bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New Insights into the Configurations of Lead(II)-Benzohydroxamic Acid Coordination Compounds in Aqueous Solution: A Combined Experimental and Computational Study
Authors: He Jianyong , Han Haisheng , Zhang Chenyang , Hu Yuehua , Yuan Dandan , Tian Mengjie , Chen Daixiong , Sun Wei
Published: August 2018

Novel collector lead(II)-benzohydroxamic acid (Pb(II)–BHA) complexes in aqueous solution were characterized by using experimental approaches, including Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), as well as first-principle density functional theory (DFT) calculations with consideration for solvation effects. The Job plot delineated that a single coordinated Pb(BHA)+ should be formed first, and that the higher coordination number complexes can be formed subsequently. Moreover, the Pb(II)–BHA species can aggregate with each other to form complicated structures, such as Pb(BHA)2 or highly complicated complexes. ESI-MS results validated the existence of Pb-(BHA)n=1,2 under different solution pH values. Further, the first-principles calculations suggested that Pb(BHA)+ should be the most stable structure, and the Pb atom in Pb(BHA)+ will act as an active site to attack nucleophiles. These findings are meaningful to further illustrate the adsorption mechanism of Pb(II)–BHA complexes, and are helpful for developing new reagents in mineral processing.
Characterisation of the Structure and Oligomerisation of Islet Amyloid Polypeptides (IAPP): A Review of Molecular Dynamics Simulation Studies
Authors: Moore Sandra J. , Sonar Krushna , Bharadwaj Prashant , Deplazes Evelyne , Mancera Ricardo L.
Published: August 2018

Human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) is a naturally occurring, intrinsically disordered protein whose abnormal aggregation into amyloid fibrils is a pathological feature in type 2 diabetes, and its cross-aggregation with amyloid beta has been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The soluble, oligomeric forms of hIAPP are the most toxic to β-cells in the pancreas. However, the structure of these oligomeric forms is difficult to characterise because of their intrinsic disorder and their tendency to rapidly aggregate into insoluble fibrils. Experimental studies of hIAPP have generally used non-physiological conditions to prevent aggregation, and they have been unable to describe its soluble monomeric and oligomeric structure at physiological conditions. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations offer an alternative for the detailed characterisation of the monomeric structure of hIAPP and its aggregation in aqueous solution. This paper reviews the knowledge that has been gained by the use of MD simulations, and its relationship to experimental data for both hIAPP and rat IAPP. In particular, the influence of the choice of force field and water models, the choice of initial structure, and the configurational sampling method used, are discussed in detail. Characterisation of the solution structure of hIAPP and its mechanism of oligomerisation is important to understanding its cellular toxicity and its role in disease states, and may ultimately offer new opportunities for therapeutic interventions.
Ionic Liquids: Efficient Media for the Lipase-Catalyzed Michael Addition
Authors: Fan Yunchang , Cai Dongxu , Wang Xin , Yang Lei
Published: August 2018

Recently, ionic liquids (ILs) have been regarded as ideal media for non-aqueous bio-catalysis. In this work, the synthesis of warfarin by the lipase-catalyzed Michael addition in IL media and the parameters that affected the warfarin yield were investigated. Experimental results demonstrated that the chemical structures of the ILs were a major factor for influencing the warfarin yield. The ILs containing the NTf2– anion were suitable reaction media due to the high chemical stability of this anion. The incorporation of the hydroxyl group on the IL cation significantly improved the lipase activity due to the H2O-mimicking property of this group. The lipase activity decreased by increasing the alkyl chain length on the IL cation due to the non-polar domain formation of the IL cation at the active site entrance of lipase. The ILs and lipase could be reused no less than five times without reduction in the warfarin yield.
Steel Wire Mesh as a Thermally Resistant SERS Substrate
Authors: Szymborski Tomasz , Witkowska Evelin , Niciński Krzysztof , Majka Zuzanna , Krehlik Tomasz , Deskur Tomiła , Winkler Katarzyna , Kamińska Agnieszka
Published: August 2018

In this paper, we present novel type of Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) platform, based on stainless steel wire mesh (SSWM) covered with thin silver layer. The stainless steel wire mesh, typically used in chemical engineering industry, is a cheap and versatile substrate for SERS platforms. SSWM consists of multiple steel wires with diameter of tens of micrometers, which gives periodical structure and high stiffness. Moreover, stainless steel provides great resistance towards organic and inorganic solvents and provides excellent heat dissipation. It is worth mentioning that continuous irradiation of the laser beam over the SERS substrate can be a source of significant increase in the local temperature of metallic nanostructures, which can lead to thermal degradation or fragmentation of the adsorbed analyte. Decomposition or fragmentation of the analysed sample usually causea a significant decrease in the intensity of recorded SERS bands, which either leads to false SERS responses or enables the analysis of spectral data. To our knowledge, we have developed for the first time the thermally resistant SERS platform. This type of SERS substrate, termed Ag/SSWM, exhibit high sensitivity (Enhancement Factor (EF) = 106) and reproducibility (Relative Standard Deviation (RSD) of 6.4%) towards detection of p-mercaptobenzoic acid (p-MBA). Besides, Ag/SSWM allows the specific detection and differentiation between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial species: Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis in label-free and reproducible manner. The unique properties of designed substrate overcome the limitations associated with photo- and thermal degradation of sensitive bacterial samples. Thus, a distinctive SERS analysis of all kinds of chemical and biological samples at high sensitivity and selectivity can be performed on the developed SERS-active substrate.
Flavonoids, Potential Bioactive Compounds, and Non-Shivering Thermogenesis
Authors: Kang Hye Won , Lee Sang Gil , Otieno Dammah , Ha Kyoungsoo
Published: August 2018

