bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevention and Monitoring of Cardiac Dysfunction in Survivors of Adult Cancers: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline
Authors: Armenian Saro H. , Lacchetti Christina , Barac Ana , Carver Joseph , Constine Louis S. , Denduluri Neelima , Dent Susan , Douglas Pamela S. , Durand Jean-Bernard , Ewer Michael , Fabian Carol , Hudson Melissa , Jessup Mariell , Jones Lee W. , Ky Bonnie , Mayer Erica L. , Moslehi Javid , Oeffinger Kevin , Ray Katharine , Ruddy Kathryn , Lenihan Daniel
Published: February 2017

Purpose

Cardiac dysfunction is a serious adverse effect of certain cancer-directed therapies that can interfere with the efficacy of treatment, decrease quality of life, or impact the actual survival of the patient with cancer. The purpose of this effort was to develop recommendations for prevention and monitoring of cardiac dysfunction in survivors of adult-onset cancers.

Methods

Recommendations were developed by an expert panel with multidisciplinary representation using a systematic review (1996 to 2016) of meta-analyses, randomized clinical trials, observational studies, and clinical experience. Study quality was assessed using established methods, per study design. The guideline recommendations were crafted in part using the Guidelines Into Decision Support methodology.

Results

A total of 104 studies met eligibility criteria and compose the evidentiary basis for the recommendations. The strength of the recommendations in these guidelines is based on the quality, amount, and consistency of the evidence and the balance between benefits and harms.

Recommendations

It is important for health care providers to initiate the discussion regarding the potential for cardiac dysfunction in individuals in whom the risk is sufficiently high before beginning therapy. Certain higher risk populations of survivors of cancer may benefit from prevention and screening strategies implemented during cancer-directed therapies. Clinical suspicion for cardiac disease should be high and threshold for cardiac evaluation should be low in any survivor who has received potentially cardiotoxic therapy. For certain higher risk survivors of cancer, routine surveillance with cardiac imaging may be warranted after completion of cancer-directed therapy, so that appropriate interventions can be initiated to halt or even reverse the progression of cardiac dysfunction.
Enthesis regeneration: a role for Gli1+ progenitor cells
Authors: Schwartz Andrea G. , Galatz Leesa M. , Thomopoulos Stavros
Published: February 2017

The tendon enthesis originates from a specific pool of hedgehog-active Gli1+ progenitor cells that differentiate and produce mineralized fibrocartilage. The current study investigated the regenerative capacity of this cell population by comparing the responses of early postnatal and mature entheses to injury. Lineage tracing studies demonstrated that the original Gli1+ cell population had the capacity to heal immature entheses after injury, but this capacity was lost after the cells differentiated into mature fibrochondrocytes. To further examine the involvement of Gli1+ cells and hedgehog signaling in enthesis healing, Gli1 expression was examined via lineage tracing approaches and the effect of Smo deletion was examined in the injured entheses. Immature injured entheses retained high levels of Gli1 expression, a marker of hedgehog activation, consistent with non-injured controls. In contrast, injured mature entheses had few Gli1+ cells early in the healing process, with limited recovery of the cell population later in the healing process. These results suggest that the presence of activated hedgehog signaling in enthesis cells early in the healing process may enhance healing of enthesis injuries by mimicking developmental processes.
Phosphorylation potential of Drosophila E-Cadherin intracellular domain is essential for development and adherens junction biosynthetic dynamics regulation
Authors: Chen Yi-Jiun , Huang Juan , Huang Lynn , Austin Erin , Hong Yang
Published: February 2017

Phosphorylation of a highly conserved serine cluster in the intracellular domain of E-Cadherin is essential for binding to β-Catenin in vitro. In cultured cells, phosphorylation of specific serine residues within the cluster is also required for regulation of adherens junction (AJ) stability and dynamics. However, much less is known about how such phosphorylation of E-Cadherin regulates AJ formation and dynamics in vivo. In this report, we generated an extensive array of Drosophila E-Cadherin (DE-Cad) endogenous knock-in alleles that carry mutations targeting this highly conserved serine cluster. Analyses of these mutations suggest that the overall phosphorylation potential, rather than the potential site-specific phosphorylation, of the serine cluster enhances the recruitment of β-Catenin by DE-Cad in vivo. Moreover, phosphorylation potential of the serine cluster only moderately increases the level of β-Catenin in AJs and is in fact dispensable for AJ formation in vivo. Nonetheless, phosphorylation-dependent recruitment of β-Catenin is essential for development, probably by enhancing the interactions between DE-Cad and α-Catenin. In addition, several phospho-mutations dramatically reduced the biosynthetic turnover rate of DE-Cad during apical-basal polarization, and such biosynthetically stable DE-Cad mutants specifically rescued the polarity defects in embryonic epithelia lacking the polarity proteins Stardust and Crumbs.
Generation of thalamic neurons from mouse embryonic stem cells
Authors: Shiraishi Atsushi , Muguruma Keiko , Sasai Yoshiki
Published: February 2017

