bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of System Dynamics to Integrate Pavement Preservation in Flexible Pavement Design Process
Authors: Ramachandra Chethana , Ramachandran Sakthivelan , Veeraragavan A.
Published: August 2018

The performance of a pavement depends on factors like the characteristics of the materials in different pavement layers, traffic, climates, environments, construction quality, etc. Though a pavement is designed for 15 years, conventionally, the pavement reaches the threshold level of performance before the design life, warranting minor and major rehabilitation treatments because of factors beyond the control of the designer. However, the maintenance and rehabilitation treatments during the design life of a pavement are not considered in the design process. The performance of a pavement is defined in terms of the various distresses, i.e., cracking, rutting, roughness, potholes, etc. The performance of the pavement also depends on the strength properties of different pavement layers and their thicknesses, quality of construction, traffic, climate, etc. The level of influence of these parameters on each of the distresses is different. In this study, the Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guideline design tool AASHTOWare is used to simulate the data for cracking (percentage of bottom up fatigue cracking), rutting (total rutting), and roughness in terms of the International Roughness Index. A sensitivity analysis is carried out to study the influence of the design parameters on the distresses. From the results of AASHTOWare simulations, a relationship is established between design input parameters and distress growth using multiple linear regression. While this model gives the estimate of distress over time with respect to the design parameters, the year at which the first preservation activity has to be carried out is to be determined. Considering the pavement as a system, the system dynamics concept could be well suited to study the influence of various factors on the performance of the pavement. A system dynamic model is formulated and implemented using system dynamic software POWERSIM. This study identifies the optimal intervention year for the pavement preservation strategies that depend on traffic level, design layer thicknesses, and modulus (strength) of the pavement layers.
A New Approach to Measure Soil Shrinkage Curve
Authors: Li Lin , Zhang Xiong
Published: August 2018

The shrinkage curve is widely used to characterize soil deformation during drying. Over the years, several methods have been developed to measure soil shrinkage curves. However, these methods suffered from several limitations and were rarely used because of difficulties in accurate soil volume measurement during drying. In this study, a simple method is proposed to measure soil shrinkage curves. The soil volume is measured using a photogrammetric technique from which a three-dimensional (3D) model of the soil specimen during drying can be accurately reconstructed. The soil volume is calculated based on the reconstructed 3D model. Meanwhile, a digital balance is used to record the soil weight for the back-calculation of soil water content, which will be used for the shrinkage curve construction. The overall volume measurement error was evaluated to be 0.35 % and 0.43 % through tests on aluminum cylinders and a saturated soil, respectively. With the proposed method, a series of tests were performed to measure the shrinkage curves of a soil mixture (i.e., Fairbanks silt and Kaolin at a ratio of 1:1). Results from these shrinkage tests indicate that the proposed method is cost-effective, accurate, and reliable for soil shrinkage curve measurements.
Uncertainty Quantification in Water Retention Characteristic Curve of Fly Ash Using Copulas
Authors: Prakash A. , Hazra B. , Sreedeep S.
Published: August 2018

Water retention characteristic curve (WRCC) is a primary input for modeling the unsaturated behavior of geomaterials. The inadequacy of measurement methodologies in capturing the measurable range of the suction of geomaterials along with material variability induce uncertainties in the quantification of WRCC. The goal of this study is to demonstrate the usefulness of copulas for quantifying the uncertainties in WRCC attributed to the aforementioned reasons. Four instruments measuring different ranges of suction of four fly ashes were used to generate 54 combinations of measured data that would represent possible cases of data-induced uncertainties. van Genuchten WRCC equation parameters (a and n) were determined for these combinations. Statistical analysis of the parameters determined from the 54 combinations indicates a negative correlation with each other; therefore, they represent a bivariate random vector. Four commonly used copulas, Gaussian, Frank, Plackett, and No. 16, were utilized to construct the bivariate density function of the parameters, among which the Gaussian copula was found to be the best fit. The impact of the copula-based model developed in this study on two important unsaturated functions, the suction stress characteristic curve (SSCC) and hydraulic conductivity function (HCF) of fly ash, was investigated and found to be significant. The dispersion in SSCC ranges from monotonically increasing to sharp post peak reduction in the suction range of 20–50 kPa. The limiting state of suction required to reach the theoretical minimum permeability was found to vary widely in the range of 300–9,000 kPa. The study shows that a Gaussian copula with lognormal marginals can adequately capture the significant range of uncertainties associated with WRCC.
Effect of Pre-deformation on the Multiaxial Low-Cycle Fatigue Resistance of 2024-T4 Aluminum Alloy
Authors: Chen Y. J. , Zhou J. , Liu C. C. , Wang F. S.
Published: August 2018

