bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Serum concentrations of endothelial cell adhesion molecules and their shedding enzymes and early onset sepsis in newborns in Suriname
Authors: Zonneveld Rens , Jongman Rianne M , Juliana Amadu , Molema Grietje , van Meurs Matijs , Plötz Frans B
Published: October 2018

Background

Early onset sepsis (EOS) is defined as onset of sepsis within 72 hours after birth. Leucocyte-endothelial interactions play a pivotal part in EOS pathophysiology. Endothelial cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) orchestrate these interactions and their soluble isoforms (sCAMs) are released into the vasculature by enzymes called sheddases.

Purpose

This study was undertaken to explore further the pathophysiology of EOS and to investigate the potential of sCAM and their sheddases as potential biomarkers for EOS.

Methods

Stored serum aliquots were used from 71 Surinamese newborns suspected of EOS and 20 healthy newborns from an earlier study. Serum had been collected within 72 hours after birth and six (8.6%) newborns had a positive blood culture with gram-negative pathogens. Concentrations of sCAMs sP-selectin, sE-selectin, soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 , intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and platelet and endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, sheddases matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and neutrophil elastase (NE) and sheddase antagonist tissue-inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) were measured simultaneously with Luminex and ELISA.

Results

MMP-9 and TIMP-1 levels were measured in serum of n=91 newborns and sCAMs and NE levels in serum of n=80 newborns, respectively. We found no differences in median concentrations of sCAMs, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 or NE between blood culture positive EOS, blood culture negative EOS and control groups at start of antibiotic treatment.

Conclusions

Our data indicate that serum concentrations of sCAMs and their sheddases have no clinical utility as biomarkers for EOS.

Trial registration number

NCT02486783. Results
Aerobic training reduces immune cell recruitment and cytokine levels in adipose tissue in obese mice
Authors: Lacerda Débora Romualdo , Moraes Michele Macedo , Nunes-Silva Albená , Costa Kátia Anunciação , Rodrigues Débora Fernandes , Sabino Josiana Lopes , Cordeiro Letícia Maria de Souza , Pinho Vanessa , Teixeira Mauro Martins , Wanner Samuel Penna , Soares Danusa Dias , Ferreira Adaliene Versiani Matos
Published: October 2018

Obesity is associated with an energy imbalance that results from excessive energy intake, low diet quality, and a sedentary lifestyle. The increased consumption of a high-refined carbohydrate (HC) diet is strongly related to higher adiposity and low-grade inflammation. Aerobic training is a well-known nonpharmacological intervention to treat obesity and metabolic disturbances. However, the mechanisms through which aerobic training ameliorates the low-grade inflammation induced by an HC diet should be further investigated. Our hypothesis herein was that aerobic training would decrease the recruitment of leukocytes in adipose tissue, thereby reducing the levels of cytokines and improving metabolism in mice fed an HC diet. Male Balb/c mice were assigned to the following groups: control diet/nontrained (C-NT), control diet/trained (C-T), high-refined carbohydrate diet/nontrained (HC-NT), and high-refined carbohydrate diet/trained (HC-T). Mice were submitted to moderate-intensity training sessions that consisted of running 60 min per day for 8 weeks. An intravital microscopy technique was performed in vivo in anesthetized mice to visualize the microvasculature of the adipose tissue. The HC diet induced obesity and increased the influx of immune cells into the adipose tissue. In contrast, HC-T mice presented a lower adiposity and adipocyte area. Furthermore, relative to HC-NT mice, HC-T mice showed increased resting energy expenditure, decreased recruitment of immune cells in the adipose tissue, reduced cytokine levels, and ameliorated hyperglycemia and fatty liver deposition. Collectively, our data enhance understanding about the anti-inflammatory effect of aerobic training and shed light on the adipose tissue-mediated mechanisms by which training promotes a healthier metabolic profile.
Mapping the diversity of forest attributes: a design-based approach
Authors: Fattorini L. , Di Biase R.M. , Giuliarelli D. , Marcheselli M. , Pisani C. , Corona P.
Published: October 2018

Forest attributes such as volume or basal area are concentrated at tree locations and are absent elsewhere. It is, therefore, more meaningful to consider the amount of forest attributes at a prefixed spatial grain, within regular plots of prefixed size centered at the points of the study area. In this way, the diversity of attributes within plots also can be considered and quantified by suitable indexes, giving rise to a diversity surface defined on the continuum of points constituting the area. We analyze the estimation of diversity surfaces when a sample of plots is selected by a probabilistic sampling scheme and diversity within nonsampled plots is estimated using an inverse distance weighting interpolator. We discuss the design-based asymptotic properties of the resulting maps when the survey area remains fixed and the number of sampled points increases. Because diversity surfaces share suitable mathematical properties, if the schemes adopted to select sample points ensure an even coverage of the study areas avoiding large portions of non-sampled zones, it can be proven that the estimated maps approach the true maps.
Splitting theorem for sheaves of holomorphic k-vectors on complex contact manifolds
Authors: Moriyama Takayuki , Nitta Takashi
Published: October 2018

