bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Megakaryocytes package contents into separate α-granules that are differentially distributed in platelets
Authors: Battinelli Elisabeth M. , Thon Jonathan N. , Okazaki Ross , Peters Christian G. , Vijey Prakrith , Wilkie Adrian R. , Noetzli Leila J. , Flaumenhaft Robert , Italiano Joseph E.
Published: October 2019

Key Points

Mouse megakaryocytes can differentially sort and package endocytosed fibrinogen and endostatin into distinct α-granules. Platelet progenitors contain subpopulations of α-granules.
Investigating differences in trunk muscle activity in non-specific chronic low back pain subgroups and no-low back pain controls during functional tasks: a case-control study
Authors: Hemming Rebecca , Sheeran Liba , van Deursen Robert , Sparkes Valerie
Published: October 2019

Background

Trunk muscle dysfunction is often regarded as a key feature of non-specific chronic low back pain (NSCLBP) despite being poorly understood and variable with increases, decreases and no change in muscle activity reported. Differences in thoraco-lumbar kinematics have been observed in motor control impairment NSCLBP subgroups (Flexion Pattern, Active Extension Pattern) during static postures and dynamic activities. However, potential differences in muscle activity during functional tasks has not been established in these subgroups to date.

Methods

A case-control study design recruited 50 NSCLBP subjects (27 Flexion Pattern, 23 Active Extension Pattern) and 28 healthy individuals. Surface electromyography determined muscle activity during functional tasks: reaching upwards, step-down, step-up, lifting and replacing a box, stand-to-sit, sit-to-stand, bending to retrieve (and returning from retrieving) a pen from the floor. Normalised (% sub-maximal voluntary contraction) mean amplitude electromyography of bilateral musculature (transversus abdominis/internal oblique, external oblique, superficial lumbar multifidus and longissimus thoracis) was analysed using Kruskal-Wallis and post-hoc Mann-Whitney U tests.

Results

Transversus abdominis/internal oblique activity was significantly increased in the Flexion Pattern group compared to controls during stand-to-sit (p = 0.009) on the left side only. External oblique activity was significantly greater in the Active Extension Pattern group compared to controls during box lift (p = 0.016) on the right side only. Significantly greater activity was identified in the right Superficial lumbar multifidus during step up (p = 0.029), reach up (p = 0.013) and box replace (p = 0.007) in the Active Extension Pattern group compared to controls. However left-sided superficial lumbar multifidus activity was significantly greater in the Flexion Pattern group (compared to controls) only during stand-to-sit (p = 0.009). No significant differences were observed in longissimus thoracis activity bilaterally during any task. No significant differences between NSCLBP subgroups were observed.

Conclusions

Muscle activity in these NSCLBP subgroups appears to be highly variable during functional tasks with no clear pattern of activity identified. The findings reflect inconsistencies and variability in trunk muscle activity previously observed in these NSCLBP subgroups. Further work evaluating ratios of muscle activity and changes in muscle activity throughout task duration is warranted.
Cervical epidural hematoma after spinal manipulation therapy: a case report
Authors: Chen Qian , Feng Jun-fei , Tang Xin , Li Yu-ling , Chen Lu , Chen Guo
Published: October 2019

Background

Cervical spinal manipulation therapy is a common non-invasive treatment for neck pain and stiffness, and has been widely used in the population. However, most people do not pay attention to the potential risks of neck manipulation, such as ligament damage, fractures, and spinal cord injuries. Epidural hematoma is a disease in which blood accumulates in the epidural space of the vertebral body. This disease is usually caused by trauma or iatrogenic surgery, and may be associated with blood coagulopathies, neoplasms, or degenerative spinal disease. Reports of epidural hematoma caused by cervical spinal manipulation are rare.

Case presentation

We present the case of a patient with tetraplegia and spinal shock after neck manipulation. A physical examination of the patient on admission found tenderness in the neck and increased muscle tension in both upper limbs. The superficial sensation of the upper limb disappeared, but the deep sensation still remained. The lower extremity had 0/5 power on both sides. The sensation below the T2 level completely disappeared. A cervical magnetic resonance imaging scan showed an acute posterior epidural hematoma from the C3–T3 vertebrae. Ultimately, the patient underwent emergency hematoma removal and showed partial improvement in symptoms of paralysis during follow-up.

Conclusions

Although spinal manipulation is simple and neck pain is common and recurrent in the general population, the basic condition and disease history of patients should be determined before manipulation. For high-risk patients, caution should be applied for cervical spinal manipulation or it should be prohibited. For a suspected hematoma, MRI should be used at an early stage to diagnose and locate the hematoma.
Robust hypergraph regularized non-negative matrix factorization for sample clustering and feature selection in multi-view gene expression data
Authors: Yu Na , Gao Ying-Lian , Liu Jin-Xing , Wang Juan , Shang Junliang
Published: October 2019

Background

As one of the most popular data representation methods, non-negative matrix decomposition (NMF) has been widely concerned in the tasks of clustering and feature selection. However, most of the previously proposed NMF-based methods do not adequately explore the hidden geometrical structure in the data. At the same time, noise and outliers are inevitably present in the data.

