bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
China’s Raw Materials Diplomacy and Governance Cycle: Toward Sustainable Mining and Resource Extraction?
Authors: BIEDERMANN REINHARD
Published: December 2018

China’s raw materials diplomacy and unregulated purchasing of minerals in Africa and Latin America, as well as its domestic raw materials export quota, have for years been eyed with suspicion by state and private actors. Industrialized countries want to uphold and extend free market access to raw materials, but also strengthen their political accountability and sustainability. However, critics argue that in contrast, China, the world’s largest metals and minerals trading power, has taken the opposite course, ignoring social and environmental standards, reinforcing authoritarian governments, and erecting trade barriers. China is faced with several interrelated challenges in its resource diplomacy and governance. This article claims that an identifiable, chronological connection and pattern has existed between China’s aid and investment diplomacy for resources since the late 1990s, free trade agreements since the 2000s, Beijing’s resource nationalism since the 2010s, and the reform process of national and privately organized transnational governance toward sustainability in the present day. Is China socializing with emerging transnational standards on mining and resource extraction in the developing world, and if so, why? This article argues that China’s raw materials governance, including corporate governance, has entered a phase of reform to pacify the external environment and to implement the Belt and Road Initiative. In theoretical terms, China’s raw materials governance will continue to emphasize neoliberal and neo-mercantilist goals, cushioned by globalist features.
A simple explanation of biased movements of renminbi exchange rate
Authors: Hui Cho-Hoi , Lo Chi-Fai
Published: December 2018

The central parity of the renminbi is determined by the closing rate on the previous day according to the central parity formation mechanism following the August 2015 reform. This paper develops a simple model to study how this mechanism affects the currency’s exchange rate dynamics. The central parity is shown to be under monotonic decay or growth conditional on its rate relative to the expected exchange rate determined by a generic stochastic process. Such dynamics requires the central bank to engage in vigorous intra-marginal intervention to halt currency depreciation (or appreciation). Such upward (or downward) bias will disappear if a randomizing factor subject to market conditions is incorporated into the mechanism. The analysis is consistent with the observations in the renminbi foreign exchange market, and the theories and results in the previous studies on target zones.
Directivity-Based Passive Barrier for Local Control of Low-Frequency Noise
Authors: Sharma Gyani Shankar , Sarkar Abhijit
Published: December 2018

This work concerns with improving the transmission loss offered by a noise barrier separating two acoustic spaces in the low-frequency range. A novel concept of local mitigation of the transmitted noise at a target receiver location is presented by controlling the directivity of the transmitted noise through a point mass attachment on the barrier surface. Mass attachment at an arbitrary location is shown to increase the noise transmission. Optimal locations of the mass to minimize the sound transmission in the normal, oblique and tangential directions to the barrier are obtained. Optimal placement of the mass results in a major transmission reduction around the target location, much more than achievable by a uniform distribution of the mass over the barrier. Total transmitted pressure is also reduced; however, local reduction around the target location is much higher. The effects of variation in the excitation frequency and magnitude of the attached mass are investigated.
Range-Dependent Seismo-Acoustic Propagation in the Marginal Ice Zone
Authors: Fialkowski Joseph M. , Collins Michael D. , Calvo David C. , Turgut Altan
Published: December 2018

Single-scattering operators are used to extend the seismo-acoustic parabolic equation to problems involving transitions between areas with and without ice cover, which are common in the marginal ice zone. Gradual transitions are handled with single-scattering operators for sloping fluid–solid interfaces. Sudden transitions, which may occur when the ice fractures and drifts, are handled with a single-scattering operator that conserves normal displacement and tangential stress across the vertical interfaces between the range-independent regions that are used to approximate a range-dependent environment. The approach is tested by making comparisons with a finite-element model for problems involving range-dependent features in the ice cover and in a sediment that supports shear waves.
Age of the Acadian deformation and Devonian granites in northern England: a review
Authors: Woodcock Nigel H. , Jack Soper N. , Miles Andrew J.
Published: December 2018

Field evidence shows that emplacement of Devonian granites in northern England overlaps in space and time with the end of the supposed Acadian deformation in their country rocks. The age of this Acadian event in England and Wales is in need of review because of revised Rb-Sr and K-Ar decay constants and recently acquired radiometric ages on the granites.

Published K-Ar and Ar-Ar cleavage ages recalculated to the new decay constants range from 404 to 394 Ma (Emsian, Early Devonian). Emplacement of the Skiddaw and Weardale granites at 398.8 ± 0.4 and 399.3 ± 0.7 Ma respectively is indicated by U-Pb zircon ages, and is compatible with the field evidence. However, emplacement of the Shap Granite at a Re-Os molybdenite age of 405.2 ± 1.8 Ma and at the youngest U-Pb zircon age of 403 ± 8 Ma matches the field evidence less well. The apparent paradox in these ages is resolved if the K-Ar ages record only the end of millions of years of cleavage formation. An earlier cluster of K-Ar and Ar-Ar cleavage ages at 426–420 Ma (Ludlow to Přídolí, late Silurian) dates a pre-Acadian resetting event soon after Iapetus closure, an event of uncertain significance.