Obesity results from the body having either high energy intake or low energy expenditure. Based on this energy equation, scientists have focused on increasing energy expenditure to prevent abnormal fat accumulation. Activating the human thermogenic system that regulates body temperature, particularly non-shivering thermogenesis in either brown or white adipose tissue, has been suggested as a promising solution to increase energy expenditure. Together with the increasing interest in understanding the mechanism by which plant-derived dietary compounds prevent obesity, flavonoids were recently shown to have the potential to regulate non-shivering thermogenesis. In this article, we review the latest research on flavonoid derivatives that increase energy expenditure through non-shivering thermogenesis.
Chinese Propolis Exerts Anti-Proliferation Effects in Human Melanoma Cells by Targeting NLRP1 Inflammatory Pathway, Inducing Apoptosis, Cell Cycle Arrest, and Autophagy
Authors: Zheng Yufei , Wu Yuqi , Chen Xi , Jiang Xiasen , Wang Kai , Hu Fuliang
Published: August 2018

Melanoma is a malignant tumor that begins in the melanocyte and has the highest mortality rate among all cutaneous tumors. Chinese propolis (CP) has been shown to have a potent antitumor effect against various cancers. In this study, we uncovered the combined effects of antiproliferation and anti-inflammation of CP on suppressing the progression of human melanoma cell line A375. We evaluated the alterations of protein expression after CP treatment by Western blot. After CP treatment, A375 cells underwent intrinsic apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Furthermore, we found that CP suppressed inflammation in A375 cells. NLRP1 (NLR family pyrin domain containing 1), confirmed as a proinflammatory protein in melanoma progression, was downregulated significantly by CP, as were the NLRP1-related caspase activation and recruitment domains (CARD) proteins, including caspase-1 and caspase-4. Additionally, decreasing mRNA levels of IL-1α, IL-1β, and IL-18 further proved the negative regulation of CP on the melanoma inflammatory environment. We also discovered that CP induced autophagy in A375 cells. Interestingly, inhibiting autophagy in CP-treated cells diminished its antitumor effect, suggesting that the autophagy was attributed to CP-induced apoptosis. Collectively, CP is a promising candidate for drug development for melanoma therapy.
pH-Control in Aptamer-Based Diagnostics, Therapeutics, and Analytical Applications
Authors: Belleperche Micaela , DeRosa Maria
Published: August 2018

Aptamer binding has been used effectively for diagnostics, in-vivo targeting of therapeutics, and the construction and control of nanomachines. Nanostructures that respond to pH by releasing or changing affinity to a target have also been used for in vivo delivery, and in the construction of sensors and re-usable nanomachines. There are many applications that use aptamers together with pH-responsive materials, notably the targeted delivery of chemotherapeutics. However, the number of reported applications that directly use pH to control aptamer binding is small. In this review, we first discuss the use of aptamers with pH-responsive nanostructures for chemotherapeutic and other applications. We then discuss applications that use pH to denature or otherwise disrupt the binding of aptamers. Finally, we discuss motifs using non-canonical nucleic acid base pairing that can shift conformation in response to pH, followed by an overview of engineered pH-controlled aptamers designed using those motifs.
Thinking Green: Sustainable Polymers from Renewable Resources
Authors: Papageorgiou George Z.
Published: August 2018

n/a
Agent-Based Modeling of Immune Response to Study the Effects of Regulatory T Cells in Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Xu Qian , Ozturk Mustafa Cagdas , Cinar Ali
Published: August 2018

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) have an important role in self-tolerance. Understanding the functions of Tregs is important for preventing or slowing the progress of Type 1 Diabetes. We use a two-dimensional (2D) agent-based model to simulate immune response in mice and test the effects of Tregs in tissue protection. We compared the immune response with and without Tregs, and also tested the effects of Tregs from different sources or with different functions. The results show that Tregs can inhibit the proliferation of effector T cells by inhibiting antigens presenting via dendritic cells (DCs). Although the number and function of Tregs affect the inhibition, a small number of Tregs compared to CD4+ T cells can effectively protect islets in pancreatic tissue. Finally, we added Tregs to the system in the middle phase of the immune response. The simulation results show that Tregs can inhibit the production of effector CD8+ T cells and maintain a good environment for β cell regeneration.
A Sub-Zonal PMV-Based HVAC and Façade Control System for Curtain Wall Buildings
Authors: Arnesano Marco , Calvaresi Andrea , Pietroni Filippo , Zampetti Lorenzo , Magnani Sara , Casadei Oscar , Revel Gian Marco
Published: August 2018

