bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hypoxic Training Improves Normoxic Glucose Tolerance in Adolescents with Obesity
Authors: DE GROOTE ESTELLE , BRITTO FLORIAN A. , BULLOCK LOÏC , FRANÇOIS MARIE , DE BUCK CARINE , NIELENS HENRI , DELDICQUE LOUISE
Published: June 2018

Purpose

This study aimed to test whether environmental hypoxia could potentiate the effects of exercise training on glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.

Methods

Fourteen adolescents with obesity were assigned to 6 wk of exercise training either in normoxic or in hypoxic conditions (FiO2 15%). Adolescents trained three times per week for 50–60 min, including endurance and resistance exercises. Oral glucose tolerance test, blood and morphological analyses, and physical performance tests were performed before and after the training period.

Results

After training, hypoxia, but not normoxia, decreased the area under the curve of plasma insulin (−49%; P = 0.001) and glucose levels (−14%; P = 0.005) during oral glucose tolerance test. Decreased plasma triglycerides levels (P = 0.03) and increased maximal aerobic power (P = 0.002), work capacity at 160 bpm (P = 0.002), and carbohydrate consumption during exercise (P = 0.03) were measured only in the hypoxic group.

Conclusions

Hypoxic exercise training was particularly efficient at improving glucose tolerance and insulin response to a glucose challenge in adolescents with obesity. These results suggest that exercise training in hypoxia could be an interesting strategy against insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes development in adolescents with obesity.
bcbioRNASeq: R package for bcbio RNA-seq analysis
Authors: Steinbaugh Michael J. , Pantano Lorena , Kirchner Rory D. , Barrera Victor , Chapman Brad A. , Piper Mary E. , Mistry Meeta , Khetani Radhika S. , Rutherford Kayleigh D. , Hofmann Oliver , Hutchinson John N. , Ho Sui Shannan
Published: June 2018

RNA-seq analysis involves multiple steps, from processing raw sequencing data to identifying, organizing, annotating, and reporting differentially expressed genes. bcbio is an open source, community-maintained framework providing automated and scalable RNA-seq methods for identifying gene abundance counts. We have developed bcbioRNASeq, a Bioconductor package that provides ready-to-render templates, objects and wrapper functions to post-process bcbio RNA sequencing output data. bcbioRNASeq helps automate the generation of high-level RNA-seq reports, facilitating the quality control analyses, identification of differentially expressed genes and functional enrichment analyses.
Recent advances in understanding female gametophyte development
Authors: Skinner Debra J , Sundaresan Venkatesan
Published: June 2018

The haploid female gametophyte (embryo sac) is an essential reproductive unit of flowering plants, usually comprising four specialized cell types, including the female gametes (egg cell and central cell). The differentiation of these cells relies on spatial signals which pattern the gametophyte along a proximal-distal axis, but the molecular and genetic mechanisms by which cell identities are determined in the embryo sac have long been a mystery. Recent identification of key genes for cell fate specification and their relationship to hormonal signaling pathways that act on positional cues has provided new insights into these processes. A model for differentiation can be devised with egg cell fate as a default state of the female gametophyte and with other cell types specified by the action of spatially regulated factors. Cell-to-cell communication within the gametophyte is also important for maintaining cell identity as well as facilitating fertilization of the female gametes by the male gametes (sperm cells).
“SERÁ UM GRANDE DE APRENDIZADO”: UMA ANÁLISE DESCRITIVA DOS ASPECTOS LINGUÍSTICOS DA ESCRITA DE SURDOS EM PBL2 – INTERFACES ENTRE TEXTUALIDADE, USO E COGNIÇÃO NO ESTADO DE INTERLÍNGUA
Authors: Freitas Jr Roberto , Antunes Soares Lia Abrantes , Xavier Hosana Sheila Da Rosa , Nascimento João Paulo Da Silva
Published: June 2018

A pesquisa consiste em um modelo investigativo diferenciado sobre o texto escrito de surdos universitários, pelo qual busca-se a descrição de problemas de gramaticalidade e de desvios de norma culta. Além da descrição, permeada pela análise do impacto desses problemas no nível da textualidade, busca-se identificar os processos cognitivos, típicos da Interlíngua, subjacentes ao surgimento dos fenômenos. Os textos selecionados foram do gênero discursivo e-mail e os resultados revelaram problemas de diferentes naturezas presentes na produção escrita desses indivíduos.
A Surdez como diferença: notas de pesquisa.
Authors: Patrocínio Paulo Roberto Tonani
Published: June 2018

O presente ensaio tem como principal objetivo a análise das contribuições críticas e teóricas dos Estudos Culturais acerca da compreensão da surdez enquanto diferença, rompendo com a ideia de deficiência que orientava as leituras da surdez e do sujeito surdo. Parte-se do pressuposto que as representações da surdez devem ser lidas enquanto reflexo e efeito primeiro de reflexões e configurações discursivas de saber-poder que resultam em representações que transitam entre um modelo médico terapêutico – baseado em uma perspectiva que nomeia o sujeito surdo enquanto deficiente e lança mão de estratégias e recursos clínicos que almejam a sua reabilitação –  e um modelo socioantropológico – fundado em uma perspectiva culturalista inspirada nos Estudos Culturais que nomeia a surdez enquanto uma diferença que constitui uma cultura própria, a Cultura Surda. A presente análise busca identificar os principais trabalhos e pesquisas produzidas no âmbito acadêmico brasileiro que promovem uma compreensão da comunidade surda enquanto um grupo minoritário que instaura um elemento de distinção na cultura hegemônica e funda um campo de investigação próprio denominado Estudos Surdos, uma espécie de apropriação do arcabouço teórico dos Estudos Culturais para pensar a surdez e suas representações e autorrepresentações.
The songs of knowing
Authors: Webb Penny
Published: June 2018