Results

To alleviate these problems, we present a novel NMF framework named robust hypergraph regularized non-negative matrix factorization (RHNMF). In particular, the hypergraph Laplacian regularization is imposed to capture the geometric information of original data. Unlike graph Laplacian regularization which captures the relationship between pairwise sample points, it captures the high-order relationship among more sample points. Moreover, the robustness of the RHNMF is enhanced by using the L2,1-norm constraint when estimating the residual. This is because the L2,1-norm is insensitive to noise and outliers.

Conclusions

Clustering and common abnormal expression gene (com-abnormal expression gene) selection are conducted to test the validity of the RHNMF model. Extensive experimental results on multi-view datasets reveal that our proposed model outperforms other state-of-the-art methods.
Human mitochondrial genome compression using machine learning techniques
Authors: Wang Rongjie , Zang Tianyi , Wang Yadong
Published: October 2019

Background

In recent years, with the development of high-throughput genome sequencing technologies, a large amount of genome data has been generated, which has caused widespread concern about data storage and transmission costs. However, how to effectively compression genome sequences data remains an unsolved problem.

Results

In this paper, we propose a compression method using machine learning techniques (DeepDNA), for compressing human mitochondrial genome data. The experimental results show the effectiveness of our proposed method compared with other on the human mitochondrial genome data.

Conclusions

The compression method we proposed can be classified as non-reference based method, but the compression effect is comparable to that of reference based methods. Moreover, our method not only have a well compression results in the population genome with large redundancy, but also in the single genome with small redundancy. The codes of DeepDNA are available at https://github.com/rongjiewang/DeepDNA.
An ARFID case report combining family-based treatment with the unified protocol for Transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders in children
Authors: Eckhardt Sarah , Martell Carolyn , Duncombe Lowe Kristina , Le Grange Daniel , Ehrenreich-May Jill
Published: October 2019

Background

This case report discusses the presentation and treatment of a nine-year-old female with a history of significant weight loss and food refusal using a combined approach of Family-Based Treatment (FBT) and the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children (UP-C).

Case presentation

The patient was diagnosed with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), separation anxiety disorder, and a specific phobia of choking, and subsequently treated with a modified version of FBT, in conjunction with the UP-C. At the end of treatment, improvements were seen in the patient’s weight and willingness to eat a full range of foods. Decreases in anxiety regarding eating/choking, fears of food being contaminated with gluten, and fears of eating while being away from parents were also observed.

Conclusions

These findings highlight promising results from this combined treatment approach, referred to as FBT + UP for ARFID. Further research is needed to evaluate the use of this treatment in patients presenting with a variety of ARFID symptoms.
Vitiligo susceptibility at workplace and in daily life: the contribution of oxidative stress gene polymorphisms
Authors: Chiarella Pieranna
Published: October 2019

Objective

Vitiligo is a frequently underestimated and little known dermal disease whose symptoms appear as white patches on several skin areas of the body. In this review, the impact of idiopathic and chemical-induced vitiligo at workplace and in daily life is discussed. Also, the influence of selected oxidative stress gene polymorphisms on melanocyte damage is described to understand their involvement in the disease.

Methods

A PubMed search was carried out to select the journal articles reporting an association between specific oxidative stress polymorphic genes and vitiligo.

Results

The double-null glutathione S-transferase T1 and M1 genotypes are associated with vitiligo while the relationship between nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, heme oxygenase, catalase and superoxide dismutase gene polymorphisms and the disease should be confirmed by further studies.

Conclusions

The polymorphic genes analysed here may have a role in the susceptibility of patients affected by vitiligo, while little is known about the affected workers, due to the lack of epidemiologic data on these subjects. However, the similarity of the skin lesions observed in both groups might have in common some genetic factors making all these individuals susceptible to the development of vitiligo, regardless of the disease-triggering factor.
Omega-3 and polyunsaturated fat for prevention of depression and anxiety symptoms: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials
Authors: Deane Katherine H. O. , Jimoh Oluseyi F. , Biswas Priti , O'Brien Alex , Hanson Sarah , Abdelhamid Asmaa S. , Fox Chris , Hooper Lee
Published: October 2019

Background

There is strong public belief that polyunsaturated fats protect against and ameliorate depression and anxiety.

Aims

To assess effects of increasing omega-3, omega-6 or total polyunsaturated fat on prevention and treatment of depression and anxiety symptoms.

Method

We searched widely (Central, Medline and EMBASE to April 2017, trial registers to September 2016, ongoing trials updated to August 2019), including trials of adults with or without depression or anxiety, randomised to increased omega-3, omega-6 or total polyunsaturated fat for ≥24 weeks, excluding multifactorial interventions. Inclusion, data extraction and risk of bias were assessed independently in duplicate, and authors contacted for further data. We used random-effects meta-analysis, sensitivity analyses, subgrouping and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) assessment.

