bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Knowledge Activation Approach to Testing the Circumvention-of-Limits Hypothesis
Authors: Hambrick David Z. , Altmann Erik M. , Burgoyne Alexander P.
Published: August 2018

The circumvention-of-limits hypothesis holds that the more skilled and knowledgeable the task performer, the less it matters for task performance whether that person has limited general cognitive ability. We tested this hypothesis using a knowledge activation approach to manipulate knowledge experimentally. The criterion task, which we designed to capture a fundamental requirement of a broad class of real-world tasks, was a placekeeping task in which participants had to perform a sequence of operations in a specified order, applying 7 different 2-alternative decision rules to a series of randomly generated stimuli. The measures of interest in this task were response time and accuracy, as well as frequency of use of a help function to recall the correct sequence of steps. In the knowledge-activated condition, we gave participants a mnemonic in which the first letters of the decision rules spelled the English word unravel. In the knowledge-not-activated condition, no mnemonic was given, and the use and discovery of mnemonics was frustrated by reversal of the terms of some decision rules so that their first letters spelled the difficult to pronounce nonword unrbcel. The predictor tasks, which we used to predict performance in the placekeeping task, were standard tests of cognitive ability, which have been shown to predict performance differences in a wide range of complex tasks. Inconsistent with the circumvention-of-limits hypothesis, the positive effect of cognitive ability on placekeeping performance did not differ across conditions. This finding adds to previous evidence that it may not always be possible to overcome limitations on cognitive ability through extensive training.
Interpretações morfoestruturais da drenagem da bacia hidrográfica do Rio do Peixe - Minas Gerais
Authors: Giarola Isabela Belmira Santos
Published: August 2018

A morfometria é fundamental para o entendimento da dinâmica ambiental de uma determinada área. A análise morfométrica e morfológica em bacias hidrográficas visa o compreendimento do modelado do relevo e da dinâmica fluvial local e regional. Através da aplicação de parâmetros morfométricos pode-se avaliar quantitativamente o comportamento das bacias hidrográficas. A bacia hidrográfica do rio do Peixe, situada no sudeste do Estado de Minas Gerais, apresenta especificidades morfométricas quando comparada às áreas circunvizinhas. Com o intuito de investigar as características morfométricas da bacia supracitada, este trabalho tem como objetivo correlacionar dados obtidos a partir de perfis longitudinais e do índice de Relação Declividade x Extensão (RDE) para identificação de áreas anômalas das sub-bacias da bacia hidrográfica do rio do Peixe. Foram selecionados vinte canais fluviais de 5ª, 6ª, 7ª e 8ª ordem e, ao todo, foram encontradas 126 anomalias nesses canais, indicando que eles possuem padrão geomorfológico incomum. Essa configuração auxilia na explicação das diferenças altimétricas e leva a considerar a desnudação diferencial e a ação neotectônica como elementos essenciais na compreensão do relevo desta bacia.
Práticas pedagógicas interdisciplinares na licenciatura em Geografia: experiências no cotidiano do fazer geográfico
Authors: Pereira Ana Paula Camilo , Marinho Vera Lúcia Freitas
Published: August 2018

A proposta de análise apresentada nesse trabalho se orienta a partir da importância da interdisciplinaridade para além da teoria, concebendo-a na prática pedagógica, a qual nos remete verificá-la no processo formativo de professores de Geografia. Nessa perspectiva, destacamos uma abordagem que busca a partir da apresentação de ações práticas de interdisciplinaridade no Ensino Superior, mais especificamente do Curso de Licenciatura em Geografia da Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, promover a articulação e, ao mesmo tempo, contribuir com a desfragmentação entre os saberes geográficos, que historicamente dicotomiza a Geografia Humana e a Geografia Física, num contexto de desarticulação dos saberes. Desse modo, a importância da interdisciplinaridade não se limita ao ambiente escolar, é preciso que o professor a compreenda em seu processo formativo de modo que a prática interdisciplinar possa ser concebida como possibilidade de rompimento dessa fragmentação. Em síntese, são expostos correlacionadamente aportes teóricos e empíricos de elaboração, planejamento e aplicabilidade de experiências interdisciplinares no cotidiano do fazer geográfico.
Social Security Reform and Personal Saving: Evidence from Brazil
Authors: Zuanazzi Pedro Tonon , Fochezatto Adelar , Wink Junior Marcos Vinicio
Published: August 2018

The population aging process has caused a financial imbalance in the social security systems of countries based on pay as you go system, as is the case in Brazil. To face this challenge, the Brazilian governments have undertaken several reforms since the 1988 Constitution. Confronting the life cycle hypothesis, the aim of this paper is to estimate the causal effects of Social Security Reforms on the Likelihood of Saving in Brazil by exploring two exogenous events, the 41th (of 2003) and 47th (of 2005) Constitutional Amendments, that reduced the expectations of benefits only for public servants. Using data from the House Budget Surveys, the results of differences-in-differences models show that the reform increased in a range of 2.1 to 2.9 percentage points in the probability of saving of the treated group. The results are in line with the recent literature indicating that reforms contribute to an increase in personal savings.
Soil Water Retention in the Semiarid Region of Brazil
Authors: Silva Antonio Carlos da , Portela Jeane Cruz , Batista Rafael Oliveira , Cunha Rutilene Rodrigues da , Gondim Joaquim Emanuel Fernandes , Arruda Luiz Eduardo Vieira de , Medeiros José Francismar de
Published: August 2018

