bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nuances da Relação da Percepção Ambiental e os Impactos Ambientais da Mineração em Periquito no Bairro Vila Amélia em Itabira/MG
Authors: Sena Cíntia Santos , Monte-Mor Roberto Cézar de Almeida
Published: January 2019

O presente estudo teve como objetivo investigar a percepção dos moradores do bairro Vila Amélia sobre os impactos ambientais oriundos da atividade de mineração na região, bem como realizar, por meio de uma matriz de avaliação de impactos ambientais, a análise da magnitude e importância desses impactos. A investigação pautou-se na comparação entre os resultados obtidos por meio de aplicação de um questionário junto aos moradores do bairro e os obtidos na aplicação de uma matriz de Leopold adaptada. Os resultados apresentados pela matriz não representam fielmente a realidade dos efeitos dos impactos vivenciados pelos moradores do bairro, já que houve convergência apenas para meio biótico, constatando-se divergência para os meios físico e socioeconômico. Esse fato coloca em dúvida a eficiência do uso somente da matriz, quando da avaliação de impactos ambientais nesse tipo de atividade.
Política de alfabetização de jovens e adultos: o caso do MOBRAL no município de Riachuelo-RN
Authors: Araújo Rodrigo Wantuir Alves de , Stamatto Maria Inês Sucupira
Published: January 2019

Este é um trabalho sobre o programa MOBRAL – Movimento Brasileiro de Alfabetização – no município de Riachuelo-RN. O objetivo principal é o de compreender o funcionamento deste programa de alfabetização de jovens e adultos no município, analisando o seu funcionamento, formação de professores, método de ensino, constituição das aulas identificando o seu modelo programático inseridos no contexto histórico. A metodologia de pesquisa predominantemente é a da história oral versada em entrevistas orais e transcritas, narrativas e depoimentos dos principais agentes envolvidos no MOBRAL compuseram o teor desse trabalho. Foram utilizados outros documentos, como fotografia e arquivos da Prefeitura Municipal de Riachuelo-RN que permitiram o diálogo com as fontes orais, a construção e análise deste programa. Mediante tais circunstancias obtivemos um panorama local do funcionamento desta política pública de educação do Governo Militar no município de Riachuelo-RN identificando seu direcionamento e atendimento local.
Análise dos cardápios escolares servidos aos adolescentes da rede educacional do Vale do Guaribas
Authors: Rocha Lívia de Araújo , Da Rocha Plácido Maria Luiza , Soares Tamires da Cunha , Costa Melo Natália Quaresma
Published: January 2019

Este trabalho teve como objetivo, realizar a avaliação quali-quantitativa dos aspectos nutricionais dos cardápios oferecidos a adolescentes em escolas municipais do Vale do Guaribas. Trata-se de uma análise descritiva, do tipo documental executada em escolas de educação básica, de período parcial, das áreas urbana e rural de uma rede de ensino, realizado através do resgate e análise dos cardápios oferecidos no período de julho de 2016 a janeiro de 2017. Os cardápios foram examinados qualitativamente, segundo o Programa Nacional de Educação Escolar. A análise quantitativa ocorreu segundo a Tabela Brasileira de Composição dos Alimentos. Para a verificação da adequação da oferta de macro e micronutrientes, foi escolhida a faixa etária de 11 a 16 anos. Foram encontrados valores inferiores aos exigidos pela lei para carboidratos, lipídeos, proteínas, cálcio, vitamina A, fibras, magnésio e zinco, enquanto que os valores de vitamina C e ferro estavam acima do preconizado. As refeições ofertadas pelas escolas examinadas encontraram-se em desacordo com a legislação vigente, para macro e micronutrientes, suas composições merecem ser reavaliadas.
A realização de Júri Simulado como Estratégia de Ensino para alunos do ensino médio
Authors: Monteiro Sabrina , Pissaia Luís Felipe , Thomas Juliana
Published: January 2019

Esse relato de experiência tem como objetivo analisar e refletir a aplicação de uma estratégia de ensino, em turmas do segundo ano do Ensino Médio, de uma escola do Vale do Taquari, Rio Grande do Sul. As diferentes estratégias aplicadas em sala de aula desafiam o aluno à inúmeras ações: a defesa de ideias, o poder de argumentação, o julgamento e a tomada de decisão. Destaca-se que os registros referentes aos resultados foram feitos a partir de observações, anotações e gravações de áudio durante o desenvolvimento das atividades. Diante dessas considerações e observando que os alunos apresentavam dificuldade quanto a argumentação e interpretação de situações, desenvolveu-se a estratégia do Júri Simulado. Segundo o relato dos alunos, foi possível perceber que estão acostumados com atividades rotineiras em sala de aula e destacam que a estratégia foi uma forma rica de troca de diálogos, discussões e debate, apoiadas em uma situação real. Uma vez que, as dinâmicas de grupo são atrativas e envolventes, por seu caráter motivacional e construtivo, podendo ser utilizadas como propostas pedagógicas em qualquer disciplina. Além disso, percebeu-se que elas contribuíram para o desenvolvimento da interpretação e da argumentação dos alunos envolvidos, que passaram a colocar suas ideias com clareza.
PERANCANGAN APLIKASI KAMUS BAHASA JAWA-INDONESIA BERBASIS ANDROID
Authors: Wati Risa , Ernawati Siti
Published: January 2019

