Daniela , Boggi Ugo , Caramella Davide , Falcone Alfredo , Vasile Enrico
Published: July 2019

Early tumor shrinkage (ETS) and depth of response (DoR) predict favorable outcomes in metastatic colorectal cancer. We aim to evaluate their prognostic role in metastatic pancreatic cancer (PC) patients treated with first-line modified-FOLFIRINOX (FOLFOXIRI) or Gemcitabine + Nab-paclitaxel (GemNab). Hence, 138 patients were tested for ETS, defined as a ≥20% reduction in the sum of target lesions’ longest diameters (SLD) after 6–8 weeks from baseline, and DoR, i.e., the maximum percentage shrinkage in the SLD from baseline. Association of ETS and DoR with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was assessed. ETS was reached in 49 patients (39.5% in the FOLFOXIRI, 29.8% in the GemNab group; p = 0.280). In the overall population, ETS was significantly associated with better PFS (8.0 vs. 4.8 months, p < 0.001) and OS (13.2 vs. 9.7 months, p = 0.001). Median DoR was −27.5% (−29.4% with FOLFOXIRI and −21.4% with GemNab, p = 0.016): DoR was significantly associated with better PFS (9.0 vs. 6.7 months, p < 0.001) and OS (14.3 vs. 11.1 months, p = 0.031). Multivariate analysis confirmed both ETS and DoR are independently associated with PFS and OS. In conclusion, our study added evidence on the role of ETS and DoR in the prediction of outcome of PC patients treated with first-line combination chemotherapy.
Gene Expression Comparison between the Lymph Node-Positive and -Negative Reveals a Peculiar Immune Microenvironment Signature and a Theranostic Role for WNT Targeting in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: A Pilot Study
Authors: Argentiero Antonella , De Summa Simona , Di Fonte Roberta , Iacobazzi Rosa Maria , Porcelli Letizia , Da Vià Matteo , Brunetti Oronzo , Azzariti Amalia , Silvestris Nicola , Solimando Antonio Giovanni
Published: July 2019

Over the past several years there has been much debate with regards to the prognostic and clinical significance of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) with lymph nodes metastasis. The PDAC gene expression knowledge and the biologic alterations underlying the lymph node involvement convey a clinical implication in dealing with the theranostic window. To this end, we provide an original bioinformatic dissection of the gene expression differences of PDAC according to the nodal involvement from a large public available dataset. Comprehensive transcriptomic analysis from 143 RNA-seq patient’s derived samples indicated that WNT increased activation and a peculiar immune microenvironment identify subjects with nodal involvement. In frame of this thinking, we validated the WNT pathway role in increasing the likelihood of lymphatic dissemination in vitro. Moreover, we demonstrated for the first time in a PDAC model the potential therapeutic window that XAV-939—a specific WNT pathway inhibitor—has in re-educating a tumor-permissive immune system. Finally, we outline the potential implication on bystander molecular drivers exerted by WNT molecular inhibition, providing a picture of the proteomic oncogenic landscape changes elicited by XAV-939 on PDAC cells and their clinical implication. Our findings hold the promise to identify novel immune-based therapeutic strategies targeting WNT to enhance PDAC cytotoxicity and restore anti-PDAC immunity in node-positive disease.
ARID1A Mutations Are Associated with Increased Immune Activity in Gastrointestinal Cancer
Authors: Li Lin , Li Mengyuan , Jiang Zehang , Wang Xiaosheng
Published: July 2019