From the physics point of view, soil structure is a dynamic attribute that is affected by genetic conditions and anthropogenic changes and requires an integrated approach. Soil water retention curve is one of the main tools used in soil structure evaluations. The objective of this work was to evaluate the structural and chemical attributes of soils of different classes and agroecosystems in the Terra de Esperança Settlement (Governador Dix Sept Rosado, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil) to distinguish these environments. Disturbed and undisturbed soil samples were collected in horizons of 10 soil profiles of the soil classes: Cambissolo Háplico (Haplustepts), Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo (Eutrustox), Chernossolo Rêndzico (Calciustolls), and Neossolo Flúvico (Usticfluvents). The soil physical attributes evaluated were granulometry, soil density, total porosity, aeration porosity, macroporosity, microporosity, field capacity, permanent wilting point, available water, and water retention curve. The results were expressed in averages of four replicates per horizon (in laboratory) by multivariate analysis, which detected the most sensitive attributes for the distinction of the environments. The soil physical attributes of the different classes and its inorganic fractions, especially silt and clay, were determinant to distinguish the environments; they affected the microporosity; aeration porosity; and available water. The source material of the Chernossolo Rêndzico, which is rich in calcium and magnesium, affected its physical attributes, characterized by the predominance of the silt fraction. Clay was the determinant fraction of the Cambissolo Háplico, and Neossolo Flúvico; and the sand fraction on the surface layer, and clay fraction in the Bw horizon were determinant of the Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo. The more expressive physical attributes were soil density, sand content, macroporosity (Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo), microporosity, field capacity, available water, permanent wilting point, total organic carbon, mass-based moisture, volume-based moisture, clay, aeration porosity (Cambissolo Háplico, and Neossolo Flúvico), and silt (Chernossolo Rêndzico).
Black Seed Oil Applications for the Preservation of Postharvest Quality of ‘Wonderful’ Pomegranate Under Modified Atmosphere Packaging
Authors: Kahramanoglu Ibrahim
Published: August 2018

This study was conducted to determine the effects of black seed oil (0.1% and 0.5%) applications with and without modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), on the postharvest quality of pomegranate cv. ‘Wonderful’. Fruit samples were stored at 6.5±1 ºC with 90-95% relative humidity for 150 days and quality analysis done at 30-day intervals. Furthermore, after each storage period, fruits were removed and kept at 20 ºC for 7 days to simulate a period of shelf-life. MAP alone or in combination with black seed oil application found to have a significant influence on the maintaining of fruit weight. Percent reduction in the fruit weight 150 days after storage (DAS) was 4.7% and 8.8% for black seed oil (0.5%)+MAP and control+MAP applications, respectively, where it was 18.9% for the control without MAP. The juice content of pomegranate fruits was 31.4% at harvest and it decreased to 21.9% on the control treatment in 150 days. Furthermore, juice content of the fruits with control+MAP and propolis+MAP were determined as 25.8%, and 28.1%, respectively, at 150 DAS. Applications of 0.5% black seed oil especially when combined with MAP, have found to be effective in preventing weight loss, preventing juice content, controlling gray mould development and decelerate the occurrence of chilling injury.
Challenges in Establishing a Transfusion Medicine Service: The Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi Experience
Authors: Algora Manuel , Grabski Gloria , Batac-Castro Anna Liza , Gibbs James , Chada Nyaradzo , Humieda Sharhabil , Ahmad Shafeeq , Anderson Peter , Figueroa Priscila I. , Mirza Imran , AbdelWareth Laila
Published: August 2018

Context.—

Opening a new hospital is a once in a lifetime experience and can be very inspiring for those involved in its activation. However, establishing a safe transfusion practice in a greenfield environment comes with unique challenges and opportunities.

Objective.—

To highlight critical activation components such as on-boarding of new personnel, establishing clinical practices, and integrating critical laboratory software.

Design.—

Our staff initially faced challenges in standardizing transfusion medicine clinical practice inside the laboratory. Our efforts were mainly focused on the appropriate use of various transfusion orders, creating comprehensive policies for type and screening, cost effective utilization of blood products, and establishment of the maximum surgical blood order schedule. The transfusion service was launched with 2 information technology programs that separately facilitated steps in the transfusion process, but did not provide centralized access to the entire process. In these circumstances, we partnered with the laboratory information system team to create a series of interfaces that streamlined each system's functionality and implemented the existing infrastructure with upgrades that enable remote location and management of blood products.

Results.—

The transfusion medicine team spent more than a year training and monitoring workflows to avoid individual variations between technologists and to adopt our own standards of practice. Participation in a structured training plan was also necessary between clinical caregivers to know the safe and efficient use of these standards.