Penggunaan bahasa daerah kini mulai ditinggalkan karena banyak orang yang lebih menyukai menggunakan bahasa asing, maka dari itu sebagai warga yang baik kita harus melestarikan bahasa daerah yang ada contohnya adalah bahasa Jawa. Untuk mempermudah mempelajari bahasa jawa maka kita membutuhkan aplikasi penerjemah. Melihat dari permasalahan tersebut maka penulis merancang sebuah aplikasi kamus digital Jawa–Indonesia dan Indonesia–Jawa pada perangkat mobile khususnya handphone yang berbasis Android. Tahapan yang penulis lakukan untuk melakukan proses pembangunan aplikasi tersebut meliputi tahapan analisis permasalahan dan kebutuhan, perancangan aplikasi dan desain antar muka aplikasi, sehingga aplikasi yang terbentuk menjadi mudah untuk digunakan dan memiliki fungsi yang optimal dalam menterjemahkan bahasa.
PERLINDUNGAN HAK ATAS KEKAYAAN INTELEKTUAL PADA KEMAS ULANG INFORMASI DI PERPUSTAKAAN PDII-LIPI
Authors: Sakila Firda
Published: January 2019

Kemas ulang informasi merupakan salah satu strategi yang dapat dilakukan perpustakaan untuk mendiseminasikan informasi yang dimiliki. Namun, dalam mendiseminasikan informasi perpustakaan harus memperhatikan Hak atas Kekayaan Intelektual terhadap literatur yang dimiliki. Tulisan ini membahas perlindungan Hak atas Kekayaan Intelektual dalam pembuatan kemasan informasi Paket Diseminasi Informasi Terseleksi (PDIT) PDII-LIPI yang merupakan pengemasan informasi berupa kumpulan artikel terpilih. Metode yang digunakan dalam mengkaji ialah deskriptif-kualitatif. Hasil dalam pengkajian ini ialah PDII-LIPI senantiasa menjunjung tinggi hak cipta dan menghargai karya penulis. Kata Kunci : diseminasi informasi, kemas ulang informasi, HKI, PDII-LIPI
THE RELATIONSHIP OF DEMOGRAPHIC AND ADMISSION EXAM SCORES WITH FIRST SEMESTER GRADE POINT AVERAGE IN TWO COHORTS OF FIRST YEAR NURSING STUDENTS
Authors: Sommers Christine Louise , Wirawan Grace
Published: January 2019

Background: As nursing programs in Indonesia admit students, it is important that student factors are identified that provide information about necessary resources that are needed to support the student, both academically and psychosocially, to succeed in the nursing program. 
Obejctive: The purpose of this study was to use regression analysis to analyze admission and academic data of two cohorts of nursing students to know what relationship that information has with first semester grade point average (GPA).
Methods: A descriptive correlation design was used. In a previous study with one cohort of nursing students, the researcher found that the variables accounted for only 28% of the variance. This research added the variable of age, increased the categories for region of origin from five to seven, increased the categories for type of high school from three to four, and analyzed the data from two cohorts. Data from 947 students were included for analysis.  Mulivariate linear regression was used to analyze the variables of city of origin, attendance at pre-nursing course, gender, age, type of high school, and admission exam scores to determine the relationship, if any, between the first semester GPA of nursing students in a large university in an urban area of Indonesia. 
Results: A significant relationship (p<.05) was found between experience factors, attribute factors, and academic metric factors and first semester GPA. For students admitted in 2016, the study variables accounted for 30% of the variance in GPA; for students admitted in 2017, the study variables accounted for 37% of the variance in GPA.
Conclusion: It is important that student factors are identified that provide information about succeeding in the nursing program, both academically and psychosocially.  Additional research is needed to identify other admission factors and any factors in the first semester that may also have a relationship with GPA.
Indirect Influence of African Swine Fever Outbreak on the Raven (Corvus corax) Population
Authors: Gryz Jakub , Krauze-Gryz Dagny
Published: January 2019

Carrion plays a crucial role in the raven’s diet. In the past, domestic pig carrion was widely available in Poland. This changed with an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak and the introduction of strict procedures aimed at stopping the virus from spreading. We compared data from Central Poland (field and forest mosaic, study area of 105 km2) for two periods, i.e., before (2011–2014) and after the ASF outbreak (2015–2018). In breeding seasons, nests of ravens were found, juveniles were counted, and the time when juveniles left their nests was recorded. Diet composition data were based on pellet analysis and direct observations of feeding birds. The number of breeding pairs dropped from 12.3 to 7.5 in the second period. Breeding parameters were similar. However, birds in the second period had fewer fledglings per successful pair. Domestic pig carrion was found to be an important food item, and with its limited supply, ravens changed their diet, i.e., they fed on the carrion of dogs and cats or preyed on small vertebrates more often. Overall, our study points to a crucial role of the availability of the carrion of big farm animals (i.e., domestic pig) in maintaining the high density of breeding raven populations.
Why Should Human-Animal Interactions Be Included in Research of Working Equids’ Welfare?
Authors: Luna Daniela , Tadich Tamara A.
Published: January 2019