Ion microprobe U-Pb zircon ages for the Shap Granite have a mean of 415.6 ± 1.4 Ma but a range of 428–403 Ma, compatible with a long magmatic history. Thermal considerations suggest that this history was not at the upper crustal emplacement site but in a mid-crustal mush zone, now preserved at about 10 km depth as a component of the Lake District and North Pennine batholiths.
The Paleozoic petroleum system in the north of Scotland – outcrop analogues
Authors: Brown John Flett , Astin Tim R. , Marshall John E. A.
Published: December 2018

All of the components of an exhumed Devonian petroleum system occur in Orkney. These include a good quality mature source rock to bitumen-bearing sandstone reservoirs, with several separate accumulations that could have held about 1.88 billion barrels of oil. The exhumed system presents an excellent analogue for deeply buried petroleum systems offshore. Whilst lighter oils are now absent, reported oil shows occur, commonly associated with faults cutting the Eday Group. On Orkney, Middle Devonian source rocks (750 m thick) were thick lacustrine laminites (fish beds) representing some 30% of the sequence. RockEval and vitrinite analyses show the organic matter is good quality Type I and II and within the early oil window. These source rocks underwent burial until Permian inversion. Several exhumed reservoirs occur on Orkney in aeolian and fluvial sandstones with porosities from 15 to 25%. These reservoirs have been ‘breached’, losing the light-end hydrocarbons, leaving pore space oil stain and bitumen residues. Thin fluvial and sheet-floods sands found within the lake cycles have bitumen residues and provided connectivity between the thicker reservoir units. All types of trap are found including a major, broad anticline running north–south on Mainland Orkney and an unconformity with fault traps and pinchouts.
Tso Morari coesite eclogite: pseudosection predictions v. the preserved record and implications for tectonometamorphic models
Authors: O'Brien Patrick J.
Published: December 2018

Ultrahigh-pressure eclogites of the Tso Morari area, NW Himalaya (Ladakh, India), have been intensively investigated petrographically and petrologically with surprisingly different results. Metamorphic subduction paths based on mineral isopleths in pressure–temperature pseudosections in some studies claim concave (to the temperature axis) pressure–temperature paths predicting significant Ca–Mg–Fe garnet growth in the lawsonite and glaucophane fields: a prediction at odds with abundant epidote/clinozoisite and sodic-calcic amphibole inclusions in garnet interiors more probable along a convex path. One study deduced strong heating still at high pressures and proposed a felsic diapir rising through the mantle wedge: an explanation strongly at odds with well-documented glaucophane cores to barroisite replacing matrix omphacite requiring a cold exhumation most likely back up the subduction channel. In addition, matrix magnesite rimmed by dolomite suggests pressures well into the coesite (if not diamond) stability field: something neglected in most studies. Despite the application of modern analytical and thermodynamic modelling tools, the peak conditions attained by Tso Morari ultrahigh-pressure rocks are often poorly deduced and at odds with simple observations. Is this problem perhaps hindering the reliable identification of new ultrahigh-pressure terranes?
Structural and thermochronological studies of the Almora klippe, Kumaun, NW India: implications for crustal thickening and exhumation of the NW Himalaya
Authors: Puniya M. K. , Patel R. C. , Pant P. D.
Published: December 2018

Crystalline klippen over the Lesser Himalayan Metasedimentary Sequence (LHMS) zone in the NW Himalaya have specific syn- and post-emplacement histories. These tectonics also provide a means to understand the driving factors responsible for the exhumation of the rocks of crystalline klippen during the Himalayan Orogeny. New meso- and microscale structural analyses, and thermochronological studies across the LHMS zone, Ramgarh Thrust (RT) sheet and Almora klippe in the eastern Kumaun region, NW Himalaya, indicate that the RT sheet and Almora klippe were a part of the Higher Himalayan Crystalline (HHC) of the Indian Plate which underwent at least one episode of pre-Himalayan deformation and polyepisodic Himalayan deformation in ductile and brittle–ductile regimes. The deformation temperature pattern within the Almora klippe records a normal thermal profile from its base to top but an inverted thermal profile from the base of Almora klippe down towards the LHMS zone. New fission-track data collected across the RT sheet and Almora klippe along Chalthi–Champawat–Pithoragarh traverse in the east Kumaun region document the exhumation of both units since Eocene times. Zircon fission-track (ZFT) ages from the Almora klippe range between 28.7 ± 2.4 and 17.6 ± 1.1 Ma, and from the RT sheet between 29.8 ± 1.6 and 22.6 ± 1.9 Ma; and the apatite fission-track (AFT) ages from the Almora klippe range between 15.1 ± 1.7 and 3.4 ± 0.5 Ma, and from the RT sheet between 8.7 ± 1.2 and 4.6 ± 0.6 Ma. The age pattern and diverse patterns of the exhumation rates reflect a clear tectonic signal in the RT sheet and the Almora klippe which acknowledge that the Cenozoic tectonics influenced the exhumation pattern in the Himalaya.
Cretaceous building sandstones in northern Germany
Authors: Ehling Angela
Published: December 2018

