bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tolerability and Efficacy of Ipragliflozin in The Management of Inadequately Controlled Type 2 Diabetes mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Elgebaly Ahmed , Abdelazeim Nesrine , Abdelazeim Bassant , El Ashal Gehad , Mattar Omar , Namous Lubaba , Nasreldin Noha
Published: June 2018

Aim Ipragliflozin is a new antidiabetic agent that works through enhancing renal glucose excretion. We aim to synthesize evidence from published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the safety and efficacy of ipragliflozin in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods We searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central register of clinical trials using relevant keywords. Records were screened for eligible studies and data were extracted and synthesized using Review Manager Version 5.3 for windows. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted.

Results We included 13 RCTs (N=2535 patients) in the final analysis. The overall effect estimates favoured ipragliflozin 50mg monotherapy group over placebo in terms of: HbA1c (Standardized mean difference (SMD)=-1.20%, 95% Confidence interval (95% CI)=[-1.47, -0.93]; p<0.001), fasting plasma glucose (SMD=-1.30 mg/dL, 95% CI [−1.93, −0.67]; p<0.001), fasting serum insulin (SMD=−1.64 μU/mL, 95% CI [−2.70, −0.59]; p=0.002), and body weight (SMD=−0.85 kg, 95% CI [−1.19, −0.51]; p<0.001). Similarly, better glycemic control and significant body weight reduction compared to placebo were attained in ipragliflozin 50 mg combination with metformin, insulin with/without dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, sulfonylurea, and pioglitazone. Ipragliflozin, either alone or in combination, exhibits acceptable safety profile.

Conclusion The presented meta-analysis provides class one evidence that ipragliflozin is safe and effective in the management of T2DM either as monotherapy or an add-on.
Immunological Emergency in Neonate: Case Report and Role of Early Screening
Authors: Samedi Veronica , Shafey Amy , Al Awad Essa , Favela Luis
Published: June 2018

Healthy looking newborns may have severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), and neonatologists frequently are the first physicians to encounter these patients. Physicians usually have a high index of suspicion for this condition in presence of certain risk factors (unexplained infants' deaths, consanguinity); however, >80% of infants with SCID have no positive family history. A timely diagnosis of this condition is crucial in decreasing both mortality and morbidity. The only way to detect SCID prior to the onset of infections is newborn screening (NBS). In term infants, NBS has 99.99% sensitivity for SCID, with no false negatives. In preterm infants, screening is less accurate due to a lack of standard T cell receptor excision circle (TREC) values in this age group. We report a case of SCID in term infants born to consanguineous parents who were presented with clinical and laboratory findings of erythroderma, severe infection, failure to thrive, eosinophilia, and elevated immunoglobulin E (IgE) together with immunodeficiency. A timely diagnosis was followed by successful hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) therapy.
Liver Biopsy
Authors: Attaya Mohamed , Thabet Ashraf
Published: June 2018

Liver biopsies are among the most common procedures performed by the interventional radiologist. Liver biopsies may be performed through the percutaneous or transjugular approaches. Ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be used for imaging guidance. Transjugular liver biopsies are generally reserved for specific circumstances in which the percutaneous method is associated with increased risk to the patient, such as coagulopathy, or when portal pressure measurements are desired. In addition, endobiliary biopsy through percutaneous transhepatic tracts may be an important means of assessing biliary strictures when the endoscopic route is impossible. This article serves as a general review of the multiple diagnostic hepatic interventions that may be performed by the interventional radiologist.
C-V and J-V investigation of HfO2/Al2O3 bilayer dielectrics MOSCAPs on (100) β-Ga2O3
Authors: Dong Hang , Mu Wenxiang , Hu Yuan , He Qiming , Fu Bo , Xue Huiwen , Qin Yuan , Jian Guangzhong , Zhang Ying , Long Shibing , Jia Zhitai , Lv Hangbing , Liu Qi , Tao Xutang , Liu Ming
Published: June 2018

In this letter, MOS capacitors with bilayer dielectrics consisted of large bandgap Al2O3 and high-k HfO2 in different stacking order on n-type doped (100) β-Ga2O3 are investigated through C − V and J − V measurement. The C − V measurement results reveal that incoming HfO2 makes both bilayer structures attain an increasing dielectric constant, which means a better gate control ability in transistors comparing with single Al2O3. Additionally, the interface state density extracted by high-low frequency capacitance method suggests that Al2O3/(100)β-Ga2O3 with no treatment shows a comparative Dit value (8.0 × 1012 cm-2eV-1 to 2.2 × 1011 cm-2eV-1) with HfO2/(100)β-Ga2O3 (8.4 × 1012 cm-2eV-1 to 1.0 × 1011 cm-2eV-1) in energy range of 0.2 to 0.9 eV. Furthermore, HfO2/Al2O3/Ga2O3 showing a bigger forward breakdown voltage of 11.0 V than 7.8 V of Al2O3/HfO2/Ga2O3 demonstrates that inserted larger bandgap Al2O3 insulator between Ga2O3 semiconductor and high-k HfO2 dielectric can prevent gate leakage current more effectively. Accordingly, the HfO2/Al2O3/Ga2O3 can enhance gate control ability with an acceptable gate breakdown voltage and become an alternative choice in the design of the gate structure for Ga2O3 MOSFETs.
Broadly conserved Na
+
-binding site in the N-lobe of prokaryotic multidrug MATE transporters
Authors: Ficici Emel , Zhou Wenchang , Castellano Steven , Faraldo-Gómez José D.
Published: June 2018

