bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy in a Patient with Severe Leptospirosis Complicated with Pulmonary Haemorrhage, Myocarditis, and Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Priyankara W. D. D. , Manoj E. M.
Published: December 2019

Severe leptospirosis (Weil’s disease) can give rise to multiorgan failure such as acute renal failure, liver dysfunction, coagulopathy, acute respiratory distress syndrome, pulmonary haemorrhage, and myocarditis. Leptospirosis is a biphasic disease characterised by leptospiraemic phase and immunological phase. Although neurological manifestations are rare in leptospirosis, aseptic meningitis, myeloradiculopathy, transverse myelitis, and cerebellar syndrome are well recognised. We report a rare case of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) in a patient with severe leptospirosis during recovery phase of the illness.
Contemporary Tailored Oncology Treatment of Biliary Tract Cancers
Authors: Turkes Fiona , Carmichael Juliet , Cunningham David , Starling Naureen
Published: December 2019

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are poor prognosis malignancies with limited treatment options. Capecitabine has recently emerged as an effective agent in the adjuvant setting; however, treatment of advanced disease is still limited to first-line cisplatin and gemcitabine chemotherapy. Recent global efforts in genomic profiling and molecular subtyping of BTCs have uncovered a wealth of genomic aberrations which may carry prognostic significance and/or predict response to treatment, and several targeted agents have shown promising results in clinical trials. As such, the uptake of comprehensive genomic profiling for patients with BTCs and the expansion of basket trials to include these patients are growing. This review describes the currently approved systemic therapies for BTCs and provides insight into the emerging targeted and immunotherapeutic agents, as well as conventional chemotherapeutic regimes, currently being investigated in clinical trials.
Directional Gradientless Thermoexcited Rotating System Based on Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene
Authors: Wu Xin , Han Qiang
Published: December 2019

The simple and practicable intrinsic driving mechanism is of great significance for the design and development of nanoscale devices. This paper proposes a nanosystem that can achieve directional gradientless thermoexcited rotation at a relatively high temperature field (such as 300 K). In the case of a constant temperature field, the difference in atomic van der Waals (VDW) potentials in different regions of the rotor can be achieved by an asymmetric design of the structure, which provides torque for the rotation of the rotor. We studied the rotation and driving mechanism of the designed system through molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and discussed the influence of the chiral combination of carbon nanotubes, the chirality of graphene substrate, the length of graphene substrate, and the system temperature on rotation. At the same time, this paper also makes a qualitative analysis of the feasibility of the designed system from the perspective of molecular mechanics combined with energy. This research provides a new idea of nanoscale driving rotation, which has guiding significance for the design and application of related nanodevices in the future.
Treatment of Acute Nonvariceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Chinese Patients on Antithrombotic Therapy
Authors: Gao Feng , Chen Xue , Zhang Jie
Published: December 2019

Objective. To assess the treatment of acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (ANVUGIB) in Chinese patients on antithrombotic therapy. Methods. The clinical data of patients with ANVUGIB who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy 24 h after bleeding at Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, from 2016 to 2018, were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into antithrombotic therapy and control groups and into high-risk (Forrest Ia, Ib, IIa, and IIb) and low-risk (Forrest IIc and III) bleeding groups according to the results of endoscopy. Results. In all, 230 patients were enrolled, with 99 cases in the antithrombotic group (antiplatelet therapy 80 patients, anticoagulant therapy 19 patients) and 131 cases in the control group (without antithrombotic therapy). A total of 78 and 21 and 84 and 47 patients were at high- and low- risk for bleeding (P=0.019) in the antithrombotic and control groups, respectively; 12.1% and 4.6% had esophageal bleeding (P=0.047), and 8 and 2 patients received interventional therapy (P=0.021). Overall, 21 patients with hemodynamic instability were treated via endoscopy with anesthesia under tracheal intubation and ventilator support: 20 patients in the antithrombotic group (13 patients within 1 month after coronary intervention, 5 patients within 1 month of cardiac-valve replacement, and 2 patients within 4 years of cardiac-valve replacement) and 1 patient with third-degree atrioventricular block in the control group. Ten patients received interventional therapy: eight and two in the two groups, respectively. Multidisciplinary consultation was conducted to regulate the use of antithrombotic drugs. Conclusion. Compared to the controls, patients in the antithrombotic group had a significantly higher incidence of critical and active bleeding. Patients with hemodynamic instability should be examined and treated via upper gastrointestinal endoscopy under anesthesia with tracheal intubation and ventilator support.
Reactive Oxygen Species Drive Proliferation in Acute Myeloid Leukemia via the Glycolytic Regulator PFKFB3
Authors: Robinson Andrew J. , Hopkins Goitseone L. , Rastogi Namrata , Hodges Marie , Doyle Michelle , Davies Sara , Hole Paul S. , Omidvar Nader , Darley Richard L. , Tonks Alex
Published: December 2019