A complex contact structure [Formula: see text] is defined by a system of holomorphic local 1-forms satisfying the completely non-integrability condition. The contact structure induces a subbundle [Formula: see text] of the tangent bundle and a line bundle [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we prove that the sheaf of holomorphic [Formula: see text]-vectors on a complex contact manifold splits into the sum of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] as sheaves of [Formula: see text]-module. The theorem induces the short exact sequence of cohomology of holomorphic [Formula: see text]-vectors, and we obtain vanishing theorems for the cohomology of [Formula: see text].
Matching Preclusion for the Shuffle-Cubes
Authors: Anantapantula Sai , Melekian Christopher , Cheng Eddie
Published: October 2018

The matching preclusion number of a graph is the minimum number of edges whose deletion results in a graph that has neither perfect matchings nor almost perfect matchings. A graph is maximally matched if its matching preclusion number is equal to its minimum degree, and is super matched if the matching preclusion number can only be achieved by deleting all edges incident to a single vertex. In this paper, we determine the matching preclusion number and classify the optimal matching preclusion sets for the shuffle-cube graphs, a variant of the well-known hypercubes.
Homothetic Ricci collineations of non-static spherically symmetric spacetimes with perfect fluid matter
Authors: Hussain Tahir , Akhtar Sumaira Saleem , Khan Fawad
Published: October 2018

Non-static spherically symmetric spacetimes with perfect fluid matter are considered and their homothetic Ricci collineations (HRCs) are investigated for degenerate as well as non-degenerate Ricci tensor. The present analysis shows that, for non-degenerate Ricci tensor, the possible number of HRCs admitted by these spacetimes is 5, 6 or 7, while they possess 4, 11 or otherwise infinite number of HRCs when the Ricci tensor is degenerate.
Cosmic acceleration with tachyon field
Authors: Keskin A. I.
Published: October 2018

In this study, we examine two models of the scalar field, that is, a normal scalar field and a tachyon scalar field in [Formula: see text] gravity to describe cosmic acceleration of the universe, where [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are Ricci curvature scalar, trace of energy–momentum tensor and kinetic energy of scalar field [Formula: see text], respectively. Using the minimal-coupling Lagrangian [Formula: see text], for both the scalar models we obtain a viable cosmological system, where [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are real constants. While a normal scalar field gives a system describing expansion from the deceleration to the late-time acceleration, tachyon field together with [Formula: see text] in the system produces a quintessential expansion which is very close to de Sitter point, where we find a new condition [Formula: see text] for inflation.
Thermodynamic studies of different type of black holes: General uncertainty principle approach
Authors: Haldar Amritendu , Biswas Ritabrata
Published: October 2018

We present an investigation on thermodynamics of two different types of black holes viz. Kiselev black hole (asymptotically flat) and Taub–NUT (non-asymptotically flat) black hole. We compute the thermodynamic variables like black hole’s Hawking temperature and entropy at the black hole’s event horizon. Further, we derive the heat capacity and examine it to study the thermal stability of the black holes. We also calculate the rate of emission, assuming the black holes radiate energy in terms of photons by tunneling. We graphically represent all the parameters including the rate of emission of the black holes and interpret them physically. We depict a comparative study of thermodynamics between the aforesaid types of black holes. We find the existence of a transition of phase. Finally, we obtain the quantum corrected thermodynamics on the basis of general uncertainty principle and it is seen from the quantum-corrected entropy that it contains the logarithmic term. We offer comparative studies on joint effect of generalized uncertainty principle parameter [Formula: see text] along with the concerned black holes’ parameters on the thermodynamics.
Effect of heating rate, impurity concentration of Cu, atomic number, temperatures, time annealing temperature on the structure, crystallization temperature and crystallization process of Ni1−xCux bulk;x= 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7
Authors: Tuan Tran Quoc , Dung Nguyen Trong
Published: October 2018

This paper studies the effects of heating rate 4 × 10[Formula: see text] K/s, 4 × 10[Formula: see text] K/s, 4 × 10[Formula: see text] K/s; impurity concentration of Cu on Ni[Formula: see text]Cu[Formula: see text] bulk with x = 0.1, x = 0.3, x = 0.5, x = 0.7; atom number (N), N = 4000 atoms, 5324 atoms, 6912 atoms, 8788 atoms at temperatures (T), T = 300 K; N = 6912 atoms at T = 300 K, 400 K, 500 K, 600 K, 700 K, 800 K; N = 6912 atoms at T = 600 K after time annealing temperature (t), t = 500 ps on the structure, crystallization temperature and crystallization process of Ni[Formula: see text]Cu[Formula: see text] bulk by molecular dynamics (MD) method with interactive embedding Sutton–Chen (ST) and periodic boundary conditions. The structural characteristics were analyzed through radial distribution function (RDF), energy total (E[Formula: see text]), size (l) and common neighborhood analysis (CNA) method; temperature (T), crystallization temperature (T[Formula: see text]), crystallization process through relationship between E[Formula: see text], T. The results showed Ni[Formula: see text]Cu[Formula: see text] bulk and links Ni–Ni, Ni–Cu, Cu–Cu always exist in 03 types structures: FCC, HCP, Amor. When time annealing temperature increases then Ni[Formula: see text]Cu[Formula: see text] bulk moves from a crystalline state to an amorphous state. When increases impurity concentration of Cu in Ni[Formula: see text]Cu[Formula: see text] bulk, then the structure unit number FCC, HCP decreases and then increases, structure unit number Amor increases and then decreases. When atom number (N) increases, decreasing T and increasing time annealing temperature lead to structure unit number FCC, HCP increases, Amor decreases and structural, crystallization temperature, crystallization process of Ni[Formula: see text]Cu[Formula: see text] bulk change.
The vortex-induced forces on a multi-column platform in current at high Reynolds numbers
Authors: Hu Xiaofeng , Zhang Xinshu , You Yunxiang
Published: October 2018