Significance

MATE transporters deplete the bacterial cytosol of natural and human-made antibiotics and contribute to confer multidrug resistance to a wide range of human pathogens. Despite being a compelling pharmacological target, little is known about their molecular mechanism. Based upon crystallographic and computational data, we gain insights into the mechanism by which drug efflux is energized by transmembrane electrochemical gradients of ions by identifying a Na
+
-binding site in the N-terminal domain of the transporter. This site can be clearly discerned in two different high-resolution structures and is broadly conserved within the MATE superfamily. Our structural analysis also provides a plausible rationale for the observation of H
+
-coupled drug transport and other pH-dependent effects.
Visual factors in writing system variation
Authors: Chang Li-Yun (Wendy) , Perfetti Charles A.
Published: June 2018

We examine the visual properties of graphic forms and the role they play in reading within and across writing systems. We argue that writing-system factors determine the complexity of graphic forms, which affects perceptual processes in reading. We review studies we have carried out on graph complexity, including a description of GraphCom, a multidimensional system for quantifying complexity that we applied to 131 orthographies. We suggest that meeting the challenges of complexity leads to increased perceptual skills and report a comparison of the two scripts of Chinese, the most complex among the world’s writing systems. Use of the more complex traditional script is associated with greater perceptual performance compared with the simplified script, lending support to this suggestion.
How do phonological awareness, morphological awareness, and vocabulary knowledge relate to word reading within and between English and Chinese?
Authors: Koh Poh Wee , Chen Xi , Gottardo Alexandra
Published: June 2018

We discuss the cross-language relationships of phonological awareness, morphological awareness, and vocabulary in the context of English and Chinese and also how these three constructs are related to word reading within and between the two languages. We focused on a series of studies that have examined Chinese and English monolinguals, as well as Chinese-English bilinguals. Research supports the contributions of phonological awareness and morphological awareness to reading in English and Chinese, as well as across the two languages. Findings pertaining to vocabulary, however, have been mixed. The review of research here suggests the need to further investigate the inter-relations among subcomponents of phonological awareness and morphological awareness as well as how different aspects of vocabulary knowledge relate to word reading.
The intertwining effects of first language and learning context on the bilingual mental lexicon
Authors: Akamatsu Nobuhiko
Published: June 2018

This study examined the possible effects of learners’ first language (L1) and learning context on the mental structures of second language (L2) polysemous words: the English prepositions at, in, and on. The study found that Japanese learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) who had lived in an English-speaking country had developed native-like mental structures of the three prepositions. By contrast, those with little or no experience living in an English-speaking country showed native-like mental structures only for on – the preposition denoting the most concrete notion among the three prepositions. These findings suggest that learners’ L1 may affect their mental representations of L2 prepositions, particularly those denoting abstract notions, but significant L2 exposure can diminish such L1 effects.
Why linguistics needs an historically oriented Arabic linguistics
Authors: Owens Jonathan
Published: June 2018

One of the more recent, and certainly one of the most empirically well-founded accounts of language change is Labov’s (2007)
division between transmission and diffusion. The former results in gradual change via incrementation, the latter in larger and
irregular change. This study examines the generality of this distinction, which was based on American vowel systems, against
the rich history of Arabic. Five case studies are described in which it is shown that Arabic, like English, has striking
instances of language stability across varieties as geo-diachronically separated as Emirati and Nigerian Arabic. By the same
token, there are equally striking instances of widespread change due to contact. It is argued that in only one of these, Nubi
(Creole Arabic), can diffusional changes be considered irregular, while in three others, Baghdadi Arabic (phonology),
Uzbekistan or Central Asian Mixed Arabic (morphology and syntax) and Nigerian Arabic (semantics of idioms), the changes though
of differing degrees of magnitude in their outcomes, cannot be said to be irregular. The study highlights two points: global
criteria for defining the outcomes of transmission vs. diffusion are elusive, and Arabic, because of the ability to
triangulate into different phases of its past, offers an unusually interesting insight into the workings of historical
linguistic processes.
Contact-induced change from a speakers’ perspective
Authors: Serreli Valentina
Published: June 2018

The article presents the speakers’ perception of contact-induced linguistic change in the Egyptian oasis of Siwa, based on data
collected during the authors’ doctoral research (Serreli 2016). The research
explored language attitudes and ideologies in Siwa with a qualitative approach built on sociolinguistic and linguistic
anthropological theories. Linguistic change is presented by speakers as a generational variation; it is attributed to the
increased contact between the Siwi and Arabic languages that followed the wider socioeconomic change in the community in
recent decades. Moreover, Siwi speakers hold a variety of attitudes towards linguistic change, appreciating phenomena
perceived as adjustments to the current times, while criticizing those perceived as a betrayal or corruption of their native
language.
Glutathione metabolism in cancer progression and treatment resistance
Authors: Bansal Ankita , Simon M. Celeste
Published: June 2018

