bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bayesian Utility-Based Designs for Subgroup-Specific Treatment Comparison and Early-Phase Dose Optimization in Oncology Clinical Trials
Authors: Thall Peter F.
Published: October 2019

PURPOSE

Despite the fact that almost any sample of patients with a particular disease is heterogeneous, most clinical trial designs ignore the possibility that treatment or dose effects may differ between prognostic or biologically defined subgroups. This article reviews two clinical trial designs that make subgroup-specific decisions and compares each to a simpler design that ignores patient heterogeneity. The purpose is to illustrate the benefits of accounting prospectively for treatment-subgroup interactions and how utilities may be used to quantify risk-benefit trade-offs.

METHODS

Two Bayesian clinical trial designs that perform subgroup-specific decision making and inference based on elicited utilities of patient outcomes are reviewed. The first is a randomized comparative trial of nutritional prehabilitation for patients undergoing esophageal resection that has two prognostic subgroups and is based on postoperative morbidity score. The second is a sequentially adaptive trial of natural killer cells for treating hematologic malignancies that is based on five time-to-event outcomes and that performs safety monitoring and optimizes cell dose within six disease subgroups. Computer simulations under a range of different scenarios are presented for each design to establish its operating characteristics and compare it to a more conventional design that ignores patient heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Each design has attractive operating characteristics, is greatly superior to a simplified design that ignores patient subgroups, is robust to deviations from its assumed statistical model, and is feasible to use for conducting trials.

CONCLUSION

Bayesian designs that make subgroup-specific decisions in randomized comparative trials or sequentially adaptive early-phase dose-finding trials are superior to designs that ignore patient heterogeneity. Using elicited utilities of complex patient outcomes to quantify risk-benefit trade-offs provides a practical and ethical basis for decision making and treatment evaluation in clinical trials.
Trial Design Challenges and Approaches for Precision Oncology in Rare Tumors: Experiences of the Children’s Oncology Group
Authors: Renfro Lindsay A. , Ji Lingyun , Piao Jin , Onar-Thomas Arzu , Kairalla John A. , Alonzo Todd A.
Published: October 2019

In the United States, cancer remains the leading cause of disease-related death in children. Although survival from any pediatric cancer has improved dramatically during past decades, a number of cancers continue to yield dismal prognoses, which has motivated the continued study of novel therapeutic strategies. Furthermore, even patients cured of pediatric cancer often experience severe adverse effects of treatment and other long-term health implications, such as cardiotoxicity or loss of fertility. For these patients, improved risk stratification to identify those who could safely receive alternate or less-intensive therapy without affecting prognosis is a key objective. Fortunately, pediatric cancers are rare overall, but even among patients with the same narrow cancer type, there is often broad heterogeneity in terms of prognosis, molecular features or pathology, current treatment strategies, and scientific objectives. As a result, the design of clinical trials in the pediatric cancer setting is challenged by a number of practical issues that must be addressed to ensure trial feasibility for this vulnerable group of patients. In this review, we discuss some of the unique trial design considerations often encountered in any rare tumor setting through the lens of our experiences as faculty statisticians for the Children’s Oncology Group, the largest organization in the world dedicated exclusively to pediatric cancer research and clinical trials. These topics include risk stratification within individual trials, relaxation of trial operating characteristics and parameters, use of historical controls, and address of noninferiority-type objectives in small cohorts. We review each in terms of practical motivation, present challenges, and potential solutions described in the literature and implemented in selected example trials from the Children’s Oncology Group.
Biomarker-Driven Oncology Clinical Trials: Key Design Elements, Types, Features, and Practical Considerations
Authors: Hu Chen , Dignam James J.
Published: October 2019

In this precision oncology era, where molecular profiling at the individual patient level becomes increasingly accessible and affordable, more and more clinical trials are now driven by biomarkers, with an overarching objective to optimize and personalize disease management. As compared with the conventional clinical development paradigms, where the key is to evaluate treatment effects in histology-defined populations, the choices of biomarker-driven clinical trial designs and analysis plans require additional considerations that are heavily dependent on the nature of biomarkers (eg, prognostic or predictive, integral or integrated) and the credential of biomarkers’ performance and clinical utility. Most recently, another major paradigm change in biomarker-driven trials is to conduct multi-agent and/or multihistology master protocols or platform trials. These trials, although they may enjoy substantial infrastructure and logistical advantages, also face unique operational and conduct challenges. Here we provide a concise overview of design options for both the setting of single-biomarker/single-disease and the setting of multiple-biomarker/multiple-disease types. We focus on explaining the trial design and practical considerations and rationale of when to use which designs, as well as how to incorporate various adaptive design components to provide additional flexibility, enhance logistical efficiency, and optimize resource allocation. Lessons learned from real trials are also presented for illustration.
Nutrient restriction causes reversible G2 arrest in Xenopus neural progenitors
Authors: McKeown Caroline R. , Cline Hollis T.
Published: October 2019

