bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Use of Ultrasound for Obtaining Pharmaceutical Grade Sodium Chloride
Authors:   V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University 4 Svobody Sq., 61022 Kharkiv, Ukraine, Yurchenko Oleg , Kalinenko Olga ,   V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University 4 Svobody Sq., 61022 Kharkiv, Ukraine, Baklanov Olexandr ,   V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University 4 Svobody Sq., 61022 Kharkiv, Ukraine, Baklanova Larisa ,   Ukrainian Engineering and Pedagogical Academy 16 Universitetskaya St. 16, 61003, Kharkiv, Ukraine
Published: February 2017

The use of ultrasound (US) in the preparation of pharmaceutical grade (PG) sodium chloride by the sampling of final product from a vacuum evaporator during the process of obtaining the “Extra” class table salt at the crystallization stage of the sodium chloride has been investigated. The US had been used: 1) for the content control of the base matter - sodium chloride in the stock – natural brine (sonoluminescent spectroscopy method). It is necessary to create the appropriate crystallization conditions by the control of the vacuum evaporator parameters - temperature and pressure; 2) at the crystallization stage of the sodium chloride to reduce the co-crystallization between the sodium chloride and the sulfate ions. It has been shown that the use of US allows reducing the sulfate ions content in the final product and getting sodium chloride PG satisfying the requirements of pharmacopoeia standard (PS) 42-2572-88.
The Utilization of Asphalt-Resin-Paraffin Deposits as a Component of Raw Material for Visbreaking
Authors:   Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology, Tertyshna Olena ,   8, Gagarina Ave., 49005 Dnipropetrovs’k, Royenko Kateryna ,   Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology; 8, Gagarina Ave., 49005 Dnipropetrovs’k, Martynenko Vitalina ,   Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology; 8, Gagarina Ave., 49005 Dnipropetrovs’k, Smesova Victoria ,   Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology; 8, Gagarina Ave., 49005 Dnipropetrovs’k, Gyrenko Al’ona ,   Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology; 8, Gagarina Ave., 49005 Dnipropetrovs’k, Topilnytskyy Petro ,   Lviv Polytechnic National University; 12, S. Bandery St., 79013 Lviv, Ukraine
Published: February 2017

The paper contains the results of experimental study of visbreaking process with the use of organic part of asphalt-resin-paraffin deposits (ARPD) as a raw material component. We studied the influence of ARPD amount as the additive to tar on the output fuel fractions and their qualitative parameters. The proposals on modernization of the industrial visbreaking scheme with blended raw material were made. The analysis of economic performance of the modernized process was carried out.
Analysis of the Bacor Refractories after their Service in Glass Furnace
Authors:   PJSC “Lysychanskii glass factory “Proletary”, 1 Michurina St., 93112 Lysychansk, Ukraine, Yaitskiy Serhiy , Bragina Liudmyla ,   National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute”2, 21 Frunze St., 61002 Kharkiv, Ukraine, Sobol Yuliya ,   National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute”2, 21 Frunze St., 61002 Kharkiv, Ukraine
Published: February 2017

The degree of the baddeleyite-corundum refractories erosion depending on the areas of their location in the glass-making furnace in the float glass production was established. With the use of petrographic analysis the influence of chemical and mineral composition and also temperature and gas environment on corrosion of bacor linings was studied. Due to obtained results the recommendations in relation to the increase of glass-attack resistance of the furnace and its service life length were formulated.
Structural Transformations of Collagen Containing Raw Materials under Alkaline Treatment
Authors:   Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design 2, Nemyrovych-Danchenko St., 01011 Kyiv, Ukraine, Danylkovych Anatoliy , Lishchuk Viktor ,   JSC “Chinbar”, 21 Kurenivska St., 04073 Kyiv, Ukraine, Zhyhotsky Olexander ,   Frantsevich Institute for Problems of Materials Science, NASU 2, Krzhizhanovsky St., 03142 Kyiv, Ukraine
Published: February 2017

In the research of the rawhide structural transformations in chemical-and-colloidal processes under the action of alkaline dispersion, collagen of the dermis gets free of preservative agents and globular proteins. The conditions of rawhide alkaline treatment, under which the structure of a semi-finished product preserving amino-acid composition of collagen of the dermis is formed, have been outlined. A comparative analysis of the developed technologies of a leather semi-finished product formation from cattle rawhide has been carried out.
Review of the Exhibition Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear
Authors: Villani Sabrina Roberta
Published: February 2017

A review of the exhibition Undressed: a Brief History of Underwear (2 April 2016—12 March 2017, Victoria and Albert Museum, London).
Review of The Adventures of Gillion de Trazegnies: Chivalry and Romance in the Medieval East
Authors: Crosland Maggie
Published: February 2017

A review of Elizabeth Morrison and Zrinka Stahuljak's volume, The Adventures of Gillion de Trazegnies: Chivalry and Romance in the Medieval East (2015).
Brief Encounters of the Academic Kind
Authors: Bartlett Emily , Mennell Nicole
Published: February 2017

Foreword to the first issue of Brief Encounters.
REVIEW: Insider's view of nuclear-free NZ's 'people power'
Authors: Comrie Margie
Published: February 2017

