bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Magnetic levitation as the fundamental basis for superfast vacuum levitation transport technologies
Authors: Lapidus Boris M.
Published: November 2018

The article reviews the strategic trends of transport development that meet the modern requirements of the economy and society. It was revealed that the key trend is to increase the speed of traffic. To achieve breakthrough results in this direction, it is proposed to use magnetic levitation in combination with the use of a vacuum environment - the creation of vacuum-levitation transport systems. It is noted that the Joint Scientific Council of JSC Russian Railways formed the requirements for the creation of such systems and focused attention on the problem of the socio-economic efficiency of its creation. It is concluded that rail transport, in the interests of its strategic competitiveness, should be the initiator and active participant in the creation of vacuum-levitation transport systems, which, in turn, can become an important incentive for integrating the efforts of the world scientific community.
Application and further development of Maglev transportation in China
Authors: Lin Guobin , Sheng Xiongwei
Published: November 2018

Since the high-speed maglev line in Shanghai was put into operation in 2003, it has been running safely for 15 years, maintaining the highest speed of public ground traffic 430 km/h and 99.8~99.9% punctuality. Since 2001, China ministry of science and technology (MOST) has been supporting the research and development of high speed maglev transportation technology. In 2016, under the support of the MOST, China Railway Rolling stock Corporation (CRRC) started to lead the program of engineering research of Maglev. The aim of the program is to develop 600 km/h high speed Maglev system and 200 km/h medium speed maglev system. The newly developed high speed Maglev system could be tested, verified and applied on the planned Shanghai - Hangzhou high speed Maglev line.      
Since the operation opening of Changsha Maglev Airport Express Line in May 2016, Hunan province has planned to build more maglev line with top speed 100–160 km/h. Following the operation of urban maglev in Changsha and Beijing, the Qingyuan Maglev line in Guangdong province  began to build at the end of 2017. The new maglev line will connect hot spring tourist attractions and Changlong theme park (animal park) in 2019.                               
This paper introduces the application and construction of maglev transportation in China, recent R&D status, further plans and trend of development.
Bearingless PM synchronous machine with zero-sequence current driven star point-connected active magnetic thrust bearing
Authors: Dietz Daniel , Binder Andreas
Published: November 2018

Common cylindrical bearingless drives require a separate thrust bearing, which is fed by a DC supply. Here, a technique is presented, which enables the feeding of the thrust bearing by an artificially generated zero-sequence current between the two star points of the two parallel windings in the bearingless PM synchronous machine. This way, no additional DC supply for an axial active magnetic bearing is needed. It is replaced by two three-phase inverters as stator winding supply, which are needed in any case to generate torque and lateral rotor force in the motor. This examination explains the technique of adapting the electric potential of the star points in two three-phase windings of the motor. The focus is on the determination of the operating area (maximum zero-sequence current and band width). It is constrained by the bearingless motor due to torque and lateral force ripple as well as additional eddy current losses. On the other hand, the DC link voltage and the modulation degree of the inverter for simultaneous motor operation as well as the bearing inductance limit the system dynamic. It is shown that the proposed technique is applicable for a modulation degree < 0.866, taking into account that other constraints by the bearingless machine and the inverter are mainly noncritical.
MULTI® - rope-less elevator demonstrator at test tower Rottweil
Authors: Appunn Rüdiger , Frantzheld Jürgen , Jetter Markus , Löser Friedrich
Published: November 2018

Background: The world’s first linear motor driven passenger elevator system MULTI® started test operation at test tower Rottweil, Germany. A full scale showcase has been installed, the commissioning is finished and extensive testing activities are performed. The new test tower in Rottweil provides the perfect test and certification environment to get this ground-breaking product onto the market.
The propulsion of the cars is based on an ironless long-stator linear motor with distributed active drive, motor and sensor elements. This technology allows cars to move individually in the same elevator shaft without any ropes. The same type of linear motor will also be used to exchange cars horizontally from one shaft to another. Herewith a movement of the cars in a loop or any vertical and horizontal travel path can be realized. The testing procedures to characterize the operation of the MULTI® include measurements of electrical, mechanical and thermal quantities.
Smart energy management feeds power of descending cars for rising cars. To overcome the high power demand for acceleration cars, an energy buffering system is installed.
Aim: This paper focuses on the power and energy management of the MULTI® demonstrator. The benefit of intelligent buffering strategy is depicted.
Methods: Full scale prototype, numerical simulation, testing and measurement.  
Results: This paper presents first measurement results of the MULTI® demonstrator mainly focusing on the power and energy characteristics of the propulsion system.
Conclusion: Using an energy buffering system, the peak input power of the MULTI® can be reduced to 50% of the peak power level without energy buffer. The power from downward moving cars is recuperated and used for upward driving cars, balanced by the energy buffer without stressing the grid.
Control of three-degree-of-freedom resonant actuator driven by novel vector control
Authors: Kato Masayuki , Hirata Katsuhiro
Published: November 2018

