bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systematic Review of Variations in Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) for Peritoneal Metastasis from Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Yurttas Can , Hoffmann Giulia , Tolios Alexander , Haen Sebastian P. , Schwab Matthias , Königsrainer Ingmar , Königsrainer Alfred , Beckert Stefan , Löffler Markus W.
Published: December 2018

Background: Cytoreductive surgery (CRS), followed by hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), combines radical surgery with abdominal heated chemotherapy, constituting a multimodal treatment approach. Since clear standards for HIPEC conduct in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) are lacking, we aimed to provide a comprehensive structured survey. Data sources and study eligibility criteria: A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, with keywords “HIPEC” and “colorectal cancer”, according to established guidelines. Articles were systematically screened, selecting 87 publications complemented by 48 publications identified through extended search for subsequent synthesis and evaluation, extracting inter alia details on used drugs, dosage, temperature, exposure times, and carrier solutions. Results: Compiled publications contained 171 reports on HIPEC conduct foremost with mitomycin C and oxaliplatin, but also other drugs and drug combinations, comprising at least 60 different procedures. We hence provide an overview of interconnections between HIPEC protocols, used drugs and carrier solutions as well as their volumes. In addition, HIPEC temperatures and dosing benchmarks, as well as an estimate of in vivo resulting drug concentrations are demonstrated. Conclusions and implications: Owing to recent developments, HIPEC conduct and practices need to be reassessed. Unfortunately, imprecise and lacking reporting is frequent, which is why minimal information requirements should be established for HIPEC and the introduction of final drug concentrations for comparability reasons seems sensible.
Hydrophobicity and Photocatalytic Activity of a Wood Surface Coated with a Fe3+-Doped SiO2/TiO2 Film
Authors: Xuan Luning , Fu Yunlin , Liu Zhigao , Wei Penglian , Wu Lihong
Published: December 2018

A Fe3+-doped SiO2/TiO2 composite film (Fe3+-doped STCF) was prepared on a wood surface via a sol–gel method to improve its photocatalytic activity and hydrophobicity. The structure of the composite film was analyzed by Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The photocatalytic activity toward degradation of methyl orange and its hydrophobic nature were investigated. The results showed that the composite film was anatase TiO2 crystal form, and the addition of Fe3+ ions and SiO2 enhanced the diffraction peaks for the anatase crystal form. The photocatalytic activity of the wood coated with the composite film was enhanced. The highest degradation percentage was at 1 wt % Fe3+ (40.37%), and the degradation ability of the wood towards methyl orange solution was further improved under acidic conditions. In addition, the composite film was hydrophobic, and the hydrophobic property was enhanced as the immersion time in the sol increased. The wood surface coated with Fe3+-doped STCF exhibited strong hydrophobicity and photocatalytic activity, which could effectively prevent moisture from adhering to the surface and degrade organic pollutants; thus, the modified wood surface had good self-cleaning function.
Flexural and Shear Strain Characteristics of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composite Adhered to a Concrete Surface
Authors: Qureshi Hisham Jahangir , Saleem Muhammad Umair
Published: December 2018

The use of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites for strengthening concrete structures has gained a lot of popularity in the past couple of decades. The major issue in the retrofitting of concrete structures with FRP is the accurate evaluation of flexural and shear strains of polymer composites at the bonding interface of epoxy and concrete. To address it, a comprehensive experimental study was planned and carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite was applied on the concrete surface with the help of adhesives. CFRP was used as an external mounted flexural and shear reinforcement to strengthen the beams. Flexural load tests were performed on a group of eight reinforced concrete beams. These beams were strengthened in flexural and shear by different reinforcement ratios of CFRP. The strain gauges were applied on the surface of concrete and CFRP strips to assess the strain of both CFRP and concrete under flexural and shear stresses. The resulting test data is presented in the form of load–deformation and strain values. It was found that the values of strains transferred to the FRP through the concrete are highly dependent on the surface tensile properties of concrete and debonding strength of the adhesive. The test results clearly indicated that the strength increment in flexural members is highly dependent on strain values of the CFRP.
Microstructure Evolution in ODS Alloys with a High-Volume Fraction of Nano Oxides
Authors: Svoboda Jiří , Horník Vít , Stratil Luděk , Hadraba Hynek , Mašek Bohuslav , Khalaj Omid , Jirková Hana
Published: December 2018

