bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An empirical study to explore the risk adjusted performance of mutual funds: A case of Pakistan
Authors: Shamim Asif , Mumtaz Atif , Ali Bilawal
Published: March 2020

The research aims to explore the risk adjusted performance of mutual funds in Pakistan. The research is based on inductive approach and secondary sources of data. The data has been collected for a total of 29 mutual funds from authentic sources such as the website of Mutual Fund Association of Pakistan and other online websites for Beta and Risk-Free Return. The tests are run on the data processed using Treynor Measure and Sharpe Ratio to reach at the conclusion if risk adjusted performance of measure mutual funds is up to the mark. It can be concluded that the risk adjusted performance of the mutual funds is lower than the absolute performance and the returns and risk also vary with respect to the time frame considered for the returns. First, the research utilizes the secondary sources of data only; the usage of primary sources of data can provide insights about internal operations of the mutual funds in Pakistan as they can provide reasons about fluctuations in the performance of mutual funds of same category. Second limitation is that the research has studied 29 income based funds only and the study of more fund categories could have expanded the scope of the research. Third limitation relates to the collected of quantitative data only as the backing by the qualitative data could have enriched the findings from the data collection. As the risk adjusted returns for majority of the income mutual funds are positive, the investors are recommended to invest in the mutual funds if they aim to get a desired risk adjusted return. The investors are recommended to consider wide range of mutual funds and should not limit their analysis to the income mutual funds based on their risk appetite and other factors to ensure that they get desired return within their risk appetite. The mutual fund companies are recommended to alter their portfolios in the cases when they are not able to generate positive risk adjusted returns. The mutual fund managers are recommended to perform periodical and in-depth analysis to reach at the desired portfolio based on the investment needs of the investors or the target population.
Borrower platform choice: The influencing factors on herding
Authors: Zhao Yingxiu , Zhang Wei , Wang Pengfei , Shen Dehua
Published: March 2020

Based on the unique data from a popular P2P website in China, this paper investigates the borrowers’ herding behavior and its influencing factors, e.g., platform attribute and moderating events. We mainly find that: (i) there exists herding behavior at the platform level and that the loan amount, loan interest rate and loan duration are positively related to the magnitude of herding; (2) the borrowers’ herding behavior is increased by a platform’s market share and the number of participants; (3) regulatory events have negative effects on the herding behavior. Our findings have practical implications for P2P participants, platforms, and policymakers.
Product Algebras for Galerkin Discretisations of Boundary Integral Operators and their Applications
Authors: Betcke Timo , Scroggs Matthew W. , Śmigaj Wojciech
Published: March 2020

Operator products occur naturally in a range of regularised boundary integral equation formulations. However, while a Galerkin discretisation only depends on the domain space and the test (or dual) space of the operator, products require a notion of the range. In the boundary element software package Bempp, we have implemented a complete operator algebra that depends on knowledge of the domain, range, and test space. The aim was to develop a way of working with Galerkin operators in boundary element software that is as close to working with the strong form on paper as possible, while hiding the complexities of Galerkin discretisations. In this article, we demonstrate the implementation of this operator algebra and show, using various Laplace and Helmholtz example problems, how it significantly simplifies the definition and solution of a wide range of typical boundary integral equation problems.
The Antikythera mechanism
Authors: Bruderer Herbert
Published: March 2020

The discovery of this calculating machine is so significant that part of the history of ancient technology must be rewritten.
Strassen’s Algorithm Reloaded on GPUs
Authors: Huang Jianyu , Yu Chenhan D. , Geijn Robert A. van de
Published: March 2020

Conventional Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) implementations of Strassen’s algorithm (S
trassen
) rely on the existing high-performance matrix multiplication (
gemm
), trading space for time. As a result, such approaches can only achieve practical speedup for relatively large, “squarish” matrices due to the extra memory overhead, and their usages are limited due to the considerable workspace. We present novel S
trassen
primitives for GPUs that can be composed to generate a family of S
trassen
algorithms. Our algorithms utilize both the memory and thread hierarchies on GPUs, reusing shared memory and register files inherited from
gemm
, fusing additional operations, and avoiding extra workspace. We further exploit intra- and inter-kernel parallelism by batching, streaming, and employing atomic operations. We develop a performance model for NVIDIA Volta GPUs to select the appropriate blocking parameters and predict the performance for
gemm
and S
trassen
. Overall, our 1-level S
trassen
can achieve up to 1.11× speedup with a crossover point as small as 1,536 compared to cublasSgemm on a NVIDIA Tesla V100 GPU. With additional workspace, our 2-level S
trassen
can achieve 1.19× speedup with a crossover point at 7,680.
A Survey on Computational Metaphor Processing
Authors: Rai Sunny , Chakraverty Shampa
Published: March 2020