Continuing our exploration of the prime and specific areas of learning, this month we focus on communication and language and how we can support these in childminding settings.
Precautionary advice for families travelling abroad
Authors: Noakes Amy
Published: June 2018

With the summer months a popular time for family holidays, it is important for health visitors to discuss safety precautions for infants travelling abroad.
Internal audit in the public sector comparative study between the Nordic countries. The development of internal auditing within the public sector in the Nordic countries
Authors: Jóhannesdóttir Anna Margrét , Nielsson Kristiansson Stina , Sipiläinen Niina , Koivunen Riikka
Published: June 2018

The subject of this paper is a comparative study about the current status of internal audit within the public sector in the Nordic countries. The aim is to understand the basis and recognize trends in the development of internal audit in the public sector in these countries. The status of internal audit within each country, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, is presented and also the regulatory basis, laws and regulations, for internal audit and the main challenges that internal auditing faces. Finally, the opportunities for further development of internal audit in the public sector are addressed. The International Standards for Internal Auditing are well recognized and in use in all the countries. There are differences between these countries in their approach of the regulatory framework for internal audit and the arrangement of the operation of internal audit units. Therefore, further development of internal auditing should be pursued in cooperation and to harmonize the regulatory bases in these countries and to learn from each other when implementing internal audit in the public sector.
Danska ríkisráðið og íslensk stjórnmál 1874–1915
Authors: Hermannsson Birgir
Published: June 2018

Í greininni eru raktar deilur um setu Íslandsráðherra í ríkisráði Dana frá því að stjórnarskráin var sett árið 1874 og fram til 1915. Deilurnar varða túlkun á stöðulögunum frá 1870 og því hvort danska stjórnarskráin næði til Íslands að einhverju leyti. Ákvæði um ríkisráðssetu Íslandsráðherra voru sett í íslensku stjórnarskrána 1903 og stóðu deilur um breytingu á því ákvæði fram til 1915. Til að skilja þessar deilur þarf að greina orðræðu Íslendinga um ríkisráðið og hvaða hlutverki hún gegndi í sjálfstæðisbaráttunni. Meginrök Íslendinga voru þau að stöðulögin skilgreindu íslensk sérmál en að ríkisráðið væri dönsk stofnun sem starfaði í samræmi við dönsku stjórnarskrána. Það væri því andstætt íslensku sjálfsforræði að íslensk sérmál væru rædd og ákveðin í ríkisráðinu. Í sjálfstæðisbaráttunni var það meðal annars spurning hvort deilur um ríkisráðið ættu að standa í vegi fyrir samkomulagi við Dani eða ekki og hvort úrlausn málsins væri grundvallaratriði. Deilan varð því ekki aðeins milli Íslendinga og Dana heldur einnig stórmál á Íslandi.
Kynjajafnrétti í íþróttum – á ríkið að tryggja það?
Authors: Bjarnadóttir María Rún , Magnússon Bjarni Már , Kristjánsdóttir Hafrún , Guðmundsdóttir Margrét Lilja
Published: June 2018

Í greininni er lagalegt umhverfi íþrótta á Íslandi kannað með hliðsjón af kynjajafnréttissjónarmiðum með hinni fræðilegu lagalegu aðferð (e. doctrinal method). Þannig eru skoðuð sjónarmið sem legið hafa til grundvallar lagasetningu um íþróttir, innlendar og alþjóðlegar skuldbindingar íslenskra stjórnvalda og rýnt í hvort jafnréttissjónarmiða gæti í stefnumótun og fjárútlátum stjórnvalda í íþróttamálum. Í ljósi lögbundins hlutverks íslensku íþróttahreyfingarinnar er inntak hennar og uppbygging skoðuð með hliðsjón af sömu sjónarmiðum. Niðurstöður rannsóknarinnar eru að ríkið er skuldbundið til þess að tryggja kynjajafnrétti í íþróttum. Inntak þeirrar skuldbindingar er þó að einhverju leyti óskýrt. Lagaleg ábyrgð á málaflokknum er nokkuð á reiki vegna sérstöðu íþróttahreyfingarinnar, en fyrirkomulag hreyfingarinnar á sér djúpar sögulegar rætur. Þá er vegna greiningar á milli íþrótta sem tómstunda- og æskulýðsstarfs annars vegar og sem atvinnugreinar hins vegar vakin athygli á að íþróttafélög á Íslandi reka sum þætti í starfsemi sinni í mismunandi félagaformi. Vegna þessa er hugsanlegt að einhver þeirra þurfi að skýra vinnusamband við afreksíþróttamenn og annað starfsfólk félaganna í ljósi nýlegra ákvæða laga um jafnlaunavottun fyrirtækja. Að lokum eru gerðar tillögur að úrbótum sem beinast bæði að ríkisvaldinu og íþróttahreyfingunni, en af niðurstöðum greinarinnar má ljóst vera að svigrúm er til úrbóta í lagaumgjörð, stefnumótun og fjárveitingum til þess að tryggja kynjajafnrétti í íþróttum á Íslandi.
Here to stay? The rapid evolution of the temporary staffing market in Iceland
Authors: Magnússon Gylfi , Minelgaite Inga , Kristjánsdóttir Erla S. , Christiansen Þóra H.
Published: June 2018

