bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Massage Relaxation to Decrease Headaches in Pregnancy Trimester I
Authors: Jayanti Nicky Danur
Published: November 2019

Headache is a diffuse pain in various parts of the head which varies in its intensity, and the duration of which is a neurological complaint during pregnancy, to reduce headaches by providing provision of drug therapy from aroma therapy, relaxation massage, hot and cold compresses. A relaxing massage is given to ease the discomfort, maintain the overall function of the body and provide emotional support. The study aimed to find out if there is an effect of a relaxation massage in decreasing headaches in pregnant women trimester I.The research method used was a comparative study using a pre-test and post-test group design. The samples used were 15 pregnant women who fit the inclusion criteria and population as many as 19 respondents. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling. Analysis of the results of research was using the Wilcoxon test analysis. Most of the first trimester pregnant women have headaches prior to  the relaxation massage were 10 respondents (66.7%), relaxation massage after having a mild headache were 11 respondents (73.3%). Based on the analysis of Wilcoxon test obtained value ρ = 0.002, thus it is said that Ha is accepted because ρ <0.05 means that there is  an effect of the level of head pain in the first trimester pregnant women before and after a relaxing massage treatment. It is advised to pregnant women, to add motivation to deal with headaches naturally.
THE INCIDENCE OF HYPERTENSION IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH NUTRITION STATUS OF OBESITY IN SURABAYA EAST JAVA
Authors: Nimah Lailatun
Published: November 2019

Introduction: The incidence of hypertension in children and adolescents can not be explained. Methods: This research is a correlative descriptive with research population of children and adolescents with nutritional status in elementary, junior and senior high school in Surabaya. The sample was 113 people, used consecutive sampling. The independent variable is obesity nutritional status of children and adolescent, while dependent variable is hypertension in child and adolescent. Data analysis with Chi Square for nutritional status variables and hypertension. The standard nutritional status variables using height measuring instruments and calibrated scales to obtain the status of child and adolescent nutritional data are adjusted to the 2007 WHO standards required by Ministry of health Republik Indonesia 2010. The hypertension variable of research using digital oscillometric.Results: Blood pressure measuremented data is sistole value, most of which is hypertension level II. The results of diastolic data are mostly in the prehypertension category.

Conclussion:The incidence of hypertension in children and adolescents in Surabaya is boys bigger than women. The sistole value in blood pressure in children and adolescents with the most obesity is hypertension level II. Diastole values in blood pressure with the most obesity is prehypertension.

 

Key words: Hypertension, Obesity, Children, Adolescent
EDUCATING CHILDREN TO BE A DISCIPLINE PERSON
Authors: Chairilsyah Daviq
Published: November 2019

The golden age is a critical period where parents must provide discipline as an initial foundation for children to be able to apply discipline early on. The formation of this initial discipline will influence and also determine the discipline of children at a later stage of development. Cultivation of discipline needs to start as early as possible starting from within the family, the educational environment, and the community environment. Through discipline, children can learn to behave in a way that is approved by the social environment. Discipline is defined as compliance with regulations or subject to supervision and control as an exercise that aims to develop themselves to behave in an orderly manner. The things that can be done by parents and teachers is by practising the discipline of children routinely and consistently, getting used to behaving by values based on moral standards, and the need for parental control to develop internalized children. Besides, also recognize the age and stage of child development, invite children to talk from heart to heart, apply the consequences they receive when doing an action and finally give praise to the child when it is disciplined.
HUBUNGAN KOMPETENSI SOSIAL GURU KELAS TERHADAP PENANAMAN PENDIDIKAN KARAKTER SISWA DI SEKOLAH DASAR
Authors: Maslan Maslan
Published: November 2019

The teacher is the holder of a very important role in improving the quality of education. Therefore professional teachers are required to always improve their competence, one of them is social competence. learning will not run well and effectively if the teacher is not able to develop social competence. The purpose of this study is to describe and find out the relationship of teacher social competence in inculcating student character education. this research was carried out at SD Negeri 014 Pulau Rengas. This type of research is a qualitative descriptive. Methods of data collection using questionnaires, interviews, field notes. The results showed that the social competence of teachers obtained an average score of 90% in the excellent category and the assessment of students' character education planting had an average value of 85% in the very good category. These results prove the social competence of teachers is very important in instilling character education in SD Negeri 014 Pulau Rengas.
Special Issue on “Algorithm Engineering: Towards Practically Efficient Solutions to Combinatorial Problems”
Authors: D’Emidio Mattia , Frigioni Daniele
Published: November 2019

The purpose of this special issue of Algorithms was to attract papers presenting original research in the area of algorithm engineering. In particular, submissions concerning the design, analysis, implementation, tuning, and experimental evaluation of discrete algorithms and data structures, and/or addressing methodological issues and standards in algorithmic experimentation were encouraged. Papers dealing with advanced models of computing, including memory hierarchies, cloud architectures, and parallel processing were also welcome. In this regard, we solicited contributions from all most prominent areas of applied algorithmic research, which include but are not limited to graphs, databases, computational geometry, big data, networking, combinatorial aspects of scientific computing, and computational problems in the natural sciences or engineering.
A GA-SA Hybrid Planning Algorithm Combined with Improved Clustering for LEO Observation Satellite Missions
Authors: Long Xiangyu , Wu Shufan , Wu Xiaofeng , Huang Yixin , Mu Zhongcheng
Published: November 2019

