bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sympatric parallel diversification of major oak clades in the Americas and the origins of Mexican species diversity
Authors: Hipp Andrew L. , Manos Paul S. , González‐Rodríguez Antonio , Hahn Marlene , Kaproth Matthew , McVay John D. , Avalos Susana Valencia , Cavender‐Bares Jeannine
Published: September 2017

Oaks (Quercus, Fagaceae) are the dominant tree genus of North America in species number and biomass, and Mexico is a global center of oak diversity. Understanding the origins of oak diversity is key to understanding biodiversity of northern temperate forests.

A phylogenetic study of biogeography, niche evolution and diversification patterns in Quercus was performed using 300 samples, 146 species. Next‐generation sequencing data were generated using the restriction‐site associated DNA (RAD‐seq) method. A time‐calibrated maximum likelihood phylogeny was inferred and analyzed with bioclimatic, soils, and leaf habit data to reconstruct the biogeographic and evolutionary history of the American oaks.

Our highly resolved phylogeny demonstrates sympatric parallel diversification in climatic niche, leaf habit, and diversification rates. The two major American oak clades arose in what is now the boreal zone and radiated, in parallel, from eastern North America into Mexico and Central America.

Oaks adapted rapidly to niche transitions. The Mexican oaks are particularly numerous, not because Mexico is a center of origin, but because of high rates of lineage diversification associated with high rates of evolution along moisture gradients and between the evergreen and deciduous leaf habits. Sympatric parallel diversification in the oaks has shaped the diversity of North American forests.
Cogency, Warrant Transmission‐Increase and non‐Ideal Thinkers
Authors: Pérez Otero Manuel
Published: September 2017

Contemporary debates concerning warrant transmission take for granted this thesis: when warrant transmission fails the argument fails. I challenge this thesis. An argument with conclusion C, addressed to subject S, can be cogent in the sense that recognition that the premises entail (or make highly likely) C can rationally foster in S the belief in C, without the warrant for C necessarily being gained (or reinforced) by such recognition. A key idea is to accept that some arguments should be understood in a way that involves the abandonment of two characteristic idealizations imposed on rational thinkers by Bayesian modelling.
Increased risk organ transplantation in the pediatric population
Authors: Wrenn Sean M. , Callas Peter W. , Kapoor Trishul , Aunchman Alia F. , Paine Adam N. , Pineda Jaime A. , Marroquin Carlos E.
Published: September 2017

IRD organs are classified by the Public Health Service to be at above‐average risk for harboring human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C, and hepatitis B. Traditionally underutilized, there exists even greater reluctance for their use in pediatric patients. We performed a retrospective analysis via the United Network for Organ Sharing database of all pediatric renal and hepatic transplants performed from 2004 to 2008 in the United States. Primary outcomes were patient and graft survival. Proportional hazards regression was performed to control for potentially confounding factors. Waitlist time, organ acceptance rates, and infectious transmissions were analyzed. There were 1830 SRD renal, 92 IRD renal, 1695 SRD hepatic, and 59 IRD hepatic transplants. There were no statistically significant differences in allograft or patient survival in either group. Acceptance rates of IRD organs were lower for kidney (1.5% IRD vs 4.82% SRD) and liver (1.99% IRD vs 4.51% SRD). One transmission of a bloodborne pathogen involving a pediatric recipient out of 7797 unique transplants was reported from 2008 to 2015. IRD organs appear to have equivalent outcomes. Increasing their utilization may improve access to transplant while decreasing wait times and circumventing waitlist morbidity and mortality.
PEGylation of cationic liposomes encapsulating soluble Leishmania antigens reduces the adjuvant efficacy of liposomes in murine model
Authors: Naseri H. , Eskandari F. , Jaafari M. R. , Khamesipour A. , Abbasi A. , Badiee A.
Published: September 2017

Although there have been several attempts to develop a vaccine against leishmaniasis, no vaccine in human has been developed yet. Liposomes consisting of 1, 2‐dioleoyl‐3‐trimethylammonium‐propane (DOTAP) encapsulating soluble Leishmania antigens (SLA) enhance protective immunity of SLA against Leishmania major infection in mice. However, they immobilized at the injection site because of their positive charge. To overcome the problem, shielding the surface charge with polyethylene glycol (PEGylation) was chosen in this study. Liposomal SLA consisting different concentrations of PEG (1.9%‐15% mol) were prepared. BALB/c mice were immunized three times in 3 weeks intervals with different formulations. Lesion development and parasite burden in footpad and spleen were evaluated to specify the type of generated immune response and extent of protection. Th1/Th2 cytokine profiles and IgG isotypes were also analysed. The maximum protection was observed in mice immunized with Lip‐SLA or pLip‐SLA (1.9%) due to smaller footpad swelling, reduction in parasite load, an increase in IgG2a and IFN‐γ production. Our results showed that immunization of mice with a high level of PEG (>7.5%) did not improve protective immunity of liposomal SLA. The presence of PEG, particularly more than 3.75%, is not recommended for protection against leishmaniasis.
Local pre‐adaptation to disturbance and inbreeding–environment interactions affect colonisation abilities of diploid and tetraploid Centaurea stoebe
Authors: Rosche C. , Hensen I. , Lachmuth S.
Published: September 2017

Primary colonisation in invasive ranges most commonly occurs in disturbed habitats, where anthropogenic disturbance may cause physical damage to plants. The tolerance to such damage may differ between cytotypes and among populations as a result of differing population histories (adaptive differentiation between ruderal verus natural habitats). Moreover, founder populations often experience inbreeding depression, the effects of which may increase through physical damage due to inbreeding–environment interactions. We aimed to understand how such colonisation processes differ between diploid and tetraploid Centaurea stoebe populations, with a view to understanding why only tetraploids are invasive.