In recent years there has been a significant shortage of workers in Iceland. The traditional method of arranging temporary work, through direct contracts between employees and employers, has not sufficed. Moreover, there is a skills mismatch that compounds the shortage of workers as the sectors that have grown most rapidly in recent years mainly employ unskilled labor. This study examined the historical background of temporary work in Iceland, recent developments and in particular the growing importance of temporary staffing agencies, as well as the economic rationale for temporary staffing agencies, and the segmented labor market in Iceland. The study employs expert opinion approach, together with content and statistical analysis. Experts placed strongest emphasis on temporary workforce dependency on economic conditions, closely followed by sector triggered temporary workforce fluctuation. Socio-legal infrastructure for temporary workforce had the third strongest emphasis with other themes being less emphasized. These dramatic changes to the Icelandic labor market have undoubtedly had a significant impact on Icelandic society but there is surprisingly little research available into this. The efforts of unions and the Federation of Employees have helped to push through legislation on temporary staffing agencies and the rights of foreign workers, however, as long as there is economic rationale for their operation and a legal and regulatory framework that accommodates them the agencies can be expected to continue bringing temporary staff to Iceland. The impact on the labor market and society thus seems likely to be permanent.
Possible Applications of Nanomaterials for Nuclear Fusion Devices
Authors: Oku Takeo
Published: June 2018

Conditions of nuclear fusion and nuclear fusion devices were described, and some possible applications of nanomaterials for nuclear fusion devices were presented in the present article. Muon-catalyzed fusion is one of methods for nuclear fusion to cause even at room temperature or lower, and protons or heavy ions with huge energy are irradiated to metals such as beryllium or copper, which results in emission of negative or positive charged muons from the metals. An experiment using a pyroelectric power source using lithium tantalite crystal was also reported to achieve nuclear fusion in a desktop-like device. Hydrogen storage is also important for the fusion devices, and the possibility of hydrogen storage in hydrogen storage metallic alloys was studied by diffusion calculation and potential calculation of deuterium fusion. Enhancement of deuterium diffusion in the Pd alloys would be one of the key points for energy materials. Carbon(C)/copper(Cu)-based composite materials with high thermal conductivity and good stability at high temperatures were also developed by adding a small amount of titanium, which has a low enthalpy of alloy formation with C and Cu. These carbon-based materials could be a candidate material for the plasma facing components of fusion devices.
Synthesis of random copolymer of isobutylene with p-methylstyrene by cationic polymerization in ionic liquids
Authors: Zhang Xiaoqian , Guo Wenli , Wu Yibo , Shang Yuwei , Li Shuxin , Xiong Weihao
Published: June 2018

Poly(isobutylene-co-p-methylstyrene) (IB/p-MeSt) random copolymer is a new generation of polyisobutylene-based elastomer. The cationic copolymerization of IB with p-MeSt was thoroughly examined by using various initiating systems in [Hmim][NTf2] at −30°C. The effects of initiating systems and monomer feed ratio on the monomer conversion, molecular weight and copolymer composition are discussed. The polymers were characterized by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight-mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF-MS) to determine their chemical composition and molecular structure. The results show that high polarity, high viscosity and ionic environment of ionic liquids (ILs) influenced the copolymerization. The corresponding mechanism of cationic copolymerization in ILs is also proposed.
An endpoint version of uniform Sobolev inequalities
Authors: Ren Tianyi , Xi Yakun , Zhang Cheng
Published: June 2018

We prove an endpoint version of the uniform Sobolev inequalities in [C. E. Kenig, A. Ruiz and C. D. Sogge, Uniform Sobolev inequalities and unique continuation for second order constant coefficient differential operators,
Duke Math. J. 55 1987, 329–347].
It was known that strong type inequalities no longer hold at the endpoints; however, we show that restricted weak type inequalities hold there, which imply the earlier classical result by real interpolation. The key ingredient in our proof is a type of interpolation first introduced by Bourgain [J. Bourgain,
Esitmations de certaines functions maximales,
C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris 310 1985, 499–502].
We also prove restricted weak type Stein–Tomas restriction inequalities on some parts of the boundary of a pentagon, which completely characterizes the range of exponents for which the inequalities hold.
Space-time L
2 estimates, regularity and almost global existence for elastic waves
Authors: Hidano Kunio , Zha Dongbing
Published: June 2018

In this paper, we first establish a kind of weighted space-time

L
2

{L^{2}}

estimate, which belongs to Keel–Smith–Sogge-type estimates, for perturbed linear elastic wave equations. This estimate refines the corresponding one established by the second author
[D. Zha, Space-time