This paper presents a novel vector control method for three-degree-of-freedom resonant actuator in order to improve its controllability. The effectiveness of the presented method is verified through electromagnetic field analysis using 3-D finite element method:
Issue: A three-degree-of-freedom resonant actuator has a great potential to broaden the application range of linear oscillatory actuators because it has a lot of advantages: high efficiency, simple structure, etc. However, this actuator has low controllability because the magnetic structure of each axis is not independent.
Aim: To establish a novel vector control technique suitable for our actuator.
Materials and methods of the studies: Electromagnetic analysis employing 3-D finite element method.
Results: In this study, the novel vector control theory was constructed on the basis of four-phase system. The new dq model was achieved by considering 3-D coordinate transformation. The proposed method is able to decrease the influence of thrust interference from other axis and achieved higher controllability.
Conclusion: The results of the study will contribute to a practical use of the three-DOF resonant actuator.
To Carmelo Cunchillos, without whom not
Authors: Santana Martínez Pedro
Published: November 2018

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Cormac McCarthy's Grotesque Allegory in "Blood Meridian"
Authors: Broncano Manuel
Published: November 2018

Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian (1985) is one of the major literary works of the twentieth-century. It is an opaque text whose interpretation poses great challenges to the critic. McCarthy deploys a complex narrative strategy which revisits the literary tradition, both American and European, in a collage of genres and modes, from the Puritan sermon to the picaresque, in which the grotesque plays a central role. One of the most controversial aspects of the novel is its religious scope, and criticism seems to be divided between those who find in the novel a theological dimension and those who reject such approach, on the grounds that the nihilist discourse is incompatible with any religious message. This essay argues that McCarthy has consciously constructed, or rather de-constructed, an allegorical narrative whose ultimate aim is to subvert the allegory, with its pattern of temptation-resistance and eventual salvation, into a story of irremediable failure.
Trauma, Ethics and Myth-Oriented Literary Tradition in Jonathan Safran Foer's "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close"
Authors: Collado-Rodríguez Francisco
Published: November 2018

This essay proposes a reading of Jonathan Safran Foer’s second novel as a literary artifact that the author has consciously elaborated following the strategies of a myth-oriented tradition that had its first literary outbreak in times of High Modernism, being subsequently pursued by magical-realist and postmodern writers. The novelist associates strategies and motifs belonging to such tradition to a context that fulfills the premises of contemporary trauma fiction but that also aims at establishing comparisons between the 9/11 terrorist attacks and WW2 events that North American readers are here forced to remember from the perspective and opinions of a nine-year-old traumatized narrator. Modernist and magical-realist elements combine in a novel that openly demands the ethical positioning of its readers.
Man as Rescuer and Monster in Steven Spielberg's Film Text "Schindler's List"
Authors: Díaz-Cuesta Galián José
Published: November 2018

This journal article addresses the confrontation between two extreme representations of man in Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List (1993): the rescuer and the monster. It is my contention that these representations simplify two of the moral options – good versus evil – from which men can freely choose according to both Judaism and Catholicism, which are the two religious cults the film alludes to. This article has a three-fold structure. The first part focuses on the godlike representation of Oskar Schindler and his relation to key episodes in the Bible. The second one deals with Amon Goeth, Schindler’s mirror image and the incarnation of evil in the film. The third part surveys Spielberg’s blending of religious traditions in some films prior to Schindler’s List. As a conclusion it is proposed that the godlike man who rescues his people is not only Oskar Schindler, but also Steven Spielberg.
God(s) Fall(s) Apart : Christianity in Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart"
Authors: Galván Reula Juan Fernando , Galván Alvarez Enrique
Published: November 2018

This paper studies the confrontation between Christianity and the Igbo religion in Chinua Achebe’s first novel in the context of colonialist appropriation. An analysis of the techniques used by the Christian missionaries to infiltrate the fictional world of Umuofia is complemented with a discussion of the main characters of the novel in their relation to religion and their roles as facilitators or opponents of the colonization process. Gender issues are also briefly dealt with as Christianity is seen as “effeminate” by the natives and some female Igbo characters
Syntactic Valence in Role and Reference Grammar
Authors: Martínez Fernández Beatriz
Published: November 2018

Transitivity has traditionally been equated with the number of syntactic arguments that a verb takes. However, Role and Reference Grammar (RRG) puts forward a new approach that defines transitivity in terms of macro-roles, leaving the notion of syntactic valence aside. It is perhaps for this reason that the notion of syntactic valence has not received sufficient attention in this framework, and, consequently, some inconsistencies have been identified in its definition. To mention only a few, there is no proper definition of the criteria that determine the notion of syntactic valence, and many of the grammatical processes that have some impact on it – the use of the passive voice and imperatives, the presence of argument-adjuncts, or the position of the arguments in the clause – are overlooked. Hence, in this paper I carry out a critical revision of the definition of syntactic valence and aim to set out some guidelines for a more accurate treatment of this notion within the RRG framework.
"I Don't Want Carmelo Reading This Twice" : Nonfinite Syntactic Alternation Governed by "Want" in Contemporary English
Authors: Pérez Guerra Javier
Published: November 2018

