bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reciprocal regulation of actin cytoskeleton remodelling and cell migration by Ca2+ and Zn2+: role of TRPM2 channels
Authors: Li Fangfang , Abuarab Nada , Sivaprasadarao Asipu
Published: April 2016

Cell migration is a fundamental feature of tumour metastasis and angiogenesis. It is regulated by a variety of signalling molecules including H2O2 and Ca2+. Here, we asked whether the H2O2-sensitive transient receptor potential melastatin 2 (TRPM2) Ca2+ channel serves as a molecular link between H2O2 and Ca2+. H2O2-mediated activation of TRPM2 channels induced filopodia formation, loss of actin stress fibres and disassembly of focal adhesions, leading to increased migration of HeLa and prostate cancer (PC)-3 cells. Activation of TRPM2 channels, however, caused intracellular release of not only Ca2+ but also of Zn2+. Intriguingly, elevation of intracellular Zn2+ faithfully reproduced all of the effects of H2O2, whereas Ca2+ showed opposite effects. Interestingly, H2O2 caused increased trafficking of Zn2+-enriched lysosomes to the leading edge of migrating cells, presumably to impart polarisation of Zn2+ location. Thus, our results indicate that a reciprocal interplay between Ca2+ and Zn2+ regulates actin remodelling and cell migration; they call for a revision of the current notion that implicates an exclusive role for Ca2+ in cell migration.
Εγκύκλιος της ιδρύσεως της Εταιρείας
Authors: ΒΑΡΟΥΧΑΣ Αλέξανδρος Σ. , ΔΑΜΒΕΡΓΗΣ Ιωάννης Μ.
Published: April 2016

no abstract
Ταμείον Χριστιανικής Αρχαιολογικής Εταιρείας
Authors: ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΑΡΧΑΙΟΛΟΓΙΚΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ (XAE)
Published: April 2016

no abstract
Γενική Συνέλευσις 1ης Φεβρουαρίου 1892. Έκθεσις της εξελεκτικής επιτροπής. Γενική Συνέλευσις 18ης Μαρτίου 1892
Authors: ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΑΡΧΑΙΟΛΟΓΙΚΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ (XAE)
Published: April 2016

no abstract
A 3-component mixture of inverse Rayleigh distributions: properties and estimation in Bayesian framework
Authors: Sultana Tabasam , Aslam Muhammad
Published: April 2016

This paper is about studying a 3-component mixture of the inverse Rayleigh distributions under Bayesian perspective. The censored sampling scheme is considered due to its popularity in reliability theory and survival analysis. The expressions for the Bayes estimators and their posterior risks are derived under different loss scenarios. In case, no little prior information is available, elicitation of hyper parameters is given. To examine, numerically, the performance of the Bayes estimators using non-informative and informative priors under different loss functions, we have simulated their statistical properties for different sample sizes and test termination times.
Diversity and Distribution of Liverworts in Gujarat – Current Status
Authors: Shah Dharmendra Govindlal , Gujar Rakesh
Published: April 2016

The liverwort diversity in Gujarat has been mostly neglected by biodiversity researchers across the state and more than 75% of the districts have never been investigated for their bryo-diversity. A detailed study was conducted during 2013-2015 covering 75 locations spread over 31 of the 33 district of the state to understand the diversity and distribution of liverworts in the state. The liverwort diversity in the state now stands at 22 species of which 16 species were located in the current study. Genus Riccia has the maximum diversity in the state. Cyathodium cavernarum Kunze. was the most widely distributed species being located in 17 out of the 31 districts studied. Taxilejeunea ghatensis, Riccia crystallina and R. cavernosa are new records to the state. Genus Marchantia is also being reported for the first time. Dangs and Panchmahal districts have the highest liverwort diversity with 10 species each.
Bryophyte diversity in the Sacred Groves, with special reference to Vallikkattukavu of Kozhikode district in Western Ghats
Authors: Jyothilakshmi G R , Nair Manju C , Venugopal Mithun , Chandini V K
Published: April 2016

The bryophyte diversity in the Vallikkattu kavu of Kozhikode district is enumerated along with the conservation of bryophytes in the sacred grove is discussed. This report represents many interesting finds such as Bryum retusifolium  var. heterophyllum Card. ex Gangulee a new record to Kerala and Ditrichum tortuloides Grout. is a new record for Peninsular India. The endemic species Fissidens kammadensis Manju et al. and the rare species Calymperes palisotti  Schwaegr. could be collected from this sacred grove.
Two species of Isopterygium Mitt. - new to the Eastern Ghats in Peninsular India
Authors: Daniels A.E.D. , Biju P M
Published: April 2016

Isopterygium lignicola and I. longitheca are new to the bryoflora of the Eastern Ghats. Of these, I. longitheca is new to Peninsular India. The present discovery extends its distribution to the southern end of the country. Brief descriptions with illustrations and photo plates are provided here. A key is provided for those species in discussion.
Maximizing bichromatic reverse spatial and textual k nearest neighbor queries
Authors: Choudhury Farhana M. , Culpepper J. Shane , Sellis Timos , Cao Xin
Published: April 2016

