bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Efficacy of Electron Beam Irradiated Bacterial Cellulose Membranes as Compared with Collagen Membranes on Guided Bone Regeneration in Peri-Implant Bone Defects
Authors: Lee So-Hyoun , An Sung-Jun , Lim Youn-Mook , Huh Jung-Bo
Published: September 2017

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a natural polysaccharide produced by some bacteria, and consists of a linear polymer linked by β-(1,4) glycosidic bonds. BC has been developed as a material for tissue regeneration purposes. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of resorbable electron beam irradiated BC membranes (EI-BCMs) for guided bone regeneration (GBR). The electron beam irradiation (EI) was introduced to control the biodegradability of BC for dental applications. EI-BCMs had higher porosity than collagen membranes (CMs), and had similar wet tensile strengths to CMs. NIH3T3 cell adhesion and proliferation on EI-BCMs were not significantly different from those on CMs (p > 0.05). Micro-computed tomography (μCT) and histometric analysis in peri-implant dehiscence defects of beagle dogs showed that EI-BCMs were non-significantly different from CMs in terms of new bone area (NBA; %), remaining bone substitute volume (RBA; %) and bone-to-implant contact (BIC; %) (p > 0.05). These results suggest resorbable EI-BCMs can be used as an alternative biomaterial for bone tissue regeneration.
Bioactive Steroids with Methyl Ester Group in the Side Chain from a Reef Soft Coral Sinularia brassica Cultured in a Tank
Authors: Huang Chiung-Yao , Su Jui-Hsin , Liaw Chih-Chuang , Sung Ping-Jyun , Chiang Pei-Lun , Hwang Tsong-Long , Dai Chang-Feng , Sheu Jyh-Horng
Published: September 2017

A continuing chemical investigation of the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract of a reef soft coral Sinularia brassica, which was cultured in a tank, afforded four new steroids with methyl ester groups, sinubrasones A–D (1–4) for the first time. In particular, 1 possesses a β-D-xylopyranose. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analyses. The cytotoxicities of compounds 1–4 against the proliferation of a limited panel of cancer cell lines were assayed. The anti-inflammatory activities of these new compounds 1–4 were also evaluated by measuring their ability to suppress superoxide anion generation and elastase release in N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine/cytochalasin B (fMLP/CB)-induced human neutrophils. Compounds 2 and 3 were shown to exhibit significant cytotoxicity, and compounds 3 and 4 were also found to display attracting anti-inflammatory activities.
The Effect of Concentration Factor on Membrane Fouling
Authors: Lok Appana , Bérubé Pierre , Andrews Robert
Published: September 2017

Bench-scale systems are often used to evaluate pretreatment methods and operational conditions that can be applied in full-scale ultrafiltration (UF) systems. However, the membrane packing density is substantially different in bench and full-scale systems. Differences in concentration factor (CF) at the solution–membrane interface as a result of packing density may impact the mass transfer and fouling rate and the applicability of bench-scale systems. The present study compared membrane resistance when considering raw water (CF = 1) and reject water (also commonly referred to as concentrate water) (CF > 1) as feed in UF systems operated in deposition (dead-end) mode. A positive relationship was observed between the concentration of the organic matter in the solution being filtered and resistance. Bench-scale trials conducted with CF = 1 water were more representative of full-scale operation than trials conducted with elevated CFs when considering membrane resistance and permeate quality. As such, the results of this study indicate that the use of the same feed water as used at full-scale (CF = 1) is appropriate to evaluate fouling in UF systems operated in deposition mode.
A Modified Johnson-Cook Model for Hot Deformation Behavior of 35CrMo Steel
Authors: Wang Sanxing , Huang Yuanchun , Xiao Zhengbing , Liu Yu , Liu Hui
Published: September 2017

In this work, a compression experiment of 35CrMo steel is carried out over a wide range of temperatures (1123–1423 K) and strain rates (0.1–10 s−1) to obtain further understandings of the flow behaviors. The results show that the strain hardening effect of 35CrMo steel is stronger than that of dynamic recrystallization at low temperature and high strain rate; on the contrary, the rheological curves show typical dynamic recrystallization characteristics at high temperature and low strain rate. This indicates that the strain hardening and recrystallization behavior of 35CrMo steel is affected by temperature, strain and strain rate, and its true stress-strain curves can be observed typical work hardening and dynamic softening features. A modified Johnson-Cook (JC) model is developed to predict the flow stress of the alloy. The results of the comparison show that the predicted values of the modified JC model are in good agreement with the experimental values.
Corrosion Behavior of Keyhole-Free Friction Stir Spot Welded Joints of Dissimilar 6082 Aluminum Alloy and DP600 Galvanized Steel in 3.5% NaCl Solution
Authors: Zhang Zhong-Ke , Yu Yang , Zhang Jian-Fei , Wang Xi-Jing
Published: September 2017