The unsteady vortex-induced forces on a multi-column platform in current from subcritical up to supercritical Reynolds numbers have been investigated using three-dimensional numerical simulations. Two different current incidences, 0[Formula: see text] and 45[Formula: see text], are considered. The results show that for 0[Formula: see text] current incidence, the mean streamwise force coefficients [Formula: see text] increase with the rise of [Formula: see text] when [Formula: see text], while they grow slightly when [Formula: see text]. For 45[Formula: see text] current incidence, a decrease of streamwise force with increasing [Formula: see text] is observed. Similar to a single cylinder, the fluctuating transverse force coefficients [Formula: see text] of the multi-column platform drop at [Formula: see text] for 0[Formula: see text] and 45[Formula: see text] current incidences. In addition, it is found that for 0[Formula: see text] current incidence, the [Formula: see text] values of the downstream columns are much larger than those of the upstream columns, while for 45[Formula: see text] current incidence, the [Formula: see text] values of each column are similar. Furthermore, the results of correlations between the forces on each column and total forces indicates that for 0[Formula: see text] current incidence, the fluctuating transverse forces on the downstream columns are mainly responsible for the total fluctuating transverse force on the multi-column platform.
DECOMPOSITION FORMULA FOR JUMP DIFFUSION MODELS
Authors: MERINO R. , POSPÍŠIL J. , SOBOTKA T. , VIVES J.
Published: October 2018

In this paper, we derive a generic decomposition of the option pricing formula for models with finite activity jumps in the underlying asset price process (SVJ models). This is an extension of the well-known result by Alòs [(2012) A decomposition formula for option prices in the Heston model and applications to option pricing approximation, Finance and Stochastics 16 (3), 403–422, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00780-012-0177-0 ] for Heston [(1993) A closed-form solution for options with stochastic volatility with applications to bond and currency options, The Review of Financial Studies 6 (2), 327–343, doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/rfs/6.2.327 ] SV model. Moreover, explicit approximation formulas for option prices are introduced for a popular class of SVJ models — models utilizing a variance process postulated by Heston [(1993) A closed-form solution for options with stochastic volatility with applications to bond and currency options, The Review of Financial Studies 6 (2), 327–343, doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/rfs/6.2.327 ]. In particular, we inspect in detail the approximation formula for the Bates [(1996), Jumps and stochastic volatility: Exchange rate processes implicit in Deutsche mark options, The Review of Financial Studies 9 (1), 69–107, doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/rfs/9.1.69 ] model with log-normal jump sizes and we provide a numerical comparison with the industry standard — Fourier transform pricing methodology. For this model, we also reformulate the approximation formula in terms of implied volatilities. The main advantages of the introduced pricing approximations are twofold. Firstly, we are able to significantly improve computation efficiency (while preserving reasonable approximation errors) and secondly, the formula can provide an intuition on the volatility smile behavior under a specific SVJ model.
NPD TOOLS, THOROUGHNESS AND PERFORMANCE IN SMALL FIRMS
Authors: DE WAAL GERRIT ANTON , KNOTT PAUL
Published: October 2018

This paper draws on survey data to clarify whether small high-technology firms benefit most from adopting greater numbers of new product development (NPD) tools to support NPD projects, or from using tools more thoroughly. This is an important issue given that small firms adopt NPD tools despite facing acute resource limitations and using informal processes. Prior studies of the performance impact of NPD tools have focused on large firms, and very few have assessed the performance impact of using NPD tools to higher levels of thoroughness.The paper covers tools across functional/technical and management/marketing aspects of NPD, and measures performance in process, product and market. We found that increasing the number of tools adopted did not measurably improve performance, in contrast to prior findings in larger firms. Instead, we found that firms obtained meaningfully improved NPD performance from using tools at higher average levels of thoroughness. Higher average thoroughness produced statistically significant performance benefits across seven of our nine performance measures. Our findings imply that small firms should emphasize selective but thorough and well-designed implementation of NPD tools.
FIRM INNOVATIVENESS IN SERVICE INDUSTRIES: A CONSTRUCT VALIDATION IN THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT AND INDUSTRY STRUCTURE CONTEXTS
Authors: HÜGEL SUSANNE , KREUTZER MARKUS , ROTTKE NICO B.
Published: October 2018

This paper contributes to the limited research on innovation in service industries. We develop an advanced, more comprehensively and universally applicable measure of firm innovativeness that captures an organisation’s overall potential to innovate. We provide a first empirical validation in the context of a heterogeneous service industry, the German real estate industry, and investigate the relationship between firm innovativeness and actual (product and process) innovations, while taking the external environment and the industry structure into consideration. The PLS–SEM results of our study of 241 individuals from 76 organisations confirm the newly developed measure’s validity and provide further evidence of the industry’s current state: Firm innovativeness influences the perceived firm performance only through product innovations, i.e., new goods and services. Furthermore, external heterogeneity moderates the relationship between firm innovativeness and product innovation positively, while high levels of regulation, contrary to our expectation, encourage both innovation types directly.
A local Benford Law for a class of arithmetic sequences
Authors: Cai Zhaodong , Hildebrand A. J. , Li Junxian
Published: October 2018