The verb want selects at least two types of complementation patterns when it is followed by a nominal constituent, as illustrated in want Carmelo to read this and want Carmelo reading this. In the light of data retrieved from several corpora of Present-day English, this paper explores the syntactic, dialectal, textual and semantic characteristics of both structures in the very recent history of the language. As regards the syntax of the constructions, an analysis based on the notion of extended transitivity is here suggested in an attempt to integrate the syntactic features of the patterns within a single syntactic schema.
Tools for English-Spanish Cross-Linguistic Applied Research
Authors: Rabadán Rosa
Published: November 2018

Empirically-based, cross-linguistic research should have a central role to play in offering solutions to applied problems. However, this role remains largely unexploited and the transformation of contrastive descriptive findings into useful applications has received little attention. Applied professionals looking for useful and reliable aids to assist them in their cross-linguistic routines see their needs ignored as supplying solutions is not generally considered as part of the research process. Part of the problem derives from the inadequacy of the existing tools for turning declarative knowledge into performative knowledge to serve particular applied purposes. This paper aims at re-defining the role of both new and already existing tools in terms of their contribution to applied research.
Challenging Systems of Lexical Representation
Authors: Ruiz de Mendoza Ibáñez Francisco José , Mairal Usón Ricardo
Published: November 2018

The aim of this paper is to offer an overview of some of the most relevant heuristic parameters that have been used for the organization of the lexicon in a representative sample of formal, functional and cognitive models. In connection with this, we address the following theoretical issues: (i) the nature of the metalanguage that should be used as part of a lexical representation theory; (ii) the actual scope of the representation, that is, whether a lexical entry should only capture those aspects of the word that have syntactic visibility or should go beyond that and include richer semantic decompositions together with encyclopedic information; (iii) the type of formalism involved in the description of meaning for the design of robust technological applications. In the light of this discussion, we will present a sample model of lexical description called lexical templates.Lexical templates draw insights both from models with a stronger syntactic orientation (e.g. RRG’s logical structures) and from accounts where semantic description is more important (e.g. Frame Semantics). A lexical template consists of two different modules both of which are based on a universal abstract semantic metalanguage. The resulting templates have two parts: (i) the semantic module which makes use of lexical functions and (ii) the logical representation or Aktionsart module, which is inspired in the inventory of logical structures as posited in RRG. Worthy of note is also the fact that this paper lays out the foundations towards a reconversion of the inventory of lexical functions in terms of Pustejovsky's qualiae. Thus, lexical templates are now built on the basis of a new, more robust formalism with greater explanatory and representational capacity.
"Hard as the metal of my gun" : John Cornford's Spain
Authors: Smith Stan
Published: November 2018

John Cornford, who died on the Cordoba front in December 1936, is most frequently seen, by both enthusiasts and detractors, as a loyal Communist cadre, subscribing unequivocally to the Party line on the situation in Spain. Yet in his most powerful poem, “Full Moon at Tierz: Before the Storming of Huesca”, there is a significant hesitation, focused by a reference to the Seventh Congress of the Comintern. A close scrutiny of this poem, of letters and a “Political Report” he wrote from Spain, and an examination of some of his pre-Spain political writings, indicate a more complex picture, and suggest that he had considerable reservations about Party policy, particularly in relation to the “Popular Front” strategy, and to Communist dealings with other movements in the Republican camp.
Potato seed crop will be affected more by vectors under changing climatic conditions
Authors: Malik Kamlesh , Kumar Pawan , Kumar Manoj
Published: November 2018

In the areas where potato crop is grown face differtent kind of insect problems associated with it. The crop has to be protected from sap sucking insect vectors. These vectors transmit the diseases from one plant to another while sucking the sap. At present, due to continuously increasing temperature and continuous change in climate, this problem aggravated as life cycle of an insect is also being affected by these changes. It has been recorded that few insects which were not so important in previous years have become important for the crop. On potato crop two sap sucking vectors- aphid, Myzus persicae and white fly, Bemisia tabaci were studied with respect to abiotic factors so that they can be managed efficiently with suitable chemicals/control measures and income of the farmers could be increased.
Oxidative stress and clinico-pathological alterations induced by Cryptosporidium parvum infection in a rat model
Authors: Sood S. , Yadav A. , Katoch R. , Bhagat M. , Sharma A. , Sharma S. , Verma P. , Rajat A. , Ganai Khursheed A. , Sharma Shikha
Published: November 2018

