bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
IMPLEMENTASI MODEL ADDIE DAN KOMPETENSI KEWIRAUSAHAAN DOSEN TERHADAP MOTIVASI WIRAUSAHA MAHASISWA
Authors: Sari Indah Purnama
Published: April 2018

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of the implementation of ADDIE model and entrepreneurship competence of lecturers to student entrepreneur motivation, either partially or simultaneously. Samples were taken by a total of 30 people at random from 2 different classes who had taken entrepreneurship courses. Data were collected using questionnaires. Data then analyzed by quantitative method that is multiple linier regression analysis. Based on the classical assumption test, no classical assumption problem was found in the regression model. Based on the result of t test, it is found that implementation variable of ADDIE model has no significant effect to entrepreneurship motivation of student, while entrepreneurship entrepreneur competence variable has significant effect to entrepreneurship motivation of student. The results of the F test showed that both independent variables together significantly influence the entrepreneurial motivation. Based on R2 test shows the contribution of variable implementation of ADDIE Model and entrepreneurship competence of lecturer, small on variable entrepreneur motivation in student. Recommendations based on the results of research is that universities need to consider aspects of entrepreneurship competence of lecturers in terms of assigning lecturers of entrepreneurship subjects
Effect of an 1800 MHz electromagnetic field emitted during embryogenesis on the blood picture of one-day-old domestic hen chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus)
Authors: Pawlak Krzysztof , Bojarski Bartosz , Nieckarz Zenon , Lis Marcin , Wojnar Tomasz
Published: April 2018

Exposure to artificial electromagnetic fields emitted mainly by mobile telephony has been steadily increasing with the development of modern technology. Haematological indices are among the most common indicators of the body’s physiological status. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of an 1800 MHz electromagnetic field emission on the blood picture of one-day-old domestic hen chicks. During the experiment, chick embryos were exposed to artificial electromagnetic fields throughout incubation for 13 ´ 2 min/day, 4 ´ 10 min/day and 1 ´ 40 min/day. After hatching, blood was collected from 10 one-day-old chicks from each group to determine: red blood cell count, haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, white blood cell count, and leukocyte differential count. In addition, the heterophil/lymphocyte ratio was calculated. The present study is probably the first to show an increase in the red blood cell count, haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit, white blood cell count, segmented heterophils and the heterophil/lymphocyte ratio, and a decrease in lymphocyte percentage of embryos exposed to an 1800 MHz electromagnetic field. The observed changes may be indicative of the stress-inducing effect of EMF on living organisms.
Oral iron administration in suckling piglets – a review
Authors: Svoboda Martin , Píšťková Karolína
Published: April 2018

Iron deficiency is presently a serious problem in suckling piglets on pig farms. The most often used method of anaemia prevention in piglets is parenteral administration of iron dextran. Oral iron represents an alternative to this method. The goal of this article is to review current knowledge on oral iron administration in suckling piglets. The substances that can be used for this purpose include iron dextran, iron salts, iron chelates, carbonyl iron, an iron polymaltose complex and iron microparticles. The different methods of oral iron administration in piglets are discussed.
People living with undiagnosed HIV infection and a low CD4 count: estimates from surveillance data, Italy, 2012 to 2014
Authors: Regine Vincenza , Dorrucci Maria , Pezzotti Patrizio , Mammone Alessia , Quinten Chantal , Pharris Anastasia , Suligoi Barbara ,   the regional representatives of the National HIV Surveillance System
Published: April 2018

Background and aims

Late HIV diagnosis is associated with onward HIV transmission, higher morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs. In Italy, more than half of people living with HIV were diagnosed late during the last decade, with a CD4 count < 350 cells/mm3 at diagnosis. We aimed to determine the number and characteristics of people living with undiagnosed HIV infection and low CD4 counts in Italy. Methods: Data on newly reported HIV diagnoses from 2012 –2014 were obtained from the national HIV surveillance system. We used the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control HIV modelling tool to calculate the undiagnosed prevalence and yearly diagnosed fraction (YDF) in people with low CD4 count. Results: The estimated annual number undiagnosed HIV infections with low CD4 count was on average 6,028 (95% confidence interval (CI): 4,954–8,043) from 2012–2014. In 2014, most of the undiagnosed people with low CD4 count were men (82.8%), a third acquired HIV through sex between men (MSM) (35.0%), and heterosexual transmission (33.4%), respectively. The prevalence of undiagnosed HIV infection was 11.3 (95% CI: 9.3–14.9) per 100,000 residents ranging from 0.7 to 20.8 between Italian regions. Nationally the prevalence rate was 280.4 (95% CI: 173.3–450.2) per 100,000 MSM, 8.3 (95% CI: 4.9–13.6) per 100,000 heterosexual men, and 3.0 (95% CI: 1.4–5.6) per 100,000 women. The YDF was highest among heterosexual women (27.1%; 95% CI: 16.9–45.2%). Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of improving efforts to identify undiagnosed HIV infections primarily among men, both MSM and heterosexual men.
Case of seasonal reassortant A(H1N2) influenza virus infection, the Netherlands, March 2018
Authors: Meijer Adam , Swaan Corien M , Voerknecht Martin , Jusic Edin , van den Brink Sharon , Wijsman Lisa A , Voordouw Bettie CG , Donker Gé A , Sleven Jacqueline , Dorigo-Zetsma Wendelien W , Svraka Sanela , van Boven Michiel , Haverkate Manon R , Timen Aura , van Dissel Jaap T , Koopmans Marion PG , Bestebroer Theo M , Fouchier Ron AM
Published: April 2018