Conclusions.—

Although laboratory and clinical staff are knowledgeable in care delivery, it is always a learning experience to establish a new system because of the natural tendency of resorting to previous practices and resistance to new approaches.
Mupsych App für Android Smartphones: Eine neue Möglichkeit für music experience sampling
Authors: Ruth Nicolas
Published: August 2018

Um die alltägliche Musiknutzung zu erfassen, wurden bislang verschiedene Ansätze des Experience Sampling eingesetzt. Diese Methode wurde bereits in den 1980er Jahren entwickelt und vielfach in der Musik- und Mediennutzungsforschung eingesetzt. Dieser methodische Ansatz versucht es zu ermöglichen, dass Hörer im Alltag zu ihrem Konsum befragt werden können. Allerdings sind viele der Studien die auf Experience Sampling beruhen mit einigen Limitationen behaftet. Eine moderne und rezeptionsnahe Möglichkeit für die Messung alltäglicher Musiknutzung über internetfähige mobile Endgeräte mit einem Android Betriebssystem bietet die App MuPsych. Mithilfe dieses Programms können Nutzer direkt während der Musikrezeption oder zu weiteren bestimmten Zeitpunkten über ihr eigenes persönliches Endgerät befragt und ihr Musikkonsum fortlaufend erfasst werden. Der vorliegende Artikel stellt zunächst die Forschungstradition des Experience Sampling kurz dar, um dann auf die Funktionen, die die App MuPsych für diese Erhebungsmethode bietet einzugehen. Schließlich wird beschrieben wie die App nutzbar für eigene Forschungsvorhaben gemacht werden kann.
Entre a Antiga e a Nova Pátria: narrativas de três gerações de uma família imigrante (Colônia de Entre Rios, Guarapuava – PR)
Authors: Frotscher Méri , Stein Marcos Nestor
Published: August 2018

O artigo apresenta uma análise de entrevistas produzidas com membros de três gerações de uma família da Colônia Entre Rios, localizada no município de Guarapuava, Paraná. A Colônia foi constituída no início da década de 1950 com chegada de cerca de 500 famílias de refugiados da Segunda Guerra Mundial, identificados como suábios do Danúbio (Donauschwaben), oriundos, em sua maioria, de campos de refugiados da Áustria. O foco da análise são as formas como os entrevistados constituem suas histórias de vida e a relação que estabelecem com o “lugar de origem”, na antiga Iugoslávia, representada como antiga pátria, e Entre Rios, a nova pátria construída no Brasil. Palavras-chave: História Oral. Suábios do Danúbio. Imigração. Refugiados. Entre Rios (Guarapuava, PR).
“Este tipo de campanha vai provocar grandes baixas em nosso núcleo organizado”. Estratégias e experiências de um militante da esquerda armada entre os desempregados de São Paulo na década de 1980
Authors: Porto Marchesini Torres Lucas
Published: August 2018

O artigo investiga a inserção de Antonio Prestes de Paula no movimento dos desempregados de São Paulo na década de 1980, quando ele atuava simultaneamente no Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT) e no Partido Comunista Brasileiro Revolucionário (PCBR). O texto se pauta em documentos apreendidos na residência de Prestes de Paula, após seu envolvimento num assalto a banco em Salvador/BA (1986), evento que se constituiu no paroxismo de uma prática das esquerdas armadas brasileiras, das quais Prestes de Paula é exemplar personificação, e que se encontravam em franco descenso na década de 1980. Tais fontes (textos partidários, cartas pessoais, notas de encontros, atas, etc.) revelam pormenores da experiência de Prestes entre os desempregados paulistas, entre os quais defendia princípios do PCBR, e o quanto sua insistência em estratégias de conflito típicas das esquerdas armadas das décadas anteriores contribuiu para seu isolamento. Na contramão dos movimentos sociais da década de 1980, Prestes de Paula e o PCBR defendiam princípios e práticas que muitas vezes ignoravam experiências e valores dos sujeitos com quem se relacionavam.
D’une culture à l’autre. Le défi de traduire les marqueurs régionaux
Authors: Schwerter Stephanie
Published: August 2018

Cet article se veut une réflexion sur les difficultés de traduction de discours issus d’une situation politique particulière. Celles-ci seront analysées à la lumière de la Théorie interprétative de Danica Seleskovich et Marianne Lederer et des concepts de naturalisation et d’exotisation de Lawrence Venuti. De façon plus précise, nous examinerons des extraits de traductions de deux romans nord-irlandais,Eureka Streetde Robert McLiam Wilson (1996) etDivorcing Jackde Colin Bateman (1995). Ces romans font partie des « Troubles novels » (Kennedy-Andrews, 2003) ; ils prennent en effet comme arrière-plan le conflit de l’Irlande du Nord. De plus, chacun contient des mots et expressions qui renvoient à des concepts culturellement marqués liés aux tensions entre protestants et catholiques. Les traducteurs francophones, germanophones et hispanophone dont nous avons analysé les traductions ont ainsi été appelés à transposer des concepts politiques et visions du monde propres au contexte nord-irlandais dans un environnement culturel où ces concepts et visions n’ont pas de signification évidente. Il s’agit là d’une tâche qu’on peut imaginer d’autant plus difficile pour des traducteurs provenant d’un contexte culturel qui n’a pas été marqué par des situations de conflit. Nous nous proposons de démontrer comment une connaissance insuffisante de la situation locale peut donner lieu à des traductions erronées.
A residence time theory for biodiversity
Authors: Locey Kenneth J , Lennon Jay T
Published: August 2018

