bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
НАПРЯМИ УДОСКОНАЛЕННЯ ЗМІСТУ МЕТОДИКИ ВИКЛАДАННЯ ДИСЦИПЛІН ВОГНЕВОЇ ПІДГОТОВКИ ТА ПІДГОТОВКИ З ОСОБИСТОЇ БЕЗПЕКИ МАЙБУТНІМ ОФІЦЕРАМ-ПРИКОРДОННИКАМ
Authors: Волошин В. Д.
Published: February 2020

Статтю присвячено досить актуальній проблемі дидактики – методиці викладання, зокрема шляхам удосконалення методики викладання. Автор послідовно розкриває результати проведеного дослідження, розпочавши із загального аналізу стану вищої освіти, а саме вищої військової освіти в українському суспільстві. З метою отримання достовірних результатів наукового пошуку, автор представленої статті провів ґрунтовний аналіз існуючої наукової літератури філософського, педагогічного, соціального та психологічного спрямування. Перераховано прізвища відомих вітчизняних і зарубіжних вчених, а також тих, хто безпосередньо розбудовував вищу військову освіту в Україні.

З урахуванням рівня актуальності проблеми, висвітленої у статті, сформульовано пріоритетну мету наукової праці та основні методи дослідження (бібліографічний, аналіз, синтез, порівняння, класифікація, систематизація тощо).

У статті наголошено на тому, що у педагогіці нині існує чимало теоретико-методологічних підходів, проте до представленої проблематики доцільно застосувати саме системний підхід. Розкрито сутність системного підходу та його особливості (структурний, інтегративний, поелементний, функціональний, історичний, процесуальний, комунікаційний).

Проаналізовано та уточнено зміст поняття «удосконалення» та інтерпретовано його до представленої проблеми.

На підставі аспектів системної теорії, виділено та розкрито зміст основних педагогічних умов, завдяки яким можливе удосконалення методики викладання навчальних дисциплін блоку вогневої підготовки та підготовки з особистої безпеки.

Із врахуванням поданих вище елементів представленої статті, автор подав зміст основних шляхів удосконалення методики викладання навчальних дисциплін блоку вогневої підготовки та підготовки з особистої безпеки.

Ключові слова: вогнева підготовка, підготовка з особистої безпеки, методика викладання, майбутні офіцери-прикордонники, професійна підготовка, вища освіта, система.
DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS FOR DETERMINING THE LEVEL OF FORMATION OF THE AXIOLOGICAL-MOTIVATIONAL COMPONENT OF SELF-EDUCATIONAL COMPETENCE OF FUTURE CYBERSECURITY SPECIALISTS
Authors: Адарюкова Л. Б.
Published: February 2020

The article is devoted to the problem of formation of axiological-motivational component of self-educational competence of future cybersecurity specialists. It is stated that the development of this component is of great importance not only for the professional success, but also for self-development in all other spheres. In this context is necessary to identify the indicators, according to which it will be possible to measure the general level of the development of the component in question. The evaluation of the initial development level of the component in question is the first stage in the research work, the aim of which is to find the efficient ways of developing the axiological-motivational component in particular and self-educational competence in general, as only by comparing the data of the initial stage and the final stage the conclusion about the success of the experiment can be made. The article presents the grounding and choice of the diagnostic materials for determining the level of formation of each of the indicators (innovative and humanistic orientation of a personality, understanding of self-educational competence as a professional value, ability to emotionally experience the values of self-educational activity etc.) of the personal criterion (which corresponds to the axiological-motivational component). On the results of the initial stage measurements of this component the article states that the main problem connected with the development of the axiological-motivational component is the lack of theoretical knowledge about and practical skills of self-educational activity. This conclusion directs further research.

Key words: Axiological-motivational component, self-educational competence, diagnostic tools, questionnaires.
COVID-19, Australia: Epidemiology Report 4: Reporting week ending 19:00 AEDT 22 February 2020
Authors: Tsang Tracy ,   COVID-19 National Incident Room Surveillance Team
Published: February 2020

This is the fourth epidemiological report for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), reported in Australia as at 19:00 Australian Eastern Daylight Time [AEDT] 22 February 2020. It includes data on COVID-19 cases diagnosed in Australia, the international situation and a review of current evidence.
PEMANFAATAN LIMBAH RUMAH TANGGA DIGUNAKAN UNTUK OBAT DAN KEBERSIHAN
Authors: Megah Suswanto Ismadi , Dewi Desi Surlitasari , Wilany Eka
Published: February 2020