This paper presents a space mission planning tool, which was developed for LEO (Low Earth Orbit) observation satellites. The tool is focused on a two-phase planning strategy with clustering preprocessing and mission planning, where an improved clustering algorithm is applied, and a hybrid algorithm that combines the genetic algorithm with the simulated annealing algorithm (GA–SA) is given and discussed. Experimental simulation studies demonstrate that the GA–SA algorithm with the improved clique partition algorithm based on the graph theory model exhibits higher fitness value and better optimization performance and reliability than the GA or SA algorithms alone.
Integration of Precision Farming Data and Spatial Statistical Modelling to Interpret Field-Scale Maize Productivity
Authors: Jiang Guopeng , Grafton Miles , Pearson Diane , Bretherton Mike , Holmes Allister
Published: November 2019

Spatial variability in soil, crop, and topographic features, combined with temporal variability between seasons can result in variable annual yield patterns within a paddock. The complexity of interactions between yield-limiting factors such as soil nutrients and soil water require specialist statistical processing to be able to quantify variability, and thus inform crop management practices. This study uses multiple linear regression models, Cubist regression and feed-forward neural networks to predict spatial maize-grain (Zea mays) yield at two sites in the Waikato Region, New Zealand. The variables considered were: crop reflectance data from satellite imagery, soil electrical conductivity, soil organic matter, elevation, rainfall, temperature, solar radiation, and seeding density. This exercise explores methods which may be useful in predicting yield from proximal and remote sensed data with higher resolution than traditional low spatial resolution point sampling using soil testing and yield response curves.
Critical Success Factors for the Adoption of Decision Tools in IPM
Authors: Rossi Vittorio , Sperandio Giorgio , Caffi Tito , Simonetto Anna , Gilioli Gianni
Published: November 2019

The rational control of harmful organisms for plants (pests) forms the basis of the integrated pest management (IPM), and is fundamental for ensuring agricultural productivity while maintaining economic and environmental sustainability. The high level of complexity of the decision processes linked to IPM requires careful evaluations, both economic and environmental, considering benefits and costs associated with a management action. Plant protection models and other decision tools (DTs) have assumed a key role in supporting decision-making process in pest management. The advantages of using DTs in IPM are linked to their capacity to process and analyze complex information and to provide outputs supporting the decision-making process. Nowadays, several DTs have been developed, tackling different issues, and have been applied in different climatic conditions and agricultural contexts. However, their use in crop management is restricted to only certain areas and/or to a limited group of users. In this paper, we review the current state-of-the-art related to DTs for IPM, investigate the main modelling approaches used, and the different fields of application. We also identify key drivers influencing their adoption and provide a set of critical success factors to guide the development and facilitate the adoption of DTs in crop protection.
MTOR Variation Related to Heat Resistance of Chinese Cattle
Authors: Ning Qingqing , Qu Kaixing , Hanif Quratulain , Jia Yutang , Cheng Haijian , Zhang Jicai , Chen Ningbo , Chen Hong , Huang Bizhi , Lei Chuzhao
Published: November 2019

With the inexorable rise of global temperature, heat stress deserves more and more attention in livestock agriculture. Previous studies have shown that the mechanistic target of rapamycin (MTOR) (NC_037343.1:c.2062G>C) gene contributes to the repair of DNA damage repair and is associated with the adaptation of camels in dry and hot environments. However, it is unknown whether this mutation is related to the heat tolerance of Chinese cattle. In this study, PCR and sequencing were used to type the mutation locus in 1030 individuals of 37 cattle breeds. The analysis results showed that the frequency of G allele of the locus gradually diminished from the northern group to the southern group of native Chinese cattle, whereas the frequency of the C allele showed an opposite pattern, displaying a significant geographical difference across native Chinese cattle breeds. Additionally, an analysis of the locus in Chinese indigenous cattle revealed that this SNP was significantly associated with mean annual temperature (T), relative humidity (RH) and temperature humidity index (THI) (p < 0.01), suggesting that cattle with C allele was distributed in regions with higher T, RH and THI. In conclusion, this study proved that the mutation of MTOR gene in Chinese cattle could be associated with the heat tolerance.
Chitosan Upregulates the Genes of the ROS Pathway and Enhances the Antioxidant Potential of Grape (Vitis vinifera L. ‘Touriga Franca’ and ’Tinto Cão’) Tissues
Authors: Singh Rupesh K. , Soares Bruno , Goufo Piebiep , Castro Isaura , Cosme Fernanda , Pinto-Sintra Ana L. , Inês António , Oliveira Ana A. , Falco Virgílio
Published: November 2019

