bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Masticadienonic and 3α-OH Masticadienoic Acids Induce Apoptosis and Inhibit Cell Proliferation and Tumor Growth in Prostate Cancer Xenografts in Vivo
Authors: Sánchez-Monroy Ma. , Jacobo-Herrera Nadia , Zentella-Dehesa Alejandro , Hernández-Téllez Beatriz , Martínez-Vázquez Mariano
Published: September 2017

The triterpenes have been constituted as a group of interesting molecules as possible antitumor agents. Despite several of them not presenting a potent cytotoxic activity in vitro against cancer cells, in vivo in xenotransplant tumors studies, they show promising results. Based on the above considerations, we investigated the antitumor activity of both masticadienonic (MDA) and 3α-OH masticadienoic (3α-OH MDA) acids in a mouse prostate cancer xenograft model. Immunohistochemical assays were used to evaluate the decrease in the expression of the Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) and the Ki-67 induced by MDA and 3α-OH MDA. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay was performed to demonstrate the fragmentation of DNA. Our results showed that the two triterpenes inhibited tumor growth, had anti-proliferative effect in vivo and induced cell death by apoptosis. Collectively, our data suggested that the antitumor mechanism of MDA and 3α-OH MDA involves several molecular targets related to cell proliferation and apoptosis.
Biomass Waste Inspired Highly Porous Carbon for High Performance Lithium/Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Zhao Yan , Ren Jun , Tan Taizhe , Babaa Moulay-Rachid , Bakenov Zhumabay , Liu Ning , Zhang Yongguang
Published: September 2017

The synthesis of highly porous carbon (HPC) materials from poplar catkin by KOH chemical activation and hydrothermal carbonization as a conductive additive to a lithium-sulfur cathode is reported. Elemental sulfur was composited with as-prepared HPC through a melt diffusion method to form a S/HPC nanocomposite. Structure and morphology characterization revealed a hierarchically sponge-like structure of HPC with high pore volume (0.62 cm3∙g−1) and large specific surface area (1261.7 m2∙g−1). When tested in Li/S batteries, the resulting compound demonstrated excellent cycling stability, delivering a second-specific capacity of 1154 mAh∙g−1 as well as presenting 74% retention of value after 100 cycles at 0.1 C. Therefore, the porous structure of HPC plays an important role in enhancing electrochemical properties, which provides conditions for effective charge transfer and effective trapping of soluble polysulfide intermediates, and remarkably improves the electrochemical performance of S/HPC composite cathodes.
Effects of Various Surfactants on the Dispersion of MWCNTs–OH in Aqueous Solution
Authors: Cui Hongzhi , Yan Xiantong , Monasterio Manuel , Xing Feng
Published: September 2017

Dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is a challenge for their application in the resulting matrixes. The present study conducted a comparison investigation of the effect of four surfactants: Alkylphenol polyoxyethylene ether (APEO), Silane modified polycarboxylate (Silane-PCE), I-Cationic polycarboxylate (I-C-PCE), and II-Cationic polycarboxylate (II-C-PCE) on the dispersion of hydroxyl functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs–OH). Among the four surfactants, APEO and II-C-PCE provide the best and the worst dispersion effect of CNTs in water, respectively. Dispersion effect of MWCNTs–OH has been characterized by optical microscope (OM), field emission-scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), and Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis).The OM images are well consistent with the UV–Vis results. Based on the chemical molecular structures of the four surfactants, the mechanism of MWCNTs–OH dispersion in water was investigated. For each kind of surfactant, an optimum surfactant/MWCNTs–OH ratio has been determined. This ratio showed a significant influence on the dispersion of MWCNTs–OH. Surfactant concentration higher or lower than this value can weaken the dispersion quality of MWCNTs–OH.
Bariatric Surgery and Precision Nutrition
Authors: Nicoletti Carolina , Cortes-Oliveira Cristiana , Pinhel Marcela , Nonino Carla
Published: September 2017

This review provides a literature overview of new findings relating nutritional genomics and bariatric surgery. It also describes the importance of nutritional genomics concepts in personalized bariatric management. It includes a discussion of the potential role bariatric surgery plays in altering the three pillars of nutritional genomics: nutrigenetics, nutrigenomics, and epigenetics. We present studies that show the effect of each patient’s genetic and epigenetic variables on the response to surgical weight loss treatment. We include investigations that demonstrate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms with obesity phenotypes and their influence on weight loss after bariatric surgery. We also present reports on how significant weight loss induced by bariatric surgery impacts telomere length, and we discuss studies on the existence of an epigenetic signature associated with surgery outcomes and specific gene methylation profile, which may help to predict weight loss after a surgical procedure. Finally, we show articles which evidence that bariatric surgery may affect expression of numerous genes involved in different metabolic pathways and consequently induce functional and taxonomic changes in gut microbial communities. The role nutritional genomics plays in responses to weight loss after bariatric surgery is evident. Better understanding of the molecular pathways involved in this process is necessary for successful weight management and maintenance.
Developmental Outcomes at 24 Months of Age in Toddlers Supplemented with Arachidonic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid: Results of a Double Blind Randomized, Controlled Trial
Authors: Devlin Angela , Chau Cecil , Dyer Roger , Matheson Julie , McCarthy Deanna , Yurko-Mauro Karin , Innis Sheila , Grunau Ruth
Published: September 2017

