bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic efficacy of serum procalcitonin, C-reactive protein concentration and clinical pulmonary infection score in Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia
Authors: Chen Changqin , Yan Molei , Hu Caibao , Lv Xiaochun , Zhang Huihui , Chen Shangzhong
Published: November 2018

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of serum procalcitonin (PCT), c-reactive protein (CRP) concentration and clinical pulmonary infection score(CPIS) in ventilator-associated pneumonia(VAP). Methods: Forty-nine patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Zhejiang Hospital with suspected VAP were recruited in this study. The serum level of PCT and CRP of all patients were measured and CPIS was calculated at the time of VAP suspected diagnosis. Of the included 49 patients, 24 were finally confirmed of VAP by microbiology assay. And the other 25 patients were considered as clinical suspected VAP without microbiology confirmation. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) were calculated using the serum PCT, CRP concentration and CPIS. The correlation among serum PCT, CRP concentration and CPIS were also evaluated by Spearson correlation test. Results: A total of 100 bronchoscopic aspiration sputum specimen were examined in bacterial culture. 30 samples were found with suspected pathogenic bacteria. Six samples were found with 2 types of suspected pathogenic bacteria. PCT serum concentration and CPIS score were significantly different (P<0.05) between the patient group [1.4 (0.68 ∼ 2.24), 6.0 (4.25 ∼ 8.00)] and the control group [0.4 (0.17 ∼ 1.39), 3.0 (1.00 ∼ 5.00)] ; However, the serum CRP [102.8(66.75 ∼ 130.90) vs 86.1(66.95 ∼ 110.10)] was not statistically different between the two groups (P>0.05). A significant correlation was found between serum PCT and CRP concentrations (r=0.55, P<0.01), but not between PCT vs CPIS and CRP vs CPIS (p>0.05). The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and AUC were 72.0%, 75.0%, 0.81 (0.69 ∼ 0.93) for CPIS; 60.0%, 87.5%, 0.76 (0.62 ∼ 0.90) for PCT and 68.0%, 58.3%, 0.59 (0.43 ∼ 0.76) for CRP. Conclusion: PCT serum level and CPIS score are elevated in VAP patients and could therefore represent potential biomarkers for VAP early diagnosis.
miR-25 Promotes Melanoma Progression by regulating RNA binding motif protein 47
Authors: Jiang Qun-Qun , Liu Wei-Bing
Published: November 2018

Melanoma is the most aggressive skin cancer, and accounts for the major part of skin cancer-related deaths in the world. In addition, the underlying mechanism of tumor progression in melanoma remains far from being elucidated. In this study, we have evaluated the function of miR-25 in melanoma. First, we examined the expression of miR-25 in four melanoma cell lines (A875, MV3, M14 and uacc-257) and in a normal melanocyte cell line (HEM-a). Then, we overexpressed miR-25 in M14 cells. Our results show that miR-25 promotes M14 cell proliferation and migration. We found that miR-25 up-regulates the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in these tumor cells. Furthermore, a luciferase-based reporter gene assay showed that miR-25 could directly target the RNA-binding motif protein 47 (RBM47). Taken together, our findings suggest that RBM47 is a promising target for the treatment of melanoma.
Overexpression of SLC25A15 is involved in the proliferation of cutaneous melanoma and leads to poor prognosis
Authors: Ji Shu-meng
Published: November 2018

Melanoma is a skin tumor with a high degree of malignancy, poor prognosis and few effective therapies. Deprivation of the arginine from cancer cells through transport inhibition and arginine depletion is a novel strategy for cancer therapy. In this study, we have investigated the effect ofSLC25A15, which encodes the mitochondrial ornithine carrier 1, on melanoma progression. Using bioinformatics methods to screen the data from TCGA and GEO, we found thatSLC25A15is overexpressed in patients with melanoma and negatively related with the overall and disease-free survival rates. Knockdown the expression ofSLC25A15by siRNA could effectively inhibit the proliferation of A375 melanoma cells, as detected by CCK8 and colony formation. Furthermore,SLC25A15siRNA was able to promote apoptosis of A375 cells, which exhibited decreased expression levels of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 while showing increased pro-apoptotic protein Bax and cleaved caspase-3. All these results suggest that the overexpression ofSLC25A15is involved in the progression of melanoma and may predict the prognosis of melanoma. This may shed new lights on the diagnosis and therapy of melanoma in the future.
Overexpression of RBM10 induces osteosarcoma cell apoptosis and inhibits cell proliferation and migration
Authors: Han Li-ping , Wang Cun-ping , Han Si-lin
Published: November 2018

Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant bone tumor with high incidence in adolescence and poor prognosis. RBM10, a member of RBPs, was reported to be a tumor suppressor in many kinds of cancers. However, the roles of RBM10 in osteosarcoma remain unknown. In this study, we found that overexpression of RBM10 decreased osteosarcoma cell proliferation and colony formation in soft agar, and inhibited osteosarcoma cell migration and invasion. Our results also revealed that RBM10 overexpression induced osteosarcoma cell apoptosis via the inhibition of Bcl-2, the activation of caspase-3, and the transcription and production of TNF-α. Our results indicated that RBM10 acts as a tumor suppressor in osteosarcoma. This could enable to define a new strategy for diagnosis and treatment of patients with osteosarcoma.
NPS - 2143 (hydrochloride) inhibits melanoma cancer cell proliferation and induces autophagy and apoptosis
Authors: Wang Shumei , Qiu Liyun , Song Haiyan , Dang Ningning
Published: November 2018

Melanoma is a common and aggressive skin cancer caused by the oncogenic transformation of melanocytes. NPS-2143 (hydrochloride) is a calcification drug that acts as an antagonist of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) and consequently stimulates the release of parathyroid hormone. In the present work, we treated cells from the human melanoma cell line M14 to investigate the effects of NPS-2143 on melanoma cells and elucidate their underlying mechanisms. We observed that NPS-2143 inhibits the survival and proliferation of M14 cells and suppresses the migration and proliferation of M14 cells by inducing apoptosis. The Bax/Bcl‑2 ratio in M14 cells was enhanced by the NPS-2143 treatment, suggesting that the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway was activated. The expression and phosphorylation of proteins involved in the PI3K signaling pathway were altered by NPS-2143 treatment. Our data show that NPS-2143 impacts the viability and induces the apoptosis of melanoma M14 cells through its impact on the PI3K signaling pathway. It suggests that NPS-2143 could represent a promising candidate for melanoma treatment.
The role of complex social services for the children from families at risk
Authors: Gudzinskiene Vide , Augutavicius Rimvydas
Published: November 2018

The social assistance for social risk families in Lithuania is provided by child protection agencies, social welfare departments, family support and crisis centres, pedagogical-psychological services, care homes, various educational institutions and NGO's. One specific form of social support services for social risk families is called Children Day Care Centres (CDC), whose activities are based on a systematic set of measures designed to protect the social interests of children, to ensure social security and realize the basic needs. The aim of this research is to analyse the activities of CDC's in the context of helping to meet the needs of children at risk, who are also sometimes described in scientific literature as disadvantaged children. It is obvious that children growing within social risk families often do not have or have insufficient necessary skills-to communicate, to discover, to create. This significantly complicates the realization of needs of those children growing in families at risk or so called disadvantaged families. The social services in day care centres are organized for the best interests of such families. These institutions aim at giving the opportunities to meet the needs of children by creating the conditions to learn, create, spend their leisure time, and engage in a favourite activity.
Sexual dimorphism in immune function: The role of sex steroid hormones
Authors: Mihailova Anna , Krams Indrikis
Published: November 2018

There is evidence of the relation of sex steroid hormones and sexual dimorphism in immune system response to infectious diseases. The aim of this review was to identify the role of sex hormones in immune function and sexual dimorphism of immune reactions. Gonadal hormones together with the immune system play an important role in process of immune responses to the disease [1]. Estrogens, progesterone and testosterone have different impacts on immune cells and different gonadal hormones are of high importance for responses of innate and adaptive immunity [1, 2]. Estrogens mainly enhance immune function while testosterone has a suppressive role. Higher progesterone during pregnancy leads to autoimmune disease remission and an elevated susceptibility toward certain infectious diseases [2, 3, 4]. The intensity and prevalence of viral infections are typically higher in males, whereas disease outcome could be worse for females [5]. Sexual dimorphism of immune function is based on different concentrations of sex hormones in males and females and on a specific mediating role of these hormones in immune function and response along with differences in innate and adaptive immunity.
Quality of life in patients with bone tumour
Authors: Shchelkova Olga , Usmanova Ekaterina
Published: November 2018

Introduction – in the last decades, scientific research of health related quality of life (QoL) is developing fast worldwide. QoL concept pays attention to emotional experience of disease in patients, particularly to personal sense of possibility to satisfy actual needs and possibility of full social functioning in spite of disease specific limitations. The aim of the study was to reveal the basic aspects and personality factors of QoL in patients with bone tumour. Results: the study revealed that patients with bone metastases assess their health significantly worse than other patients. Besides, patients with osteosarcoma evaluate their general health higher than patients with giant cell tumour. Social functioning in patients with chondrosarcoma is higher than in patients with bone metastases and patients with giant cell tumour. Patients with chondrosarcoma have higher physical functioning and less restricted in daily activities than patients with bone metastases. Patients with bone metastases have the most intensive pain among all patients. Moreover, the study revealed personality significant influence on QoL related to bone tumour. Conclusion – patients with bone metastasis have lower QoL compared to patients with primary bone tumours. Patients with giant cell tumour have the worth quality of life among patients with primary bone tumours. Furthermore the results revealed differences in QoL parameters associated with personality characteristics in patients with bone tumour.
Successful EUS-guided antegrade stenting for malignant severe biliary obstruction combined with a newly developed plastic stent
Authors: Minami Kazuhiro , Iwasaki Eisuke , Itoi Takao , Fukuhara Seiichiro , Horibe Masayasu , Seino Takashi , Kawasaki Shintaro , Katayama Tadashi , Takimoto Yoichi , Tamagawa Hiroki , Machida Yujiro , Hamamoto Yasuo , Ogata Haruhiko , Kanai Takanori
Published: November 2018