The livelihood of working horses’ owners and their families is intimately linked to the welfare of their equids. A proper understanding of human-animal interactions, as well as the main factors that modulate them, is essential for establishing strategies oriented to improve the welfare of animals and their caretakers. To date, there is still a paucity of research dedicated to the identification and assessment of the human psychological attributes that affect the owner–equine interaction, and how these could affect the welfare of working equids. However, some studies have shown that empathy, attitudes towards animals, human perception of animal pain and the owner´s locus of control are some of the psychological attributes that participate in human-equine interactions and that these can result in poor welfare of working equids. A better understanding of the relationship between human attributes and equids’ welfare can provide an opportunity to improve the quality of interactions between owners and their working equids and thus improve their welfare. This review aims to explain why the inclusion of human psychological attributes that modulate the human-animal interactions can benefit welfare research in working equids. The role that empathy, perception of animal pain and locus of control play in the promotion of good welfare in working equids is emphasized.
The Use of Tethered Bilayer Lipid Membranes to Identify the Mechanisms of Antimicrobial Peptide Interactions with Lipid Bilayers
Authors: Alghalayini Amani , Garcia Alvaro , Berry Thomas , Cranfield Charles G.
Published: January 2019

This review identifies the ways in which tethered bilayer lipid membranes (tBLMs) can be used for the identification of the actions of antimicrobials against lipid bilayers. Much of the new research in this area has originated, or included researchers from, the southern hemisphere, Australia and New Zealand in particular. More and more, tBLMs are replacing liposome release assays, black lipid membranes and patch-clamp electrophysiological techniques because they use fewer reagents, are able to obtain results far more quickly and can provide a uniformity of responses with fewer artefacts. In this work, we describe how tBLM technology can and has been used to identify the actions of numerous antimicrobial agents.
Ultrasonic Parametrization of Arterial Wall Movements in Low- and High-Risk CVD Subjects
Authors: Makūnaitė Monika , Jurkonis Rytis , Rodríguez-Martínez Alberto , Jurgaitienė Rūta , Semaška Vytenis , Mėlinytė Karolina , Kubilius Raimondas
Published: January 2019

This paper shows the results of a preliminary study on the performance of new methods based on ultrasonic images parametrization, to estimate the arterial wall movements used for the evaluation of arterial stiffness, considered to be a predictor of cardiovascular events. The well-known technique of motion tracking in ultrasound image sequences was applied on cine loops scanned from subjects with different risks of suffering from cardiovascular disease (CVD). The motion of arterial walls was traced using displacement signals: Diameter, intima-media thickness (IMT) and longitudinal intima-media (IM) complex movement. The new methods used for the parametrization of the displacement signals were the average value (AV), effective or root mean square (RMS) value, and peak-to-peak motion amplitude estimate. A total of 79 subjects were analyzed in the study with 30 considered at low risk and 49 included in a preventive program for monitoring high CVD risk subjects. The results show a statistically significant difference between healthy volunteers and at-risk patients according to the AV of IMT, RMS values of longitudinal and radial motions and peak-to-peak amplitude of radial motion.
Optimization of the Calcium Alginate Capsules for Self-Healing Asphalt
Authors: Xu Shi , Tabaković Amir , Liu Xueyan , Palin Damian , Schlangen Erik
Published: January 2019

It has been demonstrated that calcium alginate capsules can be used as an asphalt healing system by pre-placing rejuvenator (healing agent) into the asphalt mix and releasing the rejuvenator on demand (upon cracking). This healing mechanism relies on the properties of capsules which are determined by the capsule preparation process. In this study, to optimize the calcium alginate capsules, capsules are prepared using varying Alginate/Rejuvenator (A/R) ratios. Light microscope microscopy and Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM) are employed to characterize the morphology and microstructure of these capsules. Thermal stability and mechanical property are investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and compressive tests. The testing results indicate that higher alginate content results in smaller diameter and lower thermal resistance, but higher compressive strength. The optimum A/R ratio of calcium alginate capsules is found to be 30/70. To prove the effectiveness of the optimized capsules, the capsules are embedded in asphalt mortar beams and a bending and healing program is carried out. The effect of capsule shell material on the mechanical response of asphalt mixture is evaluated through three-point bending on the mortar beams embedded with blank capsules (without the healing agent). Aged mortar beams containing alginate capsules encapsulating rejuvenator demonstrate a higher strength recovery after bending tests, which indicates effective healing due to the release of the rejuvenators from the capsules.
Packed Bed Photoreactor for the Removal of Water Pollutants Using Visible Light Emitting Diodes
Authors: Sacco Olga , Sannino Diana , Vaiano Vincenzo
Published: January 2019

A packed bed photoreactor was developed using a structured photocatalyst active under visible light. The packed bed reactor was irradiated by visible light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for the evaluation of photocatalytic activity in the removal of different types of water pollutants. By using a flexible LEDs strip as the external light source, it was possible to use a simple cylindrical geometry for the photoreactor, thereby enhancing the contact between the photocatalyst and the water to be treated. The visible light active structured photocatalyst was composed by N-doped TiO2 particles supported on polystyrene spheres. Photocatalytic results showed that the almost total methylene blue decolorization was achieved after 120 min of irradiation. Moreover, the developed packed bed photoreactor was effective in the removal of ceftriaxone, paracetamol, and caffeine, allowing it to reach the almost total degradation of the pollutants and a total organic carbon removal above 80% after 180 min of visible light irradiation.
Quantum Bits with Macroscopic Topologically Protected States in Semiconductor Devices
Authors: Jaworowski Błażej , Hawrylak Paweł
Published: January 2019