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous clonal disorder with a poor clinical outcome. Previously, we showed that overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), arising from constitutive activation of NOX2 oxidase, occurs in >60% of patients with AML and that ROS production promotes proliferation of AML cells. We show here that the process most significantly affected by ROS overproduction is glycolysis. Whole metabolome analysis of 20 human primary AML showed that blasts generating high levels of ROS have increased glucose uptake and correspondingly increased glucose metabolism. In support of this, exogenous ROS increased glucose consumption while inhibition of NOX2 oxidase decreased glucose consumption. Mechanistically, ROS promoted uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) protein expression and phosphorylation of AMPK, upregulating the expression of a key regulatory glycolytic enzyme, 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase (PFKFB3). Overexpression of PFKFB3 promoted glucose uptake and cell proliferation, whereas downregulation of PFKFB3 strongly suppressed leukemia growth both in vitro and in vivo in the NSG model. These experiments provide direct evidence that oxidase-derived ROS promotes the growth of leukemia cells via the glycolytic regulator PFKFB3. Targeting PFKFB3 may therefore present a new mode of therapy for this disease with a poor outcome.

Significance:

These findings show that ROS generated by NOX2 in AML cells promotes glycolysis by activating PFKFB3 and suggest PFKFB3 as a novel therapeutic target in AML.
Sustained Coevolution in a Stochastic Model of Cancer–Immune Interaction
Authors: George Jason T. , Levine Herbert
Published: December 2019

The dynamic interactions between an evolving malignancy and the adaptive immune system generate diverse evolutionary trajectories that ultimately result in tumor clearance or immune escape. Here, we create a simple mathematical model coupling T-cell recognition with an evolving cancer population that may randomly produce evasive subclones, imparting transient protection against the effector T cells. T-cell turnover declines and evasion rates together explained differences in early incidence data across almost all cancer types. Fitting the model to TRACERx evolutionary data argued in favor of substantial and sustained immune pressure exerted upon a developing tumor, suggesting that clinically observed incidence is a small proportion of all cancer initiation events. This dynamical model promises to increase our quantitative understanding of many immune escape contexts, including cancer progression and intracellular pathogenic infections.

Significance:

The early cancer–immune interaction sculpts intratumor heterogeneity through the selection of immune-evasive clones. This study provides a mathematical framework for investigating the coevolution between an immune-evasive cancer population and the adaptive immune system.
Agrin in the Muscularis Mucosa Serves as a Biomarker Distinguishing Hyperplastic Polyps from Sessile Serrated Lesions
Authors: Rickelt Steffen , Condon Charlene , Mana Miyeko , Whittaker Charlie , Pfirschke Christina , Roper Jatin , Patil Deepa T. , Brown Ian , Mattia Anthony R. , Zukerberg Lawrence , Zhao Qing , Chetty Runjan , Lauwers Gregory Y. , Neyaz Azfar , Leijssen Lieve G.J. , Boylan Katherine , Yilmaz Omer H. , Deshpande Vikram , Hynes Richard O.
Published: December 2019

Purpose:

Sessile serrated lesions (SSL) are precursors to colon carcinoma, and their distinction from other polyps, in particular hyperplastic polyps (HP), presents significant diagnostic challenges. We evaluated expression patterns in colonic polyps of previously identified colon carcinoma–associated extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins to identify markers distinguishing SSLs from other polyps.

Experimental Design:

Gene-expression analyses of ECM proteins were performed using publicly available data on preneoplastic colonic polyps. In parallel, we evaluated by IHC the expression of agrin (AGRN) in over 400 colonic polyps, including HP, SSL with and without dysplasia, traditional serrated adenomas (TSA), and tubular adenomas (TA), and compared the consistency of standard histologic diagnosis of SSLs by experienced gastrointestinal pathologists with that of AGRN IHC.

Results:

Differential gene expression analysis and IHC identified AGRN, serine peptidase inhibitor (SERPINE2), and TIMP metallopeptidase inhibitor 1 (TIMP1) elevated in SSLs and HPs but decreased in TAs and absent in normal colon. AGRN-positive basal laminae were noted in all TA, TSA, HP, and SSL in distinguishable patterns, whereas other polyps and normal mucosa were negative. SSL with or without dysplasia consistently showed IHC staining for AGRN in the muscularis mucosae, which was absent in HP, TSA, TA, and other polyps. In contrast, histologic evaluation showed only weak interobserver agreement (kappa value = 0.493) in distinguishing SSLs.