Chitosan is an environmentally-friendly active molecule that has been explored for numerous agricultural uses. Its use in crop protection is well-known, however, other properties, such as bioactivity, deserve attention. Moreover, the modes of actions of chitosan remain to be elucidated. The present study assessed the levels of total phenolic compounds, the antioxidant potential, and the expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging genes in the berries (skins and seeds), leaves, cluster stems, and shoots upon chitosan application on two red grapevine varieties (Touriga Franca and Tinto Cão). The application of chitosan on the whole vine before and after veraison led to the increased levels of polyphenols, anthocyanins, and tannins in Tinto Cão berries, and polyphenols and tannins in Touriga Franca berries, respectively. CUPric Reducing Antioxidant Capacity (CUPRAC) and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assays indicated an increase in the antioxidant potential of berries. With the exception of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), all the ROS pathway genes tested, i.e., iron-superoxide dismutase (Fe-SOD), copper-zinc-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), glutaredoxin (Grx), respiratory burst oxidase (Rboh), amine oxidase (AO), peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO), were found up-regulated in chitosan-treated berries. Results from the analyses of leaves, stems, and shoots revealed that chitosan not only induced the synthesis of phenolic compounds but also acted as a facilitator for the transfer of polyphenols from the leaves to the berries.
Mapping Thyroarytenoid and Cricothyroid Activations to Postural and Acoustic Features in a Fiber-Gel Model of the Vocal Folds
Authors: Palaparthi Anil , Smith Simeon , Titze Ingo R.
Published: November 2019

Any specific vowel sound that humans produce can be represented in terms of four perceptual features in addition to the vowel category. They are pitch, loudness, brightness, and roughness. Corresponding acoustic features chosen here are fundamental frequency (fo), sound pressure level (SPL), normalized spectral centroid (NSC), and approximate entropy (ApEn). In this study, thyroarytenoid (TA) and cricothyroid (CT) activations were varied computationally to study their relationship with these four specific acoustic features. Additionally, postural and material property variables such as vocal fold length (L) and fiber stress ( σ ) in the three vocal fold tissue layers were also calculated. A fiber-gel finite element model developed at National Center for Voice and Speech was used for this purpose. Muscle activation plots were generated to obtain the dependency of postural and acoustic features on TA and CT muscle activations. These relationships were compared against data obtained from previous in vivo human larynx studies and from canine laryngeal studies. General trends are that fo and SPL increase with CT activation, while NSC decreases when CT activation is raised above 20%. With TA activation, acoustic features have no uniform trends, except SPL increases uniformly with TA if there is a co-variation with CT activation. Trends for postural variables and material properties are also discussed in terms of activation levels.
Porous Thin-Wall Hollow Co3O4 Spheres for Supercapacitors with High Rate Capability
Authors: Fan Xiao , Sun Yongjiao , Ohlckers Per , Chen Xuyuan
Published: November 2019

In this study, a zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) was prepared as a precursor using a facile hydrothermal method. After a calcination reaction in the air, the as-prepared precursor was converted to porous thin-wall hollow Co3O4 with its original frame structure almost preserved. The physical and chemical characterizations of the nanomaterial were analyzed systemically. The electrochemical tests indicate that the obtained Co3O4 possesses large specific capacitances of 988 and 925 F/g at 1 and 20 A/g accompanying an outstanding rate capability (a 93.6% capacitance retention) and retains 96.6% of the specific capacitance, even after 6000 continuous charge/discharge cycles. These excellent properties mark the Co3O4 a promising electrode material for high performance supercapacitors.
Gait Analysis and Mathematical Index-Based Health Management Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Sakeran Hamzah , Abu Osman Noor Azuan , Abdul Majid Mohd Shukry , Rahiman Mohd Hafiz Fazalul , Wan Muhamad Wan Zuki Azman , Mustafa Wan Azani
Published: November 2019

Gait analysis is recognized as a method used in quantifying gait disorders and in clinical evaluations of patients. However, the current guidelines for the evaluation of post anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) patient outcomes are primarily based on qualitative assessments. This study aims to apply gait analyses and mathematical, index-based health management, using the Mahalanobis Taguchi System (MTS) and the Kanri Distance Calculator (KDC) to diagnose the level of the gait abnormality and to identify its contributing factors following ACLR. It is hypothesized that (1) the method is able to discriminate the gait patterns between a healthy group (HG) and patients with ACLR (PG), and (2) several contributing factors may affect ACLR patients’ rehabilitation performance. This study compared the gait of 10 subjects in the PG group with 15 subjects in the HG. The analysis was based on 11 spatiotemporal parameters. Gait data of all subjects were collected in a motion analysis laboratory. The data were then analyzed using MTS and KDC. In this study, two significant groups were recognized: the HG, who achieved results which were within the Mahalanobis space (MS), and (ii) the PG who achieved results above the MS. The results may be seen as being on-target and off-target, respectively. Based on the analysis, three variables (i.e., step width, single support time, and double support time) affected patient performance and resulted in an average mark of above 1.5 Mahalanobis distance (MD). The results indicated that by focusing on the contributing factors that affect the rehabilitation performance of the patients, it is possible to provide individualized and need-based treatment.
Earthquake-Induced Pounding of Medium-to-High-Rise Base-Isolated Buildings
Authors: Naderpour Hosein , Danaeifard Payam , Burkacki Daniel , Jankowski Robert
Published: November 2019