The thalamus is a diencephalic structure that plays crucial roles in relaying and modulating sensory and motor information to the neocortex. The thalamus develops in the dorsal part of the neural tube at the level of the caudal forebrain. However, the molecular mechanisms that are essential for thalamic differentiation are still unknown. Here, we have succeeded in generating thalamic neurons from mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) by modifying the default method that induces the most-anterior neural type in self-organizing culture. A low concentration of the caudalizing factor insulin and a MAPK/ERK kinase inhibitor enhanced the expression of the caudal forebrain markers Otx2 and Pax6. BMP7 promoted an increase in thalamic precursors such as Tcf7l2+/Gbx2+ and Tcf7l2+/Olig3+ cells. mESC thalamic precursors began to express the glutamate transporter vGlut2 and the axon-specific marker VGF, similar to mature projection neurons. The mESC thalamic neurons extended their axons to cortical layers in both organotypic culture and subcortical transplantation. Thus, we have identified the minimum elements sufficient for in vitro generation of thalamic neurons. These findings expand our knowledge of thalamic development.
Book Review:Α. Γ. Κ. ΣABBIΔΗΣ, Ιστορία της Αυτοκρατορίας των Μεγάλων Κομνηνών της Τραπεζούντας (1204–1461), Thessaloniki 2016
Authors: LEONTSINI Maria
Published: February 2017

Book Review:Α. Γ. Κ. ΣΑΒΒΙΔΗΣ, Ιστορία της Αυτοκρατορίας των Μεγάλων Κομνηνών της Τραπεζούντας (1204–1461), 3rd edition, Thessaloniki 2016
Priorities of the Monetary Policy of Russia in 2017–2019 years
Authors: Смирнов  , Smirnov E.
Published: February 2017

In the 2017–2019 triennial monetary policy of Russia will focus on ensuring price and financial stability in order

to promote the new model of economic development, which adequately meets the need of the age and the requirements

of world market.
Motivation of User-Generated Content: Social Connectedness Moderates the Effects of Monetary Rewards
Authors: Sun Yacheng , Dong Xiaojing , McIntyre Shelby
Published: February 2017

The creation and sharing of user-generated content such as product reviews has become increasingly “social,” particularly in online communities where members are connected. While some online communities have used monetary rewards to motivate product review contributions, empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of such rewards remains limited. We examine the possible moderating effect of social connectedness (measured as the number of friends) on publicly offered monetary rewards using field data from an online review community. This community saw an (unexpected) overall decrease in total contributions after introducing monetary rewards for posting reviews. Further examination across members finds a strong moderating effect of social connectedness. Specifically, contributions from less-connected members increased by 1,400%, while contributions from more-connected members declined by 90%. To corroborate this effect, we rule out multiple alternative explanations and conduct robustness checks. Our findings suggest that token-sized monetary rewards, when offered publicly, can undermine contribution rates among the most connected community members.

Data and the online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.2016.1022
On Styles in Product Design: An Analysis of U.S. Design Patents
Authors: Chan Tian Heong , Mihm Jürgen , Sosa Manuel E.
Published: February 2017

Products combine function and form. This paper focuses on product form. We combine state-of-the-art clustering techniques with experimental validation to identify styles (groupings of new product designs of similar form) among the more than 350,000 U.S. design patents granted from 1977 through 2010. Thus we compile, for the first time, a rich data set of styles that can serve as an empirical platform for a rigorous study of the role played by product form in new product development. Building on this platform, we analyze the determinants of “style turbulence”—the year-to-year unpredictability of changes in a style’s prevalence. We find that (i) style turbulence follows a U-shaped relationship with respect to function turbulence (the turbulence of product functions associated with a given style), and (ii) style turbulence increases over time. We discuss the implications of these findings for managing design in new product development.

Data and the e-companion are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2016.2653 .

This paper was accepted by David Hsu, entrepreneurship and innovation.
Looking beyond tasks to develop flexible leadership
Authors: Barton Adrian , Johns Nick , Magee Sally
Published: February 2017

There is a determination within health and social care to make leaders and leadership better and more able to face the challenges within an ever-changing social, political and organisational landscape. However, this presents difficulties, especially as workplace culture and climate may make people unlikely to take different leadership approaches. This paper reports on the findings of an evaluation of a leadership development programme delivered to senior leaders in health and social care. It uses qualitative data to demonstrate that, even in a safe, risk-free environment, health and social care leaders approach a hypothetical scenario in a defensive, hierarchical and expert-led manner; only after they were given ‘expert’ permission to change leadership style, did they act collectively and seek to adopt a transformational style of leadership.
Findings from the State of Health and Adult Social Care report
Authors: Frankova Helena
Published: February 2017

CQC's report on The state of health and adult social care in England 2015/6 (1) gives a rich but mixed picture. In this article, Helena Frankova gives an overview of the highlights and unpicks the lessons that can be learnt by home owners and managers
Combined phacovitrectomy in the UK: A lean perspective
Authors: Rufai Sohaib R , Alexander Philip , Emsley Elizabeth , Lash Stephen C
Published: February 2017

Background:

Cataract formation is the most frequent complication associated with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV). A growing trend has emerged for surgeons to perform combined phacovitrectomy rather than a two-step approach, even in the absence of cataract. We performed a financial analysis of combined phacovitrectomy for epiretinal membrane (ERM).

Methods:

Patients who underwent phacovitrectomy for ERM over a three-year period were included in the study. Operating time and cost of theatre time per minute was assessed. Univariate sensitivity analysis was performed to examine the sensitivity of our findings to changes in case duration.

Results:

Combined phacovitrectomy was performed on 55 eyes. Theatre cost per minute was £14.91 (in addition to £197.49 surgical pack prices). The mean operating time for phacovitrectomy was 48 minutes (range 23–77 minutes) and mean theatre cost was £909 (range 540-1346). The average income for the hospital per combined phacovitrectomy was £914. The conclusion that combined phacovitrectomy represented the more lean approach was robust in our sensitivity analysis.