This paper presents an experimental test room in a curtain wall building where an innovative monitoring and control system was implemented and tested. The proposed solution is composed by an IR-based comfort sensor that measures the PMV (Predicted Mean Vote) index for 2 room’s sub-zones and provides the optimal air temperature set-points. The overall control system includes a distributed sensors and actuators network, also embedded into the façade modules, to measure indoor and outdoor parameters and to regulate fan-coils, windows opening and shadings with a sub-zonal approach. Initial results turn out to provide an energy saving of about 20% with an improvement of thermal/visual comfort and IAQ conditions.
Introduction to the Special Issue of Religions—“Transcendentalism and the Religious Experience”
Authors: Sacks Kenneth S.
Published: August 2018

In his 1837 oration “The American Scholar,” Emerson demanded that, above all, […]
Erratum: Lawrence, D.P. Pratyabhijñā Apoha Theory, Shannon–Weaver Information, Saussurean Structure, and Peircean Interpretant Agency. Religions 9 (2018): 191
Authors:   Religions Editorial Office
Published: August 2018

Regrettably this article (Lawrence 2018) was published with a number of misprints and other errors [...]
Some Results on Measures of Interaction between Paired Risks
Authors: Fang Rui , Li Xiaohu
Published: August 2018

Co-risk measures and risk contribution measures have been introduced to evaluate the degree of interaction between paired risks in actuarial risk management. This paper attempts to study the ordering behavior of measures on interaction between paired risks. For various co-risk measures and risk contribution measures, we investigate how the marginal distributions and the dependence structure impact on the level of interaction between paired risks. Also, several numerical examples based on Monte Carlo simulation are presented to illustrate the main findings.
IoT Operating System Based Fuzzy Inference System for Home Energy Management System in Smart Buildings
Authors: Ain Qurat-ul , Iqbal Sohail , Khan Safdar , Malik Asad , Ahmad Iftikhar , Javaid Nadeem
Published: August 2018

Energy consumption in the residential sector is 25% of all the sectors. The advent of smart appliances and intelligent sensors have increased the realization of home energy management systems. Acquiring balance between energy consumption and user comfort is in the spotlight when the performance of the smart home is evaluated. Appliances of heating, ventilation and air conditioning constitute up to 64% of energy consumption in residential buildings. A number of research works have shown that fuzzy logic system integrated with other techniques is used with the main objective of energy consumption minimization. However, user comfort is often sacrificed in these techniques. In this paper, we have proposed a Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) that uses humidity as an additional input parameter in order to maintain the thermostat set-points according to user comfort. Additionally, we have used indoor room temperature variation as a feedback to proposed FIS in order to get the better energy consumption. As the number of rules increase, the task of defining them in FIS becomes time consuming and eventually increases the chance of manual errors. We have also proposed the automatic rule base generation using the combinatorial method. The proposed techniques are evaluated using Mamdani FIS and Sugeno FIS. The proposed method provides a flexible and energy efficient decision-making system that maintains the user thermal comfort with the help of intelligent sensors. The proposed FIS system requires less memory and low processing power along with the use of sensors, making it possible to be used in the IoT operating system e.g., RIOT. Simulation results validate that the proposed technique reduces energy consumption by 28%.
New Method of Microimages Generation for 3D Display
Authors: Incardona Nicolò , Hong Seokmin , Martínez-Corral Manuel , Saavedra Genaro
Published: August 2018

In this paper, we propose a new method for the generation of microimages, which processes real 3D scenes captured with any method that permits the extraction of its depth information. The depth map of the scene, together with its color information, is used to create a point cloud. A set of elemental images of this point cloud is captured synthetically and from it the microimages are computed. The main feature of this method is that the reference plane of displayed images can be set at will, while the empty pixels are avoided. Another advantage of the method is that the center point of displayed images and also their scale and field of view can be set. To show the final results, a 3D InI display prototype is implemented through a tablet and a microlens array. We demonstrate that this new technique overcomes the drawbacks of previous similar ones and provides more flexibility setting the characteristics of the final image.
Label-Free Colorimetric Detection of Mercury (II) Ions Based on Gold Nanocatalysis
Authors: Yang Pei-Chia , Wu Tsunghsueh , Lin Yang-Wei
Published: August 2018

Herein, a label-free colorimetric nanosensor for Hg(II) is developed utilizing the hindering effect of Hg(II) on the kinetic aspect of gold nanoparticle (AuNPs) growth on the surface of gold nanostars (AuNSs). H-AuNS probes are synthesized and modified by 2-[4-(2-hydroxyethel) piperazine-1-yl] ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES). After the formulation of the reagents and testing conditions are optimized, HEPES-capped AuNSs (H-AuNSs) demonstrates good selectivity and sensitivity towards Hg(II) determination. A H-AuNS probe, in the presence of HCl/Au(III)/H2O2, is capable of detecting a Hg(II) concentration range of 1.0 nM–100 µM, with a detection limit of 0.7 nM, at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3.0, and a visual detection limit of 10 nM with naked eyes. For practicality, the H-AuNS probe is evaluated by measuring Hg(II) in the environmental water matrices (lake water and seawater) by a standard addition and recovery study. The detection limits for environmental samples are found to be higher than the lab samples, but they are still within the maximum allowable Hg concentration in drinking water (10 nM) set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). To create a unique nanosensor, the competitive interaction between Hg(II) and Pt(IV) toward the H-AuNSs probe is developed into a logic gate, improving the specificity in the detection of Hg(II) ions in water samples.
Aspect-Aware Target Detection and Localization by Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Hu Li , Wang Shilian , Zhang Eryang
Published: August 2018