Background and study aims We report the effectiveness of a newly developed plastic stent for preventing bile leakage after endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)-guided antegrade stenting. This treatment was performed on a 59-year-old woman with malignant obstructive jaundice caused by peritoneal metastasis. First, we attempted transpapillary drainage using short-type single-balloon enteroscopy-assisted endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, but we could not achieve it. We then attempted EUS-guided antegrade stenting through the intrahepatic bile duct from the esophagojejunal anastomosis. We successfully inserted uncovered metallic stents for common bile duct and a newly plastic stent for hepaticojejunostomy from the antegrade approach. There were no adverse events after the treatment.
Endoscopic submucosal dissection of 301 large colorectal neoplasias: outcome and learning curve from a specialized center in Europe
Authors: Rönnow Carl-Fredrik , Uedo Noriya , Toth Ervin , Thorlacius Henrik
Published: November 2018

Background and study aims Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) allows en bloc resection of large colorectal lesions but ESD experience is limited outside Asia. This study evaluated implementation of ESD in the treatment of colorectal neoplasia in a Western center.

Patients and methods Three hundred and one cases of colorectal ESD (173 rectal and 128 colonic lesions) were retrospectively evaluated in terms of outcome, learning curve and complications.

Results Median size was 4 cm (range 1 – 12.5). En bloc resection was achieved in 241 cases amounting to an en bloc resection rate of 80 %. R0 resection was accomplished in 207 cases (69 %), RX and R1 were attained in 83 (27 %) and 11 (4 %) cases, respectively. Median time was 98 min (range 10 – 588) and median proficiency was 7.2 cm2/h. Complications occurred in 24 patients (8 %) divided into 12 immediate perforations, five delayed perforations, one immediate bleeding and six delayed bleedings. Six patients (2 %), all with proximal lesions, had emergency surgery. Two hundred and four patients were followed up endoscopically and median follow-up time was 13 months (range 3 – 53) revealing seven recurrences (3 %). En bloc rate improved gradually from 60 % during the first period to 98 % during the last period. ESD proficiency significantly improved between the first study period (3.6 cm2/h) and the last study period (10.8 cm2/h).

Conclusions This study represents the largest material on colorectal ESD in the west and shows that colorectal ESD can be implemented in clinical routine in western countries after appropriate training and achieve a high rate of en bloc and R0 resection with a concomitant low incidence of complications. ESD of proximal colonic lesions should be attempted with caution during the learning curve because of higher risk of complications.
First-line endoscopic treatment with over-the-scope clips in patients with either upper or lower gastrointestinal bleeding: a multicenter study
Authors: Manta Raffaele , Mangiafico Santi , Zullo Angelo , Bertani Helga , Caruso Angelo , Grande Giuseppe , Zito Francesco Paolo , Mangiavillano Benedetto , Pasquale Luigi , Parodi Andrea , Germanà Bastianello , Bassotti Gabrio , Monica Fabio , Zilli Maurizio , Pisani Antonio , Mutignani Massimiliano , Conigliaro Rita , Galloro Giuseppe
Published: November 2018

Background and study aims Endoscopic treatment is the mainstay approach for gastrointestinal bleeding, in either upper (UGIB) or lower (LGIB) tract. The over-the-scope clip (OTSC) may overcome limitations of standard clips or thermocoagulation in high-risk bleeding lesions. We evaluate the main clinically relevant outcomes following endoscopic hemostasis with OTSC in high-risk lesions and/or patients.

Patients and methods This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected databases including all patients with UGIB and LGIB who underwent OTCS placement as first-line treatment in eleven tertiary endoscopic referral centers. Technical success, primary hemostasis, rebleeding, blood transfusion, hospital stay, and hemorrhage-related mortality rates were evaluated.

Results Data from 286 patients, with either UGIB (N = 214) or LGIB (N = 72) were available. Overall, 112 patients (39.2 %) were receiving antithrombotic therapy. Technical success and primary hemostasis rates were 97.9 % and 96.4 %, respectively. Early rebleeding occurred in 4.4 %, more frequently in those on antithrombotic therapy, and no late rebleeding was observed. Following a successful primary haemostasis, only 5.2 % patients needed blood transfusions, and the median hospital stay was 4 days (range: 3 – 11). Eighteen patients with either technical failure (N = 6) or rebleeding (N = 12) underwent radiological or surgical approaches. Overall, bleeding-related deaths occurred in 5 (1.7 %) patients, including 3 patients with technical procedural failure, and 2 in the rebleeding group. 