Conclusion:

Our findings suggest that phacovitrectomy costs less to healthcare commissioners, yet still leads to a higher income for the hospital due to its higher tariff. Combined phacovitrectomy is the lean approach compared to two-step surgery and should be recommended for all phakic patients with ERM.
Is ultrasound a reliable and precise measure of sternal micromotion in acute patients after cardiac surgery?
Authors: Balachandran Sulakshana , Sorohan Maeve , Denehy Linda , Lee Annemarie , Royse Alistair , Royse Colin , Ali Katijjahbe Mohd , El-Ansary Doa
Published: February 2017

Background/Aims:

There is limited evidence to support the routine prescription of sternal precautions following cardiac surgery, and the effects of dynamic tasks on sternal healing remain unclear. The aims of this study were to determine the reliability of ultrasound as a measure of sternal micromotion and to report the minimal detectable change in the acute cardiac surgery population.

Methods:

Twenty participants, 3–7 days following cardiac surgery, were recruited. Ultrasound imaging of the sternum was undertaken at rest and during five dynamic tasks, including deep inspiration, cough, upper limb elevation (unilateral and bilateral), and sit to stand. Tasks were repeated three times, and the order randomised. Ultrasound images were captured with a SonoSite M-Turbo device, and two blinded observers used MicroDicom software to measure sternal micromotion. The intra- and inter-observer reliability of the mean ultrasound measures were calculated using intraclass correlation coefficients; precision with the standard error of measurement and calculation of the minimal detectable change.

Findings:

The intra-observer reliability of the mean ultrasound measures for all tasks ranged from intraclass correlation (3,1) 0.990 to 0.997. The inter-observer reliability ranged from intraclass correlation coefficients (2,1) 0.994 to 0.998. At rest, the standard error of measurement was 0.05 mm and the minimal detectable change was 0.14 mm for both the lateral and antero–posterior motion of the sternal edges.

Conclusions:

Ultrasound is a reliable and precise measure of sternal micromotion in the acute cardiac surgery population. The results of this study suggest that future research exploring the effects of exercise and functional tasks on the healing sternum using ultrasound is warranted to better inform post-operative management and intervention for this patient population.
Qualitative research. Part 2: Methodologies
Authors: Nicholls David
Published: February 2017

Background:

There are still many practitioners, academics and researchers who are bemused by the principles and practices of qualitative research. The second paper in this three part series on qualitative research explores the important question of research methodologies.

Content:

Focusing on four of the more common methodologies—phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography and discourse analysis—the article shows how each represents a distinctively different view of reality (a feature of qualitative research that was unpacked in the first article in the series).

Conclusions:

These methodologies are then used to highlight some of the fundamental methodological differences between quantitative and qualitative research. Having set down these principles, I move on, in the third article, to discuss qualitative methods of data collection and analysis.
One picture or a thousand words? Influence of question length and illustration support on the success and skip rates on online tests
Authors: Redondo Ernest , Regot Joaquim , Fonseca David , Valls Francesc , Giménez Lluís
Published: February 2017

The growing popularity of automatically graded online tests, either as an evaluation or self-assessment tool in online or blended education, demands a review of how these questions are designed and delivered to their intended audience. This paper analyzes the results of over 20,000 pre-university mock online quizzes designed to train the students for the Spanish university admission test (known as “Pruebas de Acceso a la Universidad” or “Selectividad”) in the technical drawing subject, corresponding to the June and September intakes of 2009 and 2015. The influence of two key aspects on the questions success and skip rates is assessed: (a) the presence or absence of illustration support and (b) the length of the question as a proxy of reading comprehension difficulty. The results support that the presence of an accompanying illustration in the questions result in fewer skipped questions and mode successful answers, while the length of the question has the opposite effect. The performance difference in the 6-year span is also discussed, showing a slight decline over time in the pass rates while the skip rates remain stable. When comparing both two intakes, corresponding to different academic profiles of students that passed the June exam and those who did not, the success ratio is unsurprisingly lower for the students in the second intake. These findings should help improving the design of online quizzes, including more visual content and/or rephrasing the questions to be more concise, to fit the requirements of students educated in a more visual environment of multimedia technologies.
Desarrollo de competencias emprendedoras mediante iniciativas de aprendizaje basado en proyectos
Authors: Sánchez González Lidia , Ferrero Castro Rubén , Conde González Miguel Ángel , Alfonso Cendón Javier
Published: February 2017

Un aspecto clave para cualquier institución educativa es formar a los individuos para que se desenvuelvan eficientemente en la sociedad. En la actualidad el contexto en que se desarrolla la formación es la era digital. En este contexto y en la coyuntura socioeconómica actual, se hace fundamental incrementar la futura empleabilidad de los discentes. Esto requiere que los contenidos impartidos estén alineados con los requerimientos de las empresas, que los estudiantes sepan utilizar metodologías, técnicas y herramientas que les ayuden a estar mejor preparados para desempeñar sus futuros trabajos. En este sentido uno de los aspectos más demandados por las empresas e instituciones es que los trabajadores no saben abordar un proyecto desde el principio.Dada esta situación el presente artículo plantea la aplicación de una metodología de aprendizaje basado en proyectos para solventar este problema. En concreto se desarrolla una experiencia durante dos años en los que los alumnos deben desarrollar proyectos completos en grupos y generar productos reales. Después de la experiencia se evalúa la adquisición de competencias y el incremento de la motivación del alumno y se observan resultados positivos en ambos sentidos.
OpenStax Connexion versus Wikibooks: Análise comparativa de plataformas de suporte a livros abertos
Authors: Seco Carlos Manuel , Quintas Mendes António
Published: February 2017