Little is known about arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) requirements in toddlers. A longitudinal, double blind, controlled trial in toddlers (n = 133) age 13.4 ± 0.9 months (mean ± standard deviation), randomized to receive a DHA (200 mg/day) and ARA (200 mg/day) supplement (supplement) or a corn oil supplement (control) until age 24 months determined effects on neurodevelopment. We found no effect of the supplement on the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development 3rd Edition (Bayley-III) cognitive and language composites and Beery–Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual–Motor Integration (Beery VMI) at age 24 months. Supplemented toddlers had higher RBC phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and plasma DHA and ARA compared to placebo toddlers at age 24 months. A positive relationship between RBC PE ARA and Bayley III Cognitive composite (4.55 (0.21–9.00), B (95% CI), p = 0.045) in supplemented boys, but not in control boys, was observed in models adjusted for baseline fatty acid, maternal non-verbal intelligence, and BMI z-score at age 24 months. A similar positive relationship between RBC PE ARA and Bayley III Language composite was observed for supplemented boys (11.52 (5.10–17.94), p < 0.001) and girls (11.19 (4.69–17.68), p = 0.001). These findings suggest that increasing the ARA status in toddlers is associated with better neurodevelopment at age 24 months.
Fructose Consumption, Lipogenesis, and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Ter Horst Kasper , Serlie Mireille
Published: September 2017

Increased fructose consumption has been suggested to contribute to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance, but a causal role of fructose in these metabolic diseases remains debated. Mechanistically, hepatic fructose metabolism yields precursors that can be used for gluconeogenesis and de novo lipogenesis (DNL). Fructose-derived precursors also act as nutritional regulators of the transcription factors, including ChREBP and SREBP1c, that regulate the expression of hepatic gluconeogenesis and DNL genes. In support of these mechanisms, fructose intake increases hepatic gluconeogenesis and DNL and raises plasma glucose and triglyceride levels in humans. However, epidemiological and fructose-intervention studies have had inconclusive results with respect to liver fat, and there is currently no good human evidence that fructose, when consumed in isocaloric amounts, causes more liver fat accumulation than other energy-dense nutrients. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of the seemingly contradicting literature on fructose and NAFLD. We outline fructose physiology, the mechanisms that link fructose to NAFLD, and the available evidence from human studies. From this framework, we conclude that the cellular mechanisms underlying hepatic fructose metabolism will likely reveal novel targets for the treatment of NAFLD, dyslipidemia, and hepatic insulin resistance. Finally, fructose-containing sugars are a major source of excess calories, suggesting that a reduction of their intake has potential for the prevention of NAFLD and other obesity-related diseases.
Effect of Urea and Borate Plasticizers on Rheological Response of Corn Starch
Authors: Ibrahim Khalid , Naz Muhammad , Sulaiman Shaharin , Ghaffar Abdul , Jamil Yasir , Abdel-Salam Nasser
Published: September 2017

Although starch based materials have an array of fascinating industrial applications, the native starches do not show good mechanical strength, thermal stability, and rheological properties for their use in the mainstream processing industry. For example, the use of starches for producing controlled release fertilizers is a new research endeavor with detailed knowledge still to come. The thermal processing of native starches with water as a plasticizer results in poor physical and pasting properties of the final product. Therefore in this study, corn starch was thermally processed with urea and borate in a water medium. The pure starch (PS), starch-urea (SU), starch-borate (SB), and starch-urea-borate (SUB) samples were prepared and characterized for their rheological traits. The PS sample exhibited a peak viscosity of 299 cP after 17 min of thermal processing. Further heating of the suspension caused a decrease in viscosity of 38 points due to thermal cracking of the starch granules. A similar trend was depicted in the viscosity measurements of SU, SB, and SUB adhesives. However, the viscosity of these samples remained slightly higher than that for PS. Also, the reduction in viscosity after the peak value was not as notable as for PS. The modified starch behaved like a gel and its storage modulus was significantly higher than the loss modulus. The lower magnitudes of storage and loss moduli revealed that the modified starch was in the form of a weak gel and not a solid. The PS is more fluid in nature with dominating loss modulus at lower angular frequencies.
Rules of Engagement: A Review of Regulatory Instruments Designed to Promote and Secure Local Content Requirements in the Oil and Gas Sector
Authors: Asiago Berryl
Published: September 2017

Regulatory interventions, such as Local Content (LC) requirements, have been incorporated to counter market forces to maximise petroleum revenues. This has been undertaken with the hypothesis that the governments of petroleum-producing countries depend heavily on petroleum sectors for development, yet energy markets inadequately allocate these resources. Thus, governments revise existing, and often out-of-date, petroleum laws and introduce new petroleum legislation to specifically promote socio-economic objectives. This article explores the key legislative instruments of LC as developed and implemented in the oil and gas sectors both from developed and developing countries’ perspectives. In assessing the overall policy approach, this article evaluates instruments used to secure Local Content requirements in the oil and gas industry. In conclusion, governments must identify appropriate frameworks that consider the political and regulatory challenge of striking a balance between incentivising upstream investors and fulfilling national interests, such as creating jobs.
Hyperspectral Image Classification Based on Semi-Supervised Rotation Forest
Authors: Lu Xiaochen , Zhang Junping , Li Tong , Zhang Ye
Published: September 2017