Ekoenzim menggunakan bahan baku yang mudah didapat dan murah. Proses fermentasinya yang selama 3 bulan, memang membutuhkan kesabaran tersendiri. Namun, larutan yang dihasilkan memiliki khasiat yang sangat banyak. Dalam proses fermentasinya saja, sudah terus dihasilkan gas O3 (ozon) yang sangat dibutuhkan atmosfer bumi. Larutan ekoenzim bila dicampur dengan air, akan bereaksi serta dapat digunakan sebagai cairan pembersih mulai dari piring, lantai, pakaian, kakus, sampai dengan pencuci rambut dan sabun mandi. Bila dibutuhkan, juga bisa melancarkan saluran air yang tersumbat. Campuran dengan air bila digunakan untuk menyiram tanaman akan memberi hasil buah, bunga, atau panen yang lebih baik.disamping itu  juga dapat mengusir serangga-serangga pengganggu. Ampas sampah organik yang sudah difermentasi bisa digunakan sebagai pupuk organik yang baik. Selain ramah lingkungan limbah rumah tangga bisa menjadikan nilai ekonomis bagi warga RW 07 Kec.Sagulung Kota Batam karena selain lingkungan menjadi bersih juga tidak memerlukan biaya yang mahal untuk memperolehnya. Dengan memperkenalkan pengelolan limbah rumah tangga dengan ekoenzim. Manfaat yang ada dari ekoenzim adalah bisa melancarkan saluran air yang tersumbat. Elain itu, bisa juga digunakan untuk menyiram tanaman akan memberi hasil buah, bunga, atau panen yang lebih dan dapat mengusir serangga-serangga pengganggu. Ampas sampah organik yang sudah difermentasi bisa digunakan sebagai bahan untuk kebersihan dan juga sebagai pupuk organik yang baik.
Oil Price Shocks, Fuel Subsidies and Macroeconomic (In)stability in Nigeria
Authors: Omotosho Babatunde S.
Published: February 2020

This paper studies the macroeconomic implications of oil price shocks and the extant fuel subsidy regime for Nigeria. To do this, we develop and estimate a New-Keynesian DSGE model that accounts for pass-through effect of international oil price into the retail price of fuel. Our results show that oil price shocks generate significant and persistent impacts on output, accounting for about 22 percent of its variations up to the fourth year. Under our benchmark model (i.e. with fuel subsidies), we show that a negative oil price shock contracts aggregate GDP, boosts non-oil GDP, increases headline inflation, and depreciates the exchange rate. However, results generated under the model without fuel subsidies indicate that the contractionary effect of a negative oil price shock on aggregate GDP is moderated, headline inflation decreases, while the exchange rate depreciates more in the short-run. Counterfactual simulations also reveal that fuel subsidy removal leads to higher macroeconomic instabilities and generates non-trivial implications for the response of monetary policy to an oil price shock. Thus, this study cautions that a successful fuel subsidy reform must necessarily encompass the deployment of well-targeted safety nets as well as the evolution of sustainable adjustment mechanisms.
Inflation Dynamics and Exchange Rate Pass-Through in Nigeria: Evidence from Augmented Nonlinear New Keynesian Philips Curve
Authors: Bello Usman A. , Sanusi Aliyu R.
Published: February 2020

This paper estimates a nonlinear augmented New Keynesian Philips Curve for Nigeria using the Smooth Transition Regression model for the period 1995Q1 to 2018Q2. The empirical evidence reveals the existence of two inflation regimes during the period under review. Food inflation, energy inflation, firms’ marginal cost, and imported inflation account for most of the changes in the prices of composite consumers’ basket in low exchange rate depreciation regime. However, the exchange rate solely explains price changes in the composite consumers’ basket when inflation switches to high regime. Similarly, the results show that regime change in inflation is largely caused by exchange rate (transition variable) depreciation or devaluation of the naira. Furthermore, the paper finds that the threshold in exchange rate devaluation (depreciation) that triggers a regime switch from low to high inflation regime is about N75 relative to a dollar. The speed of regime switch was found to be significantly high at about 70% per quarter. The paper argues that achieving exchange rate stability is a necessary condition for disinflation during this regime. Therefore, this paper recommends that monetary policy response to low inflation regime must target the various components of the consumption basket while effort to curtail persistent high inflation must include a stable exchange rate of the naira.
Impact of the fire ant pesticide AMDRO on loggerhead turtle nest productivity and seafinding orientation
Authors: Smith HE , Hoover SR , Salmon M , Seaman H , Coppenrath CM , Hirsch SE , Perrault JR
Published: February 2020

Invasive fire ants prey on a variety of organisms in the southeastern USA, including the pipped eggs and hatchlings within sea turtle nests. The granular fire ant bait AMDRO® (active ingredient hydramethylnon) is currently used at some rookeries to protect nests, but no studies have been conducted to determine if the pesticide negatively impacts the eggs or the hatchlings. We examined the pesticide’s effect on loggerhead (Caretta caretta) nests at Juno Beach, Florida, USA, specifically targeting how exposure affected hatching success, hatchling emergence success, and the ability of the turtles to orient visually from the nest to the sea. Pesticide granules were placed within a 30 cm diameter circle on the sand directly above the nest during the final 5-10 days of incubation, representative of its typical application at nesting beaches. Cornmeal granules in soybean oil and untreated natural nests served as controls. AMDRO had no significant effect on hatching success or emergence success, nor did it result in any deficiencies in hatchling orientation accuracy. However, the pesticide and cornmeal control attracted other predators (Atlantic ghost crabs and avian species), in addition to fire ants, to the nest site, thus revealing the nest’s location and potentially increasing its vulnerability. Consequently, we suggest that its usage may not be beneficial at sites where predators other than ants are especially abundant.
Effect of Exopolysaccharide-Producing Bacteria and Melatonin on Faba Bean Production in Saline and Non-Saline Soil
Authors: Abd El-Ghany Mona F. , Attia Magdy
Published: February 2020