We conducted a clipping experiment (frequency: zero, once or twice in the growing season) on inbred versus outbred offspring originating from 37 C. stoebe populations of varying cytotype, range and habitat type (natural versus ruderal). Aboveground biomass was harvested at the end of the vegetation period, while re‐sprouting success was recorded in the following spring.

Clipping reduced re‐sprouting success and biomass, which was significantly more pronounced in natural than in ruderal populations. Inbreeding depression was not detected under benign conditions, but became increasingly apparent in biomass when plants were clipped. The effects of clipping and inbreeding did not differ between cytotypes.

Adaptive differentiation in disturbance tolerance was higher among populations than between cytotypes, which highlights the potential of pre‐adaptation in ruderal populations during early colonisation on anthropogenically disturbed sites. While the consequences of inbreeding increased through clipping‐mediated stress, they were comparable between cytotypes, and consequently do not contribute to understanding the cytotype shift in the invasive range.
Measurement of urinary concentrations of the mycotoxins zearalenone and sterigmatocystin as biomarkers of exposure in mares
Authors: Takagi M , Uno S , Kokushi E , Sato F , Wijayagunawardane MMP , Fink‐Gremmels J
Published: September 2017

Contents

Mycotoxins may affect animal health, including reproduction. Little is known about the clinical relevance of exposure of horses to contaminated feed. This study aimed at (i) monitoring the levels of the mycotoxins zearalenone (ZEN), with its metabolites α‐ and β‐zearalenol (α‐ and β‐ZOL), and sterigmatocystin (STC) in urine samples from thoroughbred mares in Japan and (ii) relating these findings to the potential effects on reproductive efficacy of breeding mares. Sixty‐three urine samples of breeding mares from 59 breeding farms were used. Urine samples and reproductive records were collected from each mare when it was presented to the stallion station. Urinary concentrations of ZEN, α‐ and β‐ZOL, and STC were measured using liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS). ZEN, α‐ and β‐ZOL were measurable in the urine of all examined mares, indicating the prevalence of ZEN in equine feeds. In seven of the 63 samples, STC was also detected at levels ranging from 1.3 to 18.0 pg/mg creatinine. No significant correlation between the concentrations of mycotoxins and pregnancy status was observed. In conclusion, measurement of mycotoxins in urine samples is a useful non‐invasive method for monitoring the systemic exposure of mares to multiple mycotoxins.
Exploring the potential of food forestry to assist in ecological restoration in North America and beyond
Authors: Park Hyeone , Turner Nancy , Higgs Eric
Published: September 2017

Food forests—edible, perennial, polyculture systems—are of increasing interest in North America and the United Kingdom, as reflected in projects ranging from urban food initiatives to integrated conservation and restoration planning. To examine emerging food forestry (FF) against the backdrop of ecological restoration (ER), we conducted semi‐structured interviews with eight experts each from the fields of FF and ER in conjunction with observations of food forests in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Using content analysis, our study builds a FF model that encompasses the underlying goals of emerging FF—forest function; diversity of yields; education and culture sharing; healthy habitats for people and other species; and sustainability. We argue that FF has potential as an urban restoration tool in terms of enhancing the multifunctionality of heterogeneous landscapes undergoing significant changes. This will require meaningful consideration of ethical issues (e.g. commodification of nature), landscape contexts, ecological integrity, integration of historical knowledge, and resilience for interdependent, dynamic social and ecological systems. Moreover, systematic, long‐term monitoring of different types of food forests will be crucial in order to mindfully apply FF in ER. This research provides one of the first in‐depth analyses of how emerging FF might contribute to restoration in the time of the Anthropocene, especially outside traditional tropic regions where most FF has been practiced.
How Homeric is the Aristotelian Conception of Courage?
Authors: Zavaliy Andrei G.
Published: September 2017

Abtract

When Aristotle limits the manifestation of true courage to the military context only, his primary target is an overly inclusive conception of courage presented by Plato in the Laches. At the same time, Aristotle explicitly tries to demarcate his ideal of genuine courage from the paradigmatic examples of courageous actions derived from the Homeric epics. It remains questionable, though, whether Aristotle is truly earnest in his efforts to distance himself from Homer. It will be argued that Aristotle's attempt to associate with Homer the two forms of specious courage—courage of the citizen troops and spirit‐caused courage—fails to provide sufficient criteria for the demarcation in question. All the essential elements of the Aristotelian account of courage, such as a voluntary choice, a noble goal, and a thumos‐driven reaction guided by reason are exemplified by a number of Homeric characters as well. It is thus likely that the philosopher's account of courage largely incorporates the poetic tradition at a new level, rather than supersedes it.
One Self per Customer? From Disunified Agency to Disunified Self
Authors: Lumsden David , Ulatowski Joseph
Published: September 2017

