bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correction: Financial reporting quality in enterprises in Vietnam
Authors: Quoc Thuan Pham
Published: February 2020

Bài báo : "Thực trạng chất lượng thông tin báo cáo tài chính trong các doanh nghiệp tại Việt Nam" (DOI: https://doi.org/10.32508/stdjelm.v3i2.551) của tác giả Phạm Quốc Thuần thiếu phần Lời cám ơn.

 

Tác giả bài báo bổ sung phần Lời cám ơn cho bài báo này như sau:

 

Lời cám ơn

Nghiên cứu được tài trợ bởi Đại học Quốc gia Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh (ĐHQG – HCM) trong khuôn khổ Đề tài mã số C2018-34-07.
The moderating role of personal culture on the relationship between retail brand personality and shoppers’ loyalty: An evidence of supermarkets in Vietnam
Authors: Le Thai Hoa Nguyen
Published: February 2020

Nowadays, one of the most common trends in retail industry research is the attribution of human characteristics or traits to retail brands. The term “retail brand personality or retailer personality” was born with various definitions and measurement scales from different cultures. Therefore, this paper aims are (i) to develop retail brand personality measurement scale tailor-made for general supermarkets, the most popular retail format in Vietnam, (ii) to measure the impact of retail brand personality dimensions on shoppers’ loyalty, and (iii) to investigate the moderating effects of personal cultural orientations on these relationships. The scale was developed through two stages: Item generation and item purification with the collected data on quota sampling of 403 shopping-goers, and then analyzed by SEM and MSEM method (Moderated structural equation modeling).The results indicated that retail brand personality consisted of four dimensions: Reliability, Sophistication, Modern, and Family-oriented, significantly found to impact on shoppers’ loyalty, in which Sophistication and Reliability were the strongest. More interestingly, the moderating role of personal cultural orientations in these regards was greatly identified. Particularly, shoppers with high independence culture highly appreciated the relationship between Sophistication and Modern dimensions and shoppers’ loyalty whereas shoppers with high Interdependence culture only supported for the impact of Reliability on loyalty. However, both personal culture orientations were found not be significantly related directly to the loyalty. The findings may help retailers and marketers come up with more effective marketing solutions in terms of enhancing symbolic values for their retail brands and adjust their integrated marketing and communication activities accordingly. This paper has a significant contribution of exploring the moderating role of personal cultural orientations on the relationship between retail brand personality and shoppers’ loyalty by the new analysis methodology - MSEM.
The impact of organizational culture on the employee intention to stay and the mediating role of remuneration
Authors: Thi Ai Cam Tran
Published: February 2020

This study investigates the mediating role of remuneration in the impact of organizational culture (i.e. clan, adhocracy, hierarchy and market) on the intention to stay of employees in the information technology (IT) sector. The research model in this paper is developed from previous studies on organizational culture and human resource management. A survey was conducted between May and July 2017 on employees of 25 IT companies in Vietnam, yielding 600 valid responses. On this sample we use confirmative factor analysis and structural model for quantitative analysis. The results indicate that adhocracy culture and market culture have a significant and direct impact on employees’ intention to stay. Meanwhile, remuneration plays a mediating role in these relationships. On the contrary, the relationships between clan culture and hierarchy culture with intention to stay are not statistically significant. These results offer theoretical and practical contributions to human resource managers and references for future research.
Self-Acceptance of Chronic Caused Failure Patients That Have a Hemodialysis in Medan
Authors: Cholina Trisa Siregar  , Mia Rhamayani
Published: February 2020

Chronic kidney failure patients undergoing hemodialysis undergo physical and psychological changes. Self-acceptance is a person's ability to have a realistic assessment of advantages and disadvantages. This study aims to describe self-acceptance in patients with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis in the RSUD Dr. Pirngadi Medan. The study population was patients with chronic renal failure who underwent hemodialysis at the RSUD Dr. Pirngadi Medan. The sample of this study amounted to 106 people. The sampling technique uses non probability sampling, namely, purposive sampling. The inclusion criteria for the study sample were chronic kidney failure patients who underwent hemodialysis who were in consciousness compos mentis. Data collection was conducted in April-May 2017. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistical analysis. The results of the study obtained data that 12 people were at high self-acceptance (11.3%), 80 people were at moderate self-acceptance (75.5%), and 14 people were at low self-acceptance (13.2%). Based on the results of the study it can be concluded that patients with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis in the RSUD Dr. Pirngadi Medan has a good self-acceptance, ie the patient accepts his condition even though he has to undergo hemodialysis for life. Researchers expect that nurses can provide emotional support and motivation to patients to improve patient self-acceptance.
Quality of life in patients with comorbidity of chronic pancreatitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in presence of smoking
Authors: Babinets L. S. , Kvasnitska О. S.
Published: February 2020

Background. A combination of chronic pancreatitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is quite common in clinical practice. This has a negative effect on the clinical course of both diseases. Smoking increases risk of chronic pancreatitis development.

Purpose of the study. The purpose of this investigation is to learn smoking influence on clinical course and life quality of patients with comorbidity of chronic pancreatitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Material and methods. 141 patients with chronic pancreatitis with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and without it had been examinated. 98 patients with chronic pancreatitis with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were included to the main group. Both diseases were at phase of remission.

