bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Pilot Study to Evaluate the Acceptability of Using a Smart Pillbox to Enhance Medication Adherence Among Primary Care Patients
Authors: Choi Edmond Pui Hang
Published: October 2019

Smart pillboxes that remind patients to take medication may help avoid unintended non-adherence to medication regimens. To better understand the implementation potential of smart pillboxes among patients with chronic diseases, this study aimed to explore patients’ acceptability to use such devices and its associated factors. Five-hundred primary care patients aged 40 years or older were randomly recruited from a government-funded primary care clinic in Hong Kong. Patients were asked (i) if they needed to take medication daily, (ii) how many daily oral medications they needed to take on average, (iii) if they had ever missed a dose by accident, and (iv) if they were willing to use a smart pillbox for free to remind them to take medication. Out of the 344 participants included in the analysis who needed to take daily oral medication, 49.1% reported having previously missed a dose by accident, and 70.6% were willing to use a smart pillbox for free. A multiple logistic regression model found that male patients (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 0.59) and patients with hypertension (aOR: 0.56) were less likely to have previously missed a dose by accident. Patients who needed to take a greater number of daily medications (aOR: 1.16), who had previously missed a dose by accident (aOR: 2.44), with heart disease (aOR: 3.67) and with a high monthly income (aOR: 2.30) were more willing to use a smart pillbox, while older patients (aOR: 0.95) were less willing to do so. Primary care patients who reported missing a dose by accident were 2.4 times as likely to want to use a smart pillbox while those with heart disease were almost 4 times as likely to want to use a smart pillbox. Further studies such as those evaluating the willingness to pay for smart pillboxes and randomised control trials to evaluate the effectiveness of smart pillboxes in enhancing medication adherence should be conducted to provide more evidence about the implementation potential of such devices.
Identification and Characterization of Tomato SWI3-Like Proteins: Overexpression of SlSWIC Increases the Leaf Size in Transgenic Arabidopsis
Authors: Zhao Zhongyi , Li Tao , Peng Xiuling , Wu Keqiang , Yang Songguang
Published: October 2019

As the subunits of the SWI/SNF (mating-type switching (SWI) and sucrose nonfermenting (SNF)) chromatin-remodeling complexes (CRCs), Swi3-like proteins are crucial to chromatin remodeling in yeast and human. Growing evidence indicate that AtSWI3s are also essential for development and response to hormones in Arabidopsis. Nevertheless, the biological functions of Swi3-like proteins in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) have not been investigated. Here we identified four Swi3-like proteins from tomato, namely SlSWI3A, SlSWI3B, SlSWI3C, and SlSWI3D. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that all SlSWI3s are localized in the nucleus. The expression patterns showed that all SlSWI3s are ubiquitously expressed in all tissues and organs, and SlSWI3A and SlSWI3B can be induced by cold treatment. In addition, we found that SlSWI3B can form homodimers with itself and heterodimers with SlSWI3A and SlSWI3C. SlSWI3B can also interact with SlRIN and SlCHR8, two proteins involved in tomato reproductive development. Overexpression of SlSWI3C increased the leaf size in transgenic Arabidopsis with increased expression of GROWTH REGULATING FACTORs, such as GRF3, GRF5, and GRF6. Taken together, our results indicate that SlSWI3s may play important roles in tomato growth and development.
Type IV Collagen Is Essential for Proper Function of Integrin-Mediated Adhesion in Drosophila Muscle Fibers
Authors: Kiss András A. , Somlyai-Popovics Nikoletta , Kiss Márton , Boldogkői Zsolt , Csiszár Katalin , Mink Mátyás
Published: October 2019

Congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD), a subgroup of myopathies is a genetically and clinically heterogeneous group of inherited muscle disorders and is characterized by progressive muscle weakness, fiber size variability, fibrosis, clustered necrotic fibers, and central myonuclei present in regenerating muscle. Type IV collagen (COL4A1) mutations have recently been identified in patients with intracerebral, vascular, renal, ophthalmologic pathologies and congenital muscular dystrophy, consistent with diagnoses of Walker–Warburg Syndrome or Muscle–Eye–Brain disease. Morphological characteristics of muscular dystrophy have also been demonstrated Col4a1 mutant mice. Yet, several aspects of the pathomechanism of COL4A1-associated muscle defects remained largely uncharacterized. Based on the results of genetic, histological, molecular, and biochemical analyses in an allelic series of Drosophila col4a1 mutants, we provide evidence that col4a1 mutations arise by transitions in glycine triplets, associate with severely compromised muscle fibers within the single-layer striated muscle of the common oviduct, characterized by loss of sarcomere structure, disintegration and streaming of Z-discs, indicating an essential role for the COL4A1 protein. Features of altered cytoskeletal phenotype include actin bundles traversing over sarcomere units, amorphous actin aggregates, atrophy, and aberrant fiber size. The mutant COL4A1-associated defects appear to recapitulate integrin-mediated adhesion phenotypes observed in RNA-inhibitory Drosophila. Our results provide insight into the mechanistic details of COL4A1-associated muscle disorders and suggest a role for integrin-collagen interaction in the maintenance of sarcomeres.
Relationship between Microsatellite Instability, Immune Cells Infiltration, and Expression of Immune Checkpoint Molecules in Ovarian Carcinoma: Immunotherapeutic Strategies for the Future
Authors: Yamashita Hitomi , Nakayama Kentaro , Ishikawa Masako , Ishibashi Tomoka , Nakamura Kohei , Sawada Kiyoka , Yoshimura Yuki , Tatsumi Nagisa , Kurose Sonomi , Minamoto Toshiko , Iida Kouji , Razia Sultana , Ishikawa Noriyoshi , Kyo Satoru
Published: October 2019