The notion of an agent and the notion of a self are connected, for agency is one role played by the self. Millgram argues for a disunity thesis of agency on the basis of extreme incommensurability across some major life events. We propose a similar negative thesis about the self, that it is composed of relatively independent threads reflecting the different roles and different mind‐sets of the person's life. Our understanding of those threads is based on theories of the narrative construction of the self. Our disunity thesis is that there need be no overarching narrative that unifies those narrative threads. To explain how the threads hang together to produce coherent action, we make these positive claims: (1) control normally switches smoothly and unconsciously between threads as circumstances require, (2) within one thread there is likely to be acknowledgment of other threads, (3) some situations require a temporary blending of threads, and (4) some plans and policies reach across different threads and contribute to some coordination among them. Our account of a self provides an account of agency that has merits in comparison to Millgram's. Our narrative approach allows explanations of actions beyond rational deliberation.
Kant, Oppression, and the Possibility of Nonculpable Failures to Respect Oneself
Authors: Holberg Erica A.
Published: September 2017

I argue that Kant's ethical framework cannot countenance a certain kind of failure to respect oneself that can occur within oppressive social contexts. Kant's assumption that any person, qua rational being, has guaranteed epistemic access to the moral law as the standard of good action and the capacity to act upon this standard makes autonomy an achievement within the individual agent's power, but this is contrary to a feminist understanding of autonomy as a relational achievement that can be thwarted by the systematic attack on autonomy that occurs within oppressive social conditions. Insofar as Kant's negative duty of self‐respect is unable to accommodate the ways immersion in oppressive social environments can warp an individual's understanding of what she is owed and capable of as a moral agent, it perpetuates the cruelty of unjust social systems in the guise of respecting individual autonomy. I conclude by considering Carol Hay's argument that those who are oppressed have an obligation to themselves to resist their own oppression, in order to explore how this limitation in how Kant conceives of the duty to respect the self may reach expression in contemporary ethical theory inspired by Kant.
Metastatic spine tumor surgery: does perioperative blood transfusion influence postoperative complications?
Authors: Zaw Aye Sandar , Kantharajanna Shashidhar B. , Maharajan Karthikeyan , Tan Barry , Saparamadu Amarasinghe A. , Kumar Naresh
Published: September 2017

BACKGROUND

The question of independent association between allogeneic blood transfusion (ABT) and postoperative complications in cancer surgeries has been controversial and remains so. In metastatic spine tumor surgery (MSTS), previous studies investigated the influence of ABT on survival, but not on postoperative complications. We aimed to evaluate the influence of perioperative ABT on postoperative complications and infections in patients undergoing MSTS.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

This retrospective study included 247 patients who underwent MSTS at a single tertiary institution between 2005 and 2014. The outcome measures were postoperative complications and infections within 30 days after MSTS. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to assess influence of blood transfusion on the outcomes after adjusting for potential confounders.

RESULTS

Of 247 patients, 133 (54%) received ABT with overall median (range) of 2 (0‐10) units. The adjusted odds of developing any postoperative complication was 2.27 times higher in patients with transfusion (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17‐4.38; p = 0.01) and 1.24 times higher odds per every unit increase in blood transfusion (95% CI, 1.05‐1.46; p < 0.01). Exposure to blood transfusion also increased the odds of having overall postoperative infections (odds ratio, 3.58; 95% CI, 1.15‐11.11; p = 0.02) and there were 1.24 times higher odds per every unit increase in transfusion (95% CI, 1.01‐1.54; p = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

This study adds evidence to the literature implicating ABT to be influential on postoperative complications and infections in patients undergoing MSTS. Appropriate blood management measures should, therefore, be given a crucial place in the care of these patients so as to reduce any putative effect of blood transfusion.
Pathogen inactivation of Dengue virus in red blood cells using amustaline and glutathione
Authors: Aubry Maite , Laughhunn Andrew , Santa Maria Felicia , Lanteri Marion C. , Stassinopoulos Adonis , Musso Didier
Published: September 2017

BACKGROUND

Dengue virus (DENV) is an arbovirus primarily transmitted through mosquito bite; however, DENV transfusion‐transmitted infections (TTIs) have been reported and asymptomatic DENV RNA–positive blood donors have been identified in endemic countries. DENV is considered a high‐risk pathogen for blood safety. One of the mitigation strategies to prevent arbovirus TTIs is pathogen inactivation. In this study we demonstrate that the amustaline and glutathione (S‐303/GSH) treatment previously found effective against Zika virus in red blood cells (RBCs) is also effective in inactivating DENV.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Red blood cells were spiked with high levels of DENV. Viral RNA loads and infectious titers were measured in the untreated control and before and after pathogen inactivation treatment of RBC samples. DENV infectivity was also assessed over five successive cell culture passages to detect any potential residual replicative virus.