Ensemble learning is widely used to combine varieties of weak learners in order to generate a relatively stronger learner by reducing either the bias or the variance of the individual learners. Rotation forest (RoF), combining feature extraction and classifier ensembles, has been successfully applied to hyperspectral (HS) image classification by promoting the diversity of base classifiers since last decade. Generally, RoF uses principal component analysis (PCA) as the rotation tool, which is commonly acknowledged as an unsupervised feature extraction method, and does not consider the discriminative information about classes. Sometimes, however, it turns out to be sub-optimal for classification tasks. Therefore, in this paper, we propose an improved RoF algorithm, in which semi-supervised local discriminant analysis is used as the feature rotation tool. The proposed algorithm, named semi-supervised rotation forest (SSRoF), aims to take advantage of both the discriminative information and local structural information provided by the limited labeled and massive unlabeled samples, thus providing better class separability for subsequent classifications. In order to promote the diversity of features, we also adjust the semi-supervised local discriminant analysis into a weighted form, which can balance the contributions of labeled and unlabeled samples. Experiments on several hyperspectral images demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed algorithm compared with several state-of-the-art ensemble learning approaches.
Simultaneous Voltammetric Detection of Carbaryl and Paraquat Pesticides on Graphene-Modified Boron-Doped Diamond Electrode
Authors: Pop Aniela , Manea Florica , Flueras Adriana , Schoonman Joop
Published: September 2017

Monitoring of pesticide residues in food, beverages, and the environment requires fast, versatile, and sensitive analyzing methods. Direct electrochemical detection of pesticides could represent an efficient solution. Adequate electrode material, electrochemical technique, and optimal operation parameters define the detection method for practical application. In this study, cyclic voltammetric and differential pulse voltammetric techniques were used in order to individually and simultaneously detect two pesticides, i.e., carbaryl (CR) and paraquat (PQ), from an acetate buffer solution and also from natural apple juice. A graphene-modified boron-doped diamond electrode, denoted BDDGR, was obtained and successfully applied in the simultaneous detection of CR and PQ pesticides, using the differential pulse voltammetric technique with remarkable electroanalytical parameters in terms of sensitivity: 33.27 μA μM−1 cm−2 for CR and 31.83 μA μM−1 cm−2 for PQ. These outstanding results obtained in the acetate buffer supporting electrolyte allowed us to simultaneously detect the targeted pesticides in natural apple juice.
Community Detection Based on Differential Evolution Using Social Spider Optimization
Authors: Li You-Hong , Wang Jian-Qiang , Wang Xue-Jun , Zhao Yue-Long , Lu Xing-Hua , Liu Da-Long
Published: September 2017

Community detection (CD) has become an important research direction for data mining in complex networks. Evolutionary algorithm-based (EA-based) approaches, among many other existing community detection methods, are widely used. However, EA-based approaches are prone to population degradation and local convergence. Developing more efficient evolutionary algorithms thus becomes necessary. In 2013, Cuevas et al. proposed a new differential evolution (DE) hybrid meta-heuristic algorithm based on the simulated cooperative behavior of spiders, known as social spider optimization (SSO). On the basis of improving the SSO algorithm, this paper proposes a community detection algorithm based on differential evolution using social spider optimization (DESSO/CD). In this algorithm, the CD detection process is done by simulating the spider cooperative operators, marriage, and operator selection. The similarity of nodes is defined as local fitness function; the community quality increment is used as a screening criterion for evolutionary operators. Populations are sorted according to their contribution and diversity, making evolution even more different. In the entire process, a random cloud crossover model strategy is used to maintain population diversity. Each generation of the mating radius of the SSO algorithm will be adjusted appropriately according to the iterative times and fitness values. This strategy not only ensures the search space of operators, but also reduces the blindness of exploration. On the other hand, the multi-level, multi-granularity strategy of DESSO/CD can be used to further compensate for resolution limitations and extreme degradation defects based on modular optimization methods. The experimental results demonstrate that the DESSO/CD method could detect the community structure with higher partition accuracy and lower computational cost when compared with existing methods. Since the application of the SSO algorithm in CD research is just beginning, the study is competitive and promising.
A Retrospective Analysis of Agricultural Herbicides in Surface Water Reveals Risk Plausibility for Declines in Submerged Aquatic Vegetation
Authors: Powell Kelly , Cope W. , LePrevost Catherine , Augspurger Tom , McCarthy Annette , Shea Damian
Published: September 2017

The Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System (APES) is the second largest estuarine system within the mainland of the United States and is estimated to have lost about half of its submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) over the past several decades. The issue of herbicide runoff and subsequent toxic effects to SAV is important because of the extensive agricultural production that occurs in the APES region. The aim of this study was to conduct a retrospective analysis of herbicide influx to waters of the APES region during the time period of documented SAV declines and to compare the measured concentrations to SAV toxicity thresholds and changes in agricultural land use. Surface water grab samples were collected at 26 sites in the APES region during May through July 2000. The most consistently measured herbicides were alachlor, atrazine, and metolachlor with geometric mean concentrations ranging from 29 to 2463 ng/L for alachlor, 14 to 7171 ng/L for atrazine, and 17 to 5866 ng/L for metolachlor. Concentrations of alachlor, atrazine, and metolachlor measured in water samples from the APES region in 2000 exceeded several of the established benchmarks, standards, or guidelines for protection of aquatic plants. Although this evaluation was of point-in-time herbicide samples (year 2000) and not analyzed for all possible herbicides used at the time, they were taken during the period of SAV declines, reveal the plausibility of exposure risk to SAV, and suggest that herbicide runoff should be studied along with other variables that influence SAV growth and distribution in future studies.
Phosphate Removal from Agricultural Tile Drainage with Iron Enhanced Sand
Authors: Erickson Andrew , Gulliver John , Weiss Peter
Published: September 2017

Can iron enhanced sand filtration capture total phosphorus and soluble phosphorus (phosphate) from agricultural tile drainage? A monitoring study measured the total phosphorus and phosphate capture performance of an iron enhanced sand filter (IESF) installed to treat agricultural tile drainage in Wright County, MT, USA. Overall, for natural rainfall-induced tile drainage events monitored between June and November 2015 and again in 2016, the IESF captured 66% ± 7% (α = 0.05, n = 21) of the influent total phosphorus mass and 64% ± 8% (α = 0.05, n = 31) of the influent phosphate mass. Removal of total phosphorus and phosphate was approximately uniform for large and small rainfall-induced tile drainage events and varied from 42% to 95% for total phosphorus and 9% to 87% for phosphate. The IESF treated 290 m of treated depth since installation, and results indicate that performance is similar or better than constructed wetlands or other IESFs, though not as good as laboratory experiments of IESFs. Routine and non-routine maintenance was performed throughout the project to ensure adequate phosphorus capture and flow rate through the IESF.
Comparison of Potential Risk on Two Managed Aquifer Recharge Sites from River Basin
Authors: Ji Hyon , Lee Sang-Il
Published: September 2017

Drinking water production facilities are designed to filter contaminants that are ever-present in raw water. These facilities, however, pose risks of tap water contamination or water supply discontinuation in the event of a massive chemical spill. A managed aquifer recharge (MAR) offers the advantage of purifying surface water as well as maintaining water underground for extended periods of time, thus securing sufficient time for a response to contaminant infiltration and dramatically increasing consumer safety. However, contaminated aquifers are difficult to recover; accordingly, it is important that MAR sites engage in preemptive responses to chemical spills in order to protect their aquifers. This study assesses potential risks in order to quantify the detrimental impacts of chemical spills in cities located in river basins on drinking water supply facilities. The targets of analysis are two MAR sites in South Korea. The potential risk analysis offers grounds upon which aggressive basin management can be implemented to ensure water supply facility operation safety. The lack of data for available for analysis is addressed using a stochastic methodology that ranks cities in which MAR sites are endangered based on the cities’ potential risk probability distributions. The results of the analysis show that water supply facilities surrounded by larger cities have relatively higher potential risks, and would, therefore, need to handle more management targets to prevent chemical spills. Furthermore, the proposed methodology contributes not only to potential risk management of existing water supply facilities, but also to MAR site selection.
Municipal Management, Infrastructure And Perception Of Users: A Description Of National Program For Improving Access And Quality Of Primary Care In The Brazilian Semiarid
Authors: De Sousa Bezerra Marília Gomes , Nobre Roseanne De Sousa , De Sousa Artemizia Francisca , Claro Maísa De Lima
Published: September 2017

Introduction: The Ministry of Health with the aim of improving the service provided by the Unified Health System has been creating work tools to identify which points need to receive more attention to be optimized.

Objective: Description of the role of municipal management, infrastructure assessment and perception of users of primary care.

Method: Cross-sectional and descriptive study, conducted with Basic Units of Piauí municipality in 2015. The data were represented by tables.

Results: 90% of the units reported receiving support for the planning and organization of the work process. Only 14, 81% of the units have equipment and supplies for proper operation. Users recommend the service in 92,62% of the cases.

Conclusion: despite the precarious structure of the basic units of the county, the population still recognizes them as the best care.
Integrated Evaluation of Road Transport Pollution Impact on the Urban Air
Authors: Šerevičienė Vaida , Vasiliauskienė Vaida , Paliulis Dainius , Aleknaitė Jurgita
Published: September 2017

With the number of vehicles increasing, the analysis of urban air pollution becomes expedient. This article deals with the integrated evaluation of road transport realised pollutant impact on the urban air. During research, it was carried out complex measurements of the air quality involving passive diffusive sampling for nitrogen dioxide, active measurement for particle matters, lichen sampling for heavy metals and visual assessment of trees defoliation. Obtained results showed the statistically reliable (p < 0.05) strong correlation (r = 0.83) between the number of passing vehicles and the concentration of particulate matter and there is even stronger correlation (r = 0.94; p < 0.05) between the concentration of nitrogen dioxide and the number of passing vehicles. It was observed during the analysis, that in measuring sites in which was determined 30% more intense defoliation process, also determined a higher NO2 (>10μg/m3) and lead (~10 mg/kg) concentrations. It can be argued that the source of mentioned pollutants is the same – motor transport, and their presence in the environment influences defoliation phenomenon.
Analysis of Methods and Criteria for Evaluation of Bitumen Performance at Low Temperatures
Authors: Gražulytė Judita , Vaitkus Audrius
Published: September 2017

