bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reproductive disorders in female rats after prenatal exposure to sodium arsenite
Authors: Souza Ana Cláudia Ferreira , Ervilha Luiz Otávio Guimarães , Coimbra John Lennon Paiva , Bastos Daniel Silva Sena , Guimarães Simone Eliza Facioni , Machado‐Neves Mariana
Published: August 2019

Arsenic is a metalloid widely found in the environment in organic and inorganic forms. Exposure to inorganic arsenic forms via drinking water has been associated with an increased incidence of negative health effects, including reproductive disorders and dysfunction of the endocrine system. However, the impact of arsenic exposure on female reproductive development is still unclear. Therefore, in the present study, we evaluated the effects of prenatal exposure to arsenic on the initial sexual development and puberty onset, and in the morphology of the female reproductive organs, estrous cycle regularity and fertility parameters during adulthood. To do that, pregnant female Wistar rats were exposed to 10 mg/L sodium arsenite via drinking water from gestational day (GD) 1 until GD 21 and the female offspring was evaluated in different postnatal days. Our results showed that prenatal arsenic exposure induced a decrease of litter weight and morphological masculinization in females at postnatal day 1. Moreover, these females had a delay in the age of puberty onset and alteration in estrous cycle number and length. During adulthood, females from the sodium arsenite group showed an increase in endometrium, myometrium and perimetrium areas, and an imbalance in uterine antioxidant enzyme activity. These animals also presented an increase in post‐implantation loss and reabsorption number, leading to reduced viable fetus number. In conclusion, prenatal arsenic exposure in rats was able to promote female masculinization, alter sexual development and impair reproductive performance.
Microscopic investigations and pharmacognostic techniques used for the standardization of leaf of Rhus succedanea var. Himalaica J. D. Hook
Authors: Khan Shafqat Ali , Barkatullah  , Ibrar Muhammad , Ullah Sami
Published: August 2019

Rhus succedanea is generally traded, distributed, and sold in the markets in its crude and raw form. This may have been mixed with adulterants, mismanaged by malpractices, and substituted with other closely related drugs having different effect. This study is therefore carried out to authenticate the plant through pharmacognostic evaluations including morphological microscopic and physio‐chemical features. Morphologically, the Rhus is a perennial small sized deciduous tree, locally, called as Rakhkal in Pashto and Kakarsingi in Urdu. The organoleptic evaluation showed that leaf had pleasant, aromatic odor, and astringent taste. Anatomy of the midrib has shown a typical dicot histological differentiation. The leaf was hypostomatic showing anomocytic stomata with average stomatal number 27.1 ± 7.2 and stomatal index 14 ± 3.63. The average vein islet, vein termination, and palisade ratios were 13.6 ± 3.04, 10.21 ± 1.92, and 6 ± 2.01, respectively. Leaf powder showed the existence of various types of tissues. Fluorescence study and percentage extractive values were also carried out. The phytochemical screening showed the presence of carbohydrates, protein, alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, and anthraquinones, whereas tannins and fixed oil was not detected. Quantitatively highest number of alkaloids 16% and flavonoids 19% in leaf was detected. The above parameters, being reported to the first time for, and are significant toward establishing the microscopic and pharmacognostic standards for future identification and authentication of genuine herbal drug.
A test of the micro‐expressions training tool: Does it improve lie detection?
Authors: Jordan Sarah , Brimbal Laure , Wallace D. Brian , Kassin Saul M. , Hartwig Maria , Street Chris N.H.
Published: August 2019

The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of the micro‐expressions training tool (METT) in identifying and using micro‐expressions to improve lie detection. Participants (n = 90) were randomly assigned to receive training in micro‐expressions recognition, a bogus control training, or no training. All participants made veracity judgements of five randomly selected videos of targets providing deceptive or truthful statements. With the use of the Bayesian analyses, we found that the METT group did not outperform those in the bogus training and no training groups. Further, overall accuracy was slightly below chance. Implications of these results are discussed.
At the bench: Engineering the next generation of cancer vaccines
Authors: Shae Daniel , Baljon Jessalyn J , Wehbe Mohamed , Becker Kyle W , Sheehy Taylor L , Wilson John Tanner
Published: August 2019

Cancer vaccines hold promise as an immunotherapeutic modality based on their potential to generate tumor antigen-specific T cell responses and long-lived antitumor responses capable of combating metastatic disease and recurrence. However, cancer vaccines have historically failed to deliver significant therapeutic benefit in the clinic, which we maintain is due in part to drug delivery challenges that have limited vaccine immunogenicity and efficacy. In this review, we examine some of the known and putative failure mechanisms of common first-generation clinical cancer vaccines, and describe how the rational design of materials engineered for vaccine delivery and immunomodulation can address these shortcomings. First, we outline vaccine design principles for augmenting cellular immunity to tumor antigens and describe how well-engineered materials can improve vaccine efficacy, highlighting recent innovations in vaccine delivery technology that are primed for integration into neoantigen vaccine development pipelines. We also discuss the importance of sequencing, timing, and kinetics in mounting effective immune responses to cancer vaccines, and highlight examples of materials that potentiate antitumor immunity through spatiotemporal control of immunomodulation. Furthermore, we describe several engineering strategies for improving outcomes of in situ cancer vaccines, which leverage local, intratumoral delivery to stimulate systemic immunity. Finally, we highlight recent innovations leveraging nanotechnology for increasing the immunogenicity of the tumor microenvironment (TME), which is critical to enhancing tumor infiltration and function of T cells elicited in response to cancer vaccines. These immunoengineering strategies and tools complement ongoing advances in cancer vaccines as they reemerge as an important component of the immunotherapeutic armamentarium.
Evolution of pedal digit orientation and morphology in relation to acquisition and secondary loss of the adhesive system in geckos
Authors: Zhuang Mingna V. , Russell Anthony P. , Higham Timothy E.
Published: August 2019