Current computers are made of semiconductors. Semiconductor technology enables realization of microscopic quantum bits based on electron spins of individual electrons localized by gates in field effect transistors. This results in very fragile quantum processors prone to decoherence. Here, we discuss an alternative approach to constructing qubits using macroscopic and topologically protected states realized in semiconductor devices. First, we discuss a synthetic spin-1 chain realized in an array of quantum dots in a semiconductor nanowire or in a field effect transitor. A synthetic spin-1 chain is characterized by two effective edge quasiparticles with spin 1 / 2 protected from decoherence by topology and Haldane gap. The spin-1 / 2 quasiparticles of Haldane phase form the basis of a macroscopic singlet-triplet qubit. We compare the spin one chain with a Kitaev chain. Its edge states are Majorana zero modes, possessing non-Abelian fractional statistics. They can be used to encode the quantum information using the braiding processes, i.e., encircling one particle by another, which do not depend on the details of the particle trajectory and thus are protected from decoherence.
Model Test Research on the Propagation of Tsunamis and Their Interaction with Navigating Ships
Authors: Yuan Peiyin , Wang Pingyi , Zhao Yu
Published: January 2019

The slope of a reservoir area is unstable and can be destroyed by natural disasters, such as strong earthquakes and rainstorms. Landslide bodies that enter the water and generate landslide surges pose serious safety risks to terminals, ships, and hydraulic structures in a reservoir area. After analyzing landslide data in a reservoir area, a series of comparative tests was carried out to investigate the propagation characteristics of landslide-induced tsunamis in channel reservoirs, and the changes in water level values at various monitoring points in the river channel after the landslides entered the water were explored. The effects of landslide width and thickness on the characteristics of landslide-induced tsunamis were analyzed. The main target was a fixed-velocity ship in landslide-swelling water. The complex nonlinear motion characteristics of the ship on the water were studied to determine the safe navigation range.
Femtosecond Laser Irradiation of Carbon Nanotubes to Metal Electrodes
Authors: Cui Jianlei , Cheng Yang , Zhang Jianwei , Mei Huanhuan , Wang Xuewen
Published: January 2019

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have excellent performance, which means that they could be better electrical conductors. However, the problem of the connection of CNTs to electrodes limits their application. Particularly, improving connection efficiency while ensuring the quality of the connection is a big challenge, because it is difficult to form Ohmic contact between CNTs and electrodes. To address this issue, we propose the use of a femtosecond laser to irradiate the contact surface between the CNTs and the electrodes to obtain a good connection quality and electrical performance. At the same time, since the laser-induced connection acts on all the contact surfaces in the irradiation area, the connection efficiency can be improved, which provides a new idea for the large-scale preparation of the connection.
Complex Dispersion Relation Recovery from 2D Periodic Resonant Systems of Finite Size
Authors: Cebrecos Alejandro , Romero-García Vicente , Groby Jean Philippe
Published: January 2019

The complex dispersion relations along the main symmetry directions of two-dimensional finite size periodic arrangements of resonant or non-resonant scatterers are recovered by using an extension of the SLaTCoW (Spatial LAplace Transform for COmplex Wavenumber) method. This method relies on the analysis of the spatial Laplace transform instead of the usual spatial Fourier transform of the measured wavefield in the frequency domain. We apply this method to finite dimension square periodic arrangements of both rigid and resonant scatterers embedded in air, i.e., to finite size sonic crystals and finite size acoustic metamaterials, respectively. The main hypothesis considered in this work is the mirror symmetry of the finite structure with respect to its median axis along the analyzed direction. However, we show that the method is robust enough to provide excellent results even if this hypothesis is not fully satisfied. Effectively, a minor asymmetry could be considered as a side effect when the structure is large enough because Laplace transforming the field along the main symmetry directions also implies averaging the field in the perpendicular one. The calculated complex dispersion relations are in excellent agreement with those obtained by an already validated technique, like the Extended Plane Wave Expansion (EPWE). The methodology employed in this work is intended to be directly used for the experimental characterization of real 2D periodic and resonant systems.
Cutting Insert and Parameter Optimization for Turning Based on Artificial Neural Networks and a Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Solarte-Pardo Bolivar , Hidalgo Diego , Yeh Syh-Shiuh
Published: January 2019

The objective of this present study is to develop a system to optimize cutting insert selection and cutting parameters. The proposed approach addresses turning processes that use technical information from a tool supplier. The proposed system is based on artificial neural networks and a genetic algorithm, which define the modeling and optimization stages, respectively. For the modeling stage, two artificial neural networks are implemented to evaluate the feed rate and cutting velocity parameters. These models are defined as functions of insert features and working conditions. For the optimization problem, a genetic algorithm is implemented to search an optimal tool insert. This heuristic algorithm is evaluated using a custom objective function, which assesses the machining performance based on the given working specifications, such as the lowest power consumption, the shortest machining time or an acceptable surface roughness.
The Cascade Control of Natural Gas Pipeline Systems
Authors: Wen Kai , Gong Jing , Wu Yan
Published: January 2019