A seasonal reassortant A(H1N2) influenza virus harbouring genome segments from seasonal influenza viruses A(H1N1)pdm09 (HA and NS) and A(H3N2) (PB2, PB1, PA, NP, NA and M) was identified in March 2018 in a 19-months-old patient with influenza-like illness (ILI) who presented to a general practitioner participating in the routine sentinel surveillance of ILI in the Netherlands. The patient recovered fully. Further epidemiological and virological investigation did not reveal additional cases.
Transformations in Tonal Jazz
Authors: McClimon Michael
Published: April 2018

This article presents a transformational model of jazz harmony based on the ii–V–I progression. This progression is fundamental to jazz harmony, and to its improvised performance. It serves as the foundation for a more rigorous transformational approach, developed in the first two sections here. This approach is easily extensible; the final section suggests a few such extensions.
The Use of Instructional Technology in Effective Teaching of Biology at Secondary Level
Authors: Gillani Syeda Nosheen
Published: April 2018

see full text attached
Quality of Higher Education in Pakistan
Authors: Safdar Mian Muhammad
Published: April 2018

see full text attached
Development and Validation of Module in English at Secondary Level in Pakistn
Authors: Behlol Malik Ghulam
Published: April 2018

see full text attached
Training Requirements of Heads of Schools Regarding Social Mobilization as Per Their Roles and Functions
Authors: Hussain Sabar
Published: April 2018

see full text attached
Geometry-based Dynamic Hand Gesture Recognition
Authors: Vo Duc-Hoang , Huynh Huu-Hung , Meunier Jean
Published: April 2018

Hand gestures play an important role in communication in the hard-of-hearing community. They are used to convey information instead of words. Besides, a system which is developed to identify gestures can be also used for human-computer interaction. In this paper, we propose a vision-based approach for recognizing dynamic hand gestures. Our processing consists of three main stages: pre-processing, feature extraction and recognition. The first stage involves two sub-stages: segmentation which locates the hand and extracts the corresponding silhouette using color information; separation that removes the arm based on geometrical properties. Some characteristics which describe the hand posture are then extracted. Finally, the recognition is performed using two popular algorithms, which are Dynamic Time Warping and Hidden Markov Model. The experiment is conducted on SKIG dataset with a comparison of classification accuracies corresponding to the two mentioned methods.
Implementation of a Cyber-Physical System Using Wireless Sensor Networks for Monitoring Patients
Authors: Son Vo Que , A Do Tan
Published: April 2018

Sensing, distributed computation and wireless communication are the essential building components of a Cyber-Physical System (CPS). Having many advantages such as mobility, low power, multi-hop routing, low latency, self-administration, utonomous data acquisition, and fault tolerance, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have gone beyond the scope of monitoring the environment and can be a way to support CPS. This paper presents the design, deployment, and empirical study of an eHealth system, which can remotely monitor vital signs from patients such as body temperature, blood pressure, SPO2, and heart rate. The primary contribution of this paper is the measurements of the proposed eHealth device that assesses the feasibility of WSNs for patient monitoring in hospitals in two aspects of communication and clinical sensing. Moreover, both simulation and experiment are used to investigate the performance of the design in many aspects such as networking reliability, sensing reliability, or end-to-end delay. The results show that the network achieved high reliability - nearly 97% while the sensing reliability of the vital signs can be obtained at approximately 98%. This indicates the feasibility and promise of using WSNs for continuous patient monitoring and clinical worsening detection in general hospital units.
Towards a Standard for a Reliable Execution Environment for Security Protocols
Authors: Ramkumar Mahalingam
Published: April 2018

Approaches for securing digital assets of information systems can be classified as active approaches based on attack models, and passive approaches based on system-models. Passive approaches are inherently superior to active ones. However, taking full advantage of passive approaches calls for a rigorous standard for a low-complexity-high-integrity execution environment for security protocols. We sketch broad outlines of mirror network (MN) modules, as a candidate for such a standard. Their utility in assuring real-world information systems is illustrated with examples.
From Zouaves Pontificaux to the Volontaires de l'Ouest: Catholic Volunteers and the French Nation, 1860–1910
Authors: Simpson Martin
Published: April 2018

This article examines the French papal zouaves, volunteers who fought for the defence of the temporal sovereignty of the Pope in the decade 1860–1870, and their successors, the irregular Volunteers of the West. The latter was a volunteer force formed around the returning zouaves in the context of the 1870–71 Franco-Prussian war. It explores Catholic discourse on the zouaves and the Volontaires between 1860 and 1910, comparing the defenders of Rome with the defenders of France. The concern is to understand how service in the Franco-Prussian war impacted upon Catholic interpretations of the zouaves. In particular, their heroic if suicidal charge in the battle of Loigny under the banner of the Sacred Heart aligned them with this devotion, that flourished in 1870–71 and would culminate in the Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre. The Volontaires also offered political arguments about the relationship between patriotism and Catholic convictions, deployed in the context of debates about French regeneration. Yet in terms of ideas of expiation, national history and counter-revolution the discourse on the Volontaires reflected the original discourse on the zouaves developed in the decade 1860–70. Ultimately they stood for a vision of French history and French identity diametrically opposed to the legacy of 1789, a challenge to the Republic's official vision.
The Authors of Middle Earth: Tolkien and the Mystery of Literary Creation
Authors: Pezzini Giuseppe
Published: April 2018