L
2

L^{2}

estimates for elastic waves and applications,
J. Differential Equations 263 2017, 4, 1947–1965] and is proved by combining the methods in the former paper, the first author, Wang and Yokoyama’s paper [K. Hidano, C. Wang and K. Yokoyama,
On almost global existence and local well posedness for some 3-D quasi-linear wave equations,
Adv. Differential Equations 17 2012, 3–4, 267–306] and some new ingredients. Then, together with some weighted Sobolev inequalities, this estimate is used to show a refined version of almost global existence of classical solutions for nonlinear elastic waves with small initial data. Compared with former almost global existence results for nonlinear elastic waves due to John [F. John,
Almost global existence of elastic waves of finite amplitude arising from small initial disturbances,
Comm. Pure Appl. Math. 41 1988, 5, 615–666] and Klainerman and Sideris [S. Klainerman and T. C. Sideris,
On almost global existence for nonrelativistic wave equations in 3D,
Comm. Pure Appl. Math. 49 1996, 307–321], the main innovation of our result is that it considerably improves the amount of regularity
of initial data, i.e., the Sobolev regularity of initial data is assumed to be the smallest among all the admissible Sobolev spaces of integer order in the standard local existence theory. Finally, in the radially symmetric case,
we establish the almost global existence of a low regularity solution for every small
initial data in

H
3

×

H
2

{H^{3}\times H^{2}}

.
Equities and Commodities Comovements: Evidence from Emerging Markets
Authors: de Boyrie Maria E. , Pavlova Ivelina
Published: June 2018

The financialization of commodities and their inclusion in financial portfolios as part of an investment strategy may result in higher correlations and volatility spillovers between commodity and equity markets. In this paper, we estimate the correlation between equity markets and commodities using the dynamic conditional correlation (DCC) model, while emphasizing the differences between emerging and developed markets co-movements with commodities. The results reveal that certain emerging markets, especially those in Asia, show a much lower level of co-movement with commodities than developed markets do, while Latin American equities exhibit a higher level of integration with commodities. Furthermore, it is found that both agricultural and precious metals commodities offer better diversification possibilities in the less developed markets. We also find that increases in the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) are related to higher agriculture commodities-equities correlations, while commodity net index investment has limited explanatory power in our study.
Microenvironment proteinases, proteinase-activated receptor regulation, cancer and inflammation
Authors: Eftekhari Rahil , de Lima Stacy G. , Liu Yu , Mihara Koichiro , Saifeddine Mahmoud , Noorbakhsh Farshid , Scarisbrick Isobel A. , Hollenberg Morley D.
Published: June 2018

We propose that in the microenvironment of inflammatory tissues, including tumours, extracellular proteinases can modulate cell signalling in part by regulating proteinase-activated receptors (PARs). We have been exploring this mechanism in a variety of inflammation and tumour-related settings that include tumour-derived cultured cells from prostate and bladder cancer, as well as immune inflammatory cells that are involved in the pathology of inflammatory diseases including multiple sclerosis. Our work showed that proteinase signalling via the PARs affects prostate and bladder cancer-derived tumour cell behaviour and can regulate calcium signalling in human T-cell and macrophage-related inflammatory cells as well as in murine splenocytes. Further, we found that the tumour-derived prostate cancer cells and immune-related cells (Jurkat, THP1, mouse splenocytes) can produce PAR-regulating proteinases (including kallikreins: kallikrein-related peptidases), that can control tissue function by both a paracrine and autocrine mechanism. We suggest that this PAR-driven signalling process involving secreted microenvironment proteinases can play a key role in cancer and inflammatory diseases including multiple sclerosis.
Specificity profiling of human trypsin-isoenzymes
Authors: Schilling Oliver , Biniossek Martin L. , Mayer Bettina , Elsässer Brigitta , Brandstetter Hans , Goettig Peter , Stenman Ulf-Håkan , Koistinen Hannu
Published: June 2018

In humans, three different trypsin-isoenzymes have been described. Of these, trypsin-3 appears to be functionally different from the others. In order to systematically study the specificity of the trypsin-isoenzymes, we utilized proteome-derived peptide libraries and quantitative proteomics. We found similar specificity profiles dominated by the well-characterized preference for cleavage after lysine and arginine. Especially, trypsin-1 slightly favored lysine over arginine in this position, while trypsin-3 did not discriminate between them. In the P1′ position, which is the residue C-terminal to the cleavage site, we noticed a subtle enrichment of alanine and glycine for all three trypsins and for trypsin-3 there were additional minor P1′ and P2′ preferences for threonine and aspartic acid, respectively. These findings were confirmed by FRET peptide substrates showing different susceptibility to cleavage by different trypsins. The preference of trypsin-3 for aspartic acid in P2′ is explained by salt bridge formation with the unique Arg193. This salt bridge enables and stabilizes a canonical oxyanion conformation by the amides of Ser195 and Arg193, thus manifesting a selective substrate-assisted catalysis. As trypsin-3 has been proposed to be a therapeutic target and marker for cancers, our results may aid the development of specific inhibitors for cancer therapy and diagnostic probes.
The function of sphingomyelinases in mycobacterial infections
Authors: Wu Yuqing , Gulbins Erich , Grassmé Heike
Published: June 2018

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is one of the deadliest and most important infectious diseases worldwide. The sphingomyelinase/ceramide system, which has been shown several times to be a crucial factor in the internalization, processing and killing of diverse pathogens, also modulates the pro-inflammatory response and the state of mycobacteria in macrophages. Both acid and neutral sphingomyelinases are important in this activity. However, studies of the role of sphingomyelinases in TB are still at an early stage.
The two cathepsin B-like proteases of Arabidopsis thaliana are closely related enzymes with discrete endopeptidase and carboxydipeptidase activities
Authors: Porodko Andreas , Cirnski Ana , Petrov Drazen , Raab Teresa , Paireder Melanie , Mayer Bettina , Maresch Daniel , Nika Lisa , Biniossek Martin L. , Gallois Patrick , Schilling Oliver , Oostenbrink Chris , Novinec Marko , Mach Lukas
Published: June 2018