The corrosion behavior of keyhole-free friction stir spot welded joints of dissimilar 6082 aluminum alloy and DP600 galvanized steel in 3.5% NaCl solution has been investigated by the immersion test and electrochemical analysis. The surface of the aluminum alloy produced exfoliation and pitting corrosion. The pitting occurred seriously on the interface of the 6082 aluminum alloy, but the steel had no corrosion. The corrosion galvanic couples were formed between elements of Si and Fe with a high electrode potential, and Mg and Al with a low electrode potential, around them. Mg and Al elements of Mg2Si and Si-containing solid-solution phase α (Al) preferentially became an anodic dissolution and formed exfoliation corrosion around the Si elements. Fe-rich phase θ (Al3Fe) as the cathode caused corrosion of Mg and formed pitting around Mg-rich phase β (Al3Mg2) as the anode. The sequence of the corrosion resistance of different areas of the joints (with decreasing corrosion resistance) was WNZ (Weld Nugget Zone) > TMAZ (Thermo-mechanically Affected Zone) > BM (Base Metal) > HAZ (Heat-affected Zone). The joints of keyhole-free FSSW (Fiction Stir Spot Welding) of dissimilar 6082 aluminum alloy and DP600 galvanized steel have better corrosion resistance than base metal in 3.5% NaCl solution.
A Density Functional Theory Study on the Effect of Lattice Impurities on the Electronic Structures and Reactivity of Fluorite
Authors: Jiang Wei , Gao Zhiyong , Sun Wei , Gao Jiande , Hu Yuehua
Published: September 2017

Fluorite (CaF2), a halogen elemental mineral, always co-exists with other minerals. The Ca element in fluorite is often replaced by rare earth elements (REEs), such as cerium (Ce) and yttrium (Y). In this work, the electronic structures of fluorite crystals containing REE (Ce, Th, U, and Y) impurities were studied by density functional theory (DFT). The calculated results showed that the presence of impurities increased the lattice parameter of fluorite. The impurities caused the Fermi level to shift towards the high energy direction, making the fluorite accept electrons more easily. The impurities except Y led to the occurrence of an impurities state in the valence band. The Mullinken population values of F–REE bonds were larger than that of F–Ca and F–F bonds, and F–Y bonds had the largest population value. Analysis of the frontier molecular orbital showed that the impurities contributed greatly to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO). The interaction between oleic acid and impurities-bearing fluorite were discussed. The results suggested that the incorporation of impurities would enhanced the reactivity of fluorite with oleic acid.
Characterization and Discrimination of Gram-Positive Bacteria Using Raman Spectroscopy with the Aid of Principal Component Analysis
Authors: Colniță Alia , Dina Nicoleta , Leopold Nicolae , Vodnar Dan , Bogdan Diana , Porav Sebastian , David Leontin
Published: September 2017

Raman scattering and its particular effect, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), are whole-organism fingerprinting spectroscopic techniques that gain more and more popularity in bacterial detection. In this work, two relevant Gram-positive bacteria species, Lactobacillus casei (L. casei) and Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) were characterized based on their Raman and SERS spectral fingerprints. The SERS spectra were used to identify the biochemical structures of the bacterial cell wall. Two synthesis methods of the SERS-active nanomaterials were used and the recorded spectra were analyzed. L. casei and L. monocytogenes were successfully discriminated by applying Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to their specific spectral data.
Catalytic Behavior of Chromium Oxide Supported on Nanocasting-Prepared Mesoporous Alumina in Dehydrogenation of Propane
Authors: Węgrzyniak Adam , Jarczewski Sebastian , Węgrzynowicz Adam , Michorczyk Barbara , Kuśtrowski Piotr , Michorczyk Piotr
Published: September 2017

Mesoporous alumina with narrow pore size distribution centered in the range of 4.4–5.0 nm and with a specific surface area as high as 270 m2·g−1 was prepared via the nanocasting approach using a CMK-3 carbon replica as a hard template. Based on this support, a series of catalysts containing 1, 5, 10, 20 and 30 wt % of chromium was prepared by incipient wetness impregnation, characterized, and studied in the dehydrogenation of propane to propene (PDH). Cr species in three oxidation states—Cr(III), Cr(V) and Cr(VI)—were found on the oxidized surface of the catalysts. The concentration of these species varied with the total Cr loading. Temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR) and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis-DRS) studies revealed that Cr(VI) species dominated at the lowest Cr content. An increase in the Cr loading resulted in an appearance of an increasing amount of Cr(III) oxide. UV-Vis-DRS measurements performed in situ during the PDH process showed that at the beginning of the catalytic test Cr(VI) species were reduced to Cr(III) redox species. A crucial role of the redox species in the PDH process over the catalysts with the low Cr content was confirmed. The stability test for the catalyst containing 20 wt % of Cr showed that this sample exhibited the reproducible catalytic performance after the first four regeneration–dehydrogenation cycles. Moreover, this catalyst had higher resistance on deactivation during the PDH process as compared to the reference catalyst with the same Cr loading, but was supported on commercially available alumina.
Antioxidant Therapeutic Strategies for Cardiovascular Conditions Associated with Oxidative Stress
Authors: Farías Jorge , Molina Víctor , Carrasco Rodrigo , Zepeda Andrea , Figueroa Elías , Letelier Pablo , Castillo Rodrigo
Published: September 2017