Existing oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys are, besides Ni-based superalloy single crystals, the most creep-resistant materials. The creep resistance of the ODS alloys may, moreover, be significantly improved thanks to increasing the volume fraction of the nano oxides by more than one order of magnitude so that the oxides play a decisive role in strengthening. The present experimental study deals with two systems of such a high-volume fraction of nano oxides, namely, the Fe-11Al-1O and Fe-17Cr-7Al-4Y2O3 systems prepared by mechanical alloying and hot rolling leading to a rather stable fine-grained microstructure. This microstructure undergoes static recrystallization at high temperatures. The kinetics of static recrystallization and coarsening of nano oxides in recrystallized grains is determined for both systems. The difference in kinetics of coarsening of Al-based and Y-based oxides in the Fe-11Al-1O and Fe-17Cr-7Al-4Y2O3 systems is expressive and predetermines the Fe-17Cr-7Al-4Y2O3 system or similar ones to become the new leading system among creep- and oxidation-resistant materials for applications up to 1200 °C.
Effects of Microstructure and Texture Evolution on Strength Improvement of an Extruded Mg-10Gd-2Y-0.5Zn-0.3Zr Alloy
Authors: Xue Zhiyong , Han Xiuzhu , Zhou Zhiyong , Wang Yanlin , Li Xuesong , Wu Jiapeng
Published: December 2018

The extrusion process with a large extrusion ratio (36:1) has a great effect on microstructure refinement and strength improvement of the Mg-10Gd-2Y-0.5Zn-0.3Zr alloy. The tensile yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and elongation of the extruded alloy are 306MPa, 410MPa, and 16.3%, respectively. The causes of strength improvement of the extruded alloy are discussed in detail. The grain refinement is a main strengthening source, contributing ~67MPa to the tensile yield strength of the extruded alloy. Dense precipitation of long period stacking ordered (LPSO) and β′ phases on the matrix and transformation of texture type in the extrusion process also partly increase the strength. In addition, a small number of {10 1 ¯ 2} twins during tensile test is another factor improving the strength of the extruded alloy.
Editorial for the Special Issue on Tactile Sensing for Soft Robotics and Wearables
Authors: Beccai Lucia , Totaro Massimo
Published: December 2018

Tactile feedback is needed for the interaction of humans with a worn device, and to enable robots to gather environmental cues and react to their surroundings [...]
Nanowire-Based Biosensors: From Growth to Applications
Authors: Ambhorkar Pranav , Wang Zongjie , Ko Hyuongho , Lee Sangmin , Koo Kyo-in , Kim Keekyoung , Cho Dong-il (Dan)
Published: December 2018

Over the past decade, synthesized nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotube, nanoparticle, quantum dot, and nanowire, have already made breakthroughs in various fields, including biomedical sensors. Enormous surface area-to-volume ratio of the nanomaterials increases sensitivity dramatically compared with macro-sized material. Herein we present a comprehensive review about the working principle and fabrication process of nanowire sensor. Moreover, its applications for the detection of biomarker, virus, and DNA, as well as for drug discovery, are reviewed. Recent advances including self-powering, reusability, sensitivity in high ionic strength solvent, and long-term stability are surveyed and highlighted as well. Nanowire is expected to lead significant improvement of biomedical sensor in the near future.
Terpenoid Compositions of Resins from Callitris Species (Cupressaceae)
Authors: Simoneit Bernd R. T. , Cox Robert E. , Oros Daniel R. , Otto Angelika
Published: December 2018

The environmental fate of conifer resins and their natural product compounds as mixtures is of importance for source, alteration, and transport studies. The compound compositions of resins of the common Callitris species (Cupressaceae) based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry have not been reported. Results show that diterpenoids were the most abundant components and callitrisic acid was present in the resin extracts of all Callitris species analyzed. Significant amounts of 4-epi-pimaric and sandaracopimaric acids, with lesser communic, ozic, and lambertianic acids, were also in the mixtures. Phenolic diterpenoids, for example, ferruginol, hinokiol, were found in trace quantities in some samples. Thus, callitrisic acid and 4-epi-pimaric acid are the characteristic diterpenoids of Callitris species that are amenable to molecular biomarker analyses in geological or environmental applications.
Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet Protects from Cognitive Decline in the Invecchiare in Chianti Study of Aging
Authors: Tanaka Toshiko , Talegawkar Sameera A. , Jin Yichen , Colpo Marco , Ferrucci Luigi , Bandinelli Stephania
Published: December 2018

Following a Mediterranean diet high in plant-based foods and fish, low in meat and dairy foods, and with moderate alcohol intake has been shown to promote healthy aging. Therefore, we examined the association between a Mediterranean diet and trajectories of cognitive performance in the InCHIANTI study. Subjects (N = 832) were examined every 2–3 years up to 18 years with an average follow-up period of 10.1 years. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) at every visit. Dietary habits were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire and adherence to Mediterranean diet was computed on a scale of 0-9 and categorized into three groups of low (≤3), medium (4–5), and high (≥6). Those in the highest adherence group (OR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.29–0.79) and medium adherence group (OR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.41–0.99) were less likely to experience cognitive decline. The annual average decline in MMSE scores was 0.4 units, for those in the high and medium adherence group this decline was attenuated by 0.34 units (p < 0.001) and 0.16 units (p = 0.03), respectively. Our findings suggest that adherence to a Mediterranean diet can have long-lasting protective effects on cognitive decline and may be an effective strategy for the prevent or delay dementia.
Gastrointestinal Tolerance of D-Allulose in Healthy and Young Adults. A Non-Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Han Youngji , Choi Bo Ra , Kim So Young , Kim Seong-Bo , Kim Yang Hee , Kwon Eun-Young , Choi Myung-Sook
Published: December 2018