Ovarian cancer has the worst prognosis among gynecological cancers. Thus, new ovarian cancer treatment strategies are needed. Currently, immune checkpoint inhibitors such as anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibody are attracting attention worldwide. The Food and Drug Administration approved the use of the PD-1 antibody pembrolizumab for solid cancers with microsatellite instability (MSI)-H or mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency in 2017. However, few studies on ovarian carcinoma have evaluated the relationship among MSI status, lymphocyte infiltration into the tumor, and the expression of immune checkpoint molecules by histologic type. We evaluated the expression of MMR proteins, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (CD8+), and immune checkpoint molecules (PD-L1/PD-1) by immunohistochemistry in 136 ovarian cancer patients (76, 13, 23, and 24 cases were high-grade serous, mucinous, endometrioid, and clear cell carcinoma, respectively) to investigate the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Only six cases (4.4%) had loss of MMR protein expression. There was no significant relationship between MSI status and age (p = 0.496), FIGO stage (p = 0.357), initial treatment (primary debulking surgery [PDS] or neoadjuvant chemotherapy) (p = 0.419), residual tumor after PDS or interval debulking surgery (p = 0.202), and expression of CD8 (p = 0.126), PD-L1 (p = 0.432), and PD-1 (p = 0.653). These results suggest that only a small number of MSI cases in ovarian cancer can be effectively treated with immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy. Therefore, to improve the prognosis of ovarian carcinoma, a combination therapy of immune checkpoint inhibitors and other anticancer drugs is necessary.
Myoferlin Regulates Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling-Mediated Skeletal Muscle Development by Stabilizing Dishevelled-2 Against Autophagy
Authors: Han Shunshun , Cui Can , He Haorong , Shen Xiaoxu , Chen Yuqi , Wang Yan , Li Diyan , Zhu Qing , Yin Huadong
Published: October 2019

Myoferlin (MyoF), which is a calcium/phospholipid-binding protein expressed in cardiac and muscle tissues, belongs to the ferlin family. While MyoF promotes myoblast differentiation, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we found that MyoF not only promotes C2C12 myoblast differentiation, but also inhibits muscle atrophy and autophagy. In the present study, we found that myoblasts fail to develop into mature myotubes due to defective differentiation in the absence of MyoF. Meanwhile, MyoF regulates the expression of atrophy-related genes (Atrogin-1 and MuRF1) to rescue muscle atrophy. Furthermore, MyoF interacts with Dishevelled-2 (Dvl-2) to activate canonical Wnt signaling. MyoF facilitates Dvl-2 ubiquitination resistance by reducing LC3-labeled Dvl-2 levels and antagonizing the autophagy system. In conclusion, we found that MyoF plays an important role in myoblast differentiation during skeletal muscle atrophy. At the molecular level, MyoF protects Dvl-2 against autophagy-mediated degradation, thus promoting activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Together, our findings suggest that MyoF, through stabilizing Dvl-2 and preventing autophagy, regulates Wnt/β-catenin signaling-mediated skeletal muscle development.
A2B Adenosine Receptor and Cancer
Authors: Gao Zhan-Guo , Jacobson Kenneth A.
Published: October 2019

There are four subtypes of adenosine receptors (ARs), named A1, A2A, A2B and A3, all of which are G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Locally produced adenosine is a suppressant in anti-tumor immune surveillance. The A2BAR, coupled to both Gαs and Gαi G proteins, is one of the several GPCRs that are expressed in a significantly higher level in certain cancer tissues, in comparison to adjacent normal tissues. There is growing evidence that the A2BAR plays an important role in tumor cell proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis, and immune suppression. Thus, A2BAR antagonists are novel, potentially attractive anticancer agents. Several antagonists targeting A2BAR are currently in clinical trials for various types of cancers. In this review, we first describe the signaling, agonists, and antagonists of the A2BAR. We further discuss the role of the A2BAR in the progression of various cancers, and the rationale of using A2BAR antagonists in cancer therapy.
Role of CpxR in Biofilm Development: Expression of Key Fimbrial, O-Antigen and Virulence Operons of Salmonella Enteritidis
Authors: Shetty Deeksha , Abrahante Juan , Chekabab Samuel , Wu Xuxiaochen , Korber Darren , Vidovic Sinisa
Published: October 2019

Salmonella Enteritidis is a non-typhoidal serovar of great public health significance worldwide. The RpoE sigma factor and CpxRA two-component system are the major regulators of the extracytoplasmic stress response. In this study, we found that the CpxR has highly significant, but opposite effects on the auto-aggregation and swarming motility of S. Enteritidis. Auto-aggregation was negatively affected in the ∆cpxR mutant, whereas the same mutant significantly out-performed its wild-type counterpart with respect to swarming motility, indicating that the CpxR plays a role in biofilm-associated phenotypes. Indeed, biofilm-related assays showed that the CpxR is of critical importance in biofilm development under both static (microtiter plate) and dynamic (flow cell) media flow conditions. In contrast, the RpoE sigma factor showed no significant role in biofilm development under dynamic conditions. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that the cpxR mutation negatively affected the constitutive expression of the operons critical for biosynthesis of O-antigen and adherence, but positively affected the expression of virulence genes critical for Salmonella-mediated endocytosis. Conversely, CpxR induced the expression of curli csgAB and fimbrial stdAC operons only during biofilm development and flagellar motAB and fliL operons exclusively during the planktonic phase, indicating a responsive biofilm-associated loop of the CpxR regulator.
Ellipsoidal Abstract and Illustrative Representations of Molecular Surfaces
Authors: Liang Meng , Fu Yuhang , Gao Ruibo , Wang Qiaoqiao , Nie Junlan
Published: October 2019