The genome of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana encodes three paralogues of the papain-like cysteine proteinase cathepsin B (AtCathB1, AtCathB2 and AtCathB3), whose individual functions are still largely unknown. Here we show that a mutated splice site causes severe truncations of the AtCathB1 polypeptide, rendering it catalytically incompetent. By contrast, AtCathB2 and AtCathB3 are effective proteases which display comparable hydrolytic properties and share most of their substrate specificities. Site-directed mutagenesis experiments demonstrated that a single amino acid substitution (Gly336→Glu) is sufficient to confer AtCathB2 with the capacity to tolerate arginine in its specificity-determining S2 subsite, which is otherwise a hallmark of AtCathB3-mediated cleavages. A degradomics approach utilizing proteome-derived peptide libraries revealed that both enzymes are capable of acting as endopeptidases and exopeptidases, releasing dipeptides from the C-termini of substrates. Mutation of the carboxydipeptidase determinant His207 also affected the activity of AtCathB2 towards non-exopeptidase substrates, highlighting mechanistic differences between plant and human cathepsin B. This was also noted in molecular modeling studies which indicate that the occluding loop defining the dual enzymatic character of cathepsin B does not obstruct the active-site cleft of AtCathB2 to the same extent as in its mammalian orthologues.
BNIP3 contributes to the glutamine-driven aggressive behavior of melanoma cells
Authors: Vara-Perez Monica , Maes Hannelore , Van Dingenen Sarah , Agostinis Patrizia
Published: June 2018

Aerobic glycolysis (‘Warburg effect’) is used by cancer cells to fuel tumor growth. Interestingly, metastatic melanoma cells rely on glutaminolysis rather than aerobic glycolysis for their bioenergetic needs through the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Here, we compared the effects of glucose or glutamine on melanoma cell proliferation, migration and oxidative phosphorylation in vitro. We found that glutamine-driven melanoma cell’s aggressive traits positively correlated with increased expression of HIF1α and its pro-autophagic target BNIP3. BNIP3 silencing reduced glutamine-mediated effects on melanoma cell growth, migration and bioenergetics. Hence, BNIP3 is a vital component of the mitochondria quality control required for glutamine-driven melanoma aggressiveness.
Manganese Ore Decomposition and Carbon Reduction in Steelmaking
Authors: Wu Wei , Wang Peng , Lin Lu , Dai Shi-fan
Published: June 2018

To improve the direct alloying of manganese ore in steelmaking, the decomposition and carbon reduction of manganese ore was studied using a differential thermal analyzer and resistance furnace. The remaining material after manganese ore decomposition at 1,600 °C was a mixture of 43 % MnO, 40 % MnSiO3 and FeO, and 17 % MnSiO3. The remaining material after the carbon reduction of the manganese ore was a mixture of metal (30.8 % Mn7C3 and 16.1 % FeC3) and slag (2.5 % FeO, 5.1 % SiO2, and 18.8 % MnO). The high-temperature (1,200 ℃) decomposition and reduction of manganese ore produce manganese carbonate, manganese dioxide, and manganese salicylate sesquioxide. However, because it is not easy to decompose the manganese silicate in the manganese ore, the proportion of ore being reduced by carbon is small. Therefore, the increase of the manganese reduction of manganese silicate is critical to the direct alloying of manganese ore. Adding calcium oxide or magnesium oxide to the manganese ore improves the reduction of manganese ore, whereas adding slag from the initial stage or endpoint of the converter process has little effect on the manganese ore reduction.
Improvements in Spoken Query System to Access the Agricultural Commodity Prices and Weather Information in Kannada Language/Dialects
Authors: Yadava Thimmaraja G. , Jayanna H.S.
Published: June 2018

In this paper, the improvements in the recently developed end to end spoken query system to access the agricultural commodity prices and weather information in Kannada language/dialects is demonstrated. The spoken query system consists of interactive voice response system (IVRS) call flow, automatic speech recognition (ASR) models and agricultural commodity prices, and weather information databases. The task specific speech data used in the earlier spoken query system had a high level of background and other types of noises as it is collected from the farmers of Karnataka state (a state in India that speaks the Kannada language) under uncontrolled environment. The different types of noises present in collected speech data had an adverse effect on the on-line and off-line recognition performances. To improve the recognition accuracy in spoken query system, a noise elimination algorithm is proposed in this work, which is a combination of spectral subtraction with voice activity detection (SS-VAD) and minimum mean square error spectrum power estimator based on zero crossing (MMSE-SPZC). The noise elimination algorithm is added in the system before the feature extraction part. In addition to this, alternate acoustic models are developed using subspace Gaussian mixture models (SGMM) and deep neural network (DNN). The experimental results show that these modeling techniques are more powerful than the conventional Gaussian mixture model (GMM) – hidden Markov model (HMM), which was used as a modeling technique for the development of ASR models to design earlier spoken query systems. The fusion of noise elimination technique and SGMM/DNN-based modeling gives a better relative improvement of 7% accuracy compared to the earlier GMM-HMM-based ASR system. The least word error rate (WER) acoustic models could be used in spoken query system. The on-line speech recognition accuracy testing of developed spoken query system (with the help of Karnataka farmers) is also presented in this work.
Crystal structure of bis(η6-cymene)-tri-μ2-chlorido-ruthenium(II) tetrafluoroborate, C20H28BCl3F4Ru2
Authors: Yan Xiaowei , Zhu Dongjian , Zhong Xing , Wang Sujuan
Published: June 2018