Book review of: Peace, Power & Politics: How New Zealand Became Nuclear Free, by Maire Leadbeater. Dunedin: Otago University Press, 2013, 344pp. , ISBN 9781877578588Journalism's focus on major political figures and high level negotiations leaves the more diffuse activities of grassroots politics in the shadows. So it is refreshing to see a well-researched book unapologetically placing civic groups at centre-stage. Marie Leadbeater’s thorough chronology of the last 40 years of New Zealand’s peace movement and the fight for a nuclear-free country fills some gaps in our knowledge about the mechanics of ‘people power’. It’s an insider’s view. Leadbeater, daughter of feminist and peace campaigner Elsie Locke, says activism is in her genes. She was secretary and then spokeperson for Auckland’s Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, closely involved with the nuclear free protests of the 1970s and 1980s and still demonstrating at Waihopai’s satellite communication monitoring station in 2013.
Shield laws in Australia: Legal and ethical implications for journalists and their confidential sources
Authors: Fernandez Joseph , Pearson Mark
Published: February 2017

This article examines whether Australia’s current shield law regime meets journalists’ expectations and whistleblower needs in an era of unprecedented official surveillance capabilities. According to the peak journalists’ organisation, the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), two recent Australian court cases ‘despite their welcome outcome for our members, clearly demonstrate Australia’s patchy and disparate journalist shields fail to do their job’ (MEAA, 2014a). Journalists’ recent court experiences exposed particular shield law inadequacies, including curious omissions or ambiguities in legislative drafting (Fernandez, 2014c, p. 131); the ‘unusual difficulty’ that a case may present (Hancock Prospecting No 2, 2014, para 7); the absence of definitive statutory protection in three jurisdictions—Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory (Fernandez, 2014b, p. 26); and the absence of uniform shield laws where such law is available (Fernandez, 2014b, pp. 26-28). This article examines the following key findings of a national survey of practising journalists: (a) participants’ general profile; (b) familiarity with shield laws; (c) perceptions of shield law effectiveness and coverage; (d) perceptions of story outcomes when relying on confidential sources; and (e) concerns about official surveillance and enforcement. The conclusion briefly considers the significance and limitations of this research; future research directions; some reform and training directions; and notes that the considerable efforts to secure shield laws in Australia might be jeopardised without better training of journalists about the laws themselves and how surveillance technologies and powers might compromise source confidentiality.
Review: Celebrated French Rainbow Warrior investigation echoes Watergate
Authors: Parmentier Remi
Published: February 2017

Parmentier, Rémi. (2015). Celebrated French Rainbow Warrior investigation echoes Watergate. Pacific Journalism Review, 21(2): 185-188. Review of La Troisième Équipe—Souvenirs de l’Affaire Greenpeace, by Edwy Plenel. Paris: France. Editions Don Quichotte, 2015, 140 pp. ISBN 978-235-949-462-4If you visit the headquarters of the newspaper Le Monde in Paris, on the wall facing you in the main hall after you’ve passed security you’ll find, side-by-side, the large reproductions of two covers of the daily newspaper which has been for decades the hallmark of the French intelligentsia. Testimonies of passed times, nearly three decades separate the one on the right side of the wall, ‘Marshal Stalin has died’ (March, 1953) from the one on the left, ‘The Rainbow Warrior would have been sunk by a third team of French military’ (September, 1985). Why did someone choose to juxtapose two stories that bear no relation? Maybe it is because both events marked a new point of departure in the psyche of the Parisian Left: Stalin’s death opened the key to the Soviet Pandora's box, and the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior 30 years ago by a French secret service squad in Auckland harbour to prevent Greenpeace from protesting against nuclear weapons testing in French Polynesia is now seen as the most grotesque illustration of François Mitterrand’s presidency (1982-1995) renunciation of his Socialist Party’s stated values.Image above: Rémi Parmentier alongside the 1985 Rainbow Warrior 'scoop' front page in the foyer of Le Monde.
Review: Harrowing story of prejudice and religious blackmail
Authors: Craddock Patrick
Published: February 2017

Craddock, Pat (2015). Harrowing story of prejudice and religious blackmail. Pacific Journalism Review, 21(2): 208-210. Review of Murder That Wasn’t. The Case of George Gwaze, by Felicity Goodyear-Smith. Dunedin: Otago University Press, 2015. 180pp. ISBN 978-1-877578-99-1This harrowing book is about George Gwaze, an African migrant to New Zealand who was tried twice for the alleged rape and murder of his 10-year-old niece. It is also about prejudice, HIV/AIDS and our legal and medical processes when trauma is being investigated. One Saturday morning in January 2007, Charlene, the 10-year-old niece of George Gwaze was found in her bed gasping for breath, lying in a pool of diarrhoea and was rushed to hospital. Charlene was diagnosed with aggressive acute sepsis believed to be the result of violent assault and suffocation. She was also HIV positive. Next morning Charlene was dead. The police began their inquiries.
Noted: Disengagement and idiocy
Authors: Cass Philip
Published: February 2017

Cass, P. (2015). Disengagement and idiocy. Pacific Journalism Review, 21(2): 213-214. Book review of American Democracy, by Andrew Perrin. Cambridge: Polity Press. 2014, 228pp. ISBN 978-0-7456622-32-9. Perrin's study of American democracy begins by stating what has become a commonplace of fear in many democracies, that people have become cynical and distrusting of the democractic system and that apathy and political disengagement are widespread. Only multi-millionaries backed by capitalist corporations with the deepest pockets can afford to run for office in the United States and nobody in power seems to be in any hurry to do anything about it.
Improving HIV and STI responses through media and community engagement
Authors: Cullen Trevor , Callaghan Ruth
Published: February 2017