It is well known that sequences such as the Fibonacci numbers and the factorials satisfy Benford’s Law; that is, leading digits in these sequences occur with frequencies given by [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we investigate leading digit distributions of arithmetic sequences from a local point of view. We call a sequence locally Benford distributed of order [Formula: see text] if, roughly speaking, [Formula: see text]-tuples of consecutive leading digits behave like [Formula: see text] independent Benford-distributed digits. This notion refines that of a Benford distributed sequence, and it provides a way to quantify the extent to which the Benford distribution persists at the local level. Surprisingly, most sequences known to satisfy Benford’s Law have rather poor local distribution properties. In our main result we establish, for a large class of arithmetic sequences, a “best-possible” local Benford Law; that is, we determine the maximal value [Formula: see text] such that the sequence is locally Benford distributed of order [Formula: see text]. The result applies, in particular, to sequences of the form [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text], as well as the sequence of factorials [Formula: see text] and similar iterated product sequences.
On subset sums of zero-sum free sets of abelian groups
Authors: Peng Jiangtao , Hui Wanzhen , Li Yuanlin , Sun Fang
Published: October 2018

Let [Formula: see text] be a finite abelian group and [Formula: see text] be a subset of [Formula: see text]. Let [Formula: see text] denote the set of group elements which can be expressed as a sum of a nonempty subset of [Formula: see text]. We say that [Formula: see text] is zero-sum free if [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we show that if [Formula: see text] is zero-sum free with [Formula: see text], then [Formula: see text]. Furthermore, if [Formula: see text] is zero-sum free and [Formula: see text], with the assumption that the subgroup generated by [Formula: see text] is noncyclic and the order [Formula: see text], we are able to show that [Formula: see text].
Dynamic Complexity under Definable Changes
Authors: Schwentick Thomas , Vortmeier Nils , Zeume Thomas
Published: October 2018

In the setting of dynamic complexity, the goal of a dynamic program is to maintain the result of a fixed query for an input database that is subject to changes, possibly using additional auxiliary relations. In other words, a dynamic program updates a materialized view whenever a base relation is changed. The update of query result and auxiliary relations is specified using first-order logic or, equivalently, relational algebra.

The original framework by Patnaik and Immerman only considers changes to the database that insert or delete single tuples. This article extends the setting to
definable changes
, also specified by first-order queries on the database, and generalizes previous maintenance results to these more expressive change operations. More specifically, it is shown that the undirected reachability query is first-order maintainable under single-tuple changes and first-order defined insertions, likewise the directed reachability query for directed acyclic graphs is first-order maintainable under insertions defined by quantifier-free first-order queries.

These results rely on
bounded bridge properties
, which basically say that, after an insertion of a defined set of edges, for each connected pair of nodes there is some path with a bounded number of new edges. While this bound can be huge, in general, it is shown to be small for insertion queries defined by unions of conjunctive queries. To illustrate that the results for this restricted setting could be practically relevant, they are complemented by an experimental study that compares the performance of dynamic programs with complex changes, dynamic programs with single changes, and with recomputation from scratch.

The positive results are complemented by several inexpressibility results. For example, it is shown that—unlike for single-tuple insertions—dynamic programs that maintain the reachability query under definable, quantifier-free changes strictly need update formulas with quantifiers.

Finally, further positive results unrelated to reachability are presented: it is shown that for changes definable by parameter-free first-order formulas, all LOGSPACE-definable (and even AC
1
-definable) queries can be maintained by first-order dynamic programs.
Evaluation of Causal Effects and Local Structure Learning of Causal Networks
Authors: Geng Zhi , Liu Yue , Liu Chunchen , Miao Wang
Published: October 2018

Causal effect evaluation and causal network learning are two main research areas in causal inference. For causal effect evaluation, we review the two problems of confounders and surrogates. The Yule-Simpson paradox is the idea that the association between two variables may be changed dramatically due to ignoring confounders. We review criteria for confounders and methods of adjustment for observed and unobserved confounders. The surrogate paradox occurs when a treatment has a positive causal effect on a surrogate endpoint, which, in turn, has a positive causal effect on a true endpoint, but the treatment may have a negative causal effect on the true endpoint. Some of the existing criteria for surrogates are subject to the surrogate paradox, and we review criteria for consistent surrogates to avoid the surrogate paradox. Causal networks are used to depict the causal relationships among multiple variables. Rather than discovering a global causal network, researchers are often interested in discovering the causes and effects of a given variable. We review some algorithms for local structure learning of causal networks centering around a given variable.
Application of Teledermoscopy in the Diagnosis of Pigmented Lesions
Authors: Barcaui C. B. , Lima P. M. O.
Published: October 2018