Nutrient status affects brain development; however, the effects of nutrient availability on neural progenitor cell proliferation in vivo are poorly understood. Without food, Xenopus laevis tadpoles enter a period of stasis during which neural progenitor proliferation is drastically reduced, but resumes when food becomes available. Here, we investigate how neural progenitors halt cell division in response to nutrient restriction and subsequently re-enter the cell cycle upon feeding. We demonstrate that nutrient restriction causes neural progenitors to arrest in G2 of the cell cycle with increased DNA content, and that nutrient availability triggers progenitors to re-enter the cell cycle at M phase. Initiation of the nutrient restriction-induced G2 arrest is rapamycin insensitive, but cell cycle re-entry requires mTOR. Finally, we show that activation of insulin receptor signaling is sufficient to increase neural progenitor cell proliferation in the absence of food. A G2 arrest mechanism provides an adaptive strategy to control brain development in response to nutrient availability by triggering a synchronous burst of cell proliferation when nutrients become available. This may be a general cellular mechanism that allows developmental flexibility during times of limited resources.
Conjugate eye movements guide jumping locomotion in an avian species
Authors: Yorzinski Jessica L.
Published: October 2019

Many animals rely on vision to successfully locomote through their environments. However, our understanding of the interaction between vision and locomotion is surprisingly limited. This study therefore examined the visual mechanisms guiding jumping locomotion in an avian species. It recorded the eye movements of captive Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) as they jumped up onto and down from a perch. Peafowl shifted their eyes forward as they were jumping, increasing the degree of binocular overlap. Their eye movements were highly conjugate as they were jumping but were otherwise loosely conjugate. Finally, the peafowl rarely directed their gaze toward landing spots. These results suggest that eye movements play a central role in avian locomotion and they can vary depending on the specific locomotor task.
Exercise Effects on Mitochondrial Function and Lipid Metabolism during Energy Balance
Authors: WARREN JONATHAN L. , HUNTER GARY R. , GOWER BARBARA A. , BAMMAN MARCAS M. , WINDHAM SAMUEL T. , MOELLERING DOUGLAS R. , FISHER GORDON
Published: October 2019

Introduction/Purpose

Aerobic exercise training (AET) has been shown to improve mitochondrial bioenergetics and upregulate proteins related to lipid metabolism. However, it remains to be determined if these alterations associated with AET persist when measured in energy balance (EB) in the days after the last bout of training. The purpose of the study was to test the hypothesis that improvements in skeletal muscle mitochondrial function induced by AET observed in previous literature would persist when measured after restoring EB conditions 72 h removed from the last exercise bout.

Methods

Participants were 14 premenopausal women (age = 31.2 ± 6.7 yr, BMI = 26.6 ± 5.1 kg·m−2). The AET program required three monitored training sessions per week for 8–16 wk. Skeletal muscle biopsies were obtained at baseline and after 8–16 wk of AET (≥72 h after the last exercise bout). All food was provided for 72 h before biopsies, and EB was managed 24 h before testing within ±100 kcal of measured energy requirements using a whole-room calorimeter. Mitochondrial oxidative capacity was quantified in permeabilized muscle fibers from the vastus lateralis.

Results

We found that AET increased coupled respiration (154%) and uncoupled respiration (90%) rates using a fatty acid substrate (palmitoyl carnitine) (P < 0.05). However, when rates were normalized to complex IV activity (a marker of mitochondrial content), no significant differences were observed. In addition, there were no changes in proteins known to mediate mitochondrial biogenesis or lipid transport and metabolism after AET.

Conclusion

Eight to 16 wk of AET improved mitochondrial capacity under fatty acid substrate when assessed in EB, which appears to be due to mitochondrial biogenesis.
Metal artifact correction strategies in MRI-based attenuation correction in PET/MRI
Authors: Schramm Georg , Ladefoged Claes Nøhr
Published: October 2019

In hybrid positron emission tomography (PET) and MRI systems, attenuation correction for PET image reconstruction is commonly based on processing of dedicated MR images. The image quality of the latter is strongly affected by metallic objects inside the body, such as e.g. dental implants, endoprostheses, or surgical clips which all lead to substantial artifacts that propagate into MRI-based attenuation images. In this work, we review publications about metal artifact correction strategies in MRI-based attenuation correction in PET/MRI. Moreover, we also give an overview about publications investigating the impact of MRI-based attenuation correction metal artifacts on the reconstructed PET image quality and quantification.
Case Report: Nodular colloid degeneration of the skin
Authors: Niknezhad Nasim , Bidari-Zerehpoosh Farahnaz , Niknejad Nakisa , Mozafari Nikoo
Published: October 2019

In this report, we described a 58-year-old man, presenting with multiple plaques and nodules over the nose and forehead resembling sarcoidosis or lepromatous leprosy. The histologic study revealed deposition of the mass of amorphous, eosinophilic-cleaved, colloid materials in the papillary dermis and deep dermis. The periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain was positive, whereas the Congo red stain was negative.  Based on the clinical and pathologic findings, the patient was diagnosed with nodular colloid degeneration(NCD). To treat the patient, lesions were flattened using a Co2 laser. The patient did not return for follow-up.  NCD is a rare disease,  with only 12 cases having been previously reported. Here, we present a case of NCD that occurred on the face and discuss the topic of how to discriminate between NCD and other similar entities, emphasizing that nodular colloid degeneration should be  considered  in the differential diagnosis of asymptomatic facial plaques and nodules.
Repeated Interaction in Teams: Tenure and Performance
Authors: Villas-Boas J. Miguel
Published: October 2019

Many of the activities performed in firms are done by teams, where a common output is observed, but outsiders cannot observe the individual contributions of each team member. This leads to the possibility of some of the members of the team free-riding on the contributions of others. Repeated interactions of a team can then potentially lead to cooperation among the members of the team under the credible threat of returning to a free-riding equilibrium. However, repeated interaction under cooperation of a team may lead to decreasing overall output over time because the benefits of the team working together may exogenously decrease over time. This then leads to the optimal duration of a team being finite but stochastic, creating inefficiency, but being sufficiently long so that the elements of the team have an incentive to cooperate. This provides a theory of successive team formation and termination in a firm. The possibility for a too long duration for full team cooperation may then lead the firm to reduce the extent of team cooperation, to be able to reduce the expected duration of a team, and have fewer losses of the team lasting for too long.