The effect of pre-deformation on the fatigue properties of 2024-T4 aluminum alloy is evaluated, including pre-tension of 1, 2, 3, and 4 % as well as pre-torsion of 10°, 20°, 30°, and 40°. Multiaxial low-cycle fatigue (LCF) tests are carried out under a constant amplitude sinusoidal wave loading with a tension-torsion ratio √3 in air at room temperature. The results indicate that the multiaxial LCF life of the specimen reduces with the pre-deformation level. The observed mechanical behavior and associated phenomena are directly linked to microstructure characteristics, such as dislocation density, surface defects, and microcracks. The analysis of mechanism reveals a competition between beneficial effects that are due to hardening and detrimental influences that are due to defects that are caused by the pre-deformation. However, the multiaxial loading makes the detrimental influence more prominent. The typical fracture morphology of multiaxial fatigue can be observed. With the consideration of the effect of pre-deformation on fatigue limit, a modified criterion is developed to predict the multiaxial fatigue life of 2024-T4 aluminum alloy.
Experimental Measurement of Residual Stresses in Cr-Mo-V Steel Restrained Welds with High Thickness
Authors: Maestri N. , Marangoni P. , Pettene D. , Rivolta B. , Gerosa R.
Published: August 2018

This experimental work is focused on the residual stresses induced by multi-pass welding of thick components. Two samples were produced, inspired by the nozzle-vessel geometry, with Submerged Arc Welding buttwelding, performed according to the standard welding procedures employed by Belleli Energy CPE. The components were characterized by different sizes and groove positions. Measurements of residual stresses were carried out by hole drilling according to ASTM E837-13a, Standard Test Method for Determining Residual Stresses by the Hole-Drilling Strain-Gage Method, in different positions of the samples. The measurements were performed on welded, and Dehydrogenation Heat Treatment (350°C, 4h), and Intermediate Stress Relieving treatments. The obtained results allowed a discussion of the influence of the component size on the residual stresses and the effectiveness of an intermediate heat treatment for reducing the stress state.
Novel Pack Cementations: Alternating Current Field Enhanced Pack Cementations
Authors: Xie Fei , Xu Shaoqiang , Pan Jianwei
Published: August 2018

Thermal chemical treatments can effectively improve the surface properties of steels to resist wear, erosion, fretting, and oxidation. Among the various types of thermo-chemical treatment, pack cementation is most often employed for diffusing boron, aluminum, chromium, or silicon into the surface of steel. Pack cementation is superior to other thermo-chemical treatments in process simplicity and flexibility. However, like many other thermo-chemical treatments, conventional pack cementation (CPC) has the disadvantages of a high processing temperature and a long processing duration for obtaining a thick case. A novel approach is presented to enhance pack cementations by applying an alternating current field (ACF) on specimens and pack media. An adjustable 50 Hz alternating current power source was connected to a pair of parallel electrodes set in pack media. Investigations were conducted into the influences of the ACF on pack boriding, aluminizing, chromizing, and silicon-aluminizing. Cases’ thicknesses, structures, phases, hardness distributions, and oxidation resistances were characterized with optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Vickers’ hardness testing, and oxidation testing. These treatments can be carried out effectively at temperatures much lower than temperatures for CPC. The ACF can optimize cases’ structures and phases as well as accelerate cases’ growth. Brittle phases, such as iron boride and Al5Fe2, formed on a steel surface by CPC can be easily and economically avoided. The new technology can endow steels with properties that are much better than those provided by CPC. It is suggested that the ACF can enhance chemical reactions among pack agents by heating pack media and intensifying vibrations of active species. The formation, activity, and diffusion of active species containing required elements are promoted. The electromagnetic effect and the heating effect of the ACF increase vacancy concentrations in specimens, which greatly enhance diffusion in treated specimens.
Active Sound Localization Sharpens Spatial Tuning in Human Primary Auditory Cortex
Authors: van der Heijden Kiki , Rauschecker Josef P. , Formisano Elia , Valente Giancarlo , de Gelder Beatrice
Published: August 2018

Spatial hearing sensitivity in humans is dynamic and task-dependent, but the mechanisms in human auditory cortex that enable dynamic sound location encoding remain unclear. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we assessed how active behavior affects encoding of sound location (azimuth) in primary auditory cortical areas and planum temporale (PT). According to the hierarchical model of auditory processing and cortical functional specialization, PT is implicated in sound location (“where”) processing. Yet, our results show that spatial tuning profiles in primary auditory cortical areas (left primary core and right caudo-medial belt) sharpened during a sound localization (“where”) task compared with a sound identification (“what”) task. In contrast, spatial tuning in PT was sharp but did not vary with task performance. We further applied a population pattern decoder to the measured fMRI activity patterns, which confirmed the task-dependent effects in the left core: sound location estimates from fMRI patterns measured during active sound localization were most accurate. In PT, decoding accuracy was not modulated by task performance. These results indicate that changes of population activity in human primary auditory areas reflect dynamic and task-dependent processing of sound location. As such, our findings suggest that the hierarchical model of auditory processing may need to be revised to include an interaction between primary and functionally specialized areas depending on behavioral requirements.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTAccording to a purely hierarchical view, cortical auditory processing consists of a series of analysis stages from sensory (acoustic) processing in primary auditory cortex to specialized processing in higher-order areas. Posterior-dorsal cortical auditory areas, planum temporale (PT) in humans, are considered to be functionally specialized for spatial processing. However, this model is based mostly on passive listening studies. Our results provide compelling evidence that active behavior (sound localization) sharpens spatial selectivity in primary auditory cortex, whereas spatial tuning in functionally specialized areas (PT) is narrow but task-invariant. These findings suggest that the hierarchical view of cortical functional specialization needs to be extended: our data indicate that active behavior involves feedback projections from higher-order regions to primary auditory cortex.
Altered Auditory Processing, Filtering, and Reactivity in theCntnap2Knock-Out Rat Model for Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Authors: Scott Kaela E. , Schormans Ashley L. , Pacoli Katharine Y. , De Oliveira Cleusa , Allman Brian L. , Schmid Susanne
Published: August 2018