Results

We included 31 trials assessing effects of long-chain omega-3 (n= 41 470), one of alpha-linolenic acid (n= 4837), one of total polyunsaturated fat (n= 4997) and none of omega-6. Meta-analysis suggested that increasing long-chain omega-3 probably has little or no effect on risk of depression symptoms (risk ratio 1.01, 95% CI 0.92–1.10,I2= 0%, median dose 0.95 g/d, duration 12 months) or anxiety symptoms (standardised mean difference 0.15, 95% CI 0.05–0.26,I2= 0%, median dose 1.1 g/d, duration 6 months; both moderate-quality evidence). Evidence of effects on depression severity and remission in existing depression were unclear (very-low-quality evidence). Results did not differ by risk of bias, omega-3 dose, duration or nutrients replaced. Increasing alpha-linolenic acid by 2 g/d may increase risk of depression symptoms very slightly over 40 months (number needed to harm, 1000).

Conclusions

Long-chain omega-3 supplementation probably has little or no effect in preventing depression or anxiety symptoms.

Declaration of interest

L.H. and A.A. were funded to attend the World Health Organization Nutrition Guidance Expert Advisory Group (NUGAG) Subgroup on Diet and Health meetings and present review results. The authors report no other conflicts of interest.
Review of Statistical Methods for Biomarker-Driven Clinical Trials
Authors: Simon Richard
Published: October 2019

The discovery of somatic driver mutations in kinases and receptors has stimulated the development of molecularly targeted treatments that require companion diagnostics and new approaches to clinical development. This article reviews some of the clinical trial designs that have been developed to address these opportunities, including phase II basket and platform trials as well as phase III enrichment and biomarker adaptive designs. It also re-examines some of the conventional wisdom that previously dominated clinical trial design and discusses development and internal validation of a predictive biomarker as a new paradigm for optimizing the intended-use subset for a treatment. Statistical methods now being used in adaptive biomarker-driven clinical trials are reviewed. Some previous paradigms for clinical trial design can limit the development of more effective methods on the basis of prospectively planned adaptive methods, but useful new methods have been developed for analysis of genome-wide data and for the design of adaptively enriched studies. In many cases, the heterogeneity of populations eligible for clinical trials as traditionally defined makes it unlikely that molecularly targeted treatments will be effective for a majority of the eligible patients. New methods for dealing with patient heterogeneity in therapeutic response should be used in the design of phase III clinical trials.
Early-Phase Platform Trials: A New Paradigm for Dose Finding and Treatment Screening in the Era of Precision Oncology
Authors: Polley Mei-Yin C. , Cheung Ying Kuen
Published: October 2019

Applications in early-phase cancer trials have motivated the development of many statistical designs since the late 1980s, including dose-finding methods, futility screening, treatment selection, and early stopping rules. These methods are often proposed to address the conventional cytotoxic therapeutics for neoplastic diseases and cancer. Recent advances in precision medicine have motivated novel trial designs, most notably the idea of master protocol (eg, platform trial, basket trial, umbrella trial, N-of-1 trial), for the evaluation of molecularly targeted cancer therapies. In this article, we review the concepts and methodology of early-phase cancer trial designs with a focus on dose finding and treatment screening and put these methods in the context of platform trials of molecularly targeted cancer therapies. Because most cancer trial designs have been developed for cytotoxic agents, we will discuss how these time-tested design principles hold relevance for targeted cancer therapies, and we will delineate how a master protocol may serve as an efficient platform for safety and efficacy evaluations of novel targeted therapies.
Hippocampal Neurochemical Profile and Glucose Transport Kinetics in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Bednařík Petr , Henry Pierre-Gilles , Khowaja Amir , Rubin Nathan , Kumar Anjali , Deelchand Dinesh , Eberly Lynn E , Seaquist Elizabeth , Öz Gülin , Moheet Amir
Published: October 2019

Context

Longstanding type 1 diabetes (T1D) may lead to alterations in hippocampal neurochemical profile. Upregulation of hippocampal glucose transport as a result of recurrent exposure to hypoglycemia may preserve cognitive function during future hypoglycemia in subjects with T1D and impaired awareness of hypoglycemia (IAH). The effect of T1D on hippocampal neurochemical profile and glucose transport is unknown.

Objective

To test the hypothesis that hippocampal neurochemical composition is altered in T1D and glucose transport is upregulated in T1D with IAH.

Design and participants

Hippocampal neurochemical profile was measured with single-voxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 3T during euglycemia in 18 healthy controls (HC), 10 T1D with IAH, and 12 T1D with normal awareness to hypoglycemia (NAH). Additionally, 12 HC, 8 T1D-IAH, and 6 T1D-NAH were scanned during hyperglycemia to assess hippocampal glucose transport with metabolic modeling.

Setting

University medical center.

Main Outcome Measures

Concentrations of hippocampal neurochemicals measured during euglycemia and ratios of maximal transport rate to cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (Tmax/CMRGlc), derived from magnetic resonance spectroscopy–measured hippocampal glucose as a function of plasma glucose.

Results

Comparison of hippocampal neurochemical profile revealed no group differences (HC, T1D, T1D-IAH, and T1D-NAH). The ratio Tmax/CMRGlc was not significantly different between the groups, T1D-IAH (1.58 ± 0.09) and HC (1.65 ± 0.07, P = 0.54), between T1D-NAH (1.50 ± 0.09) and HC (P = 0.19), and between T1D-IAH and T1D-NAH (P = 0.53).