In the last decade, the problem of computational metaphor processing has garnered immense attention from the domains of computational linguistics and cognition. A wide panorama of approaches, ranging from a hand-coded rule system to deep learning techniques, have been proposed to automate different aspects of metaphor processing. In this article, we systematically examine the major theoretical views on metaphor and present their classification. We discuss the existing literature to provide a concise yet representative picture of computational metaphor processing. We conclude the article with possible research directions.
A Survey of Blockchain-Based Strategies for Healthcare
Authors: De Aguiar Erikson Júlio , Faiçal Bruno S. , Krishnamachari Bhaskar , Ueyama Jó
Published: March 2020

Blockchain technology has been gaining visibility owing to its ability to enhance the security, reliability, and robustness of distributed systems. Several areas have benefited from research based on this technology, such as finance, remote sensing, data analysis, and healthcare. Data immutability, privacy, transparency, decentralization, and distributed ledgers are the main features that make blockchain an attractive technology. However, healthcare records that contain confidential patient data make this system very complicated because there is a risk of a privacy breach. This study aims to address research into the applications of the blockchain healthcare area. It sets out by discussing the management of medical information, as well as the sharing of medical records, image sharing, and log management. We also discuss papers that intersect with other areas, such as the Internet of Things, the management of information, tracking of drugs along their supply chain, and aspects of security and privacy. As we are aware that there are other surveys of blockchain in healthcare, we analyze and compare both the positive and negative aspects of their papers. Finally, we seek to examine the concepts of blockchain in the medical area, by assessing their benefits and drawbacks and thus giving guidance to other researchers in the area. Additionally, we summarize the methods used in healthcare per application area and show their pros and cons.
A Survey of Profit Optimization Techniques for Cloud Providers
Authors: Cong Peijin , Xu Guo , Wei Tongquan , Li Keqin
Published: March 2020

As the demand for computing resources grows, cloud computing becomes more and more popular as a pay-as-you-go model, in which the computing resources and services are provided to cloud users efficiently. For cloud providers, the typical goal is to maximize their profits. However, maximizing profits in a highly competitive cloud market is a huge challenge for cloud providers. In this article, a survey of profit optimization techniques is proposed to increase cloud provider profitability through service quality improvement, service pricing, energy consumption reduction, and virtual network function (VNF) deployment. The strategy of improving user service quality is discussed first, followed by the pricing strategy for cloud resources to maximize revenue. Then, this article summarizes the techniques for cloud data centers to reduce server power consumption. Finally, various heuristic algorithms for VNF deployment in the cloud are further described to reduce the cost of cloud providers while maintaining performance. We classify research works based on components of profit and methods used to demonstrate similarities and differences in these studies. We hope this survey will provide researchers with insights into cloud profit optimization techniques.
Algorithm 1005
Authors: Jonasson Kristjan , Sigurdsson Sven , Yngvason Hordur Freyr , Ragnarsson Petur Orri , Melsted Pall
Published: March 2020

A set of Fortran subroutines for reverse mode algorithmic (or automatic) differentiation of the basic linear algebra subprograms (BLAS) is presented. This is preceded by a description of the mathematical tools used to obtain the formulae of these derivatives, with emphasis on special matrices supported by the BLAS: triangular, symmetric, and band. All single and double precision BLAS derivatives have been implemented, together with the Cholesky factorization from Linear Algebra Package (LAPACK). The subroutines are written in Fortran 2003 with a Fortran 77 interface to allow use from C and C++, as well as dynamic languages such as R, Python, Matlab, and Octave. The subroutines are all implemented by calling BLAS, thereby attaining fast runtime. Timing results show derivative runtimes that are about twice those of the corresponding BLAS, in line with theory. The emphasis is on reverse mode because it is more important for the main application that we have in mind, numerical optimization. Two examples are presented, one dealing with the least squares modeling of groundwater, and the other dealing with the maximum likelihood estimation of the parameters of a vector autoregressive time series. The article contains comprehensive tables of formulae for the BLAS derivatives as well as for several non-BLAS matrix operations commonly used in optimization.
Exploiting Broad-Spectrum Disease Resistance in Crops: From Molecular Dissection to Breeding
Authors: Li Wei , Deng Yiwen , Ning Yuese , He Zuhua , Wang Guo-Liang
Published: March 2020

Plant diseases reduce crop yields and threaten global food security, making the selection of disease-resistant cultivars a major goal of crop breeding. Broad-spectrum resistance (BSR) is a desirable trait because it confers resistance against more than one pathogen species or against the majority of races or strains of the same pathogen. Many BSR genes have been cloned in plants and have been found to encode pattern recognition receptors, nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat receptors, and defense-signaling and pathogenesis-related proteins. In addition, the BSR genes that underlie quantitative trait loci, loss of susceptibility and nonhost resistance have been characterized. Here, we comprehensively review the advances made in the identification and characterization of BSR genes in various species and examine their application in crop breeding. We also discuss the challenges and their solutions for the use of BSR genes in the breeding of disease-resistant crops.
Evaluating Enhancer Function and Transcription
Authors: Field Andrew , Adelman Karen
Published: March 2020