Sensory processing, and auditory processing in particular, is altered in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The typical maturation of the auditory system is perturbed in these individuals during early development, which may underlie altered auditory reactivity that persists in later life. Of the many genes that regulate the auditory system development, loss-of-function mutations in theCNTNAP2gene are strongly associated with language processing deficits and ASD. Therefore, using a novelCntnap2knock-out rat model, we tested the impact ofCntnap2loss on auditory processing, filtering, and reactivity throughout development and young adulthood in male and female animals. Although hearing thresholds were not altered inCntnap2knock-out animals, we found a reduction in response amplitudes and a delay in response latency of the auditory brainstem response (ABR) in juvenileCntnap2knock-out rats compared with age-matched controls. Amplitudes and latency of the ABR largely normalized by adulthood, indicating a delayed maturation of auditory processing pathways inCntnap2knock-out rats. Despite the reduced ABR amplitudes, adolescentCntnap2knock-out animals displayed increased startle reactivity accompanied by disruptions in sensory filtering and sensorimotor gating across various conditions, most of which persisted in adulthood. All of these observations show striking parallels to disruptions reported in ASD. Our results also imply that developmental disruptions of sensory signal processing are associated with persistent changes in neural circuitries responsible for implicit auditory evoked behavior, emphasizing the need for interventions that target sensory processing disruptions early during development in ASD.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThis is the first study of brainstem auditory processing in a novel knock-out rat model with very high construct and face validity for autism spectrum disorders. Electrophysiological and behavioral measures of implicit auditory-evoked responses were systematically taken across developmental stages. Auditory processing, filtering, and reactivity disruptions show striking similarities to observations in autism. We also show for the first time that, whereas auditory brainstem responses normalize by adulthood, disruptions in brainstem-mediated auditory-evoked behavior persist. This indicates that early developmental perturbations in sensory processing can cause permanent maladaptive changes in circuitries responsible for auditory reactivity, underlining the importance for interventions early during development aiming at normalizing sensory processing.
Across Species “Natural Ablation” Reveals the Brainstem Source of a Noninvasive Biomarker of Binaural Hearing
Authors: Benichoux Victor , Ferber Alexander , Hunt Samuel , Hughes Ethan , Tollin Daniel
Published: August 2018

The binaural interaction component (BIC) of the auditory brainstem response is a noninvasive electroencephalographic signature of neural processing of binaural sounds. Despite its potential as a clinical biomarker, the neural structures and mechanism that generate the BIC are not known. We explore here the hypothesis that the BIC emerges from excitatory–inhibitory interactions in auditory brainstem neurons. We measured the BIC in response to click stimuli while varying interaural time differences (ITDs) in subjects of either sex from five animal species. Species had head sizes spanning a 3.5-fold range and correspondingly large variations in the sizes of the auditory brainstem nuclei known to process binaural sounds [the medial superior olive (MSO) and the lateral superior olive (LSO)]. The BIC was reliably elicited in all species, including those that have small or inexistent MSOs. In addition, the range of ITDs where BIC was elicited was independent of animal species, suggesting that the BIC is not a reflection of the processing of ITDs per se. Finally, we provide a model of the amplitude and latency of the BIC peak, which is based on excitatory–inhibitory synaptic interactions, without assuming any specific arrangement of delay lines. Our results show that the BIC is preserved across species ranging from mice to humans. We argue that this is the result of generic excitatory–inhibitory synaptic interactions at the level of the LSO, and thus best seen as reflecting the integration of binaural inputs as opposed to their spatial properties.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTNoninvasive electrophysiological measures of sensory system activity are critical for the objective clinical diagnosis of human sensory processing deficits. The binaural component of sound-evoked auditory brainstem responses is one such measure of binaural auditory coding fidelity in the early stages of the auditory system. Yet, the precise neurons that lead to this evoked potential are not fully understood. This paper provides a comparative study of this potential in different mammals and shows that it is preserved across species, from mice to men, despite large variations in morphology and neuroanatomy. Our results confirm its relevance to the assessment of binaural hearing integrity in humans and demonstrates how it can be used to bridge the gap between rodent models and humans.
Retrospective Cues Mitigate Information Loss in Human Cortex during Working Memory Storage
Authors: Ester Edward F. , Nouri Asal , Rodriguez Laura
Published: August 2018