With the boost of natural gas consumption, an automatic gas pipeline scheduling method is required to replace the dispatchers in decision making. Since the state space model is the fundamental work of modern control theory, it is possible that the classical controller synthesis method can be used for the complicated gas pipeline controller design. In this paper, a cascade control algorithm is proposed based on the state space model that is used for the transient flow simulation of the natural gas pipelines. A linear quadratic regulator is designed following the classical optimal control theory. Finally, the transient process with different control methods shows the effectiveness of the cascade control using information of the entire pipeline. According to the hardware configuration of natural gas pipelines, automatic scheduling process is ready to deploy as one step to the intelligent natural gas pipelines.
Non-Toxic and Ultra-Small Biosilver Nanoclusters Trigger Apoptotic Cell Death in Fluconazole-Resistant Candida albicans via Ras Signaling
Authors: Prateeksha  , Singh Braj , Gupta Vijai , Deeba Farah , Bajpai Rajesh , Pandey Vivek , Naqvi Alim , Upreti Dalip , Gathergood Nicholas , Jiang Yueming , El Enshasy Hesham , Sholkamy Essam , Mostafa Ashraf , Hesham Abd , Singh Brahma
Published: January 2019

Silver-based nanostructures are suitable for many biomedical applications, but to be useful therapeutic agents, the high toxicity of these nanomaterials must be eliminated. Here, we biosynthesize nontoxic and ultra-small silver nanoclusters (rsAg@NCs) using metabolites of usnioid lichen (a symbiotic association of algae and fungi) that exhibit excellent antimicrobial activity against fluconazole (FCZ)-resistant Candida albicans that is many times higher than chemically synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and FCZ. The rsAg@NCs trigger apoptosis via reactive oxygen species accumulation that leads to the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, DNA fragmentation, chromosomal condensation, and the activation of metacaspases. The proteomic analysis clearly demonstrates that rsAg@NCs exposure significantly alters protein expression. Most remarkable among the down-regulated proteins are those related to glycolysis, metabolism, free radical scavenging, anti-apoptosis, and mitochondrial function. In contrast, proteins involved in plasma membrane function, oxidative stress, cell death, and apoptosis were upregulated. Eventually, we also established that the apoptosis-inducing potential of rsAg@NCs is due to the activation of Ras signaling, which confirms their application in combating FCZ-resistant C. albicans infections.
The Search for Natural Inhibitors of Biofilm Formation and the Activity of the Autoinductor C6-AHL in Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 13884
Authors: Cadavid Elizabeth , Echeverri Fernando
Published: January 2019

Human nosocomial infections are common around the world. One of the main causes is the bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae, which shows high rates of resistance to antibiotics. Thus, drugs with novel mechanisms of action are needed. In this work, we report the effects of various natural substances on the formation of biofilm in Klebsiella pneumoniae, as well as its stability. The effect of the molecules on the growth of K. pneumoniae was initially determined by measuring the optical density. The modification of the biofilm, the changes relating to its resistance, the effects on the bacterial adhesion to the urethral catheter and its antagonist role the hexanoyl-homoserinelactone were assessed by crystal violet, as well as by microscopy. The best effects were obtained with 3-methyl-2(5H)-furanone and 2´-hydroxycinnamic acid, which inhibited the formation of biofilm by 67.38% and 65.06%, respectively. Additionally, the remaining biofilm formed was more susceptible to gentamicin. Through microscopy examination, there were evident changes in the biofilm and adherence on the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) urethral catheter. Besides, 3-methyl-2(5H)-furanone inhibited the biofilm-forming effect of the autoinducer hexanoyl-homoserinelactone. Thus, these molecules could be developed as supplemental of antibiotics.
Integrated Microfluidic Devices Fabricated in Poly (Methyl Methacrylate) (PMMA) for On-site Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Aminoglycosides in Whole Blood
Authors: Al-aqbi Zaidon T. , Yap Yiing C. , Li Feng , Breadmore Michael C.
Published: January 2019

On-site therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is important for providing a quick and accurate dosing to patients in order to improve efficacy and minimize toxicity. Aminoglycosides such as amikacin, gentamicin, and tobramycin are important antibiotics that have been commonly used to treat infections of chronic bacterial infections in the urinary tract, lung, and heart. However, these aminoglycosides can lead to vestibular and auditory dysfunction. Therefore, TDM of aminoglycosides is important due to their ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Here, we have developed a hot embossed poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) microfluidic device featuring an electrokinetic size and mobility trap (SMT) to purify, concentrate, and separate the aminoglycoside antibiotic drugs amikacin, gentamicin, and tobramycin. These drugs were separated successfully from whole blood within 3 min, with 30-fold lower detection limits compared to a standard pinched injection. The limit of detections (LOD) were 3.75 µg/mL for gentamicin, 8.53 µg/mL for amikacin, and 6.00 µg/mL for tobramycin. These are sufficient to cover the therapeutic range for treating sepsis of 6–10 μg/mL gentamicin and tobramycin and 12–20 μg/mL of amikacin. The device is simple and could be mass produced via embossing or injection molding approaches.
Mn-doped CeO2 Nanorod Supported Au Catalysts for Dehydrogenation of Ethane with CO2
Authors: Lei Tianqi , Guo Hongyao , Miao Changxi , Hua Weiming , Yue Yinghong , Gao Zi
Published: January 2019

Dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene was investigated in the presence of CO2 over Au catalyst supported on an Mn-doped ceria nanorod. The activity can be greatly enhanced by proper Mn doping. Mn was found to preferentially occupy defect sites or surface sites of ceria, resulting in the formation of extra oxide ions. Characterization results indicated that the reducible oxygen species related to ceria might play a vital role in the dehydrogenation. The addition of CO2 improved the stability of the catalysts remarkably, since CO2 can sustainably replenish the reducible oxygen species and eliminate the coke on the surface of the catalysts, which was proved by the H2-TPR and Raman analysis of spent catalysts. An ethane conversion of 17.4% with an ethylene selectivity of 97.5% can be obtained after 44 h of reaction.
Continuous Catalytic Deoxygenation of Waste Free Fatty Acid-Based Feeds to Fuel-Like Hydrocarbons Over a Supported Ni-Cu Catalyst
Authors: Loe Ryan , Lavoignat Yasmeen , Maier Miranda , Abdallah Mohanad , Morgan Tonya , Qian Dali , Pace Robert , Santillan-Jimenez Eduardo , Crocker Mark
Published: January 2019

While commercial hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) processes convert fats, oils, and grease (FOG) to fuel-like hydrocarbons, alternative processes based on decarboxylation/decarbonylation (deCOx) continue to attract interest. In this contribution, the activity of 20% Ni-5% Cu/Al2O3 in the deCOx of waste free fatty acid (FFA)-based feeds—including brown grease (BG) and an FFA feed obtained by steam stripping a biodiesel feedstock—was investigated, along with the structure-activity relationships responsible for Ni promotion by Cu and the structural evolution of catalysts during use and regeneration. In eight-hour experiments, near quantitative conversion of the aforementioned feeds to diesel-like hydrocarbons was achieved. Moreover, yields of diesel-like hydrocarbons in excess of 80% were obtained at all reaction times during a BG upgrading experiment lasting 100 h, after which the catalyst was successfully regenerated in situ and found to display improved performance during a second 100 h cycle. Insights into this improved performance were obtained through characterization of the fresh and spent catalyst, which indicated that metal particle sintering, alloying of Ni with Cu, and particle enrichment with Cu occur during reaction and/or catalyst regeneration.
Therapeutic Modulation of Autophagy in Leukaemia and Lymphoma
Authors: Djavaheri-Mergny Mojgan , Giuriato Sylvie , Tschan Mario P. , Humbert Magali
Published: January 2019

Haematopoiesis is a tightly orchestrated process where a pool of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) with high self-renewal potential can give rise to both lymphoid and myeloid lineages. The HSPCs pool is reduced with ageing resulting in few HSPC clones maintaining haematopoiesis thereby reducing blood cell diversity, a phenomenon called clonal haematopoiesis. Clonal expansion of HSPCs carrying specific genetic mutations leads to increased risk for haematological malignancies. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that hematopoietic tumours develop in higher frequency in elderly people. Unfortunately, elderly patients with leukaemia or lymphoma still have an unsatisfactory prognosis compared to younger ones highlighting the need to develop more efficient therapies for this group of patients. Growing evidence indicates that macroautophagy (hereafter referred to as autophagy) is essential for health and longevity. This review is focusing on the role of autophagy in normal haematopoiesis as well as in leukaemia and lymphoma development. Attenuated autophagy may support early hematopoietic neoplasia whereas activation of autophagy in later stages of tumour development and in response to a variety of therapies rather triggers a pro-tumoral response. Novel insights into the role of autophagy in haematopoiesis will be discussed in light of designing new autophagy modulating therapies in hematopoietic cancers.
Spatial Distribution of the Mexican Daisy, Erigeron karvinskianus, in New Zealand under Climate Change
Authors: Hannah Lauren , Aguilar Glenn , Blanchon Dan
Published: January 2019

The invasive species Erigeron karvinskianus or Mexican daisy is considered a significant weed that impacts native forest restoration efforts in New Zealand. Mapping the potential distribution of this species under current and future predicted climatic conditions provides managers with relevant information for developing appropriate management strategies. Using occurrences available from global and local databases, spatial distribution characteristics were analyzed using geostatistical tools in ArcMap to characterize current distribution. Species distribution modeling (SDM) using Maxent was conducted to determine the potential spatial distribution of E. karvinskianus worldwide and in New Zealand with projections into future climate conditions. Potential habitat suitability under future climatic conditions were simulated using greenhouse gas emission trajectories under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) models RCP2.6, RCP4.5, RCP6.0 and RCP8.5 for years 2050 and 2070. Occurrence data were processed to minimize redundancy and spatial autocorrelation; non-correlated environmental variables were determined to minimize bias and ensure robust models. Kernel density, hotspot and cluster analysis of outliers show that populated areas of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch have significantly greater concentrations of E. karvinskianus. Species distribution modeling results find an increase in the expansion of range with higher RCP values, and plots of centroids show a southward movement of predicted range for the species.
Design of Highly Active Electrodes for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Based on Mo-Rich Alloys Electrodeposited from Ammonium Acetate Bath
Authors: Vernickaitė Edita , Bersirova Oksana , Cesiulis Henrikas , Tsyntsaru Natalia
Published: January 2019