Cell-type- and condition-specific profiles of gene expression require coordination between protein-coding gene promoters and cis-regulatory sequences called enhancers. Enhancers can stimulate gene activity at great genomic distances from their targets, raising questions about how enhancers communicate with specific gene promoters and what molecular mechanisms underlie enhancer function. Characterization of enhancer loci has identified the molecular features of active enhancers that accompany the binding of transcription factors and local opening of chromatin. These characteristics include coactivator recruitment, histone modifications, and noncoding RNA transcription. However, it remains unclear which of these features functionally contribute to enhancer activity. Here, we discuss what is known about how enhancers regulate their target genes and how enhancers and promoters communicate. Further, we describe recent data demonstrating many similarities between enhancers and the gene promoters they control, and we highlight unanswered questions in the field, such as the potential roles of transcription at enhancers.
Low molecular weight heparin promotes transcription and release of placental growth factor from endothelial cells
Authors: McLaughlin Kelsey , Nadeem Lubna , Wat Jovian , Baczyk Dora , Lye Stephen J. , Kingdom John C.
Published: March 2020

Circulating levels of placental growth factor (PlGF) are significantly reduced in women who develop preeclampsia. Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) has been shown to acutely elevate circulating PlGF levels in pregnant women at increased risk of preeclampsia. The objective of the current investigation was to determine the mechanisms by which LMWH mediates the extracellular release of PlGF from endothelial cells. Cultured human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were exposed to LMWH; PlGF transcription, translation, mobilization, and secretion were then assessed. LMWH significantly increased the release of PlGF from both HAECs and HUVECs. LMWH treatment promoted a significant increase of PlGF-1 mRNA expression in HAECs, accompanied by the intracellular transport and release of PlGF into the conditioned media. LMWH-mediated release of PlGF from HAECs was not directly mediated by extracellular mobilization, synthesis, or stability of PlGF mRNA/protein. LMWH exposure promotes the release of PlGF from endothelial cells through the upregulation of PlGF-1 mRNA expression. Stimulation of circulating PlGF levels by LMWH may be an important mechanism by which LMWH could reduce the risk of preeclampsia or minimize disease severity.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY There are few therapeutic options available for the prevention of preeclampsia, a serious hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. Women who subsequently develop preeclampsia exhibit significantly reduced circulating levels of the proangiogenic placental growth factor protein. Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) has previously been investigated as a preventative therapy against the development of preeclampsia; however, its mechanism of action is not known. The current study determined that LMWH promotes the transcription and release of placental growth factor protein from endothelial cells, providing a mechanistic basis by which LMWH could reduce the risk of preeclampsia or minimize disease severity.
Abnormal myocardial expression of SAP97 is associated with arrhythmogenic risk
Authors: Musa Hassan , Marcou Cherisse A. , Herron Todd J. , Makara Michael A. , Tester David J. , O’Connell Ryan P. , Rosinski Brad , Guerrero-Serna Guadalupe , Milstein Michelle L , Monteiro da Rocha André , Ye Dan , Crotti Lia , Nesterenko Vladislav V. , Castelletti Silvia , Torchio Margherita , Kotta Maria-Christina , Dagradi Federica , Antzelevitch Charles , Mohler Peter J. , Schwartz Peter J. , Ackerman Michael J. , Anumonwo Justus M.
Published: March 2020

The gene encoding SAP97 ( DLG1) joins a growing list of genes encoding ion channel interacting proteins (ChIPs) identified as potential channelopathy-susceptibility genes because of their ability to regulate the trafficking, targeting, and modulation of ion channels that are critical for the generation and propagation of the cardiac electrical impulse. In this study we provide the first data supporting DLG1-encoded SAP97’s candidacy as a minor Brugada syndrome susceptibility gene.
Endothelial calreticulin deletion impairs endothelial function in aged mice
Authors: Biwer Lauren A. , Askew-Page Henry R. , Hong Kwangseok , Milstein Jenna , Johnstone Scott R. , Macal Edgar , Good Miranda E. , Bagher Pooneh , Sonkusare Swapnil K. , Isakson Brant E.
Published: March 2020

Discrete calcium signals within the vascular endothelium decrease with age and contribute to impaired endothelial-dependent vasodilation. Calreticulin (Calr), a multifunctional calcium binding protein and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaperone, can mediate calcium signals and vascular function within the endothelial cells (ECs) of small resistance arteries. We found Calr protein expression significantly decreases with age in mesenteric arteries and examined the functional role of EC Calr in vasodilation and calcium mobilization in the context of aging. Third-order mesenteric arteries from mice with or without EC Calr knockdown were examined for calcium signals and constriction to phenylephrine (PE) or vasodilation to carbachol (CCh) after 75 wk of age. PE constriction in aged mice with or without EC Calr was unchanged. However, calcium signals and vasodilation to endothelial-dependent agonist carbachol were significantly impaired in aged EC Calr knockdown mice. Ex vivo incubation of arteries with the ER stress inhibitor tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) significantly improved vasodilation in mice lacking EC Calr. Our data suggests diminished vascular Calr expression with age can contribute to the detrimental effects of aging on endothelial calcium regulation and vasodilation.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Calreticulin (Calr) is responsible for key physiological processes in endoplasmic reticulum, especially in aging tissue. In particular, endothelial Calr is crucial to vascular function. In this study, we deleted Calr from the endothelium and aged the mice up to 75 wk to examine changes in vascular function. We found two key differences: 1) calcium events in endothelium were severely diminished after muscarinic stimulation, which 2) corresponded with a dramatic decrease in muscarinic vasodilation. Remarkably, we were able to rescue the effect of Calr deletion on endothelial-dependent vasodilatory function using tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), an inhibitor of endoplasmic reticulum stress that is currently in clinical trials.
Tobacco and electronic cigarettes adversely impact ECG indexes of ventricular repolarization: implication for sudden death risk
Authors: Ip Michelle , Diamantakos Evangelos , Haptonstall Kacey , Choroomi Yasmine , Moheimani Roya S. , Nguyen Kevin Huan , Tran Elizabeth , Gornbein Jeffrey , Middlekauff Holly R.
Published: March 2020