Results and discussion. 29 (20.6 %) active smokers were among them. All of them are men. The main syndromes in patients with chronic pancreatitis with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are dyspeptic (85.7%) and astenic (94.9 %), pain syndrome was registered in 83.7 % patients, the equivalents of pain were observed in 16.3 % of patients.

Conclusions. Significant decreasing of life quality in patients with comorbidity of chronic pancreatitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was proved: scales of physical functioning, role physical functioning and general health status were significantly decreased in patients with concomitant COPD (р <0.05). Analysis of the GSRS questionnaire revealed a significant (p <0.05) increasing in three of the five scales presented in patients with chronic pancreatitis and COPD, indicating a deterioration of quality of life in case of comorbidity. There were revealed significant decreasing of physical functioning scale and general health status scale (questionnaire SF‑36) and increasing of all scales in GSRS scales (except for the diarrheal syndrome scale). Significant (p <0.05) moderate correlations were found between the scales of physical functioning and role physical functioning and smoking experience, and moderate correlations with the smoking experience of the dyspeptic syndrome score.
Evaluation of the effect of sorghum-legume intercropping and its residual effect on yield of sorghum in yeki woreda, sheka zone, Ethiopia
Authors: Gebremichael A , Bekele B , Tadesse B
Published: February 2020

The imbalance between the crop production and population growth is currently the major issue in southern Ethiopia. To feed the growing population, increasing the production of food through growing more crop types in the same field as an intercropping is the right strategy. The current study was aimed at evaluating the effect of sorghum-legume intercropping and its residual effect on yield of sorghum. The land equivalent ratio was calculated for sorghum intercropped with pigeon pea and cowpea. Intercropping sorghum with pigeon pea and cowpea increases the land productivity as its Land Equivalent Ratio is greater than 1. In both cases, the land equivalent ratio is greater than 1 indicating the benefits of intercropping. The residual effect of sorghum intercrop with legumes was evaluated on the yield of sorghum. Although there was no statistically significance differences on yield and yield component of sorghum, sorghum planted on the plot of pigeon pea and cowpea sole has 44.6% and 27.8% yield advantage relative to sorghum alone respectively. Planting sorghum under sorghum-cowpea intercropped condition increase the yield of sorghum by 41.8%. The result also shows 74.0% sorghum yield change was observed when planted after intercropped condition of sorghum with pigeon pea. The productivity of sorghum also increases when planted on the plot of sole legume. The current finding in general shows that legume crops contributed to the yield of sorghum either intercropped with legume or grown up using residual contribution of legumes after a year. Therefore, for maximum sorghum production farmers in the area should plant either as intercrop or after residual effect of legumes.

Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. Tech. 9(2): 62-66, December 2019
Study of growth and productions of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) on different population densities in monoculture
Authors: Sharmin F , Rahman MS , Shahjahan M , Chowdhury P
Published: February 2020

The experiment was conducted to determine the effects of population densities of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) on the growth and production of tilapia in monoculture system. Fish population density was 80 fish per decimal under treatment-I, 160 fish per decimal under treatment-II and 320 fish per decimal under treatment-III. In the ponds under three treatments supplementary feed was not used. The average initial length and weight of the fry of tilapia was 4.48 cm and 0.067 g, respectively. The ponds were fertilized fortnightly with urea and TSP at the rates of 60 g, and 90 g per decimal, respectively. Mean survival rates of fish under treatment-I, treatment-II and treatment-III were 91.12%, 82.82% and 66.23%, respectively. The specific growth rates (SGR, % per day) of fish under treatment-I, treatment-II and treatment-III were 5.49%, 4.95% and 4.61%, respectively. The calculated net fish production of the ponds under treatment-I was 2.65 ton ha-1 yr-1 and that of the ponds under treatment-II was 2.55 ton ha-1 yr-1 and that of the ponds under treatment-III was 2.68 ton ha-1 yr-1. The net fish production under treatment-I and treatment-III were 2.65 ton ha-1 yr-1 and 2.68 ton ha-1 yr-1 higher than that of treatment-II, taking net fish production under treatment-I for 100%. According to survival rates and specific growth rates treatment-I is the best. So, the population density of 80 fish per decimal (under treatment-I) might be considered the best among the three treatments.

Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. Tech. 9(2): 76-83, December 2019
Методологічні аспекти історико-правової доктрини української державності
Authors: СЕМКІВ ВІТАЛІЙ
Published: February 2020