Among geckos, the acquisition of the adhesive system is associated with several morphological changes of the feet that are involved in the operation of the adhesive apparatus. However, analyses using a comparative framework are lacking. We applied traditional morphometrics and geometric morphometric analysis with phylogenetic comparative methods to morphological data, collected from X‐ray scans, to examine patterns of morphological evolution of the pes in association with the gain and loss of adhesive capabilities, and with habitat occupancy among 102 species of gecko. Padbearing gecko lineages tend to have shorter digits and greater inter‐digital angles than padless ones. Arboreal and saxicolous species have shorter digits than terrestrial species. Our results suggest repeated shifts that converge upon a similar padbearing morphology, with some modifications being associated with the habitat occupied. We demonstrate that functional innovation and habitat can operate on, and influence, different components of foot morphology.
Advances in surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy for cancer diagnosis and staging
Authors: Chakraborty Avishek , Ghosh Aritri , Barui Ananya
Published: August 2019

Surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is rapidly emerging as a bioanalytical tool for cancer diagnosis and therapy. The SERS‐based molecular diagnostics have progressed from proof‐of‐concept studies towards analysis in animal models as well as for in vitro clinical diagnostics in the last decade. Recently, SERS has also been implemented in screening, diagnosis, and staging of clinical cancer samples. Moreover, in vivo SERS imaging has been implemented for mapping the extent of tumor growth and metastasis; SERS nanoparticles have also enabled image‐guided therapies strongly indicating SERS technology can significantly complement the practice of oncology. Despite the progress, widespread clinical translation of SERS nanoparticles is still challenging. Current SERS strategies in diagnostic oncology require further development and standardization to progress from bench‐top to point‐of‐care applications. The present review critically analyzes the current state of the art about various strategies for SERS‐based cancer detection and staging from cellular metabolites, exosomes, circulating tumor cells, extracellular fluids, and cancer cells.
Misrepresentation of institutional affiliations: The results from an exploratory case study of Chilean authors
Authors: Bachelet Vivienne C. , Uribe Francisco A. , Díaz Rubén A. , Vergara Alonso F. , Bravo‐Córdova Fabiana , Carrasco Víctor A. , Lizana Francisca J. , Meza‐Ducaud Nicolás , Navarrete María S.
Published: August 2019

University ranking systems and the publish‐or‐perish dictum are driving universities and researchers around the world to increase their research productivity and publication outputs. There is no regulated checking of author affiliations as authors are expected to only include affiliations to universities that have contributed substantially to the research conducted and to the published manuscript. Our study aims to establish whether author affiliations can be validated and if there is evidence of misrepresentation from authors who report multiple institutional affiliations. We conducted an exploratory case study on Scopus‐indexed articles for 2016, searching all authors who reported multiple institutional affiliations in which at least one of them was to a Chilean university. Of 4,961 author records with multiple affiliations, we were unable to validate 38% of the affiliations to a Chilean university by checking the institutional websites. This affected 40% of articles and was most prevalent in health sciences and for private, new, universities. ORCID identifiers were not suitable for checking affiliations as there was low use of them: only 14% of the multiple‐affiliated authors. The inability to validate affiliations might indicate misconduct, and if it is an indication of misrepresentation, it could have profound implications for many stakeholders (universities, journals, ranking houses, funders, and higher education policy‐makers) due to inflated publication counts and under‐reporting the actual input from individual institutions.
The study of METTL3 and METTL14 expressions in childhood ETV6/RUNX1‐positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Sun Congcong , Chang Lixian , Liu Chao , Chen Xiaoyan , Zhu Xiaofan
Published: August 2019

Background

This study was aimed to explore the METTL3 and METTL14 expressions in children with ETV6/RUNX1(E/R)‐positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and investigate the relation between the METTL3 and METTL14 expressions with clinical features.

Methods

Thirty‐seven newly diagnosed E/R‐positive ALL children and six controls were included in this study. Real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression level of METTL3 and METTL14.

Results

Among the 37 cases, 51.35% (n = 19) were boys and 48.65% (n = 18) were girls and the median age was 4.72 (1.72–11.99) years. Among the six controls, 50% (n = 3) were boys and 50% (n = 3) were girls and the median age was 5.24 (1.53–13.17) years. The expression level of METTL3 and METTL14 in E/R‐positive ALL patients were lower than in controls (p < .05). Although failed to achieve statistical significance, the expression level of METTL3 and METTL14 in relapse patients were lower than nonrelapse patients (p = .171, p = .150, respectively).

