bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dual impact of organisational change on subsequent exit from work unit and sickness absence: a longitudinal study among public healthcare employees
Authors: Jensen Johan Høy , Flachs Esben Meulengracht , Skakon Janne , Rod Naja Hulvej , Bonde Jens Peter
Published: May 2018

Objectives

We investigated work-unit exit, total and long-term sickness absence following organisational change among public healthcare employees.

Methods

The study population comprised employees from the Capital Region of Denmark (n=14 388). Data on reorganisation at the work-unit level (merger, demerger, relocation, change of management, employee layoff or budget cut) between July and December 2013 were obtained via surveys distributed to the managers of each work unit. Individual-level data on work-unit exit, total and long-term sickness absence (≥29 days) in 2014 were obtained from company registries. For exposure to any, each type or number of reorganisations (1, 2 or ≥3), the HRs and 95% CIs for subsequent work-unit exit were estimated by Cox regression, and the risk for total and long-term sickness absence were estimated by zero-inflated Poisson regression.

Results

Reorganisation was associated with subsequent work-unit exit (HR 1.10, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.19) in the year after reorganisation. This association was specifically important for exposure to ≥3 types of changes (HR 1.52, 95% CI 1.30 to 1.79), merger (HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.49), demerger (HR 1.41, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.71) or change of management (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.38). Among the employees remaining in the work unit, reorganisation was also associated with more events of long-term sickness absence (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.33), which was particularly important for merger (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.72) and employee layoff (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.59).

Conclusions

Specific types of reorganisation seem to have a dual impact on subsequent work-unit exit and sickness absence in the year after change.
Physical contact between human vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells modulates cytosolic and nuclear calcium homeostasis
Authors: Hassan Ghada S. , Jacques Danielle , D’Orléans-Juste Pedro , Magder Sheldon , Bkaily Ghassan
Published: May 2018

The interaction between vascular endothelial cells (VECs) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) plays an important role in the modulation of vascular tone. There is, however, no information on whether direct physical communication regulates the intracellular calcium levels of human VECs (hVECs) and (or) human VSMCs (hVSMCs). Thus, the objective of the study is to verify whether co-culture of hVECs and hVSMCs modulates cytosolic ([Ca2+]c) and nuclear calcium ([Ca2+]n) levels via physical contact and (or) factors released by both cell types. Quantitative 3D confocal microscopy for [Ca2+]c and [Ca2+]n measurement was performed in cultured hVECs or hVSMCs or in co-culture of hVECs–hVSMCs. Our results show that: (1) physical contact between hVECs–hVECs or hVSMCs–hVSMCs does not affect [Ca2+]c and [Ca2+]n in these 2 cell types; (2) physical contact between hVECs and hVSMCs induces a significant increase only of [Ca2+]n of hVECs without affecting the level of [Ca2+]c and [Ca2+]n of hVSMCs; and (3) preconditioned culture medium of hVECs or hVSMCs does not affect [Ca2+]c and [Ca2+]n of both types of cells. We concluded that physical contact between hVECs and hVSMCs only modulates [Ca2+]n in hVECs. The increase of [Ca2+]n in hVECs may modulate nuclear functions that are calcium dependent.
Informing Canada’s commitment to biodiversity conservation: A science-based framework to help guide protected areas designation through Target 1 and beyond
Authors: Coristine Laura E. , Jacob Aerin L. , Schuster Richard , Otto Sarah P. , Baron Nancy E. , Bennett Nathan J. , Bittick Sarah Joy , Dey Cody , Favaro Brett , Ford Adam , Nowlan Linda , Orihel Diane , Palen Wendy J. , Polfus Jean L. , Shiffman David S. , Venter Oscar , Woodley Stephen
Published: May 2018

Biodiversity is intrinsically linked to the health of our planet—and its people. Yet, increasingly, human activities are causing the extinction of species, degrading ecosystems, and reducing nature’s resilience to climate change and other threats. As a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Canada has a legal responsibility to protect 17% of land and freshwater by 2020. Currently, Canada has protected ∼10% of its terrestrial lands, requiring a marked increase in the pace and focus of protection over the next three years.

Given the distribution, extent, and geography of Canada’s current protected areas, systematic conservation planning would provide decision-makers with a ranking of the potential for new protected area sites to stem biodiversity loss and preserve functioning ecosystems. Here, we identify five key principles for identifying lands that are likely to make the greatest contribution to reversing biodiversity declines and ensuring biodiversity persistence into the future. We identify current gaps and integrate principles of protecting ( i) species at risk, ( ii) representative ecosystems, ( iii) intact wilderness, ( iv) connectivity, and ( v) climate refugia. This spatially explicit assessment is intended as an ecological foundation that, when integrated with social, economic and governance considerations, would support evidence-based protected area decision-making in Canada.
A Weighted Least-Square Dissimilarity Approach for Multiple Criteria ABC Inventory Classification
Authors: Wu Sisi , Fu Yelin , Lai K. K. , Leung W. K. John
Published: May 2018