Glutathione (GSH) is the most abundant antioxidant found in living organisms and has multiple functions, most of which maintain cellular redox homeostasis. GSH preserves sufficient levels of cysteine and detoxifies xenobiotics while also conferring therapeutic resistance to cancer cells. However, GSH metabolism plays both beneficial and pathogenic roles in a variety of malignancies. It is crucial to the removal and detoxification of carcinogens, and alterations in this pathway can have a profound effect on cell survival. Excess GSH promotes tumor progression, where elevated levels correlate with increased metastasis. In this review, we discuss recent studies that focus on deciphering the role of GSH in tumor initiation and progression as well as mechanisms underlying how GSH imparts treatment resistance to growing cancers. Targeting GSH synthesis/utilization therefore represents a potential means of rendering tumor cells more susceptible to different treatment options such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Known structures and unknown mechanisms of TMEM16 scramblases and channels
Authors: Falzone Maria E. , Malvezzi Mattia , Lee Byoung-Cheol , Accardi Alessio
Published: June 2018

The TMEM16 family of membrane proteins is composed of both Ca2+-gated Cl− channels and Ca2+-dependent phospholipid scramblases. The functional diversity of TMEM16s underlies their involvement in numerous signal transduction pathways that connect changes in cytosolic Ca2+ levels to cellular signaling networks. Indeed, defects in the function of several TMEM16s cause a variety of genetic disorders, highlighting their fundamental pathophysiological importance. Here, we review how our mechanistic understanding of TMEM16 function has been shaped by recent functional and structural work. Remarkably, the recent determination of near-atomic-resolution structures of TMEM16 proteins of both functional persuasions has revealed how relatively minimal rearrangements in the substrate translocation pathway are sufficient to precipitate the dramatic functional differences that characterize the family. These structures, when interpreted in the light of extensive functional analysis, point to an unusual mechanism for Ca2+-dependent activation of TMEM16 proteins in which substrate permeation is regulated by a combination of conformational rearrangements and electrostatics. These breakthroughs pave the way to elucidate the mechanistic bases of ion and lipid transport by the TMEM16 proteins and unravel the molecular links between these transport activities and their function in human pathophysiology.
Rapid inflammation and early degeneration of bone and cartilage revealed in a time-course study of induced haemarthrosis in haemophilic rats
Authors: Christensen Kristine Rothaus , Kjelgaard-Hansen Mads , Nielsen Lise Nikolic , Wiinberg Bo , Alexander Althoehn Frederik , Bloksgaard Poulsen Niels , Kryger Vøls Kåre , Popp Thyme Anders , Maria Lövgren Karin , Kornerup Hansen Axel , Roepstorff Kirstine
Published: June 2018

Objectives

Detailed knowledge of the sequential cell and tissue responses following haemarthrosis is important for a deep understanding of the pathological process initiated upon extensive bleeding into the joint causing haemophilic arthropathy (HA). The underlying pathobiology driving haemarthrosis towards HA has been difficult to establish in detail, although animal models have shed light on some processes. Previous studies have focused on a single or a few distant time points and often only characterizing one tissue type of the joint. The objective of this study was, therefore, to carefully map early onset of synovitis and HA following induced haemarthrosis.

Methods

One hundred and thirty haemophilia A rats were subjected to induced haemarthrosis or a sham procedure in full anaesthesia and euthanized from 30 min to 7 days after the procedure. Pathological changes of the joints were visualized using micro-computed tomography, histology and immunohistochemistry.

Results

Synovitis developed within 24 h and was dominated by myeloid cell infiltrations. Cartilage and bone pathology were evident as early as 48–96 h after haemarthrosis, and the pathology rapidly progressed with extensive periosteal bone formation and formation of subchondral cysts.

Conclusion

Fast, extensive and simultaneous cartilage and bone degeneration developed shortly after haemarthrosis, as shown by the detailed mapping of the early pathogenesis of HA. The almost immediate loss of cartilage and the pathological bone turnover suggest a direct influence of blood on these processes and are unlikely to be attributed simply to an indirect effect of inflammation.
Yield Loss Associated with Different Levels of Stem Rust Resistance in Bread Wheat
Authors: Soko Tegwe , Bender Cornelia M. , Prins Renée , Pretorius Zacharias A.
Published: June 2018

Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici race Ug99 (syn. TTKSK) has been identified as a major threat to wheat production based on its broad virulence. Despite its importance, the effect of Ug99 on different types of resistance in wheat has not been thoroughly researched. In field trials conducted with P. graminis f. sp. tritici race PTKST (Ug99 race group) over 2 years, AUDPC differentiated the moderately susceptible variety SC Stallion (515) and susceptible entries SC Nduna (995) and Line 37-07 (1634) from those with adult plant resistance (APR). AUDPC of APR varieties W1406 (256), W6979 (399), and Kingbird (209) was higher than the mean of 25 recorded for the all stage resistant (ASR) variety SC Sky. In fungicide-protected and unprotected plots, race PTKST resulted in a mean yield loss of 21.3%, with susceptible Line 37-03 recording a 47.9% decrease in grain yield. Yield reduction in APR varieties reached 19.5% in W1406, whereas the ASR control SC Sky showed a mean loss of 6.4%. Although APR reduced the effects of stem rust on yield and yield components under conditions of high disease pressure, it did not provide the same protection as effective ASR.
Institutional pressures and corporate environmental management maturity
Authors: Gunarathne Nuwan , Lee Ki-Hoon
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how corporate environmental management strategies at different environmental management maturity (EMM) stages are influenced by institutional forces in the service sector organizations of a developing country.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a multiple case study approach in this study. Institutional isomorphic pressures (coercive, mimetic and normative) at different EMM stages were used as the analytical framework.