Conclusions Data from our large, multicenter study show that OTSC placement is an effective first-line treatment for hemostasis in high-risk patients and/or lesions both in upper and lower gastrointestinal tract.
Treatment of neglected, severely displaced, open malunion
of the distal radius and ulna in an elderly person with Alzheimer’s disease – a
case report
Authors: Zyluk Andrzej , Puchalski Piotr
Published: November 2018

The case of a patient suffering from Alzheimer’s disease who sustained
epiphyseal, severely dislocated fractures of the distal radius and ulna is
reported. As the patient was incapacitated and attempts to contact her curator
failed, the decision was made on a conservative treatment of the fractures. This
treatment eventually failed and resulted in malunion with exposure of bone
fragments above the skin. After obtaining informed consent from her curator, a
corrective osteotomy was performed using an original method, followed by
fixation of bone fragments in almost anatomical position by intramedullary K
wires. At a 6-month follow-up, the patient was using her hand in daily life and
did not complain of any pain. An X-ray showed consolidation of the bones in the
distal forearm in an acceptable position.
Metabolic Syndrome as a Predictor of Adrenal Functional Status: A Discriminant Multivariate Analysis Versus Logistic Regression Analysis
Authors: Tsentidis Charalampos , Bampilis Andreas , Ntova Vasiliki , Fragkos Dimitrios , Panos Christos , Limniati Christina , Kassi Georgia
Published: November 2018

Patients harboring adrenal tumors are characterized by higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) components and a higher incidence of cardiovascular complications, especially in cases of subclinical or overt hormonal hypersecretion. Early detection and referral of those patients in tertiary centers could prevent unfavorable outcomes. In this cross-sectional, retrospective study, we evaluated 111 consecutive patients with adrenal incidentalomas and 14 patients with known hypersecretory adrenal lesions (autonomous cortisol secretion, primary aldosteronism, and pheochromocytoma), who were investigated in our clinic. Based on the different distribution of MetS components in patients with non-functional and functional adrenal lesions we introduced a predictive model of hormonal hypersecretion using those components. We performed multivariate discriminant analysis and compared predictive results with conventional multiple logistic regression analysis. Diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, impaired fasting glucose, hypertension, body mass index, HDL-cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels, drug treatment for lipid disorder (statins, fenofibrate, and fish oils, alone or in combination), and maximal adrenal lesion diameter were used as discriminating covariates. Multivariate discriminant function exhibited a sensitivity of 77.27% and specificity of 73.08% in predicting adrenal hormonal hypersecretion. Receiver operating characteristic curve of discriminant predictive function had an area under the curve value of 0.785, S.E. 0.04. Logistic function delivered comparable results. MetS components exhibit a good predictive feature of hormonal hypersecretion in patients with adrenal tumors. Predictive functions may help in the search for an easy and generally available algorithm to validly predict the functional activity of adrenal masses.
Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (Wegener's Granulomatosis): Evolving Concepts in Treatment
Authors: Derhovanessian Ariis , Tazelaar Henry , Belperio John , Lynch Joseph
Published: November 2018

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), formerly termed Wegener's granulomatosis, is the most common of the pulmonary vasculitides. GPA typically involves the upper respiratory tract, lower respiratory tract (bronchi and lung), and kidney, with varying degrees of disseminated vasculitis. Cardinal histologic features include a necrotizing vasculitis involving small vessels, extensive “geographic” necrosis, and granulomatous inflammation. The spectrum and severity of the disease is heterogeneous, ranging from indolent disease involving only one site to fulminant, multiorgan vasculitis. Circulating antibodies against cytoplasmic components of neutrophils (ANCAs) play a role in the pathogenesis, and often correlate with activity of the disease. Treatment strategies are evolving. Cyclophosphamide (CYC) plus corticosteroids was the mainstay of therapy for generalized, multisystemic GPA since the 1970s. However, within the past decade, rituximab (RTX), a monoclonal antibody directed against B cells, has been shown to be at least as effective (and possibly more effective) as CYC. Furthermore, the use of RTX may reduce the need for maintenance immunosuppression. Optimal therapy for GPA remains controversial, and additional studies are required to determine the role and duration of maintenance therapy following successful induction therapy.
Artificial Intelligence in Radiology: Current Technology and Future Directions
Authors: Zoga Adam , Syed Ali
Published: November 2018

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been heralded as the next big wave in the computing revolution and touted as a transformative technology for many industries including health care. In radiology, considerable excitement and anxiety are associated with the promise of AI and its potential to disrupt the practice of the radiologist. Radiology has often served as the gateway for medical technological advancements, and AI will likely be no different. We present a brief overview of AI advancements that have driven recent interest, offer a review of the current literature, and examine the most likely ways that AI will change radiology in the coming years.
Evaluation of Preeclampsia Results after Use of Metformin in Gestation: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Nascimento Iramar Baptistella do , Dienstmann Guilherme , de Souza Matheus Leite Ramos , Fleig Raquel , Hoffmann Carla Beatriz Pimentel Cesar , Silva Jean Carl
Published: November 2018

Objective Does the use of metformin have an influence on the outcomes of preeclampsia (PE)?

Sources of Data The descriptors pregnancy, metformin, treatment, and preeclampsia associated with the Boolean operators AND and OR were found in the MEDLINE, LILACS, Embase and Cochrane databases. A flowchart with exclusion criteria and inclusion strategy using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol, and eligibility criteria was used. Data were extracted regarding the type of study, the applied dosage, treatment time, segment, bias risks, and the Patient, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome (PICO) strategy to identify the quality of the study.

