bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preclinical and Clinical Evidence Supporting Use of Cannabidiol in Psychiatry
Authors: Calapai Gioacchino , Mannucci Carmen , Chinou Ioanna , Cardia Luigi , Calapai Fabrizio , Sorbara Emanuela Elisa , Firenzuoli Bernardo , Ricca Valdo , Gensini Gian Franco , Firenzuoli Fabio
Published: August 2019

Background. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a major chemical compound present in Cannabis sativa. CBD is a nonpsychotomimetic substance, and it is considered one of the most promising candidates for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Objective. The aim of this review is to illustrate the state of art about scientific research and the evidence of effectiveness of CBD in psychiatric patients. Methods. This review collects the main scientific findings on the potential role of CBD in the psychiatric field, and results of clinical trials carried out on psychiatric patients are commented. A research was conducted in the PUBMED, SCOPUS, and ScienceDirect databases using combinations of the words cannabidiol, psychiatry, and neuropsychiatric. Results. Preclinical and clinical studies on potential role of CBD in psychiatry were collected and further discussed. We found four clinical studies describing the effects of CBD in psychiatric patients: two studies about schizophrenic patients and the other two studies carried out on CBD effects in patients affected by generalized social anxiety disorder (SAD). Conclusion. Results from these studies are promising and suggest that CBD may have a role in the development of new therapeutic strategies in mental diseases, and they justify an in-depth commitment in this field. However, clinical evidence we show for CBD in psychiatric patients is instead still poor and limited to schizophrenia and anxiety, and it needs to be implemented with further studies carried out on psychiatric patients.
Dynamic Changes in Maritime Research Capability in Chinese Universities
Authors: Chang Young-Tae , Jo Ahhyun , Choi Kyoung-Suk
Published: August 2019

This study determines the top fifty authors in China and their university affiliations in the maritime transportation field, compared to their world ranking. We refer to China in the broad sense of the Chinese economies, including not only mainland China and Hong Kong, but also Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) and Singapore. This study analyzes sixty-five SSCI and SCI journals in the field of maritime and transportation between the years 2000 and 2015. In terms of ranking, three indicators are employed: total number of articles, weighted score (indication of author contribution), and the impact score. With the exception of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, no other universities selected in the first phase of Project 985, which received billions of dollars in government support/aid, were listed in the world ranking. Star authors are deemed to have contributed greatly to the rankings of their affiliated universities. The future of China’s rankings is bright in view of the increasing number of papers being published by Chinese authors and universities and their strong grounding in quantitative methodologies.
Circadian Variation of Migraine Attack Onset: A Review of Clinical Studies
Authors: Baksa Daniel , Gecse Kinga , Kumar Sahel , Toth Zsuzsanna , Gal Zsofia , Gonda Xenia , Juhasz Gabriella
Published: August 2019

Several studies suggested that migraine attack onset shows a circadian variation; however, there has not been an overview and synthesis of these findings. A PubMed search with keywords “migraine” AND “circadian” resulted in ten studies directly investigating this topic. Results of these studies mostly show that migraine attacks follow a monophasic 24-hour cyclic pattern with an early morning or late night peak while other studies reported an afternoon peak and also a biphasic 24-hour cycle of attacks. The identified studies showed methodological variation including sample size, inclusion of medication use, comorbidities, and night or shift workers which could have contributed to the contradictory results. Several theories emerged explaining the diurnal distribution of migraine attacks suggesting roles for different phenomena including a morning rise in cortisol levels, a possible hypothalamic dysfunction, a circadian variation of migraine triggers, sleep stages, and a potentially different setting of the circadian pacemaker among migraineurs. At the moment, most studies show an early morning or late night peak of migraine attack onset, but a significant amount of studies reveals contradictory results. Further studies should investigate the arising hypotheses to improve our understanding of the complex mechanism behind the circadian variation of migraine attacks that can shed light on new targets for migraine therapy.
Performance Analysis of Full-Duplex Amplify-and-Forward Relay System with Hardware Impairments and Imperfect Self-Interference Cancellation
Authors: Nguyen Ba Cao , Tran Xuan Nam
Published: August 2019

In this paper, we analyze the performance of a full-duplex (FD) amplify-and-forward (AF) relay system with imperfect hardware. Besides the aggregate hardware impairments of the imperfect transceiver, we also consider the impact of residual self-interference (RSI) due to imperfect cancellation at the FD relay node. An analytical framework for analyzing the system performance including exact outage probability (OP), asymptotic OP, and approximate symbol error probability (SEP) is developed. In order to tackle these impacts, we propose an optimal power allocation scheme which can improve the outage performance of the FD relay node, especially at the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime. Numerical results are presented for various evaluation scenarios and verified using the Monte Carlo simulations.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) for Structural Engineering: A Bibliometric Analysis of the Literature
Authors: Vilutiene Tatjana , Kalibatiene Diana , Hosseini M. Reza , Pellicer Eugenio , Zavadskas Edmundas Kazimieras
Published: August 2019