During earthquakes, out-of-phase vibrations in adjacent buildings with limited distance may cause pounding between them. In recent years, the use of seismic isolation has expanded considerably as an effective approach to reduce seismic damage. However, the isolated building experiences large displacements during earthquakes, and there is a possibility of collisions with adjacent structures. The research on earthquake-induced pounding of base-isolated buildings has been mainly focused on interactions between low structures. In this paper, the influence of structural pounding on the response of medium-to-high-rise base-isolated buildings is investigated under different ground motions. The analysis has been focused on collisions between two insufficiently separated five-story and eight-story base-isolated and fixed base buildings aligned in three different configurations. The results of the study indicate that structural pounding may significantly increase the response of medium-to-high-rise base-isolated buildings during earthquakes. Moreover, substantial dependence of the structural behavior on the gap size between structures has been observed. The general trend shows the reduction in the pounding-involved response with the increase in the gap size value. The results indicate that the increase in the response of the base-isolated building is larger when the height of the structure is bigger. They also show that larger amplifications of peak accelerations of the upper stories can be expected due to collisions. On the other hand, the amplifications of the story shears have not shown any specific trend for different stories of the analyzed base-isolated building.
An Improved Shuffled Frog-Leaping Algorithm for Solving the Dynamic and Continuous Berth Allocation Problem (DCBAP)
Authors: Hsu Hsien-Pin , Chiang Tai-Lin
Published: November 2019

This research deals with the dynamic and continuous berth allocation problem (DCBAP) in which both arrived and incoming ships are considered and a quay is used as a continuous line to accommodate as many ships as possible at one time. The DCBAP is solved by a two-stage procedure. In the first stage a heuristic/metaheuristic is used to generate alternative ship placement sequences while in the second stage a specific heuristic is employed to place ships and resolve overlaps of ships for the development of a feasible solution. Different methods, including FCFS (First Come First Served), SFLA (Shuffled Frog-Leaping Algorithm), and ISFLA (Improved Shuffled Frog-Leaping Algorithm), were employed in the first stage for comparison. The experimental results show that the ISFLA outperforms the others in terms of solution quality, implying that the ISFLA has the potential to deal with the DCBAP in a container terminal.
Prototype Development for the Periodontal Model System with the Spatial Compartmentalization by the Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Park Chan Ho
Published: November 2019

At present, various tissue engineering strategies have been developed for multiple tissue regeneration and integrative structure formations. However, the regenerations of tooth-supportive structures are still limited and challenging due to the micro-interfacial compartmentalization of multiple tissues, their integrations for systematic responses, and spatiotemporal organizations of engineered tissues. Here, we investigated the scaffold prototype as the regeneration platform of the periodontal complex (cementum-periodontal ligament (PDL)-bone). Based on the tooth image dataset, the prototype scaffold was designed with individual periodontal tissues while using the three-dimensional (3D) printing technique and solvent-casting method with poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL). The architecture was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and biological assessments were performed with human periodontal ligament (hPDL) cells by confocal microscope. In particular, the angulations and deformations of hPDL cells on PDL architectures were analyzed while using nuclear aspect ratio (NAR = 2.319 ± 0.273) and nuclear shape index (NSI (circularity) = 0.546 ± 0.0273). In in-vitro, designed surface microgroove patterns facilitated angular organizations of hPDL cells (frequency of 0–10° angulations = 75 ± 9.54 out of 97.3 ± 2.52) for seven days. The prototype scaffolding system showed geometric adaptation to the digitized image dataset, hPDL orientations on microgroove-patterned surface, and architectural compartmentalizations for periodontal tissue regeneration.
Influence of Impeller Speed Patterns on Hemodynamic Characteristics and Hemolysis of the Blood Pump
Authors: Wang Yiwen , Shen Peng , Zheng Minli , Fu Pengqiang , Liu Lijia , Wang Jingyue , Yuan Lishan
Published: November 2019