Conclusions:

Muscularis mucosae–based AGRN immunostaining is a novel biomarker to distinguish SSL from HP, TSA, and TA, with a specificity of 97.1% and sensitivity of 98.9% and can assist in diagnosis of morphologically challenging colonic polyps.
Multi-Omics Analysis Identifies MGA as a Negative Regulator of the MYC Pathway in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Llabata Paula , Mitsuishi Yoichiro , Choi Peter S. , Cai Diana , Francis Joshua M. , Torres-Diz Manuel , Udeshi Namrata D. , Golomb Lior , Wu Zhong , Zhou Jin , Svinkina Tanya , Aguilera-Jimenez Estrella , Liu Yanli , Carr Steven A. , Sanchez-Cespedes Montse , Meyerson Matthew , Zhang Xiaoyang
Published: December 2019

Genomic analysis of lung adenocarcinomas has revealed that the MGA gene, which encodes a heterodimeric partner of the MYC-interacting protein MAX, is significantly mutated or deleted in lung adenocarcinomas. Most of the mutations are loss of function for MGA, suggesting that MGA may act as a tumor suppressor. Here, we characterize both the molecular and cellular role of MGA in lung adenocarcinomas and illustrate its functional relevance in the MYC pathway. Although MGA and MYC interact with the same binding partner, MAX, and recognize the same E-box DNA motif, we show that the molecular function of MGA appears to be antagonistic to that of MYC. Using mass spectrometry–based affinity proteomics, we demonstrate that MGA interacts with a noncanonical PCGF6-PRC1 complex containing MAX and E2F6 that is involved in gene repression, while MYC is not part of this MGA complex, in agreement with previous studies describing the interactomes of E2F6 and PCGF6. Chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing and RNA sequencing assays show that MGA binds to and represses genes that are bound and activated by MYC. In addition, we show that, as opposed to the MYC oncoprotein, MGA acts as a negative regulator for cancer cell proliferation. Our study defines a novel MYC/MAX/MGA pathway, in which MYC and MGA play opposite roles in protein interaction, transcriptional regulation, and cellular proliferation.

Implications:

This study expands the range of key cancer-associated genes whose dysregulation is functionally equivalent to MYC activation and places MYC within a linear pathway analogous to cell-cycle or receptor tyrosine kinase/RAS/RAF pathways in lung adenocarcinomas.
Insulin Degludec in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes: Is Newer Better? – A Retrospective Self-Control Case Series in Adolescents with a History of Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Authors: Schmitt Jessica , Scott Mary Lauren
Published: December 2019

Introduction: Insulin degludec (IDeg) is the longest-acting basal insulin available. Whether IDeg compared to shorter-acting basal insulins like insulin glargine U100 (IGlarU100) reduces the rate of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in adolescents with type 1 diabetes is unknown. Objective: We hypothesized that adolescents with type 1 diabetes would have lower DKA rates and mean hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) when using IDeg as compared to IGlarU100. Methods: To avoid selection bias, we used self-control case series methodology. Adolescents with type 1 diabetes treated for DKA from January 2015 through December 2018 who switched basal insulin from IGlarU100 to IDeg were eligible for analysis. Thirty-five patients were included, each acting as their own control. Mean HbA1c and DKA rate for the 12 months prior to and after switching to IDeg were compared. Results: Mean HbA1c prior to and after switching to IDeg was unchanged (97 ± 20 vs. 97 ± 21 mmol/mol [11.0 ± 1.8 vs. 11.0 ± 1.9%]). Median DKA rate (admissions/year) while on IGlar­U100 was 1 with an interquartile range (IQR) of 1–2. After switching to IDeg, median DKA admission rate remained 1, however the IQR decreased to 0–1 (one-sided p value 0.0004). Median change in DKA rate was 1 fewer admission per year, with a maximum reduction of 3 admissions. Higher baseline rates of DKA increased the odds of a patient reducing his/her DKA rate by 1 admission per year or more. Conclusions: Using IDeg for basal insulin in adolescent patients may decrease the rate of DKA relative to IGlarU100 despite no improvement in HbA1c and may be cost-effective.
Attention for Speaking: Prestimulus Motor-cortical Alpha Power Predicts Picture Naming Latencies
Authors: Jongman Suzanne R. , Roelofs Ardi , Lewis Ashley G.
Published: December 2019

There is a range of variability in the speed with which a single speaker will produce the same word from one instance to another. Individual differences studies have shown that the speed of production and the ability to maintain attention are related. This study investigated whether fluctuations in production latencies can be explained by spontaneous fluctuations in speakers' attention just prior to initiating speech planning. A relationship between individuals' incidental attentional state and response performance is well attested in visual perception, with lower prestimulus alpha power associated with faster manual responses. Alpha is thought to have an inhibitory function: Low alpha power suggests less inhibition of a specific brain region, whereas high alpha power suggests more inhibition. Does the same relationship hold for cognitively demanding tasks such as word production? In this study, participants named pictures while EEG was recorded, with alpha power taken to index an individual's momentary attentional state. Participants' level of alpha power just prior to picture presentation and just prior to speech onset predicted subsequent naming latencies. Specifically, higher alpha power in the motor system resulted in faster speech initiation. Our results suggest that one index of a lapse of attention during speaking is reduced inhibition of motor-cortical regions: Decreased motor-cortical alpha power indicates reduced inhibition of this area while early stages of production planning unfold, which leads to increased interference from motor-cortical signals and longer naming latencies. This study shows that the language production system is not impermeable to the influence of attention.
Intermittent Absence of Control during Reinforcement Learning Interferes with Pavlovian Bias in Action Selection
Authors: Csifcsák Gábor , Melsæter Eirik , Mittner Matthias
Published: December 2019