Molecular visualization is often challenged with rendering of large molecular structures in real time. The key to LOD (level-of-detail), a classical technology, lies in designing a series of hierarchical abstractions of protein. In the paper, we improved the smoothness of transition for these abstractions by constructing a complete binary tree of a protein. In order to reduce the degree of expansion of the geometric model corresponding to the high level of abstraction, we introduced minimum ellipsoidal enveloping and some post-processing techniques. At the same time, a simple, ellipsoid drawing method based on graphics processing unit (GPU) is used that can guarantee that the drawing speed is not lower than the existing sphere-drawing method. Finally, we evaluated the rendering performance and effect on series of molecules with different scales. The post-processing techniques applied, diffuse shading and contours, further conceal the expansion problem and highlight the surface details.
Synthesis of a Half-Sandwich Hydroxidoiridium(III) Complex Bearing a Nonprotic N-Sulfonyldiamine Ligand and Its Transformations Triggered by the Brønsted Basicity
Authors: Kamezaki Shoko , Kayaki Yoshihito , Kuwata Shigeki , Ikariya Takao
Published: October 2019

Synthesis and reactivities of a new mononuclear hydroxidoiridium(III) complex with a pentamethylcyclopentadienyl (Cp*) ligand are reported. The hydroxido ligand was introduced into an iridium complex having a nonprotic amine chelate derived from N-mesyl-N’,N’-dimethylethylenediamine by substitution of the chloride ligand using KOH. The resulting hydroxidoiridium complex was characterized by NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and X-ray crystallography. The hydroxido complex was able to deprotonate benzamide and acetonitrile, and showed an ability to accept a hydride from 2-propanol to generate the corresponding hydrido complex quantitatively. In the reaction with mandelonitrile, a cyanide anion was transferred to the iridium center in preference to the hydride transfer. The cyanidoiridium complex was also identified in the reaction with acetone cyanohydrin, and could serve as catalyst species in the transfer hydrocyanation of benzaldehyde.
Clinical Benefit of Long-Term Disease Control with Pomalidomide and Dexamethasone in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma Patients
Authors: Parisi Marina Silvia , Leotta Salvatore , Romano Alessandra , Del Fabro Vittorio , Martino Enrica Antonia , Calafiore Valeria , Giubbolini Rachele , Markovic Uros , Leotta Valerio , Di Giorgio Mary Ann , Tibullo Daniele , Di Raimondo Francesco , Conticello Concetta
Published: October 2019

Background: We retrospectively analysed relapsed/refractory MM (RRMM) patients treated with pomalidomide and dexamethasone (PomaD) either in real life, or previously enrolled in an interventional (STRATUS, MM-010) or currently enrolled in an observational study (MM-015) to provide further insights on safety and tolerability and clinical efficacy. Methods: Between July 2013 and July 2018, 76 RRMM patients (including 33 double refractory MM) received pomalidomide 4 mg daily given orally on days 1–21 of each 28-day cycle, and dexamethasone 40 mg weekly (≤75 years) or 20 mg weekly for patients aged > 75 years. In nine patients a third agent was added to increase the response: Cyclophosphamide (in two fit patients) or clarithromycin (in seven frail patients). Patients received subcutaneous filgrastim as part of the prophylaxis regimen for neutropenia. Results: A median number of six (range 2–21) PomaD cycles were given. The regimen was well tolerated with grade 3–4 haematological and non-haematological adverse events in 39 (51%) and 25 (33%) patients, respectively. In patients who developed serious AE, pomalidomide dose reduction (11%, 14%) or definitive discontinuation (18%, 23%) were applied. All patients have been evaluated for response within the first two cycles. The disease control rate (DCR), i.e., those patients that had a response equal or better than stable disease (≥ SD), was high (89%), with 44% overall response rate (ORR) after six cycles. The achieved best responses were complete remission (CR, 5%), very good partial remission (VGPR, 4%), partial remission (PR, 35%), minimal response (MR, 7%), and stable disease (SD, 38%). After a median follow up of 19.6 months, median progression free survival was 9.4 months, and overall survival (OS) was 19.02 months. Univariate analysis showed that double refractory patients, or who received more than three previous lines had shorter PFS. At 18 months, regardless of the depth of response, patients with a disease control of at least six months, defined as maintenance of a best clinical and/or biochemical response to treatment for almost six months, had prolonged PFS (35.3% versus 20.6%, p = 0.0003) and OS (81.2% versus 15.9%, p < 0.0001) Conclusions: Our findings indicate that PomaD is a safe and well-tolerated regimen in real-life, associated with prolonged PFS and OS with acceptable toxicity. Moreover, Pd induced disease control in most intensively pre-treated patients and some of them achieved longer PFS than that obtained with the previous treatment.
The Association between Nutritional Markers and Heart Rate Variability Indices in Patients Undergoing Chronic Hemodialysis
Authors: Wu Eric , Huang Ya-Ting , Chang Yu-Ming , Chen I-Ling , Yang Chuan-Lan , Leu Show-Chin , Su Hung-Li , Kao Jsun-Liang , Tsai Shih-Ching , Jhen Rong-Na , Shiao Chih-Chung ,   on behalf of SMHGRG (Saint Mary’s Hospital Geriatric Research Group)
Published: October 2019