D-allulose has recently received attention as a sugar substitute. However, there are currently no reports regarding its association with gastrointestinal (GI) tolerance. Thus, we performed a GI tolerance test for D-allulose in order to establish its daily acceptable intake level. When the dose of D-allulose was gradually increased in steps of 0.1 g/kg·Body Weight (BW) to identify the maximum single dose for occasional ingestion, no cases of severe diarrhea or GI symptoms were noted until a dose of 0.4 g/kg·BW was reached. Severe symptoms of diarrhea were noted at a dose of 0.5 g/kg·BW. Similarly, the GI tolerance test did not show any incidences of severe diarrhea or GI symptoms until a dose of 0.5 g/kg·BW was reached. A correlation analysis of the GI tolerance test for D-allulose and sugar revealed significantly higher frequencies of symptoms of diarrhea (p = 0.004), abdominal distention (p = 0.039), and abdominal pain (p = 0.031) after D-allulose intake. Increasing the total daily D-allulose intake gradually to 1.0 g/kg·BW for regular ingestion resulted in incidences of severe nausea, abdominal pain, headache, anorexia, and diarrheal symptoms. Based on these results, we suggest a maximum single dose and maximum total daily intake of D-Allulose of 0.4 g/kg·BW and 0.9 g/kg·BW, respectively.
Associations of Dietary Patterns and Metabolic-Hormone Profiles with Breast Cancer Risk: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Krusinska Beata , Wadolowska Lidia , Slowinska Malgorzata Anna , Biernacki Maciej , Drozdowski Marek , Chadzynski Tomasz
Published: December 2018

Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in women worldwide. Studies regarding complex breast cancer aetiology are limited and the results are inconclusive. We investigated the associations between dietary patterns (DPs), metabolic-hormone profiles (M-HPs), and breast cancer risk. This case-control study involved 420 women aged 40–79 years from north-eastern Poland, including 190 newly-diagnosed breast cancer cases. The serum concentration of lipid components, glucose, and hormones (oestradiol, progesterone, testosterone, prolactin, cortisol, insulin) was marked in 129 post-menopausal women (82 controls, 47 cases). The food frequency consumption was collected using a validated 62-item food frequency questionnaire. A posteriori DPs or M-HPs were derived with a Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Three DPs: ‘Non-Healthy’, ‘Prudent’, and ‘Margarine and Sweetened Dairy’ and two M-HPs: ‘Metabolic-Syndrome’ and ‘High-Hormone’ were identified. The ‘Polish-adapted Mediterranean Diet’ (‘Polish-aMED’) score was calculated. The risk of breast cancer risk was three-times higher (odds ratio (OR): 2.90; 95% confidence interval (95% Cl): 1.62–5.21; p < 0.001) in the upper tertile of the ‘Non-Healthy’ pattern (reference: bottom tertile) and five-times higher (OR: 5.34; 95% Cl: 1.84–15.48; p < 0.01) in the upper tertile of the ‘High-Hormone’ profile (reference: bottom tertile). There was a positive association of ‘Metabolic-Syndrome’ profile and an inverse association of ‘Polish-aMED’ score with the risk of breast cancer, which disappeared after adjustment for confounders. No significant association between ‘Prudent’ or ‘Margarine and Sweetened Dairy’ DPs and cancer risk was revealed. Concluding, a pro-healthy diet is insufficient to reduce the risk of breast cancer in peri- and postmenopausal women. The findings highlight the harmful effect of the ‘High-Hormone’ profile and the ‘Non-Healthy’ dietary pattern on breast cancer risk. In breast cancer prevention, special attention should be paid to decreasing the adherence to the ‘Non-Healthy’ pattern by reducing the consumption of highly processed food and foods with a high content of sugar and animal fat. There is also a need to monitor the concentration of multiple sex hormones in the context of breast cancer risk.
Combined Approach of Cyclodextrin Complexationand Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for the Development of a Pediatric Liquid Oral Dosage Form of Hydrochlorothiazide
Authors: Cirri Marzia , Maestrelli Francesca , Mura Paola , Ghelardini Carla , Di Cesare Mannelli Lorenzo
Published: December 2018