Cretaceous sandstones occur mainly in the north and NE of Germany. Some of them have been quarried for more than a thousand years and they have been transported to other regions, even abroad, from as early as medieval times. These are the Elbe Sandstones in Saxony, the Wealden Sandstones and the Bentheimer Sandstone in Lower Saxony and the Baumberger Sandstone in North Rhein-Westfalia. All of these are still quarried, and all can be used as building stone as well as for sculptures. They are introduced with their special features and their use over the centuries.
SCORE
Authors: Zhou You , Wu Fei , Lu Zhonghai , He Xubin , Huang Ping , Xie Changsheng
Published: December 2018

Technology scaling and program/erase cycling result in an increasing bit error rate in NAND flash storage. Some
solid state drives (SSDs)
adopt
overlong error correction codes (ECCs)
, whose redundancy size exceeds the spare area limit of flash pages, to protect user data for improved reliability and lifetime. However, the read performance is significantly degraded, because a logical data page and its ECC redundancy are stored in two flash pages. In this article, we find that caching ECCs has a large potential to reduce flash reads by achieving higher hit rates, compared to caching data. Then, we propose a novel scheme to efficiently cache overlong ECCs, called
SCORE
, to improve the SSD performance. Exceeding ECC redundancy (called
ECC residues
) of logically consecutive data pages are grouped into
ECC pages
. SCORE partitions RAM to cache both data pages and ECC pages in a workload-adaptive manner. Finally, we verify SCORE using extensive trace-driven simulations. The results show that SCORE obtains high ECC hit rates without sacrificing data hit rates, thus improving the read performance by an average of 22% under various workloads, compared to the state-of-the-art schemes.
The Digitization of Patient Care: A Review of the Effects of Electronic Health Records on Health Care Quality and Utilization
Authors: Atasoy Hilal , Greenwood Brad N. , McCullough Jeffrey Scott
Published: December 2018

Electronic health records (EHRs) adoption has become nearly universal during the past decade. Academic research into the effects of EHRs has examined factors influencing adoption, clinical care benefits, financial and cost implications, and more. We provide an interdisciplinary overview and synthesis of this literature, drawing on work in public and population health, informatics, medicine, management information systems, and economics. We then chart paths forward for policy, practice, and research.
Blockade of enhancer of zeste homolog 2 alleviates renal injury associated with hyperuricemia
Authors: Shi Yingfeng , Xu Liuqing , Tao Min , Fang Lu , Lu Jiasun , Gu Hongwei , Ma Shuchen , Lin Tao , Wang Yi , Bao Wenfang , Qiu Andong , Zhuang Shougang , Liu Na
Published: December 2018

Hyperuricemia has been identified as an independent risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is associated with the progression of kidney diseases. It remains unknown whether enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), a histone H3 lysine 27 methyltransferase, can regulate metabolism of serum uric acid and progression of renal injury induced by hyperuricemia. In this study, we demonstrated that blockade of EZH2 with 3-DZNeP, a selective EZH2 inhibitor, or silencing of EZH2 with siRNA inhibited uric acid-induced renal fibroblast activation and phosphorylation of Smad3, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) in cultured renal fibroblasts. Inhibition of EZH2 also suppressed proliferation of renal fibroblasts and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of tubular cells. In a mouse model of renal injury induced by hyperuricemia, EZH2 and trimethylation of histone H3 at lysine27 expression levels were enhanced, which was coincident with renal damage and increased expression of lipocalin-2 and cleaved caspase-3. Inhibition of EZH2 with 3-DZNeP blocked all these responses. Furthermore, 3-DZNeP treatment decreased the level of serum uric acid and xanthine oxidase activity, alleviated renal interstitial fibrosis, inhibited activation of transforming growth factor-β/Smad3, EGFR/ERK1/2, and nuclear factor-κB signaling pathways, as well as reduced expression of multiple chemokines/cytokines. Collectively, EZH2 inhibition can reduce the level of serum uric acid and alleviate renal injury and fibrosis through a mechanism associated with inhibition of multiple signaling pathways. Targeting EZH2 may be a novel strategy for the treatment of hyperuricemia-induced CKD.
Human-level saccade detection performance using deep neural networks
Authors: Bellet Marie E. , Bellet Joachim , Nienborg Hendrikje , Hafed Ziad M. , Berens Philipp
Published: December 2018

Saccades are ballistic eye movements that rapidly shift gaze from one location of visual space to another. Detecting saccades in eye movement recordings is important not only for studying the neural mechanisms underlying sensory, motor, and cognitive processes, but also as a clinical and diagnostic tool. However, automatically detecting saccades can be difficult, particularly when such saccades are generated in coordination with other tracking eye movements, like smooth pursuits, or when the saccade amplitude is close to eye tracker noise levels, like with microsaccades. In such cases, labeling by human experts is required, but this is a tedious task prone to variability and error. We developed a convolutional neural network to automatically detect saccades at human-level accuracy and with minimal training examples. Our algorithm surpasses state of the art according to common performance metrics and could facilitate studies of neurophysiological processes underlying saccade generation and visual processing.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Detecting saccades in eye movement recordings can be a difficult task, but it is a necessary first step in many applications. We present a convolutional neural network that can automatically identify saccades with human-level accuracy and with minimal training examples. We show that our algorithm performs better than other available algorithms, by comparing performance on a wide range of data sets. We offer an open-source implementation of the algorithm as well as a web service.
Semicircular canal biomechanics in health and disease
Authors: Rabbitt R. D.
Published: December 2018