Conclusions

Subjects with T1D with sufficient exposure to recurrent hypoglycemia to create IAH did not have alteration of Tmax/CMRglc or neurochemical profile compared with participants with T1D-NAH or HC.
Advanced Glycation End Products: Building on the Concept of the “Common Soil” in Metabolic Disease
Authors: Ruiz Henry H , Ramasamy Ravichandran , Schmidt Ann Marie
Published: October 2019

The role of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in promoting and/or exacerbating metabolic dysregulation is being increasingly recognized. AGEs are formed when reducing sugars nonenzymatically bind to proteins or lipids, a process that is enhanced by hyperglycemic and hyperlipidemic environments characteristic of numerous metabolic disorders including obesity, diabetes, and its complications. In this mini-review, we put forth the notion that AGEs span the spectrum from cause to consequence of insulin resistance and diabetes, and represent a “common soil” underlying the pathophysiology of these metabolic disorders. Collectively, the surveyed literature suggests that AGEs, both those that form endogenously as well as exogenous AGEs derived from environmental factors such as pollution, smoking, and “Western”-style diets, contribute to the pathogenesis of obesity and diabetes. Specifically, AGE accumulation in key metabolically relevant organs induces insulin resistance, inflammation, and oxidative stress, which in turn provide substrates for excess AGE formation, thus creating a feed-forward–fueled pathological loop mediating metabolic dysfunction.
Re-irradiation with protons or heavy ions with focus on head and neck, skull base and brain malignancies
Authors: Seidensaal Katharina , Harrabi Semi Ben , Uhl Matthias , Debus Juergen
Published: October 2019

Re-irradiation can offer a potentially curative solution in case of progression after initial therapy; however, a second course of radiotherapy can be associated with an increased risk of severe side-effects. Particle therapy with protons and especially carbon ions spares surrounding tissue better than most photon techniques, thus it is of high potential for re-irradiation. Irradiation of tumors of the brain, head and neck and skull base involves several delicate risk organs, e.g. optic system, brainstem, salivary gland or swallowing muscles. Adequate local control rates with tolerable side-effects have been described for several tumors of these locations as meningioma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, chordoma or chondrosarcoma and head and neck tumors. High life time doses nonetheless lead to a different scope of side-effects, e.g. an enhanced rate of carotid blow outs has been reported. This review summarizes the current data on particle irradiation of the aforementioned locations and malignancies.
Recent advances in understanding and managing self-harm in adolescents
Authors: Clarke Stephanie , Allerhand Lauren A. , Berk Michele S.
Published: October 2019

Adolescent suicide is a serious public health problem, and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is both highly comorbid with suicidality among adolescents and a significant predictor of suicide attempts (SAs) in adolescents. We will clarify extant definitions related to suicidality and NSSI and the important similarities and differences between these constructs. We will also review several significant risk factors for suicidality, evidence-based and evidence-informed safety management strategies, and evidence-based treatment for adolescent self-harming behaviors. Currently, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for adolescents is the first and only treatment meeting the threshold of a well-established treatment for self-harming adolescents at high risk for suicide. Areas in need of future study include processes underlying the association between NSSI and SAs, clarification of warning signs and risk factors that are both sensitive and specific enough to accurately predict who is at imminent risk for suicide, and further efforts to sustain the effects of DBT post-treatment. DBT is a time- and labor-intensive treatment that requires extensive training for therapists and a significant time commitment for families (generally 6 months). It will therefore be helpful to assess whether other less-intensive treatment options can be established as evidence-based treatment for suicidal adolescents.
Buyback Pricing of Durable Goods in Dual Distribution Channels
Authors: Esenduran Gökçe , Lu Lauren Xiaoyuan , Swaminathan Jayashankar M.
Published: October 2019

Problem definition: In the U.S. automobile industry, manufacturers distribute products through dealers and rental agencies. To mediate direct competition between the two intermediaries, manufacturers adopted buyback programs to repurchase used rental cars from rental agencies and redistribute them through dealers. We investigate how the timing of buyback pricing affects manufacturers’ profitability and the intermediaries’ ordering decisions by studying two schemes: (1) a precommitted scheme in which a manufacturer precommits to a buyback price at the time of initial sale to rental agencies and (2) a postponed scheme in which a manufacturer postpones the buyback pricing decision to the time of repurchase. Academic/practical relevance: Prior research has not studied the timing of buyback pricing decisions, which is practically relevant because both precommitted and postponed schemes have been adopted by manufacturers in a range of durable-goods industries. Methodology: We used a two-period dynamic Stackelberg game between three types of firms: manufacturer, dealer, and rental agency. Results: A monopolist manufacturer earns a lower profit under the precommitted scheme than under the postponed scheme. The equilibrium buyback quantity is zero under the precommitted scheme but positive under the postponed scheme. These results can be explained by two trade-offs that only exist under the precommitted scheme. First, decreasing the buyback price increases the margin of the manufacturer’s buyback program but decreases the rental agency’s first-period order quantity. Second, increasing the first-period wholesale price offered to the dealer increases the manufacturer’s margin in the sales channel but decreases the rental agency’s first-period order quantity. When manufacturer competition in the rental market is sufficiently intense, a unique equilibrium may arise in which manufacturers choose the precommitted scheme, which maximizes the manufacturers’ profits and yields positive buyback quantity. Managerial implications: The timing of buyback pricing decisions for used durable goods critically affects the profitability of buyback programs in dual distribution channels with dealers and rental agencies. Precommitting to a buyback price may put a manufacturer at a disadvantage because of the intermediaries’ strategic adjustment of their order quantities. However, competition between manufacturers in the rental market may alleviate this disadvantage thanks to a strategic complementarity between competing manufacturers’ buyback prices.
Retinoids Induced Cancer Stem Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis for Cancer Therapies
Authors: Cao Xin
Published: October 2019