Cryptosporidium parvum is an apicomplexan zoonotic enteric protozoa that is principally responsible for severe necrotizing enteritis in immunocompromised hosts and has been associated with diarrhoea in a wide variety of animal species. The work was carried out on 48 rats which were equally divided into four groups: GI, GII, GIII and GIV. Rats in GI worked as healthy control. Rats in GII were administered C. parvum oocysts orally, GIII received dexamethasone, whereas GIV were given dexamethasone along with C. parvum oocysts. The maximum severity of experimental infection and oocyst shedding was observed on 8th DPI in Group IV rats who exhibited depression, inappetance, poor fur condition, decreased weight gain, bloody diarrhoea and highest mortality rate. Significant increase in LPO and decrease in SOD, CAT and GSH concentrations were seen in intestine in GIV rats at 8th DPI indicating the involvement of free radical induced oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of C. parvum infection. Severe necrotizing and haemorrhagic enteritis was seen in Group IV rats, whereas Group II animals had mild enteritis. Pathological examination of intestines in Group IV animals revealed extensive necrosis, blunting, fusion and sloughing of intestinal villi. Severe lymphocytic infiltration in lamina propria and submucosa was also observed. The diarrhoea and oocyst shedding gradually subsided after 8th DPI and completely resolved in GII whereas mild enteritis was still seen in GIV animals at 12thDPI. It was inferred from the present study that C. parvum strains prevalent in Jammu were capable of causing severe enteric infection in immunosuppressed rats.
Parity-dependent association between IL-12Râ2 and IL-23R gene polymorphisms and clinical mastitis in Chinese Holstein cows
Authors: Wang Mengqi , Ni Wei , Zhang Huimin , Wang Xiaolong , Yang Zhangping , Ibeagha-Awemu Eveline M. , Mao Yongjiang
Published: November 2018

Interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interleukin-23 (IL-23) are proinflammatory cytokines produced by macrophages and dendritic cells in response to infection with intracellular pathogens. Given the importance of IL-12 and IL-23 for modulating inflammation and the host immune response, the IL-12 and IL-23 receptor genes may be suitable candidate genes for studying disease resistance in dairy cattle. DNA samples of twenty Chinese Holstein cows were selected randomly for PCR amplification and sequencing, and used for SNP discovery in the bovine IL-12Râ2 and IL-23R promoter regions. One SNP (c.-246G>T, rs385343195) in IL-12Râ2 and 2 SNPs [c.-856A>G (rs109216732) and c.-207T>C (rs109571825)] in IL-23R were identified. Identified SNPs were genotyped in 866 Chinese Holstein cows and associations between SNPs or haplotypes and clinical mastitis infection were analyzed by logistic regression model. Significant associations between rs385343195 (IL-12Râ2 gene) and haplotypes of SNPs rs385343195-rs109216732-rs109571825 (TGC and TAT), and clinical mastitis infection were detected depending on parity, and this provides insight into the complex mechanisms of immunity to infections. Further investigations are required to reveal the mechanisms of IL-12Râ2 and IL-23R in mastitis susceptibility in cattle.
Treatment of Bovine papillomavirus-induced teat warts in a cow by using Podophyllin magistral formula and autologous vaccine applications together
Authors: Kale M. , Saltik H. S. , Hasircioglu S. S. , Yildirim Y. , Yavru S. , Mamak N. , Atli K.
Published: November 2018

In this study, a 32-month-old Holstein cow that had a calving and common Bovine papillomavirus (BPV)-induced wart on its teats was treated. For this purpose, BPV antigen presence in blood serum sample from the animal was studied by ELISA and was revealed as positive. Magistral drug containing podophyllin active substance was applied topically on teat warts of the animal. Applications were performed for all teat warts once in three days during 27 days. Eight hours after applying the drug, teats were washed with sterile water. Warts on teat were proved to have regressed and dried out on the day 27th. The same animal was given papilloma autologous vaccine prepared from warts coming off from the teat on the day 28th. As a result of the vaccination, teats showed full recovery from warts. Finally, it is recommended that using podophyllin formulations topical and autologous vaccine applications together in treating teat warts caused by BPV.
Multi-label Problem Transformation Methods: a Case Study
Authors: Cherman Everton Alvares , Monard Maria Carolina , Metz Jean
Published: November 2018

Traditional classification algorithms consider learning problems that contain only one label, i.e., each example is associated with one single nominal target variable characterizing its property. However, the number of practical applications involving data with multiple target variables has increased. To learn from this sort of data, multi-label classification algorithms should be used. The task of learning from multi-label data can be addressed by methods that transform the multi-label classification problem into several single-label classification problems. In this work, two well known methods based on this approach are used, as well as a third method we propose to overcome some deficiencies of one of them, in a case study using textual data related to medical findings, which were structured using the bag-of-words approach. The experimental study using these three methods shows an improvement on the results obtained by our proposed multi-label classification method.
Practical Evaluation of a Secure Key-Distribution and Storage Scheme for Wireless Sensor Networks Using TinyOS
Authors: Kazienko Juliano F. , Ribeiro Igor G. , Moraes Igor M. , N. Albuquerque Célio V.
Published: November 2018