The present paper develops a weighted least-square dissimilarity approach to address the Multiple Criteria ABC inventory classification problem, when the different criteria ranking makes impossible to achieve a group consensus. The proposed approach effectively eliminates drawbacks regarding subjective judgements of multiple decision makers on the criteria importance, and comprehensively aggregates all rankings of the criteria importance to provide a more reasonable and effective classification mechanism. The common weights associated with all rankings are determined. An illustrative example is presented to compare the performance of our approach with the existing studies.
Calibration Method for Mapping Camera Based on a Precise Grouped Approach Method
Authors: Zheng Lina , Yuan Guoqin , Leng Xue , Wu Yingfeng
Published: May 2018

This paper introduces a new calibration method for the mapping camera called Precise Grouped Approach Method (PGAM). The conventional calibration method for the mapping camera is the exact measuring angle method. The accuracy of this method can be reduced by theoretical uncertainties and the number and distribution of observation points. PGAM is able to overcome these disadvantages and improve the accuracy. Firstly, we reduce the theoretical uncertainties by means of a grouped approach method, which rectifies the high-precision rotation stage to zero position. Secondly, a weighted theory is applied to eliminate the effect of the number and distribution of observation points. Finally, the accuracy of PGAM is analyzed. The experiment result shows that the calibration accuracy is significantly improved when using the proposed PGAM algorithm, compared to the conventional one under the identical experimental condition.
Computable isomorphisms for certain classes of infinite graphs
Authors: Walker Hakim J.
Published: May 2018

We investigate (2,1):1 structures, which consist of a countable set [Formula: see text] together with a function [Formula: see text] such that for every element [Formula: see text] in [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] maps either exactly one element or exactly two elements of [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text]. These structures extend the notions of injection structures, 2:1 structures, and (2,0):1 structures studied by Cenzer, Harizanov, and Remmel, all of which can be thought of as infinite directed graphs. We look at various computability-theoretic properties of (2,1):1 structures, most notably that of computable categoricity. We say that a structure [Formula: see text] is computably categorical if there exists a computable isomorphism between any two computable copies of [Formula: see text]. We give a sufficient condition under which a (2,1):1 structure is computably categorical, and present some examples of (2,1):1 structures with different computability-theoretic properties.
Universal descriptions of chemical freeze-out based on pressure and specific heat
Authors: Samanta Subhasis
Published: May 2018

The lattice QCD data of pressure and the energy density have been used to extract the hadronic radius parameter of the excluded volume hadron resonance gas (EVHRG) model. The equation of state can be described well with the extracted radius parameter [Formula: see text] fm. Specific heat is also calculated in the EVHRG model. Further, two new universal descriptions of chemical freeze-out parameters have been introduced based on pressure and specific heat, respectively. It is shown that the chemical freeze-out parameters obtained at various [Formula: see text] in ideal hadron resonance gas (HRG) model approximately correspond to [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively. These two quantities are important to describe the thermodynamic properties of the hadronic matter created in heavy-ion collision experiment. The sensitivity of universal chemical freeze-out lines on repulsive interaction is also studied. It has been observed that the behaviors of chemical freeze-out lines for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] in EVHRG model remain similar to ideal HRG model for the best fit value of hadronic radii.
Simultaneous estimations of optimal directions and optimal transformations for functional data
Authors: Chen Heng , Huang Wei , Chen Di-Rong
Published: May 2018

Sliced inverse regression (SIR) is a powerful method to deal with a dimension reduction model. As well known, SIR is equivalent to a transformation-based projection pursuit, where the optimal directions are just the directions in SIR. In this paper, we consider simultaneous estimations of optimal directions for functional data and optimal transformations. We take a reproducing kernel Hilbert space approach. Both the directions and the transformations are chosen from reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces. A learning rate is established for the estimators.
Band Gap Modulation of Lead Sulfide QDs
Authors: Zeng Pengyu , Li Wei , Zhao Yun , Liu Mengting
Published: May 2018

Lead sulfide quantum dots (QDs) were prepared by liquid phase method. The particle size can be controlled by changing the concentration of reactants and surfactant and the size of the QDs varies from 7[Formula: see text]nm to 20[Formula: see text]nm, which results in the change of the optical properties and the band gap of the particles. The optical band gap of lead sulfide QDs increased drastically with the decrease of the diameter of the sample QDs.
Investigation of Nanostructure and Optical Properties of Flexible AZO Thin Films at Different Powers of RF Magnetron Sputtering
Authors: Khatami Sh. , Fekri Aval L. , Behzadi Pour G.
Published: May 2018

In this study Al-doped Zinc Oxide (AZO) thin films were successfully deposited on the flexible Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) substrate by RF magnetron sputtering. The effects of RF power on the crystal structure, morphology, thickness and optical properties of AZO thin films have been investigated. The AZO thin films were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), DEKTAK 3 profilometer, UV–Visible spectroscopy and room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The XRD patterns show that increase of RF power leads to increase in the predominant direction along (100) and crystal plane of hexagonal ZnO. Moreover, the transmittance of thin films decreased from 76% to 61% and optical bang gap varied among 3.34[Formula: see text]eV to 3.22[Formula: see text]eV with increasing RF power. The PL spectra show excellent light-emitting characteristics: 375[Formula: see text]nm, 428[Formula: see text]nm, 467[Formula: see text]nm and 505[Formula: see text]nm. The results indicate that the peak intensity increases with increasing RF power from 80[Formula: see text]W to 180[Formula: see text]W.
Recalibrating China-U.S. Climate Cooperation Under the Trump Administration
Authors: Jiahan Cao
Published: May 2018