Because traditional treatment strategies for advanced gastrointestinal (GI) cancers often have a limited therapeutic effect, immunotherapy could be a viable approach for the therapy of advanced GI cancers, considering the recent success of immunotherapy in treating various refractory malignancies, including the DNA mismatch repair-deficient GI cancers. However, only a subset of cancer patients currently respond to immunotherapy. Thus, it is important to identify useful biomarkers for predicting cancer immunotherapy response. The tumor suppressor gene ARID1A has a high mutation rate in GI cancers and its deficiency is correlated with the microsatellite instability (MSI) genomic feature of cancer. We investigated the correlation between ARID1A mutations and tumor immunity using three GI cancer genomics datasets by the bioinformatic approach, and found that diverse antitumor immune signatures were more highly enriched in ARID1A-mutated GI cancers than in ARID1A-wildtype GI cancers. The elevated immune activity in ARID1A-mutated GI cancers was associated with the higher tumor mutation burden and lower tumor aneuploidy level, as well as a higher proportion of MSI cancers in this GI cancer subtype. Moreover, we found that ARID1A-mutated GI cancers more highly expressed PD-L1 than ARID1A-wildtype GI cancers. The elevated antitumor immune signatures and PD-L1 expression could contribute to the more active immunotherapeutic responsiveness and better survival prognosis in ARID1A-mutated GI cancers than in ARID1A-wildtype GI cancers in the immunotherapy setting, as evidenced in three cancer cohorts receiving immunotherapy. Thus, the ARID1A mutation could be a useful biomarker for identifying GI cancer patients responsive to immunotherapy.
Pharmacist Involvement in Population Health Management for a Pediatric Managed Medicaid Accountable Care Organization
Authors: Kuhn Catherine , Groves Brigid K. , Kaczor Chester , Sebastian Sonya , Ramtekkar Ujjwal , Nowack Joshua , Toth Christina , Valenti Olivia , Gowda Charitha
Published: July 2019

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) have emerged as an effective healthcare delivery model for managing quality and cost at a population level. Within ACOs, pharmacists are critical for the delivery of high-value health care, offering patients and health care providers medication-related training, resources, and guidance that can improve quality of care at lower costs. Partners For Kids (PFK), one of the oldest and largest pediatric ACOs in the country, has successfully leveraged pharmacists to provide population health management and medication management to promote health outcomes for individual patients and the overall population it serves. This review explores how the inclusion of pharmacists in the development and execution of various quality improvement initiatives within PFK has positively impacted outcomes for patients while also lowering overall spend. A catalog of interventions is provided to offer various ways that pharmacists can intersect as providers in the triad of patient/family, payor, and provider. By providing enhanced training and education, on-site guidance, medication management, and population-level data analysis, pharmacists are able to identify and improve inefficiencies in care. Moving forward, ongoing engagement of pharmacists in health care operations will be a necessary feature to maximize health care value.
Projected Changes in the Frequency of Peak Flows along the Athabasca River: Sensitivity of Results to Statistical Methods of Analysis
Authors: Dibike Yonas , Eum Hyung-Il , Coulibaly Paulin , Hartmann Joshua
Published: July 2019

Flows originating from alpine dominated cold region watersheds typically experience extended winter low flows followed by spring snowmelt and summer rainfall driven high flows. In a warmer climate, there will be a temperature-induced shift in precipitation from snowfall towards rain along with changes in precipitation intensity and snowmelt timing, resulting in alterations in the frequency and magnitude of peak flow events. This study examines the potential future changes in the frequency and severity of peak flow events in the Athabasca River watershed in Alberta, Canada. The analysis is based on simulated flow data by the variable infiltration capacity (VIC) hydrologic model driven by statistically downscaled climate change scenarios from the latest coupled model inter-comparison project (CMIP5). The hydrological model projections show an overall increase in mean annual streamflow in the watershed and a corresponding shift in the freshet timing to an earlier period. The river flow is projected to experience increases during the winter and spring seasons and decreases during the summer and early fall seasons, with an overall projected increase in peak flow, especially for low frequency events. Both stationary and non-stationary methods of peak flow analysis, performed at multiple points along the Athabasca River, show that projected changes in the 100-year peak flow event for the high emissions scenario by the 2080s range between 4% and 33% depending on the driving climate models and the statistical method of analysis. A closer examination of the results also reveals that the sensitivity of projected changes in peak flows to the statistical method of frequency analysis is relatively small compared to that resulting from inter-climate model variability.
Optical Characteristics of ZnCuInS/ZnS (Core/Shell) Nanocrystal Flexible Films Under X-Ray Excitation
Authors: Saatsakis George , Kalyvas Nektarios , Michail Christos , Ninos Konstantinos , Bakas Athanasios , Fountzoula Christina , Sianoudis Ioannis , Karpetas George E. , Fountos George , Kandarakis Ioannis , Valais Ioannis , Panayiotakis George
Published: July 2019