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Western Australia are at their highest in 20 years. In response to this worrying escalation and the public need for accurate and balanced information about these diseases, the journalism department at Edith Cowan University, in partnership with the WA AIDS Council (WAAC), developed a pilot project that consisted of a series of media training and education programmes to enable WAAC staff to share information and stories with the media on HIV and STIs in a more confident and proactive way. The project offers a model framework for media and community engagement that can be applied to a broader range of health promotion and disease prevention issues.
Citizen media and civil resistance in West Papua
Authors: MacLeod Jason
Published: February 2017

This article charts the dynamics and trajectory of citizen media activism in West Papua’s fight for freedom which has progressed from not even registering in news rooms around the world to influencing sub-regional and regional bodies. Citizen media has played an essential role in this transformation. In 1998, when the Indonesian military massacred more than 100 unarmed West Papuans in Biak Island, it took weeks and months to get the news out. Back then West Papua was a military operations area (Daerah Operasi Militer). Few journalists were willing to risk travelling into the country to get the story out. In January 2016 West Papua remains an occupied colony. The Indonesian government still tries to curtail open access to West Papua for foreign journalists but courageous young people armed with cell phones are finding ways to bypass the government’s failed attempt at an informational blockade and it is making a difference. West Papuans are now members of the Melanesian Spearhead Group and the Pacific Island Forum is starting to take notice of the Pacific’s longest running self-determination and decolonisation struggle.
The digital divide in Papua New Guinea: Implications for journalism education
Authors: Sagrista Maria , Matbob Patrick
Published: February 2017

Access to new technology and the development of the necessary skills to master them are crucial aspects when developing countries aim to play a more important role in the current information age and knowledge-based society. New technology and the internet have the potential to enhance access to information for people and to help countries such as Papua New Guinea become active producers of knowledge, shifting away from the traditional role of passive consumption. However, new technology also has the potential to increase already existing inequalities. In this regard, exploring the concrete shortcuts brought by the digital divide in PNG and trying to address them for journalism education is an imperative, so that journalists in the country can bridge this gap, raise their own voices and best contribute to the development of Papua New Guinean society.
Organic Carbon Stocks, Dynamics and Restoration in Relation to Soils of Agroecosystems in Ethiopia: A Review
Authors: Gebeyehu Getaneh , Soromessa Teshome , Teketay Demel
Published: February 2017

Soils represent the largest carbon pool and play important roles for carbon storage for prolonged periods in agroecosystems. A number of studies were conducted to quantify soil organic carbon (SOC) worldwide. The objective of this review was to evaluate organic carbon stocks, dynamics and restoration in soils of agroecosystems in Ethiopia. Soil data from 32 different observations, representing four different agroecosystems, were analysed. The mean SOC stocks in the four agroecosystems varied and ranged from 25.66 (sub-humid agroecosystem) to 113.17 (humid mid-highland agroecosystems) Mg C ha-1 up to one meter depth. The trend of mean SOC followed (in descending order): humid mid-highland (113.17 Mg C ha-1) > per-humid highland (57.14 Mg C ha-1) > semi-arid (25.77 Mg C ha-1) > sub-humid (25.66 Mg C ha-1). Compared with soils of tropical countries, those in Ethiopian agroecosystems contained low SOC storage potential. This might be associated with differences in measurement and analysis methods as 53.1% of the studies employed the Walkley-Black Method, which is known to underestimate carbon stocks in addition to ecological and management effects. However, shifts of land management from rain-fed to irrigation farming systems exhibited progress in the improvement of mean SOC storage potential. The analyses showed that farming systems involving irrigation sequestered more carbon than rain-fed farm systems. The mean SOC in the various agricultural land uses followed the following trend (in descending order): agroforestry (153.57 Mg C ha-1) > grazing land (34.61 Mg C ha-1) > cereal cultivation (24.18 Mg C ha-1). Therefore, the possible solutions for improvement of organic carbon stocks would be implementation of appropriate restoration strategies based on agroecosystems.INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENT Volume-6, Issue-1, Dec-Feb 2016/17, page: 1-22
Predictors of Use of Contraception among Married Women of Reproductive Age in a Rural Area of Nepal
Authors: Chaudhary Tanuja Kumari , Dangol Bhwan Kumari , Rai Lalita , Rai Mana Kumari
Published: February 2017

Background: Universal access to family planning is a human right, central to gender equality and women’s empowerment, and a key factor in reducing poverty. Use of contraception can prevent pregnancies related complication, helps in improving the health of mother and children and improve quality of life.Objective: to find out the predictors of use of contraception among married women of reproductive age (15-49 years).Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was adopted to find out the predictors of use of contraception among married women in Morang District. Cluster Random Sampling technique was used and sample size was 281. Data was collected by face to face interview technique by pretested questionnaire. Chisquare, bivariate, multivariable logistic regression model was used, and statistical significance was determined with a 95 % confidence level.Results: Mean age of the respondents was 29.52±5.64 years. Current contraceptive prevalence rate was 39.9%. The significant predictors associated with use of contraception were education status of husband (Adjusted Odd Ratio [AOR]=0.331, 95% CI= 0.144-0.759), being desire of children (AOR=2.564, 95%CI=1.060-6.198), spousal communication on contraception (AOR=5.120, 95%CI=2.460-10.656), husband approval on contraception (AOR=8.048, 95%CI=4.047-16.006), and prior use of contraception (AOR= 0.122, 95% CI=0.055-0.272). The common barriers of utilization of contraception were husband disapproval (57.4%) followed by fear of side effects (29.6%).Conclusion: Contraceptive prevalence rates were low. So, continued joint efforts are required to increase use of contraception to improve maternal and child health. It is recommended to involve male in family planning.Journal of Advanced Academic Research, Vol. 3, No. 3, 2016, page: 89-99
Race, space, secularism, and the writing of history
Authors: Lebner Ashley
Published: February 2017

Collins, John F. 2015. Revolt of the saints: Memory and redemption in the twilight of Brazilian racial democracy. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.