Abnormal ventricular repolarization, as indicated by prolonged Tpeak-end (Tp-e), is associated with increased sudden death risk. Baseline ECG indexes of repolarization, Tp-e, Tp-e/QT, and Tp-e/QTc, were not different among tobacco cigarette (TC) smokers, electronic cigarette (EC) users, and nonsmokers at baseline, but when TC smokers smoked one TC, all parameters were prolonged. Using an electronic cigarette with nicotine, but not without nicotine, increased the Tp-e/QT. Smoking induces changes in ECG indexes of ventricular repolarization associated with increased sudden death risk.
Egoroff’s Theorem and Lusin’s Theorem for Capacities in the Framework of g-Expectation
Authors: Zong Zhaojun , Hu Feng , Tian Xiaoxin
Published: March 2020

In the classical real analysis theory, Egoroff’s theorem and Lusin’s theorem are two of the most important theorems. The σ-additivity of measures plays a crucial role in the proofs of these theorems. Later, many researchers have carried out lots of studies on Egoroff’s theorem and Lusin’s theorem when the measure is monotone and nonadditive (see, e.g., Li and Yasuda (2004) and Li and Mesiar (2011)). In this paper, we study Egoroff’s theorem and Lusin’s theorem for capacities in the framework of g-expectation. We give some different assumptions that provide Egoroff’s theorem and Lusin’s theorem in the framework of g-expectation.
Modifiable Variables Are Major Risk Factors for Posttransplant Diabetes Mellitus in a Time-Dependent Manner in Kidney Transplant: An Observational Cohort Study
Authors: de Lucena Débora Dias , de Sá João Roberto , Medina-Pestana José O. , Rangel Érika Bevilaqua
Published: March 2020

Modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors for developing posttransplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) have already been established in kidney transplant setting and impact adversely both patient and allograft survival. We analysed 450 recipients of living and deceased donor kidney transplants using current immunosuppressive regimen in the modern era and verified PTDM prevalence and risk factors over three-year posttransplant. Tacrolimus (85%), prednisone (100%), and mycophenolate (53%) were the main immunosuppressive regimen. Sixty-one recipients (13.5%) developed PTDM and remained in this condition throughout the study, whereas 74 (16.5%) recipients developed altered fasting glucose over time. Univariate analyses demonstrated that recipient age (46.2±1.3vs.40.7±0.6years old, OR 1.04;P=0.001) and pretransplant hyperglycaemia andBMI≥25 kg/m2(32.8%vs. 21.6%, OR 0.54;P=0.032and 57.4%vs. 27.7%, OR 3.5;P<0.0001, respectively) were the pretransplant variables associated with PTDM. Posttransplant transient hyperglycaemia (86.8%. 18.5%, OR 0.03;P=0.0001), acute rejection (P=0.021), calcium channel blockers (P=0.014), TG/HDL (triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol)ratio≥3.5at 1 year (P=0.01) and at 3 years (P=0.0001), and tacrolimus trough levels at months 1, 3, and 6 were equally predictors of PTDM. In multivariate analyses, pretransplant hyperglycaemia (P=0.035),pretransplant BMI≥25 kg/m2(P=0.0001), posttransplant transient hyperglycaemia (P=0.0001), andTG/HDL ratio≥3.5at 3-year posttransplant (P=0.003) were associated with PTDM diagnosis and maintenance over time. Early identification of risk factors associated with increased insulin resistance and decreased insulin secretion, such as pretransplant hyperglycaemia and overweight, posttransplant transient hyperglycaemia, tacrolimus trough levels, and TG/HDL ratio may be useful for risk stratification of patients to determine appropriate strategies to reduce PTDM.
Existence Results for a System of Coupled Hybrid Differential Equations with Fractional Order
Authors: Hannabou Mohamed , Hilal Khalid
Published: March 2020

This paper studies the existence of solutions for a system of coupled hybrid fractional differential equations. We make use of the standard tools of the fixed point theory to establish the main results. The existence and uniqueness result is elaborated with the aid of an example.
The Fusion of Unmatched Infrared and Visible Images Based on Generative Adversarial Networks
Authors: Zhao Yuqing , Fu Guangyuan , Wang Hongqiao , Zhang Shaolei
Published: March 2020