The aim of this article is to evaluate optical characteristics, such as the intrinsic conversion efficiency and the inherent light propagation efficiency of three polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)/methyl methacrylate (MMA) composite ZnCuInS/ZnS (core/shell) nanocrystal flexible films. The concentrations of these were 100 mg/mL, 150 mg/mL, and 250 mg/mL, respectively. Composite films were prepared by homogeneously diluting dry powder quantum dot (QD) samples in toluene and subsequently mixing these with a PMMA/MMA polymer solution. The absolute luminescence efficiency (AE) of the films was measured using X-ray excitation. A theoretical model describing the optical photon propagation in scintillator materials was used to calculate the fraction of the generated optical photons passed through the different material layers. Finally, the intrinsic conversion efficiency was calculated by considering the QD quantum yield and the optical photon emission spectrum.
Post-Exertional Malaise Is Associated with Hypermetabolism, Hypoacetylation and Purine Metabolism Deregulation in ME/CFS Cases
Authors: McGregor Neil R. , Armstrong Christopher W. , Lewis Donald P. , Gooley Paul R.
Published: July 2019

Post-exertional malaise (PEM) is a cardinal predictive symptom in the definition of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). If the cases overexert themselves they have what is termed “payback” resulting in a worsening of symptoms or relapse which can last for days, weeks or even months. The aim was to assess the changes in biochemistry associated with the cases self-reported PEM scores over a 7-day period and the frequency of reporting over a 12-month period. Forty-seven ME/CFS cases and age/sex-matched controls had a clinical examination, completed questionnaires; were subjected to standard serum biochemistry; had their serum and urine metabolomes analyzed in an observational study. Thirty-five of the 46 ME/CFS cases reported PEM in the last 7-days and these were allocated to the PEM group. The principal biochemical change related to the 7-day severity of PEM was the fall in the purine metabolite, hypoxanthine. This decrease correlated with alterations in the glucose:lactate ratio highly suggestive of a glycolytic anomaly. Increased excretion of urine metabolites within the 7-day response period indicated a hypermetabolic event was occurring. Increases in urine excretion of methylhistidine (muscle protein degradation), mannitol (intestinal barrier deregulation) and acetate were noted with the hypermetabolic event. These data indicate hypoacetylation was occurring, which may also be related to deregulation of multiple cytoplasmic enzymes and DNA histone regulation. These findings suggest the primary events associated with PEM were due to hypoacetylation and metabolite loss during the acute PEM response.
A Method for Evaluating Chimeric Synchronization of Coupled Oscillators and Its Application for Creating a Neural Network Information Converter
Authors: Velichko Andrei
Published: July 2019

This paper presents a new method for evaluating the synchronization of quasi-periodic oscillations of two oscillators, termed “chimeric synchronization”. The family of metrics is proposed to create a neural network information converter based on a network of pulsed oscillators. In addition to transforming input information from digital to analogue, the converter can perform information processing after training the network by selecting control parameters. In the proposed neural network scheme, the data arrives at the input layer in the form of current levels of the oscillators and is converted into a set of non-repeating states of the chimeric synchronization of the output oscillator. By modelling a thermally coupled VO2-oscillator circuit, the network setup is demonstrated through the selection of coupling strength, power supply levels, and the synchronization efficiency parameter. The distribution of solutions depending on the operating mode of the oscillators, sub-threshold mode, or generation mode are revealed. Technological approaches for the implementation of a neural network information converter are proposed, and examples of its application for image filtering are demonstrated. The proposed method helps to significantly expand the capabilities of neuromorphic and logical devices based on synchronization effects.
An Investigation of the Influence of Gas Injection Rate Shape on High-Pressure Direct-Injection Natural Gas Marine Engines
Authors: Li Jingrui , Wang Jietuo , Liu Teng , Dong Jingjin , Liu Bo , Wu Chaohui , Ye Ying , Wang Hu , Liu Haifeng
Published: July 2019