A continuous-flow output mode of a rotary blood pump reduces the fluctuation range of arterial blood pressure and easily causes complications. For a centrifugal rotary blood pump, sinusoidal and pulsatile speed patterns are designed using the impeller speed modulation. This study aimed to analyze the hemodynamic characteristics and hemolysis of different speed patterns of a blood pump in patients with heart failure using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and the lumped parameter model (LPM). The results showed that the impeller with three speed patterns (including the constant speed pattern) met the normal blood demand of the human body. The pulsating flow generated by the impeller speed modulation effectively increased the maximum pulse pressure (PP) to 12.7 mm Hg, but the hemolysis index (HI) in the sinusoidal and pulsatile speed patterns was higher than that in the constant speed pattern, which was about 2.1 × 10−5. The flow path of the pulsating flow field in the spiral groove of the hydrodynamic suspension bearing was uniform, but the alternating high shear stress (0~157 Pa) was caused by the impeller speed modulation, causing blood damage. Therefore, the rational modulation of the impeller speed and the structural optimization of a blood pump are important for improving hydrodynamic characteristics and hemolysis.
Effect of Geraniol and Citronellol Essential Oils on the Biophysical Gating Properties of AMPA Receptors
Authors: Qneibi Mohammad , Jaradat Nidal , Emwas Nour
Published: November 2019

Essential oils have been advertised endlessly to be very beneficial for the health of humans, and an extensive amount of research examines the validity of such claims. In contribution, the current study evaluates the neuroprotective properties of Citronellol and Geraniol essential oils (EOs). In relationship to the biophysical gating properties of different the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) subunits, the EOs were administered to HEK293 (Human embryonic kidney 293) cells and examined for any inhibition and effect on desensitization or deactivation rates, using whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology. Our results demonstrated the highest levels of inhibition from Citronellol oil by four-fold on all AMPARs subunits. Likewise, Geraniol oil had a similar inhibiting impact on the receptors, and both oils decreased the desensitization and deactivation rates of the inhibited receptors. Thus, the examined EOs of this study portray neuroprotective qualities by targeting AMPARs activation and reducing desensitization and deactivation rates. Finally, the results of the current study entail a better understanding of AMPARs, provides a natural template for future drug synthesis to treat neurological diseases associated with excessive AMPAR activation, and offers a possible mechanism by which these essential oils deploy their ‘calming’ effect.
A New Method to Determine How Compaction Affects Water and Heat Transport in Green Roof Substrates
Authors: Sandoval Victoria , Suárez Francisco
Published: November 2019

Although compaction affects water and heat transport processes in porous media, few studies have dealt with this problem. This is particularly true for substrates, which are artificial porous media used for engineering and technological solutions, such as in vegetated or green roofs. We propose a methodology to study the effect of substrate compaction on the characterization of physical, hydrodynamic and thermal properties of five green roof substrates. The methodology consists in a parametric analysis that uses the properties of a substrate with known bulk density, and then modifies the substrate properties to consider how compaction affects water and heat fluxes. Coupled heat and water transport numerical simulations were performed to assess the impact of the changes in the previous properties on the hydraulic and thermal performance of a hypothetical roof system. Our results showed that compaction reduced the amplitude of the fluctuations in the volumetric water content daily cycles, increasing the average water content and reducing the breakthrough time of the green roof substrates. Compaction changes the thermal behavior of the green roof substrates in different ways for each substrate due to the dependence of the air, water and soil fraction of each substrate.
Variable Neighborhood Search Algorithms for an Integrated Manufacturing and Batch Delivery Scheduling Minimizing Total Tardiness
Authors: Joo Cheol Min , Kim Byung Soo
Published: November 2019

This article addresses an integrated problem of one batching and two scheduling decisions between a manufacturing plant and multi-delivery sites. In this problem, two scheduling problems and one batching problem must be simultaneously determined. In the manufacturing plant, jobs ordered by multiple customers are first manufactured by one of the machines in the plant. They are grouped to the same delivery place and delivered to the corresponding customers using a set of delivery trucks within a limited capacity. For the optimal solution, a mixed integer linear programming model is developed and two variable neighborhood search algorithms employing different probabilistic schemes. We tested the proposed algorithms to compare the performance and conclude that the variable neighborhood search algorithm with dynamic case selection probability finds better solutions in reasonable computing times compared with the variable neighborhood search algorithm with static case selection probability and genetic algorithms based on the test results.
Damaging Effects of Pulsed Electric Field Process Parameters on Rhizoctonia solani Cells Using Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Feng Xuebin , Jiang Qianhui , Zhu Mengyu , Jiang Jia , Yin Wenqing , Li Hua
Published: November 2019

This work aimed to analyse the damaging effects of pulsed electric fields on Rhizoctonia solani. Design Expert software was used to design an orthogonal experiment. The cell membrane damage and cell wall damage were observed by scanning electron microscopy and quantitatively determined while using a conductivity metre and an ultraviolet spectrophotometer. The results showed that the cell membrane damage rate was correlated with the voltage amplitude and processing time (p < 0.01), while the effect of pulse duration was not significant (p > 0.05). Besides, the cell wall damage was related to electric field strength (voltage amplitude) (p < 0.01), while the pulse duration and processing time had no significant effect on that (p > 0.05). The optimal process parameters for this method were 25 kV/cm, 5 min., and a pulse duration of 60 µs. The optimised conditions were tested based on these results. When compared with Control Check (CK), the cell membrane damage rate was 48.72%, which was significantly higher than CK (p < 0.01).
Reviewing the Inclusion of Artists’ Holograms in the Permanent Collections of Fine Art Museums
Authors: Dinsmore Sydney
Published: November 2019

