bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recent Ecosystem Disturbance in the Northern California Current
Authors: Morgan Cheryl A , Beckman Brian R , Weitkamp Laurie A , Fresh Kurt L
Published: June 2019

An extended marine heat wave occurred across the North Pacific during 2014–2016, including the formation of the warm “Blob” followed by a strong El Niño in 2016. Coincident with this marine heat wave, we documented unprecedented biological changes in plankton and nekton in the Northern California Current (NCC) within pelagic surveys conducted over 20 years (1998–2017). The recent warm period was dominated by warmwater gelatinous invertebrates and fishes, some of which were previously either extremely rare or absent. Mixing of organisms originating from more southern or western regions with those previously present in the NCC may have resulted in novel and unpredictable trophic interactions that produced some of the observed changes in relative abundance. Continued long-term monitoring is needed to determine whether this is a temporary ecosystem disturbance or a fundamental change in the very productive NCC upwelling region.
The Meaning of Reliability
Authors: Weissman Steve
Published: June 2019

When the lights go out, fans stop whirring, and freezers stop freezing, most people feel inconvenienced and put out. Most people regard electric service as a necessity, one difficult to live without.
The Future of the Utility Field Area Network
Authors: Timberg Chris , Simovic Uros
Published: June 2019

Smart Grid devices and technologies are being deployed by utilities across the country to improve operational efficiency, reliability, security, and resilience. As utilities deploy increasingly more managed devices onto their transmission and distribution systems, there is an ever‐growing need for a more reliable, secure, and interoperable communication network. This is where the need for a robust communication system comes into play. The field area network (FAN) is arguably the most complex piece of the communications network, since it is primarily responsible for providing “last‐mile” communications to end‐devices. Until recently, FANs were deployed to serve a limited purpose—for example, only for distribution automation (DA) or substation automation (SA). Today, we must think beyond DA and SA. A more expansive use of the FAN, as it relates to other layers of utility telecommunications, is displayed in Figure 1.
Rethinking US Natural Gas Exports and Climate‐Change Benefits
Authors: Russo Thomas N.
Published: June 2019

Conventional wisdom today is that US natural gas exports, especially liquefied natural gas (LNG), can be used in other countries to reduce what might otherwise be rising carbon dioxide emissions. Natural gas is currently considered a bridge fuel to a more renewable energy future. How long natural gas will continue to serve as a bridge fuel is open to debate, along with how long it will take for battery storage to effectively compete with natural gas.
Asian American College Student Activism and Social Justice in Midwest Contexts
Authors: Grim Jeffrey K. , Lee Nue L. , Museus Samuel D. , Na Vanessa S. , Ting Marie P.
Published: June 2019

The Midwest regional context complicates Asian American college student activism and social justice efforts; so understanding these dynamics can equip higher education practitioners to better support these students.
Verifying the impact of corporate governance on hospital performance on HIV and malaria control: A structural equation modelling approach
Authors: Afriyie Stephen Owusu , Kong Yusheng , Ampimah Benjamin Chris , Akuamoah Collins Danso , Vanderpuije Leslie Nii Otu , Xinlei Zhao
Published: June 2019

Background

The research aims to study the impact of corporate governance on hospital performance regarding HIV and malaria control, using the Ghana health industry as a case. The nation is making frantic effort to control HIV and malaria, since they continue to be among the deadliest diseases that attract holistic attention; hence, there is the need to put structures in place to curb the spread.

Methods

A total of 1005 precoded questionnaires were administered to 125 hospitals, for responses from staff, managers, board, and chief executive officers (CEOs). The collated data were analysed using structural equation modelling approach.

Results

Our research revealed that corporate governance has a positive effect on hospital performance, regarding the control of the two deadly diseases (HIV and malaria). The interventions in Ghana health delivery have brought a level of improvement in malaria control, since the disease mortality has significantly declined from 19% in 2010 to 4% in 2016. Through the implementation of systems and policies, the national HIV prevalence has admirably reduced from 2.9% in 2000 to 1.6% in 2017.

Conclusions

Hospitals are therefore encouraged to continue to implement effective corporate governance mechanisms to facilitate efficient, well‐organised, and prudent practices that can deliver more institutional performance in HIV and malaria control.
Class I and II aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetase tRNA groove discrimination created the first synthetase–tRNA cognate pairs and was therefore essential to the origin of genetic coding
Authors: Carter Charles W. , Wills Peter R.
Published: June 2019

The genetic code likely arose when a bidirectional gene replicating as a quasi‐species began to produce ancestral aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetases (aaRS) capable of distinguishing between two distinct sets of amino acids. The synthetase class division therefore necessarily implies a mechanism by which the two ancestral synthetases could also discriminate between two different kinds of tRNA substrates. We used regression methods to uncover the possible patterns of base sequences capable of such discrimination and find that they appear to be related to thermodynamic differences in the relative stabilities of a hairpin necessary for recognition of tRNA substrates by Class I aaRS. The thermodynamic differences appear to be exploited by secondary structural differences between models for the ancestral aaRS called synthetase Urzymes and reinforced by packing of aromatic amino acid side chains against the nonpolar face of the ribose of A76 if and only if the tRNA CCA sequence forms a hairpin. The patterns of bases 1, 2, and 73 and stabilization of the hairpin by structural complementarity with Class I, but not Class II, aaRS Urzymes appear to be necessary and sufficient to have enabled the generation of the first two aaRS–tRNA cognate pairs, and the launch of a rudimentary binary genetic coding related recognizably to contemporary cognate pairs. As a consequence, it seems likely that nonrandom aminoacylation of tRNAs preceded the advent of the tRNA anticodon stem‐loop. Consistent with this suggestion, coding rules in the acceptor‐stem bases also reveal a palimpsest of the codon–anticodon interaction, as previously proposed. © 2019 IUBMB Life, 2019 © 2019 IUBMB Life, 71(8):1088–1098, 2019
Determination of the metabolic index using the fluorescence lifetime of free and bound nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide using the phasor approach
Authors: Ranjit Suman , Malacrida Leonel , Stakic Milka , Gratton Enrico
Published: June 2019