The associations between nutritional markers and heart rate variability (HRV) are poorly addressed. This study aimed to evaluate whether malnutrition is associated with the altered autonomic nervous system (ANS) function. This cross-sectional study was conducted enrolling 175 patients (100 women, mean age 65.1 ± 12.9 years) receiving chronic hemodialysis in a teaching hospital from June to August 2010. We performed HRV measurements before and during the index hemodialysis and compared these HRV values between two groups categorized by the individual nutritional marker. By using the multivariate generalized estimating equation with adjustment, we exhibited the independent associations between HRV and poor nutritional status defined by serum albumin < 3.8 g/dL, total cholesterol < 100 mg/dL, body mass index < 23 kg/m2, bodyweight loss within six months > 10%, bodyweight loss within three months > 5%, and normalized protein catabolic rate < 1.1 g/kg BW/day. The current study disclosed ANS impairment in hemodialysis patients with poor nutritional status. The impaired ANS function might be a potential mechanism linking malnutrition to subsequent adverse prognoses in hemodialysis patients. Further investigations are warranted to confirm these findings and clarify the causal association among this complex issue.
NK Cell-Based Immunotherapy for Hematological Malignancies
Authors: Sivori Simona , Meazza Raffaella , Quintarelli Concetta , Carlomagno Simona , Della Chiesa Mariella , Falco Michela , Moretta Lorenzo , Locatelli Franco , Pende Daniela
Published: October 2019

Natural killer (NK) lymphocytes are an integral component of the innate immune system and represent important effector cells in cancer immunotherapy, particularly in the control of hematological malignancies. Refined knowledge of NK cellular and molecular biology has fueled the interest in NK cell-based antitumor therapies, and recent efforts have been made to exploit the high potential of these cells in clinical practice. Infusion of high numbers of mature NK cells through the novel graft manipulation based on the selective depletion of T cells and CD19+ B cells has resulted into an improved outcome in children with acute leukemia given human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-haploidentical hematopoietic transplantation. Likewise, adoptive transfer of purified third-party NK cells showed promising results in patients with myeloid malignancies. Strategies based on the use of cytokines or monoclonal antibodies able to induce and optimize NK cell activation, persistence, and expansion also represent a novel field of investigation with remarkable perspectives of favorably impacting on outcome of patients with hematological neoplasia. In addition, preliminary results suggest that engineering of mature NK cells through chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) constructs deserve further investigation, with the goal of obtaining an “off-the-shelf” NK cell bank that may serve many different recipients for granting an efficient antileukemia activity.
Acute Kidney Injury after Lung Transplantation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Lertjitbanjong Ploypin , Thongprayoon Charat , Cheungpasitporn Wisit , O’Corragain Oisín A. , Srivali Narat , Bathini Tarun , Watthanasuntorn Kanramon , Aeddula Narothama Reddy , Salim Sohail Abdul , Ungprasert Patompong , Gillaspie Erin A. , Wijarnpreecha Karn , Mao Michael A. , Kaewput Wisit
Published: October 2019

Background: Lung transplantation has been increasingly performed worldwide and is considered an effective therapy for patients with various causes of end-stage lung diseases. We performed a systematic review to assess the incidence and impact of acute kidney injury (AKI) and severe AKI requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT) in patients after lung transplantation. Methods: A literature search was conducted utilizing Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Database from inception through June 2019. We included studies that evaluated the incidence of AKI, severe AKI requiring RRT, and mortality risk of AKI among patients after lung transplantation. Pooled incidence and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were obtained using random-effects meta-analysis. The protocol for this meta-analysis is registered with PROSPERO (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews; no. CRD42019134095). Results: A total of 26 cohort studies with a total of 40,592 patients after lung transplantation were enrolled. Overall, the pooled estimated incidence rates of AKI (by standard AKI definitions) and severe AKI requiring RRT following lung transplantation were 52.5% (95% CI: 45.8–59.1%) and 9.3% (95% CI: 7.6–11.4%). Meta-regression analysis demonstrated that the year of study did not significantly affect the incidence of AKI (p = 0.22) and severe AKI requiring RRT (p = 0.68). The pooled ORs of in-hospital mortality in patients after lung transplantation with AKI and severe AKI requiring RRT were 2.75 (95% CI, 1.18–6.41) and 10.89 (95% CI, 5.03–23.58). At five years, the pooled ORs of mortality among patients after lung transplantation with AKI and severe AKI requiring RRT were 1.47 (95% CI, 1.11–1.94) and 4.79 (95% CI, 3.58–6.40), respectively. Conclusion: The overall estimated incidence rates of AKI and severe AKI requiring RRT in patients after lung transplantation are 52.5% and 9.3%, respectively. Despite advances in therapy, the incidence of AKI in patients after lung transplantation does not seem to have decreased. In addition, AKI after lung transplantation is significantly associated with reduced short-term and long-term survival.
Multi-Cycle Process Signature of Laser-Induced Thermochemical Polishing
Authors: Eckert Sandro
Published: October 2019