Seales, Chad E. 2013. The secular spectacle: Performing religion in a Southern town. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Screen as Skin: The Somatechnics of Touchscreen Music Media
Authors: Glitsos Laura
Published: February 2017

In this article I explore the way mobile music devices with touchscreen technology produce new somatechnical figurations that reshape emotional dynamics of music listening. Using research drawn from a cyberethnography of online users from Reddit.com, I argue that the changing relationships between the human-computer interface result in new affective schemas that expand and reconfigure how it feels to listen to music in a mobile setting. In particular, I focus on skin-on-screen contact in order to suggest that the screen acts as a reflexive surface producing intimate relations for the mobile listener. Touchscreens imply the relationship between skin on skin—the skin of our body (in particular the hands) against the skin of the screen. It follows that mobile touchscreen devices suggest a degree of sensuality—in the coming together of bodies, fluids and other organic materials which ‘stick’ to the touchscreen.

Reading the mobile touchscreen player as a somatechnical figuration therefore suggests that the listening experience is developing along with the technologies that mediate music to the body in ways that continue to challenge our understanding of bodily borders and in ways that redefine what it means to feel the music. Therefore, the touchscreen-skin is a critical site of affective relations that dramatically reshape what it means to listening to music in a mobile setting; a private and intimate encounter between the user and their counterpart.
Transfer RNA methyltransferases with a SpoU‐TrmD (SPOUT) fold and their modified nucleosides in tRNA
Authors: Hori Hiroyuki
Published: February 2017

The existence of SpoU‐TrmD (SPOUT) RNA methyltransferase superfamily was first predicted by bioinformatics. SpoU is the previous name of TrmH, which catalyzes the 2’‐Omethylation of ribose of G18 in tRNA; TrmD catalyzes the formation of N1‐methylguanosine at position 37 in tRNA. Although SpoU (TrmH) and TrmD were originally considered to be unrelated, the bioinformatics study suggested that they might share a common evolution origin and form a single superfamily. The common feature of SPOUT RNA methyltransferases is the formation of a deep trefoil knot in the catalytic domain. In the past decade, the SPOUT RNA methyltransferase superfamily has grown; furthermore, knowledge concerning the functions of their modified nucleosides in tRNA has also increased. Some enzymes are potential targets in the design of antibacterial drugs. In humans, defects in some genes may be related to carcinogenesis. In this review, recent findings on the tRNA methyltransferases with a SPOUT fold and their methylated nucleosides in tRNA, including classification of tRNA methyltransferases with a SPOUT fold; knot structures, domain arrangements, subunit structures and reaction mechanisms; tRNA recognition mechanisms, and functions of modified nucleosides synthesized by this superfamily, are summarized. Lastly, the future perspective for studies on tRNA modification enzymes are considered.
The Role of Mindfulness in Reducing the Adverse Effects of Childhood Stress and Trauma
Authors: Ortiz Robin , Sibinga Erica
Published: February 2017

Research suggests that many children are exposed to adverse experiences in childhood. Such adverse childhood exposures may result in stress and trauma, which are associated with increased morbidity and mortality into adulthood. In general populations and trauma-exposed adults, mindfulness interventions have demonstrated reduced depression and anxiety, reduced trauma-related symptoms, enhanced coping and mood, and improved quality of life. Studies in children and youth also demonstrate that mindfulness interventions improve mental, behavioral, and physical outcomes. Taken together, this research suggests that high-quality, structured mindfulness instruction may mitigate the negative effects of stress and trauma related to adverse childhood exposures, improving short- and long-term outcomes, and potentially reducing poor health outcomes in adulthood. Future work is needed to optimize implementation of youth-based mindfulness programs and to study long-term outcomes into adulthood.
Structures, Photophysical Properties, and Growth Patterns of Methylurea Coordinated Ni(II) and Mn(II) Complexes
Authors: Wang Wenting , Xu Zhihuang , Ye Liwang , Su Genbo , Zhuang Xinxin
Published: February 2017

Four coordinated complexes MnxNi(1−x)(C2H6N2O)6SO4 (x=0, 0.33, 0.75, 0.90) were synthesized and characterized. Single-crystal X-ray analysis revealed that the complexes belong to the trigonal crystal family, R-3c space group. Spiral and terraced nucleus growth modes were observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) in the crystals. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) measurements showed their excellent thermostability until 200 °C. UV–vis spectra revealed that the transmission peaks of these crystals have a slight bathochromic shift compared to nickel sulfate hexahydrate (NSH), and the transmittance in the UV range increased as the proportion of Mn2+ increased. With their photophysical properties remaining similar, the much higher heat endurance is rendering these crystals better suitable for UV light filter (ULF) applications.
Fabrication and Optimal Design of Biodegradable Polymeric Stents for Aneurysms Treatments
Authors: Han Xue , Wu Xia , Kelly Michael , Chen Xiongbiao
Published: February 2017