Selection of Studies Total number of journals in the initial search (n = 824); exclusions from repeated articles on different search engines (n = 253); exclusions after reading the titles, when the title had no correlations with the proposed theme (n = 164); exclusions due to incompatibility with the criteria established in the methodological analysis (n = 185), exclusion of articles with lower correlation with the objective of the present study (n = 187); and final bibliographic selection (n = 35).

Data Collection At first, a systematic review of the literature was performed. Subsequently, from the main selection, randomized and non-randomized trials with metformin that presented their results in absolute and relative numbers of PE outcomes were selected. The variables were treated statistically in the meta-analysis with the Review Manager software (RevMan), version 5.3. Copenhagen: Nordic Cochrane Centre, The Cochrane Collaboration. Denmark in the Hovedistaden region.

Synthesis of Data The study showed that metmorfin presented greater preventive effects for pregnancy-induced hypertension and was less effective for PE.

Conclusion Metformin may gain place in preventive treatments for PE, once the dosages, the gestational age, and treatment time are particularly evaluated. A methodological strategy with an improved perspective of innovative and/or carefully progressive dosages during pregnancy to avoid side effects and the possibility of maternal-fetal risks is suggested.
Prognostic Impact of Intracranial Pressure Monitoring in Patients with Severe Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Borchardt Bárbara , Freitas Luanna , Filho Ademar , da Rosa Áurea , Gabe Milena , Madeira Kristian , Moreira Carlos
Published: November 2018

Objectives The aim of the present study was to analyze the prognostic impact of intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Methods An observational, retrospective and quantitative study was performed. The sample consisted of 246 patients diagnosed with severe TBI, from January 2009 to August 2017.

Results Out of the total sample, 43.56% of the patients were submitted to ICP monitoring. The mean time of use of the catheter was 1.7 days. In both groups, males were the most affected, and the majority of the patients were < 50 years old. Automobile accident was the main etiology of TBI. In the initial clinical evaluation, mydriatic pupils were related to death and normal pupil reaction at hospital discharge. The monitored group performed a larger number of computed tomography (CT) scans, with a mean of 2.6 examinations, with cerebral edema being the most common finding. Regarding the prognosis, those who used a catheter for ICP monitoring had a 47% reduction in the chance of death when compared with those who did not use the catheter. The stay duration both in the hospital and in the intensive care units was higher in patients who underwent ICP monitoring; periods > 30 days were related to meningitis, especially in those who used the catheter.

Conclusion Patients who used a catheter for ICP monitoring had a significant improvement in survival.
Is the Tubular Nervous System Related with the Development of Skeletal Muscle in Chordates? – A Review
Authors: Singh Rajani
Published: November 2018

Many theories and arguments have been proposed regarding the ancestors of the vertebrates and the factors that lead to the evolution of the tubular nervous system. Invertebrates had simpler smooth muscles. Vertebrates acquired additional skeletal muscles. The skeletal muscles were found to be associated with a new type of tubular nervous system. There were three stages in the evolution of the nervous system. The most primitive was the network type, in which there was neither a polarization nor a centralization of neurons. The second stage was characterized by the evolution of a ganglionic nervous system. Then, the tubular type of nervous system appeared for the first time in chordates. Therefore, the author hypothesizes that the skeletal muscle developed simultaneously with the tubular nervous system. The chorda mesoderm and, thereby, the skeletal muscle, induced the formation of a tubular nervous system in chordates. In the present article, the author aims to analyze the nervous system, starting from invertebrates and moving on to chordates.
Rotation and translation dynamics of coumarin 153 in choline chloride-based deep eutectic solvents
Authors: Turner Adam H. , Kim Doseok
Published: November 2018

The equilibrium and dynamic solvation responses of coumarin 153 (C153) in a range of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) based on choline chloride with either urea (molar ratio 1:2, ChCl:U), glycerol (1:2, ChCl:G), ethylene glycol (1:2, ChCl:E), or malonic acid (1:1, ChCl:Mal) were investigated using both steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence emission spectroscopy at room temperature (298 K). From steady-state fluorescence data, “red-edge effects” were observed in all the DESs studied, attributed to spatial heterogeneity of the DES matrix. Time-resolved Stokes shifts were used to quantify dynamic solvation with the solvation response function in DES found to be a biexponential function of time, which were used to obtain average solvation times (⟨τs⟩) which are generally faster in DES than in ionic liquids of comparable viscosity. Average solvation times showed a partial correlation with viscosity between different DESs. The choline chloride-glycerol DES showed deviation from the viscosity trend observed in the other DES for both dynamic and steady-state results. Rotational reorientation times obtained from dynamic anisotropy (r(t)) measured for these DESs showed a partial correlation with viscosity between different DESs. Determination of the DES rotational coupling with C153 showed more “slip”-like behavior than the previously reported ionic liquids and dipolar solvents.
Template-based fluoroethylenepropylene ferroelectrets with enhanced thermal stability of piezoelectricity
Authors: Rychkov Dmitry , Altafim Ruy Alberto Pisani
Published: November 2018