The ability to control the occurrence of rewarding and punishing events is crucial for our well-being. Two ways to optimize performance are to follow heuristics like Pavlovian biases to approach reward and avoid loss or to rely more on slowly accumulated stimulus–action associations. Although reduced control over outcomes has been linked to suboptimal decision-making in clinical conditions associated with learned helplessness, it is unclear how uncontrollability of the environment is related to the arbitration between different response strategies. This study directly tested whether a behavioral manipulation designed to induce learned helplessness in healthy adults (intermittent loss of control over feedback in a reinforcement learning task; “yoking”) would modulate the magnitude of Pavlovian bias and the neurophysiological signature of cognitive control (frontal midline theta power) in healthy adults. Using statistical analysis and computational modeling of behavioral data and electroencephalographic signals, we found stronger Pavlovian influences and alterations in frontal theta activity in the yoked group. However, these effects were not accompanied by reduced performance in experimental blocks with regained control, indicating that our behavioral manipulation was not potent enough for inducing helplessness and impaired coping ability with task demands. We conclude that the level of contingency between instrumental choices and rewards/punishments modulates Pavlovian bias during value-based decision-making, probably via interfering with the implementation of cognitive control. These findings might have implications for understanding the mechanisms underlying helplessness in various psychiatric conditions.
New Prospects for Information Theory in Arts Research
Authors: Marsden Alan
Published: December 2019

Information Theory provoked the interest of arts researchers from its inception in the mid-twentieth century but failed to produce the expected impact, partly because the data and computing systems required were not available. With the modern availability of data from public collections and sophisticated software, there is renewed interest in Information Theory. Successful application in the analysis of music implies potential success in other art forms also. The author gives an illustrative example, applying the Information-Theoretic similarity measure normalized compression distance with the aim of ranking paintings in a large collection by their conventionality.
The Filipino Peasant in the Modern World: Tradition, Change and Resilience
Authors: Tadem Eduardo Climaco
Published: December 2019

This article examines a traditional upland peasant community subjected to change-oriented interventions from external state and nonstate forces. As a result, various modifications took place in the villages with the introduction of new technologies, crop diversification, market contacts, social differentiation, formal governmental structures, decline in the number of farmers, growth of a working class, increased contacts with and knowledge of the non-peasant external world, and physical separation of families. Using various analytical frameworks on the nature of peasant society via a modified peasant essentialist approach, agrarian change, rural development, social movements, everyday resistance, moral economy, and a history from below approach, this article depicts and analyzes how traditional peasant society is able to withstand the changes brought about by external factors and essentially retain its household-based small farm economy, socially-determined norms and practices, and feelings of community and solidarity.
Liberal Political Philosophy of Religious Difference after Saba Mahmood
Authors: Baumgartner Christoph
Published: December 2019

This contribution responds to Saba Mahmood’s critique of secularism and uses it for theory development in liberal political philosophy. Building on the work of Rahel Jaeggi I reconstruct selected parts of Mahmood’s works as an immanent critique of secularism as a form of life. I argue that liberal egalitarian political philosophical approaches to religious difference should broaden the focus of social critique. Beyond – but not instead of – formal regulations such as constitutional law and religious accommodation, political philosophy needs to address what Mahmood calls “ethical sensibilities”, and informal social practices and conventions. My considerations are informed by an exploration of the refusal of some pious Muslims to shake hands with someone of the opposite sex, and controversies about this issue in Western-European countries.
Al-Ġazālī ed Ibn Taymiyya: la questione dei pii antenati
Authors: Di Donato Marco
Published: December 2019

The purpose of this article is to read, under a different light, the relationship between al-Ġazālī and Ibn Taymiyya thanks to the analysis of their writings (from Iḥyāʾ ʿulūm al-dīn to Ilǧām al-ʿawāmm ʿan ʿilm al-kalām) in order to find commonalities and differences in the ideological proposal of the two authors. In line with Michot, Hoover, Anjum and Rapoport, this article includes Ibn Taymiyya in the ideological debate of the Islamic thought and provides evidences in order to not consider him only as the forefather of radicalism and fundamentalism, but rather a complex and sophisticated jurist, theologue, thinker. A man of his time. This aim is reached by investigating the concept of “Salafism” in both authors and analyzing the importance of the first community example in both visions and philosophical proposals.
Preparation and Evaluation of Upconversion Nanoparticles Based miRNA Delivery Carrier in Colon Cancer Mice Model
Authors: Shi Hao , Liang Gao-Feng , Li Yang , Li Jing-Hua , Jing Ai-Hua , Feng Wen-Po , Li Guang-Da , Du Jing-Xia , Feng Shu-Ying
Published: December 2019

