bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Drug Bioavailability Enhancing Agents of Natural Origin (Bioenhancers) that Modulate Drug Membrane Permeation and Pre-Systemic Metabolism
Authors: Peterson Bianca , Weyers Morné , Steenekamp Jan H. , Steyn Johan D. , Gouws Chrisna , Hamman Josias H.
Published: January 2019

Many new chemical entities are discovered with high therapeutic potential, however, many of these compounds exhibit unfavorable pharmacokinetic properties due to poor solubility and/or poor membrane permeation characteristics. The latter is mainly due to the lipid-like barrier imposed by epithelial mucosal layers, which have to be crossed by drug molecules in order to exert a therapeutic effect. Another barrier is the pre-systemic metabolic degradation of drug molecules, mainly by cytochrome P450 enzymes located in the intestinal enterocytes and liver hepatocytes. Although the nasal, buccal and pulmonary routes of administration avoid the first-pass effect, they are still dependent on absorption of drug molecules across the mucosal surfaces to achieve systemic drug delivery. Bioenhancers (drug absorption enhancers of natural origin) have been identified that can increase the quantity of unchanged drug that appears in the systemic blood circulation by means of modulating membrane permeation and/or pre-systemic metabolism. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of natural bioenhancers and their main mechanisms of action for the nasal, buccal, pulmonary and oral routes of drug administration. Poorly bioavailable drugs such as large, hydrophilic therapeutics are often administered by injections. Bioenhancers may potentially be used to benefit patients by making systemic delivery of these poorly bioavailable drugs possible via alternative routes of administration (i.e., oral, nasal, buccal or pulmonary routes of administration) and may also reduce dosages of small molecular drugs and thereby reduce treatment costs.
Thermal Conductive Composites Prepared by Addition of Several Ceramic Fillers to Thermally Cationic Curing Cycloaliphatic Epoxy Resins
Authors: Isarn Isaac , Gamardella Francesco , Fernàndez-Francos Xavier , Serra Àngels , Ferrando Francesc
Published: January 2019

Novel composite coatings prepared from 3,4-epoxy cyclohexylmethyl 3,4-epoxycyclohexane carboxylate (ECC) and different ceramic fillers have been prepared to improve the thermal dissipation of electronic devices. As latent cationic initiator, a benzylanilinium salt with triethanolamine has been used, which leads to a polyether matrix. Different proportions of Al2O3, AlN and SiC as fillers were added to the reactive formulation. The effect of the fillers selected and their proportions on the evolution of the curing was studied by calorimetry and rheometry. The thermal conductivity, thermal stability, thermal expansion coefficient and thermomechanical and mechanical properties of the composites were evaluated. An improvement of 820% in thermal conductivity in reference to the neat material was reached with a 75 wt % of AlN, whereas glass transition temperatures higher than 200 °C were determined in all the composites.
Effect of Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Treatment on Adhesive Bonding of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer
Authors: Sun Chengcheng , Min Junying , Lin Jianping , Wan Hailang
Published: January 2019

To improve the strength of the adhesive-bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) joints, atmospheric pressure plasma treatment (APPT) was used to treat a CFRP substrate surface. This study investigated the effects of nozzle distance (i.e., the distance between plasma nozzle and CFRP substrate) and nozzle speed (i.e., the moving speed of plasma nozzle relative to CFRP substrate) of APPT on the lap-shear strength of adhesive-bonded CFRP joints. Results show that the lap-shear strength of plasma-treated CFRP joints increased to a peak value and then decreased as the nozzle distance increased, and the nozzle distance associated with the peaked joint strength depends on the applied nozzle speed. The lap-shear strength of plasma-treated adhesive-bonded CFRP joints reaches up to 31.6 MPa, compared to 8.6 MPa of the as-received adhesive-bonded CFRP joints. The surface morphology of plasma-treated CFRP substrates was investigated by scanning electron microscope observation, and the mechanism associated with the improved joint strength after applying APPT was revealed through surface chemistry analysis. It is found that APPT not only effectively removed the content of Si element and –CH3 (i.e., the main compositions of release agent) from the as-received CFRP substrate surface, but also generated many polar groups (i.e., –NH2, –OH, –COOH, etc.), which has a positive effect on increasing the wettability and interfacial bonding strength of CFRP substrates and consequently results in a significant improvement of lap-shear strength of plasma-treated CFRP joints. In addition, the result of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) test shows that the surface temperature of CFRP substrate should not exceed 175.3 °C during APPT. In this study, an empirical model governing temperature, nozzle distance and nozzle speed was established to guide the selection of atmospheric pressure plasma treatment process parameters in industrial manufacture.
Bio-Inspired Soft Proboscis Actuator Driven by Dielectric Elastomer Fluid Transducers
Authors: Lin Po-Wen , Liu Chien-Hao
Published: January 2019