Based on the analytical framework of securitization, this article argues that cooperation between China and the United States on climate change will not lose momentum despite President Trump’s seemingly passive stance. A securitization process on the climate issue has been ongoing in China since President Xi Jinping took office and proposed the Overall National Security Outlook (ONSO). Climate security was thus integrated into China’s political discourse as a key component of ecological and common security, leading to a period of China-U.S. cooperation during the Obama administration. Similarly, in the United States, climate policy has been cemented in security planning and assessment of various federal agencies. The U.S. security sector seems to be largely unaffected by the White House decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. A growing number of Americans treat climate change as a security threat and many U.S. states and cities, in collaboration with business leaders, have taken on a role in international climate diplomacy. Combined with existing intergovernmental collaborative projects, robust market forces and innovative local initiatives will continue to push China-U.S. climate cooperation forward. As a necessary step to sustain its ties with the United States on climate issues, the Chinese government needs to propose a renewed bilateral framework on energy and environment cooperation under the China-U.S. Comprehensive Economic Dialogue.
Adaptive Spontaneous Brain–Computer Interfaces Based on Software Agents
Authors: Castillo-Garcia Javier F. , Caicedo-Bravo Eduardo F. , Bastos Teodiano F.
Published: May 2018

Background: An adaptive Brain–Computer Interface (aBCI) is an extension of a traditional Brain–Computer Interface (BCI). In this work, trial rejection, median filter and software agent are included in a BCI to modify the parameters of its classifier and smoothen the signal feature during task execution. Methods: In this study, a database was used with five spontaneous mental tasks. A software agent was implemented to monitor a BCI for its adaptation. The software agent can learn from the environment and save this information. Results: The statistical significance and the effect size between a BCI and the aBCI proposed here were evaluated in this work. The Information Transfer Rate (ITR) in the aBCI was lower in comparison with BCI, however, the system has statistical significance and high effect size in the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and kappa coefficient than the latter. Conclusions: Our aBCI improves the performance of a traditional BCI because the software agent can learn from its environment (brain signals) and adjust the BCI’s parameters. The signal quality was used as main factor to tune the feature extraction and parameters of the classifier.
Entangled between worlds: Swiss petroleum geologists,
c.
1900–50
Authors: Gisler Monika
Published: May 2018

This chapter presents a collection of first-generation Swiss geologists, who, around 1900, went abroad in order to work for oil organizations, both public and private. With the rise of oil exploration after 1900, the demand for experienced oil geologists grew rapidly. Oil companies started hiring trained geologists from different parts of the world, which led to an increasing number of Swiss geologists finding employment abroad. One of the first to start his career abroad was Carl Schmidt (1862–1923) from Basel, highly esteemed and later renowned for his achievements as a teacher of younger oil geologists. Another was Josef Erb (1874–1934), who accomplished an unparalleled career at Royal Dutch Shell. Other examples include Hans Hirschi (1876–1964), who worked for the Union des Pétroles d'Oklahoma for a few years, and Arnold Heim (1882–1965), working nearly 50 years for major oil companies. Many more followed over the decades to come, so that virtual successions took place between them: specific territories and specific companies were ‘handed down’ between geologists of the same nationality. Where once the Swiss were employed, others took over; the pioneers acted as door-openers for future generations.
Spoke-Darts for High-Dimensional Blue-Noise Sampling
Authors: Mitchell Scott A. , Ebeida Mohamed S. , Awad Muhammad A. , Park Chonhyon , Patney Anjul , Rushdi Ahmad A. , Swiler Laura P. , Manocha Dinesh , Wei Li-Yi
Published: May 2018

Blue noise sampling has proved useful for many graphics applications, but remains underexplored in high-dimensional spaces due to the difficulty of generating distributions and proving properties about them. We present a blue noise sampling method with good quality and performance across different dimensions. The method, spoke-dart sampling, shoots rays from prior samples and selects samples from these rays. It combines the advantages of two major high-dimensional sampling methods: the locality of advancing front with the dimensionality-reduction of hyperplanes, specifically line sampling. We prove that the output sampling is saturated with high probability, with bounds on distances between pairs of samples and between any domain point and its nearest sample. We demonstrate spoke-dart applications for approximate Delaunay graph construction, global optimization, and robotic motion planning. Both the blue-noise quality of the output distribution and the adaptability of the intermediate processes of our method are useful in these applications.
Energy-Aware Key Exchange for Securing Implantable Medical Devices
Authors: Choi Wonsuk , Lee Youngkyung , Lee Duhyeong , Kim Hyoseung , Park Jin Hyung , Kim In Seok , Lee Dong Hoon
Published: May 2018