C20H28BCl3F4Ru2, triclinic, P1̄ (no. 2), a = 7.7061(15) Å, b = 12.654(3) Å, c = 13.993(3) Å, α = 68.25(3)°, β = 78.71(3)°, γ = 88.89(3)°, V = 1240.8(5) Å3, Z = 2, R
gt(F) = 0.0686, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.2017, T = 293(2) K.
Crack analysis of barrier coatings based on starch and starch-PVOH with and without plasticizer
Authors: Javed Asif , Rättö Peter , Järnström Lars , Ullsten Henrik
Published: June 2018

Barrier coatings based on starch and starch-PVOH plasticized with glycerol and without plasticizer were applied to two different paperboard substrates, a triple coated board and duplex board, in order to investigate the tendency for cracks to develop in the barrier coating layers during creasing and folding. Tensile properties of films based on the starch and starch-PVOH blend were determined to investigate the relationship between the flexibility of the films and the cracking in the barrier coating layers. Furthermore, the oxygen transmission rate through the barrier-coated paperboard was measured before and after creasing and folding. The oxygen transmission rate through the barrier-coated samples was over the measurable range i. e.

OTR
>
10000

cm

3

/

m

2

day

\text{OTR}>10000\hspace{0.1667em}{\text{cm}}^{3}/{\text{m}}^{2}\hspace{0.1667em}\text{day}

after creasing and folding, which indicated failure in the barrier coating layers. Optical microscopy revealed small cracks in the barrier coating layers, probably related to an increase in flexibility of the barrier coating layers. It was observed in scanning electron micrographs that cracks in the barrier coating layers seemed to follow the fibers when the barrier coating was applied on the rear side of the duplex board. Scanning electron micrographs and surface profiler images revealed that cracks in the barrier coating layers might have originated from the mineral coating layer when the starch and starch/PVOH coating layers were applied on the mineral-coated side of the triple coated board. An increase in the thickness of the barrier coating layer did not seem to increase the resistance to failure.
Structural aspects of heterotetranuclear platinum clusters-distortion isomers
Authors: Melník Milan , Mikuš Peter
Published: June 2018

This review includes 16 examples of distortion isomers of heterotetranuclear platinum clusters. The clusters are of the compositions: Pt3Sn, Pt2M2 (M=Au, Ag, W, Mo), and PtM3 (M=Os, Ru, Re). The four metal atoms are found in a distorted tetrahedral core (most common), planar-rhombohedral, spiked-triangular, and eight-membered ring skeleton. There are three pairs (Pt2W2, Pt2Au2, and Pt2Ag2) of clusters and all remainder clusters contain two crystallographically independent molecules within the same crystal. All are classical examples of distortion isomerism. Their structures are analyzed and discussed.
Optimal Designs of EWMA Charts for Monitoring the Coefficient of Variation Based on Median Run Length and Expected Median Run Length
Authors: Teoh W. L. , Lim J. Y. , Khoo Michael B. C. , Chong Z. L. , Yeong W. C.
Published: June 2018

The shape of run-length distribution changes with process shifts. This leads to complexity in interpreting the average run length performance. In this article, we show that the percentiles of the run-length distribution, especially the median run length (MRL), are more intuitive. The 5th and 95th percentiles of the run-length distribution are also provided in order to investigate the variation and spread of the run length. We develop two new optimal-design procedures for the exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) charts, for monitoring the coefficient-of-variation (CV) squared (EWMA-γ2). These include minimization of the out-of-control MRL and the out-of-control expected MRL for deterministic and unknown shift sizes, respectively. Both the zero and steady states are discussed in this article. The optimal EWMA-γ2 chart is illustrated with real industrial data obtained from a metal sintering process. A comparative study reveals the superiority of the EWMA-γ2 charts for certain ranges of shifts in the CV.
Effect of Pin Speed on Cerchar Abrasion Test Results
Authors: Hamzaban Mohammad-Taghi , Karami Behnam , Rostami Jamal
Published: June 2018

Abrasive properties of rocks affect tool selection and design of rock excavation machines as well as their productivity and operational costs. The Cerchar test is a simple and commonly used method of measuring rock abrasion. The current article focuses on the effect of pin sliding speed on the Cerchar abrasion index. For this study, Cerchar tests were conducted on seven mono-mineral rock samples with different pin speeds. The results showed that the variation of pin speed could affect the wear of the pin tip. However, the effect is not uniform and depends on the hardness of rocks and pins. The changes in the pin speed can change the pin penetration into the sample surface as well. Harder pins penetrate deeper into the sample surface. However, the difference between harder and softer pins decreases with an increase in pin speed. Pin tip penetration into the sample surface is not changed by its sliding speed in hard samples such as quartz. Accordingly, a new parameter was introduced: the ratio of the volume of rock removed by scratch to the volume of pin tip wear. This ratio is called scratch volume to wear ratio (SVWR) and is used to determine the optimum pin motion speed in various conditions. The optimum pin speed could also be used as a guide to determine the optimum speed of cutting tools on rock surfaces in practical conditions. A new abrasion classification system was introduced based on SVWR and showed that it could be used regardless of pin hardness.
Neurons Specifically Activated by Fear Learning in Lateral Amygdala Display Increased Synaptic Strength
Authors: Butler C. W. , Wilson Y. M. , Oyrer J. , Karle T. J. , Petrou S. , Gunnersen J. M. , Murphy M. , Reid C. A.
Published: June 2018