У статті розкрито методологічні аспекти історико-правової доктрини української державності. Значна увага зосереджена на аналізі історико-правової доктрини української державності. Акцентовано увагу на праві української нації на створення національної держави, верховенстві права, демократії, самоврядуванні, легітимності, через історичну неперервність яких вирішуються проблеми наступності української державності. Історико-правовий підхід зумовив виділення окремих напрямів сучасних наукових досліджень української державності, зокрема: дослідження державної та правової традиції, демократії (народоправства), самоврядування, недержавного права тощо.
Зазначено, що історико-правова доктрина української державності є результатом вирішення питання про співвідношення загальної історії права з галузевими юридичними науками. На думку автора, основними завданнями загальної історії права є створення її інтегрального варіанта, що передбачає розгляд темпоральних відмінностей, які випливають із претензій будь-якого права на тривалість у часі та повторюваність. Основним завданням галузевих юридичних наук у царині історії права є історична та генетична реконструкція догм права, яка давала б змогу відповісти на питання про причини, цільові установки, філософські й методологічні основи, хід їхнього становлення та розвитку.
Обґрунтовано, що наукова доктрина історії української державності послуговується найширшим розумінням верховенства права – розумінням, яке упродовж свого понад двотисячолітнього існування часто ставало дуже слабким, але ніколи не зникало повністю, розумінням того, що верховна влада, держава та її посадові особи мають обмежуватися законом. Висвітлено приклади такого розуміння верховенства права, які знаходимо у численних пам’ятках українського права, особливо козацького. В “Анонімній записці про потребу обмежити владу гетьмана”, підготовленій невідомим претендентом на посаду одного з генеральних старшин напередодні виборів гетьманом Д. Апостола, яку науковці вважають проєктом малої Конституції, йдеться про провідну роль права та судового розгляду в політичному змаганні між гетьманатом і старшиною.
Прагнення до верховенства права як обмеження державної влади простежуються не тільки на різних етапах української державності, наприклад, у конституційних документах. Ці прагнення не полишають українців і в періоди перебування українських земель у складі інших держав. Історичних прикладів достатньо – бороть ба української шляхти за “золоті вольності” у Речі Посполитій, міських громад – за самоврядне міське право, українців в Австрійській та Російській імперіях – за виборчі права, українців в Українській Радянській Соціалістичній Республіці – за політичний плюралізм тощо.
Місце українського права у правових системах Російської та Австрійської (Австро-Угорської) імперій
Authors: ГОЛОВКО ОЛЕКСАНДР
Published: February 2020

Сучасний етап державотворення в Україні, формування правової держави та громадянського суспільства вимагають продовження дослідження історії українського права з нових методологічних позицій. Особливо складними для вивчення є тривалі періоди, коли українська нація не мала власної національної держави. Серед них особливим є час перебування українських земель у складі Австрій ської (Австро-Угорської) та Російської імперій наприкінці ХVІІІ – на початку ХХ ст. Позитивне право, законодавство мали імперський характер, спрямовувалися на остаточну ліквідацію української державності й права. Під загрозою, особливо в Російській імперії, перебувала сама національна ідентичність українців, існування української культури і мови. За таких обставин вкрай важливо досліджувати історію українського права як правової традиції, яка проявлялася у культурно-правовій ідентичності українського народу, його правовій свідомості, правовій пам’яті, звичаєвому праві, реальному регулюванні правових відносин.
Метою статті є історія українського права, української правової традиції під владою Австрійської (Австро-Угорської) та Російської імперій. Специфіка дослідження вимагала застосування поруч із загальнопоширеною методологією звернення до феноменологічного підходу щодо дослідження історико-правових явищ і процесів, доробку німецької історичної школи права, культурологічно-цивілізаційного підходу.
Після остаточної ліквідації автономії України у складі Російської імперії українське право діяло на її території до 1840-х років. Українська правова традиція проявлялася у чинності норм Статуту Великого князівства Литовського, магдебурзького права, місцевому звичаєвому праві. Про його характер свідчить зміст кодифікаційних пам’яток українського права, які не набули чинності: “Зібрання малоросійських прав” 1807 р. та “Звід місцевих законів західних губерній” 1837 р. Звичаєве право стосувалося переважно питань власності, зобов’язань, сімейного та спадкового права. Питання злочинів і покарань врегульовувалися лише окремими нормами звичаєвого права. Обидві імперії прагнули встановити повний контроль за публічно-правовою сферою. Важливу роль відіграв і доробок української національно свідомої інтелігенції, яка досліджувала, зберігала і логічно структурувала українське право.
Effect of species diversity on particle clearance and productivity in farmed bivalves
Authors: Acquafredda MP , Munroe D
Published: February 2020

Most bivalve farms are designed as monocultures, yet diverse communities often outperform monocultures in various metrics of ecosystem functioning, including particle clearance and productivity. This study tested the feasibility of bivalve polyculture by examining particle clearance, growth, and survival of 4 species that are economically important to the northeastern USA. Three particle depletion experiments were conducted to determine if more diverse bivalve assemblages had greater clearance rates than those which were less diverse. Different assemblages of Crassostrea virginica, Spisula solidissima, Mercenaria mercenaria, and Mya arenaria were supplied with a single cultured algal species, a mix of 2 cultured algal species, or natural seston. To determine how species richness affects bivalve productivity, growth and survival were monitored in a flow-through mesocosm experiment, which simulated farm conditions. In the cultured algae experiments, more diverse assemblages did not exhibit significantly greater clearance rates than those that were less diverse. Instead, the clearance rates of each species were additive across assemblages. Surprisingly, most assemblages did not display a significant preference for the larger microalgae species, Pavlova lutheri (4.0-6.0 µm), over Nannochloropsis oculata (1.90-3.75 µm). Most notably, when supplied with natural seston, the 4-species polyculture demonstrated a significantly greater tank-level clearance rate for particles <25 µm compared to most monocultures. However, nearly all productivity metrics were not significantly affected by species richness. This work suggests that some degree of complementarity exists among these bivalves, and that in non-food limited systems, these bivalves could be co-cultured without outcompeting one another.
Long-term monitoring provides insight into estuarine top predator (Carcharhinus leucas) resilience following an extreme weather event
Authors: Matich P , Strickland BA , Heithaus MR
Published: February 2020