The fluorescence lifetime of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) is commonly used in conjunction with the phasor approach as a molecular biomarker to provide information on cellular metabolism of autofluorescence imaging of cells and tissue. However, in the phasor approach, the bound and free lifetime defining the phasor metabolic trajectory is a subject of debate. The fluorescence lifetime of NADH increases when bound to an enzyme, in contrast to the short multiexponential lifetime displayed by NADH in solution. The extent of fluorescence lifetime increase depends on the enzyme to which NADH is bound. With proper preparation of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) using oxalic acid (OA) as an allosteric factor, bound NADH to LDH has a lifetime of 3.4 ns and is positioned on the universal semicircle of the phasor plot, inferring a monoexponential lifetime for this species. Surprisingly, measurements in the cellular environments with different metabolic states show a linear trajectory between free NADH at about 0.37 ns and bound NADH at 3.4 ns. These observations support that in a cellular environment, a 3.4 ns value could be used for bound NADH lifetime. The phasor analysis of many cell types shows a linear combination of fractional contributions of free and bound species NADH.
ARPC4 promotes bladder cancer cell invasion and is associated with lymph node metastasis
Authors: Xu Ning , Qu Gen‐Yi , Wu Yu‐Peng , Lin Yun‐Zhi , Chen Dong‐Ning , Li Xiao‐Dong , Chen Shao‐Hao , Huang Jin‐Bei , Zheng Qing‐Shui , Xue Xue‐Yi , Wei Yong
Published: June 2019

The significance of actin‐related protein 2/3 complex subunit 4 (ARPC4) expression in bladder cancer, and its potential role in the invasion and migration of bladder cancer cells, has yet to be determined. This study was to identify the correlation between ARPC4 and lymph node metastasis, and to determine the role of ARPC4 in the invasive migration of T24 bladder cancer cells. One hundred and ninety‐eight bladder cancer tissues and 40 normal bladder and lymph node tissues were examined. Tissue microarrays were constructed and subjected to immunohistochemical stating for ARPC4. Multiple logistic analysis was used to determine risk factors associated with bladder cancer metastasis. ARPC4 expression in T24 bladder cancer cells was suppressed using small interfering RNA and changes in protein levels were determined by Western blot analysis. The proliferation of bladder cancer cells after knocking down of ARPC4 was determined by cell counting kit‐8. The effects of ARPC4 knockdown on T24 cell invasion and migration was determined using transwell and wound healing assays. Immunofluorescence analysis was performed to examine changes in pseudopodia formation and actin cytoskeleton structure. The expression of ARPC4 was elevated in bladder cancer tissues than normal tissues (84.3% vs 27.5%, P < 0.001). The multivariate logistic analysis demonstrated that the level of ARPC4, as a risk factor, was correlated with lymphatic metastasis (P < 0.05). ARPC4 knockdown attenuated proliferation, migration, invasion, and pseudopodia formation in T24 cells. ARPC4 expression, as a risk factor, is associated with lymphatic metastasis and is upregulated in bladder cancer tissues in comparison with normal tissues. Inhibition of ARPC4 expression significantly attenuates the proliferation, migration, and invasion of bladder cancer cell, possibly due to defects in pseudopodia formation.
Propofol induces impairment of mitochondrial biogenesis through inhibiting the expression of peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor‐γ coactivator‐1α
Authors: Qin Jing , Li Yizhen , Wang Kai
Published: June 2019

Propofol is a commonly used general anesthetic in patient care. Recent studies have shown that propofol has neurological side effects especially in young children, which raises a concern regarding the safety of its use. We explored the effects of the molecular mechanism of propofol on neuronal mitochondrial function in SH‐SY5Y cells. Our results demonstrate that clinically relevant doses of propofol reduce the expression of peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor‐γ coactivator‐1α (PGC‐1α) in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. At a concentration of 2%, propofol suppresses the mitochondrial regulator nuclear respiratory factor 1 and mitochondrial transcription factor A and impairs neuronal mitochondrial biogenesis. These impairments involve reduction of mitochondrial mass and reduction of the ratio of mitochondrial to nuclear DNA as well as reduction of cytochrome C oxidase activity. Propofol treatment reduces intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, the mitochondrial respiratory rate, and increases mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production, implying that it disturbs neuronal mitochondrial function. Overexpression of PGC‐1α rescued propofol‐induced reduced mitochondrial mass, ATP production, and respiratory rate, indicating that PGC‐1α is the mediator of the effect of propofol on mitochondrial function. Finally, we demonstrate that propofol suppresses PGC‐1α by inhibiting cAMP‐response element binding protein (CREB) activation and promoting PKA RI expression, and the addition of cyclic adenosine monophosphate rescues propofol‐mediated reduced PGC‐1α. In conclusion, PGC‐1α is the central mediator of propofol‐induced impairment of mitochondrial biogenesis and neuronal mitochondrial dysfunction. Our study demonstrates the molecular mechanism behind propofol‐induced neurotoxicity and provides valuable information regarding its side effects in clinical practice.
Overexpression of LINC00261 inhibits non–small cell lung cancer cells progression by interacting with miR‐522‐3p and suppressing Wnt signaling
Authors: Shi Jingli , Ma Huimin , Wang Huaixi , Zhu Weiyan , Jiang Shuting , Dou Rui , Yan Beizhan
Published: June 2019