In recent years, dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) have attracted lots of attention for providing multiple degree-of-freedom motions, such as axial extensions, torsion, bending, and their combinations. The wide applications include soft robots, artificial muscles, and biomimetic animals. In general, DEAs are composed of stretchable elastomers sandwiched by two compliant electrodes and actuated by applying external electric stimuli. Since most DEAs are limited by the breakdown thresholds and low strain-to-volume ratios, dielectric fluid transducers (DFTs) have been developed by substituting dielectric elastomers with dielectric fluids for high breakdown threshold voltages. In addition, DFTs have large rate of lateral extensions, due to their fluid contents, and are beneficial for soft actuators and pumping applications. In this research, we exploited DFTs to develop a soft spiral proboscis actuator inspired by the proboscises of butterflies for achieving uncoiling and coiling motions under external voltages. The bio-inspired spiral proboscis actuator (BSPA) was composed of a coil-shaped tube, a DFT-based pouch, and a spiral spring for mimicking the tubular part, a mechanism to uncoil the tube, and a mechanism to coil the tube, respectively. When applying external voltages to the pouch, the high dielectric fluid was injected into the empty coiled tube for uncoiling where the tube elongated from a compact volume to a stiff and flexible shape. When removing the exciting voltages, the tube retracted to its original coiled shape via the elastic spring. A prototype was designed, fabricated, and examined with high stimulating voltages. It was demonstrated that the proboscis actuator could achieve uncoiling and coiling motions consistently for several cycles. Compared to convection DEA-based pumps with fixed shapes, the proposed actuator is soft and beneficial for portable applications and coiling/uncoiling motions.
The Inheritance and Change of the Contemporary Daur Shaman
Authors: Sa Minna
Published: January 2019

The Daur people are a minority living in Northeast China. They have adhered to a form of shamanism since ancient times. They believe that all things are spiritual. The Daur call an intermediary or messenger between the human world and the spirit worlds jad’ən (shaman). In addition, there are also different types of priests and healers, such as baɡʧi (healer and priest), barʃ (bone-setter), ʊtʊʃi (healer of child) and baræʧen (midwife), but only the jad’ən is a real shaman. The Daur’s system of deities is huge, complex, and diverse, mainly including təŋɡər (God of Heaven), xʊʤʊr barkən (ancestral spirit), njaŋnjaŋ barkən (Niang Niang Goddess), aʊləi barkən (spirit of mountain), nuʤir barkən (spirit of snake), ɡali barkən (God of Fire), etc. Among them, ancestral spirit is the most noble and important deity of the Daur, called xʊʤʊr barkən (spirit of ancestors). In the past, the social structure of the Daurs was based on the equal clan xal and its branches mokun. Xʊʤʊr barkən is the ancestral spirit of the mokun family. The shaman with xʊʤʊr barkən as the main patron is called xʊʤʊr jad’ən, that is, mokun shaman. The inheritance of the Daur shaman is very complicated. The xʊʤʊr jad’ən is strictly inherited along the patrilineal line, while the ordinary jad’ən can also inherit according to the maternal lineage. The inheritance rites of other types of shamans are also based mainly on the patrilineal lineage and occasionally the maternal lineage. The complexity of the Daur shaman inheritance is first and foremost related to the variety of the gods and spirits, secondly to their belief of polytheism, and finally to the constant split of the traditional clans and families, namely, the xal-mokun social structure.
Shankh-er Shongshar, Afterlife Everyday: Religious Experience of the Evening Conch and Goddesses in Bengali Hindu Homes
Authors: Sarbadhikary Sukanya
Published: January 2019

This essay brings together critical archetypes of Bengali Hindu home-experience: the sound of the evening shankh (conch), the goddess Lakshmi, and the female snake-deity, Manasa. It analyzes the everyday phenomenology of the home, not simply through the European category of the ‘domestic’, but conceptually more elastic vernacular religious discourse of shongshar, which means both home and world. The conch is studied as a direct material embodiment of the sacred domestic. Its materiality and sound-ontology evoke a religious experience fused with this-worldly wellbeing (mongol) and afterlife stillness. Further, (contrary) worship ontologies of Lakshmi, the life-goddess of mongol, and Manasa, the death-and-resuscitation goddess, are discussed, and the twists of these ambivalent imaginings are shown to be engraved in the conch’s body and audition. Bringing goddesses and conch-aesthetics together, shongshar is thus presented as a religious everyday dwelling, where the ‘home’ and ‘world’ are connected through spiraling experiences of life, death, and resuscitation. Problematizing the monolithic idea of the secular home as a protecting domain from the outside world, I argue that everyday religious experience of the Bengali domestic, as especially encountered and narrated by female householders, essentially includes both Lakshmi/life/fertility and Manasa/death/renunciation. Exploring the analogy of the spirals of shankh and shongshar, spatial and temporal experiences of the sacred domestic are also complicated. Based on ritual texts, fieldwork among Lakshmi and Manasa worshippers, conch-collectors, craftsmen and specialists, and immersion in the everyday religious world, I foreground a new aesthetic phenomenology at the interface of the metaphysics of sound, moralities of goddess-devotions, and the Bengali home’s experience of afterlife everyday.
Joint Sparse and Low-Rank Multi-Task Learning with Extended Multi-Attribute Profile for Hyperspectral Target Detection
Authors: Wu Xing , Zhang Xia , Wang Nan , Cen Yi
Published: January 2019