The problem of maximizing bichromatic reverse
k
nearest neighbor queries (BR
k
NN) has been extensively studied in spatial databases. In this work, we present a related query for spatial-textual databases that finds an optimal location, and a set of keywords that maximizes the size of bichromatic reverse spatial textual
k
nearest neighbors (MaxBRST
k
NN). Such a query has many practical applications including social media advertisements where a limited number of relevant advertisements are displayed to each user. The problem is to find the location and the text contents to include in an advertisement so that it will be displayed to the maximum number of users. The increasing availability of spatial-textual collections allows us to answer these queries for both spatial proximity and textual similarity. This paper is the first to consider the MaxBRST
k
NN query. We show that the problem is NP-hard and present both approximate and exact solutions.
MQJoin
Authors: Makreshanski Darko , Giannikis Georgios , Alonso Gustavo , Kossmann Donald
Published: April 2016

Database architectures typically process queries one-at-a-time, executing concurrent queries in independent execution contexts. Often, such a design leads to unpredictable performance and poor scalability. One approach to circumvent the problem is to take advantage of sharing opportunities across concurrently running queries. In this paper we propose Many-Query Join (MQJoin), a novel method for sharing the execution of a join that can efficiently deal with hundreds of concurrent queries. This is achieved by minimizing redundant work and making efficient use of main-memory bandwidth and multi-core architectures. Compared to existing proposals, MQJoin is able to efficiently handle larger workloads regardless of the schema by exploiting more sharing opportunities. We also compared MQJoin to two commercial main-memory column-store databases. For a TPC-H based workload, we show that MQJoin provides 2--5x higher throughput with significantly more stable response times.
BCC
Authors: Yuan Yuan , Wang Kaibo , Lee Rubao , Ding Xiaoning , Xing Jing , Blanas Spyros , Zhang Xiaodong
Published: April 2016

The Optimistic Concurrency Control (OCC) method has been commonly used for in-memory databases to ensure transaction serializability --- a transaction will be aborted if its read set has been changed during execution. This simple criterion to abort transactions causes a large proportion of false positives, leading to excessive transaction aborts. Transactions aborted false-positively (i.e. false aborts) waste system resources and can significantly degrade system throughput (as much as 3.68x based on our experiments) when data contention is intensive.

Modern in-memory databases run on systems with increasingly parallel hardware and handle workloads with growing concurrency. They must efficiently deal with data contention in the presence of greater concurrency by minimizing false aborts. This paper presents a new concurrency control method named Balanced Concurrency Control (BCC) which aborts transactions more carefully than OCC does. BCC detects data dependency patterns which can more reliably indicate unserializable transactions than the criterion used in OCC. The paper studies the design options and implementation techniques that can effectively detect data contention by identifying dependency patterns with low overhead. To test the performance of BCC, we have implemented it in Silo and compared its performance against that of the vanilla Silo system with OCC and two-phase locking (2PL). Our extensive experiments with TPC-W-like, TPC-C-like and YCSB workloads demonstrate that when data contention is intensive, BCC can increase transaction throughput by more than 3x versus OCC and more than 2x versus 2PL; meanwhile, BCC has comparable performance with OCC for workloads with low data contention.
A general-purpose query-centric framework for querying big graphs
Authors: Yan Da , Cheng James , Özsu M. Tamer , Yang Fan , Lu Yi , Lui John C. S. , Zhang Qizhen , Ng Wilfred
Published: April 2016

Pioneered by Google's Pregel, many distributed systems have been developed for large-scale graph analytics. These systems employ a user-friendly "think like a vertex" programming model, and exhibit good scalability for tasks where the majority of graph vertices participate in computation. However, the design of these systems can seriously under-utilize the resources in a cluster for processing light-workload graph queries, where only a small fraction of vertices need to be accessed. In this work, we develop a new open-source system, called
Quegel
, for querying big graphs. Quegel treats queries as first-class citizens in its design: users only need to specify the Pregel-like algorithm for a generic query, and Quegel processes light-workload graph queries on demand, using a novel superstep-sharing execution model to effectively utilize the cluster resources. Quegel further provides a convenient interface for constructing graph indexes, which significantly improve query performance but are not supported by existing graph-parallel systems. Our experiments verified that Quegel is highly efficient in answering various types of graph queries and is up to orders of magnitude faster than existing systems.
Scalable package queries in relational database systems
Authors: Brucato Matteo , Beltran Juan Felipe , Abouzied Azza , Meliou Alexandra
Published: April 2016