From microorganisms to the largest macroorganisms, much of Earth’s biodiversity is subject to forces of physical turnover. Residence time is the ratio of an ecosystem’s size to its rate of flow and provides a means for understanding the influence of physical turnover on biological systems. Despite its use across scientific disciplines, residence time has not been integrated into the broader understanding of biodiversity, life history, and the assembly of ecological communities. Here, we propose a residence time theory for the growth, activity, abundance, and diversity of traits and taxa in complex ecological systems. Using thousands of stochastic individual-based models to simulate energetically constrained life history processes, we show that our predictions are conceptually sound, mutually compatible, and support ecological relationships that underpin much of biodiversity theory. We discuss the importance of residence time across the ecological hierarchy and propose how residence time can be integrated into theories ranging from population genetics to macroecology.
Particles resampling scheme using regularized optimal transport for sequential Monte Carlo filters
Authors: Kang Chang Ho , Park Chan Gook
Published: August 2018

A resampling method is presented for improving the performance of particle filters by using adaptive numbers of the resampling particles. The proposed method replaces the resampling step of a sequential importance resampling particle filter with regularized optimal transport that makes use of the transport plan to warp a posteriori weights into desired weights. The basis of the method is the same as an ensemble transform particle filter that uses the linear transformation step in the resampling of particles. However, the linear transformation step in ensemble transform particle filter is computationally expensive and needs relaxation matching between the two samples for robust processing. Furthermore, its performance can be degraded if the number of the effective particles becomes below the required number of particles, which represents the needed particle number of importance sampling. Therefore, in this paper, a regularized optimal transport method is used to deal with computational load reduction and relaxation matching in the resampling step by using a modified Sinkhorn‐Knopp algorithm that considers the process iteration rate convergence. In order to maintain the proper number of the effective particles for states estimation, Kullback‐Leibler distance sampling method is also implemented in the resampling process. The proposed method is evaluated by theoretical analysis including simple simulations compared with the conventional resampling methods. According to the simulations, the proposed method indicates that estimation accuracy is better than conventional methods with small number of the effective particles.
Chemisch induzierte Freisetzung von Singulettsauerstoff aus aromatischen Endoperoxiden
Authors: Fudickar Werner , Linker Torsten
Published: August 2018

Die Erzeugung von reaktivem Singulettsauerstoff unter milden Bedingungen ist von aktuellem Interesse in der Chemie, Biologie und Medizin. Durch einfache chemische Induktion können wir Sauerstoff aus Endoperoxiden (EPOs) bei niedriger Temperatur freisetzen. Tatsächlich beschleunigt die Protonierung und Methylierung von Dipyridylanthracenen solche Reaktionen stark. Zudem sind die Methylpyridin‐Derivate wasserlöslich und dienen somit als Sauerstoffüberträger in wässriger Phase. Die Methylierung des ortho‐Isomers der EPOs erzeugt direkt die ursprünglichen Vorläufer, ohne Erhöhung der Temperatur unter sehr milden Bedingungen. Dieser ungewöhnliche Reaktionsverlauf ist auf den geringen Abstand zwischen dem Stickstoffatom und der Peroxidgruppe zurückzuführen. Der freigesetzte Singulettsauerstoff wurde zur Oxygenierung von Akzeptoren wie Tetramethylethen im Dunkeln bei Raumtemperatur genutzt. Somit haben wir durch einfache chemische Induktion eine neue Quelle für Singulettsauerstoff gefunden.
Release of Singlet Oxygen from Aromatic Endoperoxides by Chemical Triggers
Authors: Fudickar Werner , Linker Torsten
Published: August 2018

The generation of reactive singlet oxygen under mild conditions is of current interest in chemistry, biology, and medicine. We were able to release oxygen from dipyridylanthracene endoperoxides (EPOs) by using a simple chemical trigger at low temperature. Protonation and methylation of such EPOs strongly accelerated these reactions. Furthermore, the methyl pyridinium derivatives are water soluble and therefore serve as oxygen carriers in aqueous media. Methylation of the EPO of the ortho isomer affords the parent form directly without increasing the temperature under very mild conditions. This exceptional behavior is ascribed to the close contact between the nitrogen atom and the peroxo group. Singlet oxygen is released upon this reaction, and can be used to oxygenate an acceptor such as tetramethylethylene in the dark with no heating. Thus, a new chemical source of singlet oxygen has been found, which is triggered by a simple stimulus.
The availability of freshwater fish resources is maintained across a land‐use gradient in Sabah, Borneo
Authors: Wilkinson Clare L. , Yeo Darren C.J. , Tan Heok Hui , Hadi Fikri Arman , Ewers Robert M.
Published: August 2018

Freshwater fish are a vital resource for local communities across the rural tropics. In Southeast Asia, biodiversity‐rich forests are being logged and converted to extensive oil palm monocultures. This clearly has impacts on associated freshwater ecosystems, but the impact on their biodiversity remains largely understudied and poorly understood, despite the important provisioning service that freshwater fishes provide for human well‐being.

This study quantifies the biomass stocks of freshwater fish across a land‐use gradient encompassing primary forest, twice‐logged forest, and oil palm plantations in Sabah, Malaysia, in an area where local communities are known to harvest freshwater fish. Stream fish were sampled using a cast net, the dominant technique used by local fishermen, in 200‐m‐long transects in 16 streams over three sampling years (2011, 2013, and 2015).