Opening in 1976 with the exhibition, “Through the Looking Glass”, the Museum of Holography (MOH) emphasized from the beginning the importance of artistic holography with the inclusion of several holograms by artists whose primary practice was holography, articulating for the first time a distinction between artists, scientists and technicians. While the scientific and engineering principles underlying the technology could educate a public, holograms made by artists provided the visual syntax for the creative possibilities holography could offer. The MOH continued to encourage and support artists’ work throughout its history, amassing a large collection of holograms representative of the most prolific period of artistic activity from the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Museum (MIT Museum) in Boston acquired the entire archive including artistic and technical holograms as well as all related materials when the MOH closed in 1992. This paper will seek to explore whether the medium of holography within the visual arts has led to fine art museum acquisitions in the intervening decades.
Climate Extremes over the Arabian Peninsula Using RegCM4 for Present Conditions Forced by Several CMIP5 Models
Authors: Almazroui Mansour
Published: November 2019

This paper investigates the temperature and precipitation extremes over the Arabian Peninsula using data from the regional climate model RegCM4 forced by three Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) models and ERA–Interim reanalysis data. Indices of extremes are calculated using daily temperature and precipitation data at 27 meteorological stations located across Saudi Arabia in line with the suggested procedure from the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ETCCDI) for the present climate (1986–2005) using 1981–2000 as the reference period. The results show that RegCM4 accurately captures the main features of temperature extremes found in surface observations. The results also show that RegCM4 with the CLM land–surface scheme performs better in the simulation of precipitation and minimum temperature, while the BATS scheme is better than CLM in simulating maximum temperature. Among the three CMIP5 models, the two best performing models are found to accurately reproduce the observations in calculating the extreme indices, while the other is not so successful. The reason for the good performance by these two models is that they successfully capture the circulation patterns and the humidity fields, which in turn influence the temperature and precipitation patterns that determine the extremes over the study region.
Combination of Gemcitabine with Cell-Penetrating Peptides: A Pharmacokinetic Approach Using in Silico Tools
Authors: Ferreira Abigail , Lapa Rui , Vale Nuno
Published: November 2019

Gemcitabine is an anticancer drug used to treat a wide range of solid tumors and is a first line treatment for pancreatic cancer. Our group has previously developed novel conjugates of gemcitabine with cell-penetrating peptides (CPP), and here we report some preliminary data regarding the pharmacokinetics of gemcitabine, two gemcitabine-CPP conjugates and respective CPP gathered from GastroPlus™, and analyze these results considering our previous evaluation of gemcitabine release and conjugates’ bioactivity. Additionally, seeking to shed some light on the relation between the penetration ability of CPP and their physicochemical properties, chemical descriptors for the 20 natural amino acids were calculated, a new principal property scale (z-scale) was created and CPP prediction models were developed, establishing quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR). The z-scores of the peptides conjugated with gemcitabine are presented and analyzed with the aforementioned data.
More than Meets the Mind’s Eye? Preliminary Observations Hint at Heterogeneous Alpha Neuromarkers for Visual Attention
Authors: Tognoli Emmanuelle
Published: November 2019

With their salient power distribution and privileged timescale for cognition and behavior, brainwaves within the 10 Hz band are special in human waking electroencephalography (EEG). From the inception of electroencephalographic technology, the contribution of alpha rhythm to attention is well-known: Its amplitude increases when visual attention wanes or visual input is removed. However, alpha is not alone in the 10 Hz frequency band. A number of other 10 Hz neuromarkers have function and topography clearly distinct from alpha. In small pilot studies, an activity that we named xi was found over left centroparietal scalp regions when subjects held their attention to spatially peripheral locations while maintaining their gaze centrally (“looking from the corner of the eyes”). I outline several potential functions for xi as a putative neuromarker of covert attention distinct from alpha. I review methodological aids to test and validate their functional role. They emphasize high spectral resolution, sufficient spatial resolution to provide topographical separation, and an acute attention to dynamics that caters to neuromarkers’ transiency.
STAT3 Dysregulation in Mature T and NK Cell Lymphomas
Authors: Seffens Angelina , Herrera Alberto , Tegla Cosmin , Buus Terkild B. , Hymes Kenneth B. , Ødum Niels , Geskin Larisa J. , Koralov Sergei B.
Published: November 2019