TinyOS is a major platform broadly used to carry out experiments related to Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). A number of researchers claim that cryptographic mechanisms demand plenty of resources from sensors. In this context, an important issue is to develop lightweight encryption mechanisms capable of running in resource-constrained sensors. The main contribution of this work is to carry out an experimental evaluation of a secure key distribution and storage scheme in a WSN using simulation and practical experiments. Through simulation, we verify that this scheme introduces very low processing overhead, in the order of nanoseconds, when compared to existing approaches. Additionally, practical measurements indicate that the scheme can be deployed by off-the-shelf sensor platforms, such as MicaZ and TelosB. The performance metrics considered are the processing time of encryption and decryption functions, the application memory requirements and the power consumption. We have also evaluated several functionalities of the scheme on a real testbed. In summary, this work demonstrates the practical feasibility of implementing such scheme in real sensor networks.
An efficient version of the RMA-11 model
Authors: Ezzatti Pablo , Fossati Mónica , Piedra-Cueva Ismael
Published: November 2018

RMA-11 is a numerical model widely used for studing the transport of constituents andwater quality in rivers and estuaries. When applied to large water systems like the R´ıode la Plata, RMA-11 demands long execution times to compute a simulation. This pa-per presents the analysis of the computational efficiency for the RMA-11 applied to atransport model of the R´ıo de la Plata, and introduces a proposal for improving the effi-ciency by using high performance computing techniques. The improved implementationmodifies the linear system resolution methodology implemented in the model. A highperformance computing strategy was applied to the FRONTALL routine of the RMA-11,by changing their logical structure and using a sparse storage format. The experimentalresults obtained when solving representative test cases show a significant improvementon the performance, achieving significant gains in computational speed: the executiontime of the implemented version decreased up to one third of the time of the originalimplementation.
Internacionalização via doutorado sanduíche
Authors: Ekuni Roberta
Published: November 2018

No Brasil, a produção científica é majoritariamente realizada pela pós-graduação. A internacionalização enquanto quarto pilar da universidade incentiva a cooperação internacional e programas para alunos passarem um período realizando estágio no exterior. O presente relato de experiência tem como objetivo relatar um estágio de doutorado realizado na Washington University in Saint Louis, focando nas atividades de pesquisa, ensino e extensão. Como método, foi utilizada a análise descritiva da experiência no período de março a agosto de 2017. Como resultado, observou-se: mais oportunidades de discussão da pesquisa de forma interdisciplinar, quantidade de recursos investidos para pesquisa e a dinâmica entre Professores Titulares e as atividades de ensino, pesquisa e extensão. Espera-se que o presente relato possa esclarecer e incentivar mais pesquisadores brasileiros a participarem deste tipo de programa de estágio no exterior que possibilita tanto a vivência e aprendizado cultural quanto o crescimento acadêmico, bem como incentivar a adoção de práticas similares em nossas Universidades.
Impact of Genetic Polymorphism of Sulpha Transferase Genes (SULT1A) Genes on the Risk of Females with Breast Cancer in Jordan
Authors: Bustami Mona , Al-Shudifat Abdel-Ellah , Hussein Nagham , Yacoub Mohannad , Atwa Eiad , Sabri Israr , Abu-Hamdah Rania , Abu-Rayyan Walid , Arafat Tawfiq , Badran Adnan , Abu-Qatouseh Luay
Published: November 2018

Sulfotransferases (SULTs) family plays a significant role in the biotransformation of a variety of xenobiotics and endogenous compounds by which carcinogenesis and mutagenicity of different malignancies are increasingly affected. Recent data identified various genetically polymorphic SULTs enzymes with significant variations in the enzyme activity. This study aimed to investigate the impact of SULT1A1 gene polymorphism and and its potential risk on females with breast cancer in Jordan using a PCR-RFLP and Sanger Sequencing methods. The analysis showed that 24.7% of the patients and 25.3% of the controls were homozygous for the SULT1A1*1 allele (SULT1A1*1/SULT1A1*1) compared to 8.8% and 5.7% homozygous for the SULT1A1*2 allele (SULT1A1*2/SULT1A1*2) for patients and controls respectively. Most of the patients and controls were heterozygous for SULT1A1*1 allele (SULT1A1*1/SULT1A1*2) with rates of 66.5% and 69.0% in patients and controls respectively. In addition, the frequencies of the mutant SULT1A1*2 allele were 0.42 and 0.4 in the patient and control groups respectively. No significant difference in genotype and allele distribution was noted between the breast cancer and control groups. The risk of breast cancer in individuals carrying the SULT1A1*2 allele was determined by combining the SULT1A1*1/SULT1A1*2 and ULT1A1*2/SULT1A1*2 genotypes. No association was observed between SULT1A1 polymorphism and breast cancer incidence (P = 0.63; OR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.68–1.26). However, SULT1A1*2 allele was found to increase the risk of breast cancer by 1.26-fold.
A Cosmological View on Milgrom’s Acceleration Constant
Authors: Roza Engel
Published: November 2018