Who wrote The Lord of the Rings? And The Hobbit? And The Silmarillion? And in general, who is the author of the large corpus of texts, published or unpublished, which give life to Middle Earth's imaginarium? To answer ‘J.R.R. Tolkien’ would not only mean to miss a crucial feature of the literary fabric of these books, which associates them with a long-standing literary tradition, from James’ The Turn of the Screw to Manzoni's The Betrothed. More importantly, such an answer would mean to overlook an important dimension of Tolkien's poetics, grounded in his literary convictions, and ultimately rooted in his deep Christian faith. The aim of this article is to try to give a more precise answer to the above questions, and thereby discuss some of the literary sophistication of Tolkien's works, unjustly obscured by their commercial success, as well as delve into the depths of his Christian poetics.
Fog-Harvesting Properties of Dryopteris marginata: Role of Interscalar Microchannels in Water-Channeling
Authors: Sharma Vipul , Balaji Ramachandran , Krishnan Venkata
Published: April 2018

Several flora and fauna species found in arid areas have adapted themselves to collect water by developing unique structures and to intake the collected moisture. Apart from the capture of the moisture and fog on the surface, water transport and collection both play an important part in fog-harvesting systems as it prevents the loss of captured water through evaporation and makes the surface available for the capture of water again. Here, we report the remarkable fog collection and water-channeling properties of Dryopteris marginata. The surface of D. marginata has developed an integrated system of multiscale channels so that the water spreads quickly and is transported via these channels very efficiently. These integrated multiscale channels have also been replicated using a facile soft lithography technique to prepare biomimetic surfaces and it has been proved that it is the surface architecture that plays a role in the water transport rather than the material’s properties (waxes present on the surface of the leaves). Based on our studies, we infer that the microlevel hierarchy of the structures make the surface hydrophilic and the multiscale channels allow the efficient passage and transport of water. The understanding of the efficient and well-directed water transport and collection in D. marginata is expected to provide valuable insights to design efficient surfaces for fog-harvesting applications.
Centrosome Positioning in Dictyostelium: Moving beyond Microtubule Tip Dynamics
Authors: Koonce Michael , Tikhonenko Irina
Published: April 2018

The variability in centrosome size, shape, and activity among different organisms provides an opportunity to understand both conserved and specialized actions of this intriguing organelle. Centrosomes in the model organism Dictyostelium sp. share some features with fungal systems and some with vertebrate cell lines and thus provide a particularly useful context to study their dynamics. We discuss two aspects, centrosome positioning in cells and their interactions with nuclei during division as a means to highlight evolutionary modifications to machinery that provide the most basic of cellular services.
Experimental Investigation of the Breakdown Voltage of CO2, N2, and SF6 Gases, and CO2–SF6 and N2–SF6 Mixtures under Different Voltage Waveforms
Authors: Beroual Abderrahmane , Khaled Usama , Coulibaly Mamadou-Lamine
Published: April 2018

This paper is devoted to a comparison study of the breakdown voltage of CO2, N2, and SF6 gases, and CO2–SF6 and N2–SF6 mixtures under different voltage waveforms, namely AC, DC, and lightning impulse voltages, in point–plane and sphere–sphere electrode arrangements. The influence of pressure, voltage polarity, and percentage of SF6 in CO2 and N2 were studied, and equivalencies between the breakdown voltage of SF6 and those of the considered mixtures were analyzed. It is shown that the breakdown voltage of SF6 is the highest, whatever the applied voltage waveforms. Similarly, for a given voltage waveform, the breakdown voltage of SF6 is the highest. The AC breakdown voltage is the lowest for all gases. The addition of small amounts of SF6 to CO2 and N2 significantly improved the breakdown voltages of both natural gases. For a given breakdown voltage, the ratio between the pressure of CO2 to that of SF6 was generally lower than the pressure of N2 to SF6, whatever the voltage waveforms.
Comparison of the Energy Conversion Efficiency of a Solar Chimney and a Solar PV-Powered Fan for Ventilation Applications
Authors: Klimeš Lubomír , Charvát Pavel , Hejčík Jiří
Published: April 2018

A study into the performance of a solar chimney and a solar photovoltaic (PV)-powered fan for ventilation applications was carried out using numerical simulations. The performance of the solar chimney was compared with that of a direct current (DC) fan powered by a solar PV panel. The comparison was carried out using the same area of the irradiated surface—the area of the solar absorber plate in the case of the solar chimney and the area of the solar panel in the case of the photovoltaic-powered fan. The two studied cases were compared under various solar radiation intensities of incident solar radiation. The results indicate that the PV-powered fans significantly outperform solar chimneys in terms of converting solar energy into the kinetic energy of air motion. Moreover, ventilation with PV-powered fans offers more flexibility in the arrangement of the ventilation system and also better control of the air flow rates in the case of battery storage.
Hadronic Models of the Fermi Bubbles: Future Perspectives
Authors: Razzaque Soebur , Yang Lili
Published: April 2018