Long noncoding RNA LINC00261 has been experimentally validated to function as a tumor suppressor in several cancers, but its pathological role and functional mechanism in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are largely unclear. In this study, LINC00261 was delineated in NSCLC to be significantly downregulated in cancer tissues compared with corresponding adjacent normal tissues. Low expression of LINC00261 predicted worse survival for patients with NSCLC. Overexpression of LINC00261 in NSCLC cell lines inhibited cell proliferation and invasion, meanwhile promoted apoptosis. Subcellular fractionation assay showed that LINC00261 existed mainly in the cytoplasm of NSCLC A549 cells and luciferase assay validated its direct interaction with miR‐522‐3p. Overexpression of miR‐522‐3p significantly ameliorated suppressive effects of LINC00261 on proliferation and invasion of NSCLC cells. Besides, miR‐522‐3p was found to be able to directly combine with the 3′‐untranslated region of SFRP2, which was generally regarded as a suppressor of Wnt signaling. Further quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot experiments showed that LINC00261 upregulation potentiated the expression of SFRP2 and inhibited Wnt signaling pathway, which could both be reversely modulated by miR‐522‐3p. Taken together, our study demonstrated that LINC00261 suppressed NSCLC cells progression via sponging miR‐522‐3p and inhibiting Wnt signaling. These results supported us to better understand the pathogenic mechanism of NSCLC and revealed a potential molecular target for this fatal disease.
Retracted: miR‐124a enhances therapeutic effects of bone marrow stromal cells transplant on diabetic nephropathy‐related epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition and fibrosis
Authors: Cai Xiaojun , Wang Lei , Wang Xuling , Hou Fengyan
Published: June 2019

Background

Epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been gradually considered as one of the major pathways that causes the production of interstitial myofibroblasts in diseased kidneys.

Materials and Methods

The study was done to investigate the effect of a bone marrow stromal cell (BMSCs) transplant on rat podocytes and diabetic nephropathy (DN) rats in high‐glucose concentration, and to explore the effect of miR‐124a on BMSC therapy. High glucose–injured podocytes and streptozotocin‐induced DN rats have been respectively used as injury models in in vitro and in vivo studies. Podocyte viability was measured using the Cell Counting Kit‐8 assay. Renal pathological examination was observed by HE staining and Masson staining. The messenger RNA and protein levels were determined via real‐time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, respectively.

Results

By mediating the activation of caveolin‐1 (cav‐1) and β‐catenin and affecting the expression levels of EMT biomarkers including p‐cadherin, synaptopodin, fibroblast‐specific protein‐1, α‐smooth muscle actin and snail, our in vitro study confirmed that miR‐124a played a significant role in the treatment of high glucose–induced podocyte injury by BMSCs. The therapeutic effects of the BMSC transplant on DN rats were also proved to be further enhanced by miR‐124a overexpression in BMSCs, and such a phenomenon was accompanied by the improvement of renal fibrosis and mitigation of DN‐related kidney impairment. Regulation of fibronectin, collagen1, and EMT‐related proteins was closely implicated with the mechanism, and the activation of cav‐1 and β‐catenin was also possibly involved.

Conclusion

The study demonstrated the pivotal effect of miR‐124a on BMSC therapy for DN rats via mitigating EMT and fibrosis. Our results provide a novel insight into how therapeutic effects of BMSCs can be improved at the posttranscriptional level.
Downregulation of HDAC3 by ginsenoside Rg3 inhibits epithelial–mesenchymal transition of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma through c‐Jun acetylation
Authors: Zhang Li , Shan Xiu , Chen Qun , Xu Dayu , Fan Xinling , Yu Ming , Yan Qiu , Liu Jiwei
Published: June 2019

The metastatic rate of human cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) has increased in recent years. Despite the current advances in therapies, effective treatments remain lacking. Ginsenoside 20(R)‐Rg3 is an effective antitumor monomer extracted from ginseng, but the role of Rg3 in CSCC remains unknown. It has been reported that aberrantly elevated histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) is involved in tumor malignancy in multiple malignant tumors. However, the effects of HDAC3 on the regulation of c‐Jun acetylation in tumor epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and migration have not been clearly illuminated. In our research, the immunohistochemistry staining results of skin tissue microarrays showed that HDAC3 staining was increased in CSCC compared with the normal dermal tissue. Then, we found that Rg3 treatment (25 and 50 μg/ml) inhibited CSCC cell (A431 and SCC12 cells) EMT through increasing E‐cadherin and decreasing N‐cadherin, vimentin, and Snail expression. Wound‐healing and transwell assays showed that Rg3 could inhibit migration. Meanwhile, Rg3 significantly downregulated the expression of HDAC3 in CSCC cells as detected by real‐time quantitative PCR, western blot, and immunofluorescence. Importantly, c‐Jun acetylation was increased by the downregulation of HDAC3 with HDAC3 shRNA, and the downregulation was associated with CSCC cell EMT inhibition. Collectively, our results showed that downregulation of HDAC3 by Rg3 or shHDAC3 treatment resulted in c‐Jun acetylation, which in turn inhibited CSCC cell EMT. These results indicate that HDAC3 could potentially serve as a therapeutic target therapeutic target for CSCC. Rg3 is an attractive and efficient agent that has oncotherapeutic effects and requires further investigation.
Retracted: LncRNA‐ROR alleviates hypoxia‐triggered damages by downregulating miR‐145 in rat cardiomyocytes H9c2 cells
Authors: Wang Pengxi , Yuan Yanran
Published: June 2019