Conclusion

The reduced levels of METTL3 and METTL14 suggest a possible role in the pathogenesis and course of E/R‐positive ALL. METTL3 and METTL14 may become new prognostic factors, and rationalize specific treatment intensification in possible E/R‐positive relapse patients.
Notes on “stability and chaos control of regularized Prabhakar fractional dynamical systems without and with delay”
Authors: Zhao Lingdong
Published: August 2019

This comment is to point out some mistakes made in the paper (Shiva et al in MATH METHOD APPL SCI 42(7):2302‐2323, 2019). The stability of Prabhakar fractional dynamical systems without and with time delay is addressed. Lyapunov stability theorem is extended to these systems. But the proof process is wrong as the memory property of fractional calculus. It is necessary to point out these errors to avoid misleading. Finally, a counterexample is proposed against the proposed theorem.
Ulam‐Hyers stability of Caputo fractional difference equations
Authors: Chen Churong , Bohner Martin , Jia Baoguo
Published: August 2019

We study the Ulam‐Hyers stability of linear and nonlinear nabla fractional Caputo difference equations on finite intervals. Our main tool used is a recently established generalized Gronwall inequality, which allows us to give some Ulam‐Hyers stability results of discrete fractional Caputo equations. We present two examples to illustrate our main results.
Controlling bifurcated continuous‐mode parameter for the continual operation of Class‐F−1 15 W GaN power amplifier
Authors: Park Youngcheol , Lee Byeonguk
Published: August 2019

In this article, we suggest a design method for an efficient inverse Class‐F 15 W Gallium Nitride (GaN) power amplifier (PA) that is minimally sensitive to the output parasitic capacitance. By utilizing the parasitic capacitance to control the bifurcated harmonic continuous mode parameters, the suggested design makes the power amplifier operate in continuous mode so that the output power and efficiency are maintained. Therefore, PA's performance degradation and uncertainty due to the parasitic component with its distribution values can be avoided or minimized. The implemented continuous inverse Class‐F mode PA demonstrated an output power of 42 dBm at 2.1 GHz, and an efficiency of more than 60% over 1.8 GHz to 2.4 GHz with a maximum efficiency of 71.9%.
Game formulations for structural optimization under uncertainty
Authors: Thore Carl‐Johan , Alm Grundström Henrik , Klarbring Anders
Published: August 2019

We consider structural optimization (SO) under uncertainty formulated as a mathematical game between two players –– a “designer” and “nature”. The first player wants to design a structure that performs optimally, whereas the second player tries to find the worst possible conditions to impose on the structure. Several solution concepts exist for such games, including Stackelberg and Nash equilibria and Pareto optima. Pareto optimality is shown not to be a useful solution concept. Stackelberg and Nash games are, however, both of potential interest, but these concepts are hardly ever discussed in the literature on SO under uncertainty. Based on concrete examples of topology optimization of trusses and finite element‐discretized continua under worst‐case load uncertainty, we therefore analyze and compare the two solution concepts. In all examples, Stackelberg equilibria exist and can be found numerically, but for some cases we demonstrate nonexistence of Nash equilibria. This motivates a view of the Stackelberg solution concept as the correct one. However, we also demonstrate that existing Nash equilibria can be found using a simple so‐called decomposition algorithm, which could be of interest for other instances of SO under uncertainty, where it is difficult to find a numerically efficient Stackelberg formulation.
Proteome Analysis of Enriched Heterocysts from Two Hydrogenase Mutants from Anabaena sp. PCC 7120
Authors: Kourpa Katerina , Manarolaki Eftychia , Lyratzakis Alexandros , Strataki Vasso , Rupprecht Fiona , Langer Julian D. , Tsiotis Georgios
Published: August 2019

Cyanobacteria are oxygenic photosynthetic prokaryotes and play a crucial role in the Earth's carbon and nitrogen cycles. The photoautotrophic cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 has the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen in heterocysts and produce hydrogen as a byproduct through a nitrogenase. In order to improve hydrogen production, mutants from Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 are constructed by inactivation of the uptake hydrogenase (ΔhupL) and the bidirectional hydrogenase (ΔhoxH) in previous studies. Here the proteomic differences of enriched heterocysts between these mutants cultured in N2‐fixing conditions are investigated. Using a label‐free quantitative proteomics approach, a total of 2728 proteins are identified and it is found that 79 proteins are differentially expressed in the ΔhupL and 117 proteins in the ΔhoxH variant. The results provide for the first time comprehensive information on proteome regulation of the uptake hydrogenase and the bidirectional hydrogenase, as well as systematic data on the hydrogen related metabolism in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120.
Pyroxasulfone efficacy for annual ryegrass control is affected by wheat residue height, amount and orientation
Authors: Khalil Yaseen , Flower Ken , Siddique Kadambot HM , Ward Phil
Published: August 2019

BACKGROUND

Pre‐emergent herbicides play an important role in conservation agriculture, however, crop residues on the soil surface in these systems can intercept a considerable amount of herbicide during application. Cutting crops relatively high at harvest has some advantages, such as allowing faster harvest, and this also means that there is less horizontal residue on the soil surface. This field study tested the impact of standing wheat residue height and amount of horizontal residue on the interception, leaching and weed‐control efficacy of the pre‐emergent herbicide pyroxasulfone in the 2015 and 2016 growing seasons.