Soil salinity is a major threat to modern agriculture, as it affects crop growth and development. The present study focuses on the integration of eco-friendly biostimulants in salinity stress as a strategy to achieve the alleviation of abiotic stress. Field experiments were conducted at two locations, consisting of saline and non-saline soil, to investigate the utilization of exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing bacteria (Azotobacter chroococcum) and melatonin at different concentrations (0, 25, 50, and 100 µM) for alleviating the adverse effects of salinity on the growth and production of faba bean plants. Salinity stress caused a reduction in all measured parameters of the faba bean plants grown in the saline soil relative to the plants grown in the non-saline soil. The addition of bacteria and/or melatonin significantly increased the growth parameters and yield components under both soils compared to the respective control plants. Both bacteria inoculation and melatonin application enhanced N, P, and K concentrations; the proline content; RWC%; and the K+/Na+ ratio; however, Na+ and Cl− concentrations were decreased significantly in salt-stressed faba beans. The combined use of bacteria and melatonin exhibited the highest stimulating effects. The present study recommends the combined use of EPS-producing bacteria and melatonin for the salinity stress management strategy of faba bean.
Detection of Pseudorabies Virus in Wild Boar Foetus
Authors: Pacini Maria Irene , Forzan Mario , Cilia Giovanni , Bernardini Lucrezia , Marzoli Filippo , Pedonese Francesca , Bandecchi Patrizia , Fratini Filippo , Mazzei Maurizio
Published: February 2020

Pseudorabies, or Aujeszky’s disease, is a notifiable worldwide infection of domestic and feral swine that causes economic losses for the swine industry. In domestic pigs, the virus is responsible for nervous and/or respiratory symptoms; in pregnant sows, it is one of the major causes of stillbirth, mummification, embryonic death, and infertility (SMEDI). It is known that PRV infection in wild boar is associated with low pathogenicity and attenuated or absent symptomatology, but limited information is available about the ability of the virus to infect the foetuses of infected wild boar pregnant sows. Due to scarce information about the reproductive consequences, we investigate the possible intrauterine vertical transmission of the virus in wild boar pregnant sow living in a highly infected area. A number of 54 hunted wild boar were sampled during 2018–2019, and blood, genital and nasal swabs, placenta, and fetuses were collected for serological and molecular investigations. A seroprevalence of 74% (40/54) was detected, while 1/24 pregnant sow and 1/24 pooled foetuses tested positive by PCR (gene gB). This is the first evidence of viral detection in foetuses from seropositive pregnant wild boar. This finding suggests the possible pathogenetic role of PRV on pregnancy in wild boar and the existence of an additional transmission route.
Body-Part-Aware and Multitask-Aware Single-Image-Based Action Recognition
Authors: Bhandari Bhishan , Lee Geonu , Cho Jungchan
Published: February 2020

Action recognition is an application that, ideally, requires real-time results. We focus on single-image-based action recognition instead of video-based because of improved speed and lower cost of computation. However, a single image contains limited information, which makes single-image-based action recognition a difficult problem. To get an accurate representation of action classes, we propose three feature-stream-based shallow sub-networks (image-based, attention-image-based, and part-image-based feature networks) on the deep pose estimation network in a multitasking manner. Moreover, we design the multitask-aware loss function, so that the proposed method can be adaptively trained with heterogeneous datasets where only human pose annotations or action labels are included (instead of both pose and action information), which makes it easier to apply the proposed approach to new data on behavioral analysis on intelligent systems. In our extensive experiments, we showed that these streams represent complementary information and, hence, the fused representation is robust in distinguishing diverse fine-grained action classes. Unlike other methods, the human pose information was trained using heterogeneous datasets in a multitasking manner; nevertheless, it achieved 91.91% mean average precision on the Stanford 40 Actions Dataset. Moreover, we demonstrated the proposed method can be flexibly applied to multi-labels action recognition problem on the V-COCO Dataset.
Edge Couplers in Silicon Photonic Integrated Circuits: A Review
Authors: Mu Xin , Wu Sailong , Cheng Lirong , Fu H.Y.
Published: February 2020

Silicon photonics has drawn increasing attention in the past few decades and is a promising key technology for future daily applications due to its various merits including ultra-low cost, high integration density owing to the high refractive index of silicon, and compatibility with current semiconductor fabrication process. Optical interconnects is an important issue in silicon photonic integrated circuits for transmitting light, and fiber-to-chip optical interconnects is vital in application scenarios such as data centers and optical transmission systems. There are mainly two categories of fiber-to-chip optical coupling: off-plane coupling and in-plane coupling. Grating couplers work under the former category, while edge couplers function as in-plane coupling. In this paper, we mainly focus on edge couplers in silicon photonic integrated circuits. We deliver an introduction to the research background, operation mechanisms, and design principles of silicon photonic edge couplers. The state-of-the-art of edge couplers is reviewed according to the different structural configurations of the device, while identifying the performance, fabrication feasibility, and applications. In addition, a brief comparison between edge couplers and grating couplers is conducted. Packaging issues are also discussed, and several prospective techniques for further improvements of edge couplers are proposed.
Memory Efficient Implementation of Modular Multiplication for 32-bit ARM Cortex-M4
Authors: Seo Hwajeong
Published: February 2020