Retinoids show great potential in various kinds of cancer chemotherapy due to its ability to induce signals for cell differentiation or death, as well as inhibit cancer stem cell proliferation. This paper summarized the recent progress of retinoids induced cancer stem cell differentiation and apoptosis in cancer therapy field, with the highlighted novel retinoid named WYC-209 in our lab, which could inhibit the tumor stem cell and malignant melanoma tumors with high efficacy and little toxicity.
How can arts-based research in dramatic performance illuminate understanding of the therapeutic relationship?
Authors: Bird Drew
Published: October 2019

This article explores how Heuristic Inquiry (HI), harnessed for arts-based research using solo performance, deepened the author’s understanding of the therapeutic relationship. The research explores the rehearsal and devising process of nine performances to explore barriers to
a playful encounter with the audience and client using the myth of Psyche and Cupid. Themes of seeking approval, technique and shame are considered as potential obstacles to forging a co-creative therapeutic alliance.
Book Review
Authors: Beauregard Mark
Published: October 2019

Collaborations Within and Between Dramatherapy and Music Therapy: Experiences, Challenges and Opportunities in Clinical and Training Contexts, Amelia Oldfield and Mandy Carr (eds) (2018) London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 256 pp., ISBN 978-1-78592-135-3, p/bk, $22.99; ISBN
978-1-78450-402-1, epub, $22.99
MOTYWACJA I NASTAWIENIA POLSKICH UCZNIÓW DO NAUKI JĘZYKA NIEMIECKIEGO W KONTEKŚCIE RÓŻNIC REGIONALNYCH I POSTRZEGANIA SPOŁECZEŃSTWA NIEMIECKIEGO
Authors: Mackiewicz Maciej
Published: October 2019

The purpose of the article is to present the motivation and attitude of Polish students towards learning German. The analysis presented is based on research conducted by the author in junior and senior high schools throughout Poland. The findings indicate that the predominant motive for learning German is instrumental. Motivation connected with communication is of less importance in the east of Poland than in the western part of the country. Motivation concerning the culture of German speaking countries does not seem to be relevant for Polish students. There is a strong correlation between increasing and decreasing motivation to learn German and the image of a German person and the attitude towards the German nation: those students who are positively motivated to learn the language present an extremely positive attitude towards German society, while those with lower motivation exhibit strong prejudice against Germans.
KOMPETENCJE NAUCZYCIELA JĘZYKA OBCEGO W PRZEDSZKOLU IMMERSYJNYM. PRZYGOTOWANIE STUDENTÓW KIERUNKÓW NEOFILOLOGICZNYCH DO WYKONYWANIA ZAWODU NAUCZYCIELA W PRZEDSZKOLU DWUJĘZYCZNYM
Authors: Bielicka Małgorzata
Published: October 2019

This paper attempts to describe the competences of the preschool teacher. Focus is placed on communicative competences both in the pedagogical dimension, as well as in the in L2. The next point of the paper is to address the following question: how are foreign language teacher trainees prepared for work as L2-teachers in immersive preschools? The conclusions are made on the basis of a 150-hour observation which was conducted in an immersive Polish-German preschool in Poznań.
MIĘDZY TEORIĄ A PRAKTYKĄ – PRZEJAWY TEORII OSOBISTYCH W REFLEKSJI PRZYSZŁYCH NAUCZYCIELI JĘZYKA OBCEGO PODCZAS PRAKTYK PEDAGOGICZNYCH
Authors: Szymankiewicz Krystyna
Published: October 2019

Teacher personal theories bridge a gap between theory and practice. Teacher training offers an opportunity for the trainee to become aware of their personal theories of practice and for these to be shaped . This article focuses on the role of reflection in the development of teacher personal theories of practice while training teachers of French as a foreign language. An interpretive analysis of messages posted on an Internet discussion forum for teacher trainees reveals how reflective students modify their personal theories on teaching by articulating theory and practice.
O KOMUNIKACYJNYCH I MEDIACYJNYCH KOMPETENCJACH EGZAMINATORA NA EGZAMINIE USTNYM Z JĘZYKA OBCEGO (NA PRZYKŁADZIE EGZAMINU CERTYFIKACYJNEGO UW Z JĘZYKA FRANCUSKIEGO)
Authors: Kucharczyk Radosław , Sujecka-Zając Jolanta
Published: October 2019