RESULTS

Spray coverage of pyroxasulfone declined from 14.6% to 7.5% with increasing amounts (0 to 4 t ha−1) of horizontal wheat residue. Horizontal wheat residue at 1 t ha−1 had 10.3% spray coverage (more herbicide interception) compared with 15.4% for the equivalent amount of standing residue. Greater amounts of horizontal residue also significantly reduced the efficacy of pyroxasulfone in controlling ryegrass in the field and decreased pyroxasulfone concentrations in the soil. Rainfall after herbicide application increased herbicide efficacy for all residue amounts. Generally, cutting standing residue higher resulted a relatively small decrease in spray coverage at the soil surface and weed control efficacy, and this was significant only between nil stubble and 0.3 m cut height.

CONCLUSION

Cutting residue relatively high, leaving less on the surface, improves spray coverage and herbicide efficacy compared with having more horizontal residue. This research may assist farmers and advisors to maximize the efficacy of pre‐emergent herbicide in no‐tillage systems. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
The nocturnal boundary layer transition from weakly to very stable. Part II: Numerical simulation with a second‐order model
Authors: Maroneze Rafael , Acevedo Otávio C. , Costa Felipe D. , Puhales Franciano S. , Demarco Giuliano , Mortarini Luca
Published: August 2019

Observations of the vertical and temporal structure of the nocturnal boundary layer before and after a transition from the weakly to the very stable regime have been presented in Part I. Here, similar transitions are investigated using a one‐dimensional second‐order closure numerical model, with an energy budget solved at the surface. The transition is driven by a decreasing mean wind at the top of the domain, and simulations with different cloud covers and surface thermal properties are considered. The time of the transition depends on the wind speed at the top of the domain and on the “coupling strength” between the surface and the atmosphere, which is affected by the cloud cover and surface thermal properties. The vertical profiles and temporal evolutions of the terms of the budgets of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), heat flux and temperature variance are presented. Of these, only TKE budget presents the same dominant terms in both regimes. Absolute heat flux in the model is proportional to the cube of the wind speed in the very stable regime.
Reliability and maintenance strategy for systems with aging‐dependent components
Authors: Blokus Agnieszka , Kołowrocki Krzysztof
Published: August 2019

An innovative approach is presented for the reliability analysis of aging multistate systems that considers the subsystems and their components' dependency. A reliability function is determined for an aging series system with the component dependency following the local load‐sharing rule, and a reliability function is determined for an aging “m out of n” system with the component dependency following the equal load‐sharing rule. Linking the results of those load‐sharing models, a mixed‐dependency model for multistate “m out of l”‐series systems is constructed by assuming the dependence between subsystems connected in series under the local load‐sharing rule and the dependence between their components under the equal load‐sharing rule. As a special case, the reliability of this system, modeled using piecewise exponential reliability functions, is considered, and the results are applied to characterize shipyard rope elevator reliability. Finally, the maintenance of this elevator as a repairable multistate system is analyzed with the time of renovation ignored.
Characterization of pharmaceutic structured triacylglycerols by high‐performance liquid chromatography/tandem high‐resolution mass spectrometry and its application to structured fat emulsion injection
Authors: Zheng Hao , Yang Rui , Wang Zhe , Wang Jue , Zhang Jinlan , Sun Huimin
Published: August 2019

Rationale

Structured triacylglycerols (STAGs) are a complex mixture of triacylglycerols which are esterified by long‐chain fatty acids and medium‐chain fatty acids with the same glycerol molecular backbone. As a kind of lipid pharmaceutic excipients, STAGs are used in the pharmaceutical industry as major components of structured fat emulsion injections and play an important role in pharmaceutic energy material because they improve nutritional status with faster elimination in a safe way. The composition and proportion of triacylglycerols in STAGs are closely related to the stability of pharmaceutical preparations and curative effects in the clinic. Therefore, it is necessary to characterize pharmaceutic STAGs using a rapid and accurate method.

Methods

An analytical method for rapid and accurate determination of triacylglycerols in pharmaceutic STAGs was developed using high‐performance liquid chromatography/tandem high‐resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC/HRMS). Triacylglycerol components could be well separated on a Waters Xterra MS C8 (2.1 × 100 mm, 3.5 μm) column. Four‐dimensional HPLC/HRMS data (high‐resolution m/z, MS2 data, retention time and isotopic intensity distribution) were used to identify triacylglycerols using Lipid Data Analyzer (LDA) software and the LIPID MAPS database. Then, these identified triacylglycerol components were relatively quantified by their corresponding normalized peak areas using representative standard curves of structurally similar standard substances.

Results

Forty‐seven kinds of triacylglycerol components in pharmaceutic STAGs and structured fat emulsion injection were identified and relatively quantified by this method. It has been shown that their retention times are in good correlation with the number of carbon atoms and carbon–carbon double bonds. The main components in pharmaceutic STAGs and structured fat emulsion injection were triacylglycerols containing both medium‐chain fatty acids and long‐chain fatty acids, while the other components, including triacylglycerols containing three medium‐chain fatty acids and triacylglycerols containing three long‐chain fatty acids, were relatively low.