Chronic environmental change threatens biodiversity, but acute disturbance events present more rapid and immediate threats. In 2010, a cold snap across south Florida had wide-ranging impacts, including negative effects on recreational fisheries, agriculture, and ecological communities. Here, we use acoustic telemetry and historical longline monitoring to assess the long-term implications of this event on juvenile bull sharksCarcharhinus leucasin the Florida Everglades. Despite the loss of virtually all individuals (ca. 90%) within the Shark River Estuary during the cold snap, the catch per unit effort (CPUE) of age 0 sharks on longlines recovered through recruitment within 6-8 mo of the event. Acoustic telemetry revealed that habitat use patterns of age 0-2 sharks reached an equilibrium in 4-6 yr. In contrast, the CPUE and habitat use of age 3 sharks required 5-7 yr to resemble pre-cold snap patterns. Environmental conditions and predation risk returned to previous levels within 1 yr of the cold snap, but abundances of some prey species remained depressed for several years. Reduced prey availability may have altered the profitability of some microhabitats after the cold snap, leading to more rapid ontogenetic shifts to marine waters among sharks for several years. Accelerated ontogenetic shifts coupled with inter-individual behavioral variability of bull sharks likely led to a slower recovery rate than predicted based on overall shark CPUE. While intrinsic variation driven by stochasticity in dynamic ecosystems may increase the resistance of species to chronic and acute disturbance, it may also increase recovery time in filling the diversity of niches occupied prior to disturbance if resistive capacity is exceeded.
Cumhurbaşkanlığı Kararnamesi
Authors: KESKİNSOY Ömer , KAYA Semih Batur , MERİ Temel
Published: February 2020

1982 Anayasası süreç içerisinde pek çok değişikliğe uğramıştır. Bu değişikliklerin en kapsamlısı ise 16 Nisan 2017’de yapılan referandum ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Burada ise dikkatimizi özellikle Cumhurbaşkanlığı Kararnamesi çekmektedir; zira değişikliklerin temel noktasını hükümet sistemi ile birlikte Cumhurbaşkanına tanınan kararname yetkisi teşkil etmektedir. İşte bu makalede yeni hükümet sistemi ekseninde Cumhurbaşkanlığı Kararnamesi tüm boyutlarıyla incelenmektedir. Buna göre makalede ele alınan temel sorun yürütme erkinin düzenleyici işlem yapma yetkisinde temel bir değişimin söz konusu olmasıdır. Değişimin odak noktası Cumhurbaşkanına kararname çıkarma yetkisinin verilmesidir. Kararname yetkisi ise norma koyma gücünü ifade etmektedir. Oysaki kuvvetler ayrılığının bir gereği olarak norma koyma tekeli bu anlamda asli yetkiye sahip parlamentoya aittir. Aksi halde norma koyma ve bunları yürütme yetkisi tekilleşir ve tekelleşir. Bu durum da hükümet sisteminde denge ve denetim mekanizmasını bozmaktadır. İşte çalışmamız özel olarak bu asli sorunu ve genel olarak buna bağlı diğer tali sorunları kaleme almaktadır.
Analysis of Differences in the Choice of the Economic Value of Urban Trees in Madrid When Displayed in Situ and in Photographs
Authors: García-Ventura Claudia , Bermejo Alfonso , González-García Concepción , Grande-Ortíz M. Ángeles , Ayuga-Téllez Esperanza , Sánchez de Medina-Garrido Álvaro , Ramírez-Montoro Juan José
Published: February 2020

The determination of an asset’s economic value has always been an important step in improving its management. The Madrid Region legislated the application of the first version of the Norma Granada as a method of appraising ornamental trees. However, the trees in the city of Madrid are only assessed in terms of ecosystem services (i-Tree Eco). A photograph of the asset to be appraised is often used in studies on the valuation of publicly-owned socio-environmental assets such as trees or landscapes. As a tree’s value is very closely linked to its size and to a number of features that can be seen through direct observation of the specimen, it is important to verify the validity of photographs as a method for obtaining the public’s opinion. This work presents a comparison between the valuations chosen by members of the public when observing the tree in situ and in a photograph. The aim is to verify the validity of photographs for their application to a larger sample and to understand qualitatively how citizens assess the trees in a city. The following appraisal methods were used: the American method, Council of Tree Landscape Appraisers (CTLA), Norma Granada and the Burnley method. The survey consisted of ten specimens from ten different species, and ten surveys were taken for each stem, making a total of 100 for each tree species and 1000 surveys in all. The surveys were done randomly and individually. Each interviewed chose one of the three values they were shown when observing the specimen in the photograph and in situ; 84% of the 1000 surveys gave as a result the same value choice when looking at the specimen on site and seeing it in a photograph.
Excess Length of Acute Inpatient Stay Attributable to Acquisition of Hospital-Onset Gram-Negative Bloodstream Infection with and without Antibiotic Resistance: A Multistate Model Analysis
Authors: Suzuki Hiroyuki , Perencevich Eli N , Nair Rajeshwari , Livorsi Daniel J , Goto Michihiko
Published: February 2020