In this paper, we present scalable multi-precision multiplication implementation and scalable multi-precision squaring implementation for 32-bit ARM Cortex-M4 microcontrollers. For efficient computation and scalable functionality, we present optimized Multiplication and ACcumulation (MAC) techniques for the target microcontrollers. In particular, we present the 64-bit wise MAC operation with the Unsigned Long Multiply with Accumulate Accumulate (UMAAL) instruction. The MAC is used to perform column-wise multiplication/squaring (i.e., product-scanning) with general-purpose registers in an optimal way. Second, the squaring algorithm is further optimized through an efficient doubling routine together with an optimized product-scanning method. Finally, the proposed implementations achieved a very small memory footprint and high scalability to cover algorityms ranging from well-known public key cryptography (i.e., Rivest–Shamir–Adleman (RSA) and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC)) to post-quantum cryptography (i.e., Supersingular Isogeny Key Encapsulation (SIKE)). All SIKE round 2 protocols were evaluated with the proposed modular reduction implementations. The results demonstrate that the scalable implementation can achieve the smallest code size together with a reasonable performance.
Time-Varying Dynamic Analysis of a Helical-Geared Rotor-Bearing System with Three-Dimensional Motion Due to Shaft Deformation
Authors: Chen Ying-Chung
Published: February 2020

The rotordynamics of a helical-geared rotor-bearing system were investigated. A new dynamic model for a helical-geared rotor-bearing system, which takes into account three-dimensional (3-D) motion due to rotating shaft deformation, was proposed. The proposed model considers the time-varying effect, which in other models, is considered constant. The system equations of motion were obtained by applying Lagrange’s equation, and the dynamic responses were computed by the fourth-order Runge–Kutta method. The time-varying dynamic responses of the helix angle, transverse pressure angle, gear pair center distance, and total contact ratio were investigated. The numerical results show that the time-varying effect is an important factor in gear vibration analysis and cannot be neglected when the helical geared rotor-bearing system has a lower stiffness.
Comparative Study of Sound Transmission Losses of Sandwich Composite Double Panel Walls
Authors: Isaac Chukwuemeke William , Pawelczyk Marek , Wrona Stanislaw
Published: February 2020

The increasing motivation behind the recently wide industrial applications of sandwich and composite double panel structures stems from their ability to absorb sounds more effectively. Meticulous selection of the geometrical and material constituents of both the core and panels of these structures can produce highly desirable properties. A good understanding of their vibro-acoustic response and emission index such as the sound transmission loss (STL) is, therefore, a requisite to producing optimal design. In this study, an overview of recent advances in STL of sandwich and composites double panels is presented. At first, some salient explanation of the various frequency and controlled regions are given. It then critically examines a number of parameter effects on the STL of sandwich and composite structures. Literatures on the numerical, analytical and experimental solutions of STL are systematically presented. Efficient and more reliable optimization problems that maximize the STL and minimize the objective functions capable of degrading the effectiveness of the structure to absorb sounds are also provided.
Comparative Performance Characterization of Mobile AR Frameworks in the Context of AR-Based Grocery Shopping Applications
Authors: Lee Juhwan , Hwang Sangwon , Lee Jisun , Kang Seungwoo
Published: February 2020

A number of Augmented Reality (AR) frameworks are now available and used to support the development of mobile AR applications. In this paper, we measure and compare the recognition performance of the commercial AR frameworks and identify potential issues that can occur in the real application environment. For experiments, we assume a situation in which a consumer purchases food products in a grocery store and consider an application scenario in which AR content related to the products is displayed on a smartphone screen by recognizing such products. We use four performance metrics to compare the performance of the selected AR frameworks, Vuforia, ARCore, and MAXST. Experimental results show that Vuforia is relatively superior to the others. The limitation of the AR frameworks is also identified when they are used in a real grocery store environment.
Parallel Load-Bearing and Damping System Design and Test for Satellite Vibration Suppression
Authors: Chen Shenyan , Yang Zihan , Ying Minxiao , Zheng Yanwu , Liu Yanjie , Pan Zhongwen
Published: February 2020

The traditional series-type satellite vibration suppression scheme significantly decreases satellite frequency, which leads to difficulty in controlling the amplitude. In the present work, a new parallel viscous damping scheme is adopted on the Payload Adaptor Fitting (PAF), which aims to integrate a load-bearing design and vibration reduction. The vibration amplitude and weight are the most important design requirements of the damping system. The Finite Element (FE) model of PAF was established. Through a series of analyses, the appropriate number and coefficient of dampers were determined. The damping force was calculated according to the damping coefficient and the relative velocity between the two ends of the damper. Based on the damping force and the installation dimensions, the damping rod was designed. The force–velocity test was carried out on the damping rod prototype, which showed its performance satisfies the requirements. With the topology optimization and sizing optimization technology, the light-weight supports were designed and manufactured. One damping rod and two supports were assembled as one set of dampers. Eight sets of dampers were installed on the PAF. Vibration tests were conducted on the damping state PAF. The results showed that the proposed system is effective at suppressing vibration and maintaining stiffness simultaneously.
A Hybrid Double Forecasting System of Short Term Power Load Based on Swarm Intelligence and Nonlinear Integration Mechanism
Authors: Jiang Ping , Nie Ying
Published: February 2020