Traditional database queries follow a simple model: they define constraints that each tuple in the result must satisfy. This model is computationally efficient, as the database system can evaluate the query conditions on each tuple individually. However, many practical, real-world problems require a collection of result tuples to satisfy constraints collectively, rather than individually. In this paper, we present
package queries
, a new query model that extends traditional database queries to handle complex constraints and preferences over answer sets. We develop a full-fledged package query system, implemented on top of a traditional database engine. Our work makes several contributions. First, we design PaQL, a SQL-based query language that supports the declarative specification of package queries. We prove that PaQL is at least as expressive as integer linear programming, and therefore, evaluation of package queries is in general NP-hard. Second, we present a fundamental evaluation strategy that combines the capabilities of databases and constraint optimization solvers to derive solutions to package queries. The core of our approach is a set of translation rules that transform a package query to an integer linear program. Third, we introduce an offline data partitioning strategy allowing query evaluation to scale to large data sizes. Fourth, we introduce S
ketch
R
efine
, a scalable algorithm for package evaluation, with strong approximation guarantees ((1 ± ε)
6
-factor approximation). Finally, we present extensive experiments over real-world and benchmark data. The results demonstrate that S
ketch
R
efine
is effective at deriving high-quality package results, and achieves runtime performance that is an order of magnitude faster than directly using ILP solvers over large datasets.
Skype
Authors: Wang Xiang , Zhang Ying , Zhang Wenjie , Lin Xuemin , Huang Zengfeng
Published: April 2016

As the prevalence of social media and GPS-enabled devices, a massive amount of
geo-textual
data has been generated in a stream fashion, leading to a variety of applications such as location-based recommendation and information dissemination. In this paper, we investigate a novel real-time top-
k
monitoring problem over sliding window of streaming data; that is, we continuously maintain the
top-k
most relevant
geo-textual messages
(e.g., geo-tagged tweets) for a large number of
spatial-keyword subscriptions
(e.g., registered users interested in
local events
) simultaneously. To provide the most recent information under controllable memory cost, sliding window model is employed on the streaming geo-textual data. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work to study top-
k
spatial-keyword publish/subscribe over sliding window. A novel system, called Skype (Top-k Spatial-keyword Publish/Subscribe), is proposed in this paper. In Skype, to continuously maintain top-
k
results for massive subscriptions, we devise a novel indexing structure upon subscriptions such that each incoming message can be immediately delivered on its arrival. Moreover, to reduce the expensive top-
k
re-evaluation cost triggered by message expiration, we develop a novel
cost-based k-skyband
technique to reduce the number of re-evaluations in a cost-effective way. Extensive experiments verify the great efficiency and effectiveness of our proposed techniques.
Effects of vaccination against Yersinia ruckeri on oxidative stress biomarkers and liver and heart biochemistry in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Authors: Tkachenko Halyna , Grudniewska Joanna , Pękala Agnieszka , Paździor Ewa
Published: April 2016

To determine the effects of vaccination against Yersinia ruckeri on the health condition of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum) in general, and oxidative stress biomarkers and metabolic parameters specifically, as well as to identify mechanisms that underpin the susceptibility of fish to vaccination, we compared the liver and heart function, and the oxidative mechanism underlying those effects, by detecting relevant lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation biomarkers, as well as aerobic-anaerobic metabolism in trout immunized against Y. ruckeri at 30 days post-vaccination and in healthy individuals. In our study, hepatic aminotransferase activities were positively associated with the oxidative stress biomarkers in the trout vaccinated against Y. ruckeri. Moreover, similar associations were observed in the cardiac tissue of the immunized trout. Decreased aldehydic and ketonic derivatives of oxidatively modified proteins and the reduction of aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase activities were sensitive to the vaccination of trout against Y. ruckeri and may potentially be used as biomarkers in evaluating vaccine effects in the liver of rainbow trout. Understanding the role of biochemical changes in the tissues of vaccinated trout has important implications for understanding of the complex physiological changes that occur in immunization, and also for improving aquaculture practices to maximize tissue growth and the health of vaccinated trout.
Growth, survival, and body composition of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, when dietary fish meal is replaced with silkworm (Bombyx mori) pupae
Authors: Shakoori Matin , Gholipour Hamed , Naseri Samira , Khara Hossein
Published: April 2016

The effects of substituting fishmeal (FM) with different quantities of silkworm pupae (SP) on the growth, survival, and body composition of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), were investigated over the course of a 60-day experiment. A total of 360 fingerlings (55±3.42 g) were randomly allotted to four treatment groups (T1 – fish fed 52.5% FM; T2 – fish fed 5% SP + 47.5% FM; T3 – fish fed 10 % SP+ 42.5% FM; T4 – fish fed 15% SP + 37.5% FM). Each treatment group was divided into three replicates of 30 fish per replicate. One group served as the control. At the end of the experiment, the results showed that 10% of FM can be replaced with SP without any adverse effects on the values of the feed conversion ratio (FCR), specific growth rate (SGR), weight gain percent (WG), condition factor (CF), survival rate (SR), protein content, lipid content, or nutrition protein utilization (NPU).
Prediction and Correlation of Air Permeability and Light Transmission Properties of Woven Cotton Fabrics
Authors: Nazir Ahsan , Hussain Tanveer , Afzal Ali , Faheem Sajid , Ibrahim Waseem , Bilal Muhammad
Published: April 2016