Visible images contain clear texture information and high spatial resolution but are unreliable under nighttime or ambient occlusion conditions. Infrared images can display target thermal radiation information under day, night, alternative weather, and ambient occlusion conditions. However, infrared images often lack good contour and texture information. Therefore, an increasing number of researchers are fusing visible and infrared images to obtain more information from them, which requires two completely matched images. However, it is difficult to obtain perfectly matched visible and infrared images in practice. In view of the above issues, we propose a new network model based on generative adversarial networks (GANs) to fuse unmatched infrared and visible images. Our method generates the corresponding infrared image from a visible image and fuses the two images together to obtain more information. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified qualitatively and quantitatively through experimentation on public datasets. In addition, the generated fused images of the proposed method contain more abundant texture and thermal radiation information than other methods.
A Multimodal Passenger-and-Package Sharing Network for Urban Logistics
Authors: Ji Yuxiong , Zheng Yujing , Zhao Jizhou , Shen Yu , Du Yuchuan
Published: March 2020

This paper envisions a multimodal passenger-and-package sharing (PPS) network for urban logistics integrating metro, taxi, and truck. A hub-and-spoke structure is designed including hubs located at metro stations and service stores connected to the hubs. Packages are transported by metro on backbone links between the hubs and are carried by taxis or trucks between service stores and hubs, depending on the unit costs of these two modes and capacity constraint of the taxi. A mixed integer linear programming model for hub location problems—fusing the multiassignment p-hub median problem without capacity constraints and the capacitated multiassignment p-hub covering problem—is formulated to optimize the multimodal PPS network. The model is implemented based on the real-world data in Shanghai (China) under a series of scenarios to evaluate the network performance from two perspectives: the number of hubs and the proportion of taxi drivers who are willing to carry packages. The scenarios show that with increased number of hubs, the spatial distribution of hubs disperses from the city center to peripheral areas and more areas can be serviced by taxis. There is, however, a trade-off between the operation cost saved by taxis and the establishment cost of an extra hub. The analysis also presents that if the proportion of taxis willing to carry packages associates with the incentive payments to taxi drivers, an optimal value of incentives exists, by balancing the operation costs of taxis and trucks.
Reliability Analysis of k-out-of-n Systems of Components with Potentially Brittle Behavior by Universal Generating Function and Linear Programming
Authors: Chang Yi , Mai Yanshuo , Yi Linli , Yu Liuming , Chen Ying , Yang Cheng , Gao Jinhe
Published: March 2020

Due to initial cracks, careless construction, and extreme load conditions, components with brittle behavior may exist in a structural system. The presence of brittle behavior of components usually is accompanied by a low strength. However, existing methods for calculating the reliability of structures of components with brittle behavior are rather complicated or impossible. By means of decomposing the entire system into a set of subsystems, this paper proposed a method to estimate the bounds on failure probability of k-out-of-n system of components with potentially brittle behavior by using universal generating function (UGF) and linear programming (LP). Based on the individual component state probabilities and joint probabilities of the states of a small number of components, the proposed method can provide the bounds for the failure probability of a system with a large number of components. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method are investigated using numerical examples.
Simulation and Experiment on Phase Equilibrium of Gas Hydrate Using the T-Type Pipe Confluence Model
Authors: Kang Bo , Fan Honghai , Jiang Panglu , Ye Yu , Kong Xiangji , Li Xiaogang , Deng Song
Published: March 2020

A constraint of the development of gas hydrate is the phase change that may cause engineering losses in the mining process, which tends to be clogged in the section of well completion (sieve section: wellbore lifting section). The flow of gas hydrate in the well completion section was simplified using the T-type pipe confluence model in this paper. The temperature and pressure coupling model in the confluence section was derived first, followed by the use of the Fluent software to simulate its gradient changes in the T-type model. Then, the physical model and the experiment were designed to study the velocity changes. Finally, the contrast analysis between experiment and numerical simulation was carried out. Through the study of this paper, it is possible to prevent blockage in the well completion section during the process of depressurization, which can provide theoretical guidance for the control of pressure drop when gas hydrate is produced.
Chinese Herbal Medicine Alleviates Thyroidectomy‐Induced Cardiopulmonary Exercise Dysfunction in Rats
Authors: Chuang Tai-Yuan , Lien Chia-Ying , Hsu Chih-Hsiang , Lu Chen-Wen , Wu Chung-Hsin
Published: March 2020