The development of specific and age-appropriate pediatric formulations is essential to assure that all children and their care-givers can easily access to safe and effective dosage forms. The need for developing specific pediatric medicinal products has been highlighted by the European Medicines Agency. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of combining the advantages of both cyclodextrin (CD) complexation and loading into nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC), to obtain a liquid oral pediatric formulation of hydrochlorothiazide (HCT), endowed with safety, dosage accuracy, good stability and therapeutic efficacy. Equimolar drug combinations as physical mixture (P.M.) or coground product (GR) with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) or sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin (SBEβCD) were loaded into NLC, then characterized for particle size, homogeneity, Zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, gastric and storage stability. The presence of HPβCD allowed higher entrapment efficacy than NLC loaded with the plain drug, and enabled, in the case of GR systems a complete and sustained drug release, attributable to the wetting and solubilising properties of HPβCD toward HCT. In vivo studies on rats proved the superior therapeutic effectiveness of HCT-in HPβCD-in NLC formulations compared to the corresponding free HCT-loaded NLC, thus confirming the successfulness of the proposed approach in the development of an efficacious liquid oral formulation of the drug.
A Novel Self-Binding Composite Separator Based on Poly(tetrafluoroethylene) Coating for Li-Ion Batteries
Authors: Zhang Kaiyue , Xiao Wei , Liu Jianguo , Yan Chuanwei
Published: December 2018

In this study, a novel composite separator based on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coating layers and a commercial polyethylene (PE) separator is developed for high performance Li-ion batteries. This composite separator is prepared by immersing a PE separator directly into a commercial PTFE suspension to obtain a self-binding PTFE/PE/PTFE tri-layered structure. Then, the as-prepared composite separator is further treated with a H2O2/H2SO4 solution to enhance its electrolyte affinity. The results show that the coating layer, consisting of close-packed PTFE particles, possesses a highly ordered nano-porous structure and an excellent electrolyte wettability property, which significantly enhance the ionic conductivity of the composite separator. Due to the presence of the PTFE-based coating layer, the composite separator exhibits better thermal stability compared with the PE separator, reaching the thermal-resistant grade of commercial ceramic-coated separators. By using different separators, CR2032-type unit half-cells composed of a Li anode and a LiFePO4 cathode were assembled, and their C-rate and cycling performances were evaluated. The cell assembled with the composite separator was proven to have better C-rate capability and cycling capacity retention than the cell with the polyethylene separator. It is expected that the composite separator can be a potential candidate as a coating-type separator for high-performance rechargeable Li-ion batteries.
Over-Stretching Tolerant Conductors on Rubber Films by Inkjet-Printing Silver Nanoparticles for Wearables
Authors: Albrecht Andreas , Bobinger Marco , Salmerón José , Becherer Markus , Cheng Gordon , Lugli Paolo , Rivadeneyra Almudena
Published: December 2018

The necessity to place sensors far away from the processing unit in smart clothes or artificial skins for robots may require conductive wirings on stretchable materials at very low-cost. In this work, we present an easy method to produce wires using only commercially available materials. A consumer grade inkjet printer was used to print a wire of silver nanoparticles with a sheet resistance below 1 Ω/sq. on a non-pre-strained sheet of elastic silicone. This wire was stretched more than 10,000 times and was still conductive afterwards. The viscoelastic behavior of the substrate results in a temporarily increased resistance that decreases to almost the original value. After over-stretching, the wire is conductive within less than a second. We analyze the swelling of the silicone due to the ink’s solvent and the nanoparticle film on top by microscope and SEM images. Finally, a 60 mm long stretchable conductor was integrated onto wearables, and showed that it can bear strains of up to 300% and recover to a conductivity that allows the operation of an assembled LED assembled at only 1.8 V. These self-healing wires can serve as wiring and binary strain or pressure sensors in sportswear, compression underwear, and in robotic applications.
Extraction of Anisotropic Characteristics of Scattering Centers and Feature Enhancement in Wide-Angle SAR Imagery Based on the Iterative Re-Weighted Tikhonov Regularization
Authors: Gao Yuexin , Xing Mengdao , Guo Liang , Zhang Zijing
Published: December 2018

The anisotropic characteristic reflects discriminating features of the geometry of a scattering center. In this study, we propose a novel method based on the iterative re-weighted Tikhonov regularization (IRWTR) to achieve the extraction of anisotropic characteristics of scattering centers in the wide-angle SAR synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging. Moreover, based on the extracted anisotropic scattering behaviors, the incomplete imaging results of the distributed scattering centers are restored. In this paper, we first discussed the scattering property in SAR imagery from the perspective of attributed scattering center model (ASCM). The reason for the incomplete imaging results of the distributed scattering centers was also discussed based on the ASCM. Subsequently, we modeled the aspect-dependent amplitude responses of a scattering center as a linear combination of a set of orthogonal basis. Consequently, the extraction of anisotropic characteristics can be transformed into an inverse problem, which was solved by the proposed IRWTR with high efficiency and accuracy. After the extraction, we attempted to restore the complete image of a distributed scattering center, which consisted of only two points. The enhanced SAR image can reveal the actual shape of a target. Processing results of electromagnetic computation data validated that the proposed method is effective and efficient.
Science Mapping of the Knowledge Base on Sustainable Leadership, 1990–2018
Authors: Hallinger Philip , Suriyankietkaew Suparak
Published: December 2018