Working memory (WM) enables the flexible representation of information over short intervals. It is well established that WM performance can be enhanced by a retrospective cue presented during storage, yet the neural mechanisms responsible for this benefit are unclear. Here, we tested several explanations for retrospective cue benefits by quantifying changes in spatial WM representations reconstructed from alpha-band (8–12 Hz) EEG activity recorded from human participants (both sexes) before and after the presentation of a retrospective cue. This allowed us to track cue-related changes in WM representations with high temporal resolution (tens of milliseconds). Participants encoded the locations of two colored discs for subsequent report. During neutral trials, an uninformative cue instructed participants to remember the locations of both discs across a blank delay, and we observed a monotonic decrease in the fidelity of reconstructed spatial WM representations with time. During valid trials, a 100% reliable cue indicated that the color of the disc participants would be probed to report. Critically, valid cues were presented immediately after the termination of the encoding display [“valid early” (VE) trials] or midway through the delay period [“valid late” (VL) trials]. During VE trials, the gradual loss of location-specific information observed during neutral trials was eliminated, while during VL trials it was partially reversed. Our findings suggest that retrospective cues engage several different mechanisms that together serve to mitigate information loss during WM storage.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTWorking memory (WM) performance can be improved by a cue presented during storage. This effect, termed a retrospective cue benefit, has been used to explore the limitations of attentional prioritization in WM. However, the mechanisms responsible for retrospective cue benefits are unclear. Here we tested several explanations for retrospective cue benefits by examining how they influence WM representations reconstructed from human EEG activity. This approach allowed us to visualize, quantify, and track the effects of retrospective cues with high temporal resolution (on the order of tens of milliseconds). We show that under different circumstances retrospective cues can both eliminate and even partially reverse information loss during WM storage, suggesting that retrospective cue benefits have manifold origins.
Hypertonic Saline in Bronchiolitis and Type I Error: A Trial Sequential Analysis
Authors: Harrison Wade , Angoulvant Francois , House Samantha , Gajdos Vincent , Ralston Shawn L.
Published: August 2018

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Meta-analyses of nebulized hypertonic saline (HS) for acute viral bronchiolitis have yielded disparate conclusions. Trial sequential analysis (TSA) is a novel method designed to account for potential sources of error in conventional meta-analysis. We sought to use TSA to determine if the existing literature base is sufficient to draw firm conclusions about the effectiveness of HS in bronchiolitis.

METHODS:

We used the cohort of studies identified in previously published conventional meta-analyses. Included studies were those in which authors compared treatment with HS versus normal saline (or supportive care) in children with bronchiolitis to reduce hospital length of stay (LOS) or hospitalizations. TSA results are used to provide a required information size and monitoring boundaries for statistical significance.

RESULTS:

For the LOS outcome, 17 studies including 1866 patients analyzed in which authors used conventional meta-analysis reveal a statistically significant benefit (mean difference = −0.41 days; 95% confidence interval = −0.07 to −0.75); however, TSA suggests that those conclusions are premature because of failure to reach the adequate information size of 2665 individuals. For the risk of hospitalization outcome, 8 studies including 1728 patients analyzed in which authors used conventional meta-analysis reveal a reduction in the relative risk of hospitalization (relative risk = 0.86; 95% confidence interval = 0.76 to 0.98); however, TSA suggests these conclusions are premature because of failure to reach the adequate information size of 4770. Both LOS and hospitalization results from conventional meta-analysis would be considered potentially false-positives by TSA.

CONCLUSIONS:

TSA reveals that concluding benefit from HS for children with bronchiolitis potentially represents type I error.
“Trinta anos nesta tarde”: problemas endógenos e exógenos da trajetória democrática no Brasil pós-Constituição de 1988
Authors: Müller Gustavo André Aveline
Published: August 2018

Passados trinta anos da promulgação da chamada “Constituição Cidadã”, o sistema político brasileiro sofre, por fatores endógenos, uma grave crise de legitimidade. Somada a esta crise de legitimidade existe ainda uma crise mundial, fatores exógenos, do vínculo entre partidos e sociedade. Entender a natureza desta crise, proposta deste artigo, é procurar entender como uma democracia tão jovem pode, além de suas características peculiares, ser afetada por fenômenos que atingem as democracias avançadas.
First records of the Redfin Brotula, Petrotyx sanguineus (Meek & Hildebrand, 1928) (Ophidiiformes, Bythitidae), in the western South Atlantic
Authors: Bauer Arthur de B. , Carvalho-Filho Alfredo , Caires Rodrigo A. , Mincarone Michael M.
Published: August 2018

The present study reports on the first records of the bythitid Redfin Brotula, Petrotyx sanguineus (Meek & Hildebrand, 1928), in the western South Atlantic, based on 7 specimens (50.8–152.8 mm SL) from 5 localities along the northeastern coast of Brazil: (1) Praia de Maracaípe, Ipojuca and (2) Praia de Tamandaré, Tamandaré, in Pernambuco state; and (3) Praia do Forte, Mata de São João, (4) Praia de Busca Vida, Camaçari, and (5) Barra do Pote, Vera Cruz, in Bahia state. This species was previously known only in the western Central Atlantic, from Bahamas to Trinidad and Tobago, including the Caribbean Sea. In addition to the new distributional information, morphological data are provided based on the specimens examined.
Monitoring Serum VEGF in Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Patients with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: A New Strategy for Early Prediction of Treatment Response and Patient Survival
Authors: Wang Ruo-Xi , Chen Sheng , Huang Liang , Zhou Ying , Shao Zhi-Ming
Published: August 2018

Background

This study aimed to investigate the clinical utility of serum biomarker changes during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

Methods

A total of 303 patients with TNBC were included in this study. Serum samples were taken at three time points during NAC: baseline, prior to the third cycle, and prior to surgery. Luminex multibiomarker panel for 29 serum biomarkers was used to detect their correlation with NAC response. The predictive and prognostic value of each selected biomarker was then studied.