Building information modeling (BIM) is transforming the way of work across the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, where BIM offers vast opportunities for improving performance. BIM is therefore an area of great interest across the AEC industry in general and for the structural engineering field in particular. This paper is aimed at providing a broad picture of published papers that relate BIM with structural engineering. This overview will enhance understanding of the state of the research work on this subject, drawing upon bibliometric analysis of 369 papers. Findings provide an updated picture of how now‐available studies that link BIM developments and applications in structural engineering are distributed chronologically, across journals, authors, countries, and institutions. Detailed analyses of citation networks present the cooccurrence map of keywords, citation patterns of journals and articles, the most cited journals, and the top 15 most cited articles on BIM in the area of structural engineering. Discussions demonstrate that research on BIM applications for structural engineering has been constantly growing with a sudden increase after 2014. This study reveals that research attempts on this area have been dominated by exploring generic issues of BIM like information management; however, technical issues of structural engineering, to be resolved through BIM capabilities, have remained overlooked. Moreover, the research work in this area is found to be conducted largely in isolation, comprising disjointed and fragmented research studies. Gaps and important areas for future research include modeling of structural components, automation of the assembly sequence, planning and optimization of off‐site construction, and dynamic structural health monitoring.
Anatomically and Dielectrically Realistic 2.5D 5-Layer Reconfigurable Head Phantom for Testing Microwave Stroke Detection and Classification
Authors: Pokorny Tomas , Vrba David , Tesarik Jan , Rodrigues Dario B. , Vrba Jan
Published: August 2019

This work presents the design and manufacturing of an anatomically and dielectrically realistic layered phantom of the human head that allows the insertion of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke phantom models. A 2.5D physical phantom was designed using a representative anatomical image of the human head, which was simplified into 5 different layers that mimic the scalp, skull, cerebrospinal fluid, brain, and stroke regions in terms of anatomy and dielectric properties. Apart from the brain phantom, all other layers consist of a mixture of polyurethane rubber, graphite powder, and carbon black powder. The brain phantom is in the liquid form to facilitate the insertion of different stroke models (ischemic or hemorrhagic) with different positions and shapes. Phantoms were designed with dielectric properties valid within the frequency range 0.5–3.0 GHz, which is relevant for microwave stroke detection and classification. Molds for casting individual parts of the phantom were printed in 3D. The presented phantom is suitable for the development and testing of microwave systems and algorithms used in the detection and classification of vascular events relevant to stroke diagnosis.
Effect of Surface Hardening on Dynamic Frictional Rolling Contact Behavior and Degradation of Corrugated Rail
Authors: Gao Yuan , Xu Jingmang , Wang Ping , Liu Yibin
Published: August 2019

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of surface hardening technology on dynamic frictional rolling contact behavior and degradation of corrugated rail in Shenzhen. Characteristic parameters such as length and depth of corrugation were analyzed by means of a continuous measurement method based on the corrugation analysis trolley. The explicit finite element method for material hardening characteristics and real contact geometry was adopted to set up the 3D transient FE model of wheel and rail, after which the value and distribution of stress/strain as well as contact solutions could be obtained during frictional contact, and then the Archard wear model and simplified wear superposition method are integrated as a numerical simulation tool for rail wear after hardening. The simulation results show that laminar plasma surface hardening technology can increase residual stress and shear stress in quenched zones, leading to local stress concentration at their boundaries; the plastic strain in the matrix material is higher than that in the quenched zones, while the strain concentration is mainly focused on the matrix material. The hardening can remarkably reduce the rail wear along the corrugation wave, and the wear depth of material with hardening technology is about 36% of that of nonhardening material. Laminar plasma surface hardening technology can therefore restrain the development of rail corrugation.
A Systematic Literature Review of Authentication in Internet of Things for Heterogeneous Devices
Authors: Kavianpour Sanaz , Shanmugam Bharanidharan , Azam Sami , Zamani Mazdak , Narayana Samy Ganthan , De Boer Friso
Published: August 2019

Internet of Things (IoT) has become one of the most significant technologies in recent years because of possessing the diverse application domains. The variety of applications results in a large amount of users’ private information diffusion that will pose a paramount security concern. User authentication is a significant factor in the IoT environment as it allows the user to communicate with the device securely. Integration of authentication technologies with IoT ensures secure data retrieval and robust access control. This paper provides a comprehensive systematic literature review of various authentication mechanisms for IoT security proposed in the literature. With the comparison of existing authentication mechanisms that are developed for the IoT in terms of security via a multicriteria classification, the open issues that require further research are identified.
Perturbation of a Period Annulus with a Unique Two‐Saddle Cycle in Higher Order Hamiltonian
Authors: Zhu Hongying , Yang Sumin , Hu Xiaochun , Huang Weihua
Published: August 2019

In this paper, we study the number of limit cycles emerging from the period annulus by perturbing the Hamiltonian system . The period annulus has a heteroclinic cycle connecting two hyperbolic saddles as the outer boundary. It is proved that there exist at most 4 and at least 3 limit cycles emerging from the period annulus, and 3 limit cycles are near the boundaries.
Research on Apparent Resistivity Imaging of Transient Electromagnetic Method for Oil and Gas Pipelines Based on GA‐BP Neural Network
Authors: Liang Zheng , Tian Bao , Zhang Liang
Published: August 2019