Oxidative stress (OS) refers to the imbalance between the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the ability to scavenge these ROS by endogenous antioxidant systems, where ROS overwhelms the antioxidant capacity. Excessive presence of ROS results in irreversible damage to cell membranes, DNA, and other cellular structures by oxidizing lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases related to hypoxia, cardiotoxicity and ischemia–reperfusion. Here, we describe the participation of OS in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular conditions such as myocardial infarction, anthracycline cardiotoxicity and congenital heart disease. This review focuses on the different clinical events where redox factors and OS are related to cardiovascular pathophysiology, giving to support for novel pharmacological therapies such as omega 3 fatty acids, non-selective betablockers and microRNAs.
The Starvation Symptom Inventory: Development and Psychometric Properties
Authors: Calugi Simona , Miniati Mario , Milanese Chiara , Sartirana Massimiliano , El Ghoch Marwan , Dalle Grave Riccardo
Published: September 2017

Background: Starvation symptoms are common in patients with anorexia nervosa, and according to the transdiagnostic cognitive behavioural theory for eating disorders, they contribute to maintaining the eating disorder psychopathology. The aim of this study was therefore to describe the design and validation of the Starvation Symptoms Inventory (SSI); a self-report questionnaire that examines the symptoms of starvation in underweight patients with eating disorders. Methods: 150 female patients with anorexia nervosa were recruited, as well as 341 healthy control subjects, 30 not-underweight patients with an eating disorder, and 15 patients with bipolar depressive episodes. The 150 patients completed the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire and the Brief Symptom Inventory. All participants rated their starvation symptoms on a continuous Likert-type scale (0–6), and reported the number of days in which they had experienced them in the previous 28 days. Results: Principal component analysis identified a single-factor, 15-item scale, which demonstrated good internal consistency (α = 0.91) and test–retest reliability (r = 0.90). The SSI global score was significantly correlated with eating disorder and general psychopathology, demonstrating good convergent validity. SSI scores were significantly higher in the anorexia nervosa sample than in the healthy control, not-underweight eating disorder and bipolar depressive episode samples. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the SSI is a valid self-report questionnaire that may provide important clinical information regarding symptoms of starvation in patients with anorexia nervosa.
A Global Analysis of Sentinel-2A, Sentinel-2B and Landsat-8 Data Revisit Intervals and Implications for Terrestrial Monitoring
Authors: Li Jian , Roy David
Published: September 2017

Combination of different satellite data will provide increased opportunities for more frequent cloud-free surface observations due to variable cloud cover at the different satellite overpass times and dates. Satellite data from the polar-orbiting Landsat-8 (launched 2013), Sentinel-2A (launched 2015) and Sentinel-2B (launched 2017) sensors offer 10 m to 30 m multi-spectral global coverage. Together, they advance the virtual constellation paradigm for mid-resolution land imaging. In this study, a global analysis of Landsat-8, Sentinel-2A and Sentinel-2B metadata obtained from the committee on Earth Observation Satellite (CEOS) Visualization Environment (COVE) tool for 2016 is presented. A global equal area projection grid defined every 0.05° is used considering each sensor and combined together. Histograms, maps and global summary statistics of the temporal revisit intervals (minimum, mean, and maximum) and the number of observations are reported. The temporal observation frequency improvements afforded by sensor combination are shown to be significant. In particular, considering Landsat-8, Sentinel-2A, and Sentinel-2B together will provide a global median average revisit interval of 2.9 days, and, over a year, a global median minimum revisit interval of 14 min (±1 min) and maximum revisit interval of 7.0 days.
Lidar Aboveground Vegetation Biomass Estimates in Shrublands: Prediction, Uncertainties and Application to Coarser Scales
Authors: Li Aihua , Dhakal Shital , Glenn Nancy , Spaete Lucas , Shinneman Douglas , Pilliod David , Arkle Robert , McIlroy Susan
Published: September 2017

Our study objectives were to model the aboveground biomass in a xeric shrub-steppe landscape with airborne light detection and ranging (Lidar) and explore the uncertainty associated with the models we created. We incorporated vegetation vertical structure information obtained from Lidar with ground-measured biomass data, allowing us to scale shrub biomass from small field sites (1 m subplots and 1 ha plots) to a larger landscape. A series of airborne Lidar-derived vegetation metrics were trained and linked with the field-measured biomass in Random Forests (RF) regression models. A Stepwise Multiple Regression (SMR) model was also explored as a comparison. Our results demonstrated that the important predictors from Lidar-derived metrics had a strong correlation with field-measured biomass in the RF regression models with a pseudo R2 of 0.76 and RMSE of 125 g/m2 for shrub biomass and a pseudo R2 of 0.74 and RMSE of 141 g/m2 for total biomass, and a weak correlation with field-measured herbaceous biomass. The SMR results were similar but slightly better than RF, explaining 77–79% of the variance, with RMSE ranging from 120 to 129 g/m2 for shrub and total biomass, respectively. We further explored the computational efficiency and relative accuracies of using point cloud and raster Lidar metrics at different resolutions (1 m to 1 ha). Metrics derived from the Lidar point cloud processing led to improved biomass estimates at nearly all resolutions in comparison to raster-derived Lidar metrics. Only at 1 m were the results from the point cloud and raster products nearly equivalent. The best Lidar prediction models of biomass at the plot-level (1 ha) were achieved when Lidar metrics were derived from an average of fine resolution (1 m) metrics to minimize boundary effects and to smooth variability. Overall, both RF and SMR methods explained more than 74% of the variance in biomass, with the most important Lidar variables being associated with vegetation structure and statistical measures of this structure (e.g., standard deviation of height was a strong predictor of biomass). Using our model results, we developed spatially-explicit Lidar estimates of total and shrub biomass across our study site in the Great Basin, U.S.A., for monitoring and planning in this imperiled ecosystem.
Diurnal Air Temperature Modeling Based on the Land Surface Temperature
Authors: Gholamnia Mehdi , Alavipanah Seyed Kazem , Darvishi Boloorani Ali , Hamzeh Saeid , Kiavarz Majid
Published: September 2017