Conclusions

This study has provided a rapid and accurate approach for the identification and quality control of pharmaceutic STAGs and structured fat emulsion injection and this approach can be extended to other lipid pharmaceutic excipients and used as an effective and reasonable control to guarantee the quality of pharmaceutical preparations.
Nitrogen direct analysis in real time time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (N2 DART‐TOFMS) for rapid screening of forensic drugs
Authors: Song Liguo , Chuah Wei chean , Quick Jeffery D. , Remsen Edward , Bartmess John E.
Published: August 2019

Rationale

Over the last ten years, helium direct analysis in real time time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (He DART‐TOFMS) has become an established technique in rapid screening of forensic drugs to decrease the time necessary to triage forensic drug cases, therefore contributing to backlog reduction and more timely criminal prosecution. Recently, we demonstrated that N2 DART was able to efficiently ionize all polar compounds except for a few extremely small ones such as methanol and acetonitrile. Therefore, N2 DART‐TOFMS should be a suitable technique for rapid screening of forensic drugs.

Methods

Nitrogen direct analysis in real time time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (N2 DART‐TOFMS) was performed using a JEOL AccuTOF mass spectrometer with an IonSense DART‐100 ion source. A 3‐min analytical protocol was used for the analysis of each sample. Sample introduction was accomplished by moving the closed end of a melting point capillary where approximately 1 μL sample solution was deposited or the exposed inside of a freshly cut tablet across the N2 gas stream between the DART‐100 ion source and orifice 1 of the AccuTOF.

Results

Ten commonly abused drugs, eight synthetic cannabinoids and four controlled prescription drugs (CPDs) were analyzed. The limit of detection (LOD) was determined to be approximately 10 μg/mL or 10 pg in quantities. All drugs at the LOD level were positively identified using their [M + H]+ ions with mass errors less than 5 mDa. The identification were further supported by in‐source fragment ions and characteristic N2 DART ions that are not commonly generated by He DART, e.g. [M + H + O]+ and [M + H + 2O]+ ions.

Conclusions

It was concluded that the 3‐min analytical protocol could be utilized in the analysis of seized drugs in the form of tablets and powders or prepared in solution. In consideration that N2 is readily available in the air and He is a non‐renewable resource, N2 DART‐TOFMS is a greener, cheaper and more convenient alternative to He DART‐TOFMS in rapid screening of forensic drugs.
Novel ionization reagent for the measurement of gas‐phase ammonia and amines using a stand‐alone atmospheric pressure gas chromatography (APGC) source
Authors: Perraud Véronique , Li Xiaoxiao , Smith James N. , Finlayson‐Pitts Barbara J.
Published: August 2019

Rationale

Contaminants present in ambient air or in sampling lines can interfere with the target analysis through overlapping peaks or causing a high background. This study presents a positive outcome from the unexpected presence of N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone, released from a PALL HEPA filter, in the analysis of atmospherically relevant gas‐phase amines using chemical ionization mass spectrometry.

Methods

Gas‐phase measurements were performed using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with a modified atmospheric pressure gas chromatography (APGC) source which allows sampling of the headspace above pure amine standards. Gas‐phase N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP) emitted from a PALL HEPA filter located in the inlet stream served as the ionizing agent.

Results

This study demonstrates that some alkylamines efficiently form a [NMP + amine+H]+ cluster with NMP upon chemical ionization at atmospheric pressure. The extent of cluster formation depends largely on the proton affinity of the amine compared with that of NMP. Aromatic amines (aniline, pyridine) and diamines (putrescine) were shown not to form cluster ions with NMP.

Conclusions

The use of NMP as an ionizing agent with stand‐alone APGC provided high sensitivity for ammonia and the smaller amines. The main advantages, in addition to sensitivity, are direct sampling into the APGC source and avoiding uptake on sampling lines which can be a significant problem with ammonia and amines.
Adaptive learning control for general nonlinear systems with nonuniform trial lengths, initial state deviation, and unknown control direction
Authors: Liu Chen , Shen Dong , Wang JinRong
Published: August 2019

This paper studies the iteration varying trail lengths problem for high‐order continuous‐time nonlinear systems, where the initial state may deviate from the desired value and the sign of input gain is unknown. First, to deal with the general nonlinear systems, a fuzzy approximation technique is applied for each dimension of the nonlinear function and the backstepping technique is then used for controller design and performance analysis. Moreover, to deal with the randomly varying trial length problem, we introduce a novel composite energy function for the asymptotic convergence analysis. Furthermore, the initial state deviation issue is resolved by introducing an initial state learning protocol such that the initial state tracking error converges to zero asymptotically. Last but not least, the unknown control direction is regulated by applying a Nussbaum function and the analysis in the presence of nonuniform trial lengths is strictly established. Based on these treatments, we prove that the tracking error converges to zero as iteration number increases and all signals are bounded. The effectiveness of the proposed framework is verified by numerical simulations.
On estimands arising from misspecified semiparametric rate‐based analysis of recurrent episodic conditions
Authors: Lee Jooyoung , Cook Richard J.
Published: August 2019