An aneurysm is a balloon-like bulge in the wall of blood vessels, occurring in major arteries of the heart and brain. Biodegradable polymeric stent-assisted coiling is expected to be the ideal treatment of wide-neck complex aneurysms. This paper presents the development of methods to fabricate and optimally design biodegradable polymeric stents for aneurysms treatment. Firstly, a dispensing-based rapid prototyping (DBRP) system was developed to fabricate coil and zigzag structures of biodegradable polymeric stents. Then, compression testing was carried out to characterize the radial deformation of the stents fabricated with the coil or zigzag structure. The results illustrated the stent with a zigzag structure has a stronger radial stiffness than the one with a coil structure. On this basis, the stent with a zigzag structure was chosen for the development of a finite element model for simulating the real compression tests. The result showed the finite element model of biodegradable polymeric stents is acceptable within a range of radial deformation around 20%. Furthermore, the optimization of the zigzag structure was performed with ANSYS DesignXplorer, and the results indicated that the total deformation could be decreased by 35.7% by optimizing the structure parameters, which would represent a significant advance of the radial stiffness of biodegradable polymeric stents.
Future of the Genetic Code
Authors: Xue Hong , Wong J.
Published: February 2017

The methods for establishing synthetic lifeforms with rewritten genetic codes comprising non-canonical amino acids (NCAA) in addition to canonical amino acids (CAA) include proteome-wide replacement of CAA, insertion through suppression of nonsense codon, and insertion via the pyrrolysine and selenocysteine pathways. Proteome-wide reassignments of nonsense codons and sense codons are also under development. These methods enable the application of NCAAs to enrich both fundamental and applied aspects of protein chemistry and biology. Sense codon reassignment to NCAA could incur problems arising from the usage of anticodons as identity elements on tRNA, and possible misreading of NNY codons by UNN anticodons. Evidence suggests that the problem of anticodons as identity elements can be diminished or resolved through removal from the tRNA of all identity elements besides the anticodon, and the problem of misreading of NNY codons by UNN anticodon can be resolved by the retirement of both the UNN anticodon and its complementary NNA codon from the proteome in the event that a restrictive post-transcriptional modification of the UNN anticodon by host enzymes to prevent the misreading cannot be obtained.
Antiprotozoal Activity of Triazole Derivatives of Dehydroabietic Acid and Oleanolic Acid
Authors: Pertino Mariano , Vega Celeste , Rolón Miriam , Coronel Cathia , Rojas de Arias Antonieta , Schmeda-Hirschmann Guillermo
Published: February 2017

Tropical parasitic diseases such as Chagas disease and leishmaniasis are considered a major public health problem affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. As the drugs currently used to treat these diseases have several disadvantages and side effects, there is an urgent need for new drugs with better selectivity and less toxicity. Structural modifications of naturally occurring and synthetic compounds using click chemistry have enabled access to derivatives with promising antiparasitic activity. The antiprotozoal activity of the terpenes dehydroabietic acid, dehydroabietinol, oleanolic acid, and 34 synthetic derivatives were evaluated against epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi and promastigotes of Leishmaniabraziliensis and Leishmania infantum. The cytotoxicity of the compounds was assessed on NCTC-Clone 929 cells. The activity of the compounds was moderate and the antiparasitic effect was associated with the linker length between the diterpene and the triazole in dehydroabietinol derivatives. For the oleanolic acid derivatives, a free carboxylic acid function led to better antiparasitic activity.
Prevention of Bacterial Contamination of a Silica Matrix Containing Entrapped β-Galactosidase through the Action of Covalently Bound Lysozymes
Authors: Li Heng , Li Shuai , Tian Pu , Wu Zhuofu , Li Zhengqiang
Published: February 2017

β-galactosidase was successfully encapsulated within an amino-functionalised silica matrix using a “fish-in-net” approach and molecular imprinting technique followed by covalent binding of lysozyme via a glutaraldehyde-based method. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to characterise the silica matrix hosting the two enzymes. Both encapsulated β-galactosidase and bound lysozyme exhibited high enzymatic activities and outstanding operational stability in model reactions. Moreover, enzyme activities of the co-immobilised enzymes did not obviously change relative to enzymes immobilised separately. In antibacterial tests, bound lysozyme exhibited 95.5% and 89.6% growth inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC (American type culture collection) 653 and Escherichia coli ATCC 1122, respectively. In milk treated with co-immobilised enzymes, favourable results were obtained regarding reduction of cell viability and high lactose hydrolysis rate. In addition, when both co-immobilised enzymes were employed to treat milk, high operational and storage stabilities were observed. The results demonstrate that the use of co-immobilised enzymes holds promise as an industrial strategy for producing low lactose milk to benefit people with lactose intolerance.
miRNA-214 Inhibits Cellular Proliferation and Migration in Glioma Cells Targeting Caspase 1 Involved in Pyroptosis
Authors: Jiang Zhenfeng , Yao Lifen , Ma Hongge , Xu Panpan , Li Zhiyan , Guo Mian , Chen Jianhang , Bao Hongbo , Qiao Shupei , Zhao Yufang , Shen Jia , Zhu Minwei , Meyers Carolyn , Ma Guizhen , Xie Chuncheng , Liu Li , Wang Haiyang , Zhang Wang , Dong Qi , Shen Hong , Lin Zhiguo
Published: February 2017