Implantable medical devices (IMDs) continuously monitor the condition of a patient and directly apply treatments if considered necessary. Because IMDs are highly effective for patients who frequently visit hospitals (e.g., because of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease), their use is increasing significantly. However, related security concerns have also come to the fore. It has been demonstrated that IMDs can be hacked—the IMD power can be turned off remotely, and abnormally large doses of drugs can be injected into the body. Thus, IMDs may ultimately threaten a patient’s life. In this paper, we propose an energy-aware key exchange protocol for securing IMDs. We utilize synchronous interpulse intervals (IPIs) as the source of a secret key. These IPIs enable IMDs to agree upon a secret key with an external programmer in an authenticated and transparent manner without any key material being exposed either before distribution or during initialization. We demonstrate that it is difficult for adversaries to guess the keys established using our method. In addition, we show that the reduced communication overhead of our method enhances battery life, making the proposed approach more energy-efficient than previous methods.
Acupuncture Compared with Intramuscular Injection of Neostigmine for Postpartum Urinary Retention: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Wang Xiao-Mei , Gong Jing , Li Si-Cong , Han Mei
Published: May 2018

Objective. To compare the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture versus intramuscular injection of neostigmine. Methods. Databases including CNKI, VIP, WanFang, SinoMed, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and clinicaltrials.gov database were retrieved for relevant literature, with the retrieval deadline being November 2017. Two reviewers independently screened, selected, and extracted data and validated the results. The methodological quality was evaluated with the “Risk of Bias” tool, and the meta‐analysis was performed by using the RevMan 5.3.5 software. Results. Totally 953 patients with postpartum urinary retention from 15 randomized controlled trials entered the meta‐analysis. 12 articles compared the clinical cure rate of acupuncture alone versus intramuscular injection of neostigmine and found the cure rate in the acupuncture group was 2 times that in the neostigmine group (RR, 1.91; 95% CI: 1.66–2.19). 15 articles compared the clinical effectiveness rate of acupuncture alone with that of intramuscular injection of neostigmine and found the clinical effectiveness rate was 28% higher in the acupuncture group than in the neostigmine group (RR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.16–1.42). No adverse event was reported in the acupuncture group. Conclusion. Acupuncture alone is more effective in treating postpartum urinary retention than intramuscular injection of neostigmine, with good safety profile. Therefore, it is a feasible and valuable technique in clinical settings.
Successful Coronary Protection during TAVI in Heavily Calcified Aortic Leaflets in Patient with Short and Low Left Coronary System
Authors: Kabach Mohamad , Alrifai Abdulah , Lovitz Lawrence , Rothenberg Mark , Faber Cristiano , Nores Marcos
Published: May 2018

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement has been recently approved for patients who are high or intermediate risk for surgical aortic valve replacement. The procedure is associated with several known complications including coronary related complications. Coronary obstruction is rare but disastrous complication, and it is associated with a high mortality rate. Coronary protection technique has emerged as a preemptive technique to avoid this complication. We present a case of successful coronary protection during TAVR in severely calcified left cusp in patient with short and low left ostium.
Coordination Behavior of Ni2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ in Tetrahedral 1-Methylimidazole Complexes: A DFT/CSD Study
Authors: Tetteh Samuel
Published: May 2018

The interaction between nickel (Ni2+), copper (Cu2+), and zinc (Zn2+) ions and 1-methylimidazole has been studied by exploring the geometries of eleven crystal structures in the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD). The coordination behavior of the respective ions was further investigated by means of density functional theory (DFT) methods. The gas-phase complexes were fully optimized using B3LYP/GENECP functionals with 6-31G∗ and LANL2DZ basis sets. The Ni2+ and Cu2+ complexes show distorted tetrahedral geometries around the central ions, with Zn2+ being a perfect tetrahedron. Natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis and natural population analysis (NPA) show substantial reduction in the formal charge on the respective ions. The interaction between metal d-orbitals (donor) and ligand orbitals (acceptor) was also explored using second-order perturbation of the Fock matrix. These interactions followed the order Ni2+ > Cu2+ > Zn2+ with Zn2+ having the least interaction with the ligand orbitals. Examination of the frontier orbitals shows the stability of the complexes in the order Ni2+ > Cu2+ < Zn2+ which is consistent with the Irving–Williams series.
Physicochemical Characteristics of Protein-Enriched Restructured Beef Steaks with Phosphates, Transglutaminase, and Elasticised Package Forming
Authors: Baugreet Sephora , Kerry Joseph P. , Allen Paul , Gallagher Eimear , Hamill Ruth M.
Published: May 2018

Restructured beef steaks were formulated by adding protein-rich ingredients (pea protein isolate (PPI), rice protein (RP), and lentil flour (LF) (at 4 and 8%)), phosphate (0.2%), and two binding agents: 1% (TG) and 0.15% (TS). The effects of their addition on the physicochemical properties of the beef steaks were investigated. Protein content of the RP8TG sample was significantly higher than that of the control in both the raw and cooked state. Raw LF4TS exhibited greater (P<0.01) a∗ values than the control; however, after the cooking process, L∗, a∗, and b∗ values were similar for all treatments. Textural assessment showed that elevating protein level increased (P<0.001) hardness, chewiness, cohesiveness, and gumminess in cooked restructured steaks. LF addition reduced all textural values assessed, indicating a strong plant protein effect on texture modification. The commercial binder produced a better bind in combination with protein ingredients. This facilitated the production of uniformed restructured beef steaks from low-value beef muscles with acceptable quality parameters using a novel process technology.
Interaction between Vetiver Grass Roots and Completely Decomposed Volcanic Tuff under Rainfall Infiltration Conditions
Authors: Xu Ling , Gao Chongyang , Yan Dongdong
Published: May 2018