Target detection is an active area in hyperspectral imagery (HSI) processing. Many algorithms have been proposed for the past decades. However, the conventional detectors mainly benefit from the spectral information without fully exploiting the spatial structures of HSI. Besides, they primarily use all bands information and ignore the inter-band redundancy. Moreover, they do not make full use of the difference between the background and target samples. To alleviate these problems, we proposed a novel joint sparse and low-rank multi-task learning (MTL) with extended multi-attribute profile (EMAP) algorithm (MTJSLR-EMAP). Briefly, the spatial features of HSI were first extracted by morphological attribute filters. Then the MTL was exploited to reduce band redundancy and retain the discriminative information simultaneously. Considering the distribution difference between the background and target samples, the target and background pixels were separately modeled with different regularization terms. In each task, a background pixel can be low-rank represented by the background samples while a target pixel can be sparsely represented by the target samples. Finally, the proposed algorithm was compared with six detectors including constrained energy minimization (CEM), adaptive coherence estimator (ACE), hierarchical CEM (hCEM), sparsity-based detector (STD), joint sparse representation and MTL detector (JSR-MTL), independent encoding JSR-MTL (IEJSR-MTL) on three datasets. Corresponding to each competitor, it has the average detection performance improvement of about 19.94%, 22.53%, 16.92%, 14.87%, 14.73%, 4.21% respectively. Extensive experimental results demonstrated that MTJSLR-EMAP outperforms several state-of-the-art algorithms.
An Efficient Framework for Remote Sensing Parallel Processing: Integrating the Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm and Multiagent Technology
Authors: Yang Lina , Sun Xu , Li Zhenlong
Published: January 2019

Remote sensing (RS) image processing can be converted to an optimization problem, which can then be solved by swarm intelligence algorithms, such as the artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm, to improve the accuracy of the results. However, such optimization algorithms often result in a heavy computational burden. To realize the intrinsic parallel computing ability of ABC to address the computational challenges of RS optimization, an improved multiagent (MA)-based ABC framework with a reduced communication cost among agents is proposed by utilizing MA technology. Two types of agents, massive bee agents and one administration agent, located in multiple computing nodes are designed. Based on the communication and cooperation among agents, RS optimization computing is realized in a distributed and concurrent manner. Using hyperspectral RS clustering and endmember extraction as case studies, experimental results indicate that the proposed MA-based ABC approach can effectively improve the computing efficiency while maintaining optimization accuracy.
Economic Valuation of Green Island, Taiwan: A Choice Experiment Method
Authors: Chen Han-Shen , Chen Chu-Wei
Published: January 2019

The evaluation of ecological security and ecosystem services is now a core issue in the field of natural and environmental resources. Quantifying the economic value of island ecosystem services can inform policy decisions that affect the island and help justify expenditures on ecosystem service improvements. This study investigates the preferences of residents and tourists regarding Green Island and estimates willingness-to-pay (WTP) values for island ecosystem services using a choice experiment. The results indicate significant differences between the preferences of residents and tourists regarding island environmental resources. Therefore, based on the multiple attributes and ecosystem services, this study formulated three assessment schemes: “environmental protection”, “recreational development”, and “integrated operation and management”. Based on our analysis of the problems reflected in the aforementioned valuation models, we recommend that policy makers refer to environmental attribute preferences to create statements or advertisements targeting relevant audiences when planning island development. This paper contributes to the literature by demonstrating how the economic valuation of island ecosystem services can help design and target island conservation policies in order to maximize welfare.
The History of Pastoral Activities in S Italy Inferred from Palynology: A Long-Term Perspective to Support Biodiversity Awareness
Authors: Florenzano Assunta
Published: January 2019

The present-day Mediterranean landscape is a result of the long-term human–environment–climate interactions that have driven the ecological dynamics throughout the Holocene. Pastoralism had (and still has) an important role in shaping this landscape, and contributes to maintaining the mosaic patterns of the Mediterranean habitats. Palaeoecological records provide significant multi-proxy data on environmental changes during the Holocene that are linked to human activities. In such research, the palynological approach is especially useful for detailing the complexity of anthropogenically-driven landscape transformations by discriminating past land uses and pastoral/breeding activities. This paper focuses on the palynological evidence for the impact of centuries of grazing on the vegetation of Basilicata, a region of southern Italy where animal breeding and pastoralism have a long tradition. A set of 121 pollen samples from eight archaeological sites (dated from the 6th century BC to the 15th century AD) and five modern surface soil samples were analyzed. The joint record of pollen pasture indicators and spores of coprophilous fungi suggests that continuous and intense pastoral activities have been practiced in the territory and have highly influenced its landscape. The palaeoecological results of this study provide us with better knowledge of the diachronical transformations of the habitats that were exposed to continuous grazing, with a shift toward more open vegetation and increase of sclerophyllous shrubs. The palynological approach gives insights into the vocation and environmental sustainability of this southern Italy region on a long-term basis.
The Long-Term Perspective of Human Impact on Landscape for Environmental Change (LoTEC) and Sustainability: From Botany to the Interdisciplinary Approach
Authors: Mercuri Anna Maria , Florenzano Assunta
Published: January 2019