The lateral amygdala (LA) plays a critical role in the formation of fear-conditioned associative memories. Previous studies have used c-fosregulated expression to identify a spatially restricted population of neurons within the LA that is specifically activated by fear learning. These neurons are likely to be a part of a memory engram, but, to date, functional evidence for this has been lacking. We show that neurons within a spatially restricted region of the LA had an increase in both the frequency and amplitude of spontaneous postsynaptic currents (sPSC) when compared to neurons recorded from home cage control mice. We then more specifically addressed if this increased synaptic activity was limited to learning-activated neurons. Using afos-tau-LacZ(FTL) transgenic mouse line, we developed a fluorescence-based method of identifying and recording from neurons activated by fear learning (FTL+) in acute brain slices. An increase in frequency and amplitude of sPSCs was observed inFTL+neurons when compared to nonactivatedFTL−neurons in fear-conditioned mice. No learning-induced changes were observed in the action potential (AP) input-output relationships. These findings support the idea that a discrete LA neuron population forms part of a memory engram through changes in synaptic connectivity.
Sewage loading and microbial risk in urban waters of the Great Lakes
Authors: McLellan Sandra L. , Sauer Elizabeth P. , Corsi Steve R. , Bootsma Melinda J. , Boehm Alexandria B. , Spencer Susan K. , Borchardt Mark A.
Published: June 2018

Despite modern sewer system infrastructure, the release of sewage from deteriorating pipes and sewer overflows is a major water pollution problem in US cities, particularly in coastal watersheds that are highly developed with large human populations. We quantified fecal pollution sources and loads entering Lake Michigan from a large watershed of mixed land use using host-associated indicators. Wastewater treatment plant influent had stable concentrations of human Bacteroides and human Lachnospiraceae with geometric mean concentrations of 2.77 × 107 and 5.94 × 107 copy number (by quantitative PCR) per 100 ml, respectively. Human-associated indicator levels were four orders of magnitude higher than norovirus concentrations, suggesting that these human-associated bacteria could be sensitive indicators of pathogen risk. Norovirus concentrations in these same samples were used in calculations for quantitative microbial risk assessment. Assuming a typical recreational exposure to untreated sewage in water, concentrations of 7,800 copy number of human Bacteroides per 100 mL or 14,000 copy number of human Lachnospiraceae per 100 mL corresponded to an illness risk of 0.03. These levels were exceeded in estuarine waters during storm events with greater than 5 cm of rainfall. Following overflows from combined sewer systems (which must accommodate both sewage and stormwater), concentrations were 10-fold higher than under rainfall conditions. Automated high frequency sampling allowed for loads of human-associated markers to be determined, which could then be related back to equivalent volumes of untreated sewage that were released. Evidence of sewage contamination decreased as ruminant-associated indicators increased approximately one day post-storm, demonstrating the delayed impact of upstream agricultural sources on the estuary. These results demonstrate that urban areas are a diffuse source of sewage contamination to urban waters and that storm-driven release of sewage, particularly when sewage overflows occur, creates a serious though transient human health risk.
Racing to Reduce Emissions
Authors: McGee Julius Alexander , Ergas Christina , Clement Matthew Thomas
Published: June 2018

The environmental implications of racial inequality have been discussed by sociologists almost exclusively as matters of environmental justice or injustice, where scholars analyze how racial inequality affects a community's rate of exposure to environmental hazards. The present study seeks to assess how race and income independently and synergistically affect the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) from on-road travel across and within counties, using longitudinal data from 3,079 counties in the continental United States. We incorporate these data into a hybrid panel model to test the effect of racial composition over time and across space. We find that, over time, as the percentage of White individuals living in a county increases, the county emits less CO2 from on-road transportation. Across space, counties with more Black residents (as a percentage of total population) emit more on-road CO2 than other counties. To connect our findings with the broader environmental sociological literature, we also explore the interaction of race and affluence, finding that the effect of racial composition is influenced by variation in local affluence across space. Specifically, affluence reduces the correlation between percentage of Black residents and emissions. Conceptually, we argue that through the process of subnational uneven development, environmental privilege manifests as a distinct dimension of environmental racism that affects how specific racial groups experience environmental degradation.
Performance of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons 2008 Cardiac Risk Models for Major Postoperative Complications after Heart Valve Surgery in a Chinese Population: A Multicenter Study
Authors: Wang Chong , Jin Lei , Qiao Fan , Xue Qing , Zhang Xin Guan , Han Lin
Published: June 2018