The purpose of this article is to reflect on the examiner’s mediation skills in the process of certifying speaking ability in a foreign language. In the theoretical part we discuss the principles of language proficiency certification in accordance with the guidelines of the Council of Europe and the specificity of certifying speaking ability. Then we present the results of our own research the aim of which was to evaluate the examiners’ mediation skills during the French oral examination at level B2 at the University of Warsaw.
On rough convergence of ρ-Cauchy sequence of triple sequences
Authors: Esi Ayhan , Aiyub M. , Subramanian N. , Esi Ayten
Published: October 2019

In this paper we define and study rough convergence of triple sequences and the set of rough limit points of a triple sequence. We also investigate the relations between the set of cluster points and the set of rough limit points of Cauchy sequences of triple sequence spaces.
Effect of Temperature on Effluent Quality in a Biological Wastewater Treatment Process
Authors: Tejaswini E. , Uday Bhaskar Babu G. , Seshagiri Rao A.
Published: October 2019

In the present study, the temperature effects on the organic carbon and nitrogen removal in an activated sludge process are evaluated. Benchmark Simulation Model No.1 (BSM1) based on activated sludge process is used for all the simulation purposes. A steady state simulation is performed to analyze the effluent concentrations with varying kinetic parameters obtained from different temperature coefficients over a wide range of temperatures from 15 °C to 35 °C. The temperature coefficient ‘a’ is assumed to have different set of values specific to the kinetic parameters, namely, Maximum heterotrophic growth rate

μ

m
H

\left( {{\mu _{mH}}} \right)

, Maximum autotrophic growth rate

μ

m
A

\left( {{\mu _{mA}}} \right)

, Heterotrophic decay rate

b
H

\left( {{b_H}} \right)

, Autotrophic decay rate

b
A

\left( {{b_A}} \right)

. The effluent concentration defined in terms of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Total Nitrogen (TN) and Ammonia are observed to be significantly changing with a change in the kinetic parameters which are in turn a strong function of temperature coefficient. Emphasis is laid on the temperature range of 25–30 °C as it is commonly the most operated temperature range in a WWTP in India. It is also noticed that at temperatures <20 °C and >30 °C, the effluent limitations are violated from the standard values.
Synthetic and biological approaches to map substrate specificities of proteases
Authors: Chen Shiyu , Yim Joshua J. , Bogyo Matthew
Published: October 2019

Proteases are regulators of diverse biological pathways including protein catabolism, antigen processing and inflammation, as well as various disease conditions, such as malignant metastasis, viral infection and parasite invasion. The identification of substrates of a given protease is essential to understand its function and this information can also aid in the design of specific inhibitors and active site probes. However, the diversity of putative protein and peptide substrates makes connecting a protease to its downstream substrates technically difficult and time-consuming. To address this challenge in protease research, a range of methods have been developed to identify natural protein substrates as well as map the overall substrate specificity patterns of proteases. In this review, we highlight recent examples of both synthetic and biological methods that are being used to define the substrate specificity of protease so that new protease-specific tools and therapeutic agents can be developed.
An Avant-Garde Handling of Temporal-Spatial Fractional Physical Models
Authors: Jaradat Imad , Alquran Marwan , Katatbeh Qutaibeh , Yousef Feras , Momani Shaher , Baleanu Dumitru
Published: October 2019

In the present study, we dilate the differential transform scheme to develop a reliable scheme for studying analytically the mutual impact of temporal and spatial fractional derivatives in Caputo’s sense. We also provide a mathematical framework for the transformed equations of some fundamental functional forms in fractal 2-dimensional space. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed scheme, we first provide an elegant scheme to estimate the (mixed-higher) Caputo-fractional derivatives, and then we give an analytical treatment for several (non)linear physical case studies in fractal 2-dimensional space. The study concluded that the proposed scheme is very efficacious and convenient in extracting solutions for wide physical applications endowed with two different memory parameters as well as in approximating fractional derivatives.
BER Performance Analysis of an Orthogonal FDM Free Space Optical Communication System with Homodyne Optical Receiver over Turbulent Atmospheric Channel
Authors: Barua Bobby , Majumder S. P.
Published: October 2019

Atmospheric turbulence induced fading may severely impair free-space optical (FSO) communication systems, affecting the quality of the propagated laser beam and lead to significant performance degradation. Recent research works reveal that performance can be improved by using orthogonal FDM. In this paper, an analytical approach is presented to evaluate the bit error rate performance of an OFDM FSO link with optical intensity modulation and coherent homodyne receiver taking into consideration the effect of strong atmospheric turbulence. The turbulence effect is modeled as gamma-gamma distribution and the performance results are evaluated in terms of average CNR and BER. Power penalty suffered by the system due to the effect of turbulence at a given BER is evaluated for several system parameters viz. link distance, turbulence parameter, local oscillator power etc. It is noticed that effect of turbulence can be significantly reduced by increasing the number of OFDM subcarrier. For example, power penalty for BER of 10–9 at a link distance of 3,600 m is 6 dB when number of subcarrier is 4 and can be reduced to 0.5 dB by increasing the number of subcarrier to 64. In addition, by utilizing coherent optical receiver and synchronous demodulation at the receiving end, we have introduced local oscillator (LO) for both Optical and RF state which have ability to track the signal’s phase changes over time relative to the LO’s phase and helps the system to remain stable.
Mass variation observing system by high low inter-satellite links (MOBILE) – a new concept for sustained observation of mass transport from space
Authors: Pail R. , Bamber J. , Biancale R. , Bingham R. , Braitenberg C. , Eicker A. , Flechtner F. , Gruber T. , Güntner A. , Heinzel G. , Horwath M. , Longuevergne L. , Müller J. , Panet I. , Savenije H. , Seneviratne S. , Sneeuw N. , van Dam T. , Wouters B.
Published: October 2019