The air temperature is an essential variable in many applications related to Earth science. Sporadic spatial distribution of weather stations causes a low spatial resolution of measured air temperatures. This study focused on modeling the air diurnal temperature cycle (DTC) based on the land surface temperature (LST) DTC. The air DTC model parameters were estimated from LST DTC model parameters by a regression analysis. Here, the LST obtained from the INSAT-3D geostationary satellite and the air temperature extracted from weather stations were used within the time frame of 4 March 2015 to 22 May 2017 across Iran. Constant parameters of the air DTC model for each weather station were estimated based on an experimental approach over the time period. Results showed these parameters decrease as elevation increases. The mean absolute error (MAE) and the root mean square error (RMSE) for three hours sampling were calculated. The MAE and RMSE ranges were between [0.1, 4] °C and [0.1, 3.3] °C, respectively. Additionally, 95% of MAEs and RMSEs were less than 2.9 °C and 2.4 °C values, correspondingly. The range of the mean values of MAEs and RMSEs for a three-hour sampling time were [−0.29, 0.6] °C and [2, 2.11] °C. The DTC model results showed a meaningful statistical fitting in both air DTCs modeled from LST and weather station-based DTCs. The variability of mean error and RMSE in different land covers and elevation classes were also investigated. In spite of the complex behavior of the environmental variables in the study area, the model error bar did not show significantly biased estimations for various classes. Therefore, the developed model was less sensitive to variations of land covers and elevation changes. It can be conclude that the coefficients of regression between LST and air DTC could model properly the environmental factors.
A Sub-30 mpH Resolution Thin Film Transistor-Based Nanoribbon Biosensing Platform
Authors: Zeimpekis Ioannis , Papadimitriou Konstantinos , Sun Kai , Hu Chunxiao , Ashburn Peter , Morgan Hywel , Prodromakis Themistoklis
Published: September 2017

We present a complete biosensing system that comprises a Thin Film Transistor (TFT)-based nanoribbon biosensor and a low noise, high-performance bioinstrumentation platform, capable of detecting sub-30 mpH unit changes, validated by an enzymatic biochemical reaction. The nanoribbon biosensor was fabricated top-down with an ultra-thin (15 nm) polysilicon semiconducting channel that offers excellent sensitivity to surface potential changes. The sensor is coupled to an integrated circuit (IC), which combines dual switched-capacitor integrators with high precision analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). Throughout this work, we employed both conventional pH buffer measurements as well as urea-urease enzymatic reactions for benchmarking the overall performance of the system. The measured results from the urea-urease reaction demonstrate that the system can detect urea in concentrations as low as 25 μM, which translates to a change of 27 mpH, according to our initial pH characterisation measurements. The attained accuracy and resolution of our system as well as its low-cost manufacturability, high processing speed and portability make it a competitive solution for applications requiring rapid and accurate results at remote locations; a necessity for Point-of-Care (POC) diagnostic platforms.
Prediction-Based Energy Saving Mechanism in 3GPP NB-IoT Networks
Authors: Lee Jinseong , Lee Jaiyong
Published: September 2017

The current expansion of the Internet of things (IoT) demands improved communication platforms that support a wide area with low energy consumption. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project introduced narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) as IoT communication solutions. NB-IoT devices should be available for over 10 years without requiring a battery replacement. Thus, a low energy consumption is essential for the successful deployment of this technology. Given that a high amount of energy is consumed for radio transmission by the power amplifier, reducing the uplink transmission time is key to ensure a long lifespan of an IoT device. In this paper, we propose a prediction-based energy saving mechanism (PBESM) that is focused on enhanced uplink transmission. The mechanism consists of two parts: first, the network architecture that predicts the uplink packet occurrence through a deep packet inspection; second, an algorithm that predicts the processing delay and pre-assigns radio resources to enhance the scheduling request procedure. In this way, our mechanism reduces the number of random accesses and the energy consumed by radio transmission. Simulation results showed that the energy consumption using the proposed PBESM is reduced by up to 34% in comparison with that in the conventional NB-IoT method.
Long-Term Land Use Changes Driven by Urbanisation and Their Environmental Effects (Example of Trnava City, Slovakia)
Authors: Izakovičová Zita , Mederly Peter , Petrovič František
Published: September 2017