Findings

The study finds coercive pressures largely shape the corporate environmental management strategies at the reactive stage while mimetic pressures have the greatest influence on the internal integration stage. Combined mimetic and normative pressures influence the environmental strategies at the external integration stage. Further, it emphasizes the importance of various institutional pressures in propelling the organizations in the developing countries to benefit from higher levels of EMM.

Originality/value

This paper offers a new theoretical approach that highlights the importance of considering the institutional influence of the top-down process of diffusion and simultaneous counter-process of invention by which the lower level organizational actors shape and change their environmental management practices for corporate EMM.
Object Afterlives and the Burden of History: Between “Trash” and “Heritage” in the Steps of Migrants
Authors: Soto Gabriella
Published: June 2018

With modern ruins, there may be diverging perspectives about whether the sites or objects are unsightly waste or artifacts. Among the local communities who routinely come into contact with such ruins, this viewpoint is often actively negotiated, and with it, so is history itself. Scholars of contemporary archaeology discuss the value of tracing these negotiations to understand the wider political and cultural process of historical creation, or negation. The situation becomes more complex in the wake of tragedy or disaster. Here, I explore the relationship of stakeholders on the Arizona–Sonora international border to the material culture of undocumented migrants, the objects left behind along the clandestine wilderness routes of migrant travelers abandoned en masse to ruin, as if in the fallout of disaster. But this disaster is human made, the product of US border policy. I consider these objects as a form of modern ruins that occupy a politically laden dialectical space between trash and heritage, a negotiation with ramifications for border policy. [contemporary archaeology, ruins, trash, heritage, US‐Mexico border]
Behaviour change techniques associated with adherence to prescribed exercise in patients with persistent musculoskeletal pain: Systematic review
Authors: Meade Laura B. , Bearne Lindsay M. , Sweeney Louise H. , Alageel Samah H. , Godfrey Emma L.
Published: June 2018

Purpose

Exercise (planned, structured, repetitive movement) improves pain and function in people with persistent musculoskeletal pain (PMSK), but adherence is often poor. This systematic review evaluates the evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effectiveness of interventions to improve exercise adherence in people with PMSK and describes the content, context, and theoretical underpinning of behaviour change interventions designed to increase adherence.

Methods

Nine electronic databases were searched from inception dates to August 2017. Studies were included if they were RCTs that included adults with PMSK ≥3 months; ≥one measure of exercise adherence, exercise prescribed to both groups, and employed ≥one behaviour change technique (BCT) in the treatment group. Independent data extraction, theory coding, BCT taxonomy coding, and quality assessment using Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB) tool was conducted by two reviewers.

Results

Eight RCTs (five low, three high RoB) met inclusion criteria. Five trials reported between‐group differences in exercise adherence, favouring the treatment group. Three trials reported theoretical underpinning. There was moderate evidence that five BCTs, social support, goal setting, instruction of behaviour, demonstration of behaviour, and practice/rehearsal, improved exercise adherence. Interventions employing ≤seven BCTs, unique to those included in the control group, were most effective at enhancing exercise adherence.

Conclusions

Limited moderate‐quality evidence supports using a small number of BCTs to enhance exercise adherence in people with PMSK. Further research should explore the associations and synergies between BCTs and explicitly report how theory was utilized. This may inform recommendations for health care professionals working with this population.

Statement of contribution

What is already known on this subject?

Exercise (i.e., planned, structured, repetitive movements) improves pain and function in people with persistent musculoskeletal pain (PMSK).

Many people with PMSK do not adhere to exercises prescribed by a health care professional.

Little research has explored how to enhance adherence to prescribed exercise in people with PMSK.

What does this study add?

Moderate‐quality evidence from eight trials suggests behaviour change interventions enhance exercise adherence.

Social support, goal setting, demonstration, instruction, and rehearsal were employed in effective interventions.

Interventions with ≤7 behaviour change techniques were more effective at improving adherence than those employing >7.
Texturisation behaviour of peanut–soy bean/wheat protein mixtures during high moisture extrusion cooking
Authors: Zhang Jinchuang , Liu Li , Zhu Song , Wang Qiang
Published: June 2018

Ten groups of peanut protein powder (PPP)–soy protein isolate (SPI)/wheat gluten (WG) mixtures were prepared and extruded under the moisture content of 55%. Extrusion response parameters (specific mechanical energy (SME) and die temperature) during the extrusion were determined. Microstructure and textural properties of the extrudates were analysed. Results suggested that blending the PPP with SPI led to a lower SME and a higher die temperature during the extrusion, which led to a smoother and denser structure in the extrudates. While blending the PPP with WG resulted in a higher SME and a constant high die temperature during the extrusion, showing a rougher and looser structure in the extrudates. Compared with WG, SPI played a major role for the texturisation behaviour of PPP‐SPI‐WG mixtures during high moisture extrusion and for the extrudates. Both SPI and WG are required to improve the textural quality of texturised peanut protein.
On the evolution and stability of cosmological perturbations in higher order scalar–tensor theories of gravity
Authors: Rajabi Fateme , Nozari Kourosh
Published: June 2018