Pyroptosis is a type of proinflammatory programmed cell death mediated by caspase 1 activity and occurs in several types of eukaryotic tumor cells, including gliomas. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small endogenous noncoding RNAs, have been demonstrated to be advantageous in glioma therapy. However,
the question of whether miRNAs regulate pyroptosis in glioma remains unknown. The current study found that caspase 1 expression was substantially increased in both glioma tissues and glioma cell lines, U87 and T98G, while miR-214 expression was significantly downregulated. Luciferase reporter
assay recognized caspase 1 as a target gene of miR-214. These findings demonstrate that miR-214 could inhibit cell proliferation and migration through the regulation of pyroptosis intermediated by caspase 1 in glioma U87 and T98G cells and may suggest a novel therapeutic for the intervention
of glioma.
Overexpression of Hepatocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule (hepaCAM) Inhibits the Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion in Colorectal Cancer Cells
Authors: Geng Hai-tao , Cao Rui-juan , Cheng Lei , Liu Chun-yuan
Published: February 2017

Hepatocyte cell adhesion molecule (hepaCAM), a new type of CAM, belongs to the immunoglobulin superfamily. Recently, hepaCAM was reported to be implicated in cancer development, and many researchers investigated its biological function in the tumorigenesis of various cancers. However,
what kind of role hepaCAM plays in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unknown. In this study, we found that hepaCAM was downregulated in CRC tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of hepaCAM inhibited CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro. Furthermore, the tumorigenesis assay
showed that increased expression of hepaCAM suppressed CRC tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. We also demonstrated that overexpression of hepaCAM reduced the protein expression levels of -catenin, cyclin D1, and c-Myc, indicating its inhibitory effect on the Wnt/-catenin signaling pathway.
In conclusion, our study results suggest hepaCAM as a promising therapeutic target for CRC and provide a better understanding for the molecular basis of CRC progression.
Knockdown of DDX5 Inhibits the Proliferation and Tumorigenesis in Esophageal Cancer
Authors: Ma Zhenchuan , Feng Jie , Guo Yurui , Kong Ranran , Ma Yuefeng , Sun Liangzhang , Yang Xiaoping , Zhou Bin , Li Shaomin , Zhang Wei , Jiang Jiantao , Zhang Jin , Qiao Zhe , Cheng Yao , Zha Danjie , Liu Shiyuan
Published: February 2017

DEAD (Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp) box protein 5 (DDX5), a prototypical member of the DEAD/H-box protein family, has been involved in several human malignancies. However, the expression and biological role of DDX5 in esophageal cancer (EC) remain largely unknown. In this study, we examined the
role of DDX5 in regulating EC cell proliferation and tumorigenesis and explored its possible molecular mechanism. We found that DDX5 was overexpressed in human EC cell lines. In addition, knockdown of DDX5 significantly inhibited the proliferation of EC cells in vitro and the growth of EC
xenografts in vivo. Knockdown of DDX5 also suppressed the migration/invasion and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype in EC cells. Furthermore, we observed that knockdown of DDX5 inhibited the expression of β-catenin, c-Myc, and cyclin D1 in EC cells. In conclusion, our
findings provide the first evidence that siRNA-DDX5 inhibited the proliferation and invasion of EC cells through suppressing the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Therefore, DDX5 may be a novel potential therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of EC.
MicroRNA-98-5p Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Induces Cell Apoptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Targeting IGF2BP1
Authors: Jiang Tinghui , Li Mengfan , Li Qiuyin , Guo Zhiqiang , Sun Xianjun , Zhang Xufeng , Liu Yan , Yao Wenyi , Xiao Ping
Published: February 2017

Some microRNAs (miRs) have been demonstrated to play promoting or tumor-suppressing roles in the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the regulatory mechanism of miR-98-5p in HCC still remains largely unclear. In the present study, our data showed
that miR-98-5p was significantly downregulated in 84 cases of HCC tissues compared to the matched adjacent nontumor tissues. In addition, downregulation of miR-98-5p was associated with tumor size, portal vein tumor embolus, node metastasis, and clinical stage in HCC. HCC patients with low
expression of miR-98-5p showed a shorter survival time compared with those with high miR-98-5p levels. Moreover, the expression of miR-98-5p was also reduced in HCC cell lines (HepG2, Hep3B, LM3, and SMCC7721) compared to the normal liver cell line THLE-3. Overexpression of miR-98-5p significantly
decreased LM3 cell growth by inducing cell cycle arrest at the G1 stage and cell apoptosis. Insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1) was then identified as a novel target gene of miR-98-5p, and its protein expression was negatively regulated by miR-98-5p in
LM3 cells. Overexpression of IGF2BP1 eliminated the effects of miR-98-5p overexpression on the proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis of LM3 cells. Finally, we found that IGF2BP1 was upregulated in HCC, and its expression was negatively correlated to miR-98-5p levels. In summary, we demonstrate
that miR-98-5p could inhibit HCC cell proliferation while inducing cell apoptosis, partly at least, via inhibition of its target gene IGF2BP1, and we suggest that miR-98-5p may become a promising therapeutic candidate for HCC treatment.
SDSS IV MaNGA: Discovery of an Hα Blob Associated with a Dry Galaxy Pair—Ejected Gas or a “Dark” Galaxy Candidate?
Authors: Lin Lihwai , Lin Jing-Hua , Hsu Chin-Hao , Fu Hai , Huang Song , Sánchez Sebastián F. , Gwyn Stephen , Gelfand Joseph D. , Cheung Edmond , Masters Karen , Peirani Sébastien , Rujopakarn Wiphu , Stark David V. , Belfiore Francesco , Bothwell M. S. , Bundy Kevin , Hagen Alex , Hao Lei , Huang Shan , Law David , Li Cheng , Lintott Chris , Maiolino Roberto , Roman-Lopes Alexandre , Wang Wei-Hao , Xiao Ting , Yuan Fangting , Bizyaev Dmitry , Malanushenko Elena , Drory Niv , Fernández-Trincado J. G. , Pace Zach , Pan Kaike , Thomas Daniel
Published: February 2017