Transient electromagnetic apparent resistivity imaging technology is one of the more promising methods for external inspection of metallic oil and gas pipelines. Through the research on the transient electromagnetic response and imaging technology of pipelines, it is found that the accuracy and real‐time performance of the apparent resistivity calculation are the key to its application. To achieve fast imaging, a three‐layer BP neural network is designed with the kernel function of the secondary field as the input and the transient parameter value as the output; the nonlinear equation of transient response is fitted by the neural network to solve the apparent resistivity, and inversion depth is calculated based on smoke ring theory. Aiming at the shortcomings of the traditional BP network, such as slow convergence rate and the ease of falling into local minima, the genetic algorithm is designed to optimize the initial weight and threshold of the network. In the model pipeline experiment, the measured data are brought into the trained GA‐BP network, and calculation time is greatly shortened. The obtained sectional image can directly and accurately reflect the pipeline shape. The validity and practicability of the transient electromagnetic apparent resistivity imaging technology based on the GA‐BP neural network are verified, which is expected to be a powerful tool for real‐time evaluation of pipeline corrosion detection.
In Vitro Evaluation of Probiotic Properties of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Some Traditionally Fermented Ethiopian Food Products
Authors: Mulaw Guesh , Sisay Tessema Tesfaye , Muleta Diriba , Tesfaye Anteneh
Published: August 2019

Probiotics are live microorganisms which when consumed in large number together with a food promote the health of the consumer. The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from traditional Ethiopian fermented Teff injera dough, Ergo, and Kocho products. A total of 90 LAB were isolated, of which 4 (4.44%) isolates showed 45.35–97.11% and 38.40–90.49% survival rates at pH values (2, 2.5, and 3) for 3 and 6 h, in that order. The four acid-tolerant isolates were found tolerant to 0.3% bile salt for 24 h with 91.37 to 97.22% rate of survival. The acid-and-bile salt-tolerant LAB isolates were found inhibiting some food-borne test pathogenic bacteria to varying degrees. All acid-and-bile-tolerant isolates displayed varying sensitivity to different antibiotics. The in vitro adherence to stainless steel plates of the 4 screened probiotic LAB isolates were ranged from 32.75 to 36.30% adhesion rate. The four efficient probiotic LAB isolates that belonged to Lactobacillus species were identified to the strain level using 16S rDNA gene sequence comparisons and, namely, were Lactobacillus plantarum strain CIP 103151, Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. tolerans strain NBRC 15906, Lactobacillus paracasei strain NBRC 15889, and Lactobacillus plantarum strain JCM 1149. The four Lactobacillus strains were found to be potentially useful to produce probiotic products.
Nonpharmacological Modulation of Chronic Inflammation in Parkinson’s Disease: Role of Diet Interventions
Authors: Kalampokini Stefania , Becker Anouck , Fassbender Klaus , Lyros Epameinondas , Unger Marcus M.
Published: August 2019

Neuroinflammation is increasingly recognized as an important pathophysiological feature of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). Recent evidence suggests that neuroinflammation in PD might originate in the intestine and the bidirectional communication between the central and enteric nervous system, the so-called “gut-brain axis,” has received growing attention due to its contribution to the pathogenesis of neurological disorders. Diet targets mediators of inflammation with various mechanisms and combined with dopaminergic treatment can exert various beneficial effects in PD. Food-based therapies may favorably modulate gut microbiota composition and enhance the intestinal epithelial integrity or decrease the proinflammatory response by direct effects on immune cells. Diets rich in pre- and probiotics, polyunsaturated fatty acids, phenols including flavonoids, and vitamins, such as the Mediterranean diet or a plant-based diet, may attenuate chronic inflammation and positively influence PD symptoms and even progression of the disease. Dietary strategies should be encouraged in the context of a healthy lifestyle with physical activity, which also has neuroimmune-modifying properties. Thus, diet adaptation appears to be an effective additive, nonpharmacological therapeutic strategy that can attenuate the chronic inflammation implicated in PD, potentially slow down degeneration, and thereby modify the course of the disease. PD patients should be highly encouraged to adopt corresponding lifestyle modifications, in order to improve not only PD symptoms, but also general quality of life. Future research should focus on planning larger clinical trials with dietary interventions in PD in order to obtain hard evidence for the hypothesized beneficial effects.
Load Carrying and Hydrostatic Performances of Innovative Encapsulated Anchorage System for Unbonded Single Strand
Authors: Kim Min Sook , Lee Young Hak
Published: August 2019

A new anchorage system is proposed having a circular bearing plate and curvature between the bearing plate and the anchor head to improve stress concentration. A lid with a screw instead of the grouting method is also proposed to prevent moisture penetration. The details of the anchorage device have been chosen to reduce stress concentration based on the finite element analysis. Static load test, load transfer test, and hydrostatic test of fabricated devices were carried out according to ETAG 013 to evaluate the proposed design. As results, the anchorage slip and stabilization satisfied the recommendations of ETAG 013. The maximum load in the load transfer test was at least 1.1 times the ultimate tendon strength. The results of the hydrostatic test showed that the developed anchorage device is watertight to protect against corrosion. As a result of bursting force test, it was confirmed that the proposed anchorage device has more advantages than the conventional rectangular anchorage devices in terms of stress distribution.
Femtosecond Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis Treatment of Residual Refractive Error following Femtosecond Laser-Enabled Keratoplasty
Authors: Shen Elizabeth , Tsai Lester , Muniz Castro Hannah , Wade Matthew , Farid Marjan
Published: August 2019