Thermal cracking is the dominant pavement failure in the cold regions. After each winter, the newly appeared cracks have to be sealed. However, after a few years depending on the sealing method the previously sealed cracks have to be resealed. It results in high maintenance budget and human resources. The appropriate bitumen selection on the basis of bitumen performance at low temperatures can reduce the effect of thermal cracking. For this purpose, number of methods are developed such as Fraass test, bending beam rheometer (BBR) test, direct tension (DT) test, asphalt binder cracking device (ABCD), dynamic shear rheometer using 4 mm diameter parallel plates (4-mm DSR) test, single-edge-notched bending (SENB) test, doubleedge- notched tension (DENT) test and spectral analysis of acoustic emission (AE). This paper presents the analysis of different tests for the evaluation of the bitumen performance at low temperatures, highlights their advantages and disadvantages and gives their limiting criteria. These limiting criteria are usually used to determine the critical cracking temperature, which is defined as the lowest temperature at which bitumen can withstand induced thermal stresses.
The Supernovae Analysis Application (SNAP)
Authors: Bayless Amanda J. , Fryer Chris L. , Wollaeger Ryan , Wiggins Brandon , Even Wesley , Rosa Janie de la , Roming Peter W. A. , Frey Lucy , Young Patrick A. , Thorpe Rob , Powell Luke , Landers Rachel , Persson Heather D. , Hay Rebecca
Published: September 2017

The SuperNovae Analysis aPplication (SNAP) is a new tool for the analysis of SN observations and validation of SN models. SNAP consists of a publicly available relational database with observational light curve, theoretical light curve, and correlation table sets with statistical comparison software, and a web interface available to the community. The theoretical models are intended to span a gridded range of parameter space. The goal is to have users upload new SN models or new SN observations and run the comparison software to determine correlations via the website. There are problems looming on the horizon that SNAP is beginning to solve. For example, large surveys will discover thousands of SNe annually. Frequently, the parameter space of a new SN event is unbounded. SNAP will be a resource to constrain parameters and determine if an event needs follow-up without spending resources to create new light curve models from scratch. Second, there is no rapidly available, systematic way to determine degeneracies between parameters, or even what physics is needed to model a realistic SN. The correlations made within the SNAP system are beginning to solve these problems.
The Starspots of HAT-P-11: Evidence for a Solar-like Dynamo
Authors: Morris Brett M. , Hebb Leslie , Davenport James R. A. , Rohn Graeme , Hawley Suzanne L.
Published: September 2017

We measure the starspot radii and latitude distribution on the K4 dwarf HAT-P-11 from Kepler short-cadence photometry. We take advantage of starspot occultations by HAT-P-11’s highly misaligned planet to compare the spot size and latitude distributions to those of sunspots. We find that HAT-P-11’s spots are distributed in latitude much like sunspots near the solar activity maximum, with a mean spot latitude of ≈16° ± 1°. The majority of HAT-P-11’s starspots have physical sizes that closely resemble the sizes of sunspots at solar maximum. We estimate the mean spotted area coverage on HAT-P-11 to be

, roughly two orders of magnitude greater than the typical solar spotted area.
RFLP clusters of rifampicin resistant and susceptible Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in Western province of Sri Lanka
Authors: Adikaram Chamila Priyangani , Wijesundera Sandya Sulochana , Perera Jennifer
Published: September 2017

Introduction: Continuous studies on genetic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis could enhance the awareness on transmission, control and prevention of tuberculosis (TB). In this study, we investigated current genetic diversity of TB and rifampicin resistant TB by, Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) based on fingerprinting of the IS6110 insertion sequence, in the Western province of Sri Lanka, the famous touristic destination with the highest TB burden in the country.

Methodology: Genomic DNA extracted from susceptible and rifampicin resistant TB strains (confirmed for rpoB gene point mutations) were digested with PvuII restriction enzyme, electrophoresed and subjected to Southern transfer. The blots were hybridised with IS6110 probe and visualized using a chemiluminescence detection.

Results: The number of copies of IS6110 per isolate varied from 1 to 14. The dendrogram revealed a total of 68 distinct strains among 77 TB isolates and they belonged to nine clusters. Both rifampicin resistant and susceptible strains were distributed in all clusters. This evaluation revealed the absence of genetically identical or strong relatedness between susceptible and resistant isolates. However, clonal expansion was detected in transmission of both TB and rifampicin resistant TB. In addition, the resistant isolates having the novel mutation had no clonal relatedness.

Conclusion: This is the first observational study regarding clonal expansion of TB in Sri Lanka. Thus, further investigation on genotypes, clonal expansion and transmission of drug resistance using additional markers would be useful for controlling TB.
Prevalence of Salmonella enterica in slaughtered pigs in Serbia: Serotyping, PFGE-genotyping and antimicrobial resistance
Authors: Kureljusic Jasna Mirko , Dmitrić Marko Predrag , Vidanović Dejan Svetislav , Teodorović Vlado Božidar , Kureljušić Branislav Ilija , Velhner Maja Josip , Karabasil Neđeljko Ratko
Published: September 2017

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Salmonella along the slaughter line and to identify possible critical control points in one slaughterhouse facility located in the city of Belgrade.