Chronic hypoxic heart disease (CHD) is a common clinical type of congenital heart disease. Long noncoding RNA regulator of reprogramming (lncRNA‐ROR) exerts an important regulating effect in cardiovascular diseases. In our study, we explored the effect of lncRNA‐ROR and the possible mechanisms against hypoxia‐caused apoptosis in H9c2 cells. H9c2 cells were exposed to hypoxia (1% O2) to construct the in vitro model of CHD. The level of lncRNA‐ROR and microRNA (miRNA/miR)‐145 was detected. To upregulate the level of lncRNA‐ROR and miR‐145, transfection was carried out. Western blot assay was performed to quantified protein expression. The interaction of lncRNA‐ROR with miR‐145 was verified by RIP and Dual‐luciferase reporter assays. The expression of p53 and Bax was largely elevated and Bcl‐2 was suppressed by hypoxia induction. We found that lncRNA‐ROR was elevated by hypoxia. LncRNA‐ROR overexpression was able to relieve the damages of H9c2 cells induced by hypoxia through rescuing viability, suppressing apoptosis, and blocking Cytochrome c release. miR‐145 was suppressed by overexpressed lncRNA‐ROR and the combination of miR‐145 mimic was able to abolish the protective effect of lncRNA‐ROR. Moreover, we found that lncRNA‐ROR activated Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT transduction cascades by suppressing miR‐145. Besides, lncRNA‐ROR directly targeted miR‐145 and negatively modulated the level of miR‐145. Our present study revealed that lncRNA‐ROR protected H9c2 cells against hypoxia‐caused damages by regulation of miR‐145 through activating Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT.
miR‐4429 sensitized cervical cancer cells to irradiation by targeting RAD51
Authors: Sun Hongbo , Fan Guimei , Deng Chunxia , Wu Lin
Published: June 2019

Cervical cancer (CC) is a prevalent malignancy in women, with the feature of metastasis and easy recurrence is responsible for a large proportion of global cancer deaths. Radiotherapy is one of the common treatment tools for CC patients with unresectable tumors. However, radio‐resistance in patients could be a major reason for recurrence. Therefore, it is of significance to tunnel the molecular mechanism of radio‐resistance in CC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are increasingly reported in the regulation of cancer progression and cellular response to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. miR‐4429 is a newly discovered miRNA acting as a tumor‐suppressor gene in multiple cancers, but its function in CC has never been explored yet. The current study tried to explore the role of miR‐4429 in cell radio‐sensitivity in CC. First, we validated the downregulation of miR‐4429 in CC cells. Importantly, the association of miR‐4429 with radio‐resistance was validated by identifying the downregulation of miR‐4429 in radio‐resistant CC cells. Gain‐ and loss‐of‐function assays validated that miR‐4429 sensitized CC cells to irradiation. Through bioinformatics tools, RAD51 recombinase (RAD51) was identified to be a target for miR‐4429. RAD51 is known to be a crucial regulator for DNA damage repair and has been reported to influence cell radio‐resistance in cancers, including in CC. Luciferase reporter assay confirmed the interaction between miR‐4429 and RAD51. Finally, rescue assays indicated that miR‐4429 promoted CC cell radio‐sensitivity through RAD51. Consequently, our study showed that miR‐4429 sensitized CC cells to irradiation by targeting RAD51, providing a potential therapeutic target for CC patients.
Synthesis of Novel Alkyl Amide Functionalized Trifluoromethyl Substituted Furo/thieno Pyridine Derivatives: Their Anticancer Activity and CoMFA and CoMSIA Studies
Authors: Bhoomandla Srinu , Gunda Shravan Kumar , Kotoori Srawanthi , Kanuparthy Phani Raja
Published: June 2019

A series of novel alkyl amide functionalized trifluoromethyl substituted furo/thieno pyridine derivatives 4a–h, 5a–d, and 6a–h were prepared starting from 2‐oxo/thioxo‐6‐phenyl/thien‐2‐yl‐4‐(trifluoromethyl)‐1,2‐dihydropyridine‐3‐carbonitrile 1 on reaction with bromoethylacetate followed by reaction with different primary aliphatic amines, cyclic secondary amines, or l‐amino acids under different set of conditions. All the synthesized compounds 4a–h, 5a–d, and 6a–h were screened for anticancer activity against four cancer cell lines such as HeLa—cervical cancer (CCL‐2), COLO205—colon cancer (CCL‐222), HepG2—liver cancer (HB‐8065), and MCF7—breast cancer (HTB‐22). Compounds 4g and 4h are found to have promising anticancer activity at micromolar concentration. CoMFA and CoMSIA methods were applied to derive 3D‐QSAR models for alkyl amide tagged furo/thieno pyridine derivatives as potential anticancer inhibitors. 3D‐QSAR models provided a strong basis for future rational design of more active and selective HeLa, COLO205, HepG2, and MCF‐7 cell line inhibitors.
Quantifying the Managerial Ability of Microfinance Institutions: Evidence from Latin America
Authors: Banna Hasanul , Rana Md. Sohel , Ismail Izlin , Ismail Nazari
Published: June 2019