The aim of this study was to develop statistical models for predicting the air permeability and light transmission properties of woven cotton fabrics and determine the level of correlation between the two parameters. Plain woven fabrics were developed with different warp and weft linear densities, ends per inch and picks per inch. After desizing, scouring, bleaching, drying and conditioning, the air permeability and light transmission properties of the fabric samples were determined. Regression analysis results showed statistically significant effect of the fabric ends, picks and warp linear density on both the fabric air permeability and light transmission. Correlation analysis was performed to analyze the relation between the fabric air permeability and light transmission. A linear equation was also formulated to find the fabric air permeability through transmission of light intensity. A fitted line plot between the air permeability and light transmission exhibited significant correlation with R-sq. value of 96.4%. The statistical models for the prediction of fabric air permeability and light transmittance were developed with an average prediction error of less than 7%.
Bibliotheken – ein kreativer Ort der Ideen und des kontinuierlichen Pioniergeistes
Authors: Seeliger Frank
Published: April 2016

Innovationen vielfältigster Art auf Informationseinrichtungen heruntergebrochen, dafür stand abermals das letzte, achte Wildauer Bibliothekssymposium. D. h. diskutiert wurden Innovation als agile Projektmanagementmethode, strategisches Programm, unveräußerliche Kernaufgabe von Bibliotheksteams, als Chance für unbemannte Services (Öffnungszeiten), aber auch, was dies für die technischen Kompetenzen bedeutet. Nach Rezeption aller Vorträge, die auch Themen wie chaotische Lagerhaltung, RFID-Inventur, Serendipität tangierten, bleibt das Fazit, jede Bibliothek birgt Unmengen von Entwicklungspotentialen, die ihren Deut beitragen, der Intention von Bibliotheken ihren Zielgruppen gegenüber zeitgemäß gerechter zu werden
Hitler, Mein Kampf als bibliothekarische Aufgabe – Ein Magdeburger Plädoyer
Authors: Regener Ralf
Published: April 2016

Mit dem Erscheinen der kritischen Edition von Hitlers Hetzschrift Mein Kampf Anfang 2016 müssen viele Bibliotheken entscheiden, wie sie damit umgehen wollen: Ignorieren oder Erwerben, Freihand- oder Magazinaufstellung? Der Beitrag diskutiert aus Sicht der Universitätsbibliothek mögliche Optionen, um trotz aller Gefahren ein Plädoyer für einen offenen und kritischen Umgang zu geben.
An Improved DV-Hop Localization Algorithm Based on Bat Algorithm
Authors: Yang Xiaoying , Zhang Wanli
Published: April 2016

In the DV-Hop algorithm, the average distance per hop is one of the factors that affect the accuracy of the positioning. In this paper, an improved DV-Hop localization algorithm based on bat algorithm (BAD-Hop) is proposed to solve the error which is brought by the average distance per hop. In BAD-Hop algorithm, bat algorithm which is a kind of intelligent optimization algorithm with good performance is introduced into DV-Hop localization algorithm to calculate average distance per hop of anchor nodes. Firstly, the average distance per hop of anchor node is calculated by using bat algorithm, which makes it closer to the actual value. Then the average distance per hop of the unknown node is weighted by using the average distance per hop of anchor nodes which hop-count is less than or equal to 3 to reduce errors caused by average distance per hop. Simulation results show that the improved algorithm can effectively reduce the positioning error without additional hardware.
Intelligent Multi-Soft Sensing for Flame Position of Steam Boilers
Authors: Hadjiski Mincho , Doukovska Lyubka , Nikolov Metodi , Koynov Stefan
Published: April 2016

A new inference control system for the flame position in the combustion chamber of a power plant system boiler is presented. The system is based on enhanced multi-softsensing at three operational levels – basic level, providing estimates of all necessary technological variables; a separate Mill Fan (MF) level, and a total Dust Preparation System (DPS) level. The control system involves a subsystem for the stabilization of the position of the common MF ventilation rate momentum in a given threshold area in a burner horizon, which is supervised by an inference correction based on softsensed 2D flame position in the output section of the combustion chamber. A hybrid approach is accepted in softsensing, using fusion of the first principle models, statistical models, neural networks and fuzzy logic based models. Real experimental results are presented from TPP.
Methods to Determine Optimal Washout Position for Single and Multi-Occupant Motion Simulator
Authors: Kong Xiang-Tong , Zhu Yuan-Chang , Di Yan-Qiang , Cui Hao-Hao
Published: April 2016

The washout position has great effects on the perception fidelity and the movement of the motion simulator. In this paper, the main square error of sensation between simulator and vehicle is determined, and the fidelity of the occupant and the platform motion performance as a basis to build a model for a single occupant optimal washout position measurement. Then, considering the features of the multi-occupant motion simulator, a concept of the task’s master-crew is proposed, the multi-occupant optimal washout position measurement model is built. Then an anti-aircraft simulator for three occupants is taken as an example of a multi-occupant simulator and the optimal washout position measurement model is studied. Considering that the basic PSO algorithm has shortcomings such as easy aging and falling into local extreme value, a modified algorithm is designed called Adaptive Chaos PSO algorithm and applied to the resolution of the models. The results showed that the optimal position can make the simulator trainer have a more realistic sensation and maintain the safety of the platform, and that the Adaptive chaos PSO algorithm can effectively solve the shortcomings of PSO and is very useful in the resolution of the model.
The insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS) as a cause of hypoglycaemia: an update on the pathophysiology, biochemical investigations and diagnosis
Authors: Ismail Adel A.A.
Published: April 2016

Insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS) is considered to be very rare in Caucasians. Understanding its pathophysiology is paramount in (a) appreciating its potential impact on analyses of pancreatic hormones and (b) explaining its highly variable clinical manifestations in non-diabetic, non-acutely ill patients with indeterminate hypoglycaemia. The underlying aetiology of IAS is the presence of variable affinity/avidity endogenous insulin antibodies in significant amounts. The two types of insulin antibodies namely antibodies which bind insulin and/or proinsulin(s) and receptor antibodies (insulin mimetic) will be discussed. Their biochemical and immunological roles in causing hypoglycaemia will be highlighted. Clinical manifestations of IAS can vary from mild and transient to spontaneous, severe and protracted hypoglycaemia necessitating in extreme cases plasmapheresis for glycaemic control. Antibodies of IAS can interfere in pancreatic immunoassay tests causing erroneous and potentially misleading results. Thorough testing for endogenous insulin antibodies must be considered in the investigations of non-diabetic, non-acutely ill patients with indeterminate and/or unexplained hypoglycaemia.
Language-Switch of a Parity Judgment Task in Multilinguals
Authors: Wang Huili , Meng Ling , Cao Shuo , Lu Qilin
Published: April 2016

This study attempts to explore a possible mode of language switching process of multilinguals (Russian-English-Chinese) from the perspectives of language-switching cost based on event related potentials (ERP). Thirty Belarusians studying Chinese in China participated in this experiment. Behavioral results show under three-language-switching-conditions, the mean response time for switch trials is shorter than non-switch trials. Switching cost between Russian and English, Russian and Chinese is symmetric, while English and Chinese is asymmetric. ERP results indicate a negative deflection peaking around 320 ms is observed under conditions of L2-L1 and L3-L1 switching over the entire bilateral frontal sites. The study proposes a processing mode based on the idea of conflict discovery and resolution to contribute to a further understanding of language switching mechanisms.
Jatropha seed cake and organic waste compost: the potential for improvement of soil fertility
Authors: Elbl Jakub , Sláma Petr , Vaverková Magdalena D. , Plošek Lukáš , Adamcová Dana , Škarpa Petr , Kynický Jindřich , Havlíček Zdeněk , Dvořáčková Helena , Brtnický Martin , Kabourková Eliška
Published: April 2016

Modern agriculture faces to new challenges and problems. Application of organic waste compost (Cp) and Jatropha seed cake (JSC) represents new possibilities to improve soil organic matter (SOM) and thus reduce the risk of soil degradation. Our paper presents results of laboratory experiment. Based on these results, we conclude that the application of organic substances has positive effect on soil fertility but the impact of individual substances is different. JSC has higher influence on soil properties (microbial activity and plant production) in the short term. Conversely, Cp affects soil properties in the long term. These properties are due to their chemical composition.
Multifunctionality of Organic Farming: Case Study from Southern Poland
Authors: Śpiewak Ruta
Published: April 2016

The main goal of this article is to answer the question whether organic farming, which is developing in some parts of Poland, can be considered as a form of multifunctional farming and contribute so to non-commodity functions and the process of change in a particular territory of given areas. The analyses are based on data obtained from 2013 of several points in the south of Poland representing a cluster of organic market oriented farmers. The results show that namely market organic farming may serve as multifunctional one, but only under certain conditions and for a specific type of farming. Through specific functions, organic farming facilitates the changes, primarily on a local scale. The existence of a strong integrated organic farming sector might influences development and change, resulting in not only the improvement of economic welfare of organic farmers, but also of whole local communities, strengthening the bonds amongst them, mobilising the social resources.
Thompson's group F is 1-counter graph automatic
Authors: Elder Murray , Taback Jennifer
Published: April 2016

It is not known whether Thompson's group
Optimization of process variables in the synthesis of butyl butyrate using amino acid-functionalized heteropolyacids as catalysts
Authors: Zhang Xiaofang , Ouyang Kai , Liang Juanjuan , Chen Keke , Tang Xiujuan , Han Xiaoxiang
Published: April 2016