Purpose. To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in the treatment of residual myopia and astigmatism following femtosecond laser-enabled keratoplasty (FLEK).Design. Retrospective case review.Methods. Chart review of all patients with prior FLEK who subsequently underwent femto-LASIK surgery after full suture removal was performed at the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute at the University of California, Irvine. A total of 14 eyes in 13 patients met this criterion, and their comprehensive examinations performed at standard intervals were reviewed. Main outcome measures include uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) and corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) expressed as the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR), manifest refractive astigmatism, and spherical equivalent.Results. From the preoperative visit to the 3 month visit, all 14 eyes significantly improved in UDVA (logMAR, 0.93 ± 0.23 to 0.44 ± 0.32,P=0.002) with no loss of CDVA (logMAR, 0.26 ± 0.19 to 0.18 ± 0.23,P=0.50). All 14 eyes showed significant improvement in manifest refractive astigmatism (4.71 ± 1.77 to 2.18 ± 1.45 diopters (D),P=0.003) and spherical equivalent (−2.57 ± 2.45 to −0.48 ± 0.83 D,P=0.0007). There were no flap or graft complications as a result of femto-LASIK.Conclusions. Our findings suggest that femto-LASIK on eyes with prior FLEK is safe and effective in improving visual acuity and reducing residual astigmatism.
Comparing Verum and Sham Acupuncture in Fibromyalgia Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Kim Jiwon , Kim Su-Ryun , Lee Hyangsook , Nam Dong-Hyun
Published: August 2019

Objectives. Acupuncture is often used for relieving symptoms of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Our aim is to ascertain whether verum acupuncture is more effective than sham acupuncture in FMS. Methods. We collected RCTs to investigate the effects of verum acupuncture and sham acupuncture on pain, sleep quality, fatigue, and general status in FMS patients. The databases used for data retrieval were PubMed, Central Cochrane, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CNKI, VIP, OASIS, KoreaMed, and RISS. Selection/exclusion from the retrieved records was performed according to prespecified criteria, and the final selected records were assessed according to the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The results of the included trials were synthesized on the basis of outcomes, and subgroup analysis depended on the type of add-on sham acupuncture that was performed. Results. Ten RCTs (690 participants) were eligible, and eight RCTs were eventually included in the meta-analysis. The synthesis showed a sizable effect of verum acupuncture compared with sham acupuncture on pain relief (standardized mean difference (SMD) −0.49, Z = 3.26, P=0.001; I2 = 59%), improving sleep quality (SMD −0.46, Z = 3.24, P=0.001; I2 = 0%), and reforming general status (SMD −0.69, Z = 6.27, P<0.00001; I2 = 4%). However, efficacy on fatigue was insignificant (SMD −0.10, Z = 0.51, P=0.61; I2 = 46%). When compared with a combination of simulation and improper location of needling, the effect of verum acupuncture for pain relief was the most obvious. Conclusions. Verum acupuncture is more effective than sham acupuncture for pain relief, improving sleep quality, and reforming general status in FMS posttreatment. However, evidence that it reduces fatigue was not found.
Highly Sensitive Detection of Dopamine at Ionic Liquid Functionalized RGO/ZIF-8 Nanocomposite-Modified Electrode
Authors: Cheng Lei , Fan Youjun , Shen Xingcan , Liang Hong
Published: August 2019

A hybrid and hierarchical nanocomposite was successfully prepared by the growth of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) on the template of ionic liquid (IL, [Bmim][BF4]) functionalized reduced graphene oxide (IL-RGO). The structure and morphology of the IL-RGO/ZIF-8 nanocomposite were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that RGO sheets were refrained from restacking by IL, and ZIF-8 nanoparticles grew well on the surface of IL-RGO. Owing to the synergistic effect from large surface area and excellent electrocatalytic activity of ZIF-8 and great electrical conductivity of IL-RGO, a highly sensitive sensor for dopamine (DA) can be obtained. IL-RGO/ZIF-8-modified electrode exhibits good electrocatalytic activity and electroconductive properties towards DA which were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Compared with bare or IL-RGO-modified electrodes, the IL-RGO/ZIF-8-modified electrode effectively depressed the oxidation overpotential of DA. The linear response range of DA was from 1.0×10−7 to 1.0×10−4 mol/L with a low detection of limit 3.5×10−8 mol/L. In addition, the sensor was shown to provide satisfactory stability for the determination of DA.
Parametric Study on the Seismic Response of Steel‐Framed Buildings with Self‐Centering Tension‐Only Braces
Authors: Chi Pei , Tian Wenlong , Guo Tong , Cao Dafu , Dong Jun
Published: August 2019