In ferroelectrets, the piezoelectricity stems from the charges of both polarities trapped on the inner surfaces of the cavities in the material, so that its thermal stability is defined by the stability of the respective charges. In the present work, a template-based lamination technique has been employed to fabricate tubular-channel ferroelectrets from fluoroethylenepropylene (FEP) films. It has been shown that the piezoelectricity in FEP ferroelectrets decays at relatively low temperatures due to the inherently lower thermal stability of the positive charge. In order to improve charge trapping, we have treated both FEP films and inner surfaces of the ferroelectret cavities with titanium-tetrachloride vapor, using the atomic-layer-deposition technique. Using surface-potential-decay measurements on FEP films, we have found that the charge-decay curves shift by more than 100 °C to the higher temperatures as a result of the surface treatment. Direct measurements of piezoelectric d33 coefficients as a function of temperature have shown that the piezoelectric stability is likewise improved with the d33-decay curves shifted by 60 °C to the right. The improvement of electret/ferroelectret properties can be attributed to the formation of the deeper traps on the chemically modified FEP surface. SEM micrographs and EDS analysis reveal island-like structures with titanium- and oxygen-containing species that can be responsible for the deeper trapping of the electret charges.
Unusual angular dependence of tunneling magneto-Seebeck effect
Authors: Heiliger Christian , Czerner Michael , Liebing Niklas , Serrano-Guisan Santiago , Rott Karsten , Reiss Günter , Schumacher Hans W.
Published: November 2018

We find an unusual angular dependence of the tunneling magneto-Seebeck effect (TMS). The conductance shows normally a cosine-dependence with the angle between the magnetizations of the two ferromagnetic leads. In contrast, the angular dependence of the TMS depends strongly on the tunneling magneto resistance (TMR) ratio. For small TMR ratios we obtain also a cosine-dependence whereas for very large TMR ratios the angular dependence approaches a step-like function. The origin is that the cosine-dependent transmission function enters in the denominator of the definition of the Seebeck coefficient. Although the TMR and TMS are disconnected with respect to their magnitude the size of the TMR effect can be deducted from the angular dependence of the TMS effect.
Experimental investigation of the compression and heating of an MHD-driven jet impacting a target cloud
Authors: Seo Byonghoon , Bellan Paul M.
Published: November 2018

Adiabatic compression has been investigated by having an MHD-driven plasma jet impact a gas target cloud. Compression and heating of the jet upon impact were observed and compared to theoretical predictions. Diagnostics for comprehensive measurements included a Thomson scattering system, a fast movie camera, a translatable fiber-coupled interferometer, a monochromator, a visible-light photodiode, and a magnetic probe array. Measurements using these diagnostics provided the time-dependent electron density, electron temperature, continuum emission, line emission, and magnetic field profile. Increases in density and magnetic field and a decrease in jet velocity were observed during the compression. The electron temperature had a complicated time dependence, increasing at first, but then rapidly declining in less than 1 μs which is less than the total compression time. Analysis indicates that this sudden temperature drop is a consequence of radiative loss from hydrogen atoms spontaneously generated via three-body recombination in the high-density compressed plasma. A criterion for how fast compression must be to outrun radiative loss is discussed not only for the Caltech experiment but also for fusion-grade regimes. In addition, the results are analyzed in the context of shocks the effects of which are compared to adiabatic compression.
Monte Carlo explicitly correlated many-body Green’s function theory
Authors: Johnson Cole M. , Doran Alexander E. , Ten-no Seiichiro L. , Hirata So
Published: November 2018

A highly scalable stochastic algorithm is proposed and implemented for computing the basis-set-incompleteness correction to the diagonal, frequency-independent self-energy of the second-order many-body Green’s function (GF2) theory within the explicitly correlated (F12) formalism. The 6-, 9-, 12-, and 15-dimensional integrals comprising the F12 correction are directly evaluated by the Monte Carlo method using appropriate weight functions for importance sampling. The method is naturally and easily parallelized, involves minimal memory space and no disk I/O, and can use virtually any mathematical form of a correlation factor. Its computational cost to correct all ionization energies (IEs) is observed to increase as the fourth power of system size, as opposed to the fifth power in the case of the deterministic counterparts. The GF2 calculations and their F12 corrections for the first IEs of C60 and C70 were executed on 128 graphical processing units (GF2) and 896 central processing units (F12), respectively, to reach the results with statistical errors of 0.04 eV or less. They showed that the basis-set-incompleteness (from aug-cc-pVDZ) accounts for only 50%–60% of the deviations from experiments, suggesting the significance of higher-order perturbation corrections.
Pressure-tuning of the magnetic properties of the Heusler compound Mn2PtGa
Authors: Salazar Mejía C. , Nayak A. K. , Felser C. , Nicklas M.
Published: November 2018