RESULTS

The mean ± SD DENV titer in RBCs before inactivation was 6.61 ± 0.19 log 50% tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50)/mL and the mean viral RNA load was 8.42 log genome equivalents/mL. No replicative DENV was detected either immediately after completion of treatment using S‐303/GSH or after cell culture passages.

CONCLUSION

Treatment using S‐303/GSH inactivated high levels of DENV in RBCs to the limit of detection. In combination with previous studies showing the effective inactivation of DENV in plasma and platelets using the licensed amotosalen/UVA system, this study demonstrates that high levels of DENV can be inactivated in all blood components.
Transparency in non‐tariff measures: An international comparison
Authors: Ing Lili Yan , Cadot Olivier , Walz Janine
Published: September 2017

We construct an index of non‐tariff measures (NTM) transparency based on notifications to the WTO under the sanitary and phytosanitary and technical barriers to trade agreements, the existence of a trade portal giving ready access to trade‐relevant regulations, the existence of NTM data collected under the MAST classification, and the results of an experiment conducted between 2015 and 2016 where we asked for specific regulations concerning the import of a particular product on behalf of a private company. The resulting country ranking shows that OECD countries are, by and large, the most transparent, but also shows that ASEAN countries score well compared to other developing countries.
Accelerated epithelialization and improved wound healing metrics in porcine full‐thickness wounds transplanted with full‐thickness skin micrografts
Authors: Rettinger Christina L. , Fletcher John L. , Carlsson Anders H. , Chan Rodney K.
Published: September 2017

Split‐thickness skin grafting (STSG) is the current gold standard for treatment of extensive burn and traumatic skin injuries. However, STSG is limited by donor‐site morbidity and availability, and often leads to scarring and wound contracture. Furthermore, these thin grafts lack dermal elements such as nerves and adnexa which are important in recapitulating normal skin function. Methods of fractional skin replacement either as minced STSGs or microscopic skin tissue columns have been proposed, though these techniques have not been fully characterized and lack evidence of regenerated adnexal structures. Here, we describe an alternative method of fractional skin replacement using full‐thickness skin micrografts containing deep dermal components and intact adnexa. Full‐thickness wounds measuring 3 cm in diameter and 2 cm apart were created on adult female Yorkshire swine. Full‐thickness skin tissue columns (FTSTCs) 1.5 mm in diameter with intact adnexa and subcutaneous tissue were obtained using a suction‐assisted device. Explant culture was initiated to demonstrate the capacity of FTSTCs to act as reservoirs of viable and proliferative epidermal and dermal cells. FTSTCs were applied directly to excisional wounds at three different expansion ratios (1:16, 1:40, 1:100) in fibrin sealant. Biopsies were collected at defined time points postwounding and processed for histology and immunohistochemistry. Wounds grafted with FTSTCs showed enhanced reepithelialization and epidermal differentiation over untreated control wounds in a dosage dependent manner. Adnexal structures such as hair follicles and sweat glands were only evident in FTSTC‐treated wounds. Furthermore, whereas ungrafted wounds were marked by extensive infiltration of α‐Smooth Muscle Actin+ (α‐SMA+) myofibroblasts at POD 60, α‐SMA expression was sparse and largely limited to perivascular cells in FTSTC‐treated wounds. The number of Ki67+ cells was also greatly reduced in FTSTC‐treated wounds. Transplantation of FTSTCs containing intact adnexa improved wound healing parameters in porcine full‐thickness wounds and may have implications for the treatment of large, traumatic wounds.
Incorporating current research into formal higher education settings using Astrobites
Authors: Sanders Nathan E. , Kohler Susanna , Faesi Chris , Villar Ashley , Zevin Michael
Published: September 2017

A primary goal of many undergraduate- and graduate-level courses in the physical sciences is to prepare students to engage in scientific research or to prepare students for careers that leverage skillsets similar to those used by research scientists. Even for students who may not intend to pursue a career with these characteristics, exposure to the context of applications in modern research can be a valuable tool for teaching and learning. However, a persistent barrier to student participation in research is familiarity with the technical language, format, and context that academic researchers use to communicate research methods and findings with each other: the literature of the field. Astrobites, an online web resource authored by graduate students, has published brief and accessible summaries of more than 1300 articles from the astrophysical literature since its founding in 2010. This article presents three methods for introducing students at all levels within the formal higher education setting to approaches and results from modern research. For each method, we provide a sample lesson plan that integrates content and principles from Astrobites, including step-by-step instructions for instructors, suggestions for adapting the lesson to different class levels across the undergraduate and graduate spectrum, sample student handouts, and a grading rubric.
Personally happy and publicly useful: on being mentored by Ursula Franklin
Authors: Vitali Vanda
Published: September 2017