High-pressure direct-injection (HPDI) natural gas marine engines are widely used because of their higher thermal efficiency and lower emissions. The effects of different injection rate shapes on the combustion and emission characteristics were studied to explore the appropriate gas injection rate shapes for a low-speed HPDI natural gas marine engine. A single-cylinder model was established and the CFD model was validated against experimental data from the literature; then, the combustion and emission characteristics of five different injection rate shapes were analyzed. The results showed that the peak values of in-cylinder pressure and heat release rate profiles of the triangle shape were highest due to the highest maximum injection rate, which occurred in a phase close to the top dead center. The shorter combustion duration of the triangle shape led to higher indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) and NOx emissions compared with other shapes. The higher initial injection rates of the rectangle and slope shapes had a negative effect on the ignition delay periods of pilot fuel, which resulted in lower in-cylinder temperature and NOx emissions. However, due to the lower in-cylinder temperature, the engine power output was also lower. Otherwise, soot, unburned hydrocarbon (UHC), and CO emissions and indicated specific fuel consumption (ISFC) increased for both rectangle and slope shapes. The trapezoid and wedge shapes achieved a good balance between fuel consumption and emissions.
Power Beacon-Assisted Energy Harvesting in a Half-Duplex Communication Network under Co-Channel Interference over a Rayleigh Fading Environment: Energy Efficiency and Outage Probability Analysis
Authors: Phan Van-Duc , Nguyen Tan N. , Tran Minh , Trang Tran Thanh , Voznak Miroslav , Ha Duy-Hung , Nguyen Thanh-Long
Published: July 2019

In this time, energy efficiency (EE), measured in bits per Watt, has been considered as an important emerging metric in energy-constrained wireless communication networks because of their energy shortage. In this paper, we investigate power beacon assisted (PB) energy harvesting (EH) in half-duplex (HD) communication network under co-channel Interferer over Rayleigh fading environment. In this work, we investigate the model system with the time switching (TS) protocol. Firstly, the exact and asymptotic form expressions of the outage probability (OP) are analyzed and derived. Then the system EE is investigated and the influence of the primary system parameters on the system performance. Finally, we verify the correctness of the analytical expressions using Monte Carlo simulation. Finally, we can state that the simulation and analytical results are the same.
Economic Transition, Technology Change, and Energy Consumption in China: A Provincial-Level Analysis
Authors: Liu Xu , Lin Jiang , Hu Junfeng , Lu Hongyou , Cai Jiaru
Published: July 2019

This paper conducts panel analysis to evaluate the effects of a structural economic shift from the industrial to the tertiary sector, a reduction in industrial overcapacity, and improvements in energy efficiency on energy consumption using data for 30 Chinese provinces from 1995 to 2015. We find that, at the national level, the structural shift to the tertiary sector, the reduction in cement and steel production, and the increase in energy efficiency in the industrial sector all have statistically significantly negative effects. We also divide the sample into three geographic and economic regions to evaluate regional differences. We find that the gross domestic product (GDP) share of the tertiary sector shows its greatest impact on reducing energy consumption in the eastern region, a decline in heavy industry production would reduce energy demand more in the central region, and improvement in industrial electricity efficiency would also help reduce energy consumption the most in eastern China. We also forecast energy consumption in China will reach 4.8–4.9 billion tonnes of coal equivalent (tce) in 2020 and further grow to 5.0–5.4 billion tce in 2030.
Optimal Configuration of Electric-Gas-Thermal Multi-Energy Storage System for Regional Integrated Energy System
Authors: Zhao Dongmei , Xia Xuan , Tao Ran
Published: July 2019

With the increasing attention of the clean and efficient use of energy, the regional integrated energy system (RIES), as an efficient measure to improve energy efficiency, is tending to play an important role in the field of energy supply. The configuration of multiple energy storage equipment in the RIES can greatly improve the economy of the system, which is an important research direction of RIES planning. However, at present the research on the configuration optimization of electric-gas-thermal multi-energy storage devices in RIES is insufficient. Under this background, a method for configuring the rated capacity and power of various energy storage devices in the RIES under both off-grid and grid-connected operating modes was proposed in this paper, and the configuration optimization model was also established. Firstly, the RIES was divided into four parts: Energy supply, energy conversion, energy storage and the load. Based on the energy hub concept, the four parts were modeled respectively. Secondly, considering the influence of electric energy substitution and operation strategy, the optimal configuration of multi-energy storage devices was modeled as a MILP formulation and solved with the Gurobi optimizer. Finally, a case study verified the effectiveness of the proposed model and the method. Furthermore, the sensitivity analysis was carried out to quantify the influence degree of each factor (such as price, etc.) on the energy storage configuration.
Life Cycle Assessment of an Office Building Based on Site-Specific Data
Authors: Ylmén Peter , Peñaloza Diego , Mjörnell Kristina
Published: July 2019