Self‐centering bracing systems, by which residual deformations of structures after earthquakes can be minimized, are considered effective solutions to achieve seismic resilience. In this paper, a parametric study on the seismic response of intermediate and high‐rise steel‐framed buildings with novel self‐centering tension‐only braces (SC‐TOBs) is numerically conducted. Three key parameters, the stiffness degradation factor, the activation strain, and the initial axial stiffness of the SC‐TOBs, are investigated to explore the design space for the SC‐TOB frames (SC‐TOBFs) because of their unique tunability compared with traditional bracing systems. Identical steel frames equipped with buckling restrained braces (BRBs) are also designed and examined for comparison purposes. The results indicate that increasing the stiffness degradation factor can improve the second stiffness of SC‐TOBFs and successfully make the distribution of interstory drifts more uniform; an increase in the activation strain leads to a larger activation deformation of SC‐TOBFs, but it has a very limited effect on the interstory drifts; increasing the initial axial stiffness appropriately is beneficial to reduce the interstory drifts of the low stories. The lateral behavior of SC‐TOBFs is comparable to that of BRB frames when a lower activation strain and a higher initial axial stiffness are selected. Furthermore, when a higher stiffness degradation factor and a lower initial axial stiffness are selected simultaneously, the seismic action on SC‐TOBFs can be effectively reduced, and a relatively uniform distribution over the building height can be obtained. The SC‐TOBFs are considered to be a type of performance‐tunable structure, and tuning can be achieved by varying a frame’s adjustable parameters.
Improved Drug Delivery to Brain Metastases by Peptide-Mediated Permeabilization of the Blood–Brain Barrier
Authors: Aasen Synnøve Nymark , Espedal Heidi , Holte Christopher Florian , Keunen Olivier , Karlsen Tine Veronika , Tenstad Olav , Maherally Zaynah , Miletic Hrvoje , Hoang Tuyen , Eikeland Anne Vaag , Baghirov Habib , Olberg Dag Erlend , Pilkington Geoffrey John , Sarkar Gobinda , Jenkins Robert B. , Sundstrøm Terje , Bjerkvig Rolf , Thorsen Frits
Published: August 2019

Patients with melanoma have a high risk of developing brain metastasis, which is associated with a dismal prognosis. During early stages of metastasis development, the blood–brain barrier (BBB) is likely intact, which inhibits sufficient drug delivery into the metastatic lesions. We investigated the ability of the peptide, K16ApoE, to permeabilize the BBB for improved treatment with targeted therapies preclinically. Dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) was carried out on NOD/SCID mice to study the therapeutic window of peptide-mediated BBB permeabilization. Further, both in vivo and in vitro assays were used to determine K16ApoE toxicity and to obtain mechanistic insight into its action on the BBB. The therapeutic impact of K16ApoE on metastases was evaluated combined with the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway inhibitor dabrafenib, targeting BRAF mutated melanoma cells, which is otherwise known not to cross the intact BBB. Our results from the DCE-MRI experiments showed effective K16ApoE-mediated BBB permeabilization lasting for up to 1 hour. Mechanistic studies showed a dose-dependent effect of K16ApoE caused by induction of endocytosis. At concentrations above IC50, the peptide additionally showed nonspecific disturbances on plasma membranes. Combined treatment with K16ApoE and dabrafenib reduced the brain metastatic burden in mice and increased animal survival, and PET/CT showed that the peptide also facilitated the delivery of compounds with molecular weights as large as 150 kDa into the brain. To conclude, we demonstrate a transient permeabilization of the BBB, caused by K16ApoE, that facilitates enhanced drug delivery into the brain. This improves the efficacy of drugs that otherwise do not cross the intact BBB.
Expression Levels of Therapeutic Targets as Indicators of Sensitivity to Targeted Therapeutics
Authors: Roy Riti , Winteringham Louise N. , Lassmann Timo , Forrest Alistair R.R.
Published: August 2019

Cancer precision medicine aims to predict the drug likely to yield the best response for a patient. Genomic sequencing of tumors is currently being used to better inform treatment options; however, this approach has had a limited clinical impact due to the paucity of actionable mutations. An alternative to mutation status is the use of gene expression signatures to predict response. Using data from two large-scale studies, The Genomics of Drug Sensitivity of Cancer (GDSC) and The Cancer Therapeutics Response Portal (CTRP), we investigated the relationship between the sensitivity of hundreds of cell lines to hundreds of drugs, and the relative expression levels of the targets these drugs are directed against. For approximately one third of the drugs considered (73/222 in GDSC and 131/360 in CTRP), sensitivity was significantly correlated with the expression of at least one of the known targets. Surprisingly, for 8% of the annotated targets, there was a significant anticorrelation between target expression and sensitivity. For several cases, this corresponded to drugs targeting multiple genes in the same family, with the expression of one target significantly correlated with sensitivity and another significantly anticorrelated suggesting a possible role in resistance. Furthermore, we identified nontarget genes that are significantly correlated or anticorrelated with drug sensitivity, and find literature linking several to sensitization and resistance. Our analyses provide novel and important insights into both potential mechanisms of resistance and relative efficacy of drugs against the same target.
A Low-Rank Representation Method Regularized by Dual-Hypergraph Laplacian for Selecting Differentially Expressed Genes
Authors: Xu Xiu-Xiu , Dai Ling-Yun , Kong Xiang-Zhen , Liu Jin-Xing
Published: August 2019

Differentially expressed genes selection becomes a hotspot and difficulty in recent molecular biology. Low-rank representation (LRR) uniting graph Laplacian regularization has gained good achievement in the above field. However, the co-expression information of data cannot be captured well by graph regularization. Therefore, a novel low-rank representation method regularized by dual-hypergraph Laplacian is proposed to reveal the intrinsic geometrical structures hidden in the samples and genes direction simultaneously, which is called dual-hypergraph Laplacian regularized LRR (DHLRR). Finally, a low-rank matrix and a sparse perturbation matrix can be recovered from genomic data by DHLRR. Based on the sparsity of differentially expressed genes, the sparse disturbance matrix can be applied to extracting differentially expressed genes. In our experiments, two gene analysis tools are used to discuss the experimental results. The results on two real genomic data and an integrated dataset prove that DHLRR is efficient and effective in finding differentially expressed genes.
USE OF LANDSAT IMAGERY TO MAP SPREAD OF THE INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES Acacia nilotica IN BALURAN NATIONAL PARK, INDONESIA
Authors: Sutomo Sutomo , Van Etten Eddie , Iryadi Rajif
Published: August 2019