The important role of vetiver grass roots in preventing water erosion and mass movement has been well recognized, though the detailed influence of the grass roots on soil has not been addressed. Through planting vetiver grass at the Kadoorie Farm in Hong Kong and leaving it to grow without artificial maintenance, the paper studies the influence of vetiver grass roots on soil properties and slope stability. Under the natural conditions of Hong Kong, growth of the vetiver grass roots can reach 1.1 m depth after one and a half year from planting. The percentage of grain size which is less than 0.075 mm in rooted soil is more than that of the nonrooted soil. Vetiver grass roots can reduce soil erosion by locking the finer grain. The rooted soil of high finer grain content has a relatively small permeability. As a result, the increase in water content is therefore smaller than that of nonrooted soil in the same rainfall conditions. Shear box test reveals that the vetiver grass roots significantly increased the peak cohesion of the soil from 9.3 kPa to 18.9 kPa. The combined effects of grass roots on hydrological responses and shearing strength significantly stabilize the slope in local rainfall condition.
Assessment of the Antioxidant Activity and Quality Attributes of Yogurt Enhanced with Wild Herbs Extracts
Authors: Dabija Adriana , Codină Georgiana Gabriela , Ropciuc Sorina , Gâtlan Anca-Mihaela , Rusu Lăcrămioara
Published: May 2018

The milk and yogurt products assortment has expanded by their enhancement with herb extracts, fibres extracted from by-products of the fruit processing industry and also fresh spices. The aim of the present study was to test to what extent the addition of different herb extracts in yogurt will improve its qualitative characteristics and antioxidant activity. The aqueous extracts obtained from the four plants are considered in this study, respectively, thistle (Silybum marianum L.), hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), sage (Salvia officinalis L.), and marjoram (Origanum vulgare L.). It was examined the effect of aqueous extracts prepared from four herbs (0.25/1%) (w/w) on yogurt’s qualitative characteristics (pH, titratable acidity, syneresis, water holding capacity, antioxidant activity, colour parameters, and rheological parameters) on both one day and 28 days after preparation. The final results show that the physicochemical and rheological properties of the yoghurt with herb extracts addition were improved compared to the control sample after 28 days of storage. The best results in terms of antioxidant properties were obtained when marjoram extract (Origanum vulgare L.) was incorporated. According to the data obtained, the best quality in terms of the physicochemical and rheological properties were in the case of the sample with 0.5% thistle extract (Silybum marianum L.) addition, while from point of view of the nutritional value, the best quality was in the case of the sample with 1% marjoram extract (Origanum vulgare L.) addition. The present study leads to the conclusion that yogurts enhanced with natural extracts may serve as functional food products, with significant health benefits.
Chloride Ion Removal from the Wet Flue Gas Desulfurization and Denitrification Wastewater Using Friedel’s Salt Precipitation Method
Authors: Fang Ping , Tang Zi-jun , Chen Xiong-bo , Huang Jian-hang , Tang Zhi-xiong , Cen Chao-ping
Published: May 2018

The desulfurization and denitrification wastewater (DDW) from the wet flue gas treatment project is difficult to be treated and recycled because of high chloride ion (Cl−) concentration. Cl− can cause equipment and piping corrosion. However, there is a lack of cost-effective treatment technologies for the removal of Cl− from the DDW. In this research, the feasibility of Cl− removal from the DDW using Friedel’s salt precipitation method was evaluated. Factors affecting the Cl− removal, such as Ca(OH)2 dosage, NaAlO2 dosage, solution’s initial pH, solution’s temperature, reaction time, stirring speed, and anions (SO42−, NO3−, and F−), were investigated, and the optimal experimental conditions for Cl− removal were determined. Experimental results showed that Friedel’s salt precipitation method can remove Cl− effectively and can achieve synergistic removal of SO42−, F−, and heavy metal ions. Under the best experimental conditions, the average removal efficiencies of Cl−, SO42−, F−, and heavy metal ions reach more than 85%, 98%, 94%, and 99%, respectively. The Cl− removal mechanism studies showed that Cl− can be removed by precipitation as Ca4Al2Cl2(OH)12. The purified wastewater and the precipitated solid can be reused to reduce the consumption of water and alkali. Friedel’s salt precipitation method is an effective control technology for the synergistic removal of Cl−, SO42−, F−, and heavy metal ions and has enormous potential to be applied in the industrial wastewater treatment field.
The Clinical and Radiological Characteristics of Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor Occurring at Unusual Sites
Authors: Zeng Xuewei , Huang Huayi , Li Jun , Peng Jiayou , Zhang Jiaxiong
Published: May 2018