Background. Dermatology, due to the peculiar characteristic of visual diagnosis, is suitable for the application of modern telemedicine techniques, such as mobile teledermoscopy. Objectives. To evaluate the feasibility and reliability of the technique for the diagnosis of pigmented lesions. Methods. Through the storage and routing method, 41 pigmented lesions were analyzed. After the selection of the lesions during the outpatient visit, the clinical and dermatoscopic images were obtained by the resident physician through the cellphone camera and sent to the assistant dermatologist by means of an application for exchange of messages between mobile platforms. Firstly, the assistant dermatologist described the visualized dermatoscopic structures and defined its diagnosis and conduct, based solely on the evaluation of the clinical and dermatoscopic images, without having the knowledge of the anamnesis data. Afterwards, the same assistant dermatologist evaluated the patient face to face, defining the dermatoscopic structures, diagnosis, and conduct. The data obtained through teledermoscopy and face-to-face assessments were compared and accuracy was defined as the concordance between the diagnoses. Results. A match rate of 90% between teledermoscopic and face-to-face diagnosis was demonstrated (McNemar’s statistical analysis, whose p value was 0.1366, showed no evidence to support the inferiority of the teledermoscopic method).
Staurosporine Induces the Generation of Polyploid Giant Cancer Cells in Non-Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma A549 Cells
Authors: Glassmann Alexander , Carrillo Garcia Carmen , Janzen Viktor , Kraus Dominik , Veit Nadine , Winter Jochen , Probstmeier Rainer
Published: October 2018

Cultivation of A549 non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cells in the presence of staurosporine (SSP) leads to a reduction or a lack of proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. This inhibition of proliferation is accompanied by the generation of polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs) that are characterized by cell flattening, increased cell size, polyploidy, and polynucleation as determined by crystal violet staining, BrdU and DiI labelling, and flow cytometry as well as video time-lapse analysis. Continuous SSP treatment of A549 cells can preserve PGCCs for at least two months in a resting state. Upon removal of SSP, A549 PGCCs restart to divide and exhibit a proliferation pattern and cellular morphology indistinguishable from cells where PGCCs originally derived from. Thus, SSP-treated A549 cells represent a simple and reliable experimental model for the reversible generation of PGCCs and their subsequent experimental analysis.
Experimental and FEM Research on Airport Cement Concrete Direct‐Thickening Double‐Deck Pavement Slabs under Aircraft Single‐Wheel Dynamic Loads
Authors: Yu Qingkun , Cai Liangcai , Wang Jianwu
Published: October 2018

The wide‐use airport cement concrete direct‐thickening double‐deck pavement slabs (ACCDDPS) were selected as the research object to study their mechanical properties. The airport runway simulation test station (ARSTS) was used to conduct indoor tests to demonstrate the distribution of tension stress at the bottom of slabs and slabs deflection. Furthermore, ANSYS software was applied to establish finite element model (FEM) of ACCDDPS and analyze the mechanical laws under different loads. The indoor tests results are in good agreement with the ANSYS simulation results, and some consistent conclusions can be obtained that the maximum tension stress increases with wheel load, and the slab middle of the longitudinal edge is a critical position. In addition, we studied the influence of covered layer thickness, elastic modulus, and slab size on pavement slab mechanical properties by ANSYS, and we concluded that although the structural parameters are different, the critical position of ACCDDPS is still in the middle of the longitudinal edge. However, for the covered layer and the original surface layer, the law that the tension stress values vary with the structural parameters is different, but the maximum deflection value is about 0.1.
Refined Estimates and Generalizations of Inequalities Related to the Arctangent Function and Shafer’s Inequality
Authors: Malešević Branko , Rašajski Marija , Lutovac Tatjana
Published: October 2018

We give some sharper refinements and generalizations of inequalities related to Shafer’s inequality for the arctangent function, stated in Theorems  1, 2,  and  4 in Mortici and Srivastava, 2014, by C. Mortici and H.M. Srivastava.
A Computer‐Aided Approach to Pozzolanic Concrete Mix Design
Authors: Kao Ching-Yun , Shen Chin-Hung , Jan Jing-Chi , Hung Shih-Lin
Published: October 2018

Pozzolanic concrete has superior properties, such as high strength and workability. The precise proportioning and modeling of the concrete mixture are important when considering its applications. There have been many efforts to develop computer‐aided approaches for pozzolanic concrete mix design, such as artificial neural network‐ (ANN‐) based approaches, but these approaches have proven to be somewhat difficult in practical engineering applications. This study develops a two‐step computer‐aided approach for pozzolanic concrete mix design. The first step is establishing a dataset of pozzolanic concrete mixture proportioning which conforms to American Concrete Institute code, consisting of experimental data collected from the literature as well as numerical data generated by computer program. In this step, ANNs are employed to establish the prediction models of compressive strength and the slump of the concrete. Sensitivity analysis of the ANN is used to evaluate the effect of inputs on the output of the ANN. The two ANN models are tested using data of experimental specimens made in laboratory for twelve different mixtures. The second step is classifying the dataset of pozzolanic concrete mixture proportioning. A classification method is utilized to categorize the dataset into 360 classes based on compressive strength, pozzolanic admixture replacement rate, and material cost. Thus, one can easily obtain mix solutions based on these factors. The results show that the proposed computer‐aided approach is convenient for pozzolanic concrete mix design and practical for engineering applications.
Study on the Detection of Dairy Cows’ Self-Protective Behaviors Based on Vision Analysis
Authors: Li Jia , Wu Pei , Kang Feilong , Zhang Lina , Xuan Chuanzhong
Published: October 2018