Therapeutic efficacy of solid tumor is often severely hampered by poor penetration of therapeutics into diseased tissues and lack of tumor targeting. In this study, the functionalized upconversion nanoparticles (UCNP)-based delivery vector targeting cancer cells was developed. Firstly,
NaYF4:Yb/Tm (UCNP) was prepared with the solvothermal method for the uniform nanoparticle size and brilliant lattice structure. The SiO2 coated UCNP was demonstrated a high upconversion emission and good monodispersity, which was coupled with polyetherimide (PEI) and
miR-145 vector. Then, it was further functionalized via hyaluronic acid (HA) (UCNP/PEI/HA Nanocomplex, UCNPs) coating for the targeted delivery and improved biocompatibility. The UCNPs/miR-145 displays an excellent biocompatibility, a high level of cellular uptake and miR-145 expression, which
results in a significant cell cycle arrest in G1, and induces CCND1, CDK6 and CCNE2 proteins downregulation. In vivo, the HA-coated UCNPs were enriched at the tumor site by targeting and retention effects, which resulted in a significant inhibition of tumor growth. Histological experiments
demonstrated that UCNPs did not show significant toxicity in mice colon cancer model. Taken together, a UCNPs-based delivery platform was successfully constructed and used for miRNA target delivery, which provided a new method and idea for bioengineering and nanotechnology-based tumor therapy.
Resource Aware Hybrid Energy Harvesting for Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Kaur Jaspreet , Bindal Amit Kumar
Published: December 2019

Sensors consume the resources to perform different operations, and energy of the nodes may be depleted due to excessive computational load; thus, may reduce the overall network lifespan as well as coverage area. Traditional energy harvesting schemes provides energy to the nodes in linear
way but these schemes depend over a single source as well as these do not interact with the routing protocol. In this paper, a Hybrid Energy Harvester scheme for wireless sensor network is introduced which can utilize multiple energy sources for harvesting and also interact with the routing
protocols to fulfill their energy requirements. Simulation based analysis using various protocols are performed under the QoS constraints.
Computer Aided Diagnosis of Pneumonia from Chest Radiographs
Authors: Malhotra Priyanka , Gupta Sheifali , Koundal Deepika
Published: December 2019

Pneumonia is a deadly chest disease and is a major culprit behind numerous deaths every year. Chest radiographs (CXR) are commonly used for quick and cheap diagnosis of chest diseases. The interpretation of CXR’s for diagnosing pneumonia is difficult. This has created an interest
in computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) for CXR images. In this study, a brief review of literature based on computer aided analysis of chest radiograph images for identification of pneumonia using different machine learning and deep learning models is presented and a comparison of these different
techniques has been provided. In addition, the study also presents various publicly available chest X-ray data sets for training, testing and validation of deep learning models.
A Superwideband Monopole Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) Antenna with Dual Notched (Inverted T-Shaped Stub/U-Shaped Slit) Band Characteristics for Wireless Applications
Authors: Kapil Manoj , Sharma Manish
Published: December 2019

In this research article, a compact MIMO (Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output) antenna with inclusion of two notched bands characteristics is presented. Designed MIMO antenna consist of dual radiating patches printed on one surface of the substrate which covers measured wide impedance bandwidth
of 2.88 GHz–19.98 GHz and satisfies bandwidth ratio more than 10:1 for superwideband with compact size of 18 mm × 34 mm. Two radiating patch are placed symmetrically for MIMO configuration and notched bands to eliminate WiMAX/C and WLAN bands are obtained by attaching inverted
T-shaped stub on radiating patch and etched inverted U-shape slit in microstrip feed. Isolation between the two radiating patch is maintained by adding two L-shaped stub in slotted rectangular ground plane. Measured radiation pattern are stable in operating band and offers maximum 4.23 dBi
and 89% gain and radiation efficiency respectively. Moreover, antenna shows good diversity performance with Envelope-Correlation-Coefficient (ECC) < 0.5, Directive-Gain (DG) > 9.95 dB and Total-Active-Reflection Coefficient (TARC) < -30 dB.
Diabetic Retinopathy Prediction Device System
Authors: Garg Meenu , Gupta Sheifali , Ahuja Rakesh , Gupta Deepali
Published: December 2019

The present study relates to diagnostic devices, and more specifically, to a diabetic retinopathy prediction device, system and method for early prediction of diabetic retinopathy with application of deep learning. The device includes an image capturing device, a memory coupled to processor.
The image capturing device obtains a retinal fundus image from the user. The memory comprising executable instructions which upon execution by the processor configures the device to obtain physiological parameters of the user in real-time from the image capturing device, retrieve the obtained
retinal fundus image and the one or more obtained physiological parameters and compare the one or more extracted features with at least one pre-stored feature in a database to generate at least a prediction result indicative of detection of the presence, the progression or the treatment effect
of the disease in the user.
Bitcoin: Security and Privacy Analysis
Authors: Kumar Kailash
Published: December 2019

Blockchain technology is one of the most emerging technology nowadays in the field of cryptography. In order to get full advantage of Blockchain technology, we must come up with solutions of problems associated with it in general and security and privacy issues in particular. A new
dimension of electronic transactions has come up in the form of Bitcoin cryptocurrency. It is now considered as alternative choice of making payment by many financial institutions because of its decentralized nature and free from any need of trusted third party. Like any other technology,
the Bitcoin cryptocurrency also has their security and privacy issues. This paper deals with various protection and security issues of the Bitcoin. The limitations and proposed solution are also presented in the paper.
Multivariate Regression Predictive Modeling in Analyzing Student Performance: A Data Mining Approach
Authors: Mittal Ruchi
Published: December 2019