Marginal rate‐based analyses are widely used for the analysis of recurrent events in clinical trials. In many areas of application, the events are not instantaneous but rather signal the onset of a symptomatic episode representing a recurrent infection, respiratory exacerbation, or bout of acute depression. In rate‐based analyses, it is unclear how to best handle the time during which individuals are experiencing symptoms and hence are not at risk. We derive the limiting value of the Nelson‐Aalen estimator and estimators of the regression coefficients under a semiparametric rate‐based model in terms of an underlying two‐state process. We investigate the impact of the distribution of the episode durations, heterogeneity, and dependence on the asymptotic and finite sample properties of standard estimators. We also consider the impact of these features on power in trials designed to test intervention effects on rate functions. An application to a trial of individuals with herpes simplex virus is given for illustration.
Pt‐Pd Bimetallic Nanoparticles Electrodeposited over Polyaniline/Carbon Nanotube Composite for Effective Methanol Oxidation
Authors: Sun Xiaoyu , Yan Ruiwen , Cheng Chao , Jin Baokang
Published: August 2019

Polyaniline (PANI)/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) composites were prepared by electrochemical technique. These composites acted as supports for electrochemical co‐deposition Pt−Pd bimetallic nanoparticles to fabricate Pt−Pd nanoparticles/PANI/MWCNTs composites (PPPM) for the first time in this work. Its structure identification data demonstrated that the diameters were 210 nm of PANI/MWCNTs composites and 3–5 nm of Pt−Pd nanoparticles, respectively. The catalytic performance of PPPM was investigated by chronoamperometry (CA) and cyclic voltammetry (CVs) method. It has been concluded that the Pt52Pd48 nanoparticles have the highest catalytic activity in different proportions of Pt−Pd. Moreover, the Pt52Pd48 nanoparticles/PANI/MWCNTs composite has superior catalytic performance of methanol versus commercial Pt/C catalysts. The Pt52Pd48 nanoparticles/PANI/MWCNTs composite would have widely application as direct methanol fuel cells anode catalysts.
2D Layered Double Hydroxide Nanoparticles: Recent Progress toward Preclinical/Clinical Nanomedicine
Authors: Cao Zhenbang , Li Bei , Sun Luyao , Li Li , Xu Zhi Ping , Gu Zi
Published: August 2019

2D nanomaterials represent one of the next‐generation biomaterials with versatile physicochemical advantages that allow for diverse biomedical applications in disease diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. In particular, layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoparticles, as a typical 2D nanomaterial, have recently shown unprecedented advances in controllable and simplified chemical construction, versatile surface engineering, and comprehensive biological investigation. To realize in vivo biomedical applications, recent efforts have been substantially devoted to a few critical aspects of LDH nanomedicine including nanoparticle stability in physiological environments, accumulation at the disease‐targeted site, selective biological response to the nanoparticle, systematic biosafety examination, integration with multiple diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, and the adjuvant activity and suitability for gene‐based and protein‐based vaccines, which are herein comprehensively reviewed. The challenges and future development strategies of LDH nanomedicine are also discussed toward practical biomedical applications to benefit patients.
New Insights into the Ecology of Adfluvial Bull Trout and the Population Response to the Endangered Species Act in the North Fork Lewis River, Washington
Authors: Al‐Chokhachy Robert , Doyle Jeremiah , Lamperth James S.
Published: August 2019

Like many other salmonids, Bull Trout Salvelinus confluentus migratory life history expressions are becoming increasingly rare. A critical step in effectively refining management and conservation strategies is a robust assessment of the effectiveness of such strategies and key biological information used in monitoring and recovery planning. To address this need, we integrated long‐term monitoring data to evaluate how the demographics (abundance) and vital rates (survival) of a Bull Trout population shifted in response to their listing under the Endangered Species Act (1998). In addition, we employed mark–recapture data to investigate Bull Trout population dynamics and assessed the life history characteristics (aging, growth, spawning migrations, and iteroparity) to improve our understanding of Bull Trout ecology and diversity. Our abundance and survival data, which extends to the early 1990s, illustrated positive responses in survival and abundance following the protection of Bull Trout under the Endangered Species Act. Over this period, we found high interannual variability in both survival and abundance, and adult survival (average = 0.45; SE = 0.04) was surprisingly lower than that of subadult individuals (average = 0.66; SE = 0.04), suggesting limitations at this important life stage. Our mark–recapture data also suggested that the attributes driving the Bull Trout population trend (i.e., recruitment to the adult stage or adult survival) has varied through time, with declining trends in the relative contribution of recruitment. Bull Trout spawning migrations varied with body size, and a considerable portion of smaller adults (<650 mm) did not spawn each year. Additionally, most spawning individuals made only one spawning migration, while <13% made three or more spawning migrations. Our results provide important insights into the effectiveness of the Endangered Species Act listing and new information regarding the life history patterns of adfluvial Bull Trout and can serve as a template to consider factors potentially limiting this and other native salmonid populations.
Parametrization of a tabletop micro‐XRF system
Authors: Šmit Žiga , Prokeš Radek
Published: August 2019