Excess length of stay (LOS) is an important outcome when assessing the burden of nosocomial infection, but it can be subject to survival bias. We aimed to estimate the change in LOS attributable to hospital-onset (HO) Escherichia coli/Klebsiella spp. bacteremia using multistate models to circumvent survival bias. We analyzed a cohort of all patients with HO E. coli/Klebsiella spp. bacteremia and matched uninfected control patients within the U.S. Veterans Health Administration System in 2003–2013. A multistate model was used to estimate the change in LOS as an effect of the intermediate state (HO-bacteremia). We stratified analyses by susceptibilities to fluoroquinolones (fluoroquinolone susceptible (FQ-S)/fluoroquinolone resistant (FQ-R)) and extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESC susceptible (ESC-S)/ESC resistant (ESC-R)). Among the 5964 patients with HO bacteremia analyzed, 957 (16.9%) and 1638 (28.9%) patients had organisms resistant to FQ and ESC, respectively. Any HO E.coli/Klebsiella bacteremia was associated with excess LOS, and both FQ-R and ESC-R were associated with a longer LOS than susceptible strains, but the additional burdens attributable to resistance were small compared to HO bacteremia itself (FQ-S: 12.13 days vs. FQ-R: 12.94 days, difference: 0.81 days (95% CI: 0.56–1.05), p < 0.001 and ESC-S: 11.57 days vs. ESC-R: 16.56 days, difference: 4.99 days (95% CI: 4.75–5.24), p < 0.001). Accurate measurements of excess attributable LOS associated with resistance can help support the business case for infection control interventions.
Pharmacological Targets of Kaempferol Within Inflammatory Pathways—A Hint Towards the Central Role of Tryptophan Metabolism
Authors: Hofer Stefanie , Geisler Simon , Lisandrelli Rebecca , Nguyen Ngoc Hieu , Ganzera Markus , Schennach Harald , Fuchs Dietmar , Fuchs Julian E. , M. Gostner Johanna , Kurz Katharina
Published: February 2020

The flavonoid kaempferol is almost ubiquitously contained in edible and medicinal plants and exerts a broad range of interesting pharmacological activities. Interactions with central inflammatory processes can be exploited to treat or attenuate symptoms of disorders associated with chronic immune activation during infections, malignancies, and neurodegenerative or cardiovascular disorders. Many drugs, phytochemicals, and nutritional components target the catabolism of the essential amino acid tryptophan by indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO-1) for immunomodulation. We studied the effects of kaempferol by in vitro models with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and THP-1 derived human myelomonocytic cell lines. Kaempferol suppressed interferon-γ dependent immunometabolic pathways: Formation of the oxidative stress biomarker neopterin and catabolism of tryptophan were inhibited dose-dependently in stimulated cells. In-silico docking studies revealed a potential interaction of kaempferol with the catalytic domain of IDO-1. Kaempferol stimulated nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated THP-1 cells, thereby increasing the mRNA expression of interleukin (IL) 1 beta, tumor necrosis factor, and nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1, while IL6 was downregulated. Data suggest that concerted effects of kaempferol on multiple immunologically relevant targets are responsible for its immunomodulatory activity. However, the immunosuppressive effects may be more relevant in a T-cell dominated context.
Adapted Binary Particle Swarm Optimization for Efficient Features Selection in the Case of Imbalanced Sensor Data
Authors: Moldovan Dorin , Anghel Ionut , Cioara Tudor , Salomie Ioan
Published: February 2020

Daily living activities (DLAs) classification using data collected from wearable monitoring sensors is very challenging due to the imbalance characteristics of the monitored data. A major research challenge is to determine the best combination of features that returns the best accuracy results using minimal computational resources, when the data is heterogeneous and not fitted for classical algorithms that are designed for balanced low-dimensional datasets. This research article: (1) presents a modification of the classical version of the binary particle swarm optimization (BPSO) algorithm that introduces a particular type of particles called sensor particles, (2) describes the adaptation of this algorithm for data generated by sensors that monitor DLAs to determine the best positions and features of the monitoring sensors that lead to the best classification results, and (3) evaluates and validates the proposed approach using a machine learning methodology that integrates the modified version of the algorithm. The methodology is tested and validated on the Daily Life Activities (DaLiAc) dataset.
The Imperial Cathedral in Königslutter (Germany) as an Immersive Experience in Virtual Reality with Integrated 360° Panoramic Photography
Authors: Walmsley Alexander P. , Kersten Thomas P.
Published: February 2020