Laser-induced thermochemical polishing (LCP) is a non-conventional processing technique that uses laser radiation to smooth the surface of self-passivated metallic parts by initiating a localized anodic material dissolution. This technology can be used to selectively micro-polish without the need for masking or thermal and mechanical stress. However, there is still a lack in understanding the surface quality depending on the applied laser machining parameters. This paper takes up the concept of Process Signatures and interprets the surface smoothing as result of multiple, recurring internal material loads of a constant energy amount. The laser-induced thermal impact is identified as the relevant internal material load and is correlated with the surface roughness. This derives an empirical-based functional relation as multi-cycle Process Signature. The experiment results show an exponential decay in surface roughness with increasing cycle loads for titanium, Ti6Al4V, Nitinol, Stellite 21, and metallic glass. The Process Signature of LCP is a solution to a differential equation with respect to the cycle loads. The paper demonstrates how the multi-cycle Process Signature helps determine suitable machining parameters to predict the surface roughness, as well as to scale the polishing rate.
The Legal Boundaries of ‘Public Purpose’ in India and South Africa: A Comparative Assessment in Light of the Voluntary Guidelines
Authors: Hoops Björn , Tagliarino Nicholas K.
Published: October 2019

The Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure (VGGT) call for governments to clearly define the term ‘public purpose’ to allow for judicial review of the goals of expropriations of property. However, recent research indicates that national-level legal frameworks that govern expropriation decision-making not only vary greatly from country to country but also often fail to comply with the VGGT standards on expropriation. This creates the potential for unpredictable and, in some cases, arbitrary applications of expropriation law in practice. Focusing on legal norms and jurisprudence applicable to ‘public purpose’ decision-making in South Africa and India, this article provides a comparative analysis of these countries’ legal frameworks as means of ascertaining (1) the current legal boundaries to decisions on the expropriation’s goal; (2) whether these boundaries comply with the VGGTs; and (3) what these two countries can learn from one another in terms enacting legislation and regulations that comply with the VGGTs. To conduct this comparative analysis, we thoroughly examine constitutional provisions, relevant case law, legislation, regulations, and relevant secondary sources to highlight the current status of India’s and South Africa’s law on ‘public purpose’ and how they relate to the VGGTs. We conclude by distilling some key findings that can inform the decisions of expropriation lawmakers in both countries, especially in South Africa where a draft Expropriation Bill is currently being considered.
Spanish Grammatical Gender Interference in Papiamentu
Authors: Valdés Kroff Jorge R. , Rooijakkers Frederieke , Parafita Couto M. Carmen
Published: October 2019

The aim of this study is to determine whether Spanish-like gender agreement causes interference in speakers of Papiamentu (a Western Romance-lexified creole language) who also speak Spanish. Papiamentu and Spanish are highly cognate languages in terms of their lexicons. However, Papiamentu lacks grammatical gender assignment and agreement, leading to cognate words with major morpho-syntactic differences. A total of 41 participants with different linguistic profiles (Papiamentu-dominant, Dutch-dominant, Spanish-dominant, and Spanish heritage speaker-Papiamentu bilinguals) listened to 82 Papiamentu sentences, of which 40 contained a Spanish-like gender-agreeing element on the Determiner, Adjective, or Determiner + Adjective and with half of the experimental items marked with overtly masculine (i.e., -o) or feminine (i.e., -a) gender morphology. Participants performed a forced-choice acceptability task and were asked to repeat each sentence. Results showed that Spanish-dominant speakers experienced the greatest interference of Spanish gender features in Papiamentu. This suggests that in cases where speakers must suppress gender in their second language (L2), this is not easy to do. This is especially the case in highly cognate languages that differ in whether they realize gender features.
Effect of Doping Temperatures and Nitrogen Precursors on the Physicochemical, Optical, and Electrical Conductivity Properties of Nitrogen-Doped Reduced Graphene Oxide
Authors: Ngidi Nonjabulo P. D. , Ollengo Moses A. , Nyamori Vincent O.
Published: October 2019

The greatest challenge in graphene-based material synthesis is achieving large surface area of high conductivity. Thus, tuning physico-electrochemical properties of these materials is of paramount importance. An even greater problem is to obtain a desired dopant configuration which allows control over device sensitivity and enhanced reproducibility. In this work, substitutional doping of graphene oxide (GO) with nitrogen atoms to induce lattice–structural modification of GO resulted in nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-rGO). The effect of doping temperatures and various nitrogen precursors on the physicochemical, optical, and conductivity properties of N-rGO is hereby reported. This was achieved by thermal treating GO with different nitrogen precursors at various doping temperatures. The lowest doping temperature (600 °C) resulted in less thermally stable N-rGO, yet with higher porosity, while the highest doping temperature (800 °C) produced the opposite results. The choice of nitrogen precursors had a significant impact on the atomic percentage of nitrogen in N-rGO. Nitrogen-rich precursor, 4-nitro-ο-phenylenediamine, provided N-rGO with favorable physicochemical properties (larger surface area of 154.02 m2 g−1) with an enhanced electrical conductivity (0.133 S cm−1) property, making it more useful in energy storage devices. Thus, by adjusting the doping temperatures and nitrogen precursors, one can tailor various properties of N-rGO.
The Photocatalytic Degradation of Vehicle Exhausts by an Fe/N/Co–TiO2 Waterborne Coating under Visible Light
Authors: Xia Huiyun , Liu Guanyu , Zhang Rui , Song Lifang , Chen Huaxin
Published: October 2019