This paper aims to quantify the managerial ability of the microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Latin America and the Caribbean countries. Drawing on data for 419 MFIs in 24 Latin America and the Caribbean countries between 2003 and 2014, we find that MFIs' managers with higher managerial ability outperform MFIs' managers with lower managerial ability. The study also finds that managers in Brazil (Trinidad and Tobago) have higher (lower) ability and are more (less) efficient. The findings help policymakers and regulators to propose with policy recommendations for long‐term sustainability of MFIs by estimating and decomposing the ability of the managers. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Targeted gene panel sequencing for the rapid diagnosis of acutely ill infants
Authors: Brunelli Luca , Jenkins Sabrina M. , Gudgeon James M. , Bleyl Steven B. , Miller Christine E. , Tvrdik Tatiana , Dames Shale A. , Ostrander Betsy , Daboub Josue A. F. , Zielinski Brandon A. , Zinkhan Erin K. , Underhill Hunter R. , Wilson Theodore , Bonkowsky Joshua L. , Yost Christian C. , Botto Lorenzo D. , Jenkins Justin , Pysher Theodore J. , Bayrak‐Toydemir Pinar , Mao Rong
Published: June 2019

Background

Exome/genome sequencing (ES/GS) have been recently used in neonatal and pediatric/cardiac intensive care units (NICU and PICU/CICU) to diagnose and care for acutely ill infants, but the effectiveness of targeted gene panels for these purposes remains unknown.

Methods

RapSeq, a newly developed panel targeting 4,503 disease‐causing genes, was employed on selected patients in our NICU/PICU/CICU. Twenty trios were sequenced from October 2015 to March 2017. We assessed diagnostic yield, turnaround times, and clinical consequences.

Results

A diagnosis was made in 10/20 neonates (50%); eight had de novo variants (ASXL1, CHD, FBN1, KMT2D, FANCB, FLNA, PAX3), one was a compound heterozygote for CHAT, and one had a maternally inherited GNAS variant. Preliminary reports were generated by 9.6 days (mean); final reports after Sanger sequencing at 16.3 days (mean). In all positive infants, the diagnosis changed management. In a case with congenital myasthenia, diagnosis and treatment occurred at 17 days versus 7 months in a historical control.

Conclusions

This study shows that a gene panel that includes the majority of known disease‐causing genes can rapidly identify a diagnosis in a large number of tested infants. Due to simpler deployment and interpretation and lower costs, this approach might represent an alternative to ES/GS in the NICU/PICU/CICU.
Low‐power 0.13‐μm CMOS receiver for microwave Doppler sensor
Authors: Kim Sang‐Hyo , Lee Kyeong‐Hyeok , Kim Choul‐Young
Published: June 2019

In this article, we present the design and fabrication of a monolithic microwave‐integrated circuit (MMIC) using 0.13‐μm complementary metal‐oxide‐semiconductor (CMOS) radiofrequency (RF) process for a low‐noise amplifier (LNA) and a passive down mixer for a microwave Doppler sensor receiver operating in the 24‐GHz band (K band). The low‐noise amplifier uses a single‐stage cascode structure to ensure a small size and gain suitable for a microwave Doppler sensor. The down mixer has a passive frequency mixer structure and a single balanced design using balun for the local oscillator (LO) input. The output of the LNA and the input of the down frequency mixer are conjugately matched to minimize the flicker noise generated by the receiver for the microwave Doppler sensor. The designed MMIC showed a voltage conversion gain of 14.46 dB and an input P1dB of −21.16 dBm when the LO power was 0 dBm within the IF range (0.01‐1 GHz). A noise figure of less than 19.24 dB was obtained. The MMIC area and the power consumption were 0.647 × 0.363 mm2 and 6 mW, respectively.
Functioning and disability of premenopausal women with urinary incontinence: An assessment by using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule—WHODAS 2.0
Authors: de Macedo Dantas Thaissa Hamana , Castaneda Luciana , Correia Grasiéla Nascimento , Campelo Clarissa Loureiro das Chagas , de Sousa Dantas Diego
Published: June 2019

Aims

To analyze the association between urinary incontinence and disability status in premenopausal women.

Materials and Methods

The study included 120 premenopausal women recruited from six Basic Family Health Units to participate in this study. We assessed sociodemographic, gynecological, and obstetric data by using specific questions. The International Continence Society's definitions were applied to determine the presence and type of urinary incontinence, and the disability was assessed by using the 36‐item version of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0.

Results

The WHODAS scores showed that women with urinary incontinence had a worse disability in cognition (P = .023) and mobility (P = .020) domains, in addition to the total score (P = .23). Women with mixed urinary incontinence had a worse disability in mobility domain (P = .039) than those with stress or urgency incontinence. Qualitative analyses of disability showed a significant difference between women with and without urinary incontinence (P = .033), with higher percentages of incontinent women with moderate and severe disability. Women who reported urinary incontinence had 7.69 more points on the final score of WHODAS than those who did not report this outcome.