In this article it is shown how Milgrom’s acceleration constant is related with the ΩΛ, Ωm and ΩB values of the matter distribution within observable universe as defined in the Standard Model of Cosmology, established by the Planck Collaboration Group. The result is a two-parameter model for the observable universe. The two parameters are the age of the universe and Milgrom’s acceleration constant. It is shown that these are sufficient to calculate the amounts of matter and dark energy in the universe, as well as the contributions of dark matter and baryonic matter in the matter part. The numerical results are in agreement with those of the Lamda-CDM model. 
Influence of Reversal with Sugammadex or Neostigmine on Post-Operative Quality of Recovery Following a Single Bolus Dose of Rocuronium: A Prospective, Randomised, Double-Blinded, Controlled Study
Authors: Bai Sun-Joon , Lee Ki-Young , Kim Sung Soo , Hong Jung Hwa , Nam Hoon Jae , Koh Jae Chul , Kim Na Young
Published: November 2018

There is a lack of data comparing sugammadex with anticholinesterase for the quality of anaesthesia recovery, especially following a single bolus dose of rocuronium. Thus, we evaluated the influence of reversal with sugammadex or neostigmine on post-operative quality of recovery by using the Post-operative Quality Recovery Scale (PQRS). A total of 86 patients undergoing trans-pars plana vitrectomy (TPPV) under general anaesthesia were intubated following a single bolus dose of rocuronium (0.6 mg/kg). At the end of surgery, patients were received either neostigmine or sugammadex. The quality of recovery was assessed using the PQRS at 15 minutes and 40 minutes after surgery, and on post-operative day 1. The recovery rate in the physiological domain was higher in the sugammadex group at 15 minutes after surgery (P = 0.02). Though there were no significant differences in the overall cognitive recovery domain, patients in the sugammadex group could recall more numbers in reverse order. However, there were no significant differences between the groups in the other domains of the PQRS. The use of sugammadex may increase the quality of the post-operative physiological recovery at early post-operative periods compared with neostigmine use following a single bolus dose of rocuronium in patients undergoing TPPV with general anaesthesia.
Low RNA Binding Strength of Human X Chromosome May Explain X Chromosome Inactivation
Authors: Ji Ning , Yan Lifang , Song Zhixue , Liu Shufeng , Liu Shufeng , Yang Shuangshuang , Cao Hongyi , Wang Xiufang , Lv Zhanjun
Published: November 2018

Two X chromosomes of female mammals randomly inactivate one of paternal or maternal X chromosome in early embryonic development and all the daughter cells produced from these cells retain the same feature of X chromosome inactivation, which is called X chromosome inactivation (XCI). Studying the mechanisms of XCI is important for understanding epigenetic that plays an important role in age-associated diseases. The previous studies have demonstrated that binding of RNAs and DNAs may play a role in activating gene expression. In this paper, our study aims to explore whether the mechanisms of XCI involve the RNA binding strength to X chromosome DNAs. The bioinformatics analyses based on big data were used to analyze the simulated binding strength of RNAs (RNA binding strength) to 23 chromosomes (including X chromosome and 22 human autosomes) and the characteristics of repetitive sequences in the X-inactivation centre. The results revealed that RNA binding strength of the long arm of the X chromosome that is almost entirely inactivated in XCI was significantly lower than that of all autosomes and the short arm of X chromosome, meanwhile the RNA binding strengths of inactivation regions in X chromosome were significantly lower than that of regions escaping from XCI. Different repetitive sequence clusters within the center of XCI presented a cross distribution characteristic. To further prove whether the repetitive sequences in human X chromosome involve in XCI, we cloned long interspersed element (LINE-1, L1) and short interspersed element (Alu) from human Xq13, the center of XCI, and constructed expression vectors carrying sense-antisense combination repetitive sequences (L1s or Alus). Effects of combined L1 or combined Alu sequences on expression of EGFP reporter gene were examined in stably transfected HeLa cells, which simulates the effects of repetitive sequences located on chromosomes. The results of experiments revealed transcribed L1 repetitive sequences activated EGFP reporter gene expression, so did the Alus. The experiment results suggested repetitive sequences activated genes by interaction of transcribed RNAs and DNAs. Since the binding of RNAs and DNAs can activate gene, so the low RNA binding strength of human X chromosome may be one of reasons of XCI. The cross distribution characteristics of different repetitive sequence clusters leading to a cascade of gene activation or gene inactivation may be the reason of transcriptional silencing one of the X chromosomes in female mammals.
Shadow Puppets and Neglected Diseases (2): A Qualitative Evaluation of a Health Promotion Performance in Rural Indonesia
Authors: Williams Courtney , Stewart Donald , Bendrups Dan , Laksono Budi , Susilo Joko , Amaral Salvador , Kurscheid Johanna , Gray Darren
Published: November 2018