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is an established method to assess the various environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a building. The goal of this project was to calculate the environmental releases for a whole office building and investigate the contribution in terms of environmental impact for different parts of the building, as well as the impact from different stages of the life cycle. The construction process was followed up during production and the contractors provided real-time data on the input required in terms of building products, transport, machinery, energy use, etc. The results are presented for five environmental impact categories and, as expected, materials that constitute the main mass of the building and the energy used during operation contribute the largest share of environmental impact. It is usually difficult to evaluate the environmental impact of the materials in technical installations due to the lack of data. However, in this study, the data were provided by the contractors directly involved in the construction and can, therefore, be considered highly reliable. The results show that materials for installations have a significant environmental impact for four of the environmental impact categories studied, which is a noteworthy finding.
Documentation of Acidic Mining Exploration Drill Cuttings at the Pebble Copper–Gold Mineral Prospect, Southwest Alaska
Authors: Chambers David M , Zamzow Kendra
Published: July 2019

During exploration drilling of the Pebble copper–gold–molybdenum (Cu–Au–Mo) deposit, drilling wastes were disposed of directly on the landscape or passed through unlined sumps prior to disposal. The ore and host rock are rich in sulfides, which weather to sulfuric acid with consequent metal leaching. Oxidized cuttings were visually evident, and confirmed with laboratory and field testing to have a pH of 2.7–4.3. At these sites, Cu and Mo exceeded or were at the high end of the natural background. With one exception, Cu was in the range of 545 mg/kg to 4865 mg/kg. Dead vegetation was observed at all sites with drill cuttings on the surface. Dead vegetation was also observed on sump soil covers, unrelated to drilling waste. Sites where vegetation had not re-established were from four to thirteen years old. The potential impact to surface and groundwater was not determined. Understanding the source and extent of damage from cuttings could lead to better site management.
Forest Type Classification Based on Integrated Spectral-Spatial-Temporal Features and Random Forest Algorithm—A Case Study in the Qinling Mountains
Authors: Cheng Kai , Wang Juanle
Published: July 2019

Spectral, spatial, and temporal features play important roles in land cover classification. However, limitations still exist in the integrated application of spectral-spatial-temporal (SST) features for forest type discrimination. This paper proposes a forest type classification framework based on SST features and the random forest (RF) algorithm. The SST features were derived from time-series images using original bands, vegetation index, gray-level correlation matrix, and harmonic analysis. Random forest-recursive feature elimination (RF-RFE) was used to optimize high-dimensional and correlated feature space, and determine the optimal SST feature set. Then, the classification was carried out using an RF classifier and the optimized SST feature set. This method was applied in the Qinling Mountains using Sentinel-2 time-series images. A total of 21 SST features were obtained through the RF-RFE method, and their importance was evaluated using the Gini index. The results indicated that spectral features contribute the most to separating shrubs, spatial features are more suitable for discrimination among evergreen forest types, and temporal features are more useful for evergreen forest, deciduous forest, and shrub types. The forest type map was generated based on the optimal SST feature set and RF algorithm, and evaluated based on an agreement with the validation dataset. The results showed that this integrated method is reliable, with an overall accuracy of 86.88% and kappa coefficient of 0.86, and can support forest type sustainable management and mapping at the local scale.
Exploring Environmental Health on Weibo: A Textual Analysis of Framing Haze-Related Stories on Chinese Social Media
Authors: Yang Fan , Wendorf Muhamad Jessica , Yang Qinghua
Published: July 2019