Results

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was the only biomarker that correlated with treatment response, with a decreasing trend in pCR patients relative to non-pCR patients (p < .001). Univariable and multivariable analyses revealed that the relative change in VEGF prior to the third cycle of NAC had a remarkable predictive value for both pCR and pathological nonresponse with high sensitivity and specificity. VEGF was also independently correlated with disease-free survival.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that monitoring serum VEGF could help identify patients with different responses at an early time point of NAC and at varying risk of disease relapse. Serum VEGF may also serve as an alternative to traditional response-evaluating methodologies in tailoring and modifying the NAC strategy for both operable and advanced TNBCs.
A Phase III Study to Compare the Efficacy and Safety of Paclitaxel Versus Irinotecan in Patients with Metastatic or Recurrent Gastric Cancer Who Failed in First-line Therapy (KCSG ST10-01)
Authors: Lee Keun-Wook , Maeng Chi Hoon , Kim Tae-You , Zang Dae Young , Kim Yeul Hong , Hwang In Gyu , Oh Sang Cheul , Chung Joo Seop , Song Hong Suk , Kim Jin Won , Jeong Su Jin , Cho Jae Yong
Published: August 2018

Lessons Learned

Irinotecan could not be proven noninferior to paclitaxel as a second-line treatment for patients with metastatic or recurrent gastric cancer. The failure to demonstrate noninferiority may have been a result of insufficient patient enrollment. Both agents were tolerable but showed different toxicity profiles.

Background

This phase III study compared the efficacy and safety of paclitaxel versus irinotecan in patients with metastatic or recurrent gastric cancer (MRGC) who had experienced disease progression following first-line chemotherapy.

Methods

Patients were randomized to receive either paclitaxel (70 mg/m2; days 1, 8, 15, every 4 weeks) or irinotecan (150 mg/m2 every other week). The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS).

Results

This study was stopped early due to low accrual rate. A total of 112 patients were enrolled; 54 were allocated to paclitaxel and 58 to irinotecan. Median PFS for the paclitaxel and irinotecan groups was 3.5 and 2.1 months, respectively (hazard ratio [HR], 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.86–1.88; p = .234). Noninferiority of irinotecan to paclitaxel was not proved because the upper boundary of the 95% CI (1.88) exceeded the predefined upper margin of noninferiority (1.32). Median overall survival (OS) was 8.6 months in the paclitaxel group and 7.0 months in the irinotecan group (HR, 1.39; 95% CI, 0.91–2.11; p = .126). Among toxicities greater than or equal to grade 3, neutropenia (11.5%) was the most common, followed by peripheral neuropathy (7.7%) in the paclitaxel group, and neutropenia (34.5%) followed by nausea, vomiting, and anemia (8.6%, respectively) in the irinotecan group.

Conclusion

Although paclitaxel showed numerically longer PFS and OS compared with irinotecan, this was statistically insignificant. Both irinotecan and paclitaxel are valid second-line treatment options in MRGC.
A Phase II Trial of Sorafenib and Dacarbazine for Leiomyosarcoma, Synovial Sarcoma, and Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors
Authors: D'Adamo David R. , Dickson Mark A. , Keohan Mary L. , Carvajal Richard D. , Hensley Martee L. , Hirst Catherine M. , Ezeoke Marietta O. , Ahn Linda , Qin Li-Xuan , Antonescu Cristina R. , Lefkowitz Robert A. , Maki Robert G. , Schwartz Gary K. , Tap William D.
Published: August 2018

Background

Sorafenib and dacarbazine have low single-agent response rates in metastatic sarcomas. As angiogenesis inhibitors can enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy, we investigated the combination of sorafenib and dacarbazine in select sarcoma subtypes.

Materials and Methods

Patients with leiomyosarcoma (LMS), synovial sarcoma (SS), or malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) with up to two previous lines of therapy and adequate hepatic, renal, and marrow function received 3-week cycles of sorafenib at 400 mg oral twice daily and dacarbazine 1,000 mg/m2 intravenously (later reduced to 850 mg/m2). Patients were evaluated for response every 6 weeks. The primary objective was to determine the disease control rate (DCR) of sorafenib plus dacarbazine in the selected sarcoma subtypes.

Results

The study included 37 patients (19 female); median age was 55 years (range 26–87); and histologies included LMS (22), SS (11), and MPNST (4). The DCR was 46% (17/37). Median progression-free survival was 13.4 weeks. The RECIST response rate was 14% (5/37). The Choi response rate was 51% (19/37). Median overall survival was 13.2 months. Of the first 25 patients, 15 (60%) required dacarbazine dose reductions for hematologic toxicity, with one episode of grade 5 neutropenic fever. After reducing the starting dose of dacarbazine to 850 mg/m2, only 3 of the final 12 (25%) patients required dose reduction.