As mudanças a que assistimos na sociedade contemporânea, nomeadamente no que diz respeito à criação, gestão e disseminação do conhecimento, conduzem-nos cada vez mais para um mundo de informação colectiva, partilhada e colaborativa. Nesse contexto, os Recursos Educacionais Abertos (REAs) e as Práticas Educacionais Abertas (PEAs) constituem-se como dimensões fundamentais da chamada Educação Aberta, com a qual se pretende promover uma sociedad e mais equitativa onde a Educação seja mais livre e acessível para todos. Nesse quadro, centramo-nos neste artigo na questão da produção de Livros Abertos. São comparadas duas plataformas, a “OpenStax Connexion” e a “Wikilivros”, com o objetivo de identificar as vantagens e as desvantagens de cada uma delas como plataforma de produção de Livros Abertos que possam constituir-se como REAs e como apoio a Práticas Educacionais Abertas. Analisamos em pormenor cada uma das plataformas referidas e apresentamos, através de uma grelha comparativa, os resultados dessa análise, com indicadores que nos possibilitam fazer opções quanto à plataforma que melhor serve os propósitos de criação de REAs e de PEAs.
De redes sociais a comunidades de prática: um estudo sobre percepção e efetivação de affordances no ambiente on-line
Authors: De Oliveira Daniela Valim
Published: February 2017

Lima (2009) afirma que a aprendizagem da língua inglesa tem se justificado desde a questão de status à real necessidade de se comunicar com um mundo sem fronteiras. Conscientes da importância da aprendizagem dessa língua nos dias atuais, marcados por questões tecnológicas, propomos pesquisar como alguns ambientes on-line influenciam essa aprendizagem em alunos de uma escola de idiomas em Uberaba, Minas Gerais. Para tanto, recorremos ao termo affordances, cunhado por Gibson (1986), que tem sido utilizado atualmente na área de Linguística Aplicada. Esse termo significa tudo o que um ambiente pode proporcionar a um individuo. Sendo assim, acreditamos que esses ambientes on-line, que incluem as redes sociais, são repletos de affordances a serem efetivadas para a aprendizagem de língua inglesa. Acreditamos, ainda, que tais redes sociais são ambientes propícios para a emergência de comunidades de prática (WENGER; MCDERMOTT; SNYDER, 2002). Ao analisar questionários, contendo narrativas das experiências desses alunos com a língua inglesa em ambientes on-line, concluímos que eles percebem e efetivam diferentes affordances nesses ambientes, porém tendem a não utilizar as redes sociais como comunidades de prática.
Local regularity and compactness for the p-harmonic map heat flows
Authors: Misawa Masashi
Published: February 2017

We study a geometric analysis and local regularity for
the evolution of

p

{{p}}

-harmonic maps, called

p

{{p}}

-harmonic map heat flows.
Our main result is
to establish a criterion for a uniform local regularity estimate
for regular

p

{{p}}

-harmonic map heat flows,
devising some new monotonicity-type formulas
of a local scaled energy.
The regularity criterion obtained is almost optimal, comparing with
that of the corresponding stationary case.
As application we show a compactness of
regular

p

{{p}}

-harmonic map heat flows with energy bound.
Theoretical analysis of a water wave model with a nonlocal viscous dispersive term using the diffusive approach
Authors: Goubet Olivier , Manoubi Imen
Published: February 2017

In this paper, we study the following water wave model with a nonlocal viscous term:

u_{t}+u_{x}+\beta u_{xxx}+\frac{\sqrt{\nu}}{\sqrt{\pi}}\frac{\partial}{%
\partial t}\int_{0}^{t}\frac{u(s)}{\sqrt{t-s}}\,ds+uu_{x}=\nu u_{xx},

where

{\frac{1}{\sqrt{\pi}}\frac{\partial}{\partial t}\int_{0}^{t}\frac{u(s)}{\sqrt{%
t-s}}\,ds}

is the Riemann–Liouville half-order derivative.
We prove the well-posedness of this model using diffusive realization of the half-order derivative,
and we discuss the asymptotic convergence of the solution.
Also, we compare our mathematical results with those given in [5] and [14] for similar equations.
Effect of sous-vide technique on fatty acid and mineral compositions of beef and liver from Bonsmara and non-descript cattle
Authors: Falowo Andrew Bamidele , Muchenje Voster , Hugo Arno
Published: February 2017

This study examined the fatty acid and mineral compositions of raw and cooked beef and liver from Bonsmara (BD) and non-descript (ND) cattle, raised on natural pasture. Samples were collected from 80 cows and thermal-processed at 65°C for 120 minutes and 85°C for 60 minutes using sous-vide techniques, and then analysed for fatty acid and mineral compositions. The results did not show differences in individual fatty acid composition of meat samples between the breed (P>0.05). However, the raw beef sample had higher content of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA , 40.22% ± 3.79 ND, 42.53% ± 2.39 BD) and lower content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA , 11.02% ± 5.47 ND, 10.13% ± 6.73 BD) than liver (MUFA , 20.11% ± 4.76 ND, 21.08% ± 2.46 BD; PUFA , 30.73% ± 5.20 ND, 31.11% ± 2.37 BD) (P<0.05). The PUFA /MUFA and n-6/n-3 ratios, atherogenicity and desaturase indices were comparable between breeds, but higher in beef than liver. The total percentage of saturated fatty acid, MUFA and PUFA retained after cooking were numerically higher in liver than in beef (P>0.05). The results further revealed higher contents of Na, Mg, and Zn in raw beef than liver. However, the content of Na, Mg, and Zn in the beef and liver were not significantly (P>0.05) affected after cooking. Based on the PUFA proportion of the total lipids in beef (11.02%) and liver (31.11%) and n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio in beef (2.54) and liver (1.34), consumption of liver and beef from cattle raised on pasture could be beneficial to human health. Additionally, application of sous-vide technique can be used to minimize the nutritional losses in beef and liver.
Supplementing lactation diets with herbal extract mixture during summer improves the performance of sows and nursing piglets
Authors: Liu Wen-Chao , Yun Hyeok-Min , Pi Seung-Ho , Kim In-Ho
Published: February 2017