The semicircular canals are responsible for sensing angular head motion in three-dimensional space and for providing neural inputs to the central nervous system (CNS) essential for agile mobility, stable vision, and autonomic control of the cardiovascular and other gravity-sensitive systems. Sensation relies on fluid mechanics within the labyrinth to selectively convert angular head acceleration into sensory hair bundle displacements in each of three inner ear sensory organs. Canal afferent neurons encode the direction and time course of head movements over a broad range of movement frequencies and amplitudes. Disorders altering canal mechanics result in pathological inputs to the CNS, often leading to debilitating symptoms. Vestibular disorders and conditions with mechanical substrates include benign paroxysmal positional nystagmus, direction-changing positional nystagmus, alcohol positional nystagmus, caloric nystagmus, Tullio phenomena, and others. Here, the mechanics of angular motion transduction and how it contributes to neural encoding by the semicircular canals is reviewed in both health and disease.
Brain Glucose Metabolism: Integration of Energetics with Function
Authors: Dienel Gerald A.
Published: December 2018

Glucose is the long-established, obligatory fuel for brain that fulfills many critical functions, including ATP production, oxidative stress management, and synthesis of neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, and structural components. Neuronal glucose oxidation exceeds that in astrocytes, but both rates increase in direct proportion to excitatory neurotransmission; signaling and metabolism are closely coupled at the local level. Exact details of neuron–astrocyte glutamate–glutamine cycling remain to be established, and the specific roles of glucose and lactate in the cellular energetics of these processes are debated. Glycolysis is preferentially upregulated during brain activation even though oxygen availability is sufficient (aerobic glycolysis). Three major pathways, glycolysis, pentose phosphate shunt, and glycogen turnover, contribute to utilization of glucose in excess of oxygen, and adrenergic regulation of aerobic glycolysis draws attention to astrocytic metabolism, particularly glycogen turnover, which has a high impact on the oxygen–carbohydrate mismatch. Aerobic glycolysis is proposed to be predominant in young children and specific brain regions, but re-evaluation of data is necessary. Shuttling of glucose- and glycogen-derived lactate from astrocytes to neurons during activation, neurotransmission, and memory consolidation are controversial topics for which alternative mechanisms are proposed. Nutritional therapy and vagus nerve stimulation are translational bridges from metabolism to clinical treatment of diverse brain disorders.
Fibrin Glue Enhances Adipose-Derived Stromal Cell Cytokine Secretion and Survival Conferring Accelerated Diabetic Wound Healing
Authors: Hopfner Ursula , Aitzetmueller Matthias M. , Neßbach Philipp , Hu Michael S. , Machens Hans-Guenther , Maan Zeshaan N. , Duscher Dominik
Published: December 2018

Introduction. Although chronic wounds are a major personal and economic burden, treatment options are still limited. Among those options, adipose-derived stromal cell- (ASC-) based therapies rank as a promising approach but are restricted by the harsh wound environment. Here we use a commercially available fibrin glue to provide a deliverable niche for ASCs in chronic wounds. Material and Methods. To investigate the in vitro effect of fibrin glue, cultivation experiments were performed and key cytokines for regeneration were quantified. By using an established murine chronic diabetic wound-healing model, we evaluated the influence of fibrin glue spray seeding on cell survival (In Vivo Imaging System, IVIS), wound healing (wound closure kinetics), and neovascularization of healed wounds (CD31 immunohistochemistry). Results. Fibrin glue seeding leads to a significantly enhanced secretion of key cytokines (SDF-1, bFGF, and MMP-2) of human ASCs in vitro. IVIS imaging showed a significantly prolonged murine ASC survival in diabetic wounds and significantly accelerated complete wound closure in the fibrin glue seeded group. CD31 immunohistochemistry revealed significantly more neovascularization in healed wounds treated with ASCs spray seeded in fibrin glue vs. ASC injected into the wound bed. Conclusion. Although several vehicles have shown to successfully act as cell carrier systems in preclinical trials, regulatory issues have prohibited clinical usage for chronic wounds. By demonstrating the ability of fibrin glue to act as a carrier vehicle for ASCs, while simultaneously enhancing cellular regenerative function and viability, this study is a proponent of clinical translation for ASC-based therapies.
Alginate Biocomposite Films Incorporated with Cinnamon Essential Oil Nanoemulsions: Physical, Mechanical, and Antibacterial Properties
Authors: Frank Kporwodu , Garcia Coralia V. , Shin Gye Hwa , Kim Jun Tae
Published: December 2018

Alginate-based antibacterial biocomposite films were prepared by incorporating with cinnamon essential oil nanoemulsions (CEO-NE). CEO-NE was first prepared by mixing and homogenizing the oil phase and aqueous phase containing polysorbate 80 (Tween 80), using a probe-type ultrasonication equipment. The biocomposite films were then prepared by incorporating the CEO-NE to an aqueous solution of alginate and glycerol, homogenizing, casting, and drying. The mean droplet size, zeta potential, and polydispersity index of the CEO-NE were 92.2 nm, −15.58 mV, and 0.25, respectively. Young’s modulus of the CEO-NE/alginate biocomposite films was significantly increased with an increasing concentration of CEO-NE, while their elongation at break was significantly decreased. However, the tensile strength of the CEO-NE/alginate biocomposite films was not significantly changed. The maximum tensile strength and elongation at break of the biocomposite films were 15.63 MPa and 23.67%, respectively, corresponding to the biocomposite films containing 20% CEO-NE. The biocomposite films containing 20% CEO-NE also showed strong antibacterial effects against Salmonella typhimurium, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus, achieving inhibition zones from 29.7 to 53.0 mm. These results show the potential of the CEO-NE/alginate biocomposite films as antibacterial packaging for extending the shelf life of fresh foods.
Research on an Ultrasonic Cutting Device Based on 0Cr18Ni9
Authors: Hongjun San , Zhang Yongxia , Chen Mingfang , Wu Hao
Published: December 2018