Conclusions

Urinary incontinence in women of reproductive age is associated with disability and worse scores of WHODAS when we compare them to women without urine leakage. The results presented can be useful for designing and adapting strategies for comprehensive care of women with urinary incontinence and disability, and developing rehabilitation programs based on functioning.
Physical restraining: Nurses knowledge and practice in Tertiary Care Hospital of Eastern Nepal
Authors: Pradhan Nirmala , Lama Sami , Mandal Gayananda , Shrestha Erina
Published: June 2019

Aim

The aim was to assess the level of knowledge and practice on physical restraints.

Design

A descriptive cross‐sectional study design was adopted.

Methods

A total enumerative sampling technique was used to select 117 nurses working in ICU, medical wards, psychiatric ward and emergency unit of Tertiary Care Hospital, Nepal. After obtaining written consent from each participant, self‐administered questionnaires on socio‐demographic profile, knowledge and practice about physical restraints were distributed.

Results

Most nurses (55.6%) were from age group of 18–25 years. Most of the participants (82.1%) had completed their Diploma Nursing, and 33.3% of the nurses were working in the ICU. Maximum of the participants (74.4%) had previous exposure to physical restraints. In knowledge of physical restraints, the score of 52.1% showed above the median range (Median [IQR] = 43 [54–30]). In the case of practice, 54.7% of the nurses showed adequate practice (mean = 80.1, SD 7.7).
Decentralization and citizen trust: An empirical study of policing in more and less developed countries
Authors: Lowatcharin Grichawat , Stallmann Judith I.
Published: June 2019

Decentralization is argued to enhance citizen–government relationships and, thus, to lead to higher levels of citizen trust. General purpose policing encompasses various services that might be assigned to different levels of governments. The literature lacks generalizable studies of the effects of the structural arrangements of police systems on police performance. This study is a cross‐national exploration of the relationship between the varying degrees of police decentralization and police performance as measured by citizen trust in the police. It uses a measure of decentralization of police systems based on the tiers of government with some control over police. Results show that, in the 72 sample countries, the relationship between citizen trust in police and decentralized police systems is not statistically significant. However, when the countries are categorized by the Human Development Index, decentralized police systems tend to be positively related to citizen trust in the more developed countries but inversely in the less developed countries.
Interface porosity in multilayered all‐conducting polymer electrodes
Authors: Borras Nuria , Estrany Francesc , Alemán Carlos
Published: June 2019

Multilayered films made with at least two different electroactive polymers, in which the least conducting one acts as a dielectric and separates the layers made with the other, behave as efficient electrodes for electrochemical supercapacitors. In this work, we present a simple strategy to develop improved multilayered electrodes with structured interfaces by enhancing the porosity of the dielectric. This has been achieved by growing sodium chloride crystals onto a conducting polymer layer and, after generation of all required layers using the layer‐by‐layer electrodeposition technique, salt crystals have been eliminated by water etching. Results from morphological and topographical studies on single‐layered poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), poly(N‐methylpyrrole) (PNMPy), and poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene‐co‐N‐methylpyrrole) (COP), as well as electrochemical investigations on bi‐layered films with enhanced porosity at the interface between the two layers, have been used to design new four‐layered electrodes. These consist in two layers of PEDOT separated by two layers of nanosegregated COP with a porous interface in the middle. Although the properties of the new four‐layered electrodes improve due to the porous interface, the highest specific capacitance corresponds to the two‐layered electrode in which two PEDOT layers are separated by an ultra‐porous interface. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:1624–1635 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers
Harnessing Calcium‐Oxalate‐ (CaOx‐) Nanocrystal‐Induced Prodeath Autophagy for Attenuating Human Renal Proximal Tubular Epithelial Cell Injury
Authors: Chen Yang , Wei Pengfei , Meng Jialin , Fan Song , Zhang Yanbin , Xi Junhua , Liang Chaozhao , Zhang Li , Hao Zongyao
Published: June 2019

Calcium oxalate (CaOx) stone is the most common type of kidney stone, with a formation process comprising supersaturation, nucleation, growth, aggregation to crystals, and adhesion on renal tubular epithelial cells. CaOx stones generally lead to renal injury; however, the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. Accumulating evidence suggests that nanosized materials could induce much greater toxicity than bulk materials with the same components. As aggregation to nanocrystals is necessary to form CaOx stones and nanocrystals have been widely reported to elicit either prodeath or prosurvival autophagy, the aim is to address the precise role of autophagy in CaOx‐ nanocrystal‐induced cytotoxicity. Clinical CaOx stones from patients are collected followed by ball milling. As a result, CaOx nanocrystals significantly reduce renal cell viability in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. Further study shows that CaOx nanocrystals possess an autophagy‐inducing capacity and autophagic flux is complete. Autophagy abrogation by specific chemical inhibitor wortmannin or chloroquine obviously attenuates cytotoxicity, strongly suggesting that prodeath autophagy contributes to CaOx nanocrystals‐elicited cytotoxicity. Finally, it is revealed that autophagy is an essential signaling pathway participating in apoptosis regulation. Collectively, the findings demonstrate the role of autophagy in CaOx‐nanocrystal‐elicited cytotoxicity, and harnessing autophagy can be helpful to design promising strategies for attenuating kidney injury in nephrolithiasis.
Structural Origin of Optical Band Edge Shift in Se70Ge30‐xBix (0≤x≤10) Glassy Alloys
Authors: Mishra Pankaj K. , Upadhyay Aditya N. , Singh Kedar , Kumar Horesh
Published: June 2019