This paper was accepted by Eric Anderson, marketing.
The Structure of Health Incentives: Evidence from a Field Experiment
Authors: Carrera Mariana , Royer Heather , Stehr Mark , Sydnor Justin
Published: October 2019

A growing number of firms use incentive programs to encourage healthy behaviors, but there is little evidence about how such incentives should be structured over time. We explore this issue using a large field experiment that incentivized employees of a Fortune 500 company to use their workplace gym. We compare the effectiveness of a treatment with constant incentives over 8 weeks to two treatments that varied incentives over time. One variable treatment featured front-loaded incentives, which could, in theory, help procrastinators overcome startup costs to joining an incentive program. We find, however, that the front-loaded incentive did not increase participation on the extensive margin relative to the constant incentive and was less effective in sustaining exercise over time. The second variable incentive was designed to leverage short-term habit formation by turning incentives on and off over a longer period of time. This novel sporadic incentive showed slightly stronger effects than the constant incentive. We discuss how the nature of habit-formation processes affects the relative benefits of consistent versus periodic incentives.

This paper was accepted by Uri Gneezy, behavioral economics.
Analisis Statistik Pitch Rekaman Suara Yang Telah Dimanipulasi Menggunakan Audio Forensik Untuk Keperluan Barang Bukti Digital
Authors: Umar Rusydi , Sunardi Sunardi , Gustafi Muhammad Fauzan
Published: October 2019

Rekaman suara adalah salah satu barang bukti digital yang bisa ditemukan dalam suatu kasus pidana maupun perdata, misalnya berupa rekaman perbincangan antara pelaku pidana. Barang bukti berupa rekaman suara atau audio sangat mudah dimanipulasi untuk menyembunyikan identitas dari rekaman suara tersebut. Pada era milenial ini sangat mudah mendapatkan alat atau perangkat lunak untuk manipulasi data terutama pada kasus ini adalah manipulasi rekaman suara. Aplikasi manipulasi rekaman suara pada dasarnya adalah merubah sinyal digital atau analog. Studi kasus pada penelitian ini adalah manipulasi rekaman suara menggunakan aplikasi Voice Changer yang ada pada smartphone Android dan dianalisis menggunakan statistik pitch. Penggunaan aplikasi Praat dapat diketahui nilai pitch maksimum, minimum, nilai tengah, rata-rata dan nilai deviasi standar sebagai parameter untuk mengetahui bahwa suara yang telah dimanipulasi tersebut identik dengan rekaman suara asli. Hasil yang didapatkan dalam penelitian dengan kasus manipulasi rekaman suara yang berisi 20 kata yang telah dimanipulasi adalah tidak identik dengan rekaman suara asli.
La organización histórica del trabajo en la Amazonia brasileña bajo nuevas formas de explotación
Authors: Lázaro Pérez Miguel Ángel , Ortiz Pérez Samuel
Published: October 2019

La escasa participación en los flujos espaciales de valor de la Amazonia brasileña, tanto en el sistema de explotación colonial portugués, como en el posterior desarrollo del espacio productivo nacional del Estado brasileño, configura la histórica situación periférica de este territorio en el ámbito de la articulación geográfica del sistema-mundo capitalista. Este hecho se ve reflejado en numerosos aspectos sociales y económicos, sin embargo, cabe destacar la organización histórica de la fuerza de trabajo como un indicador básico para mostrar cómo los agentes que han actuado en este territorio han ejercido su poder con la finalidad de apropiarse del excedente económico resultante de la actividad proyectada. Las relaciones de producción impuestas han destacado por la semiproletarización de los trabajadores locales y otras maneras de trabajo no mercantilizado durante toda la historia de la Amazonía brasileña, lejos de las tesis de expansión de las relaciones de producción capitalistas como el proceso de mercantilización extensiva del trabajo. A pesar de las transformaciones sociales que ha experimentado el espacio amazónico, consideramos que este proceso de explotación continúa vigente, al igual que en la mayoría de regiones periféricas del sistema-mundo, aunque se presente a través de nuevas técnicas de articulación de flujos de valor y bajo nuevos velos ideológicos, tal y como ejemplifican las cooperativas extractivistas.
Presentación
Authors: Andrade De Melo Victor , Fortes Rafael
Published: October 2019

Texto de presentación del Dossier “Mirada sobre el deporte brasileño”.
Historias y caminos de los inmigrantes en Brasil se cruzan en un libro
Authors: Marcolini Adriana
Published: October 2019