Dr. Ursula Franklin was a renowned scientist, humanist, and pacifist and a much-honored University Professor of the University of Toronto. This paper reviews her last large archaeological science/archaeometry project, the University of Toronto – Museum of Carthage Transfer of Technology Project. The paper also demonstrates Professor Franklin’s mentorship approach, and its relevance for the profession.
Milk fatty acid composition of perinatal and foraging Steller sea lions (Eumetopiasjubatus): examination from pup stomachs
Authors: Miller C.N. , Polasek L.K. , Oliveira A.C.M. , Frost C.J. , Maniscalco J.M.
Published: September 2017

To investigate the milk fatty acid composition of female Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus (Schreber, 1776)) between and within maternal states (i.e., perinatal or foraging), milk samples were collected in 2010 and 2011 via gastric intubation from Steller sea lion pups on a small rookery in the central Gulf of Alaska. Maternal states of lactating females were determined upon reuniting with their sampled pups via remotely operated video cameras on the rookery. Milk fatty acid composition between Steller sea lion maternal states was significantly different, and thus can be utilized to distinguish between perinatal and foraging Steller sea lions of the same geographic region in the absence of direct observation. However, milk fatty acid composition remained relatively constant within perinatal Steller sea lions, suggesting steady mobilization of fatty acids from blubber to milk, and within foraging Steller sea lions, implying females forage on similar prey species within several days after their perinatal period. Differences in milk fatty acid composition between maternal states, including differences in the relative percentages of polyunsaturated fatty acids, may have important implications for growth and development of offspring.
Darboux transformations of new supersymmetric CKP and BKP hierarchies
Authors: Ge Ruiling , Li Chuanzhong
Published: September 2017

In this paper, we construct a supersymmetric CKP(SCKP) hierarchy and its Darboux transformations. These Darboux transformations can generate new solutions from seed solutions by using supersymmetric functions. Further, we obtain the supersymmetric Sawada–Kotera equation from the reduction of supersymmetric CKP hierarchy. After that, using a new B type condition, we also construct a new supersymmetric BKP(SBKP) hierarchy which is different from the supersymmetric BKP hierarchy defined by Ramos and Stanciu. Meanwhile, the Darboux transformations of this new SBKP hierarchy are derived.
Quantum collections
Authors: Kornell Andre
Published: September 2017

We develop the viewpoint that [Formula: see text], the opposite of the category of [Formula: see text]-algebras and unital normal ∗-homomorphisms, is analogous to the category of sets and functions. For each pair of [Formula: see text]-algebras [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], we construct their free exponential [Formula: see text], which in the context of this analogy corresponds to the collection of functions from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text]. We also show that every unital normal completely positive map [Formula: see text] arises naturally from a normal state on [Formula: see text].
Reachable sheaves on ribbons and deformations of moduli spaces of sheaves
Authors: Drézet Jean-Marc
Published: September 2017

A primitive multiple curve is a Cohen–Macaulay irreducible projective curve [Formula: see text] that can be locally embedded in a smooth surface, and such that [Formula: see text] is smooth. In this case, [Formula: see text] is a line bundle on [Formula: see text]. If [Formula: see text] is of multiplicity 2, i.e. if [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] is called a ribbon. If [Formula: see text] is a ribbon and [Formula: see text], then [Formula: see text] can be deformed to smooth curves, but in general a coherent sheaf on [Formula: see text] cannot be deformed in coherent sheaves on the smooth curves. It has been proved in [Reducible deformations and smoothing of primitive multiple curves, Manuscripta Math. 148 (2015) 447–469] that a ribbon with associated line bundle [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] can be deformed to reduced curves having two irreducible components if [Formula: see text] can be written as [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] are distinct points of [Formula: see text]. In this case we prove that quasi-locally free sheaves on [Formula: see text] can be deformed to torsion-free sheaves on the reducible curves with two components. This has some consequences on the structure and deformations of the moduli spaces of semi-stable sheaves on [Formula: see text].
MORTGAGE LENDING AND FINANCIAL STABILITY IN ASIA
Authors: MORGAN PETER J. , ZHANG YAN
Published: September 2017

We estimated the effect of the share of mortgage lending by individual banks (together with some control variables) on two measures of financial stability — the bank Z-score and the non-performing loan ratio — for a sample of 397 banks in 19 emerging Asian economies for the period 2003–2014 from the Bankscope database. We find evidence that an increased share of mortgage lending is positive for financial stability, specifically by lowering the probability of default by financial institutions and reducing the non-performing loan ratio, at least in non-crisis periods, for levels of mortgage shares up to 23–65%. For higher levels of mortgage lending shares, there is some evidence that the impact on financial stability turns negative. We also find that the share of mortgage lending can be a useful measure of both financial development and financial inclusion.

This finding most likely reflects the effect of a higher share of mortgage lending in diversifying the mix of banks’ assets and thereby reducing overall risk. However, if the share of mortgage lending is too high, then the diversification effect diminishes. Therefore, the challenge is to balance the expected improvement in financial stability due to asset diversification against negative impacts that might result from easier lending standards or too rapid increases in mortgage lending that could trigger a bubble in the housing market. This highlights the need for prudent monetary policy and macroprudential policy measures to forestall the development of such bubbles.
Classification of Real Imbalanced Cardiovascular Data Using Feature Selection and Sampling Methods: A Case Study with Neural Networks and Logistic Regression
Authors: Bektas Jale , Ibrikci Turgay , Ozcan Ismail Turkay
Published: September 2017

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is very common among the major types of cardiovascular diseases, and there are several studies created with different features including data that is collected from patients for timely diagnosis of CAD.