Bulk glasses of Se−Ge‐Bi system have been prepared by quenching the melt. The XRD exhibits very weak peaks riding over halos. DSC scans show a single stage to a multistage crystallization with an incremental substitution of Ge by Bi, indicating evolution of structurally inhomogeneous phases at the molecular level with the increasing content of Bi. The Raman spectra (50‐500 cm‐1) reveal the formation of the corner and edge‐sharing GeSe4/2terahedral and Bi2Se3 pyramidal units. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) Images depicts the formation of submicron to nano‐sized spherical shaped structural units in a chain‐like configuration. Fragmentation of chains and refinement effect of Bi are noticed in TEM and SEM Images. The optical absorption edge found to be red‐shifted along with a sharp decrease in optical band gap (1.74‐0.82), with the increasing fraction of Bi in alloys. Attempts have been made to elucidate the results on the structural considerations (bond and band diagram) and Burstein‐Moss effect.
Controlling DNA Tug‐of‐War in a Dual Nanopore Device
Authors: Liu Xu , Zhang Yuning , Nagel Roland , Reisner Walter , Dunbar William B.
Published: June 2019

Methods for reducing and directly controlling the speed of DNA through a nanopore are needed to enhance sensing performance for direct strand sequencing and detection/mapping of sequence‐specific features. A method is created for reducing and controlling the speed of DNA that uses two independently controllable nanopores operated with an active control logic. The pores are positioned sufficiently close to permit cocapture of a single DNA by both pores. Once cocapture occurs, control logic turns on constant competing voltages at the pores leading to a “tug‐of‐war” whereby opposing forces are applied to regions of the molecules threading through the pores. These forces exert both conformational and speed control over the cocaptured molecule, removing folds and reducing the translocation rate. When the voltages are tuned so that the electrophoretic force applied to both pores comes into balance, the life time of the tug‐of‐war state is limited purely by diffusive sliding of the DNA between the pores. A tug‐of‐war state is produced on 76.8% of molecules that are captured with a maximum two‐order of magnitude increase in average pore translocation time relative to the average time for single‐pore translocation. Moreover, the translocation slow‐down is quantified as a function of voltage tuning and it is shown that the slow‐down is well described by a first passage analysis for a 1D subdiffusive process. The ionic current of each nanopore provides an independent sensor that synchronously measures a different region of the same molecule, enabling sequential detection of physical labels, such as monostreptavidin tags. With advances in devices and control logic, future dual‐pore applications include genome mapping and enzyme‐free sequencing.
Peccei-Quinn symmetry and nucleon decay in renormalizable SUSY SO(10)
Authors: Babu K. S. , Fukuyama Takeshi , Khan Saki , Saad Shaikh
Published: June 2019

Abstract

We suggest simple ways of implementing Peccei-Quinn (PQ) symmetry to solve the strong CP problem in renormalizable SUSY SO(10) models with a minimal Yukawa sector. Realistic fermion mass generation requires that a second pair of Higgs doublets survive down to the PQ scale. We show how unification of gauge couplings can be achieved in this context. Higgsino mediated proton decay rate is strongly suppressed by a factor of (M
PQ
/M
GUT)2, which enables all SUSY particles to have masses of order TeV. With TeV scale SUSY spectrum,

$$ p\to \overline{v}{K}^{+} $$

p
→

v
¯

K
+

decay rate is expected to be in the observable range. Lepton flavor violating processes μ → eγ decay and μ − e conversion in nuclei, induced by the Dirac neutrino Yukawa couplings, are found to be within reach of forthcoming experiments.
SSCC: A Novel Computational Framework for Rapid and Accurate Clustering Large-Scale Single Cell RNA-Seq Data
Authors: Ren Xianwen , Zheng Liangtao , Zhang Zemin
Published: June 2019

Clustering is a prevalent analytical means to analyze single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data but the rapidly expanding data volume can make this process computationally challenging. New methods for both accurate and efficient clustering are of pressing need. Here we proposed Spearman subsampling-clustering-classification (SSCC), a new clustering framework based on random projection and feature construction, for large-scale scRNA-seq data. SSCC greatly improves clustering accuracy, robustness, and computational efficacy for various state-of-the-art algorithms benchmarked on multiple real datasets. On a dataset with 68,578 human blood cells, SSCC achieved 20% improvement for clustering accuracy and 50-fold acceleration, but only consumed 66% memory usage, compared to the widelyused software package SC3. Compared to k-means, the accuracy improvement of SSCC can reach 3-fold. An R implementation of SSCC is available at https://github.com/Japrin/sscClust.
The Court of Justice of the European Union as a Transnational Actor through Judicial Review of the Territorial Scope of EU Environmental Law
Authors: HADJIYIANNI Ioanna
Published: June 2019