We study a new type of extended theory of gravity in the framework of general scalar–tensor theories in which the higher order terms of curvature are coupled with a scalar field and its derivatives. We analyze the stability and evolution of cosmological perturbations in this setup. For this purpose, we perturb the Hubble parameter, matter density, and scalar field to check stability and evolution of perturbations to first order. In this framework, we investigate stability conditions for de Sitter and power law solutions and we examine viability of cosmological evolution of these perturbations. We consider some specific f(R) models and show that the stability analysis gives some constraints on the parameters of these models.
Performance evaluation of 2D face recognition techniques under image processing attacks
Authors: Sharma Sahil , Kumar Vijay
Published: June 2018

Face recognition is a vastly researched topic in the field of computer vision. A lot of work have been done for facial recognition in two dimensions and three dimensions. The amount of work done with face recognition invariant of image processing attacks is very limited. This paper presents a total of three classes of image processing attacks on face recognition system, namely image enhancement attacks, geometric attacks and the image noise attacks. The well-known machine learning techniques have been used to train and test the face recognition system using two different databases namely Bosphorus Database and University of Milano Bicocca three-dimensional (3D) Face Database (UMBDB). Three classes of classification models, namely discriminant analysis, support vector machine and k-nearest neighbor along with ensemble techniques have been implemented. The significance of machine learning techniques has been mentioned. The visual verification has been done with multiple image processing attacks.
A dynamic weighted TOPSIS method for identifying influential nodes in complex networks
Authors: Yang Pingle , Liu Xin , Xu Guiqiong
Published: June 2018

Identifying the influential nodes in complex networks is a challenging and significant research topic. Though various centrality measures of complex networks have been developed for addressing the problem, they all have some disadvantages and limitations. To make use of the advantages of different centrality measures, one can regard influential node identification as a multi-attribute decision-making problem. In this paper, a dynamic weighted Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) is developed. The key idea is to assign the appropriate weight to each attribute dynamically, based on the grey relational analysis method and the Susceptible–Infected–Recovered (SIR) model. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by applications to three actual networks, which indicates that our method has better performance than single indicator methods and the original weighted TOPSIS method.
Acoustics velocity of liquid argon at high pressure: A classical molecular dynamics study
Authors: Wang Liancheng , Zhou Aiping
Published: June 2018

The adiabatic sound velocity of liquid argon is calculated by means of classical molecular dynamics simulations via the COMPASS force field, at the temperature of 388 K and the pressure range of 0.5–2.0 GPa. The isothermal sound velocity of liquid argon is obtained from the fluctuations of the supercell volume via Fluctuation Formula. Then, the adiabatic sound velocity is calculated from isothermal sound velocity by the Landau–Placzek ratio derived from the dynamic structure factor of the system. The calculated adiabatic sound velocities of liquid argon are in good agreement with the former Brillouin scattering measurements.
Automorphisms of partially commutative groups III: Inversions and transvections
Authors: Duncan Andrew J. , Remeslennikov Vladimir N.
Published: June 2018

The automorphism group of a partially commutative group [Formula: see text] is generated by four types of automorphism: graph automorphisms, inversions, transvections and vertex conjugating automorphisms. We find a characterisation of the subgroup [Formula: see text] generated by inversions and transvections, in terms of stabilisers of subgroups of [Formula: see text] generated by the so-called “admissible” subsets of [Formula: see text]. This is used to give a decomposition of [Formula: see text] as a chain of semi-direct products of (mostly) tractable and recognisable subgroups; which in turn gives rise to a presentation of [Formula: see text].
EFFECTS OF NITRITE ANIONS ON SURFACE PASSIVE FILM PROPERTIES FOR Q235 CARBON STEELS
Authors: ZHOU YONG , HUANG HUIJU , ZHANG PEI , LIU DONG , YAN FUAN
Published: June 2018

In this paper, for Q235 carbon steels in NaNO2solutions with different concentrations of NO[Formula: see text], a passive film composed of mainly Fe2O3was formed on the Q235 surface, and the effects of NO[Formula: see text] concentrations on the properties of passive film were studied by electrochemical methods and microstructural analyses. The applications of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Mott–Schottky (MS) plot, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS) were carried out to characterize the resistance, defect, morphology and composition of passive film, respectively. The passive film resistance and defect, respectively, increased and decreased with the increase of NO[Formula: see text] concentration until the NO[Formula: see text] concentration was up to 0.01[Formula: see text]M, which was the critical NO[Formula: see text] concentration of stable passivation for the Q235 surface. The relation between the electrochemical behavior and the passive film was also discussed in detail.
Faster Algorithms for Computing Plurality Points
Authors: Berg Mark De , Gudmundsson Joachim , Mehr Mehran
Published: June 2018

Let
V
be a set of
n
points in R

d

, which we call voters. A point
p
∈ R

d

is preferred over another point
p
′ ∈ R

d

by a voter υ ∈
V
if dist(υ,
p
) < dist(υ,
p
′). A point
p
is called a plurality point if it is preferred by at least as many voters as any other point 
p
′.