The rise of sustainable development as a field of applied research has been observed across a wide range of disciplines. Successful change towards sustainability in organizations and societies requires leadership to provide a vision, set direction, and motivate people to move towards new goals. Thus, sustainable leadership is emerging as a new domain of study within the field of management. This review of research employed science mapping tools to examine 952 Scopus-indexed documents explicitly concerned with sustainable leadership. The goals of the review were to document the size, growth trajectory, and geographic distribution of this literature, identify key journals, authors, and documents, analyze the intellectual structure of this knowledge base, and highlight emerging topics. The review documented a modest-sized knowledge base of recent vintage, concentrated in Western developed societies but global in scope. Six Schools of Thought were identified within this knowledge base, one of which—Sustainable Leadership—was singled out for attention. As the first bibliometric review of research on sustainable leadership, this review provides a reference for scholars entering this domain, as well as guidance with respect to high value frameworks, foci for future research, and practical implications.
Tourist Mobility at the Destination Toward Protected Areas: The Case-Study of Extremadura
Authors: Sánchez Martín José Manuel , Rengifo Gallego Juan Ignacio , Martín Delgado Luz María
Published: December 2018

The use of natural protected areas has been analyzed abundantly in the relevant literature, although on many occasions these areas are studied from the viewpoint of their role as a tourist destination in themselves, while neglecting their role as a tourist attraction that can be visited from the main destination of their stay. In certain specific areas, as in the case of Extremadura, protected areas are often a complementary destination for visitors who are staying in popular tourist hubs. This study is based on data from 4 different spaces (with different degrees in their status as protected areas) about the flow of tourists they generate at the destination. In light of the data, this paper identifies the 41 towns and villages with the most tourists, later to determine their mobility towards natural protected areas. Information was collected from almost 14,000 surveys that were filled at 52 tourist offices. This information allowed us to map the flow of tourists from their places of stay to the protected areas analyzed here, which resulted in the mapping of relevant networks by means of a Geographic Information System following the criterion of shortest path available. The results here clearly demonstrate that each area has a varying capacity to attract visitors, although in a large proportion of cases, the 60-min isochrone is a boundary beyond which the number of visitors drops significantly.
Review of the Transit Accessibility Concept: A Case Study of Richmond, Virginia
Authors: Chen Xueming (Jimmy)
Published: December 2018

This study reviews the transit accessibility concept and describes its empirical application in Richmond, Virginia, USA. The transit accessibility concept involves multiple components. Each component has several measures; the selection of which measure to use depends on unique local circumstances. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and statistical tools are utilized in this study. It has been found that, although the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) provides a reasonably good transit service inside Richmond City, its existing hub-and-spoke transit system is not aligned well with new and complex travel patterns (including suburb-to-suburb travel patterns), and thus needs to be restructured in the near future.
Use of Shared-Mobility Services to Accomplish Emergency Evacuation in Urban Areas via Reduction in Intermediate Trips—Case Study in Xi’an, China
Authors: Li Menghui , Xu Jinliang , Liu Xingliang , Sun Chao , Duan Zhihao
Published: December 2018

Under no-notice evacuation scenarios with limited time horizons, the effectiveness of evacuation can be negatively impacted by intermediate trips that are made by family members and the identification of vulnerable populations. The emergence of shared-mobility companies, such as Uber and DiDi, can be considered as a potential means to address above-mentioned concerns. The proposed study explores the utility of shared-mobility services under emergency-evacuation scenarios and makes recommendations to relevant bodies that are based on the obtained and they are discussed herein. The study investigates attitudes of the public, experts, and drivers towards the use of shared-mobility resources during emergency evacuations based on a stated preference survey. Results of questionnaires, driver interviews, and face-to-face expert interviews have been analyzed to validate the feasibility and identify potential problems of leveraging shared-mobility services during evacuation response, especially in metropolitan areas wherein such services are already ubiquitous. Numerical simulations have been performed to quantify potential improvements in the total trip distance and number of evacuees after incorporating the use of shared mobility into emergency-response operations. However, despite the observed improvement in emergency efficiency, certain realistic roadblocks must be overcome. Realization of the proposed objective heavily depends on actionable policy recommendations, provided herein as a reference for the government, emergency management agencies, and shared-mobility companies.
Optimality and Duality with Respect to b-(ℰ,m)-Convex Programming
Authors: Yu Bo , Liao Jiagen , Du Tingsong
Published: December 2018