This paper considers the active detection of a stealth target with aspect dependent reflection (e.g., submarine, aircraft, etc.) using wireless sensor networks (WSNs). When the target is detected, its localization is also of interest. Due to stringent bandwidth and energy constraints, sensor observations are quantized into few-bit data individually and then transmitted to a fusion center (FC), where a generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) detector is employed to achieve target detection and maximum likelihood estimation of the target location simultaneously. In this context, we first develop a GLRT detector using one-bit quantized data which is shown to outperform the typical counting rule and the detection scheme based on the scan statistic. We further propose a GLRT detector based on adaptive multi-bit quantization, where the sensor observations are more precisely quantized, and the quantized data can be efficiently transmitted to the FC. The Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) of the estimate of target location is also derived for the GLRT detector. The simulation results show that the proposed GLRT detector with adaptive 2-bit quantization achieves much better performance than the GLRT based on one-bit quantization, at the cost of only a minor increase in communication overhead.
Detection and Characterization of Ignitable Liquid Residues in Forensic Fire Debris Samples by Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography
Authors: Sampat Andjoe A. S. , Van Daelen Brenda , Lopatka Martin , Mol Hans , Van der Weg Guido , Vivó-Truyols Gabriel , Sjerps Marjan , Schoenmakers Peter J. , Van Asten Arian C.
Published: August 2018

This study covers an extensive experimental design that was developed for creating simulated fire debris samples under controlled conditions for the detection and identification of ignitable liquids (IL) residues. This design included 19 different substrates, 45 substrate combinations with and without ignitable liquids, and 45 different ILs from three classes (i.e., white spirit, gasoline, and lamp oil). Chemical analysis was performed with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS) for improved separation and compound identification. The enhanced peak capacity offered by GC×GC-TOFMS allowed the use of a target compound list in combination with a simple binary decision model to arrive at quite acceptable results with respect to IL detection (89% true positive and 7% false positive rate) and classification (100% correct white spirit, 79% correct gasoline, and 77% correct lamp oil assignment). Although these results were obtained in a limited set of laboratory controlled fire experiments including only three IL classes, this study confirms the conclusions of other studies that GC×GC-TOFMS can be a powerful tool in the challenging task of forensic fire debris analysis.
The Intercohort Dynamics of Support for Redistribution in 54 Countries, 1985–2017
Authors: VanHeuvelen Tom , Copas Kathy
Published: August 2018

When do attitudes towards inequality change? Scholars have examined why publics change their attitudes regarding support for redistribution (SFR). Yet almost all studies focus on SFR change from one year to another. We shift focus by conceptualizing SFR change as occurring across birth cohorts socialized into different cultural zeitgeists. We combine data from 21 waves of cross-national survey data using the International Social Survey Program and European Social Survey covering 54 countries, 32 years, and over a century of birth years. In many countries, we reach substantially different conclusions on the nature of SFR change when examining intercohort dynamics. In several cases, we detect rapidly declining SFR belied by year-to-year stability of attitudes, representing an important challenge for proponents of egalitarian politics. Additional findings and implications are discussed.
Testing Western Media Icons Influence on Arab Women’s Body Size and Shape Ideals: An Experimental Approach
Authors: Khaled Salma M. , Shockley Bethany , Qutteina Yara , Kimmel Linda , Le Kien T.
Published: August 2018

Western media globalization is implicated in the spread of the thin body ideal to traditional societies. Qatar—a small conservative Middle-Eastern country—has recently witnessed rapid Westernization, but the influence of Western media icons on women’s body image dissatisfaction has rarely been studied here. A 2 (celebrity or model) × 3 (thin, average, or heavy) plus a control condition between-subject experiment tested the primary hypothesis that exposure to images of thin Western models or celebrities promotes a thinner body ideal compared to neutral images. A sample of young women (n = 1145) was randomly assigned to experimental images as part of an online survey. After exposure to images, participants rated their current and desired body size and shape, reported celebrity liking, and evaluated their favorite celebrity’s body. We found little support for the desire of thinness. Viewing thin- and average-sized celebrities was significantly associated with desiring a heavier and a thinner look (respectively) among those favoring thin celebrities. Images of thin models induced the desire for a curvaceous body figure with hips especially among those favoring celebrities with hips. The findings highlight important nuances in the influence of Western media icons on body image among women in a non-Western culture.
Below-Ground Interspecific Competition of Apple (Malus pumila M.)–Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) Intercropping Systems Based on Niche Overlap on the Loess Plateau of China
Authors: Sun Yubo , Bi Huaxing , Xu Huasen , Duan Hangqi , Peng Ruidong , Wang Jingjing
Published: August 2018