Unexpectedly, no impact from land use on total fish availability was detected. There were no significant differences in fish species richness or, most importantly, biomass per unit fishing effort across the land‐use gradient. There was variation in the responses of five known food species (Tor tambra, Hampala sabana, Barbodes sealei, Barbonymus balleroides, and Gastromyzon lepidogaster), and these small differences are attributed to variation in species habitat selection that co‐vary with land‐use change.

Despite evidence to suggest that freshwater fish communities are resilient to land‐use change, they still face risks associated with disturbance, such as invasion by alien species; furthermore, several of the more stenotopic species were only present in primary forest catchments. Nonetheless, freshwater fish in small headwater streams appear to represent a sustainable food resource for villages established in human‐modified forests or in developed oil palm plantations.
Are we overdosing treatment? Secondary findings from a study following women with bulimia nervosa after inpatient treatment
Authors: Beintner Ina , Jacobi Corinna
Published: August 2018

Objective

Provision of eating disorder (ED) treatment in practice is often guided by national health service structures rather than evidence‐based treatment recommendations. Especially for more severely or chronically ill patients, clinicians seem to advocate a “the more the better” strategy of treatment provision. Exploring the dose‐response relationship in ED treatment may shed light on both beneficial and detrimental effects of prolonged treatment provision.

Method

We utilized data from 64 women from the treatment‐as‐usual (TAU) group of a randomized controlled trial on Internet‐based aftercare for women with bulimia nervosa who had received inpatient treatment. We examined the relationship between treatment duration and dose and (1) baseline patient characteristics and (2) treatment outcomes (abstinence from binge eating and compensatory behaviors, frequency of binge eating and vomiting, thin ideal internalization, and general psychopathology) at 18‐month follow up.

Results

On average, the women in our study were hospitalized for 9 weeks and most received high doses of subsequent outpatient psychotherapy (median: 45 sessions). The severity of symptoms that a patient experienced at hospital admission or discharge was largely unrelated to the amount of outpatient treatment she subsequently received. Longer inpatient treatments or higher doses of subsequent outpatient treatment did not result in more favorable outcomes.

Discussion

Our findings suggest that, instead of providing costly long treatment without evidenced benefit to patients, there is a need for further exploration of and discussion about the risks and benefits of providing high doses of treatment for both individuals and the health care system.
The impact of patient‐centered medical homes on medication adherence?
Authors: David Guy , Saynisch Philip , Luster Spencer , Smith‐McLallen Aaron , Chawla Ravi
Published: August 2018

Accreditation of providers helps resolve the pervasive information asymmetries in health care markets. However, meeting accreditation standards typically involves flexibility in implementation, leading to heterogeneity in performance. For example, the patient‐centered medical home (PCMH) is a leading model for recognizing high‐performing primary care practices. Flexibility in PCMH implementation allows for varying degrees of emphasis on processes designed to enhance medication adherence. To assess the impact of the PCMH on adherence, we combine 6 years of detailed patient claims data with a novel dataset containing detailed practice‐level PCMH attributes. We study the effects of the number and configuration of adherence‐relevant capabilities, using variation in the timing of PCMH adoption to estimate its impact. While PCMH adoption improved overall medication adherence, when combining claims data with the unique recognition data detailing what PCMH capabilities were adopted, we find that these gains are concentrated among patients in practices that adopted more adherence‐relevant capabilities. Despite mixed evidence in the literature concerning costs and utilization, our results indicate that PCMH recognition improves medication adherence.
Custom‐made root‐analogue zirconia implants: A scoping review on mechanical and biological benefits
Authors: Pessanha‐Andrade Miguel , Sordi Mariane B. , Henriques Bruno , Silva Filipe S. , Teughels Wim , Souza Júlio C. M.
Published: August 2018

The aim of this study was to conduct a literature review on the potential benefits of custom‐made root‐analogue zirconia implants. A PubMed and ScienceDirect bibliographical search was carried out from 1969 to 2017. The increased interest in zirconia‐based dental structures linked to aesthetic and biological outcomes have been reported in literature. Recent technological advances have focused on novel strategies for modification of zirconia‐based surfaces to accelerate osseointegration. However, only a few studies revealed mechanical and biological benefits of custom‐made root‐analogue zirconia implants and therefore further studies should investigate the influence of different design and surface modification on the performance of such implants. Custom‐made root‐analogue zirconia implants have become a viable alternative to overcome limitations concerning stress distribution, aesthetics, and peri‐implantitis induced by biofilms. However, further in vitro and in vivo studies on surface–bone interactions and mechanical behavior of zirconia should be evaluated to reduce clinical issues regarding mechanical failures and late peri‐implant bone loss. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 2888–2900, 2018.
African Americans and Caribbean Blacks: Perceived neighborhood disadvantage and depression
Authors: Hastings Julia F. , Snowden Lonnie R.
Published: August 2018