When courts are faced with questions regarding the territorial scope of internal legislation, they are required to engage with controversial issues pertaining to the permissible boundaries of regulatory reach, which go beyond traditional conceptions of state sovereignty and non-intervention on which the functioning of courts is normally based. This Article examines the role of the Court of Justice of the European Union (‘CJEU’) in reviewing the legality and interpretation of the extraterritorial reach of EU environmental law, including animal welfare. It assesses the extent to which judicial review by the CJEU serves as a transnational mechanism for addressing legitimacy concerns raised by the unilateral exercise of EU regulatory power beyond EU borders.
TO LEAVE OR NOT TO LEAVE: THECHU CI楚辭 (VERSES OF CHU) AS RESPONSE TO THESHI JING詩經 (CLASSIC OF ODES)
Authors: Hunter Michael
Published: June 2019

Contra the consensus view of theShi jing詩經 (Classic of Odes) andChu ci楚辭 (Verses of Chu) as the products of two distinct literary cultures, one northern and one southern, this article argues on the basis of intertextual analysis that theChu cideveloped in direct response to theShi jing. The foremost poem in the anthology, the “Li sao” 離騷 (Parting's Sorrow) emerges as a metadiscursive journey through variousShi jingarchetypes, the goal of which is to authorize its hero to say farewell to his ruler and homeland—a possibility denied byShi jingpoetics. A final section explores the relationship between the oppositional poetics of the “Li sao” and the rest of theChu ci. The article concludes with some reflections on the limitations of the north–south model for historians of early Chinese literature.
Methodological approaches to situational analysis in global mental health: a scoping review
Authors: Murphy J. K. , Michalak E. E. , Colquhoun H. , Woo C. , Ng C. H. , Parikh S. V. , Culpepper L. , Dewa C. S. , Greenshaw A. J. , He Y. , Kennedy S. H. , Li X.-M. , Liu T. , Soares C. N. , Wang Z. , Xu Y. , Chen J. , Lam R. W.
Published: June 2019

Global inequity in access to and availability of essential mental health services is well recognized. The mental health treatment gap is approximately 50% in all countries, with up to 90% of people in the lowest-income countries lacking access to required mental health services. Increased investment in global mental health (GMH) has increased innovation in mental health service delivery in LMICs. Situational analyses in areas where mental health services and systems are poorly developed and resourced are essential when planning for research and implementation, however, little guidance is available to inform methodological approaches to conducting these types of studies. This scoping review provides an analysis of methodological approaches to situational analysis in GMH, including an assessment of the extent to which situational analyses include equity in study designs. It is intended as a resource that identifies current gaps and areas for future development in GMH. Formative research, including situational analysis, is an essential first step in conducting robust implementation research, an essential area of study in GMH that will help to promote improved availability of, access to and reach of mental health services for people living with mental illness in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). While strong leadership in this field exists, there remain significant opportunities for enhanced research representing different LMICs and regions.
Dialectics and Difference: Negative Dialectics as a Logic of Action
Authors: Sevilla Sergio
Published: June 2019

This paper argues that the different ways of facing Hegel's system, as an impossible attempt to harmonize tradition and openness to novelty, respond to an underlying malaise: that provoked by the disturbing question of “the actuality of philosophy” after Hegel. That question insistently arises with respect to different paradigms of contemporary philosophy, and is found in critical theory, in analytical philosophy of action, in Žižek's materialism, and in Derrida's deconstructive reading. Adorno's interpretation introduces the tension between universal concepts and laws, transmitted by the cultural tradition, and particular elements that the subject of the action must always take into account. As a consequence, the subject must include what is not reducible to a concept, which enables the construction of a language of experience that transcends the identifying thinking of the concept and makes negative dialectics possible as a theory of action.
On the thermal equilibrium state of large-scale flows
Authors: Alexakis Alexandros , Brachet Marc-Etienne
Published: June 2019

In a forced three-dimensional turbulent flow the scales larger than the forcing scale have been conjectured to reach a thermal equilibrium state forming a $k^{2}$ energy spectrum, where $k$ is the wavenumber. In this work we examine the properties of these large scales in turbulent flows with the use of numerical simulations. We show that the choice of forcing can strongly affect the behaviour of the large scales. A spectrally dense forcing (a forcing that acts on all modes inside a finite-width spherical shell) with long correlation times may lead to strong deviations from the $k^{2}$ energy spectrum, while a spectrally sparse forcing (a forcing that acts only on a few modes) with short correlated time scale can reproduce the thermal spectrum. The origin of these deviations is analysed and the involved mechanisms is unravelled by examining: (i) the number of triadic interactions taking place, (ii) the spectrum of the nonlinear term, (iii) the amplitude of interactions and the fluxes due to different scales and (iv) the transfer function between different shells of wavenumbers. It is shown that the spectrally dense forcing allows for numerous triadic interactions that couple one large-scale mode with two forced modes and this leads to an excess of energy input at the large scales. This excess of energy is then moved back to the small scales by self-interactions of the large-scale modes and by interactions with the turbulent small scales. The overall picture that arises from the present analysis is that the large scales in a turbulent flow resemble a reservoir that is in (non-local) contact with a second out-of-equilibrium reservoir consisting of the smaller (forced, turbulent and dissipative) scales. If the injection of energy at the large scales from the forced modes is relative weak (as is the case for the spectrally sparse forcing) then the large-scale spectrum remains close to a thermal equilibrium and the role of long-range interactions is to set the global energy (temperature) of the equilibrium state. If, on the other hand, the long-range interactions are dominant (as is the case for the spectrally dense forcing), the large-scale self-interactions cannot respond fast enough to bring the system into equilibrium. Then the large scales deviate from the equilibrium state with energy spectrum that may display exponents different from the $k^{2}$ spectrum.