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) can occur rarely in the soft tissue or joint of the limb. We retrospectively collected IMT cases of these rare sites and analyzed their clinical and imaging appearance. Thirteen cases of IMT were clinically diagnosed and underwent surgical procedures, pathological analyses, and postsurgical follow-up in our two hospitals. Other than one case of IMT of the bladder wall that presented with gross hematuria, none presented with local swelling, fever, or weakness. All the cases of IMT occurring at the bone showed destruction and parosteal soft tissue masses. The boundaries between the mass and normal bone were vague, without calcifications or any periosteal reaction. Five cases of IMF showed continuous enhancement on CT; seven cases demonstrated iso- or hyposignal intensity on T1WI; one case showed hypersignal intensity on T1WI, and eight cases demonstrated a hypersignal intensity signal on T2WI. All the masses located in soft tissues showed clear and sharp boundaries with different sizes of the swelling regions surrounding muscle interspaces. Three cases showed homogeneous enhancement, one case demonstrated heterogeneous enhancement, and two cases showed edge enhancement on enhanced MRI scans. On pathology, all the lesions showed an absence of a pseudocapsule, and four cases of ALK were positive. The radiological manifestations of IMT located at the soft tissue and bones were similar to benign tumors in shape; however, peritumoral edema, parosteal soft tissue, and the invasive rim of IMT are similar to the features of malignant tumors. Different radiological methods should be used to obtain an accurate diagnosis.
The CLASS Surgical Site Characteristics in a Clinical Grading Scale and Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography: A One-Year Follow-Up
Authors: Jankowska-Szmul Judyta , Wylegala Edward
Published: May 2018

Purpose. We combined a clinical grading scale and swept source anterior segment OCT to describe the successful and failed CLASS.Material and Methods. 23 patients in the successful group and 17 patients in the failed group were compared in terms of the IBAGS grades and AS-OCT findings at one, three, and twelve months postoperatively.Results. The majority in the successful group presented shallow blebs (91%, 57%, and 52% at 1M, 3M, and 12M, resp.). 59% of the failed group presented no bleb (H0 E0) from the early postoperative period with the rate increasing to 88% at 3M and 100% at 12M. The scleral lake was detected in all the successful patients. The successful group showed significantly higher rates of TDM integrity (P<0.001), IF (P<0.001), and SCF (P<0.05), but there were no significant differences in the rates of microcysts between the groups (P>0.05). We found a significant decrease in the SL anteroposterior extent (P=0.003) and SL height (P<0.001) over time, with no significant correlation between the above parameters and IOP.Conclusions. The subconjunctival bleb may be a sign of the successful CLASS when it matches the AS-OCT findings of TDM integrity, maintained scleral lake, and intrascleral fluid. A validated OCT pixel intensity measurement is required to evaluate the bleb reflectivity.
SoftPSN: Software‐Defined Resource Slicing for Low‐Latency Reliable Public Safety Networks
Authors: Gebremariam Anteneh A. , Usman Muhammad , Bassoli Riccardo , Granelli Fabrizio
Published: May 2018

Achieving the low‐latency constraints of public safety applications during disaster could be life‐saving. In the context of public safety scenarios, in this paper, we propose an efficient radio resource slicing algorithm that enables first responders to deliver their life‐saving activities effectively. We used the tool of stochastic geometry to model the base station distribution before and after a disaster. In addition, under this umbrella, we also proposed an example of public safety scenario, ultrareliable low‐latency file sharing, via in‐band device‐to‐device (D2D) communication. The example scenario is implemented in NS‐3. The simulation results show that radio resource slicing and prioritization of first responders resources can ensure ultrareliable low‐latency communication (URLLC) in emergency scenarios.
Boron, Copper, and Zinc Affect the Productivity, Cup Quality, and Chemical Compounds in Coffee Beans
Authors: Clemente Junia Maria , Martinez Herminia Emilia Prieto , Pedrosa Adriene Woods , Poltronieri Neves Yonara , Cecon Paulo Roberto , Jifon John Lonfover
Published: May 2018

Micronutrients perform specific and essential functions in plant metabolism, and their deficiency may lead to metabolic disturbances that affect coffee production and quality beverage. In Brazil, the B, Cu, and Zn are the main micronutrients, and these are provided by soil or foliar fertilization, frequently with low recovery efficiency. This work objected verifying the feasibility of supplying of B, Cu, and Zn via insertion of tablets in the orthotropic branch ofCoffea arabica, as well as to evaluate the coffee plant response in terms of productivity and quality of the beverage. Adult plants received B, Cu, and Zn, each micronutrient alone or combined with the other two, by foliar fertilization or by tablets inserted in the trunk base. The productivity, cupping quality, and some chemical indicators of beans quality were evaluated in two crop seasons. Boron, copper, and zinc supplied by foliar spray or solid injections in the trunk influenced the chemical composition and quality of the coffee beans, characterized by the cupping test and the levels of caffeine, trigonelline, sucrose, glucose, arabinose, mannose, 3-caffeoylquinic acid, 5-caffeoylquinic acid, polyphenol oxidase activity, and total phenolic compounds. Copper and zinc were equivalent in either form of supply regarding the production and quality of coffee.
A New Algorithm for Solving Terminal Value Problems of q-Difference Equations
Authors: Fan Yong-Hong , Wang Lin-Lin
Published: May 2018