The purpose of this study was to advance a theoretical understanding of the effects of impoverished neighborhoods on mental health and to inform policy measures encouraging residents to leave such neighborhoods. To do this, we investigated whether individuals’ perceived neighborhood disadvantage served as a risk factor for clinical depression in a nationally representative sample of African Americans and Caribbean Blacks. We performed logistic regression analysis on stratified socioeconomic status (SES) subsamples from the National Survey of American Life sample of 5,019 African Americans and Caribbean Blacks. The association between perceived neighborhood social disorder and past‐year depression was statistically significant for low‐SES individuals (at or below the federal poverty line; odds ratio [OR] = 1.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.07, 2.81], p = 0.026) and at the boundary of significance for middle‐SES individuals (between 100% and 300% of the poverty line; OR = 1.74, 95% CI [1.00, 3.02], p = 0.052), but not for high‐SES individuals (at or above 300% of the poverty line). Results suggest, at least for low‐ and middle‐income African Americans, perceived neighborhood social disorder is a risk factor for depression. U.S. housing policies aimed at neighborhood improvement and poverty de‐concentration may benefit the mental health of low‐income African Americans and Caribbean Blacks.
“Dicranin” in the Membrane Phospholipids of a Dicranaceae and Pottiaceae Moss Member of the Eastern Himalayan Biodiversity Hotspot
Authors: Roy Chowdhuri Sumedha , Biswas Raha Anashuya , Mitra Souvik , Datta Jayashree , Poddar Sarkar Mousumi
Published: August 2018

The phospholipids of two moss samples Oreoweisia laxifolia (Hookf.) Kindb. (family‐Dicranaceae Schimp.) and Leptodontium viticulosoides (P. Beauv.) Wijk & Margad (family‐Pottiaceae Schimp.) of the Eastern Himalayan Biodiversity Hotspot were investigated to find out any peculiarity in their fatty acid profiles. Detailed analysis of phospholipid classes and the respective fatty acids was performed using high‐performance thin‐layer chromatography and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. An array of different saturated and unsaturated fatty acids were detected in both the samples. Although it has been proposed previously that acetylenic fatty acids are associated only with triacylglycerol of storage lipids, the most striking observation of the present investigation is the abundance of an acetylenic fatty acid, octadeca‐6‐yn‐9,12,15‐trienoic acid (18:4a), or Dicranin, in the phospholipids of both the mosses. The position of the triple bond in the hydrocarbon chain of the fatty acids was confirmed by dimethyloxazoline derivatization of fatty acids and their characteristic mass fragmentation pattern. The occurrence of Dicranin in phospholipids and in the Pottiaceae family is reported for the first time, with substantial explanations of the observed results. This may raise the issue of rethinking “Dicranin” as a chemotaxonomic marker of Dicranaceae.
Soyasaponins Reduce Inflammation and Improve Serum Lipid Profiles and Glucose Homeostasis in High Fat Diet‐Induced Obese Mice
Authors: Xie Qunying , Gu Xiangfu , Chen Junbin , Liu Minshun , Xiong Fei , Wu Xinglong , Zhang Yajie , Chen Fengping , Chen Honger , Li Meijuan , Sun Suxia , Chu Xinwei , Zha Longying
Published: August 2018

Scope

Obesity is linked to a chronic low‐grade inflammatory state that contributes to the development of obesity‐associated metabolic disorders. The anti‐inflammatory activities and mechanisms of soyasaponin monomers (A1, A2, and I) have been recently demonstrated in cell models. However, their potential in vivo abilities to reduce chronic inflammation and alleviate metabolic disorders in obese status remain unclear.

Methods and results

High fat diet (HFD)‐fed obese male C57BL/6J mice are intervened by aspirin (0.1 mg kg–1 body weight) or 20 mg kg–1 of soyasaponins A1, A2, or I for 8 weeks. Soyasaponins A1, A2, and I significantly reduce pro‐inflammatory cytokines/mediators in serum, liver, and white adipose tissues (WATs), improve serum lipid profiles, decrease liver cholesterol, triglyceride and steatosis, and promote fecal excretion of cholesterol, triglycerides, and bile acids. Soyasaponins A1, A2, and I also decrease IKKα/β phosphorylation in liver and WATs and reduce NF‐κB p65 phosphorylation and CD68 mRNA and protein expression in WATs. Soyasaponins A1 and A2 but not I decrease NF‐κB p65 phosphorylation in liver and adipocytes hypertrophy in WATs. In addition, Soyasaponin A2 but not A1 nor I decreases fasting blood glucose and improved insulin resistance.

Conclusion

Soyasaponins reduce inflammation and improve serum lipid profiles and glucose homeostasis in HFD‐induced obese mice.
Finite time estimation through a continuous‐discrete observer
Authors: Mazenc Frédéric , Ahmed Saeed , Malisoff Michael
Published: August 2018

We study two broad classes of nonlinear time‐varying continuous‐time systems with outputs. For the first class, we build an observer in the case where a state dependent disturbance affects the linear approximation. When the disturbances are the zero functions, our observer provides exact values of the state at all times larger than a suitable finite time, and it provides an approximate estimate when there are nonzero disturbances, so our observers are called finite time observers. We use this construction, which is of interest for its own sake, to design a globally exponentially stabilizing dynamic output feedback for a family of nonlinear systems whose outputs are only available on some finite time intervals. Our simulations illustrate the efficacy of our methods.
Replacement of an Azide Group with Carbonyl‐Azide in Nitrogen‐Rich Energetic Materials: Searching for Possible Alternatives with a Computational Approach
Authors: Devi Alka , Ghule Vikas D. , Nirwan Ayushi
Published: August 2018