The origin of sub-TeV gamma rays detected by Fermi-LAT from the Fermi bubbles at the Galactic center is still unknown. In a hadronic model, acceleration of protons and/or nuclei and their subsequent interactions with gas in the bubble volume can produce observed gamma rays. Such interactions naturally produce high-energy neutrinos, and a detection of those can discriminate between a hadronic and a leptonic origin of gamma rays. Additional constraints on the Fermi bubbles gamma-ray flux in the TeV range from recent HAWC observations restrict hadronic model parameters, which in turn disfavor Fermi bubbles as the origin of a large fraction of neutrino events detected by IceCube along the bubble directions. We revisit our hadronic model and discuss future constraints on parameters from observations in very high-energy gamma rays and neutrinos.
A Novel G-Protein-Coupled Receptors Gene from Upland Cotton Enhances Salt Stress Tolerance in Transgenic Arabidopsis
Authors: Lu Pu , Magwanga Richard , Lu Hejun , Kirungu Joy , Wei Yangyang , Dong Qi , Wang Xingxing , Cai Xiaoyan , Zhou Zhongli , Wang Kunbo , Liu Fang
Published: April 2018

Plants have developed a number of survival strategies which are significant for enhancing their adaptation to various biotic and abiotic stress factors. At the transcriptome level, G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are of great significance, enabling the plants to detect a wide range of endogenous and exogenous signals which are employed by the plants in regulating various responses in development and adaptation. In this research work, we carried out genome-wide analysis of target of Myb1 (TOM1), a member of the GPCR gene family. The functional role of TOM1 in salt stress tolerance was studied using a transgenic Arabidopsis plants over-expressing the gene. By the use of the functional domain PF06454, we obtained 16 TOM genes members in Gossypium hirsutum, 9 in Gossypium arboreum, and 11 in Gossypium raimondii. The genes had varying physiochemical properties, and it is significant to note that all the grand average of hydropathy (GRAVY) values were less than one, indicating that all are hydrophobic in nature. In all the genes analysed here, both the exonic and intronic regions were found. The expression level of Gh_A07G0747 (GhTOM) was significantly high in the transgenic lines as compared to the wild type; a similar trend in expression was observed in all the salt-related genes tested in this study. The study in epidermal cells confirmed the localization of the protein coded by the gene TOM1 in the plasma membrane. Analysis of anti-oxidant enzymes showed higher concentrations of antioxidants in transgenic lines and relatively lower levels of oxidant substances such as H2O2. The low malondialdehyde (MDA) level in transgenic lines indicated that the transgenic lines had relatively low level of oxidative damage compared to the wild types. The results obtained indicate that Gh_A07G0747 (GhTOM) can be a putative target gene for enhancing salt stress tolerance in plants and could be exploited in the future for the development of salt stress-tolerant cotton cultivars.
Determining Earthquake Susceptible Areas Southeast of Yogyakarta, Indonesia—Outcrop Analysis from Structure from Motion (SfM) and Geographic Information System (GIS)
Authors: Saputra Aditya , Gomez Christopher , Delikostidis Ioannis , Zawar-Reza Peyman , Hadmoko Danang Sri , Sartohadi Junun , Setiawan Muhammad Anggri
Published: April 2018

Located approximately a hundred kilometres north of Java Subduction Zone, Java Island has a complicated geology and geomorphology. The north zone is dominated by the folded area, the centre is dominated by the active volcanic arc and the south of Java including the study area (Southeast part of Yogyakarta City), is dominated by the uplifted southern mountain. In general, the study area is part of the Bantul’s Graben. In the middle part of study area flows the Opak River, which is often associated with normal faults of Opak Fault. The Opak Fault is such a complex fault system which has a complex local fault which can cause worst local site effect when earthquakes occur. However, the geology map of Yogyakarta is the only data that gives the characteristics of Opak Fault roughly. Thus, the effort to identify unchartered fault system needs to be done. The aims of this study are to conduct the outcrop study, to identify the micro faults and to improve the understanding of faults system to support the earthquake hazard and risk assessment. The integrated method of remote sensing, structure from motion (SfM), geographic information system (GIS) and direct outcrop observation was conducted in the study area. Remote sensing was applied to recognize the outcrop location and to extract the nature lineament feature which can be used as fault indicator. The structure from motion was used to support characterising the outcrop in the field, to identify the fault evidence, and to measure the fault displacement on the outcrops. The direct outcrop observation is very useful to reveal the lithofacies characteristics and to reconstruct the lithostratigraphic correlation among the outcrops. Meanwhile, GIS was used to analyse all the data from remote sensing, SfM, and direct outcrop observation. The main findings of this study were as follows: the middle part of study area has the most complicated geologic structure. At least 56 faults evidence with the maximum displacement of 2.39 m was found on the study area. Administratively, the north part of Segoroyoso Village, the middle part of Wonolelo Village, and the middle part of Bawuran village are very unstable and vulnerable to the ground motion amplification due to their faults configuration. The further studies such as geo-electric survey, boreholes survey, and detail geological mapping still need to be conducted in the study area to get better understanding of Opak Fault. Additionally, the carbon testing of charcoal that found in the outcrop and identification of exact location of the ancient eruption source also need to be done.
Microbial Groundwater Quality Status of Hand-Dug Wells and Boreholes in the Dodowa Area of Ghana
Authors: Lutterodt George , Van de Vossenberg Jack , Hoiting Yvonne , Kamara Alimamy , Oduro-Kwarteng Sampson , Foppen Jan
Published: April 2018