This is not the first time the Earth has to experience dramatic environmental and climate changes but this seems to be the first time that a living species—humanity—is able to understand that great changes are taking place rapidly and that probably natural and anthropogenic forces are involved in the process that is under way [...]
Supercapacitor Energy Storage Device Using Biowastes: A Sustainable Approach to Green Energy
Authors: Mensah-Darkwa Kwadwo , Zequine Camila , Kahol Pawan K. , Gupta Ram K.
Published: January 2019

The demand for renewable energy sources worldwide has gained tremendous research attention over the past decades. Technologies such as wind and solar have been widely researched and reported in the literature. However, economical use of these technologies has not been widespread due partly to cost and the inability for service during of-source periods. To make these technologies more competitive, research into energy storage systems has intensified over the last few decades. The idea is to devise an energy storage system that allows for storage of electricity during lean hours at a relatively cheaper value and delivery later. Energy storage and delivery technologies such as supercapacitors can store and deliver energy at a very fast rate, offering high current in a short duration. The past decade has witnessed a rapid growth in research and development in supercapacitor technology. Several electrochemical properties of the electrode material and electrolyte have been reported in the literature. Supercapacitor electrode materials such as carbon and carbon-based materials have received increasing attention because of their high specific surface area, good electrical conductivity and excellent stability in harsh environments etc. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in biomass-derived activated carbons as an electrode material for supercapacitor applications. The development of an alternative supercapacitor electrode material from biowaste serves two main purposes: (1) It helps with waste disposal; converting waste to a useful product, and (2) it provides an economic argument for the substantiality of supercapacitor technology. This article reviews recent developments in carbon and carbon-based materials derived from biowaste for supercapacitor technology. A comparison between the various storage mechanisms and electrochemical performance of electrodes derived from biowaste is presented.
Adapting Models to Warn Fungal Diseases in Vineyards Using In-Field Internet of Things (IoT) Nodes
Authors: Trilles Oliver Sergio , González-Pérez Alberto , Huerta Guijarro Joaquín
Published: January 2019

Weather conditions are one of the main threats that can lead to diseases in crops. Unfavourable conditions, such as rain or high humidity, can produce a risk of fungal diseases. Meteorological monitoring is vital to have some indication of a possible infection. The literature contains a wide variety of models for warning for this type of disease.These are capable of warning when an infection may be present. Devices (weather stations) able to measure weather conditions in real-time are needed to know precisely when an infection occurs in a smallholding. Besides, such models cannot be executed at the same time in which the observations are collected; in fact, these models are usually executed in batches at a rate of one per day. Therefore, these models need to be adapted to run at the same frequency as that at which observations are collected so that a possible disease can be dealt with as early as possible. The primary aim of this work is to adapt disease warning models to run in (near) real-time over meteorological variables generated by Internet of Things (IoT) devices, in order to inform farmers as quickly as possible if their crop is in danger of being infected by diseases, and to enable them to tackle the infection with the appropriate treatments. The work is centered on vineyards and has been tested in four different smallholdings in the province of Castellón (Spain).
A Copula-Based Approach for Accommodating the Underreporting Effect in Wildlife‒Vehicle Crash Analysis
Authors: Zou Yajie , Zhong Xinzhi , Tang Jinjun , Ye Xin , Wu Lingtao , Ijaz Muhammad , Wang Yinhai
Published: January 2019

Wildlife‒vehicle collision (WVC) data usually contain two types: the reported WVC data and carcass removal data. Previous studies often found a discrepancy between the number of reported WVC and carcass removal data, and the quality of both datasets is affected by underreporting. Underreporting means the number of WVCs is not fully recorded in the database; neglecting the underreporting in WVC data may result in biased parameter estimation results. In this study, a copula regression model linking wildlife‒vehicle collisions and the underreporting outcome was proposed to consider the underreporting in WVC data. The WVC data collected from 10 highways in Washington State were analyzed using the copula regression model and the Negative Binomial (NB) model. The main findings from this study are as follows: (1) the Gaussian copula model can provide different modeling results when compared with the conventional modeling approach; (2) the hotspot identification results indicate that the Gaussian copula-based Empirical Bayes (EB) method can more accurately identify hotspots than the NB-based EB method. Thus, the proposed copula model may be a better alternative to the conventional NB model for modeling underreported WVC data.
A Fuzzy WASPAS-Based Approach to Determine Critical Information Infrastructures of EU Sustainable Development
Authors: Turskis Zenonas , Goranin Nikolaj , Nurusheva Assel , Boranbayev Seilkhan
Published: January 2019