T cell lymphomas comprise a distinct class of non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, which include mature T and natural killer (NK) cell neoplasms. While each malignancy within this group is characterized by unique clinicopathologic features, dysregulation in the Janus tyrosine family of kinases/Signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway, specifically aberrant STAT3 activation, is a common feature among these lymphomas. The mechanisms driving dysregulation vary among T cell lymphoma subtypes and include activating mutations in upstream kinases or STAT3 itself, formation of oncogenic kinases which drive STAT3 activation, loss of negative regulators of STAT3, and the induction of a pro-tumorigenic inflammatory microenvironment. Constitutive STAT3 activation has been associated with the expression of targets able to increase pro-survival signals and provide malignant fitness. Patients with dysregulated STAT3 signaling tend to have inferior clinical outcomes, which underscores the importance of STAT3 signaling in malignant progression. Targeting of STAT3 has shown promising results in pre-clinical studies in T cell lymphoma lines, ex-vivo primary malignant patient cells, and in mouse models of disease. However, targeting this pleotropic pathway in patients has proven difficult. Here we review the recent contributions to our understanding of the role of STAT3 in T cell lymphomagenesis, mechanisms driving STAT3 activation in T cell lymphomas, and current efforts at targeting STAT3 signaling in T cell malignancies.
Systematic Review of Irreversible Electroporation Role in Management of Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Lafranceschina Stefano , Brunetti Oronzo , Delvecchio Antonella , Conticchio Maria , Ammendola Michele , Currò Giuseppe , Piardi Tullio , de’Angelis Nicola , Silvestris Nicola , Memeo Riccardo
Published: November 2019

Background: Ablative techniques provide in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) symptomatic relief, survival benefit and potential downsizing. Irreversible Electroporation (IRE) represents potentially an ideal solution as no thermal tissue damage occurs. The purpose of this review is to present an overview on safety, feasibility, oncological results, survival and quality of life improvement obtained by IRE. Methods: A systematic search was performed in PubMed, regarding the use of IRE on PC in humans for studies published in English up to March 2019. Results: 15 original studies embodying 691 patients with unresectable LAPC who underwent IRE were included. As emerged, IRE works better on tumour sizes between 3–4 cm. Oncological results are promising: median OS from diagnosis or treatment up to 27 months. Two groups investigated borderline resectable tumours treated with IRE before resection with margin attenuation, whereas IRE has proved to be effective in pain control. Conclusions: Electroporation is bringing new hopes in LAPC management. The first aim of IRE is to offer a palliative treatment. Further efforts are needed for patient selection, as well as the use of IRE for ‘margin accentuation’ during surgical resection. Even if promising, IRE needs to be validated in large, randomized, prospective series.
Plasma Androgen Receptor in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Conteduca Vincenza , Gurioli Giorgia , Brighi Nicole , Lolli Cristian , Schepisi Giuseppe , Casadei Chiara , Burgio Salvatore Luca , Gargiulo Stefania , Ravaglia Giorgia , Rossi Lorena , Altavilla Amelia , Farolfi Alberto , Menna Cecilia , Colangione Sarah Pia , Pulvirenti Mario , Romeo Antonino , De Giorgi Ugo
Published: November 2019

The therapeutic landscape of prostate cancer has expanded rapidly over the past 10 years, and there is now an even greater need to understand the biological mechanisms of resistance and to develop noninvasive biomarkers to guide treatment. The androgen receptor (AR) is known to be involved in the pathogenesis and progression of prostate cancer. Recently, highly sensitive next-generation sequencing and PCR-based methods for analyzing androgen receptor gene (AR) copy numbers (CN) and mutations in plasma were established in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) of patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) treated with different drugs. The study of cfDNA holds great promise for improving treatment in CRPC, especially in the advanced stage of the disease. Recent findings showed the significant association of plasma AR aberrations with clinical outcome in CRPC patients treated with AR-directed therapies, whereas no association was observed in patients treated with taxanes. This suggests the potential for using plasma AR as a biomarker for selecting treatment, i.e., hormone therapy or chemotherapy, and the possibility of modulating taxane dose. In recent years, plasma AR status has also been investigated in association with novel agents, such as 177Lu-PSMA radioligand therapy and PARP inhibitors. This review will focus on AR testing in plasma that may have clinical utility for treatment selection in advanced prostate cancer.
Progression-Free but No Overall Survival Benefit for Adult Patients with Bevacizumab Therapy for the Treatment of Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Kaka Nagham , Hafazalla Karim , Samawi Haider , Simpkin Andrew , Perry James , Sahgal Arjun , Das Sunit
Published: November 2019

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common high-grade primary brain tumor in adults. Standard multi-modality treatment of glioblastoma with surgery, temozolomide chemotherapy, and radiation results in transient tumor control but inevitably gives way to disease progression. The need for additional therapeutic avenues for patients with GBM led to interest in anti-angiogenic therapies, and in particular, bevacizumab. We sought to determine the efficacy of bevacizumab as a treatment for newly diagnosed GBM. We conducted a literature search using the PubMed database and Google Scholar to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) since 2014 investigating the safety and efficacy of bevacizumab in the treatment of adult patients (18 years and older) with newly diagnosed GBM. Only Level Ι data that reported progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were included for analysis. Random effects meta-analyses on studies with newly diagnosed glioblastoma were conducted in R to estimate the pooled hazard ratio (HR) for PFS and OS. Six RCTs met requirements for meta-analysis, revealing a pooled estimate of PFS HR suggesting a 33% decreased risk of disease progression (HR 0.67, 95% CI, 0.58–0.78; p < 0.001) with bevacizumab therapy, but no effect on OS (HR = 1, 95% CI, 0.85–1.18; p = 0.97). A pooled estimate of the mean difference in OS months of −0.13 predicts little difference in time of survival between treatment groups (95% CI, −1.87–1.61). The pooled estimate for the mean difference in PFS months was 2.70 (95% CI, 1.89–3.50; p < 0.001). Meta-analysis shows that bevacizumab therapy is associated with a longer PFS in adult patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma, but had an inconsistent effect on OS in this patient population.
Photocatalytic Degradation of Different VOCs in the Gas-Phase over TiO2 Thin Films Prepared by Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis
Authors: Dundar Ibrahim , Krichevskaya Marina , Katerski Atanas , Krunks Malle , Oja Acik Ilona
Published: November 2019