For precision machining of 0Cr18Ni9, a two‐dimensional ultrasonic cutting device is studied, which is composed of an elliptical ultrasonic vibration‐working head and a two‐dimensional high‐power ultrasonic driving system. The working head is designed according to the size of the lathe tool post. The flange is designed in the nodal plane, and the ultrasonic oscillator is fixed in the flange plate, which can reduce the mechanical loss of vibration. The drive system can realize the linkage amplitude and synchronous control of the two arms. The speed of the synchronous frequency tracking is fairly fast, and the precision is satisfactory. The vibration shape of the working head can be arbitrarily set, and the vibration shape is stable. Through the cutting experiments of 0Cr18Ni9, the relationship between the speed of cutting line and the quality of cutting and the relationship between the vibration shape and the cutting quality, tool wear, and chip are all analyzed.
A Novel Biodegradable and Thermosensitive Poly(Ester-Amide) Hydrogel for Cartilage Tissue Engineering
Authors: Fu Tsai-Sheng , Wei Yu-Hong , Cheng Po-Yuan , Chu I-Ming , Chen Wei-Chuan
Published: December 2018

Thermosensitive hydrogels are attractive alternative scaffolding materials for minimally invasive surgery through a simple injection and in situ gelling. In this study, a novel poly(ester-amide) polymer, methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(pyrrolidone-co-lactide) (mPDLA, P3L7) diblock copolymer, was synthesized and characterized for cartilage tissue engineering. A series of amphiphilic diblock copolymers was synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of mPEG 550, D,L-lactide, and 2-pyrrolidone. By dynamic light scattering analysis and tube-flipped-upside-down method, viscoelastic properties of the mPDLA diblock copolymer solution exhibited sol-gel transition behavior as a function of temperature. An in vitro degradation assay showed that degradation acidity was effectively reduced by introducing the 2-pyrrolidone monomer into the polyester hydrogel. Besides, mPDLA exhibited great biocompatibility in vitro for cell encapsulation due to a high swelling ratio. Moreover, cell viability and biochemical analysis proved that the mPDLA hydrogel presented a great chondrogenic response. Taken together, these results demonstrate that mPDLA hydrogels are promising injectable scaffolds potentially applicable to cartilage tissue engineering.
Theoretical Study and Experimental Validation of Energetic Performances of Photovoltaic/Thermal Air Collector
Authors: Touafek Khaled , Khelifa Abdelkrim , Boutina Lyes , Tabet Ismail , Haddad Salim
Published: December 2018

This work undertakes both simulation and experimental studies of a new design of a photovoltaic thermal solar air collector (PV/T). In order to improve the thermal and electrical performances for a specific application, the analytical expressions for thermal parameters and efficiency are derived by developing an energy balance equation for each component of the PV/T air collector. This type of hybrid collector can be applied in the facades of buildings. The electricity and heat produced will satisfy the energy needs of the buildings, while ensuring an aesthetic view of its facades. A typical prototype was designed, constructed, and implemented in the applied research unit on renewable energies in Ghardaia, situated in the south of Algeria. This region has semiarid characteristics. Results obtained by an experimental test are presented and compared to those predicted through simulation. Results include the temperature of each component of the PV/T collector and air temperature at the inlet and outlet of the channel. It has been found that the theoretical results predicted by the developed mathematical model, for instance, outlet temperature, agree with those found through experimental work.
Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Dustmen in Northeastern China: A Case-Control Seroprevalence Study
Authors: Jiang Ruo-Lan , Zhao Quan , Jiang Jing , Chen Xue-Long , Zhang Xiao-Xuan , Wu Xiang
Published: December 2018

Background. Toxoplasmosis is caused by an intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which can infect many hosts including humans. Methods. In order to estimate whether dustmen are more susceptible to T. gondii, a case-control study was conducted containing 332 dustmen from Jilin and Heilongjiang in Northeastern China, as well as 332 general populations from the same regions as control subjects. Serum samples were tested IgG and IgM antibodies to T. gondii using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results. The overall anti-T. gondii IgG was 15.06% (50/332) in dustmen compared with 9.64% (32/332) in the controls (P = 0.0337). Also, 5 (1.51%) dustmen had anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies compared with 2 (0.60%) control individuals (P = 0.2543). A significant association was only found between dustmen and level of T. gondii IgG in comparison with the control subjects. Seroprevalence of T. gondii IgG antibodies in male dustmen was significant higher than male control subjects (P = 0.0399). Dustmen from Jilin had the significant higher T. gondii IgG rate (P = 0.0143), in comparison with the control subjects from Jilin. Moreover, dustmen raising cat at home had the significant higher T. gondii IgG rate (P = 0.0097), in comparison with the control subjects. Risk factor analysis suggested that raising cat at home and not having habits of washing hand before eating were mainly related to the T. gondii infection in dustmen. Conclusions. This is the first record of seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in dustmen in Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces in Northeastern China. These findings also suggest that the government departments should pay close attention to the toxoplasmosis in dustmen in Northeastern China.
Contralateral Traumatic Hemopneumothorax
Authors: Alexander Quevedo-Florez Leonardo , Andrés Montenegro-Apraez Alvaro , Giovanni Aguiar-Martinez Leonar , Carlos Hernández Juan , David Cortés-Tascón Juan
Published: December 2018