To provide a scientific basis and technical support for agroforestry management practices, such as interrow configuration and soil water and fertilizer management, a stratified excavation method was performed both to explore the fine-root spatial distribution and niche differentiation and to quantify the below-ground interspecific competition status of 3-, 5-, and 7-year-old apple (Malus pumila M.)–soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) intercropping systems and monocropping systems. The fine roots of older trees occupied a larger soil space and had both a greater fine-root biomass density (FRMD) and a greater ability to reduce the FRMD of soybean, but this ability decreased with the distance from the apple tree row. Similarly, the FRMD of apple trees was also adversely affected by soybean plants, but this effect gradually increased with a decrease in tree age or with the distance from the tree row. Compared with that of the 3- and 5-year-old monocropped apple trees, the FRMD of the 3- and 5-year-old intercropped apple trees increased in the 40–100 cm and 60–100 cm soil layers, respectively. However, compared with that of the 7-year-old apple and soybean monocropping systems, the FRMD of the 7-year-old intercropped apple trees and soybean plants decreased in each soil layer. Compared with that of the corresponding monocropped systems, the fine-root vertical barycenter (FRVB) of the intercropped apple trees displaced deeper soil and that of the intercropped soybean plants displaced shallower soil. Furthermore, the FRVB of both intercropped apple trees and intercropped soybean plants displaced shallower soil with increasing tree age. Intense below-ground interspecific competition in the 3-, 5-, and 7-year-old apple–soybean intercropping systems occurred in the 0–40 cm soil layer at distances of 0.5–0.9, 0.5–1.3, and 0.5–1.7 m from the apple tree row, respectively.
Spatial Equilibrium Allocation of Urban Large Public General Hospitals Based on the Welfare Maximization Principle: A Case Study of Nanjing, China
Authors: Song Zhengna , Yan Tinggan , Ge Yunjian
Published: August 2018

This study aims to utilize the new gravity P-median model to conduct an empirical study for the spatial equilibrium layout of general hospitals in the urban area of Nanjing City, based on multiple requirements for spatial equilibrium, involving spatial equity-efficiency, service utility fairness, and utilization efficiency. The major results are as follows: (1) the new layout can achieve the goal of obtaining a proximate, high-quality medical service in 30 min even for those who reside on the outskirts, which is less than the current 65.6 min. Moreover, the new layout corresponds better to the population distribution and traffic network layout. (2) When compared with several typical characteristics of accessibility to hospitals, including severe gradient variation, five high-value centers, and the efficiency orientation in the current layout, the new demonstrates distinctive ones: comparatively moderate accessibility variation; more relatively high-value areas scattered in different parts of the city; more convenient accessibility on the outskirts; a better balance of the equitable appeal from the inhabitants residing in different areas. (3) The new layout can attain spatial equilibrium at a higher level, the representative indices to measure spatial equity, spatial efficiency, chance fairness, and utilization efficiency have been ameliorated by 54%, 13%, 63%, 14%, respectively. The study reveals that: (1) The new gravity P-median model has the validity and practicability in solving facility location and scale configuration problems with high time complexity, under complicated situations due to multiple targets and multi-agent competition. (2) The model can be applied to decision making related to public infrastructure planning in different types of development areas, by setting concerning parameters or making some minor adjustments to the model in different scenarios. Such research can provide some reference for the location-allocation problem of high-grade facilities in metropolises, and support the decision-making basis for urban infrastructure planning.
Mechanical Performance of Eco-Friendly Concretes with Volcanic Powder and Recycled Concrete Aggregates
Authors: Letelier Viviana , Ortega José Marcos , Tarela Ester , Muñoz Pedro , Henríquez-Jara Bastián I. , Moriconi Giacomo
Published: August 2018

At present, reducing the environmental impact of the construction industry is a major subject of study. In terms of the use of recycled concrete aggregates (RCA), most recently conducted studies have shown that the use of a limited percentage of those aggregates does not significantly affect the properties of concretes. This work analysed the mechanical properties of medium-strength concretes with a high contribution to sustainability, where cement and natural coarse aggregates (NCA) were partially replaced by volcanic powder (VP) and RCA, respectively. Three mixing ratios of VP replacement were tested in concretes without RCA and concretes with 30% RCA replacing NCA. Results show that when VP is used without RCA, up to 10% of the cement can be replaced by VP without a significant loss in the mechanical properties. When a combination of 5% VP and 30% RCA is used, the weakness of the recycled concrete is strengthened, obtaining stronger concretes than a control concrete with no recycled materials. Finally, the greenhouse gas assessment showed that the simultaneous incorporation of VP and RCA reduces CO2 emissions produced in the manufacture of concrete by up to 13.6%.
Exploring Advertising Effectiveness of Tourist Hotels’ Marketing Images Containing Nature and Performing Arts: An Eye-Tracking Analysis
Authors: Wang Tsai , Tsai Chia , Tang Ta
Published: August 2018