Noticing that E -convexity, m-convexity and b-invexity have similar structures in their definitions, there are some possibilities to treat these three class of mappings uniformly. For this purpose, the definitions of the ( E , m ) -convex sets and the b- ( E , m ) -convex mappings are introduced. The properties concerning operations that preserve the ( E , m ) -convexity of the proposed mappings are derived. The unconstrained and inequality constrained b- ( E , m ) -convex programming are considered, where the sufficient conditions of optimality are developed and the uniqueness of the solution to the b- ( E , m ) -convex programming are investigated. Furthermore, the sufficient optimality conditions and the Fritz–John necessary optimality criteria for nonlinear multi-objective b- ( E , m ) -convex programming are established. The Wolfe-type symmetric duality theorems under the b- ( E , m ) -convexity, including weak and strong symmetric duality theorems, are also presented. Finally, we construct two examples in detail to show how the obtained results can be used in b- ( E , m ) -convex programming.
Uncertainty Assessment of Climate Change Adaptation Options Using an Economic Pluvial Flood Risk Framework
Authors: Zhou Qianqian , Arnbjerg-Nielsen Karsten
Published: December 2018

Identifying what, when, and how much adaptation is needed to account for increased pluvial flood risk is inherently uncertain. This presents a challenge to decision makers when trying to identify robust measures. This paper presents an integrated uncertainty analysis to quantify not only the overall uncertainty of individual adaptation scenarios, but also the net uncertainty between adaptation alternatives for a direct comparison of their efficiency. Further, a sensitivity analysis is used to assess the relative contribution of inherent uncertainties in the assessment. A Danish case study shows that the uncertainties in relation to assessing the present hazards and vulnerabilities (e.g., input runoff volume, threshold for damage, and costing of floods) are important to the overall uncertainty, thus contributing substantially to the overall uncertainty in relation to decisions on action or in-action. Once a decision of action has been taken, the uncertainty of the hazards under the current climate, and also the magnitude of future climate change, are less important than other uncertainties such as discount rate and the cost of implementing the adaptation measures. The proposed methodology is an important tool for achieving an explicit uncertainty description of climate adaptation strategies and provides a guide for further efforts (e.g., field data collection) to improve decision-making in relation to climate change.
Mn-mediated sequential three-component domino Knoevenagel/cyclization/Michael addition/oxidative cyclization reaction towards annulated imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines
Authors: Storozhenko Olga A , Festa Alexey A , Bella Ndoutoume Delphine R , Aksenov Alexander V , Varlamov Alexey V , Voskressensky Leonid G
Published: December 2018

The sequential three-component reaction between o-hydroxybenzaldehydes, N-(cyanomethyl)pyridinium salts and a nucleophile towards substituted chromenoimidazopyridines under oxidative conditions has been developed. The employment of Mn(OAc)3·2H2O or KMnO4 as stoichiometric oxidants allowed the use of a wide range of nucleophiles, such as nitromethane, (aza)indoles, pyrroles, phenols, pyrazole, indazole and diethyl malonate. The formation of the target compounds presumably proceeds through a domino Knoevenagel/cyclization/Michael addition/oxidative cyclization reaction sequence.
RESEARCH ON THE PRICES OF FLATS IN THE SOUTH EAST LONDON AND VILNIUS
Authors: Raslanas Saulius , Šteinbergas Tadas , Tupenaite Laura
Published: December 2018

Mathematical statistics methods were applied to analyse the pricing of two bedroom flats in South‐eastern London and similar sized three room flats in Vilnius. Analysis revealed that the average prices of Vilnius three room flats are 4–5 times less comparing to prices of two bedroom flats in South‐eastern London. Also flat prices influencing factors such as living space, dwelling condition, communication, parking space, additional space, storey, etc. were compared. It was found that some additional factors are influencing dwelling prices in Vilnius rather as in London. More attention must be paid on multi‐storey buildings age and construction type. These factors are important in Vilnius living areas where panel buildings are common — Antakalnis, Fabijoniškes, Pašilaičiai, Šeškine, etc. Other pricing influencing factors are similar to London, most often the condition of the flat is the most important factor to Vilnius three rooms dwelling pricing. As Vilnius is much smaller than London, communication and parking area do not have much influence on dwelling prices. Similar to London, the space of dwelling is more important factor in Vilnius living areas than in central parts of the city and prestigious districts.
SUSTAINABLE CITY COMPACTNESS EVALUATION ON THE BASIS OF GIS AND BAYES RULE
Authors: Turskis Zenonas , Zavadskas Edmundas K. , Zagorskas Jurgis
Published: December 2018