A total of 45 Landrace × Yorkshire multiparous sows were used to evaluate the effect of dietary herbal extract mixture (Scutellaria baicalensis and Lonicera japonica, HEM) supplementation in lactating sows under heat stress. Sows were randomly allotted to 1 of 3 dietary treatments: 1) CON, basal diet; 2) TRT 1, basal diet with 5 g/d HEM; 3) TRT 2, basal diet with 10 g/d HEM. During lactation, dietary HEM supplementation linearly increased (P<0.05) the average daily feed intake (ADFI) and linearly decreased (P<0.05) backfat loss. The digestibility of dry matter (DM) was increased after farrowing (linear, P<0.05; quadratic, P<0.05) and weaning (linear, P<0.05) by HEM supplementation. Furthermore, HEM treatment led to a lower (linear, P<0.01) serum cortisol level. In addition, administration of HEM improved (linear, P<0.05) the piglets weaning weight and overall average daily gain (ADG) during suckling period. Meanwhile, on day 7 and 14 after birth, the fecal score of piglets was decreased (linear, P<0.01) by HEM supplementation. Taken together, under high ambient temperatures, inclusion of HEM to lactation diets could improve the feed intake, digestibility of DM, piglets weaning weight and ADG, while decreasing backfat loss, serum cortisol level, as well as the diarrhea of piglets.
Apoptosis in chicken ovarian follicles following in vitro exposure to TCDD, PCB 126 and PCB 153
Authors: Antos Piotr A. , Hrabia Anna , Gdula Anna , Sechman Andrzej
Published: February 2017

The study was conducted in order to compare the in vitro effect of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-pdioxin (TCDD), 3,3′,4,4′,5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 126) and 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB 153) on the number of apoptotic cells and the activity of caspase-3 in chicken ovarian follicles. The ovarian stroma, white (WF) and yellowish (YF) prehierarchical follicles and fragments of the theca and granulosa layers of the 3 largest preovulatory follicles (F3-F1) were in vitro exposed to TCDD (10 nM), PCB 126 (10 nM) and PCB 153 (10 μM) for 24 h. After incubation the number of apoptotic cells and caspase-3 activity were determined by TUNEL method and fluorometric assay, respectively. PCB 126 and PCB 153 increased the number of apoptotic cells in the ovarian stroma while TCDD and PCB 126 elevated it in the WF follicles. Under the control conditions, caspase-3 activity steadily increased along with maturation of the follicles, reaching the highest level in the theca layer of the F1 follicle. The activity of this enzyme in the granulosa layer of F3-F1 follicles was on average 60% lower in comparison to the stroma. Exposure to TCDD elevated caspase-3 activity in prehierarchical follicles and in the granulosa layer of F2 and F1 preovulatory follicles. On the contrary, PCB 126 exerted a suppressive effect on caspase-3 activity in the WF follicles and the granulosa layer of the F2 follicle, and PCB 153 in the theca layer of F2 and F1 and the granulosa layer of the F3 follicle. In conclusion, the results indicate that TCDD and PCBs affect apoptosis in chicken ovarian follicles and in consequence may disrupt follicle development.
Factors affecting the freezing point of milk from Polish Holstein-Friesian cows
Authors: Otwinowska-Mindur Agnieszka , Ptak Ewa , Grzesiak Agnieszka
Published: February 2017

The objective of this study was to estimate the influence of lactation number, month of milk sampling, lactation stage and herd size on the freezing point of milk of Polish Holstein‑Friesian cows. Data comprised 4,719,787 milk samples from the first seven lactations of 752,770 Polish Holstein- Friesian cows. Milk freezing point (MFP), milk yield, and fat and protein content were analyzed. The mean MFP of milk samples (-0.5326°C) as well as more than 92% of all milk samples did not exceed the quality limit for the freezing point of cows′ raw milk, which, following Polish standards, was taken to be -0.52°C. The freezing point of milk samples, milk yield, fat and protein content were highly significantly affected by all examined factors: month of sampling, successive lactations, stage of lactation, and herd size. MFP was lowest in milk samples taken from January to March, and highest in samples from November to December. MFP increased with lactation number. Mean MFP decreased with time within lactation, except the first stage (5-35 days in milk). Generally, MFP was highest in small herds (up to 9 cows) and lowest in large herds (more than 150 cows).
Jaco-type graphs and black energy dissipation
Authors: Kok Johan , Sudev Naduvath K. , Chithra Kaithavalappil P. , Mary Augustine
Published: February 2017