Based on the three-dimensional network structure of a polymer and the principle of photocatalysts, a visible-light-responsive and durable photocatalytic coating for the degradation of vehicle exhaust (VE) has been constructed using a waterborne acrylic acid emulsion as the coating substrate; Fe/N/Co–TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) as photocatalytic components; and water, pigments, and fillers as additives. The visible-light-responsive Fe/N/Co–TiO2 NPs with an average size of 100 nm were prepared by sol-gel method firstly. The co-doping of three elements extended the absorption range of the modified TiO2 nanoparticles to the visible light region, and showed the highest light absorption intensity, which was confirmed by the ultraviolet-visible absorption spectra (UV-Vis). X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements showed that element doping prevents the transition from anatase to rutile and increases the transition temperature. TiO2 was successfully doped due to the reduction of the chemical binding energy of Ti, as revealed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The degradation rates of NOX, CO, and CO2 in VE by Fe/N/Co–TiO2 NPs under visible light were 71.43%, 23.79%, and 21.09%, respectively. In contrast, under the same conditions, the degradation efficiencies of coating for VE decreased slightly. Moreover, the elementary properties of the coating, including pencil hardness, adhesive strength, water resistance, salt, and alkali resistance met the code requirement. The photocatalytic coating exhibited favorable reusability and durability, as shown by the reusability and exposure test.
High-Efficiency p-Type Si Solar Cell Fabricated by Using Firing-Through Aluminum Paste on the Cell Back Side
Authors: Wu Guang , Liu Yuan , Liu Mengxue , Zhang Yi , Zhu Peng , Wang Min , Zheng Genhua , Wang Guangwei , Wang Deliang
Published: October 2019

Firing-through paste used for rear-side metallization of p-type monocrystalline silicon passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) solar cells was developed. The rear-side passivation Al2O3 layer and the SiNx layer can be effectively etched by the firing-through paste. Ohmic contact with a contact resistivity between 1 to 10 mΩ·cm2 was successfully fabricated. Aggressive reactive firing-through paste would introduce non-uniform etching and high-density recombination centers at the Si/paste interface. Good balance between low resistive contact formation and relatively high open-circuit voltage can be achieved by adjusting glass frit and metal powder content in the paste. Patterned dot back contacts formed by firing-through paste can further decrease recombination density at the Si/paste interface. A P-type solar cell with an area of 7.8 × 7.8 cm2 with a Voc of 653.4 mV and an efficiency of 19.61% was fabricated.
Characterization and Analysis of Collective Cellular Behaviors in 3D Dextran Hydrogels with Homogenous and Clustered RGD Compositions
Authors: Wang Zheng , Zhu Xiaolu , Zhang Ruiyuan
Published: October 2019

The interactions between substrate materials and cells usually play an important role in the hydrogel-based 3D cell cultures. However, the hydrogels that are usually used could not be parametrically regulated, especially for quantitatively regulating the spatial distribution of the adhesion sites for cells in 3D. Here, we employed the semisynthetic hydrogel consisting of maleimide-dextran, Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptides, and cell degradable crosslinkers to biochemically characterize the evolutionary behaviors of NIH–3T3 fibroblasts and C2C12 cells in 3D. Moreover, by comparing the cell-adhesive efficacy of 3D dextran hydrogels with four different RGD clustering rates, we explored the underlying regulation law of C2C12 connections and 3T3 aggregations. The results showed that mal-dextran hydrogel could promise cells stable viability and continuous proliferation, and induce more self-organized multicellular structures relative to 2D culture. More importantly, we found that RGD-clustered mal-dextran hydrogel has the advantage of enhancing C2C12 cell elongation and the breadthwise-aggregated connection, and promoting the 3T3 cell aggregating degree compared to that with homogenous RGD. Further, the advantages of RGD clustering hydrogel could be amplified by appropriately reducing RGD concentration. Such RGD-composition controllable mal-dextran hydrogel can function as a regulator of the collective cellular behaviors, which provides useful information for quantitatively designing the tailored hydrogel system and exploiting advanced biomaterials.
Mechanical Behavior of Entangled Metallic Wire Materials under Quasi-Static and Impact Loading
Authors: Wu Yiwan , Jiang Lei , Bai Hongbai , Lu Chunhong , Li Shangzhou
Published: October 2019

In this paper, the stiffness and damping property of entangled metallic wire materials (EMWM) under quasi-static and low-velocity impact loading were investigated. The results reveal that the maximum deformation of the EMWM mainly depends on the maximum load it bears, and that air damping is the main way to dissipate impact energy. The EMWM can absorb more energy (energy absorption rate is over 60%) under impact conditions. The EMWM has excellent characteristics of repetitive energy absorption.
Radiation Synthesis of Pentaethylene Hexamine Functionalized Cotton Linter for Effective Removal of Phosphate: Batch and Dynamic Flow Mode Studies
Authors: Du Jifu , Dong Zhen , Lin Zhiyuan , Yang Xin , Zhao Long
Published: October 2019