Hirano, S. & Tucci Carneiro, M. L. (Orgs.) (2016). Histórias Migrantes – caminhos cruzados. São Paulo: Humanitas/Fapesp. 380 páginas.Histórias migrantes – Caminhos cruzados (São Paulo: Humanitas/FAPESP, 2016) es una colección de 18 textos escritos por investigadores brasileños y extranjeros sobre el tema de las migraciones, particularmente en Brasil. Organizado por Maria Luiza Tucci Carneiro y Sedi Hirano, profesores de la Universidad de São Paulo (USP), integra la lista de publicaciones conmemorativas de los diez años de actividades del Laboratorio de Estudios de la Etnicidad, Racismo y Discriminación (LEER) de la USP. La colección es el resultado del proyecto Archivo Virtual de Historias Migrantes, financiado por la Fundación para el Apoyo a la Investigación del Estado de São Paulo (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo/FAPESP). El hilo conductor del libro es la múltiple formación étnica de Brasil.
Relaciones comerciales entre España y Brasil. Las exportaciones de España en el siglo XXI
Authors: Alonso Santos José Luis
Published: October 2019

El comercio bilateral España-Brasil tenía hasta avanzados los años noventa del siglo XX una intensidad bastante baja en ambas direcciones con saldo positivo, en general, para Brasil. En los últimos años de la centuria, por el contrario, se produce un cambio de ciclo incrementándose notablemente el volumen y naturaleza de los bienes intercambiados. Nos obstante, sólo después de iniciada la crisis económica internacional y en España, desde 2010 el incremento de las exportaciones e importaciones alcanza niveles importantes sólo quebrados en el último bienio debido a la crisis económica y política que aqueja a Brasil
Los libros de la Nación: Premios Literarios en Brasil durante la dictadura de Getúlio Vargas (1937-1945)
Authors: Lima Grecco Gabriela de
Published: October 2019

Durante el Estado Novo brasileño (1937-1945), la literatura fue un instrumento más en la construcción del régimen y sirvió como herramienta clave en el proceso de nacionalización de la cultura brasileña. A través de los premios literarios oficiales, la dictadura de Getúlio Vargas buscó establecer nuevos cánones dentro de su proyecto de formación identitaria de la brasileñidad. Pero, por otro lado, los premios privados también tuvieron gran importancia, proyectándose como un referente nacional e intelectual más plural. En este sentido, el propósito de este artículo es analizar los premios literarios oficiales y privados más importantes de este periodo: el Premio Nacional de Literatura, el Premio Machado de Assis, el Premio Fundación Graça Aranha y el Premio Sociedade Felipe d´Oliveira. A partir de las fuentes primarias recabadas en el Archivo Público del estado del Rio de Janeiro (APERJ) y en el Centro de Pesquisa e Documentação de História Contemporânea do Brasil de la Fundación Getúlio Vargas (CPDOC/ FGV), este artículo describe y analiza las obras y autores galardonados a la vez que hace hincapié en la importancia del “mundo de las letras” y su relación con el poder político en un contexto dictatorial.
Los caminos para la formación académica y política
Authors: De Souza Adriana Aparecida
Published: October 2019

La entrevista con el profesor Dante Henrique Moura se realizó en septiembre de 2017 en el PPGEP/IFRN. El objetivo de la entrevista es reflexionar sobre la formación y la vida profesional del profesor Dante, así como sobre las imbricaciones sociales, culturales y políticas vinculadas a las políticas públicas orientadas a la educación profesional en la década de 1990 y su actuación profesional. Podemos destacar que los estudios apuntados y destacados por el profesor aluden a las reformas de la Enseñanza Media y Educación Profesional en tiempos de crisis en Brasil, así como a la defensa de la Enseñanza Media Integrada. De ese modo, contribuye a la reflexión sobre el Brasil actual y sobre las políticas educativas, incluyendo cuestiones de formación para el trabajo.
Sesión parlamentaria transformada en poesía política
Authors: Ferreira Thássio
Published: October 2019

Frankel, R. D. (2017). Sessão. São Paulo: Luna Parque.La presente reseña analiza el libro de poesía Sesión (Luna Parque, 2017). En la obra, el autor Roy David Frankel selecciona algunos de los discursos pronunciados por los parlamentarios durante la sesión de la Cámara de Diputados – una de las dos cámaras del parlamento brasileño – que autorizó el juicio de la presidenta electa Dilma Rousseff por el crimen de responsabilidad (proceso conocido como impeachment) y transforma cada discurso en un poema. Para ello, el autor mantiene la integridad de cada discurso, pero los reorganiza en versos libres, con un amplio uso del enjambement y otros recursos formales creativos para transformar en potente poesía política el traumático episodio institucional vivido en 2016 por Brasil.
La desviación lejos del blanco: la antinormalización de las imágenes de Bárbara Wagner
Authors: Melo Mendes André , Sousa Alves Marco Antônio
Published: October 2019