The study of the self-protective behaviors of dairy cows suffering dipteral insect infestation is important for evaluating the breeding environment and cows’ selective breeding. The current practices for measuring diary cows’ self-protective behaviors are mostly by human observation, which is not only tedious but also inefficient and inaccurate. In this paper, we develop an automatic monitoring system based on video analysis. First, an improved optical flow tracking algorithm based on Shi-Tomasi corner detection is presented. By combining the morphological features of head, leg, and tail movements, this method effectively reduces the number of Shi-Tomasi points, eliminates interference from background movement, reduces the computational complexity of the algorithm, and improves detection accuracy. The detection algorithm is used to calculate the number of tail, leg, and head movements by using an artificial neural network. The accuracy range of the tail and head reached [0.88, 1] and the recall rate was [0.87, 1]. The method proposed in this paper which provides objective measurements can help researchers to more effectively analyze dairy cows’ self-protective behaviors and the living environment in the process of dairy cow breeding and management.
PRKRA/PACT Expression Promotes Chemoresistance of Mucinous Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Hisamatsu Takeshi , McGuire Michael , Wu Sherry Y. , Rupaimoole Rajesha , Pradeep Sunila , Bayraktar Emine , Noh Kyunghee , Hu Wei , Hansen Jean M. , Lyons Yasmin , Gharpure Kshipra M. , Nagaraja Archana S. , Mangala Lingegowda S. , Mitamura Takashi , Rodriguez-Aguayo Cristian , Eun Young Gyu , Rose Johnathon , Bartholomeusz Geoffrey , Ivan Cristina , Lee Ju-Seog , Matsuo Koji , Frumovitz Michael , Wong Kwong K. , Lopez-Berestein Gabriel , Sood Anil K.
Published: October 2018

For mucinous ovarian cancer (MOC), standard platinum-based therapy is largely ineffective. We sought to identify possible mechanisms of oxaliplatin resistance of MOC and develop strategies to overcome this resistance. A kinome-based siRNA library screen was carried out using human MOC cells to identify novel targets to enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy. In vitro and in vivo validations of antitumor effects were performed using mouse MOC models. Specifically, the role of PRKRA/PACT in oxaliplatin resistance was interrogated. We focused on PRKRA, a known activator of PKR kinase, and its encoded protein PACT because it was one of the five most significantly downregulated genes in the siRNA screen. In orthotopic mouse models of MOC, we observed a significant antitumor effect of PRKRA siRNA plus oxaliplatin. In addition, expression of miR-515-3p was regulated by PACT–Dicer interaction, and miR-515-3p increased the sensitivity of MOC to oxaliplatin. Mechanistically, miR-515-3p regulated chemosensitivity, in part, by targeting AXL. The PRKRA/PACT axis represents an important therapeutic target in MOC to enhance sensitivity to oxaliplatin.
Effect of Leaking Foveal Microaneurysms on the Treatment of Center-Involving Diabetic Macular Edema: A Pilot Study
Authors: Hirano Takao , Toriyama Yuichi , Iesato Yasuhiro , Ishibazawa Akihiro , Sugimoto Masahiko , Takamura Yoshihiro , Nagaoka Taiji , Murata Toshinori
Published: October 2018

Purpose: Evaluate the effect of foveal leaking microaneurysms (MAs) on the required number of intravitreal ranibiz­umab (IVR) injections in the treatment of center-involving diabetic macular edema (DME) when treated with focal/grid laser. Design: A pilot study of prospective, nonrandomized, multicenter clinical trial. Methods: This study enrolled 21 eyes with DME for which pro re nata IVR injections were combined with short-pulse focal/grid laser. At 12 months, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central subfield macular thickness (CMT), and the required number of IVRs to maintain CMT < 300 µm were compared between eyes with or without foveal leaking MAs, termed the MA(+) and MA(–) groups, respectively. Results: Significant CMT improvements (p < 0.0001) and increased BCVA of 4.0 ± 8.5 letters were observed at 12 months. The MA(–) group required significantly fewer IVRs than did the MA(+) group (mean: 4.9 ± 3.0 vs. 8.6 ± 3.0; p = 0.0306). In the latter 6 months of the 1-year follow-up, 50% (4/8) of MA(–) eyes did not require any IVR administration to sustain CMT < 300 µm. Conclusions: A combination therapy of short-pulse focal/grid laser and reduced IVR injections appeared noninferior to previous reports of IVR monotherapy. Further large-scale investigations are warranted.
Progress in the Development and Challenges for the Use of Artificial Kidneys and Wearable Dialysis Devices
Authors: Hueso Miguel , Navarro Estanislao , Sandoval Diego , Cruzado Josep Maria
Published: October 2018