As virtual reality (VR) and the corresponding 3D documentation and modelling technologies evolve into increasingly powerful and established tools for numerous applications in architecture, monument preservation, conservation/restoration and the presentation of cultural heritage, new methods for creating information-rich interactive 3D environments are increasingly in demand. In this article, we describe the development of an immersive virtual reality application for the Imperial Cathedral in Königslutter, in which 360° panoramic photographs were integrated within the virtual environment as a novel and complementary form of visualization. The Imperial Cathedral (Kaiserdom) of Königslutter is one of the most important examples of Romanesque architecture north of the Alps. The Cathedral had previously been subjected to laser-scanning and recording with 360° panoramic photography by the Photogrammetry & Laser Scanning lab of HafenCity University Hamburg in 2010. With the recent rapid development of consumer VR technology, it was subsequently decided to investigate how these two data sources could be combined within an immersive VR application for tourism and for architectural heritage preservation. A specialised technical workflow was developed to build the virtual environment in Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) and integrate the panorama photographs so as to ensure the seamless integration of these two datasets. A simple mechanic was developed using the native UE4 node-based programming language to switch between these two modes of visualisation.
Comparative Study of the Use of Different Sizes of an Ergonomic Instrument Handle for Laparoscopic Surgery
Authors: Sánchez-Margallo Juan A. , González González Alfonso , García Moruno Lorenzo , Gómez-Blanco J. Carlos , Pagador J. Blas , Sánchez-Margallo Francisco M.
Published: February 2020

Previous studies have shown that the handle design of laparoscopic instruments is crucial to surgical performance and surgeon’s ergonomics. In this study, four different sizes of an ergonomic laparoscopic handle design were tested in a blind and randomized fashion with twelve surgeons. They performed three laparoscopic tasks in order to analyze the influence of handle size. Execution time, wrist posture, and finger and palm pressure were evaluated during the performance of each task. The results show a significant reduction in the time required to complete the eye-manual coordination task using the appropriate handle. The incorrectly sized handle resulted in a rise in palm pressure and a reduction in the force exerted by the thumb during the transfer task. In the hand-eye coordination task, the use of the right handle size led to an increase in middle finger pressure. In general, surgeons had an ergonomically adequate wrist flexion in all tasks and an acceptable radio-ulnar deviation during the transfer task using the ergonomic instrument handle. Surgeons found it comfortable the use of the ergonomic handle. Therefore, the use of an appropriately sized instrument handle allows surgeons to improve ergonomics and surgical performance during the laparoscopic practice.
Electrospinning Live Cells Using Gelatin and Pullulan
Authors: Nosoudi Nasim , Oommen Anson Jacob , Stultz Savannah , Jordan Micah , Aldabel Seba , Hohne Chandra , Mosser James , Archacki Bailey , Turner Alliah , Turner Paul
Published: February 2020

Electrospinning is a scaffold production method that utilizes electric force to draw a polymer solution into nanometer-sized fibers. By optimizing the polymer and electrospinning parameters, a scaffold is created with the desired thickness, alignment, and pore size. Traditionally, cells and biological constitutes are implanted into the matrix of the three-dimensional scaffold following electrospinning. Our design simultaneously introduces cells into the scaffold during the electrospinning process at 8 kV. In this study, we achieved 90% viability of adipose tissue-derived stem cells through electrospinning.
Investigation of a Direct Interaction between miR4749 and the Tumor Suppressor p53 by Fluorescence, FRET and Molecular Modeling
Authors: Bizzarri Anna Rita , Cannistraro Salvatore
Published: February 2020

The interactions between the DNA binding domain (DBD) of the tumor suppressor p53 and miR4749, characterized by a high sequence similarity with the DNA Response Element (RE) of p53, was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy combined with computational modeling and docking. Fluorescence quenching experiments witnessed the formation of a specific complex between DBD and miR4749 with an affinity of about 105 M. Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) allowed us to measure a distance of 3.9 ± 0.3 nm, between the lone tryptophan of DBD and an acceptor dye suitably bound to miR4749. Such information, combined with a computational modeling approach, allowed us to predict possible structures for the DBD-miR4749 complex. A successive docking refinement, complemented with binding free energy calculations, led us to single out a best model for the DBD-miR4749 complex. We found that the interaction of miR4749 involves the DBD L3 loop and the H1 helix, close to the Zn-finger motif; with this suggesting that miR4749 could directly inhibit the p53 interaction with DNA. These results might inspire new therapeutic strategies finalized to restore the p53 functional activity.
Targeting Redox Imbalance as an Approach for Diabetic Kidney Disease
Authors: Matoba Keiichiro , Takeda Yusuke , Nagai Yosuke , Yokota Tamotsu , Utsunomiya Kazunori , Nishimura Rimei
Published: February 2020

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a worldwide public health problem. It is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease and is associated with increased mortality from cardiovascular complications. The tight interactions between redox imbalance and the development of DKD are becoming increasingly evident. Numerous cascades, including the polyol and hexosamine pathways have been implicated in the oxidative stress of diabetes patients. However, the precise molecular mechanism by which oxidative stress affects the progression of DKD remains to be elucidated. Given the limited therapeutic options for DKD, it is essential to understand how oxidants and antioxidants are controlled in diabetes and how oxidative stress impacts the progression of renal damage. This review aims to provide an overview of the current status of knowledge regarding the pathological roles of oxidative stress in DKD. Finally, we summarize recent therapeutic approaches to preventing DKD with a focus on the anti-oxidative effects of newly developed anti-hyperglycemic agents.
Autocatalytic Tissue Polymerization Reaction Mechanism in Colorectal Cancer Development and Growth
Authors: Boman Bruce M. , Guetter Arthur , Boman Ryan M. , Runquist Olaf A.
Published: February 2020