Accurate and reliable power load forecasting not only takes an important place in management and steady running of smart grid, but also has environmental benefits and economic dividends. Accurate load point forecasting can provide a guarantee for the daily operation of the power grid, and effective interval forecasting can further quantify the uncertainty of power load on this basis to provide dependable and precise load information. However, most of the previous work focuses on the deterministic point prediction of power load and rarely considers the interval prediction of power load, which makes the prediction of power load not comprehensive. In this study, a new double hybrid load forecasting system including point forecasting module and interval forecasting module is developed, which can make up for the shortcomings of incomplete analysis for the existing research. The point forecasting module adopts a nonlinear integration mechanism based on Back Propagation (BP) network optimized by Multi-objective Evolutionary Algorithm based on Decomposition (MOEA/D) to improve the accuracy of point prediction. A fuzzy clustering interval prediction method based on different data feature classification is successfully proposed which provides an effective tool for load uncertainty analysis. The experiment results show that the system not only has a good effect in accurately predicting power load, but also can analyze the uncertainty of the power load, which can be used as an effective technology of power system planning.
Effect of Fiber Reinforced Polymer Tubes Filled with Recycled Materials and Concrete on Structural Capacity of Pile Foundations
Authors: Farhangi Visar , Karakouzian Moses
Published: February 2020

This paper deals with analyzing the structural responses of glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) tubes filled with recycled and concrete material for developing composite piles, as an alternative to traditional steel reinforced piles in bridge foundations. The full-scale GFRP composite piles included three structural layers, using a fiber-oriented material that was inclined longitudinally. Almost 60% of the fibers were orientated at 35° from the longitudinal direction of the pile and the rest 40 percent were oriented at 86° from the horizontal axis. The segment between the inner and outer layers was inclined 3° from the hoop direction in the tube. The behavior of the filled GFRP tubes was semi-linear and resulted in increasing the total ductility and strength of the piles. Adjusting the material’s properties, such as the EAxial, EHoop, and Poisson ratios, optimized the results. The lateral strength of the GFRP composite pile and pre-stressed piles are investigated under both axial compression and bending moment loads. Based on the conducted parametric study, the required axial and bending capacities of piles in different ranges of eccentricities can be reached using the combination of tube wall thickness and GFRP fiber percentages.
Staging Proto-Zionism. Jewish Quarter of Zemun, Serbia: Historical Evidence, Structure, Meaning
Authors: Marinković Čedomila
Published: February 2020

Zemun is an old Central European town on the right bank of the Danube River, today one of the boroughs of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. There has been a small Jewish community in Zemun dating back to the mid-18th century. Some of the Jews who lived in Zemun in the 19th century contributed to the emergence of Zionism. This paper presents new archival information about Zemun’s Jewish quarter including an analysis of the Zemun synagogue as well as various hermeneutic explanations of its urban and architectural development. Previous analyses of this area of Zemun have focused on external and morphological characteristics of its religious architecture but failed to explain its conceptual, historical, socio-political and religious context. This paper will cover these new elements as well as establish a basis for understanding this part of the old urban core of Zemun in relation to the significant personalities who lived there and the important ideas they developed.
Art Criticism and the State of Feminist Art Criticism
Authors: Deepwell Katy
Published: February 2020

This essay is in four parts. The first offers a critique of James Elkins and Michael Newman’s book The State of Art Criticism (Routledge, 2008) for what it tells us about art criticism in academia and journalism and feminism; the second considers how a gendered analysis measures the “state” of art and art criticism as a feminist intervention; and the third, how neo-liberal mis-readings of Linda Nochlin and Laura Mulvey in the art world represent feminism in ideas about “greatness” and the “gaze”, whilst avoiding feminist arguments about women artists or their work, particularly on “motherhood”. In the fourth part, against the limits of the first three, the state of feminist art criticism across the last fifty years is reconsidered by highlighting the plurality of feminisms in transnational, transgenerational and progressive alliances.
Functional Efficacy of Probiotic Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis in Apple, Orange and Tomato Juices with Special Reference to Storage Stability and In Vitro Gastrointestinal Survival
Authors: Zhu Wenjie , Lyu Fengzhi , Naumovski Nenad , Ajlouni Said , Ranadheera Chaminda Senaka
Published: February 2020