In the late 1960s, Acacia nilotica was introduced to Baluran National Park to establish fire breaks which would prevent the spread of fire from Baluran Savanna to the adjacent teak forest. However, A. nilotica has spread rapidly and has threatened the existence of Baluran Savanna as it has caused an ecosystem transition from an open savanna to a closed canopy of A. nilotica in some areas. This study is one of the few that examines A. nilotica invasion in Baluran National Park through remote sensing. Land cover dynamics were quantified using a supervised classification approach on Landsat 7 and 8 multi-spectral images. Results showed that savanna and A. nilotica can be recognized using a composite of bands 6, 5 and 3 of the Landsat 8 image. Across a 14-year period (2000-14), A. nilotica has spread far north and south from its originally introduced location, invading not only savannas but also dry forests in the Baluran National Park. The savanna size has decreased by 1,361 ha, meanwhile the A. nilotica stand has increased by 1,886 ha over this period. Spatial distribution of A. nilotica in Baluran National Park showed a clumped pattern. Acacia nilotica which develops into a homogeneous stand in the north-west and eastern parts of the national park occupied an area of 3,628 ha or about 14.5% of the total area. This study has demonstrated that remote sensing technology can be effectively used to estimate the patterns of distribution and amount of A. nilotica cover change over the whole Baluran National Park. This is one advantage of remote sensing and GIS, as it is difficult and expensive to make such direct assessments using the conventional approach of field survey and vegetation analysis.
THE PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF SEVERAL INDONESIAN RICE VARIETIES
Authors: Susiyanti Susiyanti , Rusmana Rusmana , Maryani Yeyen , Sjaifuddin Sjaifuddin , Krisdianto Nanang , Syabana Mohamad Ana
Published: August 2019

Rice has different varieties, with each variety possessing diverse physical and chemical characteristics. The objective of this study was to analyze the physicochemical properties of several Indonesian local rice varieties. The experiment was conducted from March to April 2017 at the Agriculture Applied Technology Laboratory of Agriculture Faculty, Universitas Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa and at the Laboratory of Food Analysis Services in the Food and Technology Department of IPB University. Nine local rice varieties from several areas in Indonesia were used as samples, namely; Jalahawara, Ciherang, Pandan Wangi, Rojolele, Sokan, Bendang Pulau, Batang Piaman, Cisantana, and Sidrap. Their physicochemical characteristics were analyzed based on some criteria such as: physical quality (weight, length, width, form, and percentage of chalkiness), and chemical content, water content, ash content, fat content, protein content, carbohydrate content, crude fiber content, starch, amylose, and amylopectin content. Data obtained were analyzed by one-way ANOVA using a Randomized Block Design. Jalahawara has the highest percentage of chalkiness.Â  Based on the ratio of length and width, Sidrap and Ciherang were categorized as medium type and the others were oval/round. The heaviest and lightest based onÂ  the 1000-grain weight of rice were Ciherang and Bendang Pulau, respectively. The water content was about 2-4% for all samples. The highest and lowest amount of ash and fat content were found in Sidrap and Sokan, respectively.Â  The highest and lowest amount of protein content were found in Batang Piaman and Sokan, respectively. The highest and lowest Â starch content were observed in Pandan Wangi and Ciherang. The content of amylose and amylopectin were highest in Batang Piaman. The rice samples were categorized into two groups of low and medium levels of amylose. The low level of amylose were observed in Cisantana, Ciherang, Pandan Wangi and Sidrap, and the medium level of amylose were observed in Jalahawara, Sokan, Bendang Pulau, Batang Piaman, and Rojolele.
EFFECTS OF DIETARY PROBIOTIC Bacillus NP5 ON THE GROWTH PERFORMANCES OF CATFISH (Clarias sp.)
Authors: Putra Achmad Noerkhaerin , Mustahal Mustahal , Syamsunarno Mas Bayu
Published: August 2019

Probiotic have long been applied to aquaculture and produce positive effects on fish and shrimp. This research aimed to evaluate the effect of probiotic Bacillus NP5 to promote the growth of catfish (Clarias sp.). Five doses Bacillus NP5 with 3 replicates, namely 0% probiotic (control), 0.5 % probiotic, 1% probiotic, 1.5% probiotic and 2% probiotic (g/100 g feed) were used. The result showed that application of probiotic in catfish feed can promote better growth performance compared to control. Total digestibility and protease enzyme activites were significantly highest in 1% probiotic. The value of specific growth rate showed in 1% probiotic (2.67Â±0.18% day-1), followed by 2% probiotic (2.63Â±0.02% day-1), 1.5% probiotic (2.42Â±0.07% day-1), 0.5% probiotic (2.29Â±0.14% day-1) and control (1.60Â±0.01% day-1). The addition of 1% Bacillus NP5 as probiotic in catfish feed showed the best result on protease enzyme activities, protein digestibility, total digestibility, final weight, specific growth rate, weight gain, feed efficiency and, the protein efficiency ratio than other probiotic doses.
REGULATION OF ADIPOGENESIS AND KEY ADIPOGENIC GENE EXPRESSION BY MANGOSTEEN PERICARP EXTRACT AND XANTHONES IN 3T3-L1 CELLS
Authors: Widowati Wahyu , Darsono Lusiana , Suherman Jo , Afifah Ervi , Rizal Rizal , Arinta Yukko , Mozef Tjandrawati , Suciati Tri
Published: August 2019