Conclusion

This phase II study met its primary endpoint with an 18-week DCR of 46%. The clinical activity of dacarbazine plus sorafenib in patients with these diagnoses is modest.
FDA Approval Summary: Midostaurin for the Treatment of Advanced Systemic Mastocytosis
Authors: Kasamon Yvette L. , Ko Chia-Wen , Subramaniam Sriram , Ma Lian , Yang Yuching , Nie Lei , Shord Stacy , Przepiorka Donna , Farrell Ann T. , McKee Amy E. , Pazdur Richard
Published: August 2018

In April 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted regular approval to midostaurin for the treatment of adult patients with aggressive systemic mastocytosis (ASM), systemic mastocytosis with associated hematological neoplasm (SM-AHN), or mast cell leukemia (MCL). Approval was based on results from CPKC412D2201, a single-arm trial of midostaurin (100 mg orally twice daily) in previously treated or untreated patients. For the patients with ASM and SM-AHN, efficacy was established on the basis of confirmed complete remission (CR) plus incomplete remission (ICR) by modified Valent criteria with six cycles of midostaurin. There were no CRs reported; ICR was achieved by 6 of 16 patients (38%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 15%–65%) with ASM and by 9 of 57 patients (16%; 95% CI: 7%–28%) with SM-AHN. Within the follow-up period, the median duration of response was not reached for the patients with ASM (range, 12.1+ to 36.8+ months) or with SM-AHN (range, 6.6+ to 52.1+ months). For the patients with MCL, efficacy was established on the basis of confirmed CR using modified 2013 International Working Group-Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Research and Treatment-European Competence Network on Mastocytosis criteria. Of 21 patients with MCL, 1 (5%) achieved a CR. Of 142 patients with SM evaluated for safety, 56% had dose modifications for toxicity, and 21% discontinued treatment due to a toxicity. Over 50% reported nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, and ≥30% reported edema, musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, abdominal pain, or upper respiratory tract infection. New or worsening grade ≥3 lymphopenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, or neutropenia developed in ≥20%. Although midostaurin is an active drug for treatment of advanced SM, it is not clear that the optimal dose has been identified.

Implications for Practice

Midostaurin is the only U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved therapy for patients with systemic mastocytosis with associated hematological neoplasm and mast cell leukemia and is the only therapy approved for patients with aggressive systemic mastocytosis regardless of KIT D816V mutation status. Based on response rate and duration, midostaurin has meaningful clinical activity in these rare, life-threatening diseases.
Mechanisms of failure in saturated and unsaturated clayey geomaterials subjected to (total) tensile stress
Authors: Murray Ian , Tarantino Alessandro
Published: August 2018

The paper presents an experimental investigation into the mechanisms of tensile failure in clayey geomaterials under saturated and unsaturated conditions. An experimental apparatus was developed to test specimens in uniaxial tension with the facility to monitor suction (pore-water tension) using high-capacity tensiometers. This allowed interpretation of failure data in terms of effective stress and average skeleton stress for saturated and unsaturated specimens, respectively. Experimental data from normally consolidated samples showed that failure under uniaxial tension occurs in shear and tensile cracks form as a combination of mode I and mode II fracture. In the saturated range, when samples were prepared with de-aired water, tensile failure occurred at deviatoric stresses corresponding to the critical state line derived from triaxial and uniaxial compression tests. When using non-de-aired water and at suction levels approaching the air-entry value, failure occurred at deviatoric stresses lower than the ones corresponding to the critical state line derived from compression tests. It has been suggested that water cavitation may be one of the mechanisms that control premature rupture of saturated clay when subjected to a (total) tensile stress state. Finally, tensile failure data from unsaturated samples showed that there is continuity between saturated and unsaturated states.
ESKİ TERÖRİZM, YENİ TERÖRİZM: 9/11 VE ESKİMEYEN TERÖRİZM SÖYLEMİ
Authors: AĞKAYA Onur
Published: August 2018

Bu
makalede “yeni terörizm” kavramı eleştirel olarak analiz edilmektedir. 11 Eylül
2001 Saldırıları’nı (9/11) takip eden süreçte yeni terörizm kavramı bir siyasal
söyleme dönüşerek, Batılı toplumlarda da doğal biçimde içkin olarak var olan
yıkıcı şiddeti maskelemek ve yenidenyeryurt sahibi yapmak için kullanılmıştır.
Bu argüman bağlamında, Batılı devletlerin küresel terörizm söylemi ve terörle
mücadele politikaları ele alınarak yeni terörizm üzerine mevcut yaklaşımlar
sorunsallaştırılacak ve aşındırılmaya çalışılacaktır. Bu makaleyle, Türkiye’de
eksikliği görülen eleştirel terörizm çalışmalarına; ilk olarak yeni terörizmin
önce akademik alanda ortaya çıktığı ve daha sonra Batılı devletlerin tekeline
almaya çalıştığı bir siyasal söyleme sıkıştığı savunularak katkıda bulunulması
amaçlanmaktadır. İkinci olarak, yeni terörizmin siyasallaşmasına bağlı olarak
analitik değerini kaybettiği savunulmaktadır.
La publicidad en el mobiliario urbano en época electoral
Authors: Corzo Mantilla Luis Alejandro
Published: August 2018