We propose a new algorithm for solving the terminal value problems on a q-difference equations. Through some transformations, the terminal value problems which contain the first- and second-order delta-derivatives have been changed into the corresponding initial value problems; then with the help of the methods developed by Liu and H. Jafari, the numerical solution has been obtained and the error estimate has also been considered for the terminal value problems. Some examples are given to illustrate the accuracy of the numerical methods we proposed. By comparing the exact solution with the numerical solution, we find that the convergence speed of this numerical method is very fast.
A Low Power Impedance Transparent Receiver with Linearity Enhancement Technique for IoT Applications
Authors: Chen Sizheng , Shi Tingting , Ma Lei , Kang Cheng , Yan Na , Min Hao
Published: May 2018

A low power receiver with impedance transparent RF front end is presented. By using the 4‐path passive mixer and the active feedback of LNA, the baseband impedance profile is further transferred to receiver input. While a LO‐defined input matching is formed by RF front end, the linearity of entire receiver chain is improved. Furthermore, derivative superposition technique is employed to cancel the distortion of the CMOS LNA. A 3rd‐order active‐RC filter is designed with current‐efficient feedforward compensated OTA. And a digital‐to‐time converter (DTC) assisted fractional‐N all‐digital phase‐locked loop (ADPLL) is codesigned with receiver to meet the IoT requirements. The presented receiver is fabricated in 55 nm CMOS technology with an active area of 2.3 mm2 and power consumption of 20 mW. Measurement results show that the receiver achieves 5.3 dB NF with 78 dB gain from 0.6 to 1 GHz, the RX out‐of‐band IIP3 is +8 dBm, and in‐band IIP3 is −10 dBm, and the ADPLL achieves −94 dBc/Hz in‐band PN and −120.5 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset.
Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton Extract Ameliorates Inflammation and Hyperalgesia through Oxidative Stress Inhibition in Experimental Acute Pancreatitis
Authors: Santana Danielle Gomes , Oliveira Alan Santos , Souza Marília Trindade de Santana , Santos José Thiago do Carmo , Hassimotto Neuza Mariko Aymoto , Silva Ana Mara de Oliveira e , Grespan Renata , Camargo Enilton Aparecido
Published: May 2018

We evaluated the effect of the hydroethanolic extract of fruits of Vaccinium macrocarpon (HEVm) in a model of acute pancreatitis (AP) in mice. AP was induced by two injections of L‐arginine and animals were treated with HEVm (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) or vehicle (saline) every 24 h, starting 1 h after the induction of AP. Phytochemical analysis of the extract and measurement of inflammatory and oxidative stress parameters, as well as abdominal hyperalgesia, were performed. Catechin, epicatechin, rutin, and anthocyanins were identified in HEVm. Treatment with HEVm decreased L‐arginine‐induced abdominal hyperalgesia (from 48 to 72 h). Also, treatment with HEVm decreased L‐arginine‐induced pancreatic edema, pancreatic and pulmonary neutrophil infiltration, and levels of tumor necrosis factor‐α, interleukin‐1β, and interleukin‐6, after 72 h of induction. L‐arginine‐induced hyperamylasemia and hyperlipasemia were also reduced by the treatment with HEVm in comparison to vehicle‐treated group. Moreover, lipoperoxidation, carbonyl radicals, nonprotein sulfhydryl groups, and activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase, but not glutathione peroxidase, were restored by the treatment with HEVm. These results show that treatment with HEVm decreased hyperalgesia and pancreatic/extrapancreatic inflammation and oxidative damage in L‐arginine‐induced AP, making this extract attractive for future approaches designed to treat this condition.
Prevention of Prostate Tumor Development by Stimulation of Antitumor Immunity Using a Standardized Herbal Extract (Deep Immune®) in TRAMP Mice
Authors: Liang Peihe , Guo Jia , Li Shadan , Guan Qiunong , Vanderheyden Terry , So Alan , Wang Yuzhuo , Chen Tao , Du Caigan
Published: May 2018

Low‐risk prostate cancer (PCa) does not require immediate treatment, but PCa progression after years of active surveillance will need the treatment. This study was to test the efficacy of immunostimulant Deep Immune (DI) in controlling PCa progression. DI is an extract of eight different medicinal herbs. In vitro activity of DI was determined by phagocytosis activation using flow cytometric analysis of fluorescence‐labeled latex bead uptake, expression of immune‐modulating 84 genes using PCRarray, and tumor killing using coculturing with immune cells. Anti‐PCa activity of DI in vivo was examined in male TRAMP mice. In vitro DI stimulated phagocytosis and expression of a panel of inflammatory mediators (C4b, CXCL3, lymphotoxin, NOS2, TLR1, TNF, and TNFSF14) in cultured macrophages and increased tumor killing of both macrophages and TRAMP mouse splenocytes. Daily intake of this herbal product significantly suppressed the tumor size (P = 0.0368) with lower histopathologic scores (P = 0.0364) in TRAMP mice, which were associated with an increase in both splenocyte cytotoxicity against tumor cells and numbers of CD8 T cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells in the spleens in vivo. In conclusion, daily intake of DI prevents PCa progression in TRAMP mice, suggesting the possible effectiveness of the immunostimulant herbal products on prevention of PCa progression after diagnosis of low‐risk PCa.
GFPT2-Expressing Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Mediate Metabolic Reprogramming in Human Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zhang Weiruo , Bouchard Gina , Yu Alice , Shafiq Majid , Jamali Mehran , Shrager Joseph B. , Ayers Kelsey , Bakr Shaimaa , Gentles Andrew J. , Diehn Maximilian , Quon Andrew , West Robert B. , Nair Viswam , van de Rijn Matt , Napel Sandy , Plevritis Sylvia K.
Published: May 2018