Critical information infrastructure exists in different sectors of each country. Its loss or sustainability violation will lead to a negative impact on the supply of essential services, as well as on the social or economic well-being of the population. It also may even pose a threat to people’s health and lives. In the modern world, such infrastructure is more vulnerable and unstable than ever, due to rapid technological changes, and the emergence of a new type of threat—information threats. It is necessary to determine which infrastructure are of crucial importance when decision-makers aim to achieve the reliability of essential infrastructure. This article aims to solve the problem of ensuring the sustainable development of EU countries in terms of identifying critical information infrastructures. Integrated multi-criteria decision-making techniques based on fuzzy WASPAS and AHP methods are used to identify essential information infrastructures, which are related to a new type of potential threat to national security. The paper proposes a model for identifying critical information infrastructures, taking into account the sustainable development of countries.
Influence of Green Initiatives on Environmental, Economic and Operational Outcomes: The Case of the Brazilian Packaging Supply Chain
Authors: Tavares Antonio C. S. , Vanalle Rosangela M. , Camarotto João A.
Published: January 2019

The adoption of green initiatives in supply chains is fundamental in the relationship among companies that have the obligation to assume the principles of environmental management. Packages take part in this scenario and they are fundamental in guaranteeing the quality of the products and their commercialization, bringing about the concern with their final destination and impacts caused to the environment. The aim of this research was to verify if the adoption of green initiatives in the packaging supply chain affects the environmental, economic and operational outcomes of companies participating in this chain, according to the perception of professionals who work in these companies. The study was conducted by means of a survey directed to professionals of various hierarchical levels working in Brazilian industries of the packaging supply chain. It is a quantitative study, and responses were analyzed through statistical techniques. The results have pointed out that only the environmental outcomes of companies in this supply chain were influenced by the adoption of green initiatives.
Embodied Energy Flow Patterns of the Internal and External Industries of Manufacturing in China
Authors: Feng Zhijun , Zhou Wen , Ming Qian
Published: January 2019

The Sino–US trade war has prompted China to re-examine the development of manufacturing, while the energy crisis restricts such development. Scientifically planning industrial energy allocation is important for supporting industrial transformation and the upgrading of manufacturing. The embodied energy flow in China’s manufacturing was investigated by reconstructing the energy flow network; taking a systems perspective, a fine-grained analysis of the emerging patterns and evolution of these flows in the internal and external manufacturing industries was performed, thus providing useful insights for energy planning. The results show that in the internal and external networks of Chinese manufacturing, most of the embodied energy convergence and transmission is concentrated in a few industries Moreover, it is clear that industries with stronger embodied energy convergence and conductivity are generally more likely to be associated with industries with weak convergence and conductivity. Preferential selection is an important mechanism for the generation of embodied energy flow paths. The choices of the embodied energy flow paths of various industries exhibit the preference that ‘the rich get richer,’ and newly generated flow paths are more likely to be chosen for connectivity to a path of strong convergence or conductivity. The embodied energy flow patterns of the internal network of manufacturing mainly include two-focus and multi-focus convergence patterns, while that of the external network of manufacturing is mainly a two-focus transmission pattern. Within in-edge networks, communities of high-end manufacturing have gathered most of the embodied energy, while in out-edge networks, communities of traditional manufacturing have been key in the transmission of embodied energy. The impacts of the internal and external network types, and of the in-edge and out-edge types on the stability of the embodied energy flow pattern are separate, and the embodied energy flow pattern is stable. Based on these findings, an ‘energy-related industrial cluster’ model is proposed here to aid in energy convergence and transmission, as well as to realize network cluster synergy.
A Robust Framework for Self-Care Problem Identification for Children with Disability
Authors: Le Tuong , Baik Sung Wook
Published: January 2019

Recently, a standard dataset namely SCADI (Self-Care Activities Dataset) based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health for Children and Youth framework for self-care problems identification of children with physical and motor disabilities was introduced. This is a very interesting, important and challenging topic due to its usefulness in medical diagnosis. This study proposes a robust framework using a sampling technique and extreme gradient boosting (FSX) to improve the prediction performance for the SCADI dataset. The proposed framework first converts the original dataset to a new dataset with a smaller number of dimensions. Then, our proposed framework balances the new dataset in the previous step using oversampling techniques with different ratios. Next, extreme gradient boosting was used to diagnose the problems. The experiments in terms of prediction performance and feature importance were conducted to show the effectiveness of FSX as well as to analyse the results. The experimental results show that FSX that uses the Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE) for the oversampling module outperforms the ANN (Artificial Neural Network) -based approach, Support vector machine (SVM) and Random Forest for the SCADI dataset. The overall accuracy of the proposed framework reaches 85.4%, a pretty high performance, which can be used for self-care problem classification in medical diagnosis.
Spatial and Temporal Variation in Paralytic Shellfish Toxin Production by Benthic Microseira (Lyngbya) wollei in a Freshwater New York Lake
Authors: Smith Zacharias , Martin Robbie , Wei Bofan , Wilhelm Steven , Boyer Gregory
Published: January 2019