We present an algorithm that decides in
O
(
n
log
n
) time whether
V
admits a plurality point in the
L
2
norm and, if so, finds the (unique) plurality point. We also give efficient algorithms to compute a minimum-cost subset
W
⊂
V
such that
V
\
W
admits a plurality point, and to compute a so-called minimum-radius plurality ball.

Finally, we consider the problem in the personalized
L
1
norm, where each point υ ∈
V
has a preference vector 〈
w
1
(υ),…,
w

d

(υ)〉 and the distance from υ to any point
p
∈ R

d

is given by ∑

i
=1

d

w

i

(υ)· |
x

i

(υ)−
x

i

(
p
)|. For this case we can compute in
O
(
n

d
−1

) time the set of all plurality points of 
V
. When all preference vectors are equal, the running time improves to
O
(
n
).
On the Effectiveness of Offset Projections for 360-Degree Video Streaming
Authors: Zhou Chao , Li Zhenhua , Osgood Joe , Liu Yao
Published: June 2018

A new generation of video streaming technology, 360-degree video, promises greater immersiveness than standard video streams. This level of immersiveness is similar to that produced by virtual reality devices—users can control the field of view using head movements rather than needing to manipulate external devices. Although 360-degree video could revolutionize the streaming experience, its large-scale adoption is hindered by a number of factors: 360-degree video streams have larger bandwidth requirements and require faster responsiveness to user inputs, and users may be more sensitive to lower quality streams.

In this article, we review standard approaches toward 360-degree video encoding and compare these to families of approaches that distort the spherical surface to allow oriented concentrations of the 360-degree view. We refer to these distorted projections as offset projections. Our measurement studies show that most types of offset projections produce rendered views with better quality than their nonoffset equivalents when view orientations are within 40 or 50 degrees of the offset orientation. Offset projections complicate adaptive 360-degree video streaming because they require a combination of bitrate and view orientation adaptations. We estimate that this combination of streaming adaptation in two dimensions can cause over 57% extra segments to be downloaded compared to an ideal downloading strategy, wasting 20% of the total downloading bandwidth.
An Enlarging Metastatic Calcified Liver Lesion of an Occult Melanoma
Authors: Mouchli Mohamad A. , Kerr Sarah E. , Roberts Lewis
Published: June 2018

Calcified liver lesions are caused by a wide variety of factors. The most common lesions are inflammatory liver lesions followed by benign and malignant neoplasms. Hemangioma, one of the most common benign hepatic neoplasm in adults, often contains calcifications, in up to 20% of cases secondary to fibrosis and thrombosis of blood vessels. These calcifications are typically large, coarse, and located in the center of the lesions. Liver metastases, the most common malignant lesions found in the noncirrhotic liver, may contain areas of calcification. Radiologists should be aware of morphologic imaging features of calcified liver lesions to help differentiate benign from malignant lesions. Liver biopsy should be offered when the diagnosis is doubtful.
Hepatic Macrophages are the Cell Source of Hepatic Procalcitonin in Acute Liver Failure
Authors: Zheng Weiyang , Ye Bingjue , Liang Xue , Shui Liyan , Lou Guohua , Liu Yanning , Zheng Min
Published: June 2018

Background/Aims: Serum procalcitonin (PCT) is elevated in acute liver failure (ALF), but the expression of PCT in the liver has not been elucidated. We aimed to clarify the regulation of hepatic PCT expression and the cell sources in ALF. Methods: Human monocytic leukemia line U937 cells were treated with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-l3-acetate (PMA) (100 ng/ mL) for 24 h to induce activated macrophages. In the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 1 μg/mL), activated macrophages and human hepatocyte line L02 cells were incubated with LPS or co-cultured for 0, 2, 6, and 24 h. In an in vivo experiment, male C57BL/6 mice were challenged with intraperitoneal LPS/D-galactosamine (LPS/D-GalN). Serum liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured using an automatic chemical analyzer. Inflammatory mediators were measured by real-time PCR and liver histology was examined by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Results: LPS induced the upregulation of PCT mRNA in U937-activated macrophages but not in L02 cells. When co-cultured with L02 cells, the expression of PCT mRNA of activated macrophages was upregulated compared to controls; however, the activated macrophages did not induce the expression of PCT mRNA in L02 cells in the presence of LPS. Moreover, serum liver enzymes (ALT, AST), inflammation, necrosis, and hepatic expression of PCT were significantly elevated in the LPS/D-GalN-challenged ALF mouse model. IHC revealed that PCT expression was co-localized with hepatic macrophages. Conclusions: Hepatic PCT expression is upregulated in ALF. Hepatic macrophages but not hepatocytes are the cell source of hepatic PCT expression.
Associations of Pulmonary Fibrosis with Peripheral Blood Th1/Th2 Cell Imbalance and EBF3 Gene Methylation in Uygur Pigeon Breeder’s Lung Patients
Authors: Wu Chao , Luo Zujin , Pang Baosen , Wang Wenyi , Deng Mingqin , Jin Rong , Muhataer Xirennayi , Li Yafang , Li Qifeng , Yang Xiaohong
Published: June 2018