Obesity is one of the risk factors for atherosclerosis and its fat occurrence and development are associated with fat accumulation and adipocyte differentiation.Â  Thus, the suppression of adipocyte differentiation can be a potential anti-obesity approach to this health concern. This study examined the effect of mangosteen pericarp extract (MPE) and xanthone (Î±-Mangostin (AM) and Î³-Mangostin (GM)) on the expression of PPARÎ³, C/EBPÎ±, SCD1, LPL, aP2, adipoQ, and FAS in 3T3-L1 cells. Concentrations of MPE and xanthones used were based on the cytotoxic assay on 3T3-L1 cells. Three different MPE concentrations (0, 25, and 50 Âµg/ml) and three different AM concentrations (0, 25 and 50 ÂµM) and GM (0, 50, and 75 ÂµM) were used in the experiment. The expressions of PPARÎ³, C/EBPÎ±, SCD1, LPL, aP2, adipoQ, and FAS genes were measured using real-time quantitative PCR. The expression of the genes was down-regulated in the group of cells treated with 50 Âµg/ml of MPE and 50 ÂµM of GM. However, the 25 ÂµM and 50 ÂµM of AM did not suppress PPARÎ³ and SCD-1 expression. The 50 ÂµM of AM also failed to reduce aP2 gene expression. Finally, MPE and GM showed potential anti-adipogenesis and anti-obesity effects by suppressing the expression of PPARÎ³, C/EBPÎ±, SCD1, LPL, aP2, adipoQ and FAS genes in 3T3-L1 cells.
Accesibilidad en salud: revisión sobre niños y niñas con discapacidad en Brasil-Perú-Colombia
Authors: Batista Conceição dos Santos Daniel , Vázquez-Ramos Vanessa , da Costa Cunha Oliveira Cristiane , López-Arellano Oliva
Published: August 2019

(analítico) La investigación tiene como objetivo identificar los principales problemas de acceso a los servicios de salud de niños y niñas con diversidad funcional en América Latina. Se trata de una revisión sistemática. Se desarrollaron estrategias detalladas para la búsqueda individual en Health, Redalyc, Medline y SciELO entre mayo y junio de 2018. Se incluyeron artículos originales publicados entre enero 2013- julio 2018 en portugués, inglés o español. Se realizaron análisis descriptivos para la categorización de los estudios. Se identificaron 9 artículos, todos transversales de diseño descriptivo. A partir de los resultados obtenidos, quedó evidente que las dificultades de acceso a los servicios de salud están asociadas a la mayor vulnerabilidad a factores demográficos, socioeconómicos, siendo necesario traspasar las barreras existentes a través de la creación y efectividad de políticas públicas que garanticen acceso a la salud.
Apego en niños con asistencia temprana a salas cuna en la ciudad de Punta Arenas (Chile): un estudio piloto
Authors: Cárcamo Rodrigo A. , Lagos Sandy , García-Riquelme Alejandra , Gómez Esteban
Published: August 2019

Este estudio piloto tuvo por objetivo conocer los vínculos de apego en niños y niñas que asisten a salas cuna. Se aplicó la Escala de apego durante estrés (ADS) a 25 díadas madre-infante (cuyos niños y niñas tenían entre 10 y 14 meses de edad), que asistían a salas cuna en la ciudad de Punta Arenas. La muestra fue no probabilística intencional, mientras que el diseño no experimental, transversal, descriptivo. Los resultados indican que la distribución de los tipos de apego es similar al patrón universal; sin embargo, una prolongada estadía
en salas cuna se asocia a un mayor riesgo de apego inseguro aun cuando los efectos de la edad de ingreso son controlados. Se discuten los alcances e implicancias para futuras investigaciones.
«Arreglar» y «trabajar»: vínculos entre jóvenes y policías en Rosario, Argentina
Authors: Cozzi Eugenia
Published: August 2019

El objetivo de este artículo es analizar modos de vinculación entre jóvenes de sectores populares que participan en actividades ilegales y policías; en cuanto los primeros constituyen un grupo social que tradicionalmente ha sido objeto específico de gobierno policial. Para ello, y a través de una etnografía en barrios populares de la ciudad de Rosario entre 2008 y 2015, se identifican negociaciones entre jóvenes y policías, en el marco de una relación —más o menos asimétrica— de poder, que, algunas veces, resultan reprochadas y/o censuradas, y otras, aprobadas e, incluso, avaladas. Se concluye que la distinción entre «trabajar» y «arreglar» con la policía resulta clave, en tanto da cuenta de variadas formas de interacción y, al mismo tiempo, de prácticas policiales, algunas legales, otras ilegales, pero no siempre consideradas ilegítimas.
Assessment of Frozen Seafood Good Storage Practices in the 21st Supply Deposit of the Brazilian Army
Authors: Martins Werner Souza , Leite Ana Beatriz De Campos , Martins Raquel Luciano , Da Silva Jader Oliveira , Balian Simone De Carvalho
Published: August 2019