We report on the pressure-tuning of the magnetic properties of the Heusler alloy Mn2PtGa. At ambient pressure, Mn2PtGa orders ferrimagnetically below TC≈222 K, followed by a first-order ferrimagnetic to antiferromagnetic transition around TFI−AF≈102 K upon cooling. Magnetization measurements up to 1.2 GPa evidence a stabilization of the ferrimagnetic phase, i.e., TC increases while TFI−AF decreases upon application of pressure. The magnetic properties in the ferrimagnetic phase are not altered upon increasing pressure. However, the fraction of the ferrimagnetic phase present in the inhomogeneous antiferromagnetic low-temperature phase increases with pressure.
Preparation and some properties of Mg2Si0.53Ge0.47 single crystal and Mg2Si0.53Ge0.47 pn-junction diode
Authors: El-Amir Ahmed A. M. , Ohsawa Takeo , Matsushita Yoshitaka , Wada Yoshiki , Shimamura Kiyoshi , Ohashi Naoki
Published: November 2018

This paper reports the results on fabrication methodology and photoresponse characteristics of Mg2Si0.53Ge0.47 pn-junction photodiode. At first, we have grown a Mg2Si0.53Ge0.47 single crystal with the Vertical Bridgman growth process. The grown crystal was characterized structurally and electrically by XRD, Laue, and Hall Effect measurements. XRD revealed the single-phase composition, Mg2Si0.53Ge0.47, of the grown crystal ingot. The clear Laue symmetrical diffraction pattern showed the single crystalline nature of the grown crystal. The Hall Effect measurement revealed the n-type conduction and the moderate Hall mobility (258 cm2/Vs), electrical resistivity (6.03E-02 Ω. cm), and carrier density (4.02E+17 cm-3) of the grown crystal. Such carrier density is low enough to allow depletion region formation in case of pn-junction diodes. In that sense, we have made up for the first time Mg2Si0.53Ge0.47 pn-junction photodiode by thermal diffusion of a thin Ag layer into n-Mg2Si0.53Ge0.47 substrate. The fabricated diode had an obvious rectification behavior and demonstrated a clear zero-biased photoresponse in the wavelength range from 0.95 to 1.85 μm, indicating its prominence for IR sensation in that wavelength domain.
Safe two-way migration for salmonids and eel past hydropower structures in Europe: a review and recommendations for best-practice solutions
Authors: Fjeldstad Hans-Petter , Pulg Ulrich , Forseth Torbjørn
Published: November 2018

This review provides a summary of knowledge on two-way fish migration of salmonids and eels past hydroelectric plants in Europe. On the basis of a summary of international literature, general designs and recommendations for best practices for fish-pass facilities are provided. The review is part of the Norwegian SafePass project, which focuses on Atlantic salmon, brown trout, grayling and European eel. According to recent international recommendations, many existing European fishways for upstream migration do not have an optimal design. This is especially evident for denil and pool-and-weir fishways in inland areas with species such as grayling and brown trout. Based on the review, we generally recommend (1) using ramps, nature-like channels and vertical-slot fishways for these species and (2) reducing water drop between the pools in pool-and-weir fishways and reducing energy dissipation compared with the design of traditional Atlantic salmon ladders. There are few well-functioning passages for downstream migration of fish in Europe and significant progress has been made in the past decade to improve technology and knowledge. Several international studies have shown that physical structures, such as fine-mesh trash racks with alternative escape routes and bypass arrangements, provide >90% passage efficiency for downstream migration, especially for brown trout and salmon, and have, in recent years, shown good results also for silver eels.
Attitudes towards dingoes (Canis dingo) and their management: a case study from a mining operation in the Great Sandy Desert, Western Australia
Authors: Smith Bradley P. , Vague Anne-Louise , Appleby Robert G.
Published: November 2018

This study provides insight into the attitudes and perceptions of people who live alongside dingoes in a remote Australian mining town. A mixed-methods, self-administered questionnaire was circulated, targeting employees across 11 departments (n=160). Overall, employees saw dingoes favourably (60.5%), and believed that humans and dingoes should be able to coexist (75.8%). Dingoes were not considered to be causing unacceptable damage or to be overabundant, despite being seen almost daily at both the village and work sites. A total of 31.4% of employees had felt threatened or scared because of a dingo on more than one occasion, and 16.5% had experienced a dingo being aggressive towards them at least once. Yet, only 21.0% of employees considered dingoes dangerous to people, and few worried about their safety at the village or work site (9.5% and 11.4% respectively), or the safety of others in general (21.6%). There was a dichotomy of views regarding the dingo’s presence: employees were supportive of dingoes living in close proximity at the mine, as long as they were not directly being problematic (i.e. representing a personal threat, or causing property damage). Half of the employees surveyed (50.4%) felt that management decisions relating to dingoes were personally important to them, highlighting the need to ensure that employees are consulted, and that dingo management strategies are well communicated. These findings have implications for improving the success rates of management approaches to human–carnivore conflict at mine sites and other situations where predators are perceived to threaten human safety.
Criticality in tumor evolution and clinical outcome
Authors: Persi Erez , Wolf Yuri I. , Leiserson Mark D. M. , Koonin Eugene V. , Ruppin Eytan
Published: November 2018