For a long period in Lithuania there was a tendency to build extensively leaving huge wasteland insertions in the urban fabric of the cities. As a result cities overspread such a big territory that the edges of the cities and location of provision centers are almost inconceivable. In this paper the method of game theory fitted for Geographic Information System (GIS) is given to evaluate and calculate the rate of city compactness. This methodology can help city planners to determine and localize problems of urban fabric density, to enhance motivation and versatility of decisions. For evaluation of city compactness efficiency attributes and the weights of it based on expert judgment are established. This model is applied to Kaunas city. On the basis of GIS the data bank of population, public transport stops and places of public attraction is prepared. Area of the city was divided by rectangular grid and analysis was made calculating efficiency attributes for each sector, applying Bayes rule. The results were visualized as diagrams showing most problematical areas.
OUTWARD FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN CHINA: EVIDENCE FROM ASYMMETRIC ARDL APPROACH
Authors: Ali Usman , Shan Wei , Wang Jian-Jun , Amin Azka
Published: December 2018

The current study explored the dynamics between economic growth and overseas investment, using time series annual data from China. For empirical analysis, we utilized asymmetric ARDL technique, which documents the potential asymmetric effects of outward foreign direct investment on economic growth in both the long run and short run. The empirical results suggest that ignoring the intrinsic asymmetries may conceal the true information about the equilibrium relationship among the variables and thus lead to misleading results. Particularly, the findings revealed that economic growth in China responds positively but differently to an increase and decrease in its overseas investment. The empirical evidence obtained through asymmetric model seemed to be superior to that of symmetric model and thus leads to more efficient policymaking to achieve sustainable economic development. Our study contributes to the existing literature by providing new insights on the outward foreign direct investment-led growth hypothesis. The findings suggest that firms investing abroad can bring source country benefits by securing access to key input factors and accessing advanced foreign technology.
Les Normands à Terre-Neuve au xvi e siècle
Authors: Brumont Francis
Published: December 2018

Au début du xvi e siècle, les Normands commencent à pratiquer la pêche à la morue à Terre-Neuve, une activité qui ne tarde pas à se développer sans doute jusqu’au début des années 1560 ; elle connaît alors une stagnation, à un bon niveau pendant une trentaine d’années, la dernière décennie du siècle étant plus difficile. Les marchands de Rouen financent ces expéditions, les marins provenant essentiellement des ports de la vallée de la Seine. Dès le milieu du siècle, des changements se produisent : développement de la pêche errante sur les bancs et surtout mainmise du Havre, de ses marins et de ses marchands sur cette activité pendant que Rouen se consacre au commerce avec l’empire espagnol et l’Afrique du Nord.
L’éléphant africain offert à Henri IV par des marins de Dieppe (1591)
Authors: Colace Marie-Pascale , Maneuvrier Christophe
Published: December 2018

Le débarquement à Dieppe d’un éléphant offert en cadeau au roi Henri IV a fait l’objet, en 1893, d’une courte note publiée par Léopold Delisle. La découverte de nouvelles sources invite à une relecture de cet événement extraordinaire puisqu’il s’agit sans doute du premier éléphant africain introduit en Europe depuis l’Antiquité par la voie atlantique. Le transport d’un jeune pachyderme âgé d’environ 5 ans sur un navire durant plusieurs semaines nécessite une logistique particulièrement élaborée : les transporteurs doivent éviter que l’animal ne prenne peur ou qu’il ne tombe malade, il leur faut également prévoir l’eau et la nourriture nécessaires à sa croissance et à son entretien. Le recours à un « soigneur » africain expérimenté semble incontournable. Le transport d’un éléphant depuis le Cap-Vert constitue un véritable exploit, à la fois technique, commercial et probablement diplomatique, qui révèle la très grande connaissance que les marins de Dieppe avaient des côtes africaines.
Pendaison d’une peau de bœuf à Falaise en 1388
Authors: Dubois Adrien
Published: December 2018

L’édition de la quittance du bourreau de Falaise qui a pendu la peau d’un bœuf en 1388 vise à apporter un nouvel élément au dossier des procès intentés à la fin du Moyen Âge contre des animaux. Cet exemple pose en particulier la question de la responsabilité pénale qui est mise en cause : plus que celle de l’animal, il pourrait bien s’agir de celle de son propriétaire.
Brèves remarques sur la mystérieuse épitaphe d’Écouis
Authors: Banderier Gilles
Published: December 2018

Une rumeur persistante, venue du passé, rapporte qu’il se serait trouvé en la collégiale d’Écouis une étrange épitaphe faisant allusion à un double inceste. La présente notule récapitule les témoignages anciens et en ajoute un nouveau, spécialement digne de foi.
« Pour vous, qui suis-je ? » Trois enseignements au sujet du Christ
Authors: Piret Pierre
Published: December 2018