There is an increasing demand for non-dairy probiotic carriers such as fruit and vegetable juices. Probiotic Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis is predominantly used in the bakery industry, and its efficacy in fruit juices has not been studied sufficiently. Additionally, support from the carrier matrices for maintaining probiotic viability and gastrointestinal tolerance is important in selecting suitable vehicles for probiotic delivery. Three different non-dairy carrier juices (apple, orange and tomato) were tested for their ability to maintain L. sanfranciscensis viable during four weeks of refrigerated storage (4 °C). Their potential protection of L. sanfranciscensis against in vitro gastrointestinal digestion was also evaluated. Results indicated that the probiotics viability in all three juice samples met the recommended level for probiotic food (>106–107 cfu/mL) at the end of storage. However, all three juice samples showed a comparatively lower protective effect (p < 0.05) on the viability of L. sanfranciscensis when exposed to simulated gastric juice (pH = 2) at the end of 60 min and simulated intestinal juice with 0.3% (w/v) bile salt (pH = 8) at the end of 240 min exposure. In general, the three tested juices can be regarded as the potential non-dairy based carriers for L. sanfranciscensis. The future research is needed to improve the modification of the probiotic carriers in order to prolong the viability of L. sanfranciscensis during the gastrointestinal digestion.
N-(2-Hydroxyphenyl)-1-[3-(2-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H- benzimidazol-1-yl)propyl]piperidine-4-Carboxamide (D2AAK4), a Multi-Target Ligand of Aminergic GPCRs, as a Potential Antipsychotic
Authors: Kaczor Agnieszka A. , Targowska-Duda Katarzyna M. , Silva Andrea G. , Kondej Magda , Biała Grażyna , Castro Marián
Published: February 2020

N-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-1-[3-(2-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-benzimidazol -1-yl)propyl]piperidine-4-carboxamide (D2AAK4) is a multitarget ligand of aminergic G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) identified in structure-based virtual screening. Here we present detailed in vitro, in silico and in vivo investigations of this virtual hit. D2AAK4 has an atypical antipsychotic profile and low affinity to off-targets. It interacts with aminergic GPCRs, forming an electrostatic interaction between its protonatable nitrogen atom and the conserved Asp 3.32 of the receptors. At the dose of 100 mg/kg D2AAK4 decreases amphetamine-induced hyperactivity predictive of antipsychotic activity, improves memory consolidation in passive avoidance test and has anxiogenic properties in elevated plus maze test (EPM). Further optimization of the virtual hit D2AAK4 will be aimed to balance its multitarget profile and to obtain analogs with anxiolytic activity.
Leg Dominance Effects on Postural Control When Performing Challenging Balance Exercises
Authors: Promsri Arunee , Haid Thomas , Werner Inge , Federolf Peter
Published: February 2020

Leg dominance reflects the preferential use of one leg over another and is typically attributed to asymmetries in the neural circuitry. Detecting leg dominance effects on motor behavior, particularly during balancing exercises, has proven difficult. The current study applied a principal component analysis (PCA) on kinematic data, to assess bilateral asymmetry on the coordinative structure (hypothesis H1) or on the control characteristics of specific movement components (hypothesis H2). Marker-based motion tracking was performed on 26 healthy adults (aged 25.3 ± 4.1 years), who stood unipedally on a multiaxial unstable board, in a randomized order, on their dominant and non-dominant leg. Leg dominance was defined as the kicking leg. PCA was performed to determine patterns of correlated segment movements (“principal movements” PMks). The control of each PMk was characterized by assessing its acceleration (second-time derivative). Results were inconclusive regarding a leg-dominance effect on the coordinative structure of balancing movements (H1 inconclusive); however, different control (p = 0.005) was observed in PM3, representing a diagonal plane movement component (H2 was supported). These findings supported that leg dominance effects should be considered when assessing or training lower-limb neuromuscular control and suggest that specific attention should be given to diagonal plane movements.
High-Pressure Phase Equilibrium Studies of Multicomponent (Alcohol-Water-Ionic Liquid-CO2) Systems
Authors: Zakrzewska Małgorzata E. , Paninho Ana B. , Guedes da Silva M. Fátima C. , Nunes Ana V. M.
Published: February 2020

Selective water (by-product) separation from reaction mixtures stands as an important process intensification strategy for equilibrium-limited reactions. In this work, the possibility of using a high-pressure biphasic reaction media composed of a hydrophobic ionic liquid, 1-hexy-3-methylimidazolium tetracyanoborate, and carbon dioxide was explored for levulinic acid production from 1,4-butanediol. Vapour-liquid equilibrium measurements were performed for the binary (diol+CO2), ternary (diol+CO2+IL), and quaternary systems (diol+CO2+IL+water), at 313.2 K and pressures up to 18 MPa. The static analytical method was used in a high-pressure phase equilibrium apparatus equipped with a visual sapphire cell. The capability of the quaternary system to perform physical water separation is discussed in this paper.
Increased Expression of Micro-RNA-23a Mediates Chemoresistance to Cytarabine in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Hatzl Stefan , Perfler Bianca , Wurm Sonja , Uhl Barbara , Quehenberger Franz , Ebner Susanne , Troppmair Jakob , Reinisch Andreas , Wölfler Albert , Sill Heinz , Zebisch Armin
Published: February 2020