Background: To evaluate the performance of Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) 2008 cardiac surgery risk scores for postoperative complications in Chinese patients undergoing single valve surgery at multicenter institutions. 
Methods: From January 2009 through December 2012, 4493 consecutive patients older than 16 years who underwent single valve surgery at 4 cardiac surgical centers were collected and scored according to the STS 2008 risk scores. The final research population included the following isolated heart valve surgery types: aortic valve replacement, mitral valve replacement, and mitral valve repair. Calibration of the risk scores was assessed by the Hosmer–Lemeshow (H-L) test. Discrimination was tested by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. 
Results: The observed incidence rate for cerebrovascular accident (CVA), renal failure (RF), prolonged ventilation (Vent), reoperation (Reop), prolonged postoperative length of stay (PLOS), and short postoperative LOS (SLOS) was 0.90%, 1.32%, 4.18%, 2.43%, 3.64%, and 1.65%, respectively. The predicted incidence rate for CVA, RF, Vent, Reop, PLOS, and SLOS was 0.76%, 1.55%, 4.94%, 6.69%, 3.92%, and 2.54%, respectively. The STS 2008 risk scores give an accurate calibration for individual postoperative risk in CVA, RF, Vent, and PLOS (Hosmer–Lemeshow: P = .052, P = .474, P = .468, and P = .712, respectively). The area under the ROC curve of the STS 2008 risk scores for the above 4 postoperative complications were 0.714, 0.724, 0.727%, and 0.713, respectively.
Conclusion: The STS 2008 risk scores were suitable for major postoperative complications in patients undergoing single valve surgery, except for Reop and SLOS.
An RNAi Screen To Identify Protein Phosphatases That Function Within theDrosophilaCircadian Clock
Authors: Agrawal Parul , Hardin Paul E
Published: June 2018

Circadian clocks in eukaryotes keep time via cell-autonomous transcriptional feedback loops. A well-characterized example of such a transcriptional feedback loop is in Drosophila, where CLOCK-CYCLE (CLK-CYC) complexes activate transcription of period (per) and timeless (tim) genes, rising levels of PER-TIM complexes feed-back to repress CLK-CYC activity, and degradation of PER and TIM permits the next cycle of CLK-CYC transcription. The timing of CLK-CYC activation and PER-TIM repression is regulated posttranslationally, in part through rhythmic phosphorylation of CLK, PER, and TIM. Previous behavioral screens identified several kinases that control CLK, PER, and TIM levels, subcellular localization, and/or activity, but two phosphatases that function within the clock were identified through the analysis of candidate genes from other pathways or model systems. To identify phosphatases that play a role in the clock, we screened clock cell-specific RNA interference (RNAi) knockdowns of all annotated protein phosphatases and protein phosphatase regulators in Drosophila for altered activity rhythms. This screen identified 19 protein phosphatases that lengthened or shortened the circadian period by ≥1 hr (p ≤ 0.05 compared to controls) or were arrhythmic. Additional RNAi lines, transposon inserts, overexpression, and loss-of-function mutants were tested to independently confirm these RNAi phenotypes. Based on genetic validation and molecular analysis, 15 viable protein phosphatases remain for future studies. These candidates are expected to reveal novel features of the circadian timekeeping mechanism in Drosophila that are likely to be conserved in all animals including humans.
Die Zweckverfehlung als Kündigungsgrund von Bauspardarlehen durch Bausparkassen
Authors: Kupfer Tim
Published: June 2018

Die anhaltende Niedrigzinspolitik der Europäischen Zentralbank setzt die Bausparkassen weiterhin wirtschaftlich unter Druck. Um dieser angespannten ökonomischen Situation zu entkommen, kam und kommt es nach wie vor zu zahlreichen Kündigungen alter Bausparverträge mit einer entsprechend hohen Verzinsung durch die Bausparkassen. Dieser Praxis hat der BGH in mehreren Entscheidungen im Jahr 2017 im Grundsatz Recht gegeben und verschiedene Kündigungsgründe zu Gunsten der Bausparkassen anerkannt. Hieran anknüpfend versuchen die Bausparkassen ihre Kündigungen aber unter Erweiterung der anerkannten Kündigungsgründe fortzusetzen, um sich schneller von den unliebsamen Bausparverträgen lösen zu können. Dies ist der Anlass, die höchstrichterliche Rechtsprechung und die Annahmen der überwiegenden Ansicht in der Literatur kritisch zu hinterfragen.
Implementation of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Care Considerations
Authors: Andrews Jennifer G. , Conway Kristin , Westfield Christina , Trout Christina , Meaney F. John , Mathews Katherine , Ciafaloni Emma , Cunniff Christopher , Fox Deborah J. , Matthews Dennis , Pandya Shree
Published: June 2018

BACKGROUND:

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked disorder characterized by progressive muscle weakness and multisystem involvement. Recent advances in management of individuals with DMD have prolonged survival. Lack of standardized care spurred an international collaboration to develop consensus-based care considerations for diagnosis and management. In this study, we evaluate adherence to considerations at selected sites.

METHODS:

We collaborated with the Muscular Dystrophy Surveillance, Tracking, and Research Network. Our sample included males with DMD and Becker muscular dystrophy <21 years as of December 31, 2010, with 1 health care encounter on or after January 1, 2012. We collected data from medical records on encounters occurring January 1, 2012, through December 31, 2014. Adherence was determined when frequency of visits or assessments were at or above recommendations for selected care considerations.

RESULTS:

Our analytic sample included 299 individuals, 7% of whom (20/299) were classified as childhood-onset Becker muscular dystrophy. Adherence for neuromuscular and respiratory clinician visits was 65% for the cohort; neuromuscular assessments and corticosteroid side effect monitoring measures ranged from 16% to 68%. Adherence was 83% for forced vital capacity and ≤58% for other respiratory diagnostics. Cardiologist assessments and echocardiograms were found for at least 84%. Transition planning for education or health care was documented for 31% of eligible males.

CONCLUSIONS:

Medical records data were used to identify areas in which practice aligns with the care considerations. However, there remains inconsistency across domains and insufficiency in critical areas. More research is needed to explain this variability and identify reliable methods to measure outcomes.