Metabolic reprogramming of the tumor microenvironment is recognized as a cancer hallmark. To identify new molecular processes associated with tumor metabolism, we analyzed the transcriptome of bulk and flow-sorted human primary non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) together with 18FDG-PET scans, which provide a clinical measure of glucose uptake. Tumors with higher glucose uptake were functionally enriched for molecular processes associated with invasion in adenocarcinoma and cell growth in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Next, we identified genes correlated to glucose uptake that were predominately overexpressed in a single cell–type comprising the tumor microenvironment. For SCC, most of these genes were expressed by malignant cells, whereas in adenocarcinoma, they were predominately expressed by stromal cells, particularly cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF). Among these adenocarcinoma genes correlated to glucose uptake, we focused on glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate transaminase 2 (GFPT2), which codes for the glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase 2 (GFAT2), a rate-limiting enzyme of the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway (HBP), which is responsible for glycosylation. GFPT2 was predictive of glucose uptake independent of GLUT1, the primary glucose transporter, and was prognostically significant at both gene and protein level. We confirmed that normal fibroblasts transformed to CAF-like cells, following TGFβ treatment, upregulated HBP genes, including GFPT2, with less change in genes driving glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, and TCA cycle. Our work provides new evidence of histology-specific tumor stromal properties associated with glucose uptake in NSCLC and identifies GFPT2 as a critical regulator of tumor metabolic reprogramming in adenocarcinoma.

Significance: These findings implicate the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway as a potential new therapeutic target in lung adenocarcinoma. Cancer Res; 78(13); 3445–57. ©2018 AACR.
NK Cells Mediate Synergistic Antitumor Effects of Combined Inhibition of HDAC6 and BET in a SCLC Preclinical Model
Authors: Liu Yan , Li Yuyang , Liu Shengwu , Adeegbe Dennis O. , Christensen Camilla L. , Quinn Max M. , Dries Ruben , Han Shiwei , Buczkowski Kevin , Wang Xiaoen , Chen Ting , Gao Peng , Zhang Hua , Li Fei , Hammerman Peter S. , Bradner James E. , Quayle Steven N. , Wong Kwok-Kin
Published: May 2018

Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) has the highest malignancy among all lung cancers, exhibiting aggressive growth and early metastasis to distant sites. For 30 years, treatment options for SCLC have been limited to chemotherapy, warranting the need for more effective treatments. Frequent inactivation of TP53 and RB1 as well as histone dysmodifications in SCLC suggest that transcriptional and epigenetic regulations play a major role in SCLC disease evolution. Here we performed a synthetic lethal screen using the BET inhibitor JQ1 and an shRNA library targeting 550 epigenetic genes in treatment-refractory SCLC xenograft models and identified HDAC6 as a synthetic lethal target in combination with JQ1. Combined treatment of human and mouse SCLC cell line–derived xenograft tumors with the HDAC6 inhibitor ricolinostat (ACY-1215) and JQ1 demonstrated significant inhibition of tumor growth; this effect was abolished upon depletion of NK cells, suggesting that these innate immune lymphoid cells play a role in SCLC tumor treatment response. Collectively, these findings suggest a potential new treatment for recurrent SCLC.

Significance: These findings identify a novel therapeutic strategy for SCLC using a combination of HDAC6 and BET inhibitors. Cancer Res; 78(13); 3709–17. ©2018 AACR.
Dietary Acrylamide Intake and Risk of Renal Cell Carcinoma in Two Large Prospective Cohorts
Authors: Graff Rebecca E. , Cho Eunyoung , Preston Mark A. , Sanchez Alejandro , Mucci Lorelei A. , Wilson Kathryn M.
Published: May 2018

Background: Accumulating evidence suggests that dietary acrylamide intake is not associated with the risk of most cancers in humans. However, a meta-analysis of five epidemiologic studies found a suggestion of an increased risk of kidney cancer with higher dietary acrylamide intake.

Methods: We investigated this association in the prospective Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS; 1986–2014) and Nurses' Health Study (NHS; 1980–2014) cohorts. Dietary acrylamide intake was calculated on the basis of 46 acrylamide-containing foods reported on food frequency questionnaires completed every 4 years. The associations with the incidence of total and fatal renal cell carcinoma (RCC; n = 292/84 HPFS, n = 337/87 NHS) during more than two decades of follow-up were assessed using Cox proportional hazards models adjusting for potential confounders.

Results: There was no association between cumulative average or baseline acrylamide intake and the risk of total or fatal RCC risk in men or women. Acrylamide intake was also not associated with RCC risk among never-smokers, nor was it associated with the risk of clear cell RCC.

Conclusions: Dietary acrylamide was not associated with risk of RCC in two long-term prospective cohorts with repeated measures of dietary intake.

Impact: This analysis of RCC adds to the body of evidence that dietary acrylamide is not an important cancer risk factor in humans. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(8); 979–82. ©2018 AACR.