According to the latest report by the World Health Organization, air pollution, one of the planet’s most dangerous environmental carcinogens, has become one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths. In China this is a particularly crucial issue, with more than 100 cities and close to one billion individuals threatened by haze due to heavy air pollution in recent years. Beyond traditional channels, the rise of social media has led to greater online haze-related information sharing. Formative research suggests that Weibo is playing a larger role in the process of information seeking than traditional media. Given the severity of haze and the influential role of Weibo, a textual analysis was conducted based on Sina Weibo (Chinese Twitter) to provide health decision-makers and media consumers knowledge on how environmental health issues such as haze are framed in Chinese social media. Framing theory served to explain the differences across various outlets: People’s Daily, China Daily, and the Chinese version of the Wall Street Journal. By analyzing 407 Weibo posts, five major frames emerged: (1) governmental concern, (2) public opinion and issue management, (3) contributing factors and effects, (4) socializing haze-related news, and (5) external haze-related news.
A Simulation Study on the Interaction Between Pollutant Nanoparticles and the Pulmonary Surfactant Monolayer
Authors: Yue Kai , Sun Xiaochen , Tang Jue , Wei Yiang , Zhang Xinxin
Published: July 2019

A good understanding of the mechanism of interaction between inhaled pollutant nanoparticles (NPs) and the pulmonary surfactant monolayer is useful to study the impact of fine particulate matter on human health. In this work, we established coarse-grained models of four representative NPs with different hydrophilicity properties in the air (i.e., CaSO4, C, SiO2, and C6H14O2 NPs) and the pulmonary surfactant monolayer. Molecular dynamic simulations of the interaction during exhalation and inhalation breathing states were performed. The effects of NP hydrophilicity levels, NP structural properties, and cholesterol content in the monolayer on the behaviors of NP embedment or the transmembrane were analyzed by calculating the changes in potential energy, NP displacement, monolayer orderliness, and surface tension. Results showed that NPs can inhibit the ability of the monolayer to adjust surface tension. For all breathing states, the hydrophobic C NP cannot translocate across the monolayer and had the greatest influence on the structural properties of the monolayer, whereas the strongly hydrophilic SiO2 and C6H14O2 NPs can cross the monolayer with little impact. The semi-hydrophilic CaSO4 NP can penetrate the monolayer only during the inhalation breathing state. The hydrophilic flaky NP shows the best penetration ability, followed by the rod-shaped NP and spherical NP in turn. An increase in cholesterol content of the monolayer led to improved orderliness and decreased fluidity of the membrane system due to enhanced intermolecular forces. Consequently, difficulty in crossing the monolayer increased for the NPs.
Wiring the Binocular Visual Pathways
Authors: Murcia-Belmonte Verónica , Erskine Lynda
Published: July 2019

Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) extend axons out of the retina to transmit visual information to the brain. These connections are established during development through the navigation of RGC axons along a relatively long, stereotypical pathway. RGC axons exit the eye at the optic disc and extend along the optic nerves to the ventral midline of the brain, where the two nerves meet to form the optic chiasm. In animals with binocular vision, the axons face a choice at the optic chiasm—to cross the midline and project to targets on the contralateral side of the brain, or avoid crossing the midline and project to ipsilateral brain targets. Ipsilaterally and contralaterally projecting RGCs originate in disparate regions of the retina that relate to the extent of binocular overlap in the visual field. In humans virtually all RGC axons originating in temporal retina project ipsilaterally, whereas in mice, ipsilaterally projecting RGCs are confined to the peripheral ventrotemporal retina. This review will discuss recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms regulating specification of ipsilateral versus contralateral RGCs, and the differential guidance of their axons at the optic chiasm. Recent insights into the establishment of congruent topographic maps in both brain hemispheres also will be discussed.
Cutaneous Metastasis after Surgery, Injury, Lymphadenopathy, and Peritonitis: Possible Mechanisms
Authors: Otsuka Isao
Published: July 2019

Cutaneous metastases from internal malignancies are uncommon. Umbilical metastasis, also known as Sister Joseph nodule (SJN), develops in patients with carcinomatous peritonitis or superficial lymphadenopathy, while non-SJN skin metastases develop after surgery, injury, and lymphadenopathy. In this review, the possible mechanisms of skin metastases are discussed. SJNs develop by the contiguous or lymphatic spread of tumor cells. After surgery and injury, tumor cells spread by direct implantation or hematogenous metastasis, and after lymphadenopathy, they spread by extranodal extension. The inflammatory response occurring during wound healing is exploited by tumor cells and facilitates tumor growth. Macrophages are crucial drivers of tumor-promoting inflammation, which is a source of survival, growth and angiogenic factors. Angiogenesis is promoted by the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which also mediates tumor-associated immunodeficiency. In the subcutaneous tissues that surround metastatic lymph nodes, adipocytes promote tumor growth. In the elderly, age-associated immunosuppression may facilitate hematogenous metastasis. Anti-VEGF therapy affects recurrence patterns but at the same time, may increase the risk of skin metastases. Immune suppression associated with inflammation may play a key role in skin metastasis development. Thus, immune therapies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors reactivating cytotoxic T-cell function and inhibiting tumor-associated macrophage function, appear promising.
Inhibition of Sodium Glucose Cotransporters Improves Cardiac Performance
Authors: García-Ropero Álvaro , Vargas-Delgado Ariana , Santos-Gallego Carlos , Badimon Juan
Published: July 2019

The sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT) inhibitors represent a new alternative for treating patients with diabetes mellitus. They act primarily by inhibiting glucose reabsorption in the renal tubule and therefore, decreasing blood glucose levels. While little is yet known about SGLT subtype 1, SGLT2 inhibitors have demonstrated to significantly reduce cardiovascular mortality and heart failure hospitalizations. This cardioprotective benefit seems to be independent of their glucose-lowering properties; however, the underlying mechanism(s) remains still unclear and numerous hypotheses have been postulated to date. Moreover, preclinical research has suggested an important role of SGLT1 receptors on myocardial ischemia. Following acute phase of cardiac injury there is an increased activity of SGLT1 cotransport that ensures adequate energy supply to the cardiac cells. Nonetheless, a long-term upregulation of this receptor may not be that beneficial and whether its inhibition is positive or not should be further addressed. This review aims to present the most cutting-edge insights into SGLT receptors.
The TAFs of TFIID Bind and Rearrange the Topology of the TATA-Less RPS5 Promoter
Authors: Le Sarah N. , Brown Christopher R. , Harvey Stacy , Boeger Hinrich , Elmlund Hans , Elmlund Dominika
Published: July 2019

The general transcription factor TFIID is a core promoter selectivity factor that recognizes DNA sequence elements and nucleates the assembly of a pre-initiation complex (PIC). The mechanism by which TFIID recognizes the promoter is poorly understood. The TATA-box binding protein (TBP) is a subunit of the multi-protein TFIID complex believed to be key in this process. We reconstituted transcription from highly purified components on a ribosomal protein gene (RPS5) and discovered that TFIIDΔTBP binds and rearranges the promoter DNA topology independent of TBP. TFIIDΔTBP binds ~200 bp of the promoter and changes the DNA topology to a larger extent than the nucleosome core particle. We show that TBP inhibits the DNA binding activities of TFIIDΔTBP and conclude that the complete TFIID complex may represent an auto-inhibited state. Furthermore, we show that the DNA binding activities of TFIIDΔTBP are required for assembly of a PIC poised to select the correct transcription start site (TSS).
Ectopic Expression of Poplar ABC Transporter PtoABCG36 Confers Cd Tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Wang Huihong , Liu Yuanyuan , Peng Zaihui , Li Jianchun , Huang Weipeng , Liu Yan , Wang Xuening , Xie Shengli , Sun Liping , Han Erqin , Wu Nengbiao , Luo Keming , Wang Bangjun
Published: July 2019

Cadmium (Cd) is one of the most toxic heavy metals for plant growth in soil. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters play important roles in biotic and abiotic stresses. However, few ABC transporters have been characterized in poplar. In this study, we isolated an ABC transporter gene PtoABCG36 from Populus tomentosa. The PtoABCG36 transcript can be detected in leaves, stems and roots, and the expression in the root was 3.8 and 2 times that in stems and leaves, respectively. The PtoABCG36 expression was induced and peaked at 12 h after exposure to Cd stress. Transient expression of PtoABCG36 in tobacco showed that PtoABCG36 is localized at the plasma membrane. When overexpressed in yeast and Arabidopsis, PtoABCG36 could decrease Cd accumulation and confer higher Cd tolerance in transgenic lines than in wild-type (WT) lines. Net Cd2+ efflux measurements showed a decreasing Cd uptake in transgenic Arabidopsis roots than WT. These results demonstrated that PtoABCG36 functions as a cadmium extrusion pump participating in enhancing tolerance to Cd through decreasing Cd content in plants, which provides a promising way for making heavy metal tolerant poplar by manipulating ABC transporters in cadmium polluted areas.