A quaternized cotton linter fiber (QCLF) based adsorbent for removal of phosphate was prepared by grafting glycidyl methacrylate onto cotton linter and subsequent ring-opening reaction of epoxy groups and further quaternization. The adsorption behavior of the QCLF for phosphate was evaluated in a batch and column experiment. The batch experiment demonstrated that the adsorption process followed pseudo-second-order kinetics with an R2 value of 0.9967, and the Langmuir model with R2 value of 0.9952. The theoretical maximum adsorption capacity reached 152.44 mg/g. The experimental data of the fixed-bed column were well fitted with the Thomas and Yoon–Nelson models, and the adsorption capacity of phosphate at 100 mg/L and flow rate 1 mL/min reached 141.58 mg/g. The saturated QCLF could be regenerated by eluting with 1 M HCl.
Design, Experimental and Numerical Characterization of 3D-Printed Porous Absorbers
Authors: Ring Tobias P. , Langer Sabine C.
Published: October 2019

The application of porous materials is a common measure for noise mitigation and in room acoustics. The prediction of the acoustic behavior applies material models, among which most are based on the Biot-parameters. Thereby, it is expected that, if more Biot-parameters are used, a better prediction can be obtained. Nevertheless, an estimation of the Biot-parameters from the geometric design of the material is possible for simple structures only. For common porous materials, the microstructure is typically unknown and characterized by homogenized quantities. This contribution introduces a methodology that enables the design and optimization of porous materials based on the Biot-parameters and connects these to microscopic geometric quantities. Therefore, artificial porous materials were manufactured using 3D-printing technology with a prescribed geometric design and the influence of different design variables was investigated. The Biot-parameters were identified with an inverse procedure and it can be shown that different Biot-parameters can be influenced by adjusting the geometric design variables. Based on these findings, a one-parameter optimization procedure of the material is set up to maximize the absorption characteristics in the frequency range of interest.
A Vitronectin-Derived Bioactive Peptide Improves Bone Healing Capacity of SLA Titanium Surfaces
Authors: Cho Chang-Bin , Jung Sung Youn , Park Cho Yeon , Kang Hyun Ki , Yeo In-Sung Luke , Min Byung-Moo
Published: October 2019

In this study, we evaluated early bone responses to a vitronectin-derived, minimal core bioactive peptide, RVYFFKGKQYWE motif (VnP-16), both in vitro and in vivo, when the peptide was treated on sandblasted, large-grit, acid-etched (SLA) titanium surfaces. Four surface types of titanium discs and of titanium screw-shaped implants were prepared: control, SLA, scrambled peptide-treated, and VnP-16-treated surfaces. Cellular responses, such as attachment, spreading, migration, and viability of human osteoblast-like HOS and MG63 cells were evaluated in vitro on the titanium discs. Using the rabbit tibia model with the split plot design, the implants were inserted into the tibiae of four New Zealand white rabbits. After two weeks of implant insertion, the rabbits were sacrificed, the undecalcified specimens were prepared for light microscopy, and the histomorphometric data were measured. Analysis of variance tests were used for the quantitative evaluations in this study. VnP-16 was non-cytotoxic and promoted attachment and spreading of the human osteoblast-like cells. The VnP-16-treated SLA implants showed no antigenic activities at the interfaces between the bones and the implants and indicated excellent bone-to-implant contact ratios, the means of which were significantly higher than those in the SP-treated implants. VnP-16 reinforces the osteogenic potential of the SLA titanium dental implant.
A New Radial Basis Function Approach Based on Hermite Expansion with Respect to the Shape Parameter
Authors: Bawazeer Saleh Abobakur , Baakeem Saleh Saeed , Mohamad Abdulmajeed
Published: October 2019

Owing to its high accuracy, the radial basis function (RBF) is gaining popularity in function interpolation and for solving partial differential equations (PDEs). The implementation of RBF methods is independent of the locations of the points and the dimensionality of the problems. However, the stability and accuracy of RBF methods depend significantly on the shape parameter, which is mainly affected by the basis function and the node distribution. If the shape parameter has a small value, then the RBF becomes accurate but unstable. Several approaches have been proposed in the literature to overcome the instability issue. Changing or expanding the radial basis function is one of the most commonly used approaches because it addresses the stability problem directly. However, the main issue with most of those approaches is that they require the optimization of additional parameters, such as the truncation order of the expansion, to obtain the desired accuracy. In this work, the Hermite polynomial is used to expand the RBF with respect to the shape parameter to determine a stable basis, even when the shape parameter approaches zero, and the approach does not require the optimization of any parameters. Furthermore, the Hermite polynomial properties enable the RBF to be evaluated stably even when the shape parameter equals zero. The proposed approach was benchmarked to test its reliability, and the obtained results indicate that the accuracy is independent of or weakly dependent on the shape parameter. However, the convergence depends on the order of the truncation of the expansion. Additionally, it is observed that the new approach improves accuracy and yields the accurate interpolation, derivative approximation, and PDE solution.
Positively Continuum-Wise Expansiveness for C1 Differentiable Maps
Authors: Lee Manseob
Published: October 2019

We show that if a differentiable map f of a compact smooth Riemannian manifold M is C 1 robustly positive continuum-wise expansive, then f is expanding. Moreover, C 1 -generically, if a differentiable map f of a compact smooth Riemannian manifold M is positively continuum-wise expansive, then f is expanding.
An Integrated Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approach for Evaluating Business Process Information Systems
Authors: Kang He-Yau , Lee Amy H. I. , Chan Yao-Chuan
Published: October 2019