En este artículo abordaremos cuestiones relativas a la visibilidad del “otro” a partir de las imágenes producidas por la fotógrafa brasileña Barbara Wagner en Brasília Teimosa (Recife, PE). Realizaremos una reflexión sobre algunas implicaciones estéticas y políticas de este conjunto de fotografías, tratando de entender si estas imágenes pueden funcionar como un instrumento anti-normalización, capaz de desestabilizar los estereotipos y prejuicios existentes en la sociedad brasileña. Para el análisis utilizamos una metodología semiótica que no solamente se centra en los aspectos objetivos de la fotografía, sino que los toma como base para considerar también los aspectos subjetivos. Para esta reflexión nos serviremos de algunos conceptos operativos tomados de la obra de Michel Foucault, específicamente el concepto de “normalización” y la idea de “cuerpos civilizados”.
Preliminary investigation of acaricidal activity of leaf extract of Nicotiana tabacum on dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus
Authors: Oyagbemi Taiwo Olaide , Ashafa Anofi , Adejinmi Johnson Olayide , Oguntibeju Oluwafemi Omoniyi
Published: October 2019

Background and Aim: Tick infestation of domestic animals remains a major constraint to livestock productivity across all agro-ecological zones most especially in small animal practice. The most common method of tick control is the use of synthetic acaricide. However, a widespread increase of acaricidal resistance, scarcity and high cost of acaricides especially to farmers of low-income earnings in developing countries support the need for alternative tick control methods. Among the alternative methods for tick control is herbal therapy. In this study, we investigated the acaricidal activity of methanol and N-hexane leaf extracts of Nicotiana tabacum against dog ticks − Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Materials and Methods: Larvicidal and adulticidal activity of N. tabacum leaf extract were examined on the dog tick − R. sanguineus in an in vitro experiment using larval packet test and adult immersion test respectively. Phytochemical and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC−MS) analysis of the leaf extract were also carried out using standard methods. Results: We observed a tick mortality rate that was concentration-dependent. However, N-hexane extract showed a higher significant acaricidal effect than methanol extract. Lethal dose (LD50) of N. tabacum was 0.06. High quantity of terpenoids was obtained from N. tabacum. Lower tick glutathione S-transferase observed with varying concentration of N. tabacum. GC−MS revealed Pyridine, 3-(1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)-, (S) - Nicotine, Citronellyl propionate, Crotonaldehyde, Lavandulyl acetate, trans-Phytol and Amitrole (3-Amino-1, 2, 4-triazole) in N. tabacum. Conclusion: Both methanol and N-hexane leaf extracts of N. tabacum exhibited observable acaricidal property against the larvae and adult R. sanguineus of dog.
Erratum: a synonymous variant in GCK gene as a cause of gestational diabetes mellitus (diabetes mellitus. 2019;22(2). Doi: 10.14341/dm9938)
Authors: Zubkova Natalia A. , Rubtsov Petr M. , Burumkulova Fatima F. , Ibragimova Liudmila I. , Makretskaya Nina A. , Vasilyev Evgeny V. , Petrov Vasily M. , Tiulpakov Anatoly N.
Published: October 2019

An erratum on A synonymous variant in GCK gene as a cause of gestational diabetes mellitus by Natalya A. Zubkova, Petr M. Rubtsov, Liudmila I. Ibragimova, Nina A. Makretskaya, Evgeny V. Vasiliev, Vasily M. Petrov, Anatoly N. Tiulpakov (2019). Diabetes mellitus. 22(2). doi: 10.14341/DM9938An error was made in the list of authors: Fatima F. Burumkulova was not indicated as author of this article. The correct list of authors: Natalya A. Zubkova, Petr M. Rubtsov, Fatima F. Burumkulova, Liudmila I. Ibragimova, Nina A. Makretskaya, Evgeny V. Vasiliev, Vasily M. Petrov, Anatoly N. Tiulpakov.The editorial board apologize for this error and state that this does not change the scientific conclusions of the article in any way.The original article has been updated.
PRAKTIK FINANSIAL TEKNOLOGI ILEGAL DALAM BENTUK PINJAMAN ONLINE DITINJAU DARI ETIKA BISNIS
Authors: Wahyuni Raden Ani Eko , Turisno Bambang Eko
Published: October 2019

Kemajuan teknologi berdampak bagi aspek kehidupan ekonomi masyarakat. Munculnya finansial teknologi dalam bentuk pinjaman online memberikan kemudahan untuk mendapatkan dana yang diinginkan dengan waktu yang singkat dan mudah prosesnya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk membahas praktik pinjaman online ilegal dari perspektif  etika bisnis.  Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah Yuridis Normatif dengan spesifikasi penelitian deskriptif analitis. Pada praktik Financial Technology (tekfin) yaitu pinjaman online ditemukan beberapa masalah seperti munculnya pinjaman online illegal, tercatat sejak Januari 2018 hingga April 2019, Otoritas Jasa Keuangan  telah memblokir 947 entitas tekfin berjenis pinjaman antar pihak (peer to peer lending) tak berizin. Apabila dilihat dari perspektif etika bisnis, kegiatan pinjaman online bisa dilakukan dengan saling menjaga kepercayaan yang memiliki pengaruh besar terhadap reputasi perusahaan. Namun apabila perusahaan tersebut ilegal dapat memicu terjadinya tindak pidana seperti penipuan, pencucian uang atau penyalahgunaan data milik konsumen. Kondisi tersebut dipicu oleh masih banyak masyarakat yang belum mengetahui mengenai bisnis finansial teknologi.
Pembuatan Pelat Baja untuk Material Tahan Peluru untuk Kendaraan Tempur
Authors: Rusnaldy Rusnaldy , Nugorho Sri , Haryanto Ismoyo , Herlangga Herlangga , Anestasia Jill , Arifin Febby
Published: October 2019