To assess the suitability of water sources for drinking purposes, samples were taken from groundwater sources (boreholes and hand-dug wells) used for drinking water in the Dodowa area of Ghana. The samples were analyzed for the presence of fecal indicator bacteria (Escherichia coli) and viruses (Adenovirus and Rotavirus), using membrane filtration with plating and glass wool filtration with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), respectively. In addition, sanitary inspection of surroundings of the sources was conducted to identify their vulnerability to pollution. The presence of viruses was also assessed in water samples from the Dodowa River. More than 70% of the hand-dug wells were sited within 10 m of nearby sources of contamination. All sources contained E. coli bacteria, and their numbers in samples of water between dug wells and boreholes showed no significant difference (p = 0.48). Quantitative PCR results for Adenovirus indicated 27% and 55% were positive for the boreholes and hand-dug wells, respectively. Samples from all boreholes tested negative for the presence of Rotavirus while 27% of the dug wells were positive for Rotavirus. PCR tests of 20% of groundwater samples were inhibited. Based on these results we concluded that there is systemic microbial and fecal contamination of groundwater in the area. On-site sanitation facilities, e.g., pit latrines and unlined wastewater drains, are likely the most common sources of fecal contamination of groundwater in the area. Water abstracted from groundwater sources needs to be treated before use for consumption purposes. In addition, efforts should be made to delineate protected areas around groundwater abstraction points to minimize contamination from point sources of pollution.
Health Impacts of Ambient Air Pollution in Finland
Authors: Lehtomäki Heli , Korhonen Antti , Asikainen Arja , Karvosenoja Niko , Kupiainen Kaarle , Paunu Ville-Veikko , Savolahti Mikko , Sofiev Mikhail , Palamarchuk Yuliia , Karppinen Ari , Kukkonen Jaakko , Hänninen Otto
Published: April 2018

Air pollution has been estimated to be one of the leading environmental health risks in Finland. National health impact estimates existing to date have focused on particles (PM) and ozone (O3). In this work, we quantify the impacts of particles, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in 2015, and analyze the related uncertainties. The exposures were estimated with a high spatial resolution chemical transport model, and adjusted to observed concentrations. We calculated the health impacts according to Word Health Organization (WHO) working group recommendations. According to our results, ambient air pollution caused a burden of 34,800 disability-adjusted life years (DALY). Fine particles were the main contributor (74%) to the disease burden, which is in line with the earlier studies. The attributable burden was dominated by mortality (32,900 years of life lost (YLL); 95%). Impacts differed between population age groups. The burden was clearly higher in the adult population over 30 years (98%), due to the dominant role of mortality impacts. Uncertainties due to the concentration–response functions were larger than those related to exposures.
Using Landscape Analysis to Test Hypotheses about Drivers of Tick Abundance and Infection Prevalence with Borrelia burgdorferi
Authors: Ferrell A. , Brinkerhoff R.
Published: April 2018

Patterns of vector-borne disease risk are changing globally in space and time and elevated disease risk of vector-borne infection can be driven by anthropogenic modification of the environment. Incidence of Lyme disease, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, has risen in a number of locations in North America and this increase may be driven by spatially or numerically expanding populations of the primary tick vector, Ixodes scapularis. We used a model selection approach to identify habitat fragmentation and land-use/land cover variables to test the hypothesis that the amount and configuration of forest cover at spatial scales relevant to deer, the primary hosts of adult ticks, would be the predominant determinants of tick abundance. We expected that land cover heterogeneity and amount of forest edge, a habitat thought to facilitate deer foraging and survival, would be the strongest driver of tick density and that larger spatial scales (5–10 km) would be more important than smaller scales (1 km). We generated metrics of deciduous and mixed forest fragmentation using Fragstats 4.4 implemented in ArcMap 10.3 and found, after adjusting for multicollinearity, that total forest edge within a 5 km buffer had a significant negative effect on tick density and that the proportion of forested land cover within a 10 km buffer was positively associated with density of I. scapularis nymphs. None of the 1 km fragmentation metrics were found to significantly improve the fit of the model. Elevation, previously associated with increased density of I. scapularis nymphs in Virginia, while significantly predictive in univariate analysis, was not an important driver of nymph density relative to fragmentation metrics. Our results suggest that amount of forest cover (i.e., lack of fragmentation) is the most important driver of I. scapularis density in our study system.
A Closer Look at the Halloween Effect: The Case of the Dow Jones Industrial Average
Authors: Arendas Peter , Malacka Viera , Schwarzova Maria
Published: April 2018