Similar to other post-communist countries, Slovakia has undergone significant changes in the last decades—largely through transformation of central planning into a market economy. Unfortunately, this process has been associated with increasing pressure on surrounding ecosystems and their individual components. These changes are subject to various influences, e.g., socio-economic, political and environmental; in addition, urbanisation has also had great influence. This is typified by conversion of productive agricultural land and semi-natural ecosystems into built-up area accompanied by the negative ecological impacts of habitat deterioration and fragmentation. The rapidly changing consumption patterns of luxury living, transportation and leisure have increased the negative consequences on ecosystems and these compound the negative environmental trends. This paper evaluates land use changes in Trnava, which is one of the most rapidly developing cities in Slovakia. Evaluation covers 1838–2015, with explicit emphasis on transformation over the last 25–30 years. We present comparison with developments since 1990 in other cities in Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Germany and then discuss the main processes and environmental problems related to these changes, concentrating on the sustainability of current trends and appropriate planning and management responses.
Application of WEHY-HCM for Modeling Interactive Atmospheric-Hydrologic Processes at Watershed Scale to a Sparsely Gauged Watershed
Authors: Jang Suhyung , Kure Shuichi , Ohara Noriaki , Kavvas M. , Chen Z. , Carr Kara , Anderson Michael
Published: September 2017

A lack of observations within watersheds can make the production of streamflow data via hydrologic models a big challenge. This study evaluates the model performance of the Watershed Environmental Hydrology Hydro-Climate Model (WEHY-HCM), reproducing streamflow in a sparsely gauged watershed. The fifth generation mesoscale model (MM5) is utilized within WEHY-HCM as an atmospheric module coupling with its process-based hydrologic module, WEHY. The WEHY-HCM is set up over a sparsely gauged watershed and the spatially downscaled reconstructed atmospheric data to a 3-km horizontal grid resolution with an hourly time increment, is obtained by the fifth generation mesoscale model (MM5) from NCAR/NCEP global reanalysis data (reanalysis I). Hydrologic simulations by WEHY-HCM were applied to the Upper Putah Creek watershed based on the reconstructed atmospheric data and the estimated WEHY model parameters. The simulation results of WEHY-HCM were evaluated by means of statistical tests for both calibration and validation periods. The results of statistical tests performed using observed and simulated values indicated that the model performance can be considered as exhibiting an acceptable accuracy during both calibration and validation periods. The spatial maps of the evapotranspiration rate and runoff volume showed that the WEHY-HCM can represent a sparsely gauged watershed with unique topography well. This study found that the WEHY-HCM can be a useful tool to simulate the hydrologic processes in a sparsely gauged watershed.
Life Cycle Analysis of Charcoal Production in Masonry Kilns with and without Carbonization Process Generated Gas Combustion
Authors: Miranda Santos Sueli , Piekarski Cassiano , Ugaya Cássia , Donato Danilo , Braghini Júnior Aldo , De Francisco Antonio , Carvalho Ana
Published: September 2017

New technologies and emissions controls have been developed for the production of charcoal, but are not widely used in the industry. The present study seeks to evaluate the potential environmental impact of these new technologies as compared to traditional ones. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Brazilian charcoal produced with different technologies without and with the combustion of the gases in burners or furnaces was carried out. The inclusion of furnaces for the combustion of gases reduces all categories of potential environmental impacts by approximately 90% in both a circular masonry kiln and a rectangular masonry kiln with gas combustion. In the process of producing charcoal (gate-to-gate system boundary), in terms of climate change, the rectangular masonry kiln with gas combustion was approximately 63% less impactful than the circular masonry kiln with gas combustion. In the gate-to-gate analysis, the rectangular masonry kiln with gas combustion presented the best performance when not considering NO2 and SO2. Considering these emissions, there were changes in the impact categories of particulate matter emission and terrestrial acidification, and the circular masonry kiln with gas combustion presented better performance (for cradle-to-gate system boundary). The process in a rectangular masonry kiln without gas combustion presented a greater contribution to the categories of terrestrial impact ecotoxicity (98%), due to the emission of acetic acid especially.
On Characterizations of Directional Derivatives and Subdifferentials of Fuzzy Functions
Authors: Zhang Wei , Xing Yumei , Qiu Dong
Published: September 2017

In this paper, based on a partial order, we study the characterizations of directional derivatives and the subdifferential of fuzzy function. At the same time, we also discuss the relation between the directional derivative and the subdifferential.
Epigenetic Alterations in Human Papillomavirus-Associated Cancers
Authors: Soto David , Song Christine , McLaughlin-Drubin Margaret E.
Published: September 2017