The beautiful, natural environment in a tourist hotel’s marketing images can evoke relaxing and soothing emotions. However, can tourist hotels use nature as a servicescape to make their performing arts services more attractive? Based on attention restoration and servicescape theory, this study explores and compares the influence of tourist hotels’ performing arts images with nature- or built-based servicescapes on the advertising effectiveness (i.e., customer visual attention and behavioral intention). To analyze visual attention on the marketing images, this study uses eye-tracking technology to record customer visual trajectories. This experiment used a total of 113 participants. The sample size of the nature-based servicescape group was 59 (age with mean = 39.04), and that of the built-based servicescape group was 54 (age with mean = 40.17). A tourist hotel’s (Volando Urai Spring Spa & Resort) marketing images were chosen as stimuli. All participants were randomly assigned to the nature-based or the built-based servicescape group. In each experimental group, all the images were randomly presented to reduce any order effects of the images. By using eye-tracking analysis, the experimental findings were as follows: (1) A nature-based servicescape can arouse more visual attention of customers than a built-based servicescape can; (2) Marketing images with performing arts activities in nature-based servicescapes attract the visual attention of customers; (3) Nature-based servicescapes stimulate higher behavioral intentions of consumers than built-based servicescape.
The Centrality of (Vocational-Oriented) Knowledge Assessing Location and Configuration of Polytechnic Institutes in Portugal
Authors: Toscano Mafalda , Cannas da Silva Luísa , Heitor Teresa Valsassina
Published: August 2018

Knowledge and creative businesses and industries have been at the core of discussions for urban renewal strategies worldwide. Educational facilities and the businesses they attract are key elements in urban dynamics, helping to promote urban diversity and contributing to enhancing the areas where they are imbedded. In Portugal, the higher education system follows a binary structure, in which institutions are divided into Universities and Polytechnics. The latter, whose mission is creating vocational-oriented knowledge, grounded on the specific needs of the regions they are in, are key regional drivers, with the possibility of becoming developers and promotors at a regional scale, affecting urban life and urban quality. This paper aims at exploring the location of polytechnic institutions within their hosting cities, attempting to understand location patterns and similarities among different institutions, as well as envisaging the impact of such a location in the engagement with the hosting city. The research is developed at two scales: the first (a) focuses on the location of the institution in its hosting city, while the second (b) focuses on the relative deepness of the internal spaces of the institution. This research aims at providing a methodology for general characterization of regionally oriented higher education institutions in terms of their location within urban systems, as well as exploring the spatial organization of the interior of the institutions analyzed.
Glimmering in the Dark: Modeling the Low-mass End of the M•–σ Relation and of the Quasar Luminosity Function
Authors: Pacucci Fabio , Loeb Abraham , Mezcua Mar , Martín-Navarro Ignacio
Published: August 2018

The

relation establishes a connection between central black holes (BHs) and their host spheroids. Supported by observations at

, there is limited data on its validity at lower masses. Employing a semi-analytical model to simulate the combined evolution of BHs and their host galaxies, we predict the observational consequences of assuming a bimodality in the accretion efficiency of BHs, with low-mass BHs (

) accreting inefficiently. We predict a departure from the

relation at a transitional BH mass

, with lower-mass BHs unable to reach the mass dictated by the relation and becoming disconnected from the evolution of the host galaxy. This prediction is an alternative to previous works suggesting a flattening of the relation at

. Furthermore, we predict a deficit of BHs shining at bolometric luminosities

. Joined with a detection bias, this could partly explain the scarce number of intermediate-mass BHs detected. Conversely, we predict an increase in source density at lower bolometric luminosities,

. Because our predictions assume a bimodal population of high-redshift BH seeds, future observations of fainter BHs will be fundamental for constraining the nature of these seeds.
Nurse Knowledge and Engagement in Health Policy Making: Findings From a Pilot Study
Authors: Lewinski Allison A. , Simmons Leigh Ann
Published: August 2018

Although nurses constitute the largest segment of the health care workforce in the United States, their participation in all levels of health policy advocacy remains low. We surveyed practicing nurses on their current knowledge about health policy advocacy, current and desired involvement in health policy advocacy, and desired components in a continuing education program on health policy advocacy. One hundred eighteen nurses responded to the e-mail solicitation, and 84 (71%) of those nurses were eligible. The sample was Caucasian, and the majority were women, aged 45 to 64 years, and registered to vote. Most had obtained an advanced degree and saw patients 25 to 48 hours per week. Respondents reported understanding the differences between health policy and health advocacy. Approximately one third of the nurses reported currently engaging in political/legislative health policy advocacy and patient advocacy. Open-ended responses indicated confusion between patient and political advocacy, suggesting that an easily accessible continuing education program could provide education about different advocacy approaches to help nurses leverage their clinical expertise specifically to influence health policy advocacy.