The goal of our study was to measure the kinetics of human colorectal cancer (CRC) development in order to identify aberrant mechanisms in tissue dynamics and processes that contribute to colon tumorigenesis. The kinetics of tumor development were investigated using age-at-tumor diagnosis (adenomas and CRCs) of familial adenomatous coli (FAP) patients and sporadic CRC patients. Plots of age-at-tumor diagnosis data as a function of age showed a distinct sigmoidal-shaped curve that is characteristic of an autocatalytic reaction. Consequently, we performed logistics function analysis and found an excellent fit (p < 0.05) of the logistic equation to the curves for age-at-tumor diagnoses. These findings indicate that the tissue mechanism that becomes altered in CRC development and growth involves an autocatalytic reaction. We conjecture that colonic epithelium normally functions as a polymer of cells which dynamically maintains itself in a steady state through an autocatalytic polymerization mechanism. Further, in FAP and sporadic CRC patients, mutation in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene increases autocatalytic tissue polymerization and induces tumor tissues to autocatalyze their own progressive growth, which drives tumor development in the colon.
Chemical Sensors for Heavy Metals/Toxin Detection
Authors: Lvova Larisa
Published: February 2020

Nowadays, the huge release of pollutants into the environment has become a significant problem in many countries and entire regions [...]
Environmental Heat Stress on Indoor Environments in Shallow, Deep and Covered Atrium Plan Form Office Buildings in Tropics
Authors: Rajapaksha Upendra
Published: February 2020

Environmental heat stress on buildings through façades contributes to indoor overheating and thus increases demand for energy consumption. The study analyzed the problem, heat gain risk, of modern air-conditioned multi-level office buildings in tropics, for example Colombo. Plan form, orientation, sectional form and envelope were identified and theorized to understand design interventions to reduce the risk of getting heat stress on indoor environments. On-site thermal performance investigations in multi zones of identified three typical built forms, namely; shallow, deep and covered atrium plan forms, quantified the heat stress. Reaching the daytime indoor and surface temperature in peripheral zones of multi-story office buildings during air conditioning “off-mode” up to 38 °C–42 °C was seen as a critical heat stress situation to be addressed through building design. Shading or insulation on façades to control environmental heat gain and manipulation of building section for night ventilation to remove internal heat developed during the daytime are discussed. However, the significance of the plan form depth was found to be a main contributor in dealing with heat transfer to indoor space. Deep plan form was found to be more effective in controlling environmental heat transfer to indoor space across the plan depth.
How Nanoscale Dislocation Reactions Govern Low- Temperature and High-Stress Creep of Ni-Base Single Crystal Superalloys
Authors: Bürger David , Dlouhý Antonin , Yoshimi Kyosuke , Eggeler Gunther
Published: February 2020

The present work investigates γ-channel dislocation reactions, which govern low-temperature (T = 750 °C) and high-stress (resolved shear stress: 300 MPa) creep of Ni-base single crystal superalloys (SX). It is well known that two dislocation families with different b-vectors are required to form planar faults, which can shear the ordered γ’-phase. However, so far, no direct mechanical and microstructural evidence has been presented which clearly proves the importance of these reactions. In the mechanical part of the present work, we perform shear creep tests and we compare the deformation behavior of two macroscopic crystallographic shear systems [ 01 1 ¯ ] ( 111 ) and [ 11 2 ¯ ] ( 111 ) . These two shear systems share the same glide plane but differ in loading direction. The [ 11 2 ¯ ] ( 111 ) shear system, where the two dislocation families required to form a planar fault ribbon experience the same resolved shear stresses, deforms significantly faster than the [ 01 1 ¯ ] ( 111 ) shear system, where only one of the two required dislocation families is strongly promoted. Diffraction contrast transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis identifies the dislocation reactions, which rationalize this macroscopic behavior.
Comparison of Hafnium Dioxide and Zirconium Dioxide Grown by Plasma-Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition for the Application of Electronic Materials
Authors: Xiao Zhigang , Kisslinger Kim , Chance Sam , Banks Samuel
Published: February 2020

We report the growth of nanoscale hafnium dioxide (HfO2) and zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) thin films using remote plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD), and the fabrication of complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits using the HfO2 and ZrO2 thin films as the gate oxide. Tetrakis (dimethylamino) hafnium (Hf[N(CH3)2]4) and tetrakis (dimethylamino) zirconium (IV) (Zr[N(CH3)2]4) were used as the precursors, while O2 gas was used as the reactive gas. The PE-ALD-grown HfO2 and ZrO2 thin films were analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The XPS measurements show that the ZrO2 film has the atomic concentrations of 34% Zr, 2% C, and 64% O while the HfO2 film has the atomic concentrations of 29% Hf, 11% C, and 60% O. The HRTEM and XRD measurements show both HfO2 and ZrO2 films have polycrystalline structures. n-channel and p-channel metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (nFETs and pFETs), CMOS inverters, and CMOS ring oscillators were fabricated to test the quality of the HfO2 and ZrO2 thin films as the gate oxide. Current-voltage (IV) curves, transfer characteristics, and oscillation waveforms were measured from the fabricated transistors, inverters, and oscillators, respectively. The experimental results measured from the HfO2 and ZrO2 thin films were compared.
BRCAness as an Important Prognostic Marker in Patients with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treated with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: A Multicenter Retrospective Study
Authors: Kosaka Yoshimasa , Yamamoto Yutaka , Tanino Hirokazu , Nishimiya Hiroshi , Yamamoto-Ibusuki Mutsuko , Hirota Yuko , Iwase Hirotaka , Nakamura Seigo , Akashi-Tanaka Sadako
Published: February 2020