As changes in gravity are directly related to mass variability, satellite missions observing the Earth’s time varying gravity field are a unique tool for observing mass transport processes in the Earth system, such as the water cycle, rapid changes in the cryosphere, oceans, and solid Earth processes, on a global scale. The observation of Earth’s gravity field was successfully performed by the GRACE and GOCE satellite missions, and will be continued by the GRACE Follow-On mission. A comprehensive team of European scientists proposed the next-generation gravity field mission MOBILE in response to the European Space Agency (ESA) call for a Core Mission in the frame of Earth Explorer 10 (EE10). MOBILE is based on the innovative observational concept of a high-low tracking formation with micrometer ranging accuracy, complemented by new instrument concepts. Since a high-low tracking mission primarily observes the radial component of gravity-induced orbit perturbations, the error structure is close to isotropic. This geometry significantly reduces artefacts of previous along-track ranging low-low formations (GRACE, GRACE-Follow-On) such as the typical striping patterns. The minimum configuration consists of at least two medium-Earth orbiters (MEOs) at 10000 km altitude or higher, and one low-Earth orbiter (LEO) at 350-400 km. The main instrument is a laser-based distance or distance change measurement system, which is placed at the LEO. The MEOs are equipped either with passive reflectors or transponders. In a numerical closed-loop simulation, it was demonstrated that this minimum configuration is in agreement with the threshold science requirements of 5 mm equivalent water height (EWH) accuracy at 400 km wavelength, and 10 cm EWH at 200 km. MOBILE provides promising potential future perspectives by linking the concept to existing space infrastructure such as Galileo next-generation, as future element of the Copernicus/Sentinel programme, and holds the potential of miniaturization even up to swarm configurations. As such MOBILE can be considered as a precursor and role model for a sustained mass transport observing system from space.
Heterobeltiosis and interrelationship of some of important quantitative traits in oilseed rape genotypes
Authors: Rameeh Valiollah
Published: October 2019

Half diallel crosses of eight spring genotypes of oilseed rape (Brassica napusL.) were considered to evaluate heterobeltiosis effects of plant height, yield component characters, seed yield and harvest index. Significant mean squares of general and specific combining abilities (GCA and SCA) were determined for all the traits except 1000-seed weight demonstrating prominence of additive and non additive genetic effects for the mentioned traits. Narrow-sense heritability estimates were high for siliquae on main raceme and 1000-seed weight representing the major importance of additive genetic effects for the characters. Most of the crosses with significant positive high parent heterosis for seed yield had also significant heterotic effects for siliquae per plant; therefore, this trait can be considered as indirect selection criterion for enhancing seed yield. Seed yield was significantly correlated with the traits including plant height, siliquae on main raceme and siliquae per plant based on mean performances of the traits and this result was confirmed with correlations based on heterobeltiosis. The crosses including L41×LF2 and L31×L401 with highly significant heterobeltiosis estimates of grain yield were superior combinations for breeding this trait. which proved good specific combiners for most of the traits.
Synthesis and characterizations of TiN–SBA-15 mesoporous materials for CO2 dry reforming enhancement
Authors: Chotirach Maslin , Tantayanon Supawan , Tungasmita Duangamol Nuntasri , Sun Junliang , Tungasmita Sukkaneste
Published: October 2019

A novel approach of titanium nitride (TiN) incorporated into SBA-15 framework was developed using one-step hydrothermal synthesis method. TiN contents up to ~18 wt% were directly dispersed in a synthetic gel under a typical strong acidic condition. The physico-chemical characteristics and the surface properties were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), N2 adsorption-desorption, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) and CO2-temperature programmed desorption (CO2-TPD). The results indicated that the highly ordered mesostructured was effectively maintained with high specific surface area of 532–685 m2g−1. The basicity of the modified SBA-15 increased with rising TiN loading. These modified materials were applied as a support of Ni catalyst in dry reforming of methane (DRM). Their catalytic behavior possessed superior conversions for both CO2 and CH4 with the highest H2/CO ratio (0.83) as well as 50 % lower carbon formation, compared to bare SBA-15 support.
Orexin-1 Receptor Signaling in Ventral Pallidum Regulates Motivation for the Opioid Remifentanil
Authors: Mohammadkhani Aida , Fragale Jennifer E. , Pantazis Caroline B. , Bowrey Hannah E. , James Morgan H. , Aston-Jones Gary
Published: October 2019