Resistance to chemotherapy is one of the primary obstacles in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) therapy. Micro-RNA-23a (miR-23a) is frequently deregulated in AML and has been linked to chemoresistance in solid cancers. We, therefore, studied its role in chemoresistance to cytarabine (AraC), which forms the backbone of all cytostatic AML treatments. Initially, we assessed AraC sensitivity in three AML cell lines following miR-23a overexpression/knockdown using MTT-cell viability and soft-agar colony-formation assays. Overexpression of miR-23a decreased the sensitivity to AraC, whereas its knockdown had the opposite effect. Analysis of clinical data revealed that high miR-23a expression correlated with relapsed/refractory (R/R) AML disease stages, the leukemic stem cell compartment, as well as with inferior overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) in AraC-treated patients. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that miR-23a targets and downregulates topoisomerase-2-beta (TOP2B), and that TOP2B knockdown mediates AraC chemoresistance as well. Likewise, low TOP2B expression also correlated with R/R-AML disease stages and inferior EFS/OS. In conclusion, we show that increased expression of miR-23a mediates chemoresistance to AraC in AML and that it correlates with an inferior outcome in AraC-treated AML patients. We further demonstrate that miR-23a causes the downregulation of TOP2B, which is likely to mediate its effects on AraC sensitivity.
Genomic Characterization of Non-Invasive Differentiated-Type Gastric Cancer in the Japanese Population
Authors: Nakamura Koki , Urabe Yuji , Kagemoto Kenichi , Yuge Ryo , Hayashi Ryohei , Ono Atsushi , Hayes C. Nelson , Oka Shiro , Ito Masanori , Nishisaka Takashi , Tanabe Kazuaki , Arihiro Koji , Ohdan Hideki , Tanaka Shinji , Chayama Kazuaki
Published: February 2020

Background and aims: Recent genomic characterization of gastric cancer (GC) by sequencing has revealed a large number of cancer-related genes. Research to characterize the genomic landscape of cancer has focused on established invasive cancer to develop biomarkers for therapeutic or diagnostic targets, and nearly all GC reports have been about advanced GC. The aim of this study is to identify recurrently mutated genes in non-invasive GC and, in particular, the driver mutations that are associated with the development of GC. Methods and results: We performed whole-exome sequencing of 19 fresh frozen specimens of differentiated-type non-invasive GC and targeted sequencing for 168 genes of 30 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded archival specimens of differentiated-type non-invasive GC. We found that TP53 and LRP1 are significantly associated with non-invasive GC. It has been reported that LPR1 is associated with CagA autophagy in gastric mucosa. Therefore, we downloaded RNA sequence data for gastric cancer from the The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Genomic Data Commons Data Portal and examined the differences in LRP1 gene expression levels. The expression level was significantly lower in cases without LRP1 mutation than in cases with LRP1 mutation. Based on these results, fluorescent immunostaining for CagA was performed for 49 of the above samples to evaluate CagA accumulation within the cancerous tissue. Accumulation of CagA was significantly greater when an LRP1 mutation was present than without a mutation. Conclusion: These data suggest that LRP1 mutation is an important change promoting the transformation of gastric mucosa to GC early in the carcinogenesis of cancer.
Usefulness of Hybrid PET/MRI in Clinical Evaluation of Head and Neck Cancer Patients
Authors: Samolyk-Kogaczewska Natalia , Sierko Ewa , Dziemianczyk-Pakiela Dorota , Nowaszewska Klaudia Beata , Lukasik Malgorzata , Reszec Joanna
Published: February 2020

(1) Background: The novel hybrid of positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance (PET/MR) examination has been introduced to clinical practice. The aim of our study was to evaluate PET/MR usefulness in preoperative staging of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients (pts); (2) Methods: Thirty eight pts underwent both computed tomography (CT) and PET/MR examination, of whom 21 pts underwent surgical treatment as first-line therapy and were further included in the present study. Postsurgical tissue material was subjected to routine histopathological (HP) examination with additional evaluation of p16, human papillomavirus (HPV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Ki67 status. Agreement of clinical and pathological T staging, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) of CT and PET/MR in metastatic lymph nodes detection were defined. The verification of dependences between standardized uptake value (SUV value), tumor geometrical parameters, number of metastatic lymph nodes in PET/MR and CT, biochemical parameters, Ki67 index, p16, HPV and EBV status was made with statistical analysis of obtained results; (3) Results: PET/MR is characterized by better agreement in T staging, higher specificity, sensitivity, PPV and NPV of lymph nodes evaluation than CT imaging. Significant correlations were observed between SUVmax and maximal tumor diameter from PET/MR, between SUVmean and CT tumor volume, PET/MR tumor volume, maximal tumor diameter assessed in PET/MR. Other correlations were weak and insignificant; (4) Conclusions: Hybrid PET/MR imaging is useful in preoperative staging of HNC. Further studies are needed.
Kinome Profiling to Predict Sensitivity to MAPK Inhibition in Melanoma and to Provide New Insights into Intrinsic and Acquired Mechanism of Resistance
Authors: Krayem Mohammad , Aftimos Philippe , Najem Ahmad , van den Hooven Tim , van den Berg Adriënne , Hovestad-Bijl Liesbeth , de Wijn Rik , Hilhorst Riet , Ruijtenbeek Rob , Sabbah Malak , Kerger Joseph , Awada Ahmad , Journe Fabrice , Ghanem Ghanem
Published: February 2020