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has several subtypes. The identification of markers associated with recurrence and poor prognosis in patients with TNBC is urgently needed. BRCAness is a set of traits in which BRCA1 dysfunction, arising from gene mutation, methylation, or deletion, results in DNA repair deficiency. In the current study, we evaluated the clinical significance and prognosis of BRCAness in a multicenter retrospective study. Ninety-four patients with TNBC treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy were enrolled from three university hospitals for this retrospective study. BRCAness was evaluated in 94 core needle biopsy (CNB) specimens prior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and 49 surgical specimens without pathological complete response (pCR). The samples were assessed using multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, and the amplicons were scored. Of the 94 patients, 51 had BRCAness in CNB specimens. There were no significant differences in pCR rates or recurrence between the BRCAness and non-BRCAness groups. Among surgical specimens, the BRCAness group had a significantly shorter recurrence-free survival and overall survival compared with the non-BRCAness group. The BRCAness of surgical specimens was found to be an important marker to predict prognosis in patients with TNBC after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. A clinical trial to assess the clinical impact of carboplatin with BRCAness is planned.
Screening and Prevention for High-Grade Serous Carcinoma of the Ovary Based on Carcinogenesis—Fallopian Tube- and Ovarian-Derived Tumors and Incessant Retrograde Bleeding
Authors: Otsuka Isao , Matsuura Takuto
Published: February 2020

High-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) is the most common and lethal subtype of ovarian carcinoma. Many HGSCs are now believed to originate in the fallopian tube epithelium; ovarian surface epithelium is another possible origin. Thus, current screening methods, i.e., ultrasonography and serum CA-125 measurements, have a limitation in their early detection. Recently, circulating biomarkers, such as tumor DNA, autoantibody, and microRNA, have been investigated to detect HGSCs. As cancer cells in the fallopian tube flow into the endometrial cavity, the detection of exfoliated cells, tumor DNA, and proteome from samples obtained from the endometrial cavity or the cervix may be useful. The risk of ovarian serous carcinoma is affected by the use of oral contraceptive and menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). MHT regimens causing endometrial bleeding increase serous carcinoma risk, hence, incessant retrograde bleeding from the endometrial cavity into the Douglas pouch appears to play an important role in high-grade serous carcinogenesis. In this review, we provide an overview of current and novel screening methods and prevention approaches for ovarian and fallopian tube HGSC.
Self-Propulsion Enhances Polymerization
Authors: Aldana Maximino , Fuentes-Cabrera Miguel , Zumaya Martín
Published: February 2020

Self-assembly is a spontaneous process through which macroscopic structures are formed from basic microscopic constituents (e.g., molecules or colloids). By contrast, the formation of large biological molecules inside the cell (such as proteins or nucleic acids) is a process more akin to self-organization than to self-assembly, as it requires a constant supply of external energy. Recent studies have tried to merge self-assembly with self-organization by analyzing the assembly of self-propelled (or active) colloid-like particles whose motion is driven by a permanent source of energy. Here we present evidence that points to the fact that self-propulsion considerably enhances the assembly of polymers: self-propelled molecules are found to assemble faster into polymer-like structures than non self-propelled ones. The average polymer length increases towards a maximum as the self-propulsion force increases. Beyond this maximum, the average polymer length decreases due to the competition between bonding energy and disruptive forces that result from collisions. The assembly of active molecules might have promoted the formation of large pre-biotic polymers that could be the precursors of the informational polymers we observe nowadays.
Speed Control of Segmented PMLSM Based on Improved SMC and Speed Compensation Model
Authors: Wen Tong , Xiang Biao , Wang Zhongyi , Zhang Silei
Published: February 2020

A segmented control model including an improved sliding model control (SMC) and a speed compensation model is applied into the speed control of a segmented permanent magnet linear synchronous motor (PMLSM) to improve the speed precision during the drive process and reduce the speed loss during the switch process. During the drive process of segmented PMLSM, an improved SMC with a disturbance observer (DOB) is used to suppress the speed fluctuation, and a DOB is added to suppress the oscillation caused by the switch part of SMC. During the switch process of a segmented PMLSM, a speed compensation model based on the position feedback of permanent magnet (PM) actuator is designed to reduce the speed loss of a segmented PMLSM, so the speed of PM actuator could be kept at the reference speed when the PM actuator absolutely quits the stator windings. Finally, the simulation and experiment are conducted to verify the control performances of proposed control model, the results indicate that the speed fluctuation of PM actuator and the speed loss during the switch process are mitigated. Therefore, this proposed control model could satisfy requirements of high-stability and celerity of segmented PMLSM in a long-distance automatic transportation system.