In this study, a dataset with 21 features have been used, and a risk score prediction system has been proposed. The patients were divided into four groups. To determine the effective features of CAD dataset; t-test and Relief-f methods on Logistic Regression Analysis (LRA); Relief-f on Neural Network (NN) feature selection methods were utilized.

Sampling methods were used to improve imbalanced form of 4-classed dataset, and the effects of sampling methods were evaluated. Using NN with oversampling and Relief-f feature selection method; the results before the preprocess operations were detected as follows; 72.3% accuracy; after the operations, 84.1% accuracy were achieved with 0.84 sensitivity 0.94 specificity. These statistics obtained from the experiment, by detailed analysis, are the best ones for the CAD data set in this study.

Using the feature selection and the sampling methods with the NN substantially improve the prediction accuracy as well as the other metrics. This suggests that these preprocessing methods and the NN may be used together to construct for prediction of the 4-classed imbalanced medical datasets.
ABSA Toolkit: An Open Source Tool for Aspect Based Sentiment Analysis
Authors: Nasim Zarmeen , Haider Sajjad
Published: September 2017

With a rapid increase in e-commerce websites, people are often interested in analyzing customer reviews expressing customer sentiments on different features of a product before making purchase decisions. In this paper, we present ABSA (Aspect-Based Sentiment Analysis) Toolkit developed for performing aspect-level sentiment analysis on customer reviews. The system has two main phases: (a) development phase and (b) production phase. The development phase allows a user to train models for performing aspect level sentiment analysis tasks on the target domain. In the production phase, a web application is provided through which an end user can submit reviews to analyze aspect level sentiments. The system is built using state-of-the-art approaches of aspect term extraction, aspect category detection, and aspect polarity identification. To the best of our knowledge, there is no framework publicly available to build aspect-level sentiment analysis application. All the source code of the ABSA toolkit is available on GitHub.
Air Pollution Forecasting Model Based on Chance Theory and Intelligent Techniques
Authors: Eldakhly Nabil Mohamed , Aboul-Ela Magdy , Abdalla Areeg
Published: September 2017

A novel approach of weighted support vector regression (WSVR) technique with applied chance theory was proposed to build a robust forecasting model, called the chance weighted support vector regression (chWSVR) model. In order to forecast the particulate matter air pollutant of diameter less than 10 micrometers (PM10) one hour advance in the Greater Cairo Metropolitan Area (GCMA) in Egypt. The chance theory has advanced concepts pertinent to treat cases where both randomness and fuzziness play simultaneous roles at one time. The basic idea based on the proposed chWSVR model is assigning the chance weight value of the target variable, based on the chance theory, to its corresponding dataset point to become minimized in the objective function making that point more significant during the training process. Measuring data were collected and reprocessed from four monitoring stations located in GCMA and relative to the springs during the period from 2007 to 2010. The results of such model compared to similar ones built by other machine learning techniques, Random Forest and Bootstrap aggregating techniques. In all stations, comparing such models revealed that the proposed chWSVR model findings were promising in the forecasting of PM10hourly concentration.
Groups whose vanishing elements are of odd order
Authors: Robati S. M.
Published: September 2017

Let [Formula: see text] be a finite group. We say that an element [Formula: see text] in [Formula: see text] is a vanishing element if there exists some irreducible character [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we study the structure of finite groups whose vanishing elements are of odd order.
Estimation of anthracnose dynamics by nonlinear filtering
Authors: Fotsa-Mbogne David Jaurès
Published: September 2017

In this work, we apply the nonlinear filtering theory to the estimation of the partially observed dynamics of anthracnose which is a phytopathology. The signal here is the inhibition rate and the observations are the fruit volume and the rotted volume. We propose stochastic models based on deterministic models studied previously in the literature, in order to represent the noise introduced by uncontrolled variations on parameters and errors on the measurements. Under the assumption of Brownian noises, we prove the well-posedness of the models in either they take into account the space variable or not. The filtering problem is solved for the nonspatial model giving Zakai and Kushner–Stratonovich equations satisfied respectively by the unnormalized and the normalized conditional distribution of the signal with respect to the observations. A prevision problem and a discrete filtering problem are also studied for the realistic cases of discrete and possibly incomplete observations. We illustrate the filter behavior through figures displaying the average estimation relative error and a 95% confidence region obtained after a hundred of numerical simulations with initial conditions taken randomly with respect to uniform law.
Immobilization platform to induce quiescence in dormancy-capable cancer cells
Authors: Preciado Julian Adolfo , Reátegui Eduardo , Azarin Samira M. , Lou Emil , Aksan Alptekin
Published: September 2017