The 21st Supply Deposit of the Brazilian Army (21st DSup), located in the city of São Paulo provides food raw materials for 16000 meals daily, and frozen fish is among the foodstuffs distributed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the good practices of seafood storage in the 21st DSup, identify issues of non-compliance that compromise food quality, and propose solutions. The system was evaluated, applying a checklist (RDC 275/2002) to evaluate the percentage of requirements in compliance with good practices. The 21st DSup was classified in Group 3, with 41% of items in conformance (< 50%), and we found that there is no hygienic-sanitary self-control program for storing cold seafood and other food supplies. The cold stores’ temperatures are not able to maintain products within the required standards of conservation. The seafood cold storage protocol of the 21st DSup does not guarantee temperature conformity. It is necessary to implement a hygienic-sanitary self-control program for food supply storage, which should begin with the development of a food safety culture.
Milk consumption habits on dairy for farmers of family farming
Authors: Andrighi Daniela , Frizzo Adriane Ferreira , Nascif Junior Iucif Abrão , Starikoff Karina Ramirez
Published: August 2019

Brazil is one of the largest milk producers in the world and most establishments are small producers of family farming. Milk is a perishable product and due to its nutritional characteristics provides a favorable environment for the growth of bacteria. The objective of this research was to evaluate the consumption habits of milk in family farms, identifying the consumption forms, evaluating the risks and the perception of risk by the producers, besides evaluating the sanitary management adopted in the properties with respect to the diseases transmitted by the milk and milk products. One hundred eleven producers from the city of Realeza-PR were interviewed. Almost half (48.64%, 54/111) had a small production with up to 10 lactating animals. Most of the producers had animals with a low productivity, and the average milk production per animal was less than 10 liters. The milk produced was consumed internally by 93.67% (104/111) of those interviewed, and 7.2% (8/111) claim to ingest raw milk without any previous heat treatment. Some producers(18%, 20/111) still made dairy products, like cheese and dulce de leche. Although 82.87% (92/111) reported having knowledge about the transmission of diseases through milk, only 49.54% (55/111) named the diseases. Not all producers conducted tests in the herd for disease control. The present study also found that only 4 people interviewed (3.6%, 4/111) associated the consumption of raw milk with some illness and reported having some symptoms, such as vomiting, nausea, skin allergy, colic and gas. Thus, it is necessary to inform and guide producers about the risks associated with raw milk consumption, so that not only the health of the producer is assured, but also the family and the population that may acquire this product informally.
Potential years of life lost due to oropharyngeal cancer in Brazil: 1979 to 2013
Authors: Perea Lillia Magali Estrada , Boing Alexandra Crispim , Peres Marco Aurélio , Boing Antonio Fernando
Published: August 2019

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the years of life lost by the Brazilian population due to mouth and pharynx cancer from 1979 to 2013, and analyze the temporal trends in the studied period, according to the country’s region, sex and anatomical site. METHODS: The death records were obtained from the Mortality Information System and the data referring to the population, from the censuses of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics of 1980, 1991, 2000, 2010, and from intercensal estimates for the other years. The rates of potential years of life lost were calculated by applying the method suggested by Romeder and McWhinnie, and their trends were calculated using the Prais-Winsten method with firstorder autocorrelation. The historical series were smoothed with the centered moving average technique of third order for white noise reduction. RESULTS: In the period from 1979 to 2013 in Brazil, there were a total of 107,506 premature deaths due to mouth and pharynx cancer, which generated a total of 1,589,501 potential years of life lost, the equivalent to a rate of 3.6 per 10,000 inhabitants. Males, whose rate was six times higher than for females, contributed with 85% of the years lost. The trends in the rates of years of life lost showed an annual 0.72% increase for men, 1.13% for women and 1.05% for pharynx cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of potential years of life lost due to mouth and pharynx cancer in the country showed an upward trend within the studied period for both sexes, as well as for pharynx cancer and for the North, Northeast and Midwest regions.
Personal protective measures of pregnant women against Zika virus infection
Authors: Melo Vladimir Antonio Dantas , Silva José Rodrigo Santos , La Corte Roseli
Published: August 2019

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the adherence of pregnant women to personal protective measures against mosquito bites, recommended by the Ministry of Health, and to investigate the factors associated with the non-adoption of these measures. METHODS: We interviewed 177 pregnant women between November 2016 and February 2017 in the 10 basic health units of the municipality of Propriá, state of Sergipe, two located in the rural area and eight in the urban area, during prenatal appointments, to raise information about the use of preventive measures against the vector transmission of Zika virus. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods, chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test, and the odds ratio was calculated. The independent variables were grouped by the analysis of principal components, and the dependents (the use of repellent, mosquito nets, garments, screens and insecticides) were analyzed using the logistic regression method. RESULTS: Among the measures recommended by the Ministry of Health, mosquito nets were the most used by pregnant women living in rural areas and with low education level, while the repellents were more used by women in the urban area and with higher education level. Women in a vulnerable socio-economic situation presented a risk 2.4 times higher for not using screens in their homes, 1.9 times higher for not changing clothes and 2.5 times higher for not using repellent than pregnant women in better economic conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The socioeconomic status of pregnant women, especially among the less privileged, influenced the use of protective measures against Zika virus, from the purchase of repellent, clothing, insecticides to other resources in the municipality of Propriá, SE.