Butterfield Lake is a mesotrophic lake in New York State where residents and pets have experienced unexplained health issues. Microseira wollei (basionym Lyngbya wollei) was found at two of 15 sites in Butterfield Lake and analyzed for microcystins, anatoxins, cylindrospermopsins, and paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins (PSTs). Only PSTs and trace levels of anatoxin-a were detected in these samples. This is the first published report of PSTs within a New York State lake. To evaluate the environmental and temporal drivers leading to the observed toxicity, PST content at the two sites was examined in detail. There were distinct differences in the total PST content, filament nutrient, filament chlorophyll, and relationship to environmental drivers between the sites, as well as distinct differences in the total PST content measured using different analytical techniques. A multivariate model containing site, temperature, and filament chlorophyll explained 85% of the variation in PSTs observed over the growing season. This work emphasizes the importance of proper site selection and choice of analytical technique in the development of monitoring programs to protect lake users from the occurrence of benthic cyanobacteria toxins.
Differences in Dialysis Efficacy Have Limited Effects on Protein-Bound Uremic Toxins Plasma Levels over Time
Authors: Krieter Detlef H. , Kerwagen Simon , Rüth Marieke , Lemke Horst-Dieter , Wanner Christoph
Published: January 2019

The protein-bound uremic toxins para-cresyl sulfate (pCS) and indoxyl sulfate (IS) are associated with cardiovascular disease in chronic renal failure, but the effect of different dialysis procedures on their plasma levels over time is poorly studied. The present prospective, randomized, cross-over trial tested dialysis efficacy and monitored pre-treatment pCS and IS concentrations in 15 patients on low-flux and high-flux hemodialysis and high-convective volume postdilution hemodiafiltration over six weeks each. Although hemodiafiltration achieved by far the highest toxin removal, only the mean total IS level was decreased at week three (16.6 ± 12.1 mg/L) compared to baseline (18.9 ± 13.0 mg/L, p = 0.027) and to low-flux dialysis (20.0 ± 12.7 mg/L, p = 0.021). At week six, the total IS concentration in hemodiafiltration reached the initial values again. Concentrations of free IS and free and total pCS remained unaltered. Highest beta2-microglobulin elimination in hemodiafiltration (p < 0.001) led to a persistent decrease of the plasma levels at week three and six (each p < 0.001). In contrast, absent removal in low-flux dialysis resulted in rising beta2-microglobulin concentrations (p < 0.001). In conclusion, this trial demonstrated that even large differences in instantaneous protein-bound toxin removal by current extracorporeal dialysis techniques may have only limited impact on IS and pCS plasma levels in the longer term.
Highlights from the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) Experiment
Authors: Ghosh Saranya Samik , on behalf of the CMS Collaboration
Published: January 2019

The highlights of the recent activities and physics results leading up to the summer of 2018 from the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) are presented here. The CMS experiment has a very wide-ranging physics program, and only a very limited subset of the physics analyses being performed at CMS are discussed here, consisting of several important results from the analysis of proton-proton collision data at center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. These include important analyses of Higgs boson physics, with the highlight being the first observation of the t t ¯ H production of the Higgs boson, along with analyses pertaining to precision standard model measurements, top quark physics, with the single top production cross-section measurement, and flavor physics, with the important observation of χ b (3P) states. Additionally, important searches for physics beyond the standard model are also presented.
Role of Water User Associations on the Restoration of the Ecosystem in Tanzania
Authors: Ngonyani Happyness , Mourad Khaldoon A.
Published: January 2019

The Mkoji sub-catchment is the most populated sub-catchment in the uppermost part of the Rufiji basin in Tanzania, with critical users downstream, and it is vulnerable to water shortages. Despite the efforts made by governmental and non-governmental organizations in forming and supporting water user associations, little is known about their role on water resource management in the country. This study aimed to investigate the role of water user associations on the restoration of decreased environmental flow and degraded aquatic ecosystems in Tanzania, taking the Mkoji sub-catchment as a case study. Six water user associations were assessed, focusing on their strategies and influence on restoration, land use, ecosystem degradation, and their role in climate change mitigation strategies. Data were collected from various sources using interviews, focus group discussions and questionnaires. The Spearman correlation test was used to seek the relationship between the flow and the aquatic ecosystem. Statistical results showed that there was no correlation between the flow and rainfall, and there was a correlation between freshwater ecosystems and the flow. The results showed that 89% of the sample population accepted the decrease of the flow while 75% accepted the decrease of the fish catch in the freshwater ecosystem of the study. Based on the results obtained, the paper concluded that water user associations are doing a great job in management and restoration while politics, funding, and water permits were the main obstacles. Therefore, the government should play a role in restoring the ecosystem, bridging the gaps between farmers and animal keepers, land use planning, and developing aquaculture.
Developing a Biotechnological Tool for Monitoring Water Quality: In Vitro Clone Culture of the Aquatic Moss Fontinalis Antipyretica
Authors: Debén Sofía , Aboal Jesús Ramón , Giráldez Pablo , Varela Zulema , Fernández Jose Ángel
Published: January 2019