Significance

How mutation and selection co-determine the course of cancer evolution remains an open, fundamental question. We construct a mutation-selection phase diagram, using tumor mutation load (ML) and selection strength (dN/dS) as key variables, and assess their association with clinical outcome. The results reveal a biphasic evolutionary regime whereby beyond a critical ML, tumor fitness decreases with the number of mutations, although the proteome evolves near neutrality—that is, without strong selection. Deviations from neutrality at extreme ML show how positive selection (at low ML) and purifying selection (at high ML) may act to maintain tumor fitness. These results corroborate the existence of a critical state in cancer evolution predicted by theory and have fundamental and likely clinical implications.
The Russian-Chinese Pidgin
Authors: Fedorova Kapitolina
Published: November 2018

For a long period in history, the border between Russian Empire and China was a place of constant and intensive cultural and
language contacts, which resulted in the emergence of the Russian-Chinese Pidgin. In the 19th century it was used by no less than
one million people around the border with China, in an area of more than 3,000 kilometers long. The grammatical analysis of
Russian-Chinese Pidgin reveals several features (e.g. using the imperative as a basic verb form), which can be interpreted not
only linguistically but sociologically as well, because they are intertwined with the social positions of the contact groups and
their attitudes towards each other. Interestingly, features found in the pidgin’s grammar have certain parallels in
foreigner-directed talk used nowadays by Russian speakers when communicating with Chinese speakers in the border area, which may
indicate there are rather stable linguistic stereotypes associated with these contact situations.
Settler colonialism speaks
Authors: Deumert Ana
Published: November 2018

In this article I explore a particular set of contact varieties that emerged in Namibia, a former German colony. Historical evidence comes from the genre of autobiographic narratives that were written by German settler women. These texts provide – ideologically filtered – descriptions of domestic life in the colony and contain observations about everyday communication practices. In interpreting the data I draw on the idea of ‘jargon’ as developed within creolistics as well as onChabani Manganyi’s (1970)comments on the ‘master-servant communication complex’, and BeatrizLorente’s (2017)work on ‘scripts of servitude’. I suggest that to interpret the historical record is a complex hermeneutic endeavour: on the one hand, the examples given are likely to tell us ‘something’ about communication in the colony; on the other hand, the very description of communicative interactions is rooted in what I call a ‘script of supremacy’, which is quite unlike the ‘atonement politics’ (McIntosh 2014) of postcolonial language learning.
Français tirailleur
Authors: Parkvall Mikael
Published: November 2018

Français-Tirailleur is the conventional name for the French-lexicon pidgin used in France’s African army during the 19th and 20th centuries.Tirailleurliterally translates as ‘rifleman’ or ‘sharpshooter’, but in time, and in practice, it came to refer specifically to indigenous colonial soldiers. The literature on the variety is anything but vast, but some publications are partly or entirely devoted it, almost invariably drawing on one and the same source (an anonymously authored phrasebook intended for use by French officers commanding African soldiers;Anon. 1916). Another thing most of them have in common is that they see the language as an instrument of oppression, and as we shall see, quite a few claim that the pidgin was even invented for this specific purpose.
Religious tourism and sacred sites in Asia.
Authors: Griffin K. , Raj R. , Yasuda S.
Published: November 2018

This chapter offers an introduction to religion, religious tourism and pilgrimage in Asia and outlines eight themes in relation to the changing face of religion in the world as identified by geographer Stanley Brunn. These are presented and considered here to illustrate the challenges facing religion, religious tourism and pilgrimage, and society in general in modern times. The layout of the book's chapters is then described.
The sacred in caves and mountains: animist and Christian interfaces in the Philippines.
Authors: Labor H. L. A.
Published: November 2018

This chapter describes several sacred caves and mountains in the Philippines and considers the importance of the sense of the sacred in nature, as well as its capacity to bring about ekstasis, to Philippine pilgrimage and tourism.
Nankana Sahib as 'A symbol of religious coexistence'.
Authors: Abbasi A. S.
Published: November 2018

This chapter outlines the origins and development of Sikhism, and its integration with other religious practices in modern Pakistan. As the birthplace of this belief, Nankana Sahib possesses enormous potential for the development of religious tourism. The chapter identifies the main religious sites related to Sikhism in Nankana Sahib and other parts of Punjab, illustrating the wealth of their architecture and their importance for followers of Sikhism. The chapter then points out, using Islamic writings, how Sikhism and Islam can coexist without conflict, and thus, in the future, there is a major possibility for the expansion of Sikh tourism in Pakistan.
The destination marketing development of religious tourism in Uzbekistan: a case study.
Authors: Navruz-zoda B. , Navruz-zoda Z.
Published: November 2018

Following an in-depth discussion of Sufism and its development in Uzbekistan, this chapter presents a model which outlines how the Sufi tourism 'product' in Uzbekistan could be positioned and marketed to a broad range of religious tourists and pilgrims. Recommendations regarding visitor segmentation and marketing implementation are presented.