Background/Aims Pigeon breeder’s lung (PBL) results from Th1/Th2 cell imbalance. B cells inhibit the immune activity of Th1, and EBF3 is a key B cell factor. This study explored the relationship between EBF3 and Th1/Th2 imbalance in chronic PBL cases complicated with pulmonary fibrosis (PF). Methods Twenty Uygur PBL+PF patients, 20 pigeon breeders without PBL or PF, and 20 healthy individuals without pigeon breeding history constituted the patient I, negative control, and normal control groups, respectively. Peripheral blood specimens and case backgrounds were collected between June 2016 and March 2017. EBF3 gene methylation was analyzed by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. To compare different mechanisms of PF progression in PBL, samples from 20 Uygur PBL patients without PF (at acute and sub-acute stages) were collected between October 2017 and February 2018, constituting the patient II group. EBF3 mRNA expression was evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction. IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10 expression and Th1/Th2 imbalance in PBL were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry. Results CpG-2 and general methylation rates in the patient I group were lower than those in the control groups (P˂0.017). The level of EBF3 mRNA expression in the patient I group was significantly higher than that in any other group. Compared with the control groups, the patient I group showed a significantly higher level of IL-4, whereas the patient II group showed a significantly lower level. IL-10 was also expressed more highly in the patient I group than in any other group (P< 0.01). Flow cytometry showed INF-γ dominance (Th1 cytokine) in PBL at the acute/sub-acute stage and IL-4 dominance (Th2 cytokine) at the chronic stage after PF occurred. The general methylation rate was negatively correlated with the mRNA level, with the latter being positively correlated with the IL-10 level and number of pigeons bred in the past 3 months. IL-4 expression was negatively correlated with INF-γ but positively correlated with PF area and duration of pigeon breeding history. Conclusions After PF occurs in chronic PBL, the inflammation type changes from Th1 dominance to Th2 dominance. During PBL development, IL-10 increases before IL-4 does, which may be associated with EBF3 hypomethylation and the involvement of B lymphocytes.
RA190, a Proteasome Subunit ADRM1 Inhibitor, Suppresses Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma by Inducing NF-KB-Mediated Cell Apoptosis
Authors: Yu Guang-Yang , Wang Xuan , Zheng Su-Su , Gao Xiao-Mei , Jia Qing-An , Zhu Wen-Wei , Lu Lu , Jia Hu-Liang , Chen Jin-Hong , Dong Qiong-Zhu , Lu Ming , Qin Lun-Xiu
Published: June 2018

Background/Aims: Effective drug treatment for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is currently lacking. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new targets and new drugs that can prolong patient survival. Recently targeting the ubiquitin proteasome pathway has become an attractive anti-cancer strategy. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of and identify the potential mechanisms involved in targeting the proteasome subunit ADRM1 for ICC. Methods: The expression of ADRM1 and its prognostic value in ICC was analyzed using GEO and TCGA datasets, tumor tissues, and tumor tissue arrays. The effects of RA190 on the proliferation and survival of both established ICC cell lines and primary ICC cells were examined in vitro. Annexin V/propidium iodide staining, western blotting and immunohistochemical staining were performed. The in vivo anti-tumor effect of RA190 on ICC was validated in subcutaneous xenograft and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. Results: ADRM1 levels were significantly higher in ICC tissues than in normal bile duct tissues. ICC patients with high ADRM1 levels had worse overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.383, 95% confidence interval [CI] =1.357 to 4.188) and recurrence-free survival (HR = 1.710, 95% CI =1.045 to 2.796). ADRM1 knockdown significantly inhibited ICC growth in vitro and in vivo. The specific inhibitor RA190 targeting ADRM1 suppressed proliferation and reduced cell vitality of ICC cell lines and primary ICC cells significantly in vitro. Furthermore, RA190 significantly inhibited the proteasome by inactivating ADRM1, and the consequent accumulation of ADRM1 substrates decreased the activating levels of NF-κB to aggravate cell apoptosis. The therapeutic benefits of RA190 treatment were further demonstrated in both subcutaneous implantation and PDX models. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that up-regulated ADRM1 was involved in ICC progression and suggest the potential clinical application of ADRM1 inhibitors (e.g., RA190 and KDT-11) for ICC treatment.
Long-Term Oral Administration of Theaphenon-E Improves Cardiomyocyte Mechanics and Calcium Dynamics by Affecting Phospholamban Phosphorylation and ATP Production
Authors: Bocchi Leonardo , Savi Monia , Naponelli Valeria , Vilella Rocchina , Sgarbi Gianluca , Baracca Alessandra , Solaini Giancarlo , Bettuzzi Saverio , Rizzi Federica , Stilli Donatella
Published: June 2018