In this study, we deposited TiO2 thin films onto borosilicate glass by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis at 350 and 450 °C. The aim of study is to determine the effect of deposition temperature on photocatalytic activity of TiO2 thin films and to investigate the performance of TiO2 thin films on photocatalytic degradation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), acetone, acetaldehyde, and heptane as functions of different operating parameters. TiO2 thin films deposited at 350 and 450 °C have a thickness value of 190 and 330 nm, respectively. All as-prepared TiO2 films possess an anatase crystalline structure. According to the X-ray photon spectroscopy (XPS) study, the TiO2 thin film deposited at 350 °C showed a higher amount of oxygen vacancies and hydroxyl groups on the film surface after UV treatment. The aged-TiO2 thin film deposited at 350 °C showed a water contact angle (WCA) value of 0° after 10 min UV irradiation, showing superhydrophilic surface behavior. The TiO2 film deposited at 350 °C exhibited the highest amount of conversion of MTBE (100%). The results also showed that TiO2 films are capable of photocatalytic degradation of MTBE (100%) and acetaldehyde (approx. 80%) in humid air conditions and high airflow rate. The visible-light-activity of TiO2 thin films was tested with 5 ppm MTBE and acetone. TiO2 thin films deposited at 350 °C with a surface area of 600 cm2 showed 60% of MTBE and 33% of acetone degradation under VIS light.
Wnt Signaling in the Regulation of Immune Cell and Cancer Therapeutics
Authors: Haseeb Muhammad , Pirzada Rameez Hassan , Ain Qurat Ul , Choi Sangdun
Published: November 2019

Wnt signaling is one of the important pathways to play a major role in various biological processes, such as embryonic stem-cell development, tissue regeneration, cell differentiation, and immune cell regulation. Recent studies suggest that Wnt signaling performs an essential function in immune cell modulation and counteracts various disorders. Nonetheless, the emerging role and mechanism of action of this signaling cascade in immune cell regulation, as well as its involvement in various cancers, remain debatable. The Wnt signaling in immune cells is very diverse, e.g., the tolerogenic role of dendritic cells, the development of natural killer cells, thymopoiesis of T cells, B-cell-driven initiation of T-cells, and macrophage actions in tissue repair, regeneration, and fibrosis. The purpose of this review is to highlight the current therapeutic targets in (and the prospects of) Wnt signaling, as well as the potential suitability of available modulators for the development of cancer immunotherapies. Although there are several Wnt inhibitors relevant to cancer, it would be worthwhile to extend this approach to immune cells.
The Role of Signaling Pathways of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Development of Senescence and Aging Phenotypes in Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Papaconstantinou John
Published: November 2019

The ASK1-signalosome→p38 MAPK and SAPK/JNK signaling networks promote senescence (in vitro) and aging (in vivo, animal models and human cohorts) in response to oxidative stress and inflammation. These networks contribute to the promotion of age-associated cardiovascular diseases of oxidative stress and inflammation. Furthermore, their inhibition delays the onset of these cardiovascular diseases as well as senescence and aging. In this review we focus on whether the (a) ASK1-signalosome, a major center of distribution of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated stress signals, plays a role in the promotion of cardiovascular diseases of oxidative stress and inflammation; (b) The ASK1-signalosome links ROS signals generated by dysfunctional mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes to the p38 MAPK stress response pathway; (c) the pathway contributes to the sensitivity and vulnerability of aged tissues to diseases of oxidative stress; and (d) the importance of inhibitors of these pathways to the development of cardioprotection and pharmaceutical interventions. We propose that the ASK1-signalosome regulates the progression of cardiovascular diseases. The resultant attenuation of the physiological characteristics of cardiomyopathies and aging by inhibition of the ASK1-signalosome network lends support to this conclusion. Importantly the ROS-mediated activation of the ASK1-signalosome p38 MAPK pathway suggests it is a major center of dissemination of the ROS signals that promote senescence, aging and cardiovascular diseases. Pharmacological intervention is, therefore, feasible through the continued identification of potent, non-toxic small molecule inhibitors of either ASK1 or p38 MAPK activity. This is a fruitful future approach to the attenuation of physiological aspects of mammalian cardiomyopathies and aging.