Cancer dormancy emerges when tumor cells cease to proliferate but remain alive in a quiescent state. Recent evidence suggests that cancer cells can stay dormant in a patient’s body for years before returning to a proliferative state, leading to cancer relapse. The lack of a system to efficiently identify and study dormant cancer cells is currently limiting further diagnostic and treatment developments to prevent cancer relapse. Herein, we present a novel encapsulation platform to identify and study dormancy-capable cancer cells in a quiescent state by inhibiting proliferation through physical confinement. The platform involves the encapsulation of cells within a stiff silica-PEG hydrogel produced by a sol–gel technique. Cells are immobilized in a nondegradable microenvironment where proliferation and movement are inhibited due to physical confinement of the gel. The platform was tested using non-cancerous cell lines HFF, HUVEC, Jurkat, MEF, and MCF-10A, and cancer cell lines LnCAP, MCF-7, MCF10DCIS.com , MDA-MB-468, and OVCAR-5. Viability and metabolic activity measurements showed that MCF-7, LnCAP, and MCF10DCIS.COM cells remained metabolically active for up to 3 weeks while non-cancerous lines and the rest of the cancer cell lines did not survive after a few days. Ki-67 immunofluorescent staining confirmed that surviving MCF-7 cells underwent cell cycle arrest as early as 48 hours after encapsulation. Furthermore, following extraction and recovery, these cells resumed proliferation, indicating that the induced cell cycle arrest was reversible. These results conclude that physically inhibiting proliferation via the silica-PEG hydrogel system can be used to identify cells that can enter a quiescent state, setting the groundwork for this platform to be explored as a cancer cell dormancy model.
Hardness of Approximation for Strip Packing
Authors: Adamaszek Anna , Kociumaka Tomasz , Pilipczuk Marcin , Pilipczuk Michał
Published: September 2017

Strip packing is a classical packing problem, where the goal is to pack a set of rectangular objects into a strip of a given width, while minimizing the total height of the packing. The problem has multiple applications, for example, in scheduling and stock-cutting, and has been studied extensively.

When the dimensions of the objects are allowed to be exponential in the total input size, it is known that the problem cannot be approximated within a factor better than 3/2, unless P= NP. However, there was no corresponding lower bound for polynomially bounded input data. In fact, Nadiradze and Wiese [SODA 2016] have recently proposed a (1.4 + ϵ)-approximation algorithm for this variant, thus showing that strip packing with polynomially bounded data can be approximated better than when exponentially large values are allowed in the input. Their result has subsequently been improved to a (4/3 + ϵ)-approximation by two independent research groups [FSTTCS 2016, WALCOM 2017]. This raises a question whether strip packing with polynomially bounded input data admits a quasi-polynomial time approximation scheme, as is the case for related two-dimensional packing problems like maximum independent set of rectangles or two-dimensional knapsack.

In this article, we answer this question in negative by proving that it is NP-hard to approximate strip packing within a factor better than 12/11, even when restricted to polynomially bounded input data. In particular, this shows that the strip packing problem admits no quasi-polynomial time approximation scheme, unless NP} ⊑ DTIME(2
polylog (n)
).
Pannier
Authors: Li Cheng , Shilane Philip , Douglis Fred , Wallace Grant
Published: September 2017

Classic caching algorithms leverage recency, access count, and/or other properties of cached blocks at per-block granularity. However, for media such as flash which have performance and wear penalties for small overwrites, implementing cache policies at a larger granularity is beneficial. Recent research has focused on buffering small blocks and writing in large granularities, sometimes called containers, but it has not explored the ramifications and best strategies for caching compound blocks consisting of logically distinct, but physically co-located, blocks. Containers may have highly diverse blocks, with mixtures of frequently accessed, infrequently accessed, and invalidated blocks.

We propose and evaluate Pannier, a flash cache layer that provides high performance while extending flash lifespan. Pannier uses three main techniques: (1) leveraging block access counts to manage cache containers, (2) incorporating block liveness as a property to improve flash cache space efficiency, and (3) designing a multi-step feedback controller to ensure a flash cache reaches its desired lifespan while maintaining performance. Our evaluation shows that Pannier improves flash cache performance and extends lifespan beyond previous per-block and container-aware caching policies. More fundamentally, our investigation highlights the importance of creating new policies for caching compound blocks in flash.
Bit-Parallel Approximate Matching of Circular Strings with
k
Mismatches
Authors: Hirvola Tommi , Tarhio Jorma
Published: September 2017

We consider approximate string matching of a circular pattern consisting of the rotations of a pattern of length
m
. From SBNDM and Tuned Shift-Add, we derive a sublinear-time algorithm for searching a noncircular pattern with
k
allowed mismatches, which is extended to the problem of approximate circular pattern matching with
k
mismatches. We prove that the presented algorithms are average-optimal for
m
⋅⌈log
2
(
k
+1)+1 ⌉ =
O
(
w
), where
w
is the size of the computer word in bits. Experiments conducted under the aforementioned condition show that the new
k
-mismatches algorithm for circular strings outperforms previous solutions in practice. In particular, our algorithm is the first nonfiltering method for approximate circular string matching in sublinear average time, which makes it more suitable than earlier filtering methods for high error levels
k
/
m
and small alphabets.
Comparison of Chebyshev and Legendre Polynomial Expansion of Phase Function of Cloud and Aerosol Particles
Authors: Zhang Feng , Liu Kun , Yang Quan , Wu Kun , Zhao Jian-Qi
Published: September 2017