The Halloween effect is one of the most famous calendar anomalies. It is based on the observation that stock returns tend to perform much better over the winter half of the year (November–April) than over the summer half of the year (May–October). The vast majority of studies that investigated the Halloween effect over the recent decades focused only on stock indices. This means that they evaluated whether a stock index follows the Halloween effect pattern, but they omitted digging a little deeper and analyze the Halloween effect on the individual stocks level. This paper investigates to what extent the blue-chips stocks included in the Dow Jones Industrial Average are affected by the Halloween effect and whether the Halloween effect is widespread or the behavior of the whole index is driven by only a handful of stocks that are strongly affected by the Halloween effect. The results show that, although the strength of the Halloween effect varies quite rapidly from stock to stock, the vast majority of analyzed stocks experienced a notably higher average winter period than summer period returns over the 1980–2017 period. Moreover, in 18 out of 35 cases, the Halloween effect was statistically significant.
Targeting the Adenosinergic Axis in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Way to Disrupt the Tumor Niche?
Authors: Vaisitti Tiziana , Arruga Francesca , Deaglio Silvia
Published: April 2018

Targeting adenosine triphosphate (ATP) metabolism and adenosinergic signaling in cancer is gaining momentum, as increasing evidence is showing their relevance in tumor immunology and biology. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) results from the expansion of a population of mature B cells that progressively occupies the bone marrow (BM), the blood, and peripheral lymphoid organs. Notwithstanding significant progress in the treatment of these patients, the cure remains an unmet clinical need, suggesting that novel drugs or drug combinations are needed. A unique feature of CLL is its reliance on micro-environmental signals for proliferation and cell survival. We and others have shown that the lymphoid niche, an area of intense interactions between leukemic and bystander non-tumor cells, is a typically hypoxic environment. Here adenosine is generated by leukemic cells, as well as by cells of myeloid origin, acting through autocrine and paracrine mechanisms, ultimately affecting tumor growth, limiting drug responses, and skewing the immune cells towards a tolerant phenotype. Hence, understanding the mechanisms through which this complex network of enzymes, receptors, and metabolites functions in CLL, will pave the way to the use of pharmacological agents targeting the system, which, in combination with drugs targeting leukemic cells, may get us one step closer to curing these patients.
Glyteer, Soybean Tar, Impairs IL-4/Stat6 Signaling in Murine Bone Marrow-Derived Dendritic Cells: The Basis of Its Therapeutic Effect on Atopic Dermatitis
Authors: Takemura Masaki , Nakahara Takeshi , Hashimoto-Hachiya Akiko , Furue Masutaka , Tsuji Gaku
Published: April 2018

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disease. Recent studies have revealed the involvement of T helper (Th)2 cytokines including Interleukin 4 (IL-4) in the pathogenesis of AD. Since epidermal Langerhans cells (LCs) and dermal myeloid dendritic cells (DCs) produce CCL17 and CCL22 that chemoattract Th2 cells, interfering with CCL17 and CCL22 production from LCs and dermal myeloid DCs may be beneficial in the treatment of AD. To investigate this, we stimulated murine bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs) with IL-4. IL-4 stimulation produced Ccl17 and Ccl22, which was attenuated by soybean tar Glyteer, a known aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr) activator. Notably, Glyteer treatment blocked the nuclear translocation of Stat6 induced by IL-4 stimulation, suggesting that this treatment impairs the IL-4/Stat6 signaling pathway in BMDCs. Unexpectedly, Glyteer treatment did not potently upregulate the expression of Cyp1a1, a specific Ahr-responsive gene, suggesting that its inhibitory machinery for Ccl17 and Ccl22 expression is likely to operate in an Ahr-independent manner. These findings indicate that Glyteer may exhibit therapeutic potential for AD by downregulating the CCL17 and CCL22 production from DCs in a Th2-deviated microenvironment.
Response of Myeloid Leukemia Cells to Luteolin is Modulated by Differentially Expressed Pituitary Tumor-Transforming Gene 1 (PTTG1) Oncoprotein
Authors: Chen Pei-Yi , Tien Hsin-Jung , Chen Shih-Fen , Horng Chi-Ting , Tang Huei-Lin , Jung Hui-Ling , Wu Ming-Jiuan , Yen Jui-Hung
Published: April 2018