Methodology: In total, 700 samples were tested: two swabs from both sides of carcass were taken from each of 100 pigs. In this way, 200 pig skin swab samples were taken after stunning, 200 after processing and 200 after chilling. Additional 100 samples of ileal contents were also taken from the same pigs to obtain a collection of 270 isolates. All samples were analyzed using standard culture methods and serotyping.  PFGE was performed for 27 isolates. Determination of antimicrobial resistance was performed by E-test.

Results: In total, 47 (23.5%) swab samples were positive for the presence of Salmonella after stunning. After processing, Salmonella was isolated in two swab samples (1%), whereas all samples which were collected after chilling were negative for Salmonella. The sampling of ileal contents was positive for five Salmonella isolates (5%). The most frequently isolated serotypes were S. Derby (90.74%), S. Infantis (5.56%) and S. Typhimurium (3.7%). All tested isolates were resistant to tetracycline. Resistance was recorded to nalidixic acid (23.3%), ciprofloxacin (20%), ampicillin (10%) and chloramphenicol (14.4%), as well. The PFGE results indicated that isolates had a high genetic similarity.

Conclusions: The investigation has confirmed that bacteriological examinations of carcass swabs, as well as ileal content, could be used to assess the carriage of salmonellae in pigs at the time of slaughter.
éclipse
Authors: Morin Isabelle
Published: September 2017

Dans ce texte, l’auteur explore différentes façons de ne rien vouloir savoir, de se barrer ainsi l’accès à une part de la réalité, de refuser la vérité menteuse du mensonge, une vérité qui concerne le réel à laquelle certains sujets n’ont pas accès. Le démenti est consubstantiel à la structure du langage.
Variante de la samcda
Authors: Podlejski Jacques
Published: September 2017

Cet article interroge le démenti intervenant dans la constitution des foules, celui de l’analyste quant à son acte et son incidence dans la formation des groupes analytiques. Il propose de rapporter ce démenti au réel de la castration maternelle et à l’impossible résorption du réel dans le symbolique.
De nouveaux terminaux à conteneurs en Belgique : hasard ou nécessité ?
Authors: Jourquin Bart , Limbourg Sabine
Published: September 2017

En parodiant le titre d’un célèbre essai de Jacques Monod (1971), cet article tente de synthétiser un certain nombre de travaux de recherche qui, ces dernières années, ont examiné la pertinence d’ouvrir (ou non) de nouveaux terminaux à conteneurs sur le territoire belge. Ces terminaux sont des éléments essentiels dans un réseau de transport intermodal, mais ils ont un coût. Pour être rentable, le coût additionnel engendré par les transbordements doit être compensé par un gain dans les coûts de transport. Or, rien ne garantit a priori que l’opération soit rentable, alors que l’ouverture de nouveaux terminaux est très régulièrement présentée comme une opportunité incontournable dans les discours politiques préélectoraux...
Natural occurrence of deoxynivalenol and deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside in various wheat cultivars grown in Jiangsu province, China
Authors: Dong F. , Wang S. , Yu M. , Sun Y. , Xu J. , Shi J.
Published: September 2017

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a major mycotoxin found in wheat infected withFusarium fungi. DON can be converted by plant detoxification into a form of ‘masked mycotoxin’ termed deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (DON-3G). To recommend appropriate wheat cultivars for planting in order to reduce DON contamination in Jiangsu province, where a traditionalFusarium head blight (FHB) epidemic area is located in the lower reaches of Yangtze-Huaihe, we evaluated the capacity of various wheat cultivars to transform DON into DON-3G under field conditions. We collected and evaluated samples from 11 major wheat cultivars grown in 63 experimental stations in Jiangsu province in 2015 and 2016. All samples were contaminated with DON, with an average concentration of 2,087±112 and 2,601±126 µg/kg in 2015 and 2016, respectively. DON-3G was detected in 425 (96%) and 405 (97%) samples in 2015 and 2016, with an average concentration of 545±28 and 819±44 µg/kg, respectively. The DON-3G/DON ratio ranged from 5 to 84% (average, 30%) in 2015 and from 0 to 71% (average, 31%) in 2016. DON levels were highly correlated with DON-3G concentrations (P<0.01), and the FHB resistance of the wheat cultivars was proportional to their capacity to convert DON to DON-3G. Importantly, region, cultivar, and region × cultivar interaction all significantly affected DON and DON-3G concentrations and DON-3G/DON ratios. In general, FHB-resistant cultivars, such as Sumai 188 and Ningmai 13, had lower levels of DON and DON-3G than the others. However, additional factors, including the growing region and environmental variables, were important for wheat management when other wheat cultivars were evaluated.
Influence of Short-Term Study Abroad Experiences on Community Health Baccalaureate Students
Authors: Philips Lynelle , Bloom Tina , Gainey Tammie , Chiocca Ellen
Published: September 2017

Background:

Very short study abroad programs may be most feasible in undergraduate nursing programs, but little research describes their value for prospective nurses. The narratives of senior baccalaureate nursing students (
N
= 62) who traveled for 2 weeks to Cape Coast, Ghana, between semesters for a faculty-led community health clinical experience were analyzed.