Pada studi ini, 5 baja dengan komposisi kimia yang berbeda dibuat melalui proses pengecoran yang diikuti dengan proses tempa dan perlakuan panas. Sampel berdimensi 180 x 180 dan 8 mm diambil dari pelat baja yang telah mengalami proses perlakuan panas dan akan digunakan untuk mengevaluasi perilaku balistik dari baja-baja tersebut dengan cara ditembaki peluru baja berkaliber 5,56 mm dengan kecepatan tembak 900 m/s dari sudut normal pada jarak 25 m. Hasil percobaan menunjukkan bahwa performan balistik terbaik diperoleh pada baja dengan kekerasan tertinggi.
Determinants of effective nurse-patient communication based on the health action process approach in Yazd hospitals
Authors: Morowati Sharifabad Mohammad Ali , Rafati Fard Mohammad , Fattahi Ardakani Mojtaba , Dehghani Ahmadabad Ali , Sotudeh Ahmad
Published: October 2019

Background

Nurse-patient communication is one of the most important care relationships that affects the treatment process. The health action process approach (HAPA) has been used to explain a number of behaviors. However, this approach has not been used to explain nurse-patient communication. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate effective nurse-patient communication using this approach.

Materials and methods

In this cross-sectional study, 300 nurses from public hospitals in the center of Iran were enrolled in the study. A researcher-developed questionnaire was used to measure the HAPA constructs. The data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and one-way analysis of variance with least significant difference (LSD) post hoc tests in SPSS as well as structural equation modeling using AMOUS software.

Results

In the motivation phase, risk perception, outcome expectancies and task self-efficacy predicted 19% of variance in intention to communicate effectively. In the volitional phase, planning and action self-efficacy predicted 22% of variance in effective communication. The scores of HAPA constructs were different depending on the levels of effective communication.

Conclusions

The model can serve as a reference framework to promote effective nurse-patient communication.
Runtime analysis of discrete particle swarm optimization algorithms: A survey
Authors: Mühlenthaler Moritz , Raß Alexander
Published: October 2019

A discrete particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is a randomized search heuristic for discrete optimization problems. A fundamental question about randomized search heuristics is how long it takes, in expectation, until an optimal solution is found. We give an overview of recent developments related to this question for discrete PSO algorithms. In particular, we give a comparison of known upper and lower bounds of expected runtimes and briefly discuss the techniques used to obtain these bounds.
Understanding the effects of temporal energy-data aggregation on clustering quality
Authors: Trittenbach Holger , Bach Jakob , Böhm Klemens
Published: October 2019

Energy data often is available at high temporal resolution, which challenges the scalability of data-analysis methods. A common way to cope with this is to aggregate data to, say, 15-minute-interval summaries. But it often is not known how much information is lost with this, i. e., how good analysis results on aggregated data actually are. In this article, we study the effects of aggregating energy data on clustering. We propose an experimental design to compare a wide range of clustering methods found in literature. We then introduce different ways to compare clustering results obtained with different aggregation schemes. Our evaluation shows that aggregation affects the clustering quality significantly. Finally, we propose guidelines to select an aggregation scheme.
Protective effects of Astragalus kahiricus root extract on ethanol-induced retrograde memory impairments in mice
Authors: Abdelaziz Basma M. , Helmy Maged W. , Katary Mohamed A. , Abd-Alhaseeb Mohammad M. , Ghoneim Asser I.
Published: October 2019

Introduction: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that has no definite cure. Currently, there is great interest in using plant-based medicines to treat AD. In the present study, the neuroprotective effects of Astragalus kahiricus root extract were evaluated in a retrograde amnesia model. Methods: Male albino mice were given four training sessions in the Morris water maze for seven consecutive days. Treated groups were administered A. kahiricus (25 or 50 mg/kg, i.p.) before ethanol (3.5 gm/kg, i.p) injection. All animals were given a test session in the Morris water maze apparatus. Acetylcholinesterase activity and the levels of oxidative stress biomarkers were also measured. Results: Memory impairment was observed, after ethanol administration, as increased escape latency time and path length travelled by the animals. On the other hand, A. kahiricus significantly reduced both escape latency time and path length. In addition, the extract demonstrated an inhibitory effect on acetylcholinesterase activity and total nitrite level. Moreover, A. kahiricus significantly increased the level of reduced glutathione in mice brain. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the potential behavioural and biochemical neuroprotective properties of A. kahiricus root extract, which might further be considered an important candidate for the treatment of AD.
Protection efficiency of red radish seeds and roots against paracetamol mediated hepatotoxicity in rats
Authors: Mohamed Doha A. , Mohamed Rasha S. , Essa Hend A. , Abdelgayed Sherein S.
Published: October 2019