Luteolin, a flavonoid nutraceutical abundant in vegetables and fruits, exhibits a wide range of bioactive properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities. Pituitary tumor-transforming gene 1 (PTTG1), an oncoprotein that regulates cell proliferation, is highly expressed in several types of cancer cells including leukemia. In this study, we aim to investigate the anti-cancer effects of luteolin on cells with differential PTTG1 expression and their underlying mechanisms in human myeloid leukemia cells. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay data showed that luteolin (25–100 μM) significantly reduced cell viability in THP-1, HL-60 and K562 cells but did not affect normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Flow cytometric analysis and Western blot data demonstrated that luteolin induced a stronger apoptosis on undifferentiated myeloid leukemia cells with higher PTTG1 protein levels than on 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)- or all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA)-differentiated cells with lower PTTG1 expression. Furthermore, PTTG1 knockdown by shRNA in leukemia cells suppressed cell proliferation, arrested cell-cycle progression and impaired the effectiveness of luteolin on cell-cycle regulation. Moreover, PTTG1-knockdown cells with luteolin exposure presented a reduction of the apoptotic proteins and maintained higher levels of the anti-apoptotic proteins such as Mcl-1, Bcl-2 and p21, which exhibited greater resistance to apoptosis. Finally, microarray analysis showed that 20 genes associated with cell proliferation, such as CXCL10, VEGFA, TNF, TP63 and FGFR1, were dramatically down-regulated in PTTG1-knockdown cells. Our current findings clearly demonstrate that luteolin-triggered leukemic cell apoptosis is modulated by the differential expression of the PTTG1. PTTG1 oncoprotein overexpression may modulate cell proliferation-related regulators and enhance the response of myeloid leukemia cells to luteolin. Luteolin is beneficial for the treatment of cancer cells with highly expressed PTTG1 oncoprotein.
DNA Methylation and Histone Modification in Hypertension
Authors: Stoll Shaunrick , Wang Charles , Qiu Hongyu
Published: April 2018

Systemic hypertension, which eventually results in heart failure, renal failure or stroke, is a common chronic human disorder that particularly affects elders. Although many signaling pathways involved in the development of hypertension have been reported over the past decades, which has led to the implementation of a wide variety of anti-hypertensive therapies, one half of all hypertensive patients still do not have their blood pressure controlled. The frontier in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying hypertension has now advanced to the level of epigenomics. Particularly, increasing evidence is emerging that DNA methylation and histone modifications play an important role in gene regulation and are involved in alteration of the phenotype and function of vascular cells in response to environmental stresses. This review seeks to highlight the recent advances in our knowledge of the epigenetic regulations and mechanisms of hypertension, focusing on the role of DNA methylation and histone modification in the vascular wall. A better understanding of the epigenomic regulation in the hypertensive vessel may lead to the identification of novel target molecules that, in turn, may lead to novel drug discoveries for the treatment of hypertension.
Tumor-Associated Macrophages and Mast Cells Positive to Tryptase Are Correlated with Angiogenesis in Surgically-Treated Gastric Cancer Patients
Authors: Sammarco Giuseppe , Gadaleta Cosmo Damiano , Zuccalà Valeria , Albayrak Emre , Patruno Rosa , Milella Pietro , Sacco Rosario , Ammendola Michele , Ranieri Girolamo
Published: April 2018

Mast cells and macrophages can play a role in tumor angiogenesis by stimulating microvascular density (MVD). The density of mast cells positive to tryptase (MCDPT), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), and MVD were evaluated in a series of 86 gastric cancer (GC) tissue samples from patients who had undergone potential curative surgery. MCDPT, TAMs, and MVD were assessed in tumor tissue (TT) and in adjacent normal tissue (ANT) by immunohistochemistry and image analysis. Each of the above parameters was correlated with the others and, in particular for TT, with important clinico-pathological features. In TT, a significant correlation between MCDPT, TAMs, and MVD was found by Pearson t-test analysis (p ranged from 0.01 to 0.02). No correlation to the clinico-pathological features was found. A significant difference in terms of mean MCDPT, TAMs, and MVD between TT and ANT was found (p ranged from 0.001 to 0.002). Obtained data suggest MCDPT, TAMs, and MVD increased from ANT to TT. Interestingly, MCDPT and TAMs are linked in the tumor microenvironment and they play a role in GC angiogenesis in a synergistic manner. The assessment of the combination of MCDPT and TAMs could represent a surrogate marker of angiogenesis and could be evaluated as a target of novel anti-angiogenic therapies in GC patients.
Structure-Function Relationship of Transporters in the Glutamate–Glutamine Cycle of the Central Nervous System
Authors: Hayashi Mariko
Published: April 2018

Many kinds of transporters contribute to glutamatergic excitatory synaptic transmission. Glutamate is loaded into synaptic vesicles by vesicular glutamate transporters to be released from presynaptic terminals. After synaptic vesicle release, glutamate is taken up by neurons or astrocytes to terminate the signal and to prepare for the next signal. Glutamate transporters on the plasma membrane are responsible for transporting glutamate from extracellular fluid to cytoplasm. Glutamate taken up by astrocyte is converted to glutamine by glutamine synthetase and transported back to neurons through glutamine transporters on the plasma membranes of the astrocytes and then on neurons. Glutamine is converted back to glutamate by glutaminase in the neuronal cytoplasm and then loaded into synaptic vesicles again. Here, the structures of glutamate transporters and glutamine transporters, their conformational changes, and how they use electrochemical gradients of various ions for substrate transport are summarized. Pharmacological regulations of these transporters are also discussed.
Towards High Productivity in Precision Grinding
Authors: Rowe W.
Published: April 2018