Performing arts used as a method of spreading health information dates back to the origins of storytelling. However, interventions in developing, non-Western countries typically utilise Western entertainment forms. This qualitative investigation assesses responses to an intervention designed around traditional Javanese shadow puppetry (wayang kulit). Semi-structured interviews provided in-depth responses from a sample (n=12) of villagers. Responses analysed both cross-case and within-case, focused on perceptions of the music and storyline, responses to the intervention, and perceived appropriateness of wayang kulit for disseminating a health message. Wayang kulit was considered to be interesting and easy to remember, but concerns remained regarding the reliability of information provided through the drama. The fusion of traditional and modern music and story elements were perceived positively. Some participants were inspired to improve their hygiene practices, although the lack of motivation, or belief that they were unable to change was noted. The performance was generally received positively in terms of the nature of the intervention, the fusion of traditional and Western music and story elements, as well as the use of wayang kulit to spread health information. The study provides guidance for modifications to the production, prior to scaling up.
Computational Fluid Dynamic Modelling and Optimisation of Wastewater Treatment Plant Bioreactor Mixer
Authors: Elshaw Andrew , Hassan N. M. S. , Khan M. M. K.
Published: November 2018

This study aims to determine the optimal configuration (position and operation duration) for wall mounted mechanical mixers based on the comparison of three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling results and physical data collected from the treatment plant. A three-dimensional model of anoxic zone 1, 2 and 3 of Northern Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) located at Cairns Regional Council, Cairns, Queensland, Australia was developed and validated. The model was used to simulate the flow pattern of the WWTP and the simulation results are in good agreement with the physical data varying between 0% to 15% in key locations.

The anoxic zones were subject to velocities less than the desired 0.3 metres per second however results for suspended solids concentration indicate that good mixing is being achieved. Results for suspended solids concentrations suggest that the anoxic zones are towards the upper limits recommended by literature for specific power dissipation.

The duration for operation of mechanical mixers was investigated and identified that the duration could be reduced from 900 seconds down to 150 seconds. Alternative mixer positioning was also investigated and identified positioning which would increase the average flow velocity with decreased duration (150 seconds). The study identified that Council may achieve savings of $24,000 per year through optimisation of the mechanical mixers.
Real Time Human Detection and Localization Using Consumer Grade Camera and Commercial UAV
Authors: Bhattarai Nemi , Nakamura Tai , Mozumder Chitrini
Published: November 2018

Human detection from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) is gaining popularity in the field of disaster management, crowd counting, people monitoring. Real time human detection from UAV is a challenging task, because of many constraints involved. This study proposes a system for real time detection of humans on videos captured from UAVs addressing three of these constraints namely, flying height, computation time and scale of viewing. The proposed method integrated an android application with a binary classifier based on Haar-features to automatically detect human / non-human class from UAV images. The video frames were parsed and detected humans from image frames were geo-localized and visualized on Google Earth. The performance was evaluated for geo-localization accuracy, computation time and detection accuracy, considering human coverage – pixel size relationship for various heights and scale factor. Based on flying height - human size relationship and tradeoff between detection accuracy vs computation time, the study came up with optimal parameters for OpenCV’s cv2.cascadeClassifier. detectMultiScale function. This paper establishes a strong ground for further research relating to real time human detection from UAV.
A Multiplex CRISPR/Cas9 System for Use as an Anti-BmNPV Therapeutic
Authors: Dong Zhanqi , Qin Qi , Hu Zhigang , Chen Peng , Huang Liang , Long Jiangqiong , Tian Ting , Lu Cheng , Pan Minhui
Published: November 2018

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/associated protein 9 nuclease (CRISPR/Cas9) technology guided by a single-guide RNA (sgRNA) has recently opened a new avenue for antiviral therapy. A unique capability of the CRISPR/Cas9 system is multiple genome engineering. However, there are few applications in insect viruses by a single Cas9 enzyme targeting two or more sgRNA at different genomic sites for simultaneous production of multiple DNA breaks. To address the need for multi-gene editing and sustained delivery of multiplex CRISPR/Cas9-based genome engineering tools, we developed a one-vector (pSL1180-Cas9-U6-sgRNA) system to express multiple sgRNA and Cas9 protein to excise Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) in insect cells. Here, ie-1, gp64, lef-11, and dnapol genes were screened and identified as multiple sgRNA editing sites according to the BmNPV system infection and DNA replication mechanism. Furthermore, we constructed a multiplex editing vector sgMultiple to efficiently regulate multiplex gene editing steps and inhibit BmNPV replication after viral infection. This is the first report that describes the application of multiplex CRISPR/Cas9 system inhibiting insect virus replication. This multiplex system can significant enable the potential of CRISPR/Cas9-based multiplex genome engineering in transgenic silkworms.
Microbiota-Gut-Brain-Axis and Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Srikantha Piranavie , Mohajeri M. Hasan
Published: November 2018