One of the main factors limiting active biomonitoring with aquatic mosses is the lack of sufficient material. A laboratory culture of the moss would solve this problem and thus convert the technique into a valuable biotechnological tool for monitoring water quality. With this aim, we first established small and large scale axenic in vitro culture systems for the aquatic moss Fontinalis antipyretica. We then attempted to enhance the growth rate of the cultures by modifying temperature, photoperiod and medium composition (N:P ratio, P concentration, CO2 supply, NH4NO3 supply and sucrose supply). None of these modifications greatly increased the in vitro growth rate. However, the growth rates were sufficiently high (relative to the initial weight of the cultures) in both systems (45 and 6 mg·day−1·g−1 for flasks and bioreactors respectively) to enable the production of large amounts of material. The ability to culture the material will substantially improve the applicability of the moss bag technique.
THE IMPACT OF EXTERIOR FINISH VAPOUR RESISTANCE ON THE MOISTURE STATE OF BUILDING WALLS
Authors: Šadauskienė Jolanta , Monstvilas Edmundas , Stankevičius Vytautas
Published: January 2019

At present, when the building walls covered with a painted thin render are insulated by the mineral wool slabs from outside, the defects caused by the condensed moisture accumulated in the envelopes become more and more frequent. Water vapour permeability of the exterior finish (ie the paint), if compared with the water vapour permeability of the mineral wool slab, is rather small. That is why the paint coating may become the barrier for the water vapour diffusion and thus create favourable conditions for moisture accumulation in the exterior layers of the envelope during cold seasons. As a rule, to eliminate the defects, the exterior surface is repainted on the former paint coating because the render is thin and mechanically easily damaged. Repainting the thin render surface causes the following: 1) an increase of the exterior coating's vapour resistance; 2) a growth of the condensation intensity in the envelope exterior layers during the of moisture accumulation; 3) a decrease of the durability of the render‐paint system. The restrictions for the envelope exterior layer sd have already been recommended to employ in the European Union. Since moisture accumulation inside the wall is determined by the local climate, it is important to find out whether the recommendations concerning the given sd value might be applied for the exterior layers of the building walls in Lithuania. To find it out, the calculations of the envelope state and laboratory experiments have been carried out. The paper aims at the analysis of the impact of vapour permeability and its properties in the exterior layers of the wall on the envelope moisture state. It has been determined that the increase of the sd value is disproportionate to the number of the paint layers or the thickness of the paint coating. It has also been determined that the increase of the sd value forms the pre-conditions for the increased moisture amount under service conditions caused by water diffusion and condensation. The experiments revealed that, under Lithuanian climatic conditions, in the exploited building walls the sd value of the exterior layer of the thin render should make sd < 0,5 m and sd < 0,6 m in the paint coating.
Unusual Isotopic Abundances in a Fully Convective Stellar Binary
Authors: Crossfield I. J. M. , Lothringer J. D. , Flores B. , Mills E. A. C. , Freedman R. , Valverde J. , Miles B. , Guo X. , Skemer A.
Published: January 2019

Low-mass M dwarfs represent the most common outcome of star formation, but their complex emergent spectra hinder detailed studies of their composition and initial formation. The measurement of isotopic ratios is a key tool that has been used to unlock the formation of our solar system, the Sun, and the nuclear processes within more massive stars. We observed GJ 745AB, two M dwarfs orbiting in a wide binary, with the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility/iSHELL spectrograph. Our spectroscopy of CO in these stars at the 4.7 μm fundamental and 2.3 μm first-overtone rovibrational bandheads reveals

,

, and

in their photospheres. Because the stars are fully convective, the atomic constituents of these isotopologues should be uniformly mixed throughout the stars’ interiors. We find that in these M dwarfs, both

/

and

/

greatly exceed the Solar values. These measurements cannot be explained solely by models of Galactic chemical evolution, but require that the stars formed from an interstellar medium significantly enriched by material ejected from an exploding core-collapse supernova. These isotopic measurements complement the elemental abundances provided by large-scale spectroscopic surveys, and open a new window onto studies of Galactic evolution, stellar populations, and individual systems.
A Quasi-periodic Propagating Wave and Extreme-ultraviolet Waves Excited Simultaneously in a Solar Eruption Event
Authors: Miao Y. H. , Liu Y. , Shen Y. D. , Li H. B. , Abidin Z. Z. , Elmhamdi A. , Kordi A. S.
Published: January 2019

Quasi-periodic fast-propagating (QFP) magnetosonic waves and extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) waves were proposed to be driven by solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), respectively. In this Letter, we present a detailed analysis of an interesting event in which we find that both QFP magnetosonic waves and EUV waves are excited simultaneously in one solar eruption event. The co-existence of the two wave phenomena offers an excellent opportunity to explore their driving mechanisms. The QFP waves propagate in a funnel-like loop system with a speed of 682–837 km s

and a lifetime of 2 minutes. On the contrary, the EUV waves, which present a faster component and a slower component, propagate in a wide angular extent, experiencing reflection and refraction across a magnetic quasi-separatrix layer. The faster component of the EUV waves travels with a speed of 412–1287 km s