The prevalence of business-to-business (B2B) has made the relationship among firms more closer than ever. Whether in simple arm-length transactions or business cooperation, many firms, in order to reduce costs and achieve efficiency, have shifted their day-to-day operations from the tradition of relying on manpower to the use of information technology in handling tasks such as inventory, procurement, production planning, distribution, etc. As a result, the need of a business process information system is imminent for firms to coordinate with partners in the supply chain and to be sustainable in the competitive market. This study thus proposes a hybrid multi-criteria decision-making approach for evaluating business process information systems. First, the factors that should be taken into account in selecting an appropriate system are explored. The Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) is adopted next to understand the interrelationships among the criteria. Based on the results from the DEMATEL, the Fuzzy Analytic Network Process (FANP) is applied to calculate the importance of the factors. Fuzzy Techniques for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (FTOPSIS) is used to rank the business process information systems. The interrelationship among the factors should be considered in the decision-making; thus, the FANP can be a recommended methodology. However, the FANP questionnaire is usually very lengthy and cumbersome. The use of DEMATEL in advance can shorten the questionnaire substantially. FTOPSIS is used to rank the alternatives so that the pairwise comparisons of the alternatives required in the FANP can be avoided. Fuzzy set theory is incorporated in the study so that the uncertainty and ambiguity present in decision-making can be considered. The proposed approach can provide references for decision makers for making relevant decisions and can be revised and adopted in similar problems.
Normed Interval Space and Its Topological Structure
Authors: Wu Hsien-Chung
Published: October 2019

Based on the natural vector addition and scalar multiplication, the set of all bounded and closed intervals in R cannot form a vector space. This is mainly because the zero element does not exist. In this paper, we endow a norm to the interval space in which the axioms are almost the same as the axioms of conventional norm by involving the concept of null set. Under this consideration, we shall propose two different concepts of open balls. Based on the open balls, we shall also propose the different types of open sets, which can generate many different topologies.
The Second Hankel Determinant Problem for a Class of Bi-Close-to-Convex Functions
Authors: Cho Nak Eun , Analouei Adegani Ebrahim , Bulut Serap , Motamednezhad Ahmad
Published: October 2019

The purpose of the present work is to determine a bound for the functional H 2 ( 2 ) = a 2 a 4 − a 3 2 for functions belonging to the class C Σ of bi-close-to-convex functions. The main result presented here provides much improved estimation compared with the previous result by means of different proof methods than those used by others.
Lyapunov Exponents of Early Stage Dynamics of Parametric Mutations of a Rigid Pendulum with Harmonic Excitation
Authors: Śmiechowicz Wojciech , Loup Théo , Olejnik Paweł
Published: October 2019

This paper considers three dynamic systems composed of a mathematical pendulum suspended on a sliding body subjected to harmonic excitation. A comparative dynamic analysis of the studied parametric mutations of the rigid pendulum with inertial suspension point and damping was performed. The examined system with parametric mutations is solved numerically, where phase planes and Poincaré maps were used to observe the system response. Lyapunov exponents were computed in two ways to classify the dynamic behavior at relatively early stage of forced responses using two proven methods. The results show that with some parameters three systems exhibit a very similar dynamic behavior, i.e., quasi-periodic and even chaotic motions.
A Potential Antineoplastic Peptide of Human Prostate Cancer Cells Derived from the Lesser Spotted Dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula L.)
Authors: Bosseboeuf Adrien , Baron Amandine , Duval Elise , Gautier Aude , Sourdaine Pascal , Auvray Pierrick
Published: October 2019

The purpose of the present paper is to investigate the mechanism of action of a pyroglutamate-modified peptide (pE-K092D) on in vitro growth inhibition of MDA-Pca-2b prostate cancer cells. This peptide was derived from a peptide previously isolated from the testis of the lesser spotted dogfish and identified as QLTPEALADEEEMNALAAR (K092D). The effect of the peptide on cell proliferation and cell death mechanisms was studied by flow cytometry. Cellular morphology and cytoskeleton integrity of peptide-treated cells were observed by immunofluorescence microscopy. Results showed the onset of peptide induced early cytoskeleton perturbation, inhibition of autophagy, inhibition of cell proliferation and, at the end, non-apoptotic cell death mechanisms (membrane destabilization and necrosis). All those mechanisms seem to contribute to MDA-Pca-2b growth inhibition by a main cytostatic fate.
Antiamoebic Activities of Indolocarbazole Metabolites Isolated from Streptomyces sanyensis Cultures
Authors: Cartuche Luis , Reyes-Batlle María , Sifaoui Ines , Arberas-Jiménez Iñigo , Piñero José E. , Fernández José J. , Lorenzo-Morales Jacob , Díaz-Marrero Ana R.
Published: October 2019

Indolocarbazoles are a family of natural alkaloids characterized by their potent protein kinase and topoisomerase I inhibitory activity. Among them, staurosporine (1) has exhibited promising inhibitory activity against parasites. Based on new insights on the activity and mechanism of action of STS in Acanthamoeba parasites, this work reports the isolation, identification, and the anti-Acanthamoeba activity of the minor metabolites 7-oxostaurosporine (2), 4′-demethylamino-4′-oxostaurosporine (3), and streptocarbazole B (4), isolated from cultures of the mangrove strain Streptomyces sanyensis. A clear correlation between the antiparasitic activities and the structural elements and conformations of the indolocarbazoles 1–4 was observed. Also, the study reveals that 7-oxostaurosporine (2) affects membrane permeability and causes mitochondrial damages on trophozoites of A. castellanii Neff.