Approximately 15–20% of human cancers are caused by viruses, including human papillomaviruses (HPVs). Viruses are obligatory intracellular parasites and encode proteins that reprogram the regulatory networks governing host cellular signaling pathways that control recognition by the immune system, proliferation, differentiation, genomic integrity, and cell death. Given that key proteins in these regulatory networks are also subject to mutation in non-virally associated diseases and cancers, the study of oncogenic viruses has also been instrumental to the discovery and analysis of many fundamental cellular processes, including messenger RNA (mRNA) splicing, transcriptional enhancers, oncogenes and tumor suppressors, signal transduction, immune regulation, and cell cycle control. More recently, tumor viruses, in particular HPV, have proven themselves invaluable in the study of the cancer epigenome. Epigenetic silencing or de-silencing of genes can have cellular consequences that are akin to genetic mutations, i.e., the loss and gain of expression of genes that are not usually expressed in a certain cell type and/or genes that have tumor suppressive or oncogenic activities, respectively. Unlike genetic mutations, the reversible nature of epigenetic modifications affords an opportunity of epigenetic therapy for cancer. This review summarizes the current knowledge on epigenetic regulation in HPV-infected cells with a focus on those elements with relevance to carcinogenesis.
User Survey of Nanny Angel Network, a Free Childcare Service for Mothers with Cancer
Authors: Cohen L. , Schwartz N. , Guth A. , Kiss A. , Warner E.
Published: September 2017

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to determine user satisfaction with Nanny Angel Network (NAN), a free childcare service for mothers undergoing cancer treatment. Methods: All 243 living mothers who had used the nan service were invited by telephone to participate in an online research survey; 197 mothers (81%) consented to participate. The survey, sent by e-mail, consisted of 39 items divided into these categories: demographics, supports, use, satisfaction, and general comments. Results: Of the 197 mothers who consented to receive the e-mailed survey, 104 (53%) completed it. More than 90% of the mothers were very satisfied with the help and support from their Nanny Angel. Many mothers mentioned that the Nanny Angel was most helpful during treatment and medical appointments, with 75% also mentioning that their Nanny Angel helped them to adhere to their scheduled medical appointments. However, 64% felt that they had not received enough visits from their Nanny Angel. Conclusions: Satisfaction with the nan childcare provider was high, but mothers wished the service had been available to them more often. Our study highlights the importance of providing childcare to mothers with inadequate support systems, so as to allow for greater adherence to treatment and medical appointments, and for more time to recover.
Women with Cancer in Low-Income Countries
Authors: Narod S.A.
Published: September 2017

In the 1 November issue of The Lancet in 2016, three papers and three accompanying editorials reviewed the descriptive epidemiology of breast and cervical cancer in low-income countries, highlighting the shortcomings of current efforts at cancer control and the need for improvement [...]
Wherein the Authors Attempt to Minimize the Confusion Generated by Their Study “Breast Cancer Mortality after a Diagnosis of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ” by Several Commentators Who Disagree with Them and a Few Who Don’t: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Narod S.A. , Ahmed H. , Sopik V.
Published: September 2017

Various parties might wish to measure the impact of a given paper for the purpose of assigning merit to an author or institution [...]
Assessment of Disease Activity in Large-vessel Vasculitis: Results of an International Delphi Exercise
Authors: Aydin Sibel Z. , Direskeneli Haner , Merkel Peter A. ,   on behalf of the International Delphi on Disease Activity Assessment in Large-vessel Vasculitis
Published: September 2017

Objective.

To arrive at consensus for candidate outcomes for disease activity assessment in large-vessel vasculitis (LVV) in clinical trials.

Methods.

A Delphi survey including 99 items was circulated among international experts for 3 rounds.

Results.

Fifty-seven items were accepted for both giant cell arteritis and Takayasu arteritis. Sixty-seven percent of experts voted to have a common approach for both diseases with additional disease-specific items such as weight loss, scalp tenderness/necrosis, morning stiffness, dizziness, visual symptoms, and imaging.

Conclusion.

This study highlights similarities and differences in experts’ perspectives for assessing clinical activity in LVV and may guide a consensus-driven core set of validated outcomes.
Development of a Core Set of Outcome Measures for Large-vessel Vasculitis: Report from OMERACT 2016
Authors: Sreih Antoine G. , Alibaz-Oner Fatma , Kermani Tanaz A. , Aydin Sibel Z. , Cronholm Peter F. , Davis Trocon , Easley Ebony , Gul Ahmet , Mahr Alfred , McAlear Carol A. , Milman Nataliya , Robson Joanna C. , Tomasson Gunnar , Direskeneli Haner , Merkel Peter A.
Published: September 2017

Objective.

Among the challenges in conducting clinical trials in large-vessel vasculitis (LVV), including both giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu arteritis (TA), is the lack of standardized and meaningful outcome measures. The Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Vasculitis Working Group initiated an international effort to develop and validate data-driven outcome tools for clinical investigation in LVV.

Methods.

An international Delphi exercise was completed to gather opinions from clinical experts on LVV-related domains considered important to measure in trials. Patient interviews and focus groups were completed to identify outcomes of importance to patients. The results of these activities were presented and discussed in a “Virtual Special Interest Group” using telephone- and Internet-based conferences, discussions through electronic mail, and an in-person session at the 2016 OMERACT meeting. A preliminary core set of domains common for all forms of LVV with disease-specific elements was proposed.

Results.

The majority of experts agree with using common outcome measures for GCA and TA, with the option of supplementation with disease-specific items. Following interviews and focus groups, pain, fatigue, and emotional effect emerged as health-related quality of life domains important to patients. Current disease assessment tools, including the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score, were found to be inadequate to assess disease activity in GCA and standardized assessment of imaging tests were felt crucial to study LVV, especially TA.

Conclusion.