This work describes the computational design of nitrogen‐rich carbonyl‐azides as promising energetic materials. Carbonyl‐azide group is introduced by replacing azide functionality in 5‐ and 6‐membered nitrogen‐rich heterocyclic compounds and inquired using density functional theory (DFT). The energetic properties including density, heat of formation (HOF), velocity of detonation, detonation pressure, explosive power, flame temperature and sensitivity have been computed with well‐known approaches. The predicted results reveal that the replacement of azide with carbonyl‐azide helping to acquire higher densities but undesirable towards achieving higher HOF and detonation properties. The sensitivity correlation with heat of detonation indicates that the carbonyl‐azide group is more beneficial for reducing the sensitivity than azide group. The predicted energetic properties of carbonyl‐azides were compared with corresponding azide explosives and imply their explosophoric nature.
Spectrum characterization of two types of long‐period ground motions and seismic behavior of frame‐core wall structures under multidimensional earthquake records
Authors: Cheng Yu , Bai Guoliang , Dong Yaorong
Published: August 2018

With the wide application of long period such as high‐rise and super high‐rise buildings, long‐period ground movement can easily cause resonant effects and serious destructions on the long‐period structures. The Fourier amplitude spectrum and response spectrum of three translational components about typical and actually measured long‐period ground motions show that all three translational components exhibit the long‐period characterization and the dynamic behavior and seismic damage of high‐rise buildings subjected to multidimensional long‐period earthquake records urgently deserves further study. Then, the analytical method of numerical simulation was employed to establish the finite element model of a high‐rise frame‐core wall structure with the fundamental period of 2.64 s. And the suggested modeling techniques and the accuracy of the numerical method were verified. Furthermore, the nonlinear time history analysis on the reinforced concrete frame‐core wall structures subjected to multidimensional long‐period earthquake records was conducted, and the seismic behavior of the structure were studied. The analytical results show that the mutual interaction on strength and stiffness under 2‐D or 3‐D long‐period seismic action will obviously amplify the dynamic behavior and seismic damage of the structure. The distribution rule about the weakest story, the design focus of seismic defense line, the distribution rule of hysteretic energy and the characteristics of destructive mode can provide a theoretical basis for the seismic design of high‐rise structures subjected to long‐period earthquake records.
Expression of Concern: Facial feature discovery for ethnicity recognition
Authors: Wang Cunrui , Zhang Qingling , Liu Wanquan , Liu Yu , Miao Lixin
Published: August 2018

The salient facial feature discovery is one of the important research tasks in ethnical group face recognition. In this paper, we first construct an ethnical group face dataset including Chinese Uyghur, Tibetan, and Korean. Then, we show that the effective sparse sensing approach to general face recognition is not working anymore for ethnical group facial recognition if the features based on whole face image are used. This is partially due to a fact that each ethnical group may have its own characteristics manifesting only in specified face regions. Therefore, we will analyze the particularity of three ethnical groups and aim to find the common characterizations in some local regions for the three ethnical groups. For this purpose, we first use the facial landmark detector STASM to find some important landmarks in a face image, then, we use the well‐known data mining technique, the mRMR algorithm, to select the salient geometric length features based on all possible lines connected by any two landmarks. Second, based on these selected salient features, we construct three “T” regions in a face image for ethnical feature representation and prove them to be effective areas for ethnicity recognition. Finally, some extensive experiments are conducted and the results reveal that the proposed “T” regions with extracted features are quite effective for ethnical group facial recognition when theL2‐norm is adopted using the sparse sensing approach. In comparison to face recognition, the proposed three “T” regions are evaluated on the olivetti research laboratory face dataset, and the results show that the constructed “T” regions for ethnicity recognition are not suitable for general face recognition.

This article is categorized under:

Algorithmic Development > Structure Discovery

Algorithmic Development > Biological Data Mining

Fundamental Concepts of Data and Knowledge > Knowledge Representation

Technologies > Classification
Targeted siRNA delivery using aptamer‐siRNA chimeras and aptamer‐conjugated nanoparticles
Authors: Sivakumar Padmanaban , Kim Sumin , Kang Han Chang , Shim Min Suk
Published: August 2018

The sequence‐specific gene‐silencing ability of small interfering RNA (siRNA) has been exploited as a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of a variety of diseases. However, efficient and safe delivery of siRNA into target cells is still a challenge in the clinical development of siRNA‐based therapeutics. Recently, nucleic acid‐based aptamers that target cell surface proteins have emerged as a new class of targeting moieties due to their high specificity and avidity. To date, various aptamer‐mediated siRNA delivery systems have been developed to enhance the RNA interference (RNAi) efficacy of siRNA via targeted delivery. In this review, we summarize recent advances in developing aptamer‐mediated siRNA delivery systems for RNAi therapeutics, mainly aptamer–siRNA chimeras and aptamer‐functionalized nanocarriers incorporating siRNA, with a focus on their molecular designs and formulations. In addition, the challenges and engineering strategies of aptamer‐mediated siRNA delivery systems for clinical translation are discussed.