The given research was driven by prospects to design Mo-rich coatings with iron group metals electrodeposited from a highly saturated ammonium acetate bath. The obtained coatings could be employed as prominent electrodes for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). It was found that the Mo content in Ni–Mo alloys can be tuned from 30 to 78 at.% by decreasing the molar ratio [Ni(II)]:[Mo(VI)] in the electrolyte from 1.0 to 0.25 and increasing the cathodic current density from 30 to 100 mA/cm2. However, dense cracks and pits are formed due to hydrogen evolution at high current densities and that diminishes the catalytic activity of the coating for HER. Accordingly, smoother and crack-free Ni–54 at.% Mo, Co–52 at.% Mo and Fe–54 at.% Mo alloys have been prepared at 30 mA/cm2. Their catalytic behavior for HER has been investigated in a 30 wt.% NaOH solution at temperatures ranging from 25 to 65 °C. A significant improvement of electrocatalytic activity with increasing bath temperature was noticed. The results showed that the sequence of electrocatalytic activity in alkaline media decreases in the following order: Co–52 at.% Mo > Ni–54 at.% Mo > Fe–54 at.% Mo. These peculiarities might be linked with different catalytic behavior of formed intermetallics (and active sites) in electrodeposited alloys. The designed electrodeposited Mo-rich alloys have a higher catalytic activity than Mo and Pt cast metals.
Fabrication and SERS Performances of Metal/Si and Metal/ZnO Nanosensors: A Review
Authors: Barbillon Grégory
Published: January 2019

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensors are very powerful analytical tools for the highly sensitive detection of chemical and biological molecules. Substantial efforts have been devoted to the design of a great number of hybrid SERS substrates such as silicon or zinc oxide nanosystems coated with gold/silver nanoparticles. By comparison with the SERS sensors based on Au and Ag nanoparticles/nanostructures, higher enhancement factors and excellent reproducibilities are achieved with hybrid SERS nanosensors. This enhancement can be due to the appearance of hotspots located at the interface between the metal (Au/Ag) and the semiconducting substrates. Thus, in this last decade, great advances in the domain of hybrid SERS nanosensors have occurred. In this short review, the recent advances of these hybrid metal-coated semiconducting nanostructures as SERS sensors of chemical and biological molecules are presented.
Melting Diagrams of Adefovir Dipivoxil and Dicarboxylic Acids: An Approach to Assess Cocrystal Compositions
Authors: An Hyunseon , Choi Insil , Kim Il Won
Published: January 2019

Pharmaceutical cocrystallization is a useful method to regulate the physical properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Since the cocrystals may form in various API/coformer ratios, identification of the cocrystal composition is the critical first step of any further analysis. However, the composition identification is not always unambiguous if cocrystallization is performed in solid state with unsuccessful solution crystallization. Single melting point and some new X-ray diffraction peaks are necessary but not sufficient conditions. In the present study, the use of melting diagrams coupled with the X-ray diffraction data was tested to identify cocrystal compositions. Adefovir dipivoxil (AD) was used as a model API, and succinic acid (SUC), suberic acid (SUB), and glutaric acid (GLU) were coformers. Compositions of AD/SUC and AD/SUB had been previously identified as 2:1 and 1:1, but that of AD/GLU was not unambiguously identified because of the difficulty of solution crystallization. Melting diagrams were constructed with differential scanning calorimetry, and their interpretation was assisted by powder X-ray diffraction. The cocrystal formation was exhibited as new compositions with congruent melting in the phase diagrams. This method correctly indicated the previously known cocrystal compositions of AD/SUC and AD/SUB, and it successfully identified the AD/GLU cocrystal composition as 1:1. The current approach is a simple and useful method to assess the cocrystal compositions when the crystallization is only possible in solid state.
Flow Instabilities of Coupled Rotation and Thermal-Solutal Capillary Convection of Binary Mixture in Czochralski Configuration
Authors: Wu Chunmei , Yuan Bo , Li Yourong
Published: January 2019

In order to understand the flow instabilities of coupled rotation and thermal-solutal capillary convection of binary mixture in a Czochralski configuration subjected to simultaneous radial thermal and solutal gradients, a series of three-dimensional direct numerical simulation have been conducted. The capillary ratio of the silicon-germanium mixture is −0.2. The rotation Reynolds numbers of crystal and crucible, Res and Rec range from 0 to 3506 and 0 to 1403, respectively. Results show that the basic flow is axisymmetric and steady. It has rich flow structures in the meridian plane, depending on the competitions among the driving forces. With the increase of thermocapillary and rotation Reynolds numbers, the basic flow will transit to three dimensional oscillatory flow. For different combination of rotation rate and thermocapillary Reynolds number, the oscillatory flow can be displayed as spoke patterns which is steady in time but oscillate in space, spoke patterns propagate in azimuthal direction, rotational waves or coexistence of spokes and rotational waves. The crucible rotation has an inhibitory effect on the flow instability, inducing the monotonically increase of critical value for flow transitions, however, for crystal rotation, the critical thermocapillary Reynolds number increases at first and then decreases. When the rotation rate is large, two flow transitions are captured.
The Effects of Temperature on the Turnover of δ18O and δD in Juvenile Corn Snakes (Elaphe guttata): A Novel Study with Ecological Implications
Authors: Hirt Samuel J. , Hatch Kent A.
Published: January 2019