Este artículo tiene como finalidad reseñar la evolución de concepto de publicidad política exterior en época electoral desde un enfoque socio jurídico del ordenamiento jurídico colombiano frente a los partidos políticos tradicionales y/o no tradicionales de la ciudad y generar una campaña de sensibilización y cambio de comportamiento ciudadano a fin de evitar la contaminación visual por exceso de publicidad política exterior en la ciudad de Cúcuta. Así mismo se especificaran conceptos que en la ejecución de políticas de publicidad suelen aplicar los movimientos y partidos políticos, los cuales son dirigidos por los intereses electorales que sus directivos han plasmado dentro de sus colectividades, olvidando las consecuencias que genera una indebida y excesiva utilización de elementos publicitarios, que al final terminan saturando visualmente e incluso terminan generando desechos que son pocas veces retirados de forma idónea para preservar el buen estado (en lo mínimo visual) del mobiliario urbano en dichas épocas electorales.
Experiencias significativas para la enseñabilidad de la oralidad dentro del proceso civil colombiano desde el aula de clase
Authors: Sánchez Novoa Pedro Alirio
Published: August 2018

El presente artículo busca realizar un análisis sobre las herramientas pedagógicas y didácticas que sean las más adecuadas para la enseñanza de la Oralidad para afrontar el nuevo Proceso Civil Colombiano que se enmarca en la celebración de audiencias y en dejar a un lado el sistema procesal escritural para  hace más expeditos y efectivos los procesos. Es importante que la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad Libre Seccional Cúcuta, tome cartas en el asunto y prepare los microcurrículos en torno a un eje trasversal que propendan por la Oralidad en el proceso Civil.
La familia como elemento mediador entre la cultura de paz y la violencia cultural
Authors: Hinojosa García Myrna Berenice , Vázquez Gutiérrez Reyna Lizeth
Published: August 2018

En la búsqueda de paz, comenzando con el individuo y posteriormente reflejándose en la sociedad, la familia juega un rol fundamental. Al ser considerada como la primera institución socializadora y formadora del individuo, la influencia de lo aprendido en el hogar es notable a lo largo de la vida. El presente artículo presenta un análisis y reflexión sobre la paz, los elementos de la Cultura de Paz, su definición y sus manifestaciones. Posteriormente se analizan los orígenes de la violencia, de que forma se aprenden y enseñan las conductas violentas y se revisan aportaciones de teóricos que profundizan en la violencia estructural, su definición y elementos. Finalmente se analizará el rol de la familia como formadora del individuo y la influencia de las conductas y relaciones del individuo en la sociedad. Se revisarán estudios y propuestas a nivel internacional que comprueban la importancia de capacitar a los padres como formadores de sus hijos en los elementos de la Cultura de Paz y de la relevancia de su actuación como agentes de cambio social.
La educación y su relación con la administración pública y gobernanza
Authors: Gómez Trujillo Carlos Arturo
Published: August 2018

La educación es de muy importante para los servidores públicos en cuanto cualifican y fortalecen sus competencias; y éstas, en efecto, deben estar direccionadas al cumplimiento de la pluralidad de funciones que desempeñan en su cotidianidad y ser concordantes con los diferentes cargos representados por los mismos, de manera eficaz, con celeridad, efectividad y transparencia. Es por ello que, en este artículo, se evidencia el análisis de conceptos como la descentralización que resaltan la autonomía de las entidades administrativas colombianas, existentes en Estados Sociales de Derecho como el colombiano; así como la vigilancia de los recursos destinados a la gestión pública para el beneficio de los ciudadanos, en los diferentes contextos.
A Study on the Determinants of Mobile Commerce for Air Transport Products : A Comparison Between a Full-Service Carrier and a Low-Cost Carrier
Authors:   The Tourism Sciences Society Of Korea, Kim Yong-Il
Published: August 2018

The advent of mobile commerce has been regarded as a new marketing method. However, little attention has been paid to what factors could be utilized to retain mobile commerce of consumers in the air transport market. The purpose of this study is to examine perceived quality and technological characteristics on purchasing intention in mobile commerce of air transport products. The difference in the effect of perceived quality and technological characteristics on purchasing intention is also examined between a full-service carrier and a low-cost carrier. A survey was conducted from July 24 to 29, 2014. A total of 300 questionnaires were collected with 210 usable for analysis. The results of this study are as follows. First, cost had the most impact on purchasing intention and dependence, followed by employee service and on-time performance. Secondly, efficiency had the most impact on purchasing intention, followed by transaction safety. On the other hand, ubiquity had no effect on purchasing intention. Thirdly, type of airline had a moderating effect on perceived quality, technological characteristics, and purchasing intention.
Effects of Travel Careers on Travelers’ Attitudes and Psychological Capability
Authors:   The Tourism Sciences Society Of Korea, Ko Dong-Woo
Published: August 2018

This study explored the psychological effects of travel careers to identify the practical implications of the concept. The indexes of travel careers were measured at three different levels: depth, width, subjective career, and an integrated category. There were four dependent criteria variables: ego involvement of travel, seriousness in travel experience, positive psychological capital for travel, and life satisfaction. The results of the data analysis from 390 Korean samples showed that the travel career on the different indexes had significant effects on the four dependent variables. These results imply that accumulated travel experience might contribute to enhancing travelers’ attitudes and psychological capability for travel and quality of life. In the discussion and conclusion, the points for conceptualizing and measurement of travel careers are discussed for future studies.
Modelling manpower and equipment productivity in tall residential building projects in developing countries
Authors: Parthasarathy M , Murugasan R , Vasan R
Published: August 2018