Introduction: Protection of liver from the aggressive force of various environmental and chemical agents is very important for the overall health of an individual. So, the present study aimed to evaluate the protection efficiency of crude extracts of red radish seeds and roots against paracetamol mediated hepatotoxicity in rats. Methods: Twenty-four male Wistar rats were divided into four groups. Group I was served as normal rats, Group II received orally single dose of 2 g paracetamol/kg body weight on the 22nd day, Group III and Group IV were administered orally with 300 mg/kg/d crude ethanol extract of either seeds or roots of red radish for 21 days, then received paracetamol on 22nd day. After 48 hours of paracetamol administration blood was withdrawn to determine the activities of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Gama-GT (γ-GT) as well as total and direct bilirubin. Also, liver tissues were separated to determine malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) as well as histological changes. Results: Pretreatment of rats with crude ethanol extract of either seeds or roots of red radish significantly (P ≤ 0.05) suppressed the elevations in serum activities of ALT, AST, ALP, γ- GT, total and direct bilirubin as well as liver MDA and NO levels. The results of histopathologic examinations were consistent with the biochemical results. Conclusion: Seeds and roots of red radish have a protection efficiency against paracetamol mediated oxidative damage and hepatotoxicity in rats.
Mechanistic Assessment of Fatigue Performance and Cost Analysis of Pavement Overlays: Comparison between Conventional Hot Mixed Asphalt, Asphalt Rubber, and Polymer-Modified Mixtures
Authors: Gc Hemant , Souliman Mena I. , Zeiada Waleed , Isied Mayzan
Published: October 2019

Fatigue cracking, which is commonly associated with repeated traffic loading, is considered one of the major distresses occurring in asphalt pavements because of the low tensile strength of hot mixed asphalt (HMA). Studies have shown that introducing modifiers, such as rubber and polymers, increases the tensile strength of HMA, prolonging the fatigue life of pavement. Although research in the past has studied the effect of added rubber and polymers on the long-term fatigue performance of newly constructed pavement, few studies have shown the effect of those modifiers on the fatigue life of an asphaltic overlay and their associated cost-effectiveness. In this study, the long-term fatigue performance of asphalt overlay was constructed utilizing three different mixtures, conventional HMA, asphalt rubber (AR), and polymer-modified mixtures, which were evaluated utilizing 3D Move Analysis software. In addition, cost-effectiveness analysis was performed. Eighteen 3D Move Analysis scenarios were run including two different overlay thicknesses, three different vehicle speeds, and three different overlay mixtures. The tensile strain at the bottom of the overlay was determined and the number of fatigue loading cycles to failure (Nf) was calculated based on strain-Nf relationships of the three asphalt mixtures. Based on these analyses, use of modified mixtures as an overlay resulted in a significant increase in the service life of the overlay. It was demonstrated that AR and polymer-modified mixtures had better fatigue life and were more cost-effective than the conventional HMA mixtures.
Functional Interactions of Ribosomal Intersubunit Bridges in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Tamm Tiina , Kisly Ivan , Remme Jaanus
Published: October 2019

Ribosomes of Archaea and Eukarya share higher homology with each other than with bacterial ribosomes. For example, there is a set of 35 r-proteins that are specific only for archaeal and eukaryotic ribosomes. Three of these proteins—eL19, eL24, and eL41—participate in interactions between ribosomal subunits. The eukaryote-specific extensions of r-proteins eL19 and eL24 form two intersubunit bridges eB12 and eB13, which are present only in eukaryotic ribosomes. The third r-protein, eL41, forms bridge eB14. Notably, eL41 is found in all eukaryotes but only in some Archaea. It has been shown that bridges eB12 and eB13 are needed for efficient translation, while r-protein eL41 plays a minor role in ribosome function. Here, the functional interactions between intersubunit bridges were studied using budding yeast strains lacking different combinations of the abovementioned bridges/proteins. The growth phenotypes, levels of in vivo translation, ribosome–polysome profiles, and in vitro association of ribosomal subunits were analyzed. The results show a genetic interaction between r-protein eL41 and the eB12 bridge-forming region of eL19, and between r-proteins eL41 and eL24. It was possible to construct viable yeast strains with Archaea-like ribosomes lacking two or three eukaryote-specific bridges. These strains display slow growth and a poor translation phenotype. In addition, bridges eB12 and eB13 appear to cooperate during ribosome subunit association. These results indicate that nonessential structural elements of r-proteins become highly important in the context of disturbed subunit interactions. Therefore, eukaryote-specific bridges may contribute to the evolutionary success of eukaryotic translation machinery.
Effect of Variable Thermal Conductivity on Buoyant Convection in a Cavity with Internal Heat Generation
Authors: Sivasankaran S.
Published: October 2019

A numerical study has been made to analyze the effects of variable thermal conductivity on the natural convection of heat generating fluids contained in a square cavity with isothermal walls and the top and bottom perfectly insulated surfaces. The flow is assumed to be two-dimensional. Calculations are carried out by solving governing equations for different parameters. The flow pattern and the heat transfer characteristics inside the cavity are presented in the form of steady-state streamlines, isotherms and velocity profiles. The heat transfer rate is increased by an increase in the thermal conductivity parameter.
Natural Convection in a Square Cavity in the Presence of Heated Plate
Authors: Kandaswamy P. , Lee J. , Abdul Hakeem A. K. K.
Published: October 2019