Pneumothorax is the entry of air into the virtual space between the visceral and the parietal pleurae, which can occur spontaneously or to a greater extent in a traumatic way. In daily clinical practice it is frequent to find injuries that generate traumatic pneumothorax that is ipsilateral to the lesion. However, there are case reports of contralateral pneumothorax that occurred in procedures such as insertion of pacemakers, or in cases of pneumonectomy. The following is the case report of a 37-year-old man who was admitted with a sharp wound to the right paravertebral region who developed a left haemopneumothorax due to a tangential course of the injuring agent. Adequate clinical judgment was followed, and several imaging studies were carried out, leading to the diagnosis of traumatic pneumothorax that was contralateral to the described injury.
Resonance Vibration Control for AMB Flexible Rotor System Based onµ-Synthesis Controller
Authors: Ran Shaolin , Hu Yefa , Wu Huachun , Cheng Xin
Published: December 2018

The resonance vibration control of flexible rotor supported on active magnetic bearings (AMB) is a challenging issue in the industrial applications. This work addresses the application of robust control method to the resonance vibration control for AMB flexible rotor while passing through the critical speed. This model-based method shows great superiority to handling flexible mode vibration, which can guarantee robust stability and performance when encountering modal perturbation. First, the designed flexible rotor-AMB test rig is briefly introduced. Then the system modeling is described in detail including flexible rotor, power amplifier, displacement sensors and magnetic actuator and rotordynamics are analyzed. Model validation is carried out by sine sweeping test. Finally, theμ-synthesis controller is designed. The simulation and experimental results indicate that the designedμ-synthesis controller, which shows great robustness to modal perturbation, can effectively suppress the resonance vibration of flexible rotor and achieve supercritical operation.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma Originating from Adult Laryngeal Papillomatosis: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Ribeiro El-Achkar Vivian Narana , Duarte Andressa , Pinto Saggioro Fabiano , De Mello Filho Francisco Veríssimo , León Jorge Esquiche , Ribeiro-Silva Alfredo , Kaminagakura Estela
Published: December 2018

Background. The malignant transformation of laryngeal papillomatosis (LP) into squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) can occur in up to 4% of LP cases. The low-risk HPV types 6 and 11 are those that are most commonly related to LP; however, high-risk HPV types may be present. The present study reviews the literature on cases of malignant transformation of LP in adults and reports a clinical case. Case Report. A 47-year-old male patient exhibiting hoarseness for 4 months presented an exophytic lesion in the right palatine tonsil and a digitiform-like lesion in the right vocal fold. The biopsy revealed a well-differentiated SCC in the vocal cord, which showed a transition zone with a squamous papillomatous lesion. By using the chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) test, both lesions showed a positive result for high-risk HPV types 16 and 18 and negative for low-risk HPV types 6 and 11. The final diagnosis was SCC arising from LP. The patient underwent surgical treatment. After 36 months of follow-up, no signs of recurrence were observed. Results. The literature review revealed 25 cases of malignant transformation into SCC of LP with adult onset. Of these, only 9 cases were assessed by CISH and/or PCR for HPV identification, of which 7 were positive. The current study focuses on the eighth case, suggesting the involvement of the high-risk HPV types in its pathogenesis. Conclusions. LP is considered a benign lesion with the potential for malignant transformation, which reinforces the need for its early diagnosis and the constant monitoring of patients with LP.
Direct Synthesis of Highly Dispersible PACMA-Capped TiO2 Nanoparticles and Its Adsorption Properties towards Pb(II)
Authors: Sanchez-Sala Marta , Domingo Concepción , Ayllón José A.
Published: December 2018

A simple low-temperature one-step synthetic method of a hybrid material involving TiO2 nanoparticles modified by an organic polymer is here reported. TiO2 nanoparticles were grown by hydrolysis of hexafluorotitanate using boric acid as a fluoride scavenger. TiO2 synthesis was performed in the presence of poly(acrylic acid-co-maleic acid) (PACMA). This procedure yields a crystalline TiO2 nanopowder capped with PACMA, termed PACMA@TiO2, according to X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy characterization methods. Elemental analysis denotes the presence in the powder of a small amount of ammonium. Transmission and scanning electron microscopies show that the material is constituted by needles of ca. 200 nm in length, fused into star-like particles. Selected area electron diffraction analysis indicates that the particles are aggregated and only partially organized. The dried powdered material can easily be dispersed in water. The colloidal suspension obtained is highly stable, and its potential application in heavy metal adsorption is demonstrated with aqueous Pb(II), followed by using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry.
Copper-Doped Nano Laponite Coating on Poly(butylene Succinate) Scaffold with Antibacterial Properties and Cytocompatibility for Biomedical Application
Authors: Tang Xiaoming , Dai Jian , Sun Hailang , Nabanita Saha , Petr Saha , Tang Liangchen , Cheng Qilin , Wang Deqiang , Wei Jie
Published: December 2018