This study is aimed at developing productivity models based on the combined usage of manpower and equipment resources in construction for tall residential building projects in India. Data was collected from 52 tall residential building projects in different locations for a consecutive period of 18 months for the five basic activities of construction: concreting, reinforcement, formwork, blockwork and plastering. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to develop 15 models - three models each in different conditions for the five basic construction activities for manpower and equipment productivity, and were validated with independent field data. In addition, the factors affecting productivity of manpower and equipment were analysed through a qualitative study by collecting and examining responses to questionnaires from 96 respondents involved in the 52 projects. The study found that improper planning of work was the most important factor affecting the productivity in tall residential building projects. The models developed in the study, and the analysis of factors affecting productivity will be useful to cost engineers and project managers to estimate the productivity of resources in tall residential building projects in India and other developing countries where similar conditions prevail.
An Interview with Jacob H. Rooksby, Dean of Gonzaga University School of Law
Authors: Zeller Micah , Taylor Tucker
Published: August 2018

In this interview, Jacob Rooksby discusses his work and research in intellectual property and higher education law, including a critical examination of the role of copyright on the modern university campus. The conversation, with the Journal of Copyright in Education and Librarianship’s (JCEL) Micah Zeller and Tucker Taylor, covers trends concerning student entrepreneurship, faculty ownership, donor-imposed restrictions in special collections, and why everyone involved—from trustees, administrators, instructors, students, and library staff—should care and know how law and policies affect their interests. The discussion draws on Rooksby’s 2016 book, The Branding of the American Mind: How Universities Capture, Manage, and Monetize Intellectual Property and Why It Matters, which describes problematic practices of institutions, opportunities for those working in this space, and how intellectual property issues connect to our moral expectations for higher education. Professor Rooksby also flags areas for readers to keep an eye on in the future.
ENRAIZAMENTO DE ESTACAS DE VARIEDADES DE FIGUEIRA COM O EMPREGO DE ÁCIDO INDOLBUTÍRICO
Authors: Ferraz Rafael Augusto , Leonel Sarita , Souza Jackson Mirellys Azevedo , Silva Marcelo de Souza , Gonçalves Bruno Henrique Leite
Published: August 2018

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o desempenho propagativo de estacas semilenhosas de variedades de figueira, com o uso de ácido indolbutírico. As variedades avaliadas foram Roxo de Valinhos, White Genova, PI – 189 e Troiano e a dosagem empregada do ácido indolbutírico foi 2000 mg L-1. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 4 x 2 (variedades x com e sem aplicação do regulador vegetal), com cinco repetições e dez estacas por parcela experimental. Foram avaliadas a porcentagem de estacas vivas, de estacas enraizadas e de estacas brotadas, número de brotos, comprimento da maior raiz (cm), número de folhas, volume da raiz (cm3), peso seco da raiz (mg) e peso seco das folhas (mg). As estacas que não receberam a aplicação do regulador vegetal tiveram maior porcentagem de estacas vivas, enraizadas e brotadas, com exceção das variedades Roxo de Valinhos e Troiano, que não apresentaram diferença na aplicação. Mediante esses resultados, foi possível concluir que não é recomendado o uso do ácido indolbutírico para essas variedades, na época de coleta das estacas correspondente ao mês de agosto.PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Ficus carica L., propagação, regulador de crescimento FIG TREE VARIETIES CUTTINGS ROOTING USING INDOLEBUTYRIC ACID ABSTRACT: The present study aimed to evaluate the propagative performance of fig trees cuttings with application of indolebutyric acid (IBA). The evaluated varieties were “Roxo of Valinhos, White Genova, PI -189 and Troiano and the dosage of indolebutyric acid used was 2000 mg L-1. The experimental design used was entirely random, in factorial scheme 4 x 2 (varieties x with or without application of plant regulator), with five replications and ten cuttings per plot. It was evaluated the percentage of live cuttings, rooted cuttings and sprouted cuttings, number of shoots, length of the largest root (cm), number of leaves, root volume (cm3), root dry weight (mg) and leaves dry weight (mg). The cuttings that did not receive treatment with indolebutyric acid had  higher percentage of live, rooted and sprouted cuttings, except for  Roxo of Valinhos” and Troiano varieties, which showed no difference among treatments . Based on the results, it is possible to conclude that the use of indolebutyric acid for such varieties is not recommended in August, month of  cuttings harvest in this study. KEYWORDS: Ficus carica L., propagation, growth regulator.
UK REF 2014 Analysis Data and R Script v1
Authors: Balbuena Lloyd
Published: August 2018

This collection of files contains the raw data and R script for the paper entitled 'The UK Research Excellence Framework and the Matthew Effect: Insights from machine learning.' Data: The file balbuena_REF_2014.dta is a Stata 12 file that contains the data for the paper. It is also saved in CSV format as Balbuena_REF_2014.csv The file balbuena_ref_syntax.R contains the syntax used to run the analysis. The file balbuena_REF.RData file contains the data objects in RData format. See the instructions below if you wish to replicate the analysis. To simply view the data in Excel without re-running the analysis, the universities in the training set (n = 79) and testing set (n=30) are provided in the excel file “REF_2014_schools.xls”