J Contin Educ Nurs.
2018;49(9):407–415.
Implications of Hearing Care Policy for Nurses
Authors: Wallhagen Margaret I. , Reed Nicholas S.
Published: August 2018

Hearing loss (HL) becomes increasingly common with age and can lead to multiple negative outcomes, including isolation, falls, depression, altered social relationships, and altered cognitive functioning. HL also can affect patient–provider communication and lead to misunderstandings. Despite the negative effects that HL has on multiple domains, less than 20% to 25% of individuals who might benefit from amplification devices and/or hearing aids own them. Barriers to use include stigma, cost, and access. Nurses can play a critical role in promoting appropriate care for individuals with HL and providing access for those who need hearing aids. The current article (a) briefly reviews how history and policies, especially Medicare and Medicaid, but also those defining the practice of audiology and dispensing of hearing aids, affect insurance coverage for hearing care; (b) reviews how a combination of forces brought the need for accessible and affordable hearing care to national attention and resulted in the Over-the-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aid Act; and (c) discusses the implications of the OTC Act for nurses and nursing practice. [
Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 44
(9), 9–14.]
Characteristics of Academic Coaches in an Online RN-to-BSN Program
Authors: Cipher Daisha Jane , Urban Regina Wilder , Mancini Mary E.
Published: August 2018

Background:

To achieve the growth of RN-to-Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs in the face of ongoing faculty shortages, many large online RN-to-BSN programs have embraced the use of academic coaches to assist with course delivery.

Method:

An associational analysis of data collected from academic coaches and their student and faculty evaluators was performed on a sample of academic coaches who were teaching students enrolled in a large online RN-to-BSN program.

Results:

The multilevel data consisted of 94 coaches who taught in 166 courses. Evaluation data from 12,004 students were captured and connected to each academic coach and course. Overall, the RN-to-BSN coaches received favorable ratings by both instructors and students alike.

Conclusion:

The use of academic coaches can help to expand capacity while delivering a high-quality educational experience. These results indicate that satisfaction with academic coaches has the potential to be very high, from both the students' and the faculty members' perspectives. [
J Nurs Educ.
2018;57(9):520–525.]
CD160 Stimulates CD8+ T Cell Responses and Is Required for Optimal Protective Immunity to Listeria monocytogenes
Authors: Tan Catherine L , Peluso Michael J , Drijvers Jefte M , Mera Camila M , Grande Shannon M , Brown Keturah E , Godec Jernej , Freeman Gordon J , Sharpe Arlene H
Published: August 2018

CD160 promotes NK cell cytotoxicity and IFN-γ production, but the function of CD160 on CD8+ T cells remains unclear with some studies supporting a coinhibitory role and others a costimulatory role. In this study, we demonstrate that CD160 has a costimulatory role in promoting CD8+ T cell effector functions needed for optimal clearance of oral Listeria monocytogenes infection. CD160−/− mice did not clear oral L. monocytogenes as efficiently as wild type (WT) littermates. WT RAG−/− and CD160−/− RAG−/− mice similarly cleared L. monocytogenes, indicating that CD160 on NK cells does not contribute to impaired L. monocytogenes clearance. Defective L. monocytogenes clearance is due to compromised intraepithelial lymphocytes and CD8+ T cell functions. There was a reduction in the frequencies of granzyme B–expressing intraepithelial lymphocytes in L. monocytogenes–infected CD160−/− mice as compared with WT littermate controls. Similarly, the frequencies of granzyme B–expressing splenic CD8+ T cells and IFN-γ and TNF-α double-producer CD8+ T cells were significantly reduced in L. monocytogenes–infected CD160−/− mice compared with WT littermates. Adoptive transfer studies showed that RAG−/− recipients receiving CD160−/− CD8+ T cells had a higher mortality, exhibited more weight loss, and had a higher bacterial burden compared with RAG−/− recipients receiving WT CD8+ T cells. These findings demonstrate that CD160 provides costimulatory signals to CD8+ T cells needed for optimal CD8+ T cell responses and protective immunity during an acute mucosal bacterial infection.
Elicitation of Broadly Protective Antibodies following Infection with Influenza Viruses Expressing H1N1 Computationally Optimized Broadly Reactive Hemagglutinin Antigens
Authors: Sautto Giuseppe A , Kirchenbaum Greg A , Ecker Jeffrey W , Bebin-Blackwell Anne-Gaelle , Pierce Spencer R , Ross Ted M
Published: August 2018

Influenza viruses represent a threat to the world population. The currently available standard of care influenza vaccines are offered for each influenza season to prevent infection and spread of influenza viruses. Current vaccine formulations rely on using wild-type Ags, including the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) proteins as the primary immune targets of the vaccine. However, vaccine effectiveness varies from season to season, ranging from 10 to 75% depending on season and on age group studied. To improve rates of vaccine effectiveness, a new generation of computationally optimized broadly reactive Ags (COBRA)-based vaccines have been developed as a next-generation influenza vaccine. In this report, mice were intranasally, i.p., or i.m. primed with reassortant influenza viruses expressing different H1N1 COBRA HA proteins. These mice were subsequently boosted i.p. or i.m. with the same viruses. Sera collected from mice that were intranasally infected and i.p. boosted with COBRA-based viruses had broad anti-HA IgG binding, hemagglutination inhibition, and neutralizing activity against a panel of seasonal and pandemic H1N1 viruses. Mice immunized with viruses expressing a seasonal or pandemic H1N1 HA protein had antisera that recognized fewer viruses in the panel. Overall, COBRA-based HA proteins displayed on the surface of a virus elicited a breadth of Abs that recognized and neutralized historical H1N1 strains as well as more contemporary H1N1 viruses.
Three-Dimensional Ameliorated Biologics Elicit Thymic Renewal in Tumor-Bearing Hosts
Authors: Zhang Yanna , Yang Huanhuan , Li Qian , Duan Xiaogang , Zhao Xia , Wei Yuquan , Chen Xiancheng
Published: August 2018