This study is based on student performance in the measured in terms of their academic grades. The performance is measured based on a number of demographic, behavioral and historical attributes. To analyze the result and to create a predictive model, the study uses the data mining technique
of multivariate regression and correlation attribute evaluation on a dataset of 395 respondents drawn from an academic program covering the subject of mathematics in a school in Portugal. A total of eight predictor variables are used to predict the criterion variable. The criterion or the
dependent variable is final grades. Out the eight attributes, five attributes i.e., “student’s age,” “quality of family relationship,” “going out with friends” and “current health status” are significant predictors of “final grades”
whereas three attributes i.e., “free time after school,” “work day alcohol consumption,” “weekend alcohol consumption” and “number of school absences” are insignificant as far as the regression model is concerned.
Spatial Distribution of Global Landscape Evaporation in the Early Twenty-First Century by Means of a Generalized Complementary Approach
Authors: Brutsaert Wilfried , Cheng Lei , Zhang Lu
Published: December 2019

A generalized implementation of the complementary principle was applied to estimate global land surface evaporation and its spatial distribution. The single parameter in the method was calibrated as a function of aridity index, mainly on the basis of runoff and precipitation data for 524 catchments in different parts of the world. The spatial distribution of annual evaporation from Earth’s land surfaces for 2001–13 was then calculated at a spatial resolution of 0.5°, by means of an available global net radiation dataset (commonly referred to as CERES SYN1deg-Day) and a global forcing dataset (referred to as CRU-NCEP v7) for near-surface temperature, humidity, wind speed, and air pressure. The results are shown to agree with reliable previous estimates by more elaborate methods. The global average evaporation for 2001–13 was found to be 472.65 mm a−1 or 36.96 W m−2. The present method should allow not only future updates but also retroactive historical analyses with routine data of net radiation, near-surface air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and precipitation; its main advantage is that the environmental aridity is deduced from atmospheric conditions and requires no knowledge of surface characteristics, such as soil moisture, vegetation, and terrain, which are highly variable and often difficult to quantify at larger spatial scales. Because they are strictly measurement based, the results can serve also as a reality check for different aspects of climate and related models.
A Novel Dual Path Gated Recurrent Unit Model for Sea Surface Salinity Prediction
Authors: Song Tao , Wang Zihe , Xie Pengfei , Han Nisheng , Jiang Jingyu , Xu Danya
Published: December 2019

Accurate and real-time sea surface salinity (SSS) prediction is an elemental part of marine environmental monitoring. It is believed that the intrinsic correlation and patterns of historical SSS data can improve prediction accuracy, but they have been not fully considered in statistical methods. In recent years, deep-learning methods have been successfully applied for time series prediction and achieved excellent results by mining intrinsic correlation of time series data. In this work, we propose a dual path gated recurrent unit (GRU) network (DPG) to address the SSS prediction accuracy challenge. Specifically, DPG uses a convolutional neural network (CNN) to extract the overall long-term pattern of time series, and then a recurrent neural network (RNN) is used to track the local short-term pattern of time series. The CNN module is composed of a 1D CNN without pooling, and the RNN part is composed of two parallel but different GRU layers. Experiments conducted on the South China Sea SSS dataset from the Reanalysis Dataset of the South China Sea (REDOS) show the feasibility and effectiveness of DPG in predicting SSS values. It achieved accuracies of 99.29%, 98.44%, and 96.85% in predicting the coming 1, 5, and 14 days, respectively. As well, DPG achieves better performance on prediction accuracy and stability than autoregressive integrated moving averages, support vector regression, and artificial neural networks. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that data intrinsic correlation has been applied to predict SSS values.
Love, Trust, and Camaraderie: Teachers’ Perspectives of Care in an Urban High School
Authors: Ransom Julia C.
Published: December 2019

Many scholars have found that student–teacher relationships are an integral part to student success in schools. The quality of relationships has implications for student engagement and performance. The most successful student–teacher relationships have characteristics of the ethic of care. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perspectives of care of two teachers within a peer learning structured STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) classroom in an urban high school. In the Peer Enabled Restructured Class (PERC), student facilitators work with teachers to lead instruction. The findings indicated that teachers saw themselves as caring, but their articulations of care varied from authentic care to aesthetic care. The study has implications for teacher preparation and practice as teachers who are prepared and knowledgeable about the importance of relationships and care have the potential for better success with their students.
In charge of safeguarding the public interest: the role of goal clarity in shaping public service motivation and the acceptance of unethical behaviours
Authors: Ripoll Guillem
Published: December 2019

Ethics are important for personal, organizational and societal development. Although the literature has isolated some remedies and causes of unethical attitudes and behaviours, there is a still a need for further research. When focusing on the public context, it has been suggested that the motivation to serve the public interest has a negative relationship with different unethical outcomes. Thus, one interesting avenue of research is to explain how public service motivation can be enhanced by the outcome of certain managerial practices, which may also lead to ethical benefits indirectly. Using data collected from social workers in Catalonia (Spain), this article confirms that goal clarity directly increases the levels of public service motivation and indirectly reduces the acceptance of unethical behaviours by eliciting public service motivation. Research and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Points for practitioners