Over the last century, substantial advances have been made, based on improved understanding of the requirements of grinding processes, machines, control systems, materials, abrasives, wheel preparation, coolants, lubricants, and coolant delivery. This paper reviews a selection of areas in which the application of scientific principles and engineering ingenuity has led to the development of new grinding processes, abrasives, tools, machines, and systems. Topics feature a selection of areas where relationships between scientific principles and new techniques are yielding improved productivity and better quality. These examples point towards further advances that can fruitfully be pursued. Applications in modern grinding technology range from high-precision kinematics for grinding very large lenses and reflectors through to medium size grinding machine processes and further down to grinding very small components used in micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) devices. The importance of material issues is emphasized for the range of conventional engineering steels, through to aerospace materials, ceramics, and composites. It is suggested that future advances in productivity will include the wider application of artificial intelligence and robotics to improve precision, process efficiency, and features required to integrate grinding processes into wider manufacturing systems.
Minor Neurological Dysfunctions (MNDs) in Autistic Children without Intellectual Disability
Authors: Tripi Gabriele , Roux Sylvie , Carotenuto Marco , Bonnet-Brilhault Frédérique , Roccella Michele
Published: April 2018

Background: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) require neurological evaluation to detect sensory-motor impairment. This will improve understanding of brain function in children with ASD, in terms of minor neurological dysfunctions (MNDs). Methods: We compared 32 ASD children without intellectual disability (IQ ≥ 70) with 32 healthy controls. A standardized and age-specific neurological examination according to Touwen was used to detect the presence of MNDs. Particular attention was paid to severity and type of MNDs. Results: Children with ASD had significantly higher rates of MNDs compared to controls (96.9% versus 15.6%): 81.3% had simple MNDs (p < 0.0001) and 15.6% had complex MNDs (p = 0.053). The prevalence of MNDs in the ASD group was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) than controls. With respect to specific types of MNDs, children with ASD showed a wide range of fine manipulative disability, sensory deficits and choreiform dyskinesia. We also found an excess of associated movements and anomalies in coordination and balance. Conclusions: Results replicate previous findings which found delays in sensory-motor behavior in ASD pointing towards a role for prenatal, natal and neonatal risk factors in the neurodevelopmental theory of autism.
Photogrammetric Surveys and Geometric Processes to Analyse and Monitor Red Coral Colonies
Authors: Royer Jean-Philip , Nawaf Mohamad , Merad Djamal , Saccone Mauro , Bianchimani Olivier , Garrabou Joaquim , Ledoux Jean-Baptiste , Lopez-Sanz Angel , Drap Pierre
Published: April 2018

This article describes the set of photogrammetric tools developed for the monitoring of Mediterranean red coral Corallium rubrum populations. The description encompasses the full processing chain: from the image acquisition to the information extraction and data interpretation. The methods applied take advantage of existing tools and new, innovative and specific developments in order to acquire data on relevant ecological information concerning the structure and functioning of a red coral population. The tools presented here are based on: (i) automatic orientation using coded quadrats; (ii) use of non-photorealistic rendering (NPR) and 3D skeletonization techniques; (iii) computation of distances between colonies from a same site; and (iv) the use of a plenoptic approach in an underwater environment.
Rangeland Livelihood Strategies under Varying Climate Regimes: Model Insights from Southern Kenya
Authors: Kariuki Rebecca , Willcock Simon , Marchant Rob
Published: April 2018

Rangelands throughout sub-Saharan Africa are currently undergoing two major pressures: climate change (through altered rainfall and seasonality patterns) and habitat fragmentation (brought by land use change driven by land demand for agriculture and conservation). Here we explore these dimensions, investigating the impact of land use change decisions, by pastoralists in southern Kenya rangelands, on human well-being and animal densities using an agent-based model. The constructed agent-based model uses input biomass data simulated by the Lund-Potsdam-Jena General Ecosystem Simulator (LPJ-GUESS) dynamic vegetation model and parameterized with data from literature. Scenarios of land use change under different rainfall years, land tenure types and levels of wildlife conservation support were simulated. Reflecting reality, our results show livestock grazing as the predominant land use that changes with precipitation and land tenure leading to varying livelihood strategies. For example, agriculture is the most common livelihood in wet years and conservation levels increase with increasing support of wildlife conservation initiatives. Our model demonstrates the complex and multiple interactions between pastoralists, land management and the environment. We highlight the importance of understanding the conditions driving the sustainability of semi-arid rangelands and the communities they support, and the role of external actors, such as wildlife conservation investors, in East Africa.
Language Mixing in the Nominal Phrase: Implications of a Distributed Morphology Perspective
Authors: Burkholder Michèle
Published: April 2018

This paper investigates a pattern found in Spanish–English mixed language corpora whereby it is common to switch from a Spanish determiner to an English noun (e.g., la house, ‘the house’), but rare to switch from an English determiner to a Spanish noun (e.g., the casa, ‘the house’). Unlike previous theoretical accounts of this asymmetry, that which is proposed here follows assumptions of the Distributed Morphology (DM) framework, specifically those regarding the relationship between grammatical gender and nominal declension class in Spanish. Crucially, and again in contrast to previous accounts, it is demonstrated that this approach predicts no such asymmetry for French–English. This hypothesis is tested experimentally using an acceptability judgment task with self-paced reading, and as expected, no evidence is found for an asymmetry. This experiment is also used to test predictions regarding how English nominal roots in mixed nominal phrases are assigned grammatical gender, and the impact of language background factors such as age of acquisition. Evidence is found that bilinguals attempt to assign analogical gender if possible, but that late sequential bilinguals have a stronger preference for this option than do simultaneous bilinguals.