Signaling at the orexin-1 receptor (OxR1) is important for motivated drug taking. Using a within-session behavioral economics (BE) procedure, we previously found that pharmacologic blockade of the OxR1 decreased motivation (increased demand elasticity) for the potent and short-acting opioid remifentanil and reduced low-effort remifentanil consumption. However, the mechanism through which orexin regulates remifentanil demand is currently unknown. Previous work implicated OxR1 signaling within ventral pallidum (VP) as a potential target. VP is densely innervated by orexin fibers and is known to regulate opioid reward. Accordingly, this study sought to determine the role of VP OxR1 signaling in remifentanil demand and cue-induced reinstatement of remifentanil seeking in male rats. Intra-VP microinjections of the OxR1 antagonist SB-334867 (SB) decreased motivation (increased demand elasticity; α) for remifentanil without affecting remifentanil consumption at low effort. Baseline α values predicted the degree of cue-induced remifentanil seeking, and microinjection of SB into VP attenuated this behavior without affecting extinction responding. Baseline α values also predicted SB efficacy, such that SB was most effective in attenuating reinstatement behavior in highly motivated rats. Together, these findings support a selective role for VP OxR1 signaling in motivation for the opioid remifentanil. Our findings also highlight the utility of BE in predicting relapse propensity and efficacy of treatment with OxR1 antagonists.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTAbuse of opioids has risen rapidly and continues to be a major health crisis. Thus, there is an urgent need to better understand the neurobiological and behavioral mechanisms underlying opioid addiction. Here, we investigate the role of orexin-1 receptor signaling (OxR1) within ventral pallidum (VP) in remifentanil demand and cue-induced reinstatement of remifentanil seeking. Using a within-session behavioral economics procedure, we show that intra-VP microinjections of the OxR1 antagonist SB-334867 decreased motivation (increased demand elasticity) without affecting remifentanil consumption at low effort. We also found that SB microinjected intra-VP attenuated cue-induced reinstatement of remifentanil seeking. Together, our results support a role for VP OxR1 signaling in opioid reward.
Dentate Gyrus Mossy Cells Share a Role in Pattern Separation with Dentate Granule Cells and Proximal CA3 Pyramidal Cells
Authors: GoodSmith Douglas , Lee Heekyung , Neunuebel Joshua P. , Song Hongjun , Knierim James J.
Published: October 2019

The complementary processes of pattern completion and pattern separation are thought to be essential for successful memory storage and recall. The dentate gyrus (DG) and proximal CA3 (pCA3) regions have been implicated in pattern separation, in part through extracellular recording studies of these areas. However, the DG contains two types of excitatory cells: granule cells of the granule layer and mossy cells of the hilus. Little is known about the firing properties of mossy cells in freely moving animals, and it is unclear how their activity may contribute to the mnemonic functions of the hippocampus. Furthermore, tetrodes in the dentate granule layer and pCA3 pyramidal layer can also record mossy cells, thus introducing ambiguity into the identification of cell types recorded. Using a random forests classifier, we classified cells recorded in DG (Neunuebel and Knierim, 2014) and pCA3 (Lee et al., 2015) of 16 male rats and separately examined the responses of granule cells, mossy cells, and pCA3 pyramidal cells in a local/global cue mismatch task. All three cell types displayed low correlations between the population representations of the rat's position in the standard and cue-mismatch sessions. These results suggest that all three excitatory cell types within the DG/pCA3 circuit may act as a single functional unit to support pattern separation.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTMossy cells in the dentate gyrus (DG) are an integral component of the DG/pCA3 circuit. While the role of granule cells in the circuitry and computations of the hippocampus has been a focus of study for decades, the contributions of mossy cells have been largely overlooked. Recent studies have revealed the spatial firing properties of mossy cells in awake behaving animals, but how the activity of these highly active cells contributes to the mnemonic functions of the DG is uncertain. We separately analyzed mossy cells, granule cells, and pCA3 cells and found that all three cell types respond similarly to a local/global cue mismatch, suggesting that they form a single functional unit supporting pattern separation.
Tecnologias educativas voltadas para pessoas que vivem com hepatite B: revisão integrativa
Authors: Lopes Natália Sousa , Souza Natália Pimentel Gomes , Brito Gizelly Castelo Branco , Pereira Maria Lúcia Duarte
Published: October 2019

Objetivo: identificar as tecnologias educativas construídas e/ou validadas para pessoas que vivem com hepatite B. Métodos: revisão integrativa da literatura, realizada nas bases de dados: Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe, Base de Dados de Enfermagem, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System on-line, PubMed, Cochrane Library e Scopus. Resultados: amostra final para análise constitui-se por cinco artigos. Em maioria, os estudos escolheram como tecnologia educativa os aplicativos/website, sendo três estudos desenvolvidos com esse recurso. Um deles utilizou escala e outro, intervenção abrangente, com a junção de ações, como orientações técnicas, atendimento médico padronizado e envolvimento da comunidade. Conclusão: os cinco estudos encontrados evidenciaram que a utilização de tecnologias educativas foi útil para os portadores de hepatite B crônica, de modo que quesitos, como conhecimento da doença, autoeficácia e desempenho no autocuidado apresentaram melhoras significativas.