An ideal artificial bone will likely be multifunctional, combining different technologies to simultaneously promote bone regeneration while inhibiting microbial infection. In this study, copper- (Cu-) doped nano laponite (cnLAP) was prepared by a cation-exchanged method, and the cnLAP coating on poly(butylene succinate) (PBSu) scaffold was fabricated by poly(dopamine) modification. The results showed that incorporation of Cu ions into nano laponite (nLAP) did not have obvious effects on the morphology and surface area of cnLAP (compared with nLAP), which could be coated easily on macroporous PBSu scaffolds. In addition, the cnLAP-coated PBSu scaffolds could inhibit the growth of both Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), indicating good antibacterial activity. Moreover, the cnLAP-coated PBSu scaffolds significantly promoted proliferation and improved alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) compared with PBSu scaffolds. Furthermore, no obvious differences in cell responses to cnLAP- and nLAP-coated PBSu scaffolds were found, indicating that incorporation of Cu into nLAP had no negative effects on its cytocompatibility. The results suggested that the cnLAP-coated PBSu scaffolds exhibited excellent cytocompatibility and antimicrobial activity, which might offer promising opportunities for promoting bone regeneration and prevention of infectious from bacteria and effective treatment of bone defects.
Pyloric Gland Adenoma of Gallbladder: A Review of Diagnosis and Management
Authors: Saei Hamedani Farid , Garcia-Buitrago Monica
Published: December 2018

Neoplastic polypoid mucosal lesions of the gallbladder are increasingly being reported in cholecystectomy specimens. However, due to the absence of unified terminology and reporting criteria, the body of scientific evidence on their classification, prognosis, and management is scarce and sometimes controversial. While they have different histomorphologic features (gastric foveolar, gastric pyloric gland, biliary, and intestinal), a significant immunohistochemical overlap exists which highlights their mixed cell lineage with a dominant cell type in each, establishing the subcategory. Because of many shared attributes, intracholecystic papillary-tubular neoplasm (ICPN) has been introduced as an umbrella terminology. ICPNs of the pyloric subtype are lesions larger than 1 cm, as most of the smaller ones are clinically insignificant and represent polypoid hyperplasia rather than a true neoplasm. In this review, we will focus on the pyloric gland adenomas as the most frequent histologic subtype of ICPNs.
The Human IL-23 Decoy Receptor Inhibits T-Cells Producing IL-17 by Genetically Engineered Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Rostami Masoumeh , Haidari Kamran , Shahbazi Majid
Published: December 2018

The immunomodulatory and self-renewable features of human adipose mesenchymal stem cells (hAD-MSCs) mark their importance in regenerative medicine. Interleukin 23 (IL- 23) as a proinflammatory cytokine suppresses T regulatory cells (Treg) and promotes the response of T helper 17 (Th17) and T helper 1 (Th1) cells. This pathway starts inflammation and immunosuppression in several autoimmune diseases. The current study for producing recombinant IL- 23 decoy receptor (RIL- 23R) using hAD-MSCs as a good candidate for ex vivo cell-based gene therapy purposes reducing inflammation in autoimmune diseases. hAD-MSCs was isolated from lipoaspirate and then characterized by differentiation. RIL- 23R was designed and cloned into a pCDH-813A- 1 lentiviral vector. The transduction of hAD-MSCs was performed at MOI (multiplicity of infection) = 50 with pCDH- EFI α- RIL- 23R- PGK copGFP. Expressions of RIL- 23R and octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT- 4) were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (real time-PCR). Self-renewing properties were assayed with OCT- 4. Bioactivity of the designed RIL- 23R was evaluated by IL- 17 and IL- 10 expression of mouse splenocytes. Cell differentiation confirmed the true isolation of hAD-MSCs from lipoaspirate. Restriction of the enzyme digestion and sequencing verified the successful cloning of RIL- 23R in the CD813A-1 lentiviral vector. The green fluorescent protein (GFP) positive transduction rate was up to 90%, and real-time PCR showed the expression level of RIL-23R. Oct-4 had a similar expression pattern with nontransduced hAD-MSCs and transduced hAD-MSCs/ RIL-23R indicating that lentiviral vector did not affect hAD-MSCs characteristics. Downregulation of IL-17 and upregulation of IL-10 showed the correct activity of the engineered hAD-MSCs. The results showed that the transduced hAD-MSCs/ RIL- 23R, expressing IL-23 decoy receptor, can give a useful approach for a basic research on cell-based gene therapy for autoimmune disorders.
Hypoglycemic Mechanism of the Berberine Organic Acid Salt under the Synergistic Effect of Intestinal Flora and Oxidative Stress
Authors: Cui Hong-Xin , Hu Ya-Nan , Li Jing-Wan , Yuan Ke
Published: December 2018