Background: Renal transplantation is the treatment of choice for chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, but the shortage of kidneys and the disabling medical conditions these patients suffer from make dialysis essential for most of them. Since dialysis drastically affects the patients’ lifestyle, there are great expectations for the development of wearable artificial kidneys, although their use is currently impeded by major concerns about safety. On the other hand, dialysis patients with hemodynamic instability do not usually tolerate intermittent dialysis therapy because of their inability to adapt to a changing scenario of unforeseen events. Thus, the development of novel wearable dialysis devices and the improvement of clinical tolerance will need contributions from new branches of engineering such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) for the real-time analysis of equipment alarms, dialysis parameters, and patient-related data with a real-time feedback response. These technologies are endowed with abilities normally associated with human intelligence such as learning, problem solving, human speech understanding, or planning and decision-making. Examples of common applications of AI are visual perception (computer vision), speech recognition, and language translation. In this review, we discuss recent progresses in the area of dialysis and challenges for the use of AI in the development of artificial kidneys. Summary and Key Messages: Emerging technologies derived from AI, ML, electronics, and robotics will offer great opportunities for dialysis therapy, but much innovation is needed before we achieve a smart dialysis machine able to analyze and understand changes in patient homeostasis and to respond appropriately in real time. Great efforts are being made in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine to provide alternative cell-based approaches for the treatment of renal failure, including bioartificial renal systems and the implantation of bioengineered kidney constructs.
Pharmacokinetics of Ceftolozane-Tazobactam during Prolonged Intermittent Renal Replacement Therapy
Authors: Rawlins Matthew , Cheng Vesa , Raby Edward , Dyer John , Regli Adrian , Ingram Paul , McWhinney Brett C. , Ungerer Jacobus P.J. , Roberts Jason A.
Published: October 2018

Background: Prolonged intermittent renal replacement therapy (PIRRT) eliminates many drugs, and without dosing data, for new antibiotics like ceftolozane/tazobactam, suboptimal concentrations and treatment failure are likely. Objectives: Herein, we describe the effect of PIRRT on the plasma pharmacokinetics of ceftolozane/tazobactam ad­ministered in a critically ill 55-year-old patient with a polymicrobial sternal wound osteomyelitis, including a multiresistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Method: Blood samples were taken over 4 days where the patient received a 7.5-h PIRRT treatment. One- and 2-compartment models were tested for ceftolozane and tazobactam separately, and the log-likelihood ratio and goodness-of-fit plots were used to select the final model. Results: Two-compartment models were developed for ceftolozane and tazobactam separately and described significant differences in clearance of ceftolozane and tazobactam with and without PIRRT (8.273 vs. 0.393 and 8.020 vs. 0.767 L/h, respectively). Conclusions: A ceftolozane/tazobactam dose of 500 mg/250 mg appears to be sufficient to attain pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic targets during PIRRT while the manufacturer’s recommended dosing of 100 mg/50 mg every 8 h was sufficient during non-PIRRT periods.
Attenuation of Microbiotal Dysbiosis and Hypertension in a
CRISPR/Cas9
Gene Ablation Rat Model of
GPER1
Authors: Waghulde Harshal , Cheng Xi , Galla Sarah , Mell Blair , Cai Jingwei , Pruett-Miller Shondra M. , Vazquez Guillermo , Patterson Andrew , Vijay Kumar Matam , Joe Bina
Published: October 2018

G-protein–coupled estrogen receptor,
Gper1
, has been implicated in cardiovascular disease, but its mechanistic role in blood pressure control is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that genetically salt-sensitive hypertensive rats with complete genomic excision of
Gper1
by a multiplexed guide RNA CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)/Cas9 (CRISPR associated proteins) approach present with lower blood pressure, which was accompanied by altered microbiota, different levels of circulating short chain fatty acids, and improved vascular relaxation. Microbiotal transplantation from hypertensive
Gper1
+/+
rats reversed the cardiovascular protective effect exerted by the genomic deletion of
Gper1
. Thus, this study reveals a role for
Gper1
in promoting microbiotal alterations that contribute to cardiovascular pathology. However, the exact mechanism by which
Gper1
regulates blood pressure is still unknown. Our results indicate that the function of
Gper1
is contextually dependent on the microbiome, whereby, contemplation of using
Gper1
as a target for therapy of cardiovascular disease requires caution.
Associations Between Characteristics of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Nocturnal Blood Pressure Surge
Authors: Sasaki Nobuo , Nagai Michiaki , Mizuno Hiroyuki , Kuwabara Mitsuo , Hoshide Satoshi , Kario Kazuomi
Published: October 2018

Research suggests that oxygen desaturation and sleep stage during obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are related to the magnitude of high blood pressure (BP) in a laboratory setting. However, in a clinical setting, these associations have not been well studied. We used a noninvasive oscillometric BP measurement device to investigate the association between oxygen-triggered BP levels at the end of each OSA episode and the characteristics of the preceding OSA episode. In 42 newly diagnosed OSA patients (average age, 63.5±12.5 years; average apnea-hypopnea index, 32.6±18.2 per hour), 258 BP measurements were obtained at the end of OSA episodes. Hypoxia-peak systolic BP (SBP), defined as the maximum oxygen-triggered SBP value, was significantly higher in rapid eye movement sleep (144.9±19.9 mm Hg) than in non–rapid eye movement stage 1 sleep (129.5±15.1 mm Hg;
P
<0.001) and non–rapid eye movement stage 2 sleep (129.4±14.7 mm Hg;
P
<0.001). In a multivariate-linear mixed model, the lowest oxygen saturation percentage during each OSA episode was associated with increased hypoxia-peak SBP (−0.501 mm Hg;
P
<0.001), nocturnal SBP surge (−0.395 mm Hg;
P
<0.001), defined as the difference between the hypoxia-peak SBP and the mean nocturnal SBP, and maximum value of SBP surge (−0.468 mm Hg;
P
<0.001), defined as the difference between the hypoxia-peak SBP and the minimum nocturnal SBP independent of sleep stage. These values were not associated with the duration of each OSA episode. The contribution of rapid eye movement sleep and severe oxygen desaturation to OSA-related BP elevation measured with a noninvasive oscillometric method was determined in a clinical setting.
Playing Music in Just Intonation: A Dynamically Adaptive Tuning Scheme
Authors: Stange Karolin , Wick Christoph , Hinrichsen Haye
Published: October 2018