Hypothyroidism frequently causes cardiopulmonary dysfunction, such as heart failure and respiratory and metabolic deficiencies. This study investigated the effects of Chinese herbal formula B307 on thyroidectomy‐induced cardiopulmonary exercise dysfunction in rats. Twenty male rats were equally divided into four groups: negative control with sham treatment, positive control with oral B307 treatment only, thyroidectomy treatment only, and thyroidectomy with B307 posttreatment groups. The feeding dose of B307 was 50 mg/kg per day for 14 days. We examined and then compared the thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (T3), free thyroxine (T4), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) from the blood of these four groups. Also, we compared the body weight, neck subcutaneous blood flow, cardiac ejection function, cardiopulmonary exercise function of oxygen consumption (VO2), carbon dioxide production (VCO2), and respiratory quotient (RQ = VCO2/VO2) among the four groups. Our results indicated that thyroidectomized rats had significantly decreased body weight, neck subcutaneous blood flow, cardiac ejection function, serum T3 and T4, and VO2 and VCO2, but had significantly increased ROS and TSH levels and RQ values compared with sham rats (P < 0.01–0.05). In addition, thyroidectomized rats receiving oral B307 treatment had significantly increased body weight, neck subcutaneous blood flow, cardiac ejection function, and VO2, but significantly decreased ROS and TSH levels and VCO2 and RQ values compared with thyroidectomized rats (P < 0.01–0.05). We suggest that the B307 could be a protective and beneficial alternative treatment for thyroidectomy‐induced cardiopulmonary exercise dysfunction.
Quasi-Static Solution for ELF/SLF near-Zone Field of a Vertical Magnetic Dipole near the Surface of a Lossy Half-Space
Authors: He Lina , He Tong , Li Kai
Published: March 2020

Dipole antennas over the boundary between two different media have been widely used in the fields of geophysics exploration, oceanography, and submerged communication. In this paper, an analytical method is proposed to analyse the near-zone field at the extremely low frequency (ELF)/super low frequency (SLF) range due to a vertical magnetic dipole (VMD). For the lack of feasible analytical techniques to derive the components exactly, two reasonable assumptions are introduced depending on the quasi-static definition and the equivalent infinitesimal theory. Final expressions of the electromagnetic field components are in terms of exponential functions. By comparisons with direct numerical solutions and exact results in a special case, the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed quasi-static approximation are demonstrated. Simulations show that the smallest validity limit always occurs for component H2z, and the value of k2ρ should be no greater than 0.6 in order to keep a good consistency.
A Coupled Elastoplastic Damage Model for Clayey Rock and Its Numerical Implementation and Validation
Authors: Jia Shanpo , Zhao Zhenyun , Wu Guojun , Wu Bisheng , Wen Caoxuan
Published: March 2020

This paper presents a new constitutive model for describing the strain-hardening and strain-softening behaviors of clayey rock. As the conventional Mohr-Coulomb (CMC) criterion has its limitation in the tensile shear region, a modified Mohr-Coulomb (MMC) criterion is proposed for clayey rock by considering the maximal tensile stress criterion. Based on the results of triaxial tests, a coupled elastoplastic damage (EPD) model, in which the elastic and plastic damage laws are introduced to describe the nonlinear hardening and softening behaviors, respectively, is developed so as to fully describe the mechanical behavior of clayey rock. Starting from the implicit Euler integration algorithm, the stress-strain constitutive relationships and their numerical formulations are deduced for finite element implementation in the commercial package ABAQUS where a user-defined material subroutine (UMAT) is provided for clayey rock. Finally, the proposed model is used to simulate the triaxial tests and the results validate the proposed model and numerical implementation.
The Effect of Moderate Weight Loss on a Non-Invasive Biomarker of Liver Fibrosis: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: Koutoukidis Dimitrios A. , Jebb Susan A. , Aveyard Paul , Astbury Nerys M.
Published: March 2020

Background: Referral to weight loss programmes is the only effective treatment for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Clinicians should advise weight loss and screen for liver fibrosis using the Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF) score. Aim: To examine if the ELF score changes with weight loss. Design and Setting: Randomised controlled trial (ISRCTN85485463) in UK primary care during 2007–2008. Method: Adults with a BMI of 27–35 kg/m2 and ≥1 risk factor for obesity-related disease were randomised to attend a community weight loss programme (n = 45) or receive usual weight loss advice from a practice nurse (n = 28). Weight and the ELF score were measured at baseline and 1 year. Analysis of covariance examined mean changes in the ELF score between groups and its relationship with weight loss. Results: Mean (SD) BMI was 31.10 kg/m2 (2.55) with evidence of moderate levels of liver fibrosis at baseline (mean ELF score: 8.93 [0.99]). There was no evidence that the community weight loss programme reduced the ELF score compared with usual care (difference +0.13 points, 95% CI: –0.25 to 0.52) despite greater weight loss (difference: –2.66 kg, 95% CI: –5.02 to –0.30). Mean weight loss in the whole cohort was 7.8% (5.9). There was no evidence of an association between weight change and change in ELF; the coefficient for a 5% weight loss was –0.15 (95% CI: –0.30 to 0.0002). Conclusion: We found no evidence that the ELF score changed meaningfully following moderate weight loss. Clinicians should not use the ELF score to measure improvements in NAFLD fibrosis following weight loss programmes.
Liver Transplantation for Extended Criteria Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Stable Response to Locoregional Therapy and Alpha-Fetoprotein as Selection Criteria
Authors: Schoenberg Markus Bo , Anger Hubertus Johann Wolfgang , Bucher Julian Nikolaus , Denk Gerald , De Toni Enrico Narciso , Seidensticker Max , Andrassy Joachim , Angele Martin Kurt , Werner Jens , Guba Markus Otto
Published: March 2020