A table‐top micro X‐ray fluorescence apparatus composed of a conventional X‐ray tube with a polycapillary lens and a silicon drift X‐ray detector was parametrized according to an independent parameter approach. The tube bremsstrahlung spectrum was calculated from the Bethe‐Heitler equation, convoluted by the energy distribution of radiating electrons in the target. In this paper, we propose a simple analytical approximation for this energy distribution. An analytical approximation is also proposed for transmission of the lens composed of curved capillaries.
Outcomes associated with under-dosing of rivaroxaban for management of non-valvular atrial fibrillation in real-world Japanese clinical settings
Authors: Ikeda Takanori , Ogawa Satoshi , Kitazono Takanari , Nakagawara Jyoji , Minematsu Kazuo , Miyamoto Susumu , Murakawa Yuji , Iwashiro Sanghun , Kidani Yoko , Okayama Yutaka , Sunaya Toshiyuki , Sato Shoichiro , Yamanaka Satoshi
Published: August 2019

The approved dose of oral anticoagulant rivaroxaban for patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) in Japan is 15 mg once daily (od) in patients whose creatinine clearance is ≥ 50 mL/min, but recent real-world studies have demonstrated that these patients often received less than the recommended dose due to bleeding concerns. The effect of under-dosing on safety and effectiveness outcomes remains unclear. We used 1-year follow-up data from the XAPASS, a real-world Japanese prospective, single-arm, observational study. Of the 11,308 patients, 6521 patients who completed a 1-year follow-up and had a creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min were included in this sub-analysis. Primary endpoints were any bleeding and a composite of stroke/non-central nervous system systemic embolism (non-CNS SE)/myocardial infarction (MI). Among the 6521 patients, 4185 (64.2%; mean CHADS2 score: 1.8) received the 15 mg od (recommended dose), whereas 2336 (35.8%; mean CHADS2 score: 2.3) received 10 mg od (under-dose). After adjusting for patient characteristics by propensity scoring and inverse probability of treatment weighting, incidence rates of major bleeding were comparable between under-dosed patients and patients who received the recommended dose (1.34 vs. 1.63 events/100 patient-years, p = 0.197), although the incidence rates of stroke/non-CNS SE/MI were higher in under-dosed patients than in those who received the recommended dose (2.15 vs. 1.48 events/100 patient-years, p = 0.009). In Japanese clinical practice, some NVAF patients receive rivaroxaban doses inconsistent with the recommendation. Considering the total clinical benefit, the recommended dose may be preferable in terms of balance of safety and effectiveness.

Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01582737.
State-of-the-art in plant component flow-induced vibration (FIV)
Authors: Miwa Shuichiro , Hibiki Takashi
Published: August 2019

Flow-induced vibration (FIV) continues to be a critical phenomenon for plant safety. Notably, the understanding of FIV generated by multiphase flow is still immature, and various accidents and troubles have been reported for the plant components including a steam generator, natural gas lines, piping systems, and so on. It is because FIV is complicated to be predicted during the plant’s design stage, and usually is first noticed in the operation stage. Hence, a practical solution for new types of FIV has been through post-processing by conducting the laboratory-scale experiment to simulate the prototype. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has become a powerful tool to assess FIV, but the approach is still under development for multiphase flow case. It is partly due to the lack of experimental data, incomplete interfacial transfer terms included in the two-fluid model, as well as the difficulty to couple two-phase flow dynamics and structural dynamics in the simulation stage. Additionally, inadequate FIV database for the simulation benchmark also needs to be resolved for the advancement of CFD and finite-element-method (FEM) models. The present review summarizes fundamentals of FIV caused by gas-liquid two-phase flow, and recent FIV research activities ranging from experiment to simulation.
Culture-Inclusive Theories
Authors: Hwang Kwang-Kuo
Published: August 2019

The author proposes an epistemological strategy to resolve controversial issues in the indigenous psychology (IP) movement. These include the nature of IPs, scientific standards, cultural concepts, philosophy of science, mainstream psychology, generalization of findings, and the isolation and independence of IPs. The approach includes a two-step strategy for construction of culture-inclusive theories, based on a Mandala model of self and a Face and Favor model for social interaction, and the use of these models to develop culture-inclusive theories for Confucian morphostasis. The author has successfully used this strategy, and encourages others to use it to construct their own culture-inclusive theories.
West Africa’s First Coup: Neo-Colonial and Pan-African Projects in Togo’s “Shadow Archives”
Authors: Skinner Kate
Published: August 2019

This article is an historical analysis of West Africa’s first coup. Starting from contemporary accounts of the 1963 assassination of president Sylvanus Olympio of the Republic of Togo, and the overthrow of his government, the article identifies three competing explanations of events. It follows these three explanations through Togo’s “shadow archives,” asking how and why each of them was taken up or disregarded by particular people at particular moments in time. The article develops a new interpretation of West Africa’s first coup, and outlines its implications for the study of national sovereignty, neo-colonialism, and pan-African solidarity in postcolonial Africa.
The Usage of What Country: A Critical Analysis of Legal Ethics in Transnational Legal Practice
Authors: Arjona César S.
Published: August 2019