Chebyshev and Legendre polynomial expansion is used to reconstruct the Henyey-Greenstein phase function and the phase functions of spherical and nonspherical particles. The result of Legendre polynomial expansion is better than that of Chebyshev polynomial for around 0-degree forward angle, while Chebyshev polynomial expansion produces more accurate results in most regions of the phase function. For large particles like ice crystals, the relative errors of Chebyshev polynomial can be two orders of magnitude less than those of Legendre polynomial.
Xanthogranulomatous Pyelonephritis with Incomplete Double Ureter
Authors: Hayashi Yutaro , Kawahara Takashi , Hattori Yusuke , Shimokihara Kota , Tsutsumi Sohgo , Takamoto Daiji , Mochizuki Taku , Teranishi Jun-ichi , Yumura Yasushi , Miyoshi Yasuhide , Otani Masako , Uemura Hiroji
Published: September 2017

Introduction. Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGP) is a type of chronic renal inflammation that usually occurs in immunocompromised middle-aged women with chronic urinary tract infection or ureteral obstruction induced by the formation of ureteral stones. XGP with an incomplete double ureter is extremely rare. Case Presentation. A 76-year-old woman was referred to our department to undergo further examination for a left renal tumor that was detected by ultrasonography. Dynamic contrast computed tomography (CT) revealed an enhanced tumor in the upper renal parenchyma. Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy was performed based on a preoperative diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma. Histological sections showed the aggregation of foam cells; thus, XGP was diagnosed. Conclusion. We herein report a rare case of XGP in the upper pole of the kidney, which might have been associated with an incomplete double ureter.
A Case of Chronic Cough and Pneumonia Secondary to a Foreign Body
Authors: Dabu Joan , Lindner Meredith , Azzam Moh’d , Al-Khateeb Anas , Kadri Muqueet , Bellary Sharath , Miller Richard
Published: September 2017

Foreign body aspiration occurs when a solid or semisolid object becomes lodged in the larynx or trachea. It can be a life-threatening emergency, especially if it is large enough to occlude the airway. However, small aspirated objects may go unnoticed until symptoms occur. Therefore, it is frequently misdiagnosed. A high level of clinical suspicion, patient’s risk factors, and thorough history and physical examination are essential in making the diagnosis. It should be considered in cases where there is unresolved chronic cough with or without associated recurrent pneumonia especially in patients with risks for aspiration.
Application of HPTLC with Densitometry for Evaluation of the Impact of External Factors on Contents of Diphenhydramine in Its Solutions
Authors: Bober Katarzyna
Published: September 2017

The subject of durability of drugs is a very important problem investigated by researches. The method of accelerated aging is very often used for stability testing. It involves the influence of temperature, humidity, and light exposure. The aim of this work is estimation of contents of diphenhydramine in its standard solutions undergoing the impact of external factors, that is, temperature and UV light. The standard solutions of diphenhydramine were prepared in distilled water. The analysis of contents of compound investigated was carried out by use of HPTLC. Adsorption thin layer chromatography was performed on aluminum HPTLC plates precoated with silica gel 60F254using mixture of ammonia, methanol, and ethyl acetate as mobile phase. The solutions investigated were exposed to UV light as well as being heated in 40°C. The contents of diphenhydramine were measured in initial solution and during experiment. The additional peaks on densitograms as well as changes in color of solution were observed as a result of exposure to UV light which can give information about new substances, degradation products of diphenhydramine, which were created during experiment.
Knowledge about Tuberculosis: A Precursor to Effective TB Control—Findings from a Follow-Up National KAP Study on Tuberculosis among Nigerians
Authors: Hassan A. O. , Olukolade Richard , Ogbuji Q. C. , Afolabi S. , Okwuonye L. C. , Kusimo O. C. , Osho J. A. , Osinowo K. A. , Ladipo O. A.
Published: September 2017

Tuberculosis (TB) constitutes a significant and major public health emergency globally. Nigeria is one of the 22 high burden Tuberculosis countries. A high level of community awareness and positive perception towards TB and its management is crucial for the success of any control strategy. A national baseline survey was conducted in 2008 and a follow-up study in 2012 to measure knowledge of TB among the general population. This study therefore evaluated the knowledge of the target population about Tuberculosis in the follow-up study. A cross-sectional study design was employed with a total of 3,021 respondents interviewed from six states selected randomly from each of the six geopolitical zones in the country. Quantitative and qualitative research methodologies were adopted. From the findings, about 60% of the respondents were aged between 21 and 40 years and more than half had secondary school education. Over 80% had ever heard about TB. Although there has been a significant improvement in correct knowledge of the cause of TB from baseline (19%) in 2008 to 26.5% in 2012 (p<0.001), findings showed that prioritized interventions are needed to improve communication and information dissemination on Tuberculosis to the general public, to aid TB control and all prevention efforts.