Response surface methodology was successfully applied to optimize esterification of butanol with butyric acids over amino acid-functionalized heteropolyacids, namely, [GlyH]
x
H3-x
PW12O40 (x=1.0–3.0). A series of catalysts were prepared by incorporating tungstophosphoric acid (TPA) with varied amounts of glycine (Gly). The [GlyH]1.0H2.0PW12O40 catalyst was found to exhibit the best activity with an optimal butyl butyrate yield of 97.9%, which was in excellent agreement with the predicted value by the Box-Behnken design (BBD) model. These superior esterification activities observed for the organic TPA salt catalysts might be due to their highly acidic nature, weak molecular transport resistance, and “pseudoliquid” catalysis modes. Furthermore, the catalytic activity of [GlyH]1.0H2.0PW12O40 catalyst was observed to have no appreciable change in the conversion after five consecutive runs. A kinetic study for the esterification was also performed under optimal reaction conditions. The results revealed that the reaction followed second-order kinetics, and the activation energy was found to be 81.90 kJ/mol.
Male gonadal axis function in patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Costanzo Pablo R. , Knoblovits Pablo
Published: April 2016

Patients with type 2 diabetes have lower serum testosterone levels and a higher prevalence of hypogonadism than non-diabetic patients, independently of the metabolic control of disease. The mechanisms underlying a decrease in testosterone might be related to age, obesity and insulin resistance, often present in patients with type 2 diabetes. The increase in estrogens due to higher aromatase enzyme activity in increased adipose tissue might exert negative-feedback inhibition centrally. Insulin stimulates gonadal axis activity at all three levels and therefore insulin resistance might account for the lower testosterone production. Leptin exerts a central stimulatory effect but inhibits testicular testosterone secretion. Thus, resistance to leptin in obese subjects with type 2 diabetes determines lower central effects of leptin with lower gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion and, on the other hand, hyperleptinemia secondary to leptin resistance inhibits testosterone secretion at the testicular level. However, lower testosterone levels in patients with diabetes are observed independently of age, weight and body mass index, which leads to the assumption that hyperglycemia per se might play a role in the decrease in testosterone. Several studies have shown that an overload of glucose results in decreased serum testosterone levels. The aim of this review is to assess changes in the male gonadal axis that occur in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Endocytosis of pro-inflammatory cytokine receptors and its relevance for signal transduction
Authors: Hermanns Heike M. , Wohlfahrt Julia , Mais Christine , Hergovits Sabine , Jahn Daniel , Geier Andreas
Published: April 2016

The pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-1 (IL-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are key players of the innate and adaptive immunity. Their activity needs to be tightly controlled to allow the initiation of an appropriate immune response as defense mechanism against pathogens or tissue injury. Excessive or sustained signaling of either of these cytokines leads to severe diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis), steatohepatitis, periodic fevers and even cancer. Studies carried out in the last 30 years have emphasized that an elaborate control system for each of these cytokines exists. Here, we summarize what is currently known about the involvement of receptor endocytosis in the regulation of these pro-inflammatory cytokines’ signaling cascades. Particularly in the last few years it was shown that this cellular process is far more than a mere feedback mechanism to clear cytokines from the circulation and to shut off their signal transduction.
Performance Evaluation of Milling of Inconel-625 Under Minimum Quantity Lubrication
Authors: Singh Pragat , Singh Jagwant , Dureja J. S. , Singh Talwinder , Dogra Manu , Bhatti Manpreet S.
Published: April 2016

In the present investigation an attempt has been made to explore the potential of MQL milling of Inconel-625 with coated carbide tool. The performance is compared in terms of surface roughness and tool flank wear in MQL milling with dry and wet milling operation of Inconel-625. The milling under MQL condition gives superior results over wet and dry milling operations. Factorial design of experiments ANOVA analysis was applied to investigate the statistically significant parameters. RSM-Desirability function optimization was applied to find out optimal setting of parameters to minimize tool wear and surface roughness in MQL machining of Inconel-625.
Modeling Aging and Mechanical Rejuvenation of Amorphous Solids
Authors: Semkiv Mykhailo , Hütter Markus
Published: April 2016

The elasto-viscoplasticity of amorphous solids is modeled, with a focus on the effects of physical aging and mechanical rejuvenation. Using nonequilibrium thermodynamics, the concept of kinetic and configurational subsystems has been employed. The Hamiltonian structure of reversible dynamics is exploited to derive a constitutive relation for the stress tensor. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that accounting for mechanical rejuvenation results in a modification of the driving force for viscoplastic flow.
Lateralized periodic discharges associated with status epilepticus in the first year after stroke
Authors: Dede Hava Ozlem , Bebek Nerses , Gelisin Ozlem , Atmaca Murat Mert , Barlas Nilufer Yesilot , Gurses Candan , Baykan Betul , Gokyigit Aysen
Published: April 2016

Backgrand. Lateralized periodic discharges (LPDs) are infrequent electroencephalograph (EEG) findings, and may present in ictal or interictal form. They are regarded as potential electrophysiologic signs of convulsive or nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE). We report four patients who presented with NCSE and one who presented with convulsive status epilepticus in the postictal period, characterized by LPDs in EEG recordings in the first year after stroke.

Material and methods. We prospectively evaluated patients who clinically presented with status epilepticus associated LPDs between March 2014 and March 2015. We investigated patients that presented with a new stroke occurrence. We excluded the other LPD etiologies. EEG studies of five patients (two men) who were admitted to our emergency unit with confusion, three of whom had visual symptoms; four were treated for NCSE as diagnosed with LPDs. The fifth patient had convulsive status epilepticus with LPD in the postictal period.