We report the discovery of a mysterious giant Hα blob that is ∼8 kpc away from the main MaNGA target 1-24145, one component of a dry galaxy merger, and has been identified in the first-year SDSS-IV MaNGA data. The size of the Hα blob is ∼3–4 kpc in radius, and the Hα distribution is centrally concentrated. However, there is no optical continuum counterpart in the deep broadband images reaching ∼26.9 mag arcsec−2 in surface brightness. We estimate that the masses of the ionized and cold gases are

3.3
×

10

5

M

⊙

 and

<
1.3
×

10

9

M

⊙

, respectively. The emission-line ratios indicate that the Hα blob is photoionized by a combination of massive young stars and AGNs. Furthermore, the ionization line ratio decreases from MaNGA 1-24145 to the Hα blob, suggesting that the primary ionizing source may come from MaNGA 1-24145, likely a low-activity AGN. Possible explanations for this Hα blob include the AGN outflow, the gas remnant being tidally or ram-pressure stripped from MaNGA 1-24145, or an extremely low surface brightness galaxy. However, the stripping scenario is less favored according to galaxy merger simulations and the morphology of the Hα blob. With the current data, we cannot distinguish whether this Hα blob is ejected gas due to a past AGN outburst, or a special category of “ultra-diffuse galaxy” interacting with MaNGA 1-24145 that further induces the gas inflow to fuel the AGN in MaNGA 1-24145.
The Production of Cold Gas Within Galaxy Outflows
Authors: Scannapieco Evan
Published: February 2017

I present a suite of three-dimensional simulations of the evolution of initially hot material ejected by starburst-driven galaxy outflows. The simulations are conducted in a comoving frame that moves with the material, tracking atomic/ionic cooling, Compton cooling, and dust cooling and destruction. Compton cooling is the most efficient of these processes, while the main role of atomic/ionic cooling is to enhance density inhomogeneities. Dust, on the other hand, has little effect on the outflow evolution, and is rapidly destroyed in all the simulations except for the case with the smallest mass flux. I use the results to construct a simple steady-state model of the observed UV/optical emission from each outflow. The velocity profiles in this case are dominated by geometric effects, and the overall luminosities are extremely strong functions of the properties of the host system, as observed in ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs). Furthermore the luminosities and maximum velocities in several models are consistent with emission-line observations of ULIRGs, although the velocities are significantly greater than observed in absorption-line studies. It may be that absorption line observations of galaxy outflows probe entrained cold material at small radii, while emission-line observations probe cold material condensing from the initially hot medium at larger distances.
Constraints on the Evolution of the Galaxy Stellar Mass Function. I. Role of Star Formation, Mergers, and Stellar Stripping
Authors: Contini E. , Kang Xi , Romeo A. D. , Xia Q.
Published: February 2017

We study the connection between the observed star formation rate–stellar mass (SFR–M
*) relation and the evolution of the stellar mass function (SMF) by means of a subhalo abundance matching technique coupled to merger trees extracted from an N-body simulation. Our approach, which considers both galaxy mergers and stellar stripping, is to force the model to match the observed SMF at redshift

, and let it evolve down to the present time according to the observed SFR–M
* relation. In this study, we use two different sets of SMFs and two SFR–M
* relations: a simple power law and a relation with a mass-dependent slope. Our analysis shows that the evolution of the SMF is more consistent with an SFR–M
* relation with a mass-dependent slope, in agreement with predictions from other models of galaxy evolution and recent observations. In order to fully and realistically describe the evolution of the SMF, both mergers and stellar stripping must be considered, and we find that both have almost equal effects on the evolution of SMF at the massive end. Taking into account the systematic uncertainties in the observed data, the high-mass end of the SMF obtained by considering stellar stripping results in good agreement with recent observational data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. At

, our prediction at z = 0.1 is close to Li & White data, but the high-mass end (

) is in better agreement with D’Souza et al. data which account for more massive galaxies.
Measuring the Innermost Stable Circular Orbits of Supermassive Black Holes
Authors: Chartas G. , Krawczynski H. , Zalesky L. , Kochanek C. S. , Dai X. , Morgan C. W. , Mosquera A.
Published: February 2017