This study highlights the importance of public service-oriented institutional contexts in indirectly shaping unethical outcomes. The findings recommend to public managers and practitioners to provide goal clarity (through certain human-resource management practices such as appraisal or job design) because it increases public service motivation and indirectly reduces the acceptance of unethical behaviour.
Organising across borders: Mobilising temporary migrant labour in Australian food production
Authors: Underhill Elsa , Groutsis Dimitria , van den Broek Diane , Rimmer Malcolm
Published: December 2019

This article builds on the growing literature on migrant worker mobilisation by analysing how the temporary migrant workforce, employed in food production, interacts with two Australian trade unions alongside ethno-specific social media groups, offshore unions and community/religious organisations. The contribution of this article is twofold. Firstly, we demonstrate divergence in union strategies, distinguishing between (i) a ‘traditional self-reliant’ strategy, where unions recruit temporary migrant workforces by using established methods and their own resources and (ii) network collectivism, where unions also engage with temporary migrant workforces obliquely through external social media platforms and alliances. Our second contribution is to examine how the components of network collectivism interact as an integrated strategy for temporary migrant worker mobilisation.
Role of Proprioception in Slow and Rapid Movements
Authors: Feng Jie , Hung Tsung-Min , Huang Rui , Hou Shuang , Ren Jie
Published: December 2019

This study aimed to compare the contributions of sources of proprioception to the reproduction accuracy of relatively slower and more rapid arm movements. We recruited 34 volunteers and gave them dart throwing tasks under two different durations followed by joint position sense (JPS) tests and force sense (FS) tests at the elbow and the wrist. We found moderately positive correlations between slow movement performance and proprioceptive acuity with FS (wrist) and JPS (elbow), accounting for 52% of the absolute errors ( p <  .001), and, with FS (wrist), accounting for 50% of the variable error ( p <  .001). Moreover, we observed a smaller correlation between rapid movement performance and proprioceptive acuity, accounting for 17% of absolute errors with JPS (elbow; p =  .008) and 11% of variable error ( p =  .033). These results suggest that relatively slow movement performance is partly determined by performers’ proprioceptive acuity of the movement-related limbs. Relatively rapid movement performance is also affected by correctional proprioceptive feedback, though to a lesser degree.
From ‘Women in Science’ to ‘Gendering of Knowledge’: A Review Essay on Feminist Studies of Science in India
Authors: Varughese Shiju Sam
Published: December 2019

Sumi Krishna and Gita Chadha (Eds.), Feminists and Science: Critiques and Changing Perspectives in India, Vol. 1. Kolkata: Stree, 2015, xlvi + 302 pp., ₹500.00, ISBN 978–93–81345–07–8.

Sumi Krishna and Gita Chadha (Eds.), Feminists and Science: Critiques and Changing Perspectives in India, Vol. 2. New Delhi: SAGE Publications and Kolkata: Stree, 2017, xliii + 329 pp., ₹895.00, ISBN 978–93–81345–19–1.
Social justice principles as core concepts in school psychology training, research and practice at a transnational level
Authors: Hatzichristou Chryse , Lampropoulou Aikaterini , Lianos Panayiotis
Published: December 2019

This paper presents social justice principles as core concepts in school psychology practice via a conceptual framework that combines theory, research, training, and practical applications. Focusing on the specific needs of Greece (i.e. economic recession, influx of migrant and refugee students, etc.), we discuss the inclusion of multicultural and international components of school psychology practice as well as implications for socially just practice. Specific examples of interventions and activities developed and implemented by the Laboratory of School Psychology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, which emphasizes the application of social justice principles to practice, are also presented. Finally, we discuss specific guidelines for developing interventions that embrace social justice principles globally as well as explore transnational implications.
Factors influencing the adoption of crowdfunding in Bangladesh: A study of start-up entrepreneurs
Authors: Islam Mohammad Tariqul , Khan Muhammad Tahir Abbas
Published: December 2019

Despite widespread adoption of crowdfunding for funding social donation projects, its adoption among start-up entrepreneurs is significantly low, in developing countries in particular. Research has been performed to investigate the crowdfunding adoption intention of start-up entrepreneurs in Bangladesh. This study aimed to identify the motivation behind the intentions of the entrepreneurs to adopt crowdfunding, using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model with extensions. Empirical data were collected from 317 respondents and analyzed using Partial Least Squares-based Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions and perceived trust mpact significantly ion the entrepreneurs’ behavioral intention to adopt crowdfunding. In contrast, trialability and perceived trust were not found to be significant determinants. However, trialability has a significant positive relation with use behavior or actual use, whereas no significant relationship has been identified between behavioral intention and use behavior.
Regional citrate versus systemic heparin anticoagulation for continuous renal replacement therapy in critically ill children
Authors: Sık Guntulu , Demirbuga Asuman , Annayev Agageldi , Citak Agop
Published: December 2019

Objectives:

Anticoagulation is used to prevent filter clotting in patients undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy. Regional citrate anticoagulation is associated with lower rates of bleeding complications and prolongs the filter life span; however, a number of metabolic side effects had been associated with this therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect and safety of citrate versus heparin anticoagulation for continuous renal replacement therapy in critically ill children.