Natural convection heat transfer in a square cavity induced by heated plate is studied numerically. Top and bottom of the cavity are adiabatic, the two vertical walls of the cavity have constant temperature lower than the plate’s temperature. The flow is assumed to be two-dimensional. The discretized equations were solved by finite difference method using Alternating Direction Implicit technique and Successive OverRelaxation method. The study was performed for different values of Grashof number ranging from 103 to 105 for different aspect ratios and position of heated plate. Air was chosen as a working fluid (Pr = 0.71). The effect of the position and aspect ratio of heated plate on heat transfer and flow were addressed. With increase of Gr heat transfer rate increased in both vertical and horizontal position of the plate. When aspect ratio of heated thin plate is decreased the heat transfer also decreases. For the vertical situation of thin plate heat transfer becomes more enhanced than for horizontal situation.
Computational Modeling of the Amperometric Bioanalytical System for Lipase Activity Assay: a Time-Dependent Response
Authors: Puida M. , Ivanauskas F. , Ignatjev I. , Valinčius G. , Razumas V.
Published: October 2019

This paper presents computational modeling of response kinetics of bioelectroanalytical system based on the interfacial action of enzyme lipase. The model also assumes that the substrate of enzyme is located on the surface of micelles which are spread in the solution under study. Two distinct mathematical models have been developed and evaluated through computational simulation series. The results of simulation demonstrate that diffusion is important factor for the sensitivity of bioelectroanalytical system, and it is important to take this process of mass transfer into account in all system areas.
Finite Element Solutions for Non-Newtonian Pulsatile Flow in a Non-Darcian Porous Medium Conduit
Authors: Bhargava R. , Takhar H. S. S. , Rawat S. , Bég Tasveer A. A. , Bég O. Anwar Anwar
Published: October 2019

The present analysis is motivated by the need to elucidate with more accuracy and sophistication the hydrodynamics of non-Newtonian flow via a channel containing a porous material under pulsating pressure gradient. A one-dimensional transient rheological model for pulsating flow through a Darcy-Forcheimmer porous channel is used. A modified Casson non-Newtonian constitutive model is employed for the transport fluid with a drag force formulation for the porous body force effects. The model is transformed and solved using a finite element numerical technique. Rheological effects are examined using a β parameter which vanishes in the limit (Newtonian flow). Velocity profiles are plotted for studying the influence of Reynolds number, Darcy number, Forchheimer number and the β (non-Newtonian) parameter. The channel considered is rigid with a pulsatile pressure applied via an appropriate pressure gradient term. The model finds applications in industrial filtration systems, pumping of polymeric fluids etc.
Fučik Spectrum for the Second Order BVP with Nonlocal Boundary Condition
Authors: Sergejeva N.
Published: October 2019

We construct the Fučik spectrum for some second order boundary value problem with nonlocal boundary condition. This spectrum differs essentially from the known Fučik spectra. We apply this result to the second order differential equation x'' + g(x) = f(t, x, x') with the conditions x(a) = 0, ∫ab x(s)ds = 0.
Quantum Chemical Calculations by Parallel Computer from Commodity PC
Authors: Bekešienė S. , Sėrikovienė S.
Published: October 2019

Computational quantum chemistry helps us to determine, calculate, and study new concepts, compounds, reactions and mechanisms. Such way is very useful with compounds that require exceptionally care in their handling, such as explosives, decreasing risk to persons testing and maintenance costs in service. Computational quantum chemistry is the ground of molecular modeling, on prediction the behavior of individual molecules within a chemical system. The molecular modeling let us to obtain the molecular characteristics comparable with experimental date. In this way the molecular structures of for positional isomers of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) were calculated by an ab initio HF/6-31G∗ method using self made local area personal computer (PC) cluster TAURAS. The cluster was made from heterogeneous commodity hardware of teaching class and for high performance computing (HPC) was used the SCore cluster system software developed in Japan. The structure and the features of the cluster are described and the performance is evaluated during solving of linear algebra testing tasks. During the determination of the structures of the positional isomers of TNT, the deformation of the phenyl ring and the distortions of the nitro and methyl groups were concern. The calculations confirmed that both of these were affected by the positions of nitro groups. A comparison of the calculated energies of all the isomers revealed the tendency to form the stable isomers when the close contact effects of the nitro groups were reduced.
A Prey-Predator Model with a Reserved Area
Authors: Dubey B.
Published: October 2019

In this paper, a mathematical model is proposed and analysed to study the dynamics of a prey-predator model. It is assumed that the habitat is divided into two zones, namely free zone and reserved zone. Predators are not allowed to enter into the reserved zone. Criteria for the coexistence of predator-prey are obtained. The role of reserved zone is investigated and it is shown that the reserve zone has a stabilizing effect on predator-prey interactions.
Unsteady Mixed Convection Flow in the Stagnation Region of a Three Dimensional Body Embedded in a Porous Medium
Authors: Ibrahim F. S. S.
Published: October 2019

An analysis is preformed to study the heat transfer characteristic of unsteady mixed convection flow of a viscous fluid in the vicinity of a stagnation point of a general three-dimensional body embedded in a porous media. The velocity in the potential flow is assumed to vary arbitrary with time. The non-Darcy effects including convective, boundary and inertial effects are included in the analysis. Both nodal-point region (0 ≤ c ≤ 1), where c = b/a is the ratio of the velocity gradients in y and x directions in the potential flow and saddle point region (−1 ≤ c < 0) are considered. The semisimilar solutions of the momentum and energy equations are obtained numerically using finite difference method. Also a self-similar solution is found when the velocity in the potential flow and the wall temperature vary with time in particular manner. Many results are obtained and a representative set is displayed graphically to illustrate the influence of the physical parameters on the surface shear stresses and the surface heat transfer.