Introduction: Current practice to only prioritize hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that fulfill the Milan criteria (INMC) is changing, since it causes the exclusion of patients who could benefit from liver transplantation. To select patients outside MC (OUTMC) for transplantation, we implemented extended selection criteria without up-front morphometric restrictions containing surrogate parameters of tumor biology. Methods: OUTMC patients were considered without restrictions of morphometrics and received locoregional treatment after interdisciplinary consultation. Our dynamic selection criteria for OUTMC patients required (INMUC): (1) treatment response over (2) at least 6 months and (3) alpha-fetoprotein ≤400 ng/mL over the entire evaluation period. Patients with INMC tumors served as control and internal validation cohort. Results: 31 of 170 liver transplant candidates were OUTMC. Of these, 8 dropped out. The remaining 23 patients met the selection criteria and underwent transplantation. Recurrence-free survival was higher in patients transplanted INMC compared to those OUTMC INMUC (92.2% vs. 70.8%; p = 0.026) after 5 years of follow-up. Overall survival showed no significant difference (p = 0.552). With dynamic selection of transplant candidates, recurrence could also be predicted for the INMC patients as internal validation cohort (c-index: 0.896; CI 0.588–0.981, p = 0.005). Conclusion: Dynamic selection criteria for the stratification of patients with OUTMC HCCs is feasible and allows for excellent long-term results and acceptable tumor recurrence rates comparable to INMC patients.
Becoming the Past: Time and Memory in Stanley Fung’s Biblical Icons
Authors: Lin Su-Chi
Published: March 2020

This paper analyzes a contemporary Taiwanese artist Stanley Fung’s portrait photography and his contextual biblical interpretation of time and memory: the experience of the coming of the kingdom can be lingered on in an artist’s imagination. As a biblical interpreter, Fung’s visual exegesis asks the viewer to reconsider how the historical consciousness of self and community together impact one’s sense of time. Fung uses clothing and plants to invoke the viewer’s longing for a new, local culture where the gospel can be dressed, and a new soil where it can be planted. Photography as a legitimate extension of the sacred text engages the viewer’s biblical imagination and demands a response. Eternal beings and Christian anthropology, as manifested in Fung’s work serve to remind us of the distinction between memory and the sacred, life and destruction, creation and redemption.
History of Russian Law and Its Interpretations
Authors: Antonov Mikhail
Published: March 2020

This essay examines methodological nuances connected with historical research of Russian law. These nuances are studied against the backdrop of two books published respectively by Professor Ferdinand Feldbrugge and Professor William Pomeranz on Russian legal history. The methods employed by these authors reveal specific features of Russian legal language and mentality which can be helpful in explaining the dissimilarities between legal and political developments in Russia and the West. They place particular emphasis on the development of legal language and productively analyze many current issues of Russian law through the lens of history of concepts. These books are evaluated as important contributions to comparative analysis of Russian and Western legal cultures. The key events of Russian legal history are considered in a perspective that sheds light on the current challenges faced by Russian law.
Constitutional Orders of Non-Recognized Entities in Georgia and Ukraine. Can façade Constitutions Ensure Adequate Protection of Human Rights?
Authors: Petrov Roman , Gabrichidze Gaga , Kalinichenko Paul
Published: March 2020

This article analyses the foundations of the constitutional and legal orders of selected non-recognized entities in Georgia and Ukraine, namely the so-called “Republic of Abkhazia”, the “Republic of South Ossetia” and the “Donetsk/Lugansk Peoples’ Republics”. Additionally, this article pursues the objective of clarifying whether the legal systems of these entities can ensure protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of their residents in line with standards of international public law and European law. It is argued that the constitutional orders of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and the Donetsk/Lugansk Peoples’ Republics are distinguished by a few undeniable similarities and “sources of inspiration”. Furthermore, residents of these entities experience similar problems regarding protection of their fundamental rights and application of international conventions on human rights.
Negligent Rape in Croatian Criminal Law: Was Legal Reform Necessary?
Authors: Mrčela Marin , Vuletić Igor , Livazović Goran
Published: March 2020

This paper discusses the issue of negligent rape and liability for unreasonable belief in the victim`s consent in the context of Croatian criminal law. Modern rape law presents many challenges to both lawmakers and judges, with criminalizing negligence being only one of those challenges. This became more interesting in Croatia after amendments to the Criminal Code in 2011 (in effect since 2013), that criminalized unreasonable mistake of facts in the crime of rape. Croatian rape law has undergone significant changes related to these amendments. However, this paper focuses only on the aspect of unreasonable mistake of consent, this being both the most controversial and of great practical importance. The first section describes the elements of rape according to the Croatian Criminal Code along with an interpretation of those elements in the jurisprudence of the Croatian Supreme Court. Special attention is placed on the problem of mens rea and (un)reasonable belief in consent. The discussion also identifies the reasons for reform and the impact of the Sexual Offences Act of England and Wales (2003), which served as a model for Croatian legislators. The second section analyzes the results of research conducted by Croatian judges on the relevant status of the mistake of facts defense, as well as the importance of the victim`s resistance in terms of achieving a conviction, with special regard to the rate of rape convictions in Croatian law. The third section reviews comparative regional laws (Slovenia, Serbia, and Montenegro) with the goal of positioning the new Croatian rape law in a regional context. The last section discusses the necessity of criminalization of the negligent form of rape from the perspective of trends and standards created in Croatian theory and jurisprudence in the years prior to this amendment of the law.
Biodiversity of the aculeate wasps (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) of the Arabian Peninsula: Chrysidoidea, Sclerogibbidae
Authors: OLMI MASSIMO
Published: March 2020