Methods:

A retrospective comparative cohort study. Department of Pediatric Intensive Care, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar University School of Medicine.

Results:

From August 2016 to August 2018, 45 patients (19 in the citrate group and 26 in the heparin group) were included. A total of 101 hemofilters were used in all therapies: 44 in the citrate group (total continuous renal replacement therapy time: 2699 h) and 57 in the heparin group (total continuous renal replacement therapy time: 2383 h). The median circuit lifetime was significantly longer for regional citrate anticoagulation (53.0; interquartile range, 40–70 h) than for heparin anticoagulation (40.25; interquartile range, 22.75–53.5 h; p = 0.025). Mortality rates were similar in both groups (31.58% vs 30.77%). The most common indication for dialysis was hypervolemia in both groups. Transfusion rates were 1.65 units (interquartile range, 0.5–2.38) with heparin and 0.8 units (interquartile range, 0.3–2.0) with citrate (p = 0.32). Clotting-related hemofilter failure occurred in 11.36% of filters in the citrate group compared with 26.31% of filters in the heparin group.

Conclusion:

Our study showed that citrate is superior in terms of safety and efficacy, with longer filter life span. Regional citrate should be considered as a better anticoagulation method than heparin for continuous renal replacement therapy in critically ill children.
A numerical investigation on the improvement of anti-snow performance of the bogies of a high-speed train
Authors: Wang Jiabin , Zhang Yan , Zhang Jie , Liang Xifeng , Krajnović Sinisa , Gao Guangjun
Published: December 2019

In this paper, numerical simulations combining unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) simulation and the discrete phase model are used to study the application of countermeasure for snow accumulation in the regions of bogie cavities of a high-speed train. The influence of the cowcatcher heights and guide structure configurations on the flow features and snow accumulation was studied. The results of the study show that the cowcatcher with a downward elongation of 4% of the distance between the two axles decreases the snow accumulation in the first and the second bogie regions by about 56.6% and 13.6%, respectively. Furthermore, the guide structures have been found to significantly alter the velocity and pressure distribution in the second bogie region, resulting in a relatively large snow-accumulation reduction. The deflector is found to perform better in reducing snow accumulation when compared to the diversion slots. The cowcatcher, elongated in the downward direction, and the deflector proved to be a good countermeasure for snow accumulation around the bogies of high-speed trains operating in snowy weather conditions.
Hong Kong Poison Information Centre: Annual report 2018
Authors: Chow Tin Yat Anthony , Chan Chi Keung , Ng Sze Hong , Tse Man Li
Published: December 2019

Objective:

The aim of this study was to report and analyse the poisoning data of Hong Kong Poison Information Centre in 2018.

Methods:

In 2018, all poisoning cases received by Hong Kong Poison Information Centre were retrieved from its database, Poison Information and Clinical Management System, for analysis.

Results:

A total of 3960 poisoned cases were analysed. There were 1770 male patients (44.7%), 2188 female patients (55.3%) and 2 sex‐unspecified patients (<0.1%). The majority of cases (68.3%) were between 20 and 69 years old, and 9.9% involved children of 0–5 years old. The common causes of poisoning were suspected self‐harm/suicidal attempt (36.6%), unintentional exposure (18.4%) and abusive substance use (11.1%). Excluding the common co‐ingestant ethanol, the five commonest types of poison were benzodiazepines, paracetamol, Chinese herbal medicine, household products and zopiclone. Most patients were managed with supportive measures, while 13.5% and 13.7% of consultation cases were treated by decontamination and antidotes, respectively. The majority of cases had uneventful recovery; 0.8% resulted in death and 4.9% had major outcomes. A total of eight interesting cases were discussed.

Conclusion:

This 13th annual report provided the updated epidemiological information on poisoning pattern in Hong Kong and highlighted important changes in comparison with our previous reports.
“Ask Me and I Will Tell You”: Gifted Boys’ Perceptions of Self and School
Authors: Watts Jessica
Published: December 2019

Using the Frame of Reference lens developed by Marsh, this article explains how elementary-age gifted boys construct their self-perceptions as learners by comparing their academic abilities with those of their peers. Understanding giftedness defined as a social construct, this article discusses an ethnographic study that examines gifted boys’ self-perceptions and their teachers’ perceptions of them as learners. Data collected from observations and interviews are analyzed to discuss the study’s findings that are explored through three themes. First, the participants want their teachers to understand that although they value their gifted identities, they still have academic needs for which they need help. Second, gifted boys believe their classroom behaviors are often misunderstood. Third, the participants want a voice about the curriculum assigned to them. These findings conclude by examining implications for teachers to address the perceptions of boys as students in their classrooms.