Background/Aims: Dietary polyphenols from green tea have been shown to possess cardio-protective activities in different experimental models of heart diseases and age-related ventricular dysfunction. The present study was aimed at evaluating whether long term in vivo administration of green tea extracts (GTE), can exert positive effects on the normal heart, with focus on the underlying mechanisms. Methods: The study population consisted of 20 male adult Wistar rats. Ten animals were given 40 mL/day tap water solution of GTE (concentration 0.3%) for 4 weeks (GTE group). The same volume of water was administered to the 10 remaining control rats (CTRL). Then, in vivo and ex vivo measurements of cardiac function were performed in the same animal, at the organ (hemodynamics) and cellular (cardiomyocyte mechanical properties and intracellular calcium dynamics) levels. On cardiomyocytes and myocardial tissue samples collected from the same in vivo studied animals, we evaluated: (1) the intracellular content of ATP, (2) the endogenous mitochondrial respiration, (3) the expression levels of the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+-dependent ATPase 2a (SERCA2), the Phospholamban (PLB) and the phosphorylated form of PLB, the L-type Ca2+ channel, the Na+-Ca2+ exchanger, and the ryanodine receptor 2. Results: GTE cardiomyocytes exhibited a hyperdynamic contractility compared with CTRL (the rate of shortening and re-lengthening, the fraction of shortening, the amplitude of calcium transient, and the rate of cytosolic calcium removal were significantly increased). A faster isovolumic relaxation was also observed at the organ level. Consistent with functional data, we measured a significant increase in the intracellular ATP content supported by enhanced endogenous mitochondrial respiration in GTE cardiomyocytes, as well as higher values of the ratios phosphorylated-PLB/PLB and SERCA2/PLB. Conclusions: Long-term in vivo administration of GTE improves cell mechanical properties and intracellular calcium dynamics in normal cardiomyocytes, by increasing energy availability and removing the inhibitory effect of PLB on SERCA2.
Better Muslim or Jew? The Controversy Around Conversion across Minorities in Fifteenth-Century Castile
Authors: Echevarría Ana
Published: June 2018

This article presents the Responsio in quaestione de muliere sarracena transeunte ad statum et ritum iudaicum (1451) by Alonso Fernández de Madrigal, “El Tostado” (1410–55), as a rich source for the study of conversion across minority groups. A trial conducted before the archbishop of Toledo concerning a Muslim woman turned Jew by her lover in Talavera de la Reina (Spain) caused a scandal in Christian society. As one of the most outstanding legal scholars at the University of Salamanca, Madrigal established the right of the archbishop of Toledo to judge an issue involving the two minorities and decided in favor of the woman returning to her faith of origin, instead of imposing the death penalty. While conversion superseded issues of illicit sexual relations, gender acted as a mitigating circumstance. This article will also consider how the three communities contributed to the survival of “cohabitation,” defined by Madrigal as social peace, and the preservation of the status of the different religions living together in Castile.
A (New) Old Iranian Etymology for Biblical Aramaic ‮אֲדַרְגָּזַר‬‎
Authors: Noonan Benjamin J.
Published: June 2018

Despite the many advances that have taken place in our understanding of the Hebrew Bible’s Old Iranian terminology, the donor terms of several words have remained elusive. Among them is Biblical Aramaic ‮אֲדַרְגָּזַר‬‎ (Dan. 3:2–3). Proposed Old Iranian etymologies for this word suffer from various phonological and semantic difficulties, rendering them unlikely. This paper proposes that Biblical Aramaic ‮אֲדַרְגָּזַר‬‎ is best derived from *ādrangāžara- ‘announcer of financial obligation’, a compound of *ādranga- ‘financial obligation’ and *āžara- ‘announcer’. A derivation from Old Iranian *ādrangāžara- adequately explains the form of Biblical Aramaic ‮אֲדַרְגָּזַר‬‎. Furthermore, this etymology also suits the context well in that ‮אֲדַרְגָּזַר‬‎ occurs just prior to ‮גְּדָבַר‬‎ ‘treasurer’ and therefore falls logically within the progression from political administration to finances to law evident in the lists of Nebuchadnezzar’s officials (Dan. 3:2–3).
The Role of Evaluation in Building Evidence-Based Policy
Authors: Orr Larry L.
Published: June 2018

Growing recognition that many government programs may be ineffective, or at best of unproven effectiveness, has led to the evidence-based policy movement—an effort to ensure that proposed and existing public programs have been shown to achieve their objectives. Rigorous evaluation is central to this movement. In this article, I briefly review the history of evaluation of social programs and the barriers to the application of effective evaluation to public policy.
Managing toward Evidence: State-Level Evidence-Based Policymaking and the Results First Initiative
Authors: Lester Patrick
Published: June 2018

In 2010, the Pew Charitable Trusts and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation launched an initiative called Results First to help states and local governments better incorporate evidence into their policy, budget, and management-related decision-making. This article reviews the early results and lessons of Results First by summarizing the initiative and the current level of evidence use in the states, describing political and administrative obstacles that have complicated similar efforts, and discussing how Results First is addressing them. I conclude that rational, top-down policymaking by elected officials is taking place in states and that Results First appears to be having some success in helping to make policy decisions better informed. I also argue, though, that Results First may be having an even greater effect by encouraging evidence-based management among appointed officials and non-policymaking civil servant managers, and that this may help evidence-based policy avoid some of the pitfalls that have undermined previous efforts at government reform.
The Roles Foundations Are Playing in the Evidence-Based Policy Movement
Authors: Granger Robert C.
Published: June 2018

Foundations are actively engaged in supporting evidence-based policymaking through collaborative funding, supporting, and creating intermediary organizations; building the infrastructure needed to support evidence-based policymaking; and improving the relevance of research for practice and policy. For a variety of reasons, they are shifting from a focus on the federal government and the identification of effective brand name innovations to an emphasis on supporting local actors to design and test solutions using local data. This article provides examples of foundation work, describes and discusses how and why it is evolving, and uses historical examples to place the change in context.