Method:

Students responded to pre- and posttravel semi-structured, open-ended prompts regarding expectations and perceptions of culture, health, and happiness. Data were analyzed using a qualitative descriptive approach.

Results:

Four themes emerged related to perceptions of culture, relationships with community, definitions of health and happiness, and adaptability and innovation. African American students' (
n
= 3) responses highlighted unique themes regarding personal identity.

Conclusion:

Student perceptions of culture demonstrated progression through previously described stages of cultural competence. Relatively novel themes regarding community relationships, perceptions of health and happiness, and adaptability suggest additional value of this short-term study abroad experience for nursing students. [
J Nurs Educ.
2017;56(9):528–533.]
Natural Convection in a Non-Uniformly Heated Vertical Annular Cavity
Authors: Sankar M. , Kiran S. , Ramesh G.K. , Makinde Oluwole Daniel
Published: September 2017

Natural convection from the linearly heated inner and/or outer walls of a vertical annular cavity has been numerically investigated. The bottom wall is uniformly heated and top cylindrical wall is thermally insulated. In this analysis, we considered two different thermal boundary conditions, namely case (I) and case (II) to understand the effect of non-uniform heating of inner and/or outer walls on the convective flow and subsequently the local and global heat transfer rate. For case (I), the inner and outer walls are heated linearly, while the linearly heated inner wall and cooled outer wall is considered in case (II). An implicit finite difference scheme is applied to solve the model equations of the problem. The numerical simulations in terms of streamlines and isotherms, local and global Nusselt numbers are presented to illustrate the effects of Rayleigh number and non-uniform thermal boundary conditions for a fixed Prandtl number of Pr = 0.7.
Natural Convection near a Moving Vertical Plate with Ramped Heat and Mass Fluxes in the Presence of Thermal Radiation
Authors: Das Sanatan , Jana Rabindra Nath , Makinde Oluwole Daniel
Published: September 2017

An analytical study of transient natural convective flow of a viscous incompressible optically thick radiating fluid past a moving vertical plate with ramped heat and mass fluxes in the presence of thermal radiation is performed. Exact solution of the governing equations under Boussinesq approximation, is obtained in closed form by Laplace transform technique. The expressions for the shear stress and at the plate temperature and concentration are also derived. The velocity profiles, temperature and species concentration are studied as functions of different physical parameters like radiation parameter, thermal Grashof number, mass Grashof number, Schmidt number, Prandtl number and time. The physical aspects of the problem are discussed.
Cross Diffusion Impacts on Hydromagnetic Radiative Peristaltic Carreau-Casson Nanofluids Flow in an Irregular Channel
Authors: Gnaneswara Reddy Machireddy , Prasannakumara B.C. , Makinde Oluwole Daniel
Published: September 2017

The hydromagnetic peristaltic motion of Carreau and Casson nanofluids flow in an irregular channel in the presence of diffusion thermo (Soret) and thermo diffusion (Dufour) impacts has been examined. The effect of thermal radiation is incorporated in the energy equation and velocity slip included in the boundary conditions. The dimensionless governing equations for the flow, fluid temperature and nanoparticle concentration are acquired for the suppositions of low Reynolds number and large wavelength. Resulting flow problem has been solved numerically. Outcome of emerging sundry variables on these three flow profiles are graphically analyzed. Axial velocity enhances near the walls of the irregular channel to the mounting values of Hartmann number where as the velocity declines in the central part of the irregular channel. Temperature magnifies considerably with the boosting values of Dufour number. Impact of Soret number decays concentration. Also, a comparative study is made for the numerical results of axial velocity with the existing reports. In addition the numerical results of the friction factor, energy and mass transfer rates for both Carreau and Casson nanofluids are analyzed through the tables.
Overview of the optical properties of fluorescent nanoparticles for optical imaging
Authors: Boschi Federico , De Sanctis Francesco
Published: September 2017

Nanoparticles (NPs) include a wide group of small structures composed by very different materials and characterized by peculiar properties that make them suitable for many applications, especially imaging and drug delivery. In this overview we focus on the optical properties of fluorescent NPs available for in vivo, in vitro and ex vivo preclinical studies and detectable with the optical imaging technique alone or in combination with microscopic confocal imaging. We summarize here the basic principles of the optical detection of fluorescent NPs, elucidate which are the current issues to be resolved and possible solutions to achieve the highest sensitivity and specificity for an unbiased analysis. So far NPs application in clinic is in evaluation due to safety questions still unaddressed but in the future they could dramatically improve both preclinical research and patient clinical care. 
A conceptual framework to assess effectiveness in wheelchair provision
Authors: Kamaraj Deepan C. , Bray Nathan , Rispin Karen , Kankipati Padmaja , Pearlman Jonathan , Borg Johan
Published: September 2017