In this paper, we introduce the notion of an energy graph
An Experiment on Radio Location of Objects in the Near-Earth Space with VLBI in 2012
Authors: Nechaeva M. , Antipenko A. , Bezrukovs V. , Bezrukov D. , Dementjev A. , Dugin N. , Konovalenko A. , Kulishenko V. , Liu X. , Nabatov A. , Nesteruk V. , Pupillo G. , Reznichenko A. , Salerno E. , Shmeld I. , Shulga O. , Sybiryakova Y. , Tikhomirov Yu. , Tkachenko A. , Volvach A. , Yang W.-J.
Published: February 2017

An experiment on radar location of space debris objects using of the method of VLBI was carried out in April, 2012. The radar VLBI experiment consisted in irradiation of some space debris objects (4 rocket stages and 5 inactive satellites) with a signal of the transmitter with RT-70 in Evpatoria, Ukraine. Reflected signals were received by a complex of radio telescopes in the VLBI mode. The following VLBI stations took part in the observations: Ventspils (RT-32), Urumqi (RT-25), Medicina (RT-32) and Simeiz (RT-22). The experiment included measurements of the Doppler frequency shift and the delay for orbit refining, and measurements of the rotation period and sizes of objects by the amplitudes of output interferometer signals. The cross-correlation of VLBI-data is performed at a correlator NIRFI-4 of Radiophysical Research Institute (Nizhny Novgorod). Preliminary data processing resulted in the series of Doppler frequency shifts, which comprised the information on radial velocities of the objects. Some results of the experiment are presented.
Peculiarities and Variations in the Optical Spectrum of the RV Tauri-type Star R Sct
Authors: Kipper Tõnu , Klochkova Valentina G.
Published: February 2017

We analyzed some new high resolution optical spectra of the semiregular RV Tauri-type star R Sct. Fundamental parameters were found to be T
eff = 4500 K, log g = 0.0 and ξ
t = 4.0 km s−1. The results of chemical analysis show that R Sct is a metal-poor star with [Fe/H]≈ −0.5. The carbon content with respect to iron is significantly larger than in the Sun, [C/Fe]=0.84, but there is an evident deficiency of heavy elements. We found no tight correlation of the chemical abundances on the condensation temperatures of elements. This means that in R Sct the depletion by condensation into dust does not work, with possible exception of Ca and Sc. The luminosity derived from the Hipparcos parallax corresponds to a tip of the red-giant branch or slightly above it. Thus it is possible that R Sct evolved off the early-AGB when it has not yet experienced the third dredge-up in thermal pulses, or it is still located on AGB. The peculiarities of spectral features (emissions, line-splitting) and the complicated time-variable radial velocities were also studied.
Seven-Color Photometry and Classification of Stars in the Direction of Open Cluster M29 (NGC 6913) in Cygnus
Authors: Milašius K. , Boyle R. P. , Vrba F. J. , Janusz R. , Straižys V. , Černis K. , Laugalys V. , Zdanavičius K. , Zdanavičius J. , Kazlauskas A. , Smilgys R.
Published: February 2017

Magnitudes and color indices in the Vilnius seven-color system were determined for 1752 stars down to V = 19.5 mag in the direction of the open cluster M29 (NGC 6913). The region is centered at RA = 20:24, DEC = +38:30 (J2000) and covers an area of 1.5 sq. deg. The photometric data are used to classify about 70% of stars in spectral and luminosity classes and peculiarity types.
Seven-Color Photometry and Classification of Stars in the Vicinity of the Dark Cloud TGU H994 (LDN 1399, 1400 and 1402)
Authors: Čepas V. , Zdanavičius J. , Zdanavičius K. , Straižys V. , Laugalys V.
Published: February 2017

The results of CCD photometry in the seven-color Vilnius system are given for 727 stars down to V ~ 17 mag in a 1.5 square degree field in the region of dark cloud TGU H994 P1 (or LDN 1399, LDN 1400 and LDN 1402) in Camelopardalis. Using the intrinsic color indices and photometric reddening-free Q-parameters, two-dimensional spectral types for 73% of stars are determined.
A New Empirical Metallicity Calibration for Vilnius Photometry
Authors: Bartašiūtė S. , Raudeliūnas S. , Sperauskas J.
Published: February 2017

We present a new calibration of the seven-color Vilnius system in terms of [Fe/H], applicable to F–M stars in the metallicity range −2.8 ≤[Fe/H]≤ +0.5. We employ a purely empirical approach, based on ~1000 calibrating stars with high-resolution spectroscopic abundance determinations. It is shown that the color index P–Y is the best choice for a most accurate and sensitive abundance indicator for both dwarf and giant stars. Using it, [Fe/H] values can be determined with an accuracy of ±0.12 dex for stars of solar and mildly subsolar metallicity and ±0.17 dex for stars with [Fe/H] < −1. The new calibration is a significant improvement over the previous one used to date.
Physical Alternative to the Dark Energy Paradigm
Authors: Sapar A.
Published: February 2017

The physical nature of the presently dominating enigmatic dark energy in the expanding universe is demonstrated to be explainable as an excess of the kinetic energy with respect to its potential energy. According to traditional Friedman cosmology, any non-zero value of the total energy integral is ascribed to the space curvature. However, as we show, in the flat universe the total energy also can be different from zero. Initially, a very small excess of kinetic energy originates from the early universe. The present observational data show that our universe has probably a flat space with an excess of kinetic energy. The evolutionary scenario shows that the universe presently is in the transitional stage where its radial coordinate expansion approaches the velocity of light. A possibility of the closed Bubble universe with the local Big Bang and everlasting expansion is demonstrated. Dark matter can be essentially contributed by the non-relativistic massive neutrinos, which have cooled to very low temperatures and velocities thus favoring the formation of the observed broad equipotential wells in galaxies.
Compressive Sensing: Analysis of Signals in Radio Astronomy
Authors: Gaigals G. , Greitāns M. , Andziulis A.
Published: February 2017