This article is categorized under:

Biology‐Inspired Nanomaterials > Nucleic Acid‐Based Structures

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease
The effects of increased hay‐to‐grain ratio on behavior, metabolic health measures, and fecal bacterial communities in four Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
Authors: Monson Michael L. , Dennis Patricia M. , Lukas Kristen E. , Krynak Katherine L. , Carrino‐Kyker Sarah R. , Burke David J. , Schook Mandi W.
Published: August 2018

We evaluated whether increasing the hay‐to‐grain ratio offered to Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo would reduce oral stereotypies and alter feeding behaviors, maintain or increase serum calcium‐to‐phosphorus ratio, decrease serum insulin‐to‐glucose ratio and salivary insulin, and alter fecal bacterial community structure. Giraffe transitioned to a ∼90:10 hay‐to‐grain ratio in even increments over 8 weeks. A ration balancer was added during the seventh week of transition to ensure proper mineral and nutrient balance. We collected (1) behavioral data collected approximately daily using instantaneous focal sampling; (2) serum collections every other week for insulin‐to‐glucose and calcium‐to‐phosphorus ratio analysis and saliva weekly for insulin analysis; and (3) weekly fecal sample collections to examine changes in bacterial community structure during the 8 weeks preceding and following the diet change. After the diet change, giraffe spent significantly more time feeding and less time performing tongue and mouth stereotypies, people‐directed and alert behaviors. Salivary and serum insulin and serum insulin‐to‐glucose ratio decreased, and fecal bacterial community structure changed significantly. However, serum calcium‐to‐phosphorus ratio remained >1:1 throughout the study. While further studies are needed to elucidate the nature and implications of the change in fecal bacterial community structure and metabolic hormones, the results of this study show promise for incremental improvements in health and welfare from feeding a higher proportion of forage in the diet.
Causes of morbidity in captive African lions (Panthera leo) in North America, 2001–2016
Authors: Norton Benjamin B. , Tunseth Devin , Holder Kali , Briggs Michael , C. Hayek Lee‐Ann , Murray Suzan
Published: August 2018

The lion (Panthera leo) is an iconic resident of zoos and wild animal parks throughout the world. Regular assessment of the morbidity of captive lions is necessary to address wellness concerns and improve the healthcare and management of this vulnerable species. In an effort to understand disease morbidity broadly and guide future inquiries into captive lion health, we distributed a questionnaire that emphasized diseases of organ systems rather than individual diagnoses. We sent the questionnaire to 108 American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) institutions housing lions between 2001 and 2016. Fifty‐six facilities responded of which 32 responses had usable data for 111 lions. Responses were compiled and analyzed with respect to age, class, and sex. Neoplasia, renal disease, and dental disease were the most common causes of morbidity in these captive lions. Older animals generally experienced a higher prevalence of multiple types of disease. Three cases of hypertrophic cardiomyopathies (HCM) were reported in nearly 40% (3/8) of cardiovascular diseases and 3% (3/111) of disease cases overall, which is the first report of HCM in lions, to the authors’ knowledge. There is a relative paucity of literature on lion and large felid cardiovascular conditions, which suggests that this may be an understudied area of lion health. This broad assessment of morbidities present in captive lion populations aimed to identify key areas for further research and screenings. Management priorities of captive lions should include prevention strategies for dental disease and trauma, frequent screening for renal disease and neoplasia, and further research into cardiovascular health.
Strong-weak Chern-Simons-matter dualities from a lattice construction
Authors: Chen Jing-Yuan , Zimet Max
Published: August 2018

Abstract

We provide a lattice demonstration of (2+1)-dimensional field theory dualities relating free Dirac or Majorana fermions to strongly-interacting bosonic Chern-Simons-matter theories. Specifically, we prove the recent conjecture that U(N ) level-1 with N

f
gauged complex Wilson-Fisher scalars (where 1 ≤ N

f
≤ N ) is dual to N

f
Dirac fermions, as well as the analogous conjecture relating SO(N ) theories with real Wilson-Fisher scalars to Majorana fermions for 1 ≤ N

f
≤ N − 2. Furthermore, we discover new dualities that allow us to explain the interesting phase structure of the SO(N ) theories with N − 1 and N scalars, for all N ≥ 2.
Associations between recent and established ophthalmic conditions and risk of Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Lee Cecilia S. , Larson Eric B. , Gibbons Laura E. , Lee Aaron Y. , McCurry Susan M. , Bowen James D. , McCormick Wayne C. , Crane Paul K.
Published: August 2018

Introduction

Identifying ophthalmic diseases associated with increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) may enable better screening and understanding of those at risk of AD.

Methods

Diagnoses of glaucoma, age‐related macular degeneration (AMD), and diabetic retinopathy (DR) were based on International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, codes for 3877 participants from the Adult Changes in Thought study. The adjusted hazard ratio for developing probable or possible AD for recent (within 5 years) and established (>5 years) diagnoses were assessed.

Results

Over 31,142 person‐years of follow‐up, 792 AD cases occurred. The recent and established hazard ratio were 1.46 (P = .01) and 0.87 (P = .19) for glaucoma, 1.20 (P = .12) and 1.50 (P < .001) for AMD, and 1.50 (P = .045) and 1.50 (P = .03) for DR.

Discussion

Increased AD risk was found for recent glaucoma diagnoses, established AMD diagnoses, and both recent and established DR. People with certain ophthalmic conditions may have increased AD risk.
Project aims to develop electrolysis system for the production of green hydrogen
Authors: Atkinson Simon
Published: August 2018

Asahi Kasei Europe recently started a demonstration project with the Hydrogen Competence Center h2herten in Herten, Germany. The joint project is set to contribute to the development of an electrolysis system that aims to produce green hydrogen on a large scale.