We investigate a dynamically adaptive tuning scheme for microtonal tuning of musical instruments, allowing the performer to play music in just intonation in any key. Unlike other methods, which are based on a procedural analysis of the chordal structure, our tuning scheme continually solves a system of linear equations, rather than relying on sequences of conditional if-then clauses. In complex situations, where not all intervals of a chord can be tuned according to the frequency ratios of just intonation, the method automatically yields a tempered compromise. We outline the implementation of the algorithm in an open-source software project that we have provided to demonstrate the feasibility of the tuning method.
Introduction: Archives, Record Keeping and Imperial Governance, 1500-1800
Authors: Donato Maria Pia
Published: October 2018

In the last decades, a vast body of literature has scrutinized the archive, regarding it as an instrument of power for the Western conquest of the world. More recently, a new, vibrant cultural history of archives has changed our understanding of archives as a fully-fledged historical object and why they matter for extending the geographical scope of history and achieving a more connected image of modernity. The articles assembled in this themed issue delve into the history of imperial archives and archival practices in the period 1500-1800, bringing together different lines of inquiry. Each contribution focuses on a major Western imperial formation at different epochs in their evolution, dealing both with current records and historical collections; each engages with archives as an institution, as assemblages of documents that circulated in and out of official depositories, as a site where colonial administrative knowledge was elaborated, and as a political project.
Standing to Hold Responsible
Authors: Edwards James
Published: October 2018

We often hold others responsible, and are held responsible ourselves. Many philosophers claim that to evaluate such holdings, we must consider the standing of the holder. Many also claim that both hypocrites and meddlers lack standing. Little has been said, however, about what exactly standing is—about what it is that hypocrites and meddlers are supposed to lack. Though talk of standing is now widespread, ‘we do not,’ in Joseph Raz’s words, ‘have an unproblematic grasp of the phenomena referred to’ by such talk. In this paper I attempt to improve that grasp. I offer an account of what it is to have, and lack, standing to hold others responsible. And I offer some reasons why, if this account is accepted, both hypocrites and meddlers should lack standing.
The Relationship between Paleography and Textual Criticism: Textual Variants Due to Graphic Similarity between the Masoretic Text and the Samaritan Pentateuch as a Test Case
Authors: Dayfani Hila
Published: October 2018

Almost from the inception of the textual analysis of the Hebrew Bible, scholars recognized that certain textual variants were caused by the interchange of letters bearing graphic similarity. This article focuses on a small number of interchanges between the Masoretic Text (MT) and the Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) and studies their possible paleographic context. The central claim of the paper is that it is possible to identify the scripts used in which the changes occurred and in some instances, even the specific stage of development of the script. The paleographic conclusion that arises from the evidence presented is that the Samaritan version developed from earlier versions that were transmitted in Paleo-Hebrew and in square script, or that the Samaritan version was transmitted in its early stages in both of these scripts. The SP itself reached us in a still later script, the Samaritan script, which developed from the Paleo-Hebrew script.
The Book of Samuel in the Cairo Genizah. An Interim and Introductory Report
Authors: Rendsburg Gary A.
Published: October 2018

This article presents sample results of my ongoing research project on the book of Samuel in the Cairo Genizah. Each of the 650+ manuscripts of Samuel found amongst the documents forthcoming from the Cairo Genizah has been read and analyzed, with the goal of identifying textual variants. Special attention is paid to those variant readings which find parallels in the earlier witnesses (Qumran, Septuagint, Peshitta, Targum, Vulgate).
A New Approach to Using the Old Greek in Hebrew Bible Textual Criticism
Authors: Screnock John
Published: October 2018

Emanuel Tov’s published methodology for using the Old Greek in textual criticism of the Hebrew Bible has been the gold standard for all such methods. I present a new approach by building on Tov’s methodology. Although Tov accounts for the reality of Hebrew variants within the mind of the translator, he explores the idea only with regards to scribal errors, leaving most changes stemming from “contextual exegesis” to be categorized as inner-translational and inadmissible in the text critical endeavor. I argue for an extension of Tov’s method by considering other ways in which a scribe working in Hebrew could have made the changes commonly attributed to the translator. In contrast to Tov’s method, I suggest we center our use of the Old Greek in textual criticism around one main criterion: if Hebrew can be reconstructed on the basis of clear translation patterns, the evidence should be used in textual criticism.