The compressive sensing (CS) theory says that for some kind of signals there is no need to keep or transfer all the data acquired accordingly to the Nyquist criterion. In this work we investigate if the CS approach is applicable for recording and analysis of radio astronomy (RA) signals. Since CS methods are applicable for the signals with sparse (and compressible) representations, the compressibility of RA signals is verified. As a result, we identify which RA signals can be processed using CS, find the parameters which can improve or degrade CS application to RA results, describe the optimum way how to perform signal filtering in CS applications. Also, a range of virtual LabVIEW instruments are created for the signal analysis with the CS theory.
Modeling of Highly-Excited Atomic Level Populations in Astrophysical Plasmas
Authors: Docenko Dmitrijs
Published: February 2017

Recombination lines arising in transitions between highly-excited atomic levels are becoming increasingly used for the plasma diagnostics, as the sensitivity of astronomical instrumentation increases. This paper describes a model used to compute the level population of the Rydberg levels and gives a collection of hydrogenic approximation expressions that can be used to estimate the relevant atomic data. The Rydberg level populations may also be used to estimate level-specific recombination rate for lower atomic levels accounting for the electron cascade. The expressions are applied to predict the radio recombination line spectrum of the fast-moving knots of the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant.
Correlations in Relaxed Clusters of Galaxies
Authors: Babyk Iu. , Del Popolo A.
Published: February 2017

The correlations among different quantities in galaxy clusters, observed by
A Distant Chandra Galaxy Cluster CL J1415.1+3612: Constraint on Evidence of the Cool-Core Phenomenon
Authors: Babyk Iu.
Published: February 2017

Deep
Diffusional Separation of Calcium Isotopes in Chemically Peculiar Stellar Atmospheres
Authors: Sapar L. , Sapar A. , Poolamäe R. , Aret A.
Published: February 2017

Diffusional separation of calcium isotopes in the atmospheres of hot chemically peculiar stars is studied. In addition to the usual radiative acceleration effect, the light-induced drift is taken into account. We propose that microturbulence in stable stellar atmospheres is generated by the interaction between plasma particles and radiative flux. Formulae for the microturbulent velocity and microturbulence diffusion coefficient are derived. Data on isotopic and hyperfine splitting of the calcium spectral lines have been collected as an input file. The equilibrium Ca isotope concentrations are found in model computations, iteratively correcting the radiative acceleration values. The general picture of Ca isotope stratification is found to be similar to our previous results obtained for Hg isotopes: dominating overabundance of the heaviest isotope. Diffusional stratification of Ca isotope concentrations in atmospheres of late B and early A spectral types are computed and visualized in figures. The isotope abundances on the inner boundary surface were fixed to be the solar ones. The computed Ca II infrared triplet line profiles are compared with the observed line profiles in a high-dispersion spectrum of HD 175640.
Stochasticity in Star Clusters: Reduced Random Sampling Method
Authors: de Meulenaer P. , Narbutis D. , Mineikis T. , Vansevičius V.
Published: February 2017

This paper aims to contribute to the debate taking place nowadays on the two extreme schemes of sampling the stellar masses within star clusters, known as Optimal Sampling and Random Sampling. We propose a new method for sampling of stellar masses in star clusters which allows a continuous transition between the Optimal Sampling and the Random Sampling. We use a sample of young star clusters from the literature to calibrate the amount of stochasticity generated by the proposed method.
Orbits of the Asteroids Discovered at the Molėtai Observatory in 2000–2004
Authors: Černis K. , Wlodarczyk I. , Zdanavičius J.
Published: February 2017

The paper presents statistics of the asteroids observed and discovered at the Molėtai Observatory, Lithuania in 2000–2004 within the project for astrometric observations of the near-Earth objects (NEOs), the main belt asteroids and comets. CCD observations of asteroids were obtained with the 35/51 cm Maksutov-type meniscus telescope and the 1.65 m Ritchey-Chretien reflector. In the Minor Planet Circulars and the Minor Planet Electronic Circulars (2000–2004) we published 6629 astrometric positions of 1114 asteroids. Among them 78 were newly discovered asteroids at Molėtai, a few NEOs were found by our team independently. For the 67 asteroids discovered at Molėtai the precise orbits were calculated. Because of small number of observations, a few asteroids have low-precision orbits and some asteroids have been lost. For seven objects we present their ephemerides for 2015.
Catalogue of Bright IDS Stars with Extensive Cross-Identifications
Authors: Lipaeva N. A. , Sementsov V. N. , Malkov O. Yu.
Published: February 2017

A new catalogue of bright binary stars is presented. The catalogue1 includes bright IDS systems and bright spectroscopic binaries. Besides IDS data (coordinates, relative positions, magnitudes and spectral classification), the catalogue contains extensive cross-identification and comments for 27452 systems. The catalogue is complete to the 9th mag, but also contains stars down to about 16th mag.
The Half-Century History of Studies of Romano’s Star
Authors: Maryeva Olga
Published: February 2017

A short review of observations and simulations of one of the most interesting high-mass stars, Romano’s star in the M33 galaxy (M33 V532), is presented.
Fractal Properties of the Solar Neighborhood Based on the Geneva-Copenhagen Survey
Authors: Chumak O. V. , Rastorguev A. S.
Published: February 2017