This article maintains that the standard conception of legal ethics – the so-called ‘theory of amorality’ – is highly dependent on context and cannot be consistently applied to transnational legal practice. After defining in some detail the basic tenets of the standard conception, I identify its main assumptions, namely, (i) that a legal relation is an agency relation in which both lawyer and client are individual moral agents, (ii) that such relation is connected to a litigation process, and (iii) that such relation takes place within the framework of a decently well-functioning rule of law system. Using as a paradigmatic example the BTC pipeline case– a set of contracts and international treaties signed by a consortium of private companies and several sovereign states during the first decade of the 21st century to regulate the building and operation of a transnational oil pipeline – I analyze one by one these three assumptions to conclude that they are at the very least highly problematic in the context of global legal practice. Additionally, I consider the counter-argument that a lawyer who moves beyond the standard conception is actually usurping the role of the judge, an argument that loses much of its appeal on the transnational context. In a brief concluding remark I inscribe these problems within the more general post-Westphalian paradigm shift in law and jurisprudence.
Membership Rights: The Individual Rights of Group Members
Authors: Goldiner Adi
Published: August 2019

Individuals often invoke the moral rights that they hold as members of certain groups or social categories. Yet, there is ambiguity in both terminology and theorizing surrounding the nature of those rights. Focusing on the paradigmatic case of disabled people’s right to reasonable accommodations, this paper develops a descriptive account of those group-related rights, as a distinct category of rights which I call ‘membership rights’. Membership rights neither fit the concept of ‘human rights’, as not all people hold them, nor are they typical ’group rights’, as they are held by members of some group as individuals, not by groups collectively. In addition, the grounding of membership rights is linked to the distinct features of group members, be it their special interests or special circumstances. Finally, the content of membership rights includes distinct entitlements and correlating duties, which are not secured by human rights, group rights, or any combination thereof. Recognizing the distinct features of membership rights may have practical implications by strengthening efforts to secure legal protection to membership rights. It also invites further theoretical inquiry, for example, towards identifying other specific rights that fit into this category.
Postprandial amino acid, glucose and insulin responses among healthy adults after a single intake of Lemna minor in comparison with green peas: a randomised trial
Authors: Zeinstra Gertrude G. , Somhorst Dianne , Oosterink Els , Fick Henriette , Klopping-Ketelaars Ineke , van der Meer Ingrid M. , Mes Jurriaan J.
Published: August 2019

A high protein content combined with its enormous growth capacity make duckweed an interesting alternative protein source, but information about postprandial responses in humans is lacking. The present study aimed to assess the postprandial serum amino acid profile ofLemna minorin healthy adults in comparison with green peas. A secondary objective was to obtain insights regarding human safety. A total of twelve healthy volunteers participated in a randomised, cross-over trial. Subjects received two protein sources in randomised order with a 1-week washout period. After an overnight fast, subjects consumedL. minoror peas (equivalent to 20 g of protein). After a baseline sample, blood samples were taken 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 120, 150 and 180 min after consumption to assess amino acid, glucose and insulin levels. Heart rate, blood pressure and aural temperature were measured before and after consumption, and subjects reported on gastrointestinal discomfort for four subsequent days. Compared with green peas, significantly lower blood concentrations of amino acids fromL. minorwere observed, indicating lower digestibility.L. minorconsumption resulted in lower plasma glucose and insulin levels compared with peas, probably due to different glucose content. There were no significant differences concerning the assessed health parameters or the number of gastrointestinal complaints, indicating that a single bolus ofL. minor– grown under controlled conditions – did not induce acute adverse effects in humans. Further studies need to investigate effects of repeatedL. minorintake and whether proteins purified fromL. minorcan be digested more easily.
The first report of a vauxiid sponge from the Cambrian Chengjiang Biota
Authors: Luo Cui , Zhao Fangchen , Zeng Han
Published: August 2019

Non-spicular sponges constitute >8% of the extant sponge biodiversity at the species level, yet their evolutionary history is poorly known due to a sparse fossil record. The genus Vauxia, previously only known from middle Cambrian (Miaolingian, Wuliuan) Lagerstätten, was regarded as the earliest fossil record of non-spicular demosponges. Here we describe the first vauxiid sponge, Vauxia leioia new species, from the early Cambrian Chengjiang Biota (Series 2, Stage 3). This sponge exhibits a double-layered fibrous skeleton: the mesh and fiber thickness of the endosomal layer are irregular while the dermal layer, which directly connects with the endosomal skeleton without intermediate supporting fibers, is regular in both aspects. Measurements using scanning electron microscope and Raman spectroscopy revealed that the endosomal fibers are composed of carbonaceous material, but are tomographically indiscernible from the host rock, while the dermal fibers are preserved as impressions without obvious accumulation of carbonaceous material. Although the original composition of the dermal skeleton is now hard to establish, we cannot rule out that it was siliceous. The morphological characters of V. leioia n. sp. represent an intermediate state between other Vauxia species and the recently established vauxiid genus Angulosuspongia. However, more data are required to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationship among these taxa.

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