Initial data from a clinician Delphi exercise and structured patient interviews have provided themes toward an OMERACT-endorsed core set of domains and outcome measures.
Isolated Arthritis of the Temporomandibular Joint as the Initial Manifestation of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Authors: Hügle Boris , Spiegel Lynn , Hotte Julia , Wiens Stefan , Herlin Troels , Cron Randy Q. , Stoll Matthew L. , Vinod Surabhi , Stoustrup Peter , Pedersen Thomas Klit , Twilt Marinka
Published: September 2017

Objective.

To describe characteristics of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) presenting with isolated arthritis of the temporomandibular joints (TMJ).

Methods.

Patients with JIA with isolated TMJ arthritis from 4 large tertiary pediatric rheumatology centers were included. Demographic and clinical data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results.

Fifty-five patients were identified (65% bilateral presentation). Six patients developed arthritis in other joints (median time 6 mos); 4 patients developed uveitis, all prior to arthritis. At last followup, 9% were still taking antirheumatic medications.

Conclusion.

JIA TMJ arthritis can occur in isolation, and is probably underdiagnosed. Care providers including dentists and orthodontists should be aware of this presentation.
The SPOC manual Chapter 4.1 industrial ball mill modelling
Authors: Spring R , Larsen C , Mular A , Laguitton D , Flament F
Published: September 2017

A simple kinetic ball mill model proved adequate after testing with 100 sets of industrial grinding data. The essential components of the nnodel are (a) a breakage function determined from laboratory tests; (b) a mixers-in-series residence time distribution; and
(c) a selection function derived from industrial data. Results show that the absolute selection function (SiH) is statistically invariant with changes in feedrate, feedsize distribution, and pulp density over the normal operating range. All the experimental and calculational procedures used in the
calibration of the model are fully documented. This includes an examination of model residuals and a discussion of model reliability
The SPOC manual Chapter 5 unit models (part a)
Authors: Mular A , Laguitton D , Forsyth J S , Leighton J C , Cameron W , Pilgrim R
Published: September 2017

Specific mathematical models of comminution and flotation equipment are described and the need for quantifying equipment constraints is discussed along with the limitations of each model. The mathematical descriptions of a primary gyratory crusher, a primary jaw
crusher, a secondary cone crusher, a tertiary cone crusher, a crushing rolls, an autogeneous grinding mill and a flotation cell have been converted to FORTRAN programs for subsequent use as subroutines in an executive steady state simulator. Documentation should permit potential users to install
subroutines in different computers or to translate them into languages other than FORTRAN.
Conception d'un nouveau système de surveillance macrosismique
Authors: Makuch A
Published: September 2017

The recent incidence of rockburst activity in Sudbury area mines, both "Pillar Bursts" and "Fault Slip", has indicated the need for more intense analysis of the seismic waveforms from rockbursts. To facilitate this, a high speed data acquisition system capable of
capturing complete seismic waveforms from the geophone signals in real time is required. The seismic waveforms could then be displayed on the computer screen for analysis. As part of the CANADA/ONTARIO/INDUSTRY rockburst research project, it was proposed to design a "macroseismic monitoring system"
for installation at both Falconbridge's Strathcona Mine and INCO's Creigton Mine in Sudbury. The first of these systems is to be installed at Strathcona Mine. A comprehensive investigation of the existing state of the art in seismic detection/waveform recording systems was done prior to development
of the system. The Strathcona Mine seismic system will use five triaxial accelerometers, installed both on surface and underground. Geophone signals will be transmitted to a central microcomputer system where A/D conversion and event detection will be done. The digitized event files from all 15
sensors will be stored on disk on an IBM-PC/AT computer. Using modem communications, the seismic event files will be uploaded to a STRIDE minicomputer at the CANMET Mining Research Laboratory in Elliot Lake, Ontario. Analysis of the seismic waveforms, including peak particle velocity, first motion,
spectral distribution, source location and seismic energy will be done at the Elliot Lake Laboratory. Also,the seismic waveforms can be analyzed on the on-site IBM-PC/AT computer.
Source-location techniques using p-wave arrivals
Authors: Niewiadomski J
Published: September 2017

Short descriptions are given for each of four source-location techniques used in Ontario mines. For the two linear methods (least-square and USBM-ISA), a simple geometrical interpretation is outlined which may be used as a tool for fast evaluation of the
conditioning of the linear system of equations created by these methods. For the direct, non-linear methods (block and simplex methods), the forms of the objective functions are presented.
Techniques de localisation des foyers fondées sur l'arrivée des ondes p
Authors: Niewiadomski J
Published: September 2017

Short descriptions are given for each of four source-location techniques used in Ontario mines. For the two linear methods (least-square and USBM-ISA), a simple geometrical interpretation is outlined which may be used as a tool for fast evaluation of the
conditioning of the linear system of equations created by these methods. For the direct, non-linear methods (block and simplex methods), the forms of the objective functions are presented.
Compilation of abstracts of papers from recent international conferences and symposia on ferrous and non-ferrous slags in concrete
Authors: Douglas E , Malhotra V M
Published: September 2017