This study analyzes the fractal properties of the space distribution of stars in the solar neighborhood, based on the Geneva-Copenhagen Survey data. We demonstrate the existence of dynamically weakly coupled stochastic fractal structures in the circumsolar stellar medium. The number of such structures in the real stellar medium on 3 to 20 pc scales significantly exceeds the number of similar structures in the corresponding simulated random distributions. The total number of fractal structures depends on their characteristic size – the scale factor (Mf). We demonstrate that the structuredness of the stellar medium increases with the scale factor reaching its maximum around Mf ~ 18 pc and has a minimum around Mf ~ 5 pc. For Mf = 5 pc, the number of fractal structures in the survey is equal to 688, while for Mf = 18−20 pc the corresponding number exceeds 4000, which differs by more than three standard deviations from the mean fractal dimension D for random distributions. Practically, no structures are observed in random distributions in this domain of fractal dimensions. The proportion of fractal structures with [Fe/H]> 0 increases slowly with increasing scale factor and the number of such structures remains in the interval from 170 to 900. On the whole, the number of structures with [Fe/H]< 0 varies with scale factor in the same way as the total number of structures, and lies in the interval from 530 (Mf = 5 pc) to 3200 (Mf = 20 pc). Such significant differences between the fractal properties of the real stellar medium and its random simulations are due to peculiar “gravitational viscosity” of the gravitating medium. The results reported may play an important part in the study of structural properties and dynamic processes in the Galaxy and in the investigation of relaxation processes in particular.
Determination of the Solar Galactocentric Distance from the Kinematics of Masers
Authors: Bajkova A. T. , Bobylev V. V.
Published: February 2017

We determine the parameters of Galactic rotation and the solar galactocentric distance R
0 by simultaneously solving Bottlinger’s kinematic equations using data for masers with known line-of-sight velocities and highly accurate VLBI trigonometric parallaxes and proper motions. Our sample includes 93 masers spanning the range of galactocentric distances R from 3 to 15 kpc. The inferred parameters are Ω0 = 29.7 ± 0.5 km s−1 kpc−1, Ω′0 = −4.20 ± 0.11 km s−1 kpc−2, Ω″0 = 0.730 ± 0.029 km s−1 kpc−3, and R
0 = 8.03 ± 0.12 kpc, implying a circular rotation velocity of V
0 = 238 ± 6 km s−1 at the solar distance R
0.
Distribution and Kinematics of Classical Cepheids in the Galactic Outer Ring
Authors: Mel’nik A. M. , Rautiainen P. , Berdnikov L. N. , Dambis A. K. , Rastorguev A. S.
Published: February 2017

The existence of an outer ring in the Galaxy can explain the kinematics of OB associations in the Perseus and Sagittarius stellar-gas complexes. Moreover, it can also explain the orientation of the Carina arm with respect to the major axis of the bar. We show in this paper that the morphological and kinematical features of the sample of classical Cepheids are consistent with the presence of an R
1
R′2 ring in the Galaxy.
The Mechanism and Timescale of Nodal Precession: Two Nuclear Stellar Disks in the Galactic Center
Authors: Kondratyev B. P.
Published: February 2017

A dynamical model of interacting nuclear stellar rings in the central parsec of our Galaxy is constructed. We discuss the physical sources of nodal precession and of the associated time scales. For approximate study of the mutual orbital precession, we replace broad nuclear rings by weighted average narrow circular rings. The model with narrow circular rings is shown to adequately describe the nodal precession. The period of relativistic apsidal precession in the center of the Galaxy,

T

ap

•

≈
5
⋅

10

8

 
yr

$T_{{\rm{ap}}}^ \bullet \approx 5 \cdot 10^8 \, {\rm{yr}}$

, is almost an order of magnitude longer that the period of nodal precession, T
nod ≈ 7 · 107 yr, due to gravitational perturbations of nuclear disks (or rings). An important property of the nodal precession of nuclear rings is established: the lines of nodes of the two rings rotate uniformly with the same angular velocity, but in different directions. This explains the important observational fact that the lines of nodes of nuclear disks are not collinear, but are directed at large angles to each other.
Galactic Spiral Pattern beyond the Optical Size Induced by the Triaxial Dark Halo
Authors: Butenko M. , Khoperskov A. , Khoperskov S.
Published: February 2017

We suggest a possible mechanism for the formation of non-tidal gaseous structures in galactic outskirts. According to recent observations, extended spiral structures are detected beyond the optical radii R
opt in numerous disk galaxies. Such features can be clearly seen in deep HI and UV images (e.g., NGC 3198, NGC 3359, NGC 2841, NGC 3198). We argue, based on our gas-dynamical simulations, that such outer spirals could form as a result of the interaction of the galactic disk with the triaxial host dark matter halo.
High Resolution Gravitational Lens Model
Authors: Chechin L. M.
Published: February 2017

A new model of gravitational lens – high-resolution gravitational lens based on the metric of gravitational field produced by N moving and rotating finite-sized bodies – is proposed. The model is applied to the case of a double galaxy gravitational lens. It is pointed out that previous searches for gravitational lensing in double systems focused on eclipsing binaries and were based on the analysis of their photometric variability. Unlike other authors, we determined the extra terms to be added to the refraction angle to account for the motion and rotation of the bodies. We show that the allowance for the motion of galaxies decreases the shifts of the images of the lensed object and that this effect is detectable in the current state of astronomical observations.