Both alterations to the intestinal microflora and chronic systemic inflammation predispose towards type 2 diabetes (T2D). Changes in the composition of the intestinal microflora are associated with glucose metabolism changes in rats with T2D. Here, we demonstrate that a berberine fumarate (BF) has a hypoglycemic effect by regulating the intestinal microflora and metabolism of diabetic rats. The T2D rats had disorders of glucose and lipid metabolism, an abnormal intestinal microflora, fewer butyrate‐producing and probiotic‐type bacteria, larger numbers of potentially pathogenic and sulfate‐reducing bacteria, and tissue inflammation. Administration of berberine fumarate significantly ameliorated the metabolic disorder; increased the populations of Bacteroidetes, Clostridia, Lactobacillales, Prevotellaceae, and Alloprevotella; and reduced those of Bacteroidales, Lachnospiraceae, Rikenellaceae, and Desulfovibrio. In addition, it reduced inflammation, inhibiting the overexpression of TLR4 and p‐JNK and increasing the expression of PI3K, GLUT2, and other proteins, which are closely related to oxidative stress, thereby promoting the metabolism of glucose.
A Simple Method for Removal of the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Cell Wall Using a Commercially Available Subtilisin (Alcalase)
Authors: Hwang Hyun-Ju , Kim Yong Tae , Kang Nam Seon , Han Jong Won
Published: December 2018

The algal cell wall is a potent barrier for delivery of transgenes for genetic engineering. Conventional methods developed for higher plant systems are often unable to penetrate or remove algal cell walls owing to their unique physical and chemical properties. Therefore, we developed a simple transformation method for Chlamydomonas reinhardtii using commercially available enzymes. Out of 7 enzymes screened for cell wall disruption, a commercial form of subtilisin (Alcalase) was the most effective at a low concentration (0.3 Anson units/mL). The efficiency was comparable to that of gamete lytic enzyme, a protease commonly used for the genetic transformation of C. reinhardtii. The transformation efficiency of our noninvasive method was similar to that of previous methods using autolysin as a cell wall-degrading enzyme in conjunction with glass bead transformation. Subtilisin showed approximately 35% sequence identity with sporangin, a hatching enzyme of C. reinhardtii, and shared conserved active domains, which may explain the effective cell wall degradation. Our trans­formation method using commercial subtilisin is more reliable and time saving than the conventional method using autolysin released from gametes for cell wall lysis.
Parent-Rated Severity of Illness and Anxiety among Caregivers of Children Born with a Disorder of Sex Development Including Ambiguous Genitalia
Authors: Sharkey Christina M. , Bakula Dana M. , Wolfe-Christensen Cortney , Austin Paul , Baskin Laurence , Bernabé Kerlly J. , Chan Yee-Ming , Cheng Earl Y. , Delozier Alexandria M. , Diamond David A. , Ellens Rebecca E.H. , Fried Allyson , Galan Denise , Greenfield Saul , Kolon Thomas , Kropp Bradley , Lakshmanan Yegappan , Meyer Sabrina , Meyer Theresa , Nokoff Natalie J. , Scott Reyes Kristy J. , Palmer Blake , Poppas Dix P. , Paradis Alethea , Tishelman Amy , Yerkes Elizabeth B. , Chaney John M. , Wisniewski Amy B. , Mullins Larry L.
Published: December 2018

Background/Aims: Parents of children born with disorders of sex development (DSD) often experience anxiety, but risk factors, including parental perception of the severity of their child’s DSD, have not been examined. We hypothesized that severity of illness (SOI) ratings would relate to parental anxiety, and would be higher for parents of children with a potentially life-threatening DSD (e.g., 21-hydroxylase deficiency). Methods: Eighty-nine parents (Mage = 33.0, 56.2% mothers) of 51 children (Mage in months = 8.7) with a DSD including ambiguous genitalia were recruited from 12 specialized DSD clinics. Parents completed questionnaires prior to genitoplasty, 6 months post-genitoplasty, and 12 months post-genitoplasty (if completed). Data were analyzed with linear mixed modeling. Results: Parental anxiety decreased over time, χ2(1) = 10.14, p < 0.01. A positive relationship between SOI and anxiety was found, with SOI being a strong predictor of anxiety (b = 0.53, p < 0.01; χ2[1] = 5.33, p < 0.05). An SOI by time interaction indicated SOI had an increasing effect on anxiety over time, b = 0.06, p < 0.05; χ2(1) = 6.30, p < 0.05. There was no diagnosis by SOI interaction. Conclusion: Parental anxiety decreased over time, but those with higher SOI ratings reported greater initial anxiety followed by slower resolution over time. Underlying etiology of DSD had no effect on the relationship between SOI and anxiety.
A new cryptic species of ground-dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from southern India
Authors: Mirza Zeeshan A.
Published: December 2018

A new cryptic species of ground-dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from southern India. Recently collected specimens of a gecko resembling Hemidactylus reticulatus from northern Karnataka State in southwestern India led me to investigate variation in the species with regards to its morphology and molecular divergence. Results based on existing museum material, combined with molecular data for the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene support the presence of cryptic species within the broadly distributed H. reticulatus complex. Here, I describe a new species of Hemidactylus from northern Karnataka as the frst contribution in resolving the species complex. The integration of molecular and morphological data supports the distinctness of the new species described herein.