New research points to a possible link between Autism Spectrum Disorder and the gut microbiota as many autistic children have co-occurring gastrointestinal problems. This review focuses on specific alterations of gut microbiota mostly observed in autistic patients. Particularly, the mechanisms through which such alterations may trigger the production of the bacterial metabolites or leaky gut in autistic people are described. Various altered metabolite levels were observed in autistic children, many of those were of bacterial origin such as short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), indoles and lipopolysaccharides. A less integrative gut-blood-barrier is abundant in autistic individuals. This explains the leakage of bacterial metabolites into the patients triggering new body responses or altered metabolism. Some other co-occurring symptoms such as mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress in the cells, altered tight junctions in the blood brain barrier and structural changes in cortex, hippocampus, amygdala and cerebellum were detected. Moreover, this paper suggests that autism is associated with an unbalanced gut microbiota (dysbiosis). Although the cause-effect relationship between autism and gut microbiota is not yet well established, consumption of specific probiotics may represent a powerful tool to re-establish gut homeostasis and promote gut health. Diagnostic and therapeutic value of new biomarkers leading to the perturbation in the phenylalanine metabolism will be discussed.
The Use of Dietary Interventions in Pediatric Patients
Authors: Madzhidova Shirin , Sedrakyan Lusine
Published: November 2018

Complementary and alternative treatment approaches are becoming more common among children with chronic conditions. The pravelance of CAM use among US adults was estimated to be around 42% in 2015, and around 44% to 50% among adults with neurologic disorders. Studies report children with chronic illnesses such as cancer, asthma, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), genetic disorders, and other neurodevelopmental disorders are treated with complementary and alternative treatments at higher rates. Dietary therapies are gaining increasing popularity in the mainstream population, due to the heavy media involvement. Although, majority of “fad” diets do not have enough supporting evidence, some dietary therapies have been utilized for decades and have numerous published studies. The objective of this review is to describe the dietary interventions used in children with the specific chronic conditions, to evaluate their efficacy based on published data, and to encourage pharmacist involvement in the management and care of such patients.
Towards identifying author confidence in biomedical articles
Authors: Gifu Daniela , Onofrei Mihaela , Trandabat Diana
Published: November 2018

In an era when medical literature is increasing daily, researchers in biomedical and clinical areas have joined efforts with language engineers to analyze large amount of biomedical and molecular biology literature (such as PubMed), patient data or health records. With such a huge amount of reports, evaluating their impact has long seized to be a trivial task. In this context, this paper intends to introduce a non-scientific factor that represents an important element in the effort of gaining acceptance of claims. Thus, we postulate that the confidence the author is expressing in his work plays an important role in shaping the first impression that influences the reader’s perception of the paper. The results discussed in this paper are based on a series of experiments ran over data from the Open Archives Initiative (OAI) corpus that provides interoperability standards in order to facilitate the effectiveness dissemination of the content. This method can be useful to the direct beneficiaries (authors, who are engaged in medical or academic research), but, also, researchers in the fields of BioNLP and NLP, etc.
Verification of photometric parallaxes with Gaia DR2 data
Authors: Malkov Oleg , Karpov Sergey , Kovaleva Dana , Sichevsky Sergey , Chulkov Dmitry , Dluzhnevskaya Olga , Kniazev Alexey , Mickaelian Areg , Mironov Alexey , Murthy Jayant , Sytov Alexey , Zhao Gang , Zhukov Aleksandr
Published: November 2018

We present the result of comparison of Gaia DR2 parallaxes and photometry with data derived from a combined analysis of 2MASS, SDSS, GALEX, and UKIDSS surveys in four selected high-latitude sky areas. We have shown that, under certain circumstances, multicolor photometric data from large modern surveys can be successfully used for parameterization of stars, including estimation of distance and interstellar extinction value.
Corporate Social Responsibility Information in Annual Reports in the EU – A Czech Case Study
Authors: MacGregor Pelikanova Radka
Published: November 2018

The commitment of the EU to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is projected in the EU law about annual reporting by businesses. Since EU member states further develop this framework by their own domestic laws, annual reporting with CSR information is not unified and just partially mandatory in the EU. Do all European businesses report CSR information and what public declaration to society do they provide with it? The main dual purpose of this paper is identifying the parameters of this annual reporting duty and studying the CSR information provided by the ten largest Czech companies in their annual statements for 2013-2017. Based on legislative research and the teleological interpretation, the current EU legislative framework with Czech particularities is presented and, via a case study exploring 50 annual reports, the data about the type, extent and depth of the CSR is dynamically and comparatively assessed. It appears that, at a minimum, large Czech businesses satisfy their legal duty and e-report on CSR in a similar extent, but in dramatically different quality. Employee matters and adherence to international standards are used as a public declaration to society more than the data on environmental protection, while social matters and R&D are played down.