This report is a compilation of abstracts of papers from recent international conferences and symposia on the use of ferrous and nonferrous slags in concrete. The conferences covered include those held in Europe, North America and South America between 1980 and
1988. Papers for this report were selected on the basis of their direct relevance to the use of slags in concrete. The abstracts are given in chronological order and include keywords
Compilation of-abstracts of papers from recent international conferences and symposia on condensed silica fume in concrete
Authors: Douglas E , Malhotra V M
Published: September 2017

This report is a compilation of abstracts of papers from recent international conferences and symposia on the use of condensed silica fume in concrete. The conferences covered include those held in Europe and North America between 1980 and 1988. Papers for this
report were selected on the basis of their direct relevance to the use of condensed silica fume in concrete. The abstracts are given in chronological order and include keywords
Proceedings of the 1989 annual general meeting of BIOMINET
Authors: McCready R G L
Published: September 2017

Continuous pilotplant experiments using immobilized Rhizopus arrhizus biomass were conducted to remove and concentrate uranium contained at low concentrations (95 to 150 mgU/L) in Denison Mine bioleach solutions from Elliot Lake. Ontario. Biomaterial was
physically and chemically characterized and used in a column 6.4 cm in diameter and 1 m tall. Twelve elements were analyzed to better understand the process. Up to a 40fold uranium concentration was obtained. During elution, concentrations as high as 13.5 gU/L were obtained. The process was shown to
be selective for uranium. Uranium uptake capacity of the biomaterial at the bottom of the column was adversely affected by competing ions, but uranium uptake capacity of the biomaterial at the top was constant after the second loadingelution cycle and for the next seven
cycles.
Reactivity of caustic-treated oil sand coke residues
Authors: Ityokumbul M T , Kasperski K L
Published: September 2017

Thermogravimetry (TG) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy have been used to study the pyrolysis behaviour and oxidative reactivity of molten caustic-treated and untreated oil sand cokes. The Syncrude fluid coke gave higher levels of CO/CO2 during
pyrolysis than Suncor delayed coke and CH4 was only observed with the former. However, the CO/CO2 evolution during pyrolysis of the caustic-treated coke residues was determined to be similar and higher than the values obtained with the untreated fluid coke. This is attributed to the displacement of
sulphur in the coke matrix by oxygen dating molten caustic leaching. The oxidation reactivity of the coke residues was found to increase with caustic treatment. This increase is attributed to the increased surface area of the cokes.
Calorimetric investigations of thermodynamic properties of aqueous sulphamic acid solutions
Authors: Xu Y
Published: September 2017

Enthalpies of dilution of aqueous sulphamic acid solutions were measured at 25°C and the results of these measurements were used to calculate the standard enthalpy of ionization of sulphamic acid. The average ?Hion° obtained in this work was 0.74 ±
0.20 klmo1 -1 . Enthalpies of solution of crystalline sulphamic acid in water at 25°C were also measured. The results from both measurements were combined with some earlier results from Wu and Hepler to obtain the "best" standard enthalpy of solution, which is 3.1-1 s° = 19.2 ± 0.2
kJ.M01-1.
Impacts of traffic emissions on atmospheric particulate nitrate and organics at a downwind site on the periphery of Guangzhou, China
Authors: Qin Yi Ming , Tan Hao Bo , Li Yong Jie , Schurman Misha I. , Li Fei , Canonaco Francesco , Prévôt André S. H. , Chan Chak K.
Published: September 2017

Abstract. Particulate matter (PM) pollution on the peripheries of Chinese megacities can be as serious as in cities themselves. Given the substantial vehicular emissions in inner-city areas, the direct transport of primary PM (e.g., black carbon and primary organics) and effective formation of secondary PM from precursors (e.g., NOx and volatile organic compounds) can contribute to PM pollution in buffer zones between cities. To investigate how traffic emissions in inner-city areas impact these adjacent buffer zones, a suite of real-time instruments were deployed in Panyu, downwind from central Guangzhou, from November to December 2014. Nitrate mass fraction was higher on high-PM days, with the average nitrate-to-sulfate ratio increasing from around 0.35 to 1.5 as the PM mass concentration increased from 10 to 160 µg m−3. Particulate nitrate was strongly correlated with excess ammonium (([NH4+] ∕ [SO42−] − 1.5)  ×  [SO42−]), with higher concentrations in December than in November due to lower temperatures. The organic mass fraction was the highest across all PM1 levels throughout the campaign. While organic aerosols (OA) were dominated by secondary organic aerosols (SOA  =  semi-volatile oxygenated organic aerosols + low-volatility oxygenated organic aerosols) as a campaign average, freshly emitted hydrocarbon-like organic aerosols (HOA) contributed up to 40 % of OA during high-OA periods, which typically occurred at nighttime and contributed 23.8 to 28.4 % on average. This was due to daytime traffic restrictions on heavy-duty vehicles in Guangzhou, and HOA almost increased linearly with total OA concentration. SOA increased as odd oxygen (Ox  =  O3 + NO2) increased during the day due to photochemistry. A combination of nighttime traffic emissions and daytime photochemistry contributed to the buildup of PM in Panyu. The mitigation of PM pollution in inner-city areas by reducing vehicular traffic can potentially improve air quality in peripheral areas.