Background: Currently, inadequate wheelchair provision has forced many people with disabilities to be trapped in a cycle of poverty and deprivation, limiting their ability to access education, work and social facilities. This issue is in part because of the lack of collaboration among various stakeholders who need to work together to design, manufacture and deliver such assistive mobility devices. This in turn has led to inadequate evidence about intervention effectiveness, disability prevalence and subsequent costeffectiveness that would help facilitate appropriate provision and support for people with disabilities.Objectives: In this paper, we describe a novel conceptual framework that can be tested across the globe to study and evaluate the effectiveness of wheelchair provision.Method: The Comparative Effectiveness Research Subcommittee (CER-SC), consisting of the authors of this article, housed within the Evidence-Based Practice Working Group (EBP-WG) of the International Society of Wheelchair Professionals (ISWP), conducted a scoping review of scientific literature and standard practices used during wheelchair service provision. The literature review was followed by a series of discussion groups.Results: The three iterations of the conceptual framework are described in this manuscript.Conclusion: We believe that adoption of this conceptual framework could have broad applications in wheelchair provision globally to develop evidence-based practices. Such a perspective will help in the comparison of different strategies employed in wheelchair provision and further improve clinical guidelines. Further work is being conducted to test the efficacy of this conceptual framework to evaluate effectiveness of wheelchair service provision in various settings across the globe.
Naledi: An example of how natural phenomena can inspire metaphysical assumptions
Authors: Durand Francois
Published: September 2017

A new fossil site was discovered in the Rising Star Cave in 2013 in the Cradle of Humankind in South Africa. This site which has yielded 1550 hominin bones so far is considered to be one of the richest palaeoanthropological sites in the world. The deposition of the fossils in a remote part of the cave system, approximately 100 m from the entrance, has resulted in a great deal of speculation. The relative inaccessibility of the site and the number of fossil bones it contained and the fact that virtually all these bones were those of a single species of hominid led to the conclusion that the bones were not deposited because of natural sedimentary processes, but that these phenomena were evidence of purposeful disposal or even burial of the dead by hominins. If this assumption is true, it would be the earliest evidence of a metaphysical awareness in humankind. The tenuous evidence on which this hypothesis rests will be discussed and a more plausible alternative explanation where water and gravity were responsible for the deposition of the remains is forwarded.
Undiagnosed Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis among Pilgrims during the 2015 Hajj Mass Gathering: A Prospective Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Yezli Saber , Zumla Alimuddin , Yassin Yara , Al-Shangiti Ali M. , Mohamed Gamal , Turkistani Abdulhafiz M. , Alotaibi Badriah
Published: September 2017

Mass gatherings pose a risk for tuberculosis (TB) transmission and reactivation of latent TB infection. The annual Hajj pilgrimage attracts 2 million pilgrims many from high TB-endemic countries. We evaluated the burden of undiagnosed active pulmonary TB in pilgrims attending the 2015 Hajj mass gathering. We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study in Mecca, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for nonhospitalized adult pilgrims from five high TB-endemic countries. Enrollment criteria were the presence of a cough and the ability to produce a sputum sample. Sputum samples were processed using the Xpert MTB-RIF assay. Data were analyzed for drug-resistant TB, risk factors, and comorbidities by the country of origin. Of 1,164 consenting pilgrims enrolled from five countries: Afghanistan (316), Bangladesh (222), Nigeria (176), Pakistan (302), and South Africa (148), laboratory results were available for 1,063 (91.3%). The mean age of pilgrims was 54.5 (range = 18–94 years) with a male to female ratio of 2.6:1; 27.7% had an underlying comorbidity, with hypertension and diabetes being the most common, 20% were smokers, and 2.8% gave a history of previous TB treatment. Fifteen pilgrims (1.4%) had active previously undiagnosed drug-sensitive pulmonary TB (Afghanistan [12; 80%], Pakistan [2; 13.3%], and Nigeria [1; 6.7%]). No multidrug-resistant TB cases were detected. Pilgrims from high TB-endemic Asian and African countries with undiagnosed active pulmonary TB pose a risk to other pilgrims from over 180 countries. Further studies are required to define the scale of the TB problem during the Hajj mass gathering and the development of proactive screening, treatment and prevention guidelines.
A Comprehensive Predictive Model to Predict Droplets Size Distribution in Pressure Swirl Atomizer
Authors: Jafari Sajad , Kebriaee Azadeh , Sohrabi Shahin
Published: September 2017

A predictive model is proposed to determine the droplet size and velocity distribution at the beginning of the secondary breakup. Liquid bulk is subjected to three stages of atomization including flow inside the injector, primary atomization, and secondary atomization to change a spray. The flow inside pressure swirl injector consisting an axial air core is a strongly complex two phase flow studied by highly precision coupled level set and volume of fluid method (CLSVOF). Subsequently, breakup lengths, interface deformation, as well as the most unstable frequency mode are calculated by nonlinear stability theory applied to emanating liquid sheet. Application of maximum entropy principle (MEP) is the final stage to predict size and velocity distribution of spray droplets. Based on liquid sheet breakup and conservative equations involving continuity, momentum, and energy, Newton-Raphson method is used to solve MEP equations. The proposed model has no dependency on empirical data in comparison with the usual past researches. The predicted results are shown to be in good agreement with the experimental findings related to performance characteristics and droplets size.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/ILASS2017.2017.4845