We present a promising new technique, the g-distribution method, for measuring the inclination angle (i), the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO), and the spin of a supermassive black hole. The g-distribution method uses measurements of the energy shifts in the relativistic iron line emitted by the accretion disk of a supermassive black hole due to microlensing by stars in a foreground galaxy relative to the g-distribution shifts predicted from microlensing caustic calculations. We apply the method to the gravitationally lensed quasars RX J1131–1231 (z

s
= 0.658, z

l
= 0.295), QJ 0158–4325 (z

s
= 1.294, z

l
= 0.317), and SDSS 1004+4112 (z

s
= 1.734, z

l
= 0.68). For RX J1131−1231, our initial results indicate that r
ISCO ≲ 8.5 gravitational radii (r
g) and i ≳ 55° (99% confidence level). We detect two shifted Fe lines in several observations, as predicted in our numerical simulations of caustic crossings. The current ΔE distribution of RX J1131–1231 is sparsely sampled, but further X-ray monitoring of RX J1131–1231 and other lensed quasars will provide improved constraints on the inclination angles, ISCO radii, and spins of the black holes of distant quasars.
High-resolution X-Ray Spectroscopy of the Seyfert 1 Galaxy Mrk 1040. Revealing the Failed Nuclear Wind with Chandra
Authors: Reeves J. N. , Braito V. , Behar E. , Fischer T. C. , Kraemer S. B. , Lobban A. , Nardini E. , Porquet D. , Turner T. J.
Published: February 2017

High-resolution X-ray spectroscopy of the warm absorber in the nearby X-ray bright Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 1040 is presented. The observations were carried out in the 2013–2014 timeframe using the Chandra High Energy Transmission Grating with a total exposure of 200 ks. A multitude of absorption lines from Ne, Mg, and Si are detected from a wide variety of ionization states. In particular, the detection of inner K-shell absorption lines from Ne, Mg, and Si, from charge states ranging from F-like to Li-like ions, suggests the presence of a substantial amount of low-ionization absorbing gas, illuminated by a steep soft X-ray continuum. The observations reveal at least three warm absorbing components ranging in ionization parameter from

and with column densities of

cm−2. The velocity profiles imply that the outflow velocities of the absorbing gas are low and within ±100 km s−1 of the systemic velocity of Mrk 1040, which suggests that any outflowing gas may have stalled in this AGN on large enough scales. The warm absorber is likely located far from the black hole, within 300 pc of the nucleus, and is spatially coincident with emission from an extended narrow-line region as seen in the Hubble Space Telescope images. The iron K-band spectrum reveals only narrow emission lines, with Fe Kα at 6.4 keV consistent with originating from reflection off Compton-thick pc-scale reprocessing gas.
Anomalous Galactic Dynamics by Collusion of Rindler and Cosmological Horizons
Authors: van Putten Maurice H. P. M.
Published: February 2017

In holography, the dimensional reduction of phase space to two dimensions defines a dynamical dark energy of

, associated with the cosmological horizon at a Hubble radius of 

, and inertia m of baryonic matter at acceleration α in terms of a thermodynamic potential

of Rindler horizons at

. Here, H is the Hubble parameter with deceleration q and c is the velocity of light. In weak gravity, m drops below Newton’s value m
0 as

, when Rindler horizons fall beyond the cosmological horizon. The onset to weak gravity across

is sharp by causality. Striking evidence is found in galaxy rotation curves, whose asymptotic dynamics is parameterized by Milgrom’s scale of acceleration

. This onset presents a new challenge for canonical dark matter distributions on galactic scales in ΛCDM. Instead, future galaxy surveys may determine

, to provide a direct test of dynamical dark energy (

) versus ΛCDM (

) and establish a bound of

on the mass of the putative dark matter particle with clustering limited to galaxy clusters.
Acinetobacter: an underrated foodborne pathogen?
Authors: Amorim Angelo Maximo Batista de , Nascimento Janaína dos Santos
Published: February 2017

The increasing prevalence of foodborne diseases observed in developing countries has been linked to a rise in the consumption of raw foods. However, unlike the classical pathogens that are commonly implicated in foodborne illnesses, members of the genus Acinetobacter are rarely associated with diarrheal disease, probably because of the difficulty in isolating these Gram-negative bacteria from food sources. Nevertheless, several species of Acinetobacter, especially A. baumannii, possess many of the characteristics associated with successful pathogens and exhibit a prodigious ability to acquire the multiple-drug resistance (MDR) phenotype. In this mini-review, we summarize the epidemiological data relating to MDR Acinetobacter and consider evidence suggesting that contaminated dairy products, along with raw fruit and vegetables, constitute extra-hospital reservoirs of this underrated pathogen, and may represent an increased risk to immunocompromised individuals and young children in healthcare settings.
Automated Stock Trading – Developing the Serious Game FSTG to Teach the Topic of Finite State Machines
Authors: Utesch Matthias Christoph , Hauer Andreas , Heininger Robert , Krcmar Helmut
Published: February 2017

A new methodology to teach about the topic of Finite State Machines is presented in this paper. For this purpose, nine learning objectives which are classified into the three categories Basics of Finite State Machines, parallels between Finite State Machines and stock trading, and the application of Finite State Machines were developed and implemented into a Serious Game solution. This paper covers the third category about the application of Finite State Machines and its use to create Artificial Intelligence. The learning objectives were determined by using the widely-known Taxonomy of Bloom and integrated into the Serious Game The Finite State Trading Game (FSTG). In this turn-based trading game, the user aims to beat a Non-Player Character by skillfully trading shares while the user faces increasing complexity throughout the game. For the evaluation of the Serious Game approach a pre-test and post-test setting was performed with students of a local upper vocational school class at the Technical University of Munich. The results of the following analysis demonstrated significant progress in terms of the students’ knowledge about Finite State Machines for every tested statement.