Cancer-initiating/sustaining stem cell subsets (CSCs) have the potential to regenerate cancer cell populations and are resistant to routine therapeutic strategies, thus attracting much attention in anticancer research. In this study, an innovative framework of endogenous microenvironment-renewal for addressing such a dilemma has been just developed. CSCs in three-dimensional multipotent spheroid-engineered biologics were prepared with 150 Gy radiation and inoculated into 15-mo-old BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice bearing diverse advanced tumors covering Mammary 4T1, liver Hepa, lung LL/2, and colon C26 tumors and distant metastases. Subsequently, the systematic microenvironment of tumor-bearing hosts was rapidly remodeled to resettle thymic cortex and medulla rudiment as an endogenous foxn1-thymosin reprogramming TCR-repertoire for resetting MHC-unrestricted multifunction renewal. Postrenewal Vγ4γδT-subsets would bind and lead migrating CSCs into apoptosis. Moreover, TCR repertoire multifunction renewal could reverse tumor metastases from tumoricidal resistance into eventual regression as a blockade of cancer-sustaining Bmi-1/Nanog-Oct4-Sox2 renewal loop with sequent multivalent depletion of both migrating/in situ CSCs and non–stem terminal cancer cell subsets. This study represents a promising start to set up a generalizable strategy of three-dimensional biologics evoking an endogenous integral microenvironment into pluripotent renewal versus advanced cancer.
Cytological diagnosis of osteoblastoma of the talus: Case report with unusual presentation and diagnostic pitfalls
Authors: Chandra Smita , Puri Neeti , Harsh Meena , Juyal Anil Kumar
Published: August 2018

Osteoblastoma is a rare bone tumor mostly affecting the young adults and commonly involving the spinal cord and long bones. Talus is the uncommon site of presentation, and if involved, then the neck is more commonly involved than the body of talus. The cytological diagnosis of osteoblastoma is limited, and to the best of our knowledge, its fine-needle aspiration (FNA) in the talus has still not been reported in the literature. The present case of osteoblastoma is, therefore, being reported due to the unusual presentation in elderly male in the body of talus and showing extensive involvement on X-ray. The case was initially diagnosed on FNA cytology excluding the possibility of giant-cell tumor and osteosarcoma. The case also highlights the importance of vigilant observation of subtle cytological features of this rare tumor which may be helpful in avoiding diagnostic pitfalls, especially at an uncommon site and with unusual presentation. An early precise diagnosis by cytology may be followed by appropriate treatment and thus avoiding any further complications.
The IRF5 rs2004640 (G/T) polymorphism is not a genetic risk factor for systemic lupus erythematosus in population from south India
Authors: Devaraju Panneer , Mehra Sonal , Gulati Reena , Antony Paul T. , Jain Vikramraj K. , Misra Durga Prasanna , Negi Vir Singh
Published: August 2018

Background & objectives:

Genetic aberrations disrupting toll-like receptor and interferon homeostasis enhance the risk of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Raised serum interferon-alpha (IFN-α) levels in SLE patients have been ascribed to polymorphism (rs2004640 G/T) in interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) gene, resulting in enhanced transcript splicing. A positive association between IRF5 polymorphism and SLE risk has been reported in many populations. This study was aimed to find out frequency of IRF5 rs2004640 G/T polymorphism in patients with SLE and healthy controls and to assess its influence on susceptibility, clinical and serological characteristics of SLE.

Methods:

IRF5 rs2004640 (G/T) polymorphism was analyzed in 300 SLE patients and 460 age and sex matched controls by real-time PCR.

Results:

The IRF5 rs2004640 (G/T) polymorphism did not confer risk of SLE or influence clinical or serological phenotype. However, the mutant allele conferred a borderline risk to develop thrombocytopenia (odds ratio: 2.05, 95% confidence interval: 0.97–4.3, P=0.06) in patients with SLE.

Interpretation & conclusions:

Our study revealed that the IRF5 rs2004640 polymorphism was not a risk factor for SLE in population from south India. It may, however, be a useful genetic marker for thrombocytopenia in SLE patients. Although we could not demonstrate susceptibility toward lupus in the presence of IRF5 rs2004640 (G/T) polymorphism, further exploration of the genetic variability of IRF5 may help uncover its pathogenic role in Indian SLE patients.
Accidental Strangulation While Playing with Hammock in a Child
Authors: Anitha C. , Jagadishkumar K. , Nanda N. , Meghana M.
Published: August 2018

In children, strangulation is a fatal injury due to asphyxia, a terminal event of partial or complete hanging. Homemade hammocks are routinely used as a cradle which is potentially dangerous. We are hereby reporting a 12-year-old female with accidental strangulation occurring as a result of swinging on a hammock made of saree and also in a view to educate the public about the hazards of using homemade hammocks.