The use of natural variation in stable isotope ratios continues to be used in ecological studies without proper validation through laboratory studies. This study tested the effects of temperature, time, and turnover in the scales of juvenile corn snakes (Elaphe guttata) in a controlled, laboratory environment. Snakes were assigned to four treatment groups (24 °C, 27 °C, 30 °C, and freely thermoregulating), and one snake from each group was sacrificed weekly. Scales from each snake were washed, dried, and analyzed for δD and δ18O at the Stable Isotope Research Facility for Environmental Research at the University of Utah. The effects of temperature on the turnover of tissues was only significant when comparing the thermoregulating group to the pooled treatment groups (24 °C, 27 °C, and 30 °C) in the δ18O of scales (p = 0.006). After normalizing data on the δD and δ18O using percent change for comparison, δ18O appeared to be turning over at a faster rate than δD as indicated by an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) test for homogeneity of slopes (F1,53 = 69.7, p < 0.001). With further testing of assumptions, a modification of our methods could provide information on the composition of drinking water sources in a species that switches between two isotopically distinct sources, such as during seasonal shifts in habitat or migration, and/or estimates of long-term field metabolic rates based on the turnover of these isotopes.
Delirium Assessment in Older People in Emergency Departments. A Literature Review
Authors: Pérez-Ros Pilar , Martínez-Arnau Francisco Miguel
Published: January 2019

Delirium is a neuropsychiatric syndrome often manifesting in acute disease conditions, and with a greater prevalence in the older generation. Delirium in the Emergency Department (ED) is a highly prevalent problem that typically goes unnoticed by healthcare providers. The onset of a delirium episode in the ED is associated with an increase in morbidity and mortality. Because delirium is a preventable syndrome, these statistics are unacceptable. Emergency Department staff therefore should strive to perform systematic screening in order to detect delirium. Different tools have been developed for the assessment of delirium by healthcare professionals other than psychiatrists or geriatricians. Emergency Departments require delirium assessment scales of high sensitivity and specificity, suited to the characteristics of the Department, since the time available is scarce. In addition, the presence of dementia in the assessment of delirium may induce sensitivity bias. Despite the existence of numerous delirium rating scales, scales taking less than three minutes to complete are recommended. The choice of the tool depends on the characteristics of the ED. The only scale affording high sensitivity and specificity in older people with and without dementia is the Four “A”s Test (4AT); it requires no training on the part of the rater, and can be performed in under two minutes.
Quantum Information Remote Carnot Engines and Voltage Transformers
Authors: Diazdelacruz Jose , Martin-Delgado Miguel Angel
Published: January 2019

A physical system out of thermal equilibrium is a resource for obtaining useful work when a heat bath at some temperature is available. Information Heat Engines are the devices which generalize the Szilard cylinders and make use of the celebrated Maxwell demons to this end. In this paper, we consider a thermo-chemical reservoir of electrons which can be exchanged for entropy and work. Qubits are used as messengers between electron reservoirs to implement long-range voltage transformers with neither electrical nor magnetic interactions between the primary and secondary circuits. When they are at different temperatures, the transformers work according to Carnot cycles. A generalization is carried out to consider an electrical network where quantum techniques can furnish additional security.
An Accelerator Architecture of Changeable-Dimension Matrix Computing Method for SVM
Authors: Wu Ruidong , Liu Bing , Fu Ping , Li Junbao , Feng Shou
Published: January 2019

Matrix multiplication is a critical time-consuming processing step in many machine learning applications. Due to the diversity of practical applications, the matrix dimensions are generally not fixed. However, most matrix calculation methods, based on field programmable gate array (FPGA) currently use fixed matrix dimensions, which limit the flexibility of machine learning algorithms in a FPGA. The bottleneck lies in the limited FPGA resources. Therefore, this paper proposes an accelerator architecture for matrix computing method with changeable dimensions. Multi-matrix synchronous calculation concept allows matrix data to be processed continuously, which improves the parallel computing characteristics of FPGA and optimizes the computational efficiency. This paper tests matrix multiplication using support vector machine (SVM) algorithm to verify the performance of proposed architecture on the ZYNQ platform. The experimental results show that, compared to the software processing method, the proposed architecture increases the performance by 21.18 times with 9947 dimensions. The dimension is changeable with a maximum value of 2,097,151, without changing hardware design. This method is also applicable to matrix multiplication processing with other machine learning algorithms.
Enhancing PUF Based Challenge–Response Sets by Exploiting Various Background Noise Configurations
Authors: Martin Honorio , Peris-Lopez Pedro , Natale Giorgio , Taouil Mottaqiallah , Hamdioui Said
Published: January 2019

Physically Unclonable Functions (PUFs) are a cryptographic primitive that exploit the unique physical characteristics of Integrated Circuits (ICs). A PUF can be modeled as a black-box challenge–response system. The number and size of challenge–response pairs (CRPs) supported by a PUF determine and condition its strength. Ring Oscillators (RO)-based PUF, which are one of the most implemented on FPGA, suffer from a low number and size of CRPs. In this work, we propose an innovative mechanism to expand the size of the CRPs in a RO-PUF by using multiple bits of the two ROs under comparison. To satisfy the reliability and enhance the quality of these responses, we either switch the remaining ROs that are not used for the comparison off or use them as a background noise. We validated our proposal using FPGA measurements. The results show that, with the same number of Ring Oscillators, the CRP size can be doubled with a minimum area overhead.