Results and Discussion. None of the five patients, who were aged between 68 and 92 years, showed any etiologic factor other than a history of cerebrovascular disease (CVD). Magnetic resonance imaging studies of the patients revealed old infarcts and transitional diffusion restrictions. The clinical and EEG findings decreased substantially upon antiepileptic drug treatment. Herein, we illustrate the first patient who had confusion, visual hallucinations, and ictal and interictal LPD in her consecutive EEGs.

Conclusions. CVDs may pave the way for LPDs in patients with a history of stroke because CVDs cause structural brain damage. Patients who present with a similar clinical profile and imaging signs of stroke should be checked for NCSE, particularly in the presence of LPDs in EEGs.
A simple synthesis of dimethyl 2-[(Z)-3-amino-1-oxo-1-(substituted)but-2-en-2-yl]fumarates: potential intermediates in the synthesis of polysubstituted five- and six-membered heterocycles
Authors: Šinkovec Rok , Grošelj Uroš , Prek Benjamin , Počkaj Marta , Ričko Sebastijan , Svete Jurij , Stanovnik Branko
Published: April 2016

In this communication, a simple synthesis of dimethyl 2-[(Z)-3-amino-1-oxo-1-(substituted)but-2-en-2-yl]fumarates is described. Methyl ketones were transformed by treatment with N,N-dimethylacetamide dimethyl acetal (DMADMA) into 3-dimethylamino-1-(substituted)but-2-en-1-ones, followed by treatment with ammonium acetate into (Z)-3-amino-1-(substituted)but-2-en-1-ones and addition to dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate. These novel polysubstituted butadienes are potential intermediates for the metal-free preparation of polysubstituted five- and six-membered heterocycles.
Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS): Performance, Progress and Innovation
Authors: Nelson Peter E. , Egan Bill
Published: April 2016

Description

Get 17 papers spanning two decades worth of changes to Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems. Papers discuss the progress with the development of industry standards, test, system performance, building codes, water resistive barriers, energy, products, and applications. These papers are a result of the third ASTM symposium dedicated to Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS). The first ASTM EIFS symposium (1992, Washington, DC) concentrated on development use and performance of EIFS, while the second ASTM EIFS symposium (1995, Denver, CO) focused on materials, properties, and performance.
Energy and Moisture Impact of Exterior Insulation and Finish System Walls in the United States
Authors: Desjarlais Andre , Johnston David
Published: April 2016

This paper summarizes a family of computer simulations undertaken to assess the hygrothermal performance of exterior insulation finish systems, and it discusses the validation of this simulation model prior to its use. This research deals with performance evaluation of selected wall systems in all eight International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) U.S. climate zones. The performance ranges are representative of generic exterior insulation and finish wall systems but not of a specific manufactured product. A comparison was performed among three different exterior insulation and finish system (EIFS) walls and a brick wall system. Two steps were required to perform this work. The first step required the model validation of eight distinct wall systems previously measured in Charleston, SC. The validation was performed using WUFI-ORNL (Version 5) software, and a comparison of the measured versus simulated results from these wall systems indicated that the simulation model accurately captured the hygrothermal response of the wall systems. The second step was to simulate four wall systems in the eight climate zones. Each wall system was modeled with and without a vapor retarder and with and without a “leak.” For this study, a leak is defined as the percentage of rainwater that strikes a wall's façade and that is assumed to get past the cladding as well as the water-resistive barrier and into the exterior sheathing. All of the simulations followed the recommendations prescribed in ASHRAE Standard 160, Design Criteria for Moisture Control in Buildings. Two specific criteria were extracted from the simulations to assess the hygrothermal properties of the wall systems. The average monthly heat flow into the building interior was used to evaluate the energy efficiency, and the average monthly moisture content of the exterior sheathings was studied to measure the moisture performance of the wall systems.
Exterior Continuous Insulation and the Positive Impact on Building Envelope Performance— Achieving New Energy Code Wall Insulation Metrics
Authors: Dazel Robert W.
Published: April 2016

Where the goals of high-performance buildings create a demand for high-performance wall assemblies, the use and proper integration of continuous insulation (CI) and continuous air barriers has never been of greater consequence. This paper focuses on the integration of exterior CI through new model building energy code requirements for framed wall insulation specifically related to mandated improved energy efficiency objectives. Architects, engineers, contractors, developers, building owners, and facility managers must become better educated on building code requirements, improved energy efficiency strategies, and the positive attributes associated with exterior CI. Regional design and climate influences are significant when developing an energy-efficient wall assembly, and model building codes take no exception by stipulating insulation strategies and design values for framed wall assemblies in the eight U.S. climate zones based on adopted energy code criteria. There is a succinct relationship among overall building envelope performance, wall assembly design, and insulation type and placement. The mandated and proper integration of exterior CI along with integration of continuous air barriers in framed wall construction become increasingly important to understand, especially for national prototype projects that cross these many different climate zone areas. To this end, this paper outlines recent changes to model energy codes for insulation requirements in framed wall assemblies as well as explores strategies, options, and related challenges for implementation of exterior CI into framed wall design. This paper further conveys the positive attributes of exterior CI and the overall improvements to building envelope performance based on measurements of managed construction cost, improved energy efficiency/reduced energy consumption, and lowered environmental impact over the life of the building structure.
Code Acceptance of Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems and Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems with Drainage
Authors: Preston William M.
Published: April 2016

Exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS) have been installed in the United States for more than 40 years. When first introduced, there were no standards in place and the thought of securing expanded polystyrene on the exterior of a noncombustible wall was unheard of. Fast forward to today: Not only have standards been developed but exterior insulation and finish systems and exterior insulation and finish systems with drainage are included in both the International Building Code (IBC) and the International Residential Code (IRC). This paper will present, in chronological order, how EIFS have become established in the marketplace through acceptance criteria, the development of standards, the rigorous testing that goes along with those standards, and ultimately, in 2009, through the acceptance of EIFS and EIFS with drainage into the IBC and IRC.
Beyond the Misconceptions, EIFS Can No Longer Go Unnoticed
Authors: Robinson Scott
Published: April 2016

In the past decade, exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS) have been much tested as exterior wall cladding systems in the construction industry. Even with the latest advances in these systems and the resulting positive press, localities and other organizations have been slow to move beyond less than satisfactory experiences with EIFS that occurred decades ago. The EIFS Industry Members Association (EIMA) has identified several jurisdictions where there are statutory and regulatory restrictions and prohibitions on the use of EIFS. EIMA has moved forward on addressing these issues as they arise. As in any situation, there are a number of decision-makers that need to be convinced, on a regular basis, about the advancements in the EIFS industry. Through discussions and individual advocacy cases, EIMA identified three groups—local jurisdictions, planning and architectural firms, and relocation firms—that need to be targeted in both the short and long term. Even with advancements in the EIFS industry, several outdated perceptions still exist. Concerns about durability, moisture control, flame resistance, aesthetics, and other factors remain when it comes those opting not to select EIFS. Being proactive and educating different groups who influence decision makers, or those who might one day become decision makers, is crucial to making sure all parties are aware of the latest advances in the use of EIFS as exterior wall cladding systems. In addition, a reactive approach is still needed because several masonry ordinances remain in existence. This paper shows the wide geographic dispersal of the restrictive ordinances, describes the action EIMA has taken in each case to correct misperceptions, and shows how a few key points can, in most cases, easily change the misperceptions about EIFS as well as the ordinances.
Exterior Durability Evaluation and Testing of EIFS Finishes
Authors: Sobczak Jeffrey J. , Connaughton James T.
Published: April 2016

An exterior insulation and finish system (EIFS) has many virtues as an exterior cladding system for residential and commercial structures. One such virtue is its ability to offer a wide variety of durable exterior finishes that serve an aesthetic and protective function. The U.S. EIFS industry now has available a proven history of performance that spans three decades in EIFS applications. The performance differences among various chemistries and formulation options are now better understood, enabling more informed choices with respect to cost performance tradeoffs. Although new developments in EIFS technology are continually being implemented and needs for sustainability and long-term durable energy-efficient systems continue to increase, having valid test methods that can predict long-term performance is a valuable commodity. With more than three decades of external test results for EIFS finishes now in hand, the value of individual internal lab tests can be examined, and their correlation with external results can be assessed. The term durability can have a broad definition. It is typically not characterized by a single test but is a comprehensive assessment based on several tests. Properly developed and interpreted, lab tests can be used to estimate long-term durability performance. This paper focuses on various lab tests that can be used to forecast exterior performance. It also explores various aspects of polymer chemistry and formulation and characterizes their effects on the exterior longevity of EIFS.
Use of Glass Mat Gypsum Sheathing as a Substrate for Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS)
Authors: Randall Brian G. , Barber Warren , Goodman Thad
Published: April 2016

ASTM C1177-compliant glass mat gypsum sheathing is a common building material or substrate over which exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS) are applied. This sheathing product incorporates proven glass mat technology embedded in a gypsum core that has helped support the EIFS industry, design community, and contractors. Its benefits can reinforce the industry as requirements continue to expand for air, water, and insulation barriers. With the adoption of the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code, EIFS is in a unique position to fully comply with the new standard. The use of glass mat gypsum sheathing in EIFS assemblies has become increasingly necessary as the need for dimensional stability in high-performance energy systems increases. With the new American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers codes that demand continuous insulation outside the building, along with fully adhered weather barriers, this substrate's dimensional stability is more critical than ever. This paper will discuss the historical development of glass mat gypsum sheathing to meet the evolving needs of the industry. It will delineate glass mat gypsum sheathing's distinctive properties and performance aspects—such as resistance to moisture, fire, mold, and dimensional stability—that make it work for today's construction and building code requirements.