, whereas the slower component travels with a speed of 246–390 km s

. The lifetime of the EUV waves is ∼15 minutes. It is revealed that the faster component of the EUV waves is cospatial with the first wavefront of the QFP wave train. The QFP waves have a period of about 45 ± 5 s, which is absent in the associated flares. All of these results imply that QFP waves can also be excited by mass ejections, including CMEs or jets.
Evaluation of Serum Interleukin-6 Levels in the Renal Transplant Recipients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Case-Control Studies
Authors: Omrani Hamidreza , Jasemi Sayed Vahid , Sadeghi Masoud , Golmohamadi Sima
Published: January 2019

AIM: The purpose of this meta-analysis was the assessment of the serum IL-6 levels in the renal transplant recipients compared to the healthy controls.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Four databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library were searched up to July 2018 without language restriction. The quality of studies was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS). A continuous random-effects meta-analysis was used by RevMan 5.3 using the mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Also, a regression model was done by Comprehensive Meta-Analysis version 2 (CMA v2).
RESULTS: Out of 615 studies identified in the databases, 15 studies included and analysed in the meta-analysis. The studies were reported from 1994 to 2018. The meta-analysis included 1035 renal transplant recipients and 682 healthy controls. The pooled MD of the serum IL-6 levels in the transplant recipients compared to the healthy controls was 3.25 pg/mL [95%CI: 2.17, 4.32; P < 0.00001; I2 = 98% (P < 0.00001)]. Meta-regression analysis showed that one of the reasons of heterogeneity is the year of publication (Correlation coefficient (r) = 0.208, p-value = 0.00002).
CONCLUSION: An elevated serum IL-6 level in the renal transplant recipients compared to the healthy controls showed that the serum level of this marker could be used for the evaluation of inflammation in ESRD patients undergoing renal transplantation.
Socio-Economic Status Inequity in Self Rated Health in Patients with Breast Cancer
Authors: Taheri Majid , Tavakol Mohammad , Akbari Mohammad Esmaeil , Mohammadbeigi Abolfazl , Abbasi Mahmoud
Published: January 2019

AIM: We investigate the evaluation of socio-economic status (SES) inequality on self-rated health (SRH) at women with breast cancer. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study METHODS: The current study conducted on all 270 breast cancer patients that were admitted to one of the hospitals of Arak University Medical Sciences (Arak, Iran from April to July 2018) by census (using non-random sampling (accessible sampling). SES was calculated by asset-based questionnaire and Principle Component Analysis (PCA) was performed to estimate the families' SES. Concentration Index (C) and Curve (CC) was used to measure SES inequality in SRH. The data were analysed with Stata software. RESULTS: The number of persons with good SRH by the level of SES was 165 (61.1%) and with poor SRH was 105 (38.9%). The number of persons with good SRH in comparison to same-aged people by level of SES was 135 (50%) and with poor SRH was 135 (50%). Concentration index of SRH in all level of SES was 0.061 (SE = 0.03). Also, Concentration index for SRH in comparison to same-aged people at different levels of SES was -0.044 (SE = 0.03). CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that there is inequality in SRH in a patient with breast cancer of the richest level of SES.
Predictors of Mortality in Pulmonary Haemorrhage during SLE: A Single Centre Study Over Eleven Years
Authors: Masoodi Ibrahim , Sirwal Irshad A. , Anwar Shaikh Khurshid , Alzaidi Ahmed , Balbaid Khalid A.
Published: January 2019

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary haemorrhage (PH) is a serious complication during Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).
AIM: The aim was to present data on 12 patients of SLE with classic symptoms and signs of PH admitted throughout eleven years.
METHODS: This retrospective study was carried out at King Abdul Aziz Specialist hospital in Taif-a tertiary care hospital in the western region of Saudi Arabia. The data was analysed from the case files of SLE patients who had episodes of PH throughout 11 years (January 2007 to December 2017).
RESULTS: Twelve patients (10 females and 2 males) were found to have diffuse pulmonary haemorrhage during their SLE in the study period. Of 12 patients with confirmed pulmonary haemorrhage (hemoptysis, hypoxemia, new infiltrates on chest radiography, fall in haemoglobin and hemorrhagic returns of bronchoalveolar lavage with hemosiderin-laden macrophages) 4 patients had PH as the first presentation of SLE and 8 patients developed this complication during the disease. All patients presented with shortness of breath and hemoptysis. The most common extra-pulmonary involvement in the study cohort was renal (83%), which ranged from clinical nephritis, nephrotic syndrome to acute renal failure. All patients were managed in intensive care of the hospital, and of 12 patients, 9 (75%) required mechanical ventilation. All patients were uniformly treated with pulse Methylprednisolone; 9 received Cyclophosphamide, 6 received IVIG, and 4 received Plasmapheresis. Only 3 patients (25%) survived despite maximum possible support during their mean hospital stay of 18 Â± 5 days.
CONCLUSION: The requirement of mechanical ventilation and the association of renal and neuropsychiatric complications predicted mortality in patients with pulmonary haemorrhage.