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibition with the combination of BRAF (Rapidly Accelerated Fibrosarcoma) and MEK (Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase) inhibitors has become the standard of first-line therapy of metastatic melanoma harbouring BRAF V600 mutations. However, about half of the patients present with primary resistance while the remaining develop secondary resistance under prolonged treatment. Thus, there is a need for predictive biomarkers for sensitivity and/or resistance to further refine the patient population likely to benefit from MAPK inhibitors. In this study, we explored a top-down approach using a multiplex kinase assay, first, to discover a kinome signature predicting sensitivity, intrinsic and acquired resistance to MAPK inhibitors in melanoma, and second, to understand the mechanism of resistance using cell lines. Pre-dose tissues from patients (four responders and three non-responders to BRAFi monotherapy) were profiled for phosphotyrosine kinase (PTK) and serine-threonine kinase (STK) activities on a PamChip® peptide microarray in the presence and absence of ex vivo BRAFi. In addition, molecular studies were conducted on four sensitive parental lines, their offspring with acquired resistance to BRAFi and two lines with intrinsic resistance. PTK and STK activities in cell lysates were measured in the presence and absence of ex vivo BRAFi and/or MEKi. In tissue lysates, concentration-dependent ex vivo inhibition of STK and PTK activities with dabrafenib was stronger in responders than in non-responders. This difference was confirmed in cell lines comparing sensitive and resistant ones. Interestingly, common features of resistance were increased activity of receptor tyrosine kinases, Proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Src (Src) family kinases and protein kinase B (PKB, AKT) signalling. These latter results were confirmed by Western blots. While dabrafenib alone showed an inhibition of STK and PTK activities in both tissues and cell lines, the combination of dabrafenib and trametinib showed an antagonism on the STK activities and a synergism on PTK activities, resulting in stronger inhibitions of overall tyrosine kinase activities. Altogether; these data reveal that resistance of tumours and cell lines to MAPK inhibitors can be predicted using a multiplex kinase assay and is associated with an increase in specific tyrosine kinase activities and globally to AKT signalling in the patient’s tissue. Thus, such a predictive kinome signature would help to identify patients with innate resistance to MAPK double inhibition in order to propose other therapies.
The Urinary Transcriptome as a Source of Biomarkers for Prostate Cancer
Authors: Solé Carla , Goicoechea Ibai , Goñi Alai , Schramm Maike , Armesto María , Arestin María , Manterola Lorea , Tellaetxe Maitena , Alberdi Aitor , Nogueira Leonor , Roumiguie Mathieu , López Jose Ignacio , Sanz Jaka Juan Pablo , Urruticoechea Ander , Vergara Itziar , Loizaga-Iriarte Ana , Unda Miguel , Carracedo Arkaitz , Malavaud Bernard , Lawrie Charles H.
Published: February 2020

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common cancer of men and is typically slow-growing and asymptomatic. The use of blood PSA as a screening method has greatly improved PCa diagnosis, but high levels of false positives has raised much interest in alternative biomarkers. We used next-generation sequencing (NGS) to elucidate the urinary transcriptome of whole urine collected from high-stage and low-stage PCa patients as well as from patients with the confounding diagnosis of benign hyperplasia (BPH). We identified and validated five differentially expressed protein-coding genes (FTH1 BRPF1, OSBP, PHC3, and UACA) in an independent validation cohort of small-volume (1 mL) centrifuged urine (n = 94) and non-centrifuged urine (n = 84) by droplet digital (dd)PCR. These biomarkers were able to discriminate between BPH and PCa patients and healthy controls using either centrifuged or non-centrifuged whole urine samples, suggesting that the urinary transcriptome is a valuable source of non-invasive biomarkers for PCa that warrants further investigation.
How to Classify Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumors (PitNET)s in 2020
Authors: Trouillas Jacqueline , Jaffrain-Rea Marie-Lise , Vasiljevic Alexandre , Raverot Gérald , Roncaroli Federico , Villa Chiara
Published: February 2020

Adenohypophyseal tumors, which were recently renamed pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNET), are mostly benign, but may present various behaviors: invasive, “aggressive” and malignant with metastases. They are classified into seven morphofunctional types and three lineages: lactotroph, somatotroph and thyrotroph (PIT1 lineage), corticotroph (TPIT lineage) or gonadotroph (SF1 lineage), null cell or immunonegative tumor and plurihormonal tumors. The WHO 2017 classification suggested that subtypes, such as male lactotroph, silent corticotroph and Crooke cell, sparsely granulated somatotroph, and silent plurihormonal PIT1 positive tumors, should be considered as “high risk” tumors. However, the prognostic impact of these subtypes and of each morphologic type remains controversial. In contrast, the French five-tiered classification, taking into account the invasion, the immuno-histochemical (IHC) type, and the proliferative markers (Ki-67 index, mitotic count, p53 positivity), has a prognostic value validated by statistical analysis in 4 independent cohorts. A standardized report for the diagnosis of pituitary tumors, integrating all these parameters, has been proposed by the European Pituitary Pathology Group (EPPG). In 2020, the pituitary pathologist must be considered as a member of the multidisciplinary pituitary team. The pathological diagnosis may help the clinician to adapt the post-operative management, including appropriate follow-up and early recognition and treatment of potentially aggressive forms.