An updated checklist of the Arabian species of Sclerogibbidae is provided here. The list includes nine identified valid species in three genera of Sclerogibbinae. Distributions, both on the Peninsula and extra-limital, are provided for each species, three being new country records; none is endemic to the Arabian Peninsula.
Biodiversity of the aculeate wasps (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) of the Arabian Peninsula: Vespoidea, Vespidae
Authors: CARPENTER JAMES M. , GADALLAH NEVEEN S.
Published: March 2020

An updated checklist of the Arabian species of Vespidae is provided here. The list includes 163 identified species in 49 genera and four subfamilies: Eumeninae (41 genera, 130 species), Masarinae (4 genera, 14 species), Polistinae (3 genera, 17 species) and Vespinae (1 genus, 2 species). Distributions, both on the Peninsula and extra-limital, are provided for each species and subspecies; 53 species (33%) are endemic to the Arabian Peninsula, as are 15 subspecies. A new combination is proposed: Knemodynerus sauditus (Giordani Soika, 1989) comb. nov., transferred from Trachyodynerus Giordani Soika, 1989.
The Effect of Atmospheric Transmissivity on Model and Observational Estimates of the Sea Ice Albedo Feedback
Authors: Donohoe Aaron , Blanchard-Wrigglesworth Ed , Schweiger Axel , Rasch Philip J.
Published: March 2020

The sea ice-albedo feedback (SIAF) is the product of the ice sensitivity (IS), that is, how much the surface albedo in sea ice regions changes as the planet warms, and the radiative sensitivity (RS), that is, how much the top-of-atmosphere radiation changes as the surface albedo changes. We demonstrate that the RS calculated from radiative kernels in climate models is reproduced from calculations using the “approximate partial radiative perturbation” method that uses the climatological radiative fluxes at the top of the atmosphere and the assumption that the atmosphere is isotropic to shortwave radiation. This method facilitates the comparison of RS from satellite-based estimates of climatological radiative fluxes with RS estimates across a full suite of coupled climate models and, thus, allows model evaluation of a quantity important in characterizing the climate impact of sea ice concentration changes. The satellite-based RS is within the model range of RS that differs by a factor of 2 across climate models in both the Arctic and Southern Ocean. Observed trends in Arctic sea ice are used to estimate IS, which, in conjunction with the satellite-based RS, yields an SIAF of 0.16 ± 0.04 W m−2 K−1. This Arctic SIAF estimate suggests a modest amplification of future global surface temperature change by approximately 14% relative to a climate system with no SIAF. We calculate the global albedo feedback in climate models using model-specific RS and IS and find a model mean feedback parameter of 0.37 W m−2 K−1, which is 40% larger than the IPCC AR5 estimate based on using RS calculated from radiative kernel calculations in a single climate model.
Hybrid Background Error Covariances for a Limited-Area Deterministic Weather Prediction System
Authors: Bédard Joël , Caron Jean-François , Buehner Mark , Baek Seung-Jong , Fillion Luc
Published: March 2020

This study introduces an experimental regional assimilation configuration for a 4D ensemble–variational (4D-EnVar) deterministic weather prediction system. A total of 16 assimilation experiments covering July 2014 are presented to assess both experimental regional climatological background error covariances and updates in the treatment of flow-dependent error covariances. The regional climatological background error covariances are estimated using statistical correlations between variables instead of using balance operators. These error covariance estimates allow the analyses to fit more closely with the assimilated observations than when using the lower-resolution global background error covariances (due to shorter correlation scales), and the ensuing forecasts are significantly improved. The use of ensemble-based background error covariances is also improved by reducing vertical and horizontal localization length scales for the flow-dependent background error covariance component. Also, reducing the number of ensemble members employed in the deterministic analysis (from 256 to 128) reduced computational costs by half without degrading the accuracy of analyses and forecasts. The impact of the relative contributions of the climatological and flow-dependent background error covariance components is also examined. Results show that the experimental regional system benefits from giving a lower (higher) weight to climatological (flow-dependent) error covariances. When compared with the operational assimilation configuration of the continental prediction system, the proposed modifications to the background error covariances improve both surface and upper-air RMSE scores by nearly 1%. Still, the use of a higher-resolution ensemble to estimate flow-dependent background error covariances does not yet provide added value, although it is expected to allow for a better use of dense observations in the future.