Comment l’Église connait-elle le Christ Jésus ? L’A., en philosophe et en théologien, retient trois moments épistémologiques : les récits des évangiles ; la période des Pères de l’Église avec les sept conciles reconnus comme œcuméniques ; enfin la theologia crucis luthérienne qui interroge sur les conditions, à la fois anthropologiques et théologiques, de l’appropriation du salut, spécialement grâce à la liturgie et la prière chrétienne.
Le double dialogue de Lahbabi : entre musulmans et chrétiens, entre philosophie et théologie
Authors: Kneer Markus
Published: December 2018

Mohamed Aziz Lahbabi écrivit Le personnalisme musulman en 1964 pour dialoguer avec un public chrétien. Ses argumentations se fondent cependant sur les sources principales de l’islam et suivent les procédures de la théologie musulmane. L’article se demande si le dialogue interreligieux ne requiert pas un deuxième niveau de réflexion qui est celui de la relation entre la théologie et la philosophie. De ce point de vue, le personnalisme lahbabien n’est ni occidentalisé ni salafiste.
Baccalaureate Nursing Students’ Attitudes Toward Poverty: Implications for Nursing Curricula
Authors: Sword Wendy , Reutter Linda , Meagher-Stewart Donna , Rideout Elizabeth
Published: December 2018

Given the link between poverty and health, nurses, in their work in hospitals and in the community, often come into contact with people who are poor. To be effective care providers, nurses must have an adequate understanding of poverty and a positive attitude toward people who are poor. This study examined attitudes toward poverty among baccalaureate nursing students (
N
= 740) at three Canadian universities. Students’ attitudes were neutral to slightly positive. Personal experiences appeared to have an important influence on the development of favorable attitudes. The findings point to several considerations for nursing curricula. Students should not only be provided with classroom opportunities for critical exploration of poverty and its negative effects on individuals and society, but also have clinical learning experiences that bring them face-to-face with people who are poor, their health concerns, and the realities of their circumstances. Thoughtful critique of poverty-related issues and interpersonal contact may be effective strategies to foster attitude change.
Analysis of Spirituality Content in Nursing Textbooks
Authors: McEwen Melanie
Published: December 2018

Although most nurses believe spiritual care is an integral component of quality, holistic nursing care, they rarely address spiritual issues and typically feel unprepared to do so. One reason for nurses’ lack of preparedness to provide spiritual interventions is that their basic education only minimally discusses spirituality and related issues. This is compounded by the problem that only sporadic reference to spiritual care is found in most nursing textbooks.

This study was conducted to analyze the content related to spirituality in nursing textbooks in order to determine where spiritual care is addressed and evaluate its adequacy. A total of 50 textbooks from a wide variety of nursing specialty areas were selected from the most recent Brandon Hill list. These books were examined to assess the percentage of pages discussing spiritual issues and analyze inclusion of core content essential for nursing practice.

Although there was considerable variation among the books from all specialty areas, overall, hospice/terminal care, fundamentals of nursing, health assessment/health promotion, and transcultural nursing textbooks provided the most information about spirituality and spiritual care. Textbooks focusing on professional issues, medical-surgical nursing, maternal-child health nursing, critical care nursing, and community health nursing contained the least spiritual content. Suggestions are made regarding how to integrate spiritual issues and spiritual care in all nursing textbooks that pertain directly to patient care.
Case Management in the Undergraduate Curriculum
Authors: Tholcken Michele , Clark Michele C. , Tschirch Poldi
Published: December 2018

The redesign of an undergraduate curriculum at one baccalaureate nursing program resulted in adoption of a required course on case management for chronic illnesses. The course is structured around rehabilitation standards and medical-surgical and community health principles of nursing care. A service-learning model was used to develop the clinical experience, which involved student nurses visiting the homes of individuals with chronic illnesses. These visits were made in collaboration with personnel from community-based agencies or programs. This article discusses the design of the course and some of the content areas and clinical activities.
Near Visual Acuity for Everyday Activities With Accommodative and Monofocal Intraocular Lenses
Authors: Sanders Donald R , Sanders Monica L
Published: December 2018

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To determine the levels of functional near visual acuity required for everyday social reading activities and to compare the levels to those attained with accommodative and monofocal intraocular lenses (IOLs).

METHODS: Font size equivalencies of an Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study near chart and a variety of commonly read print objects were determined and correlated to the findings of distance-corrected near vision measurements with 2 accommodative (Tetraflex, ICU) and 1 monofocal (Acrysof MA30) IOLs.

RESULTS: The smallest print objects studied were sweetener packets with type between 20/40 (Jaeger [J] 5) and 20/50 (J6). Type in classified ads, stock quotations, and pocket bibles was 20/50 (J6), type in a telephone directory was 20/63 (J8), and type in standard newspapers, journals, and magazines was 20/80 (J9). Tested monocularly, 88% of Tetraflex, 40% of ICU, and 7% of Acrysof MA30 eyes had distance-corrected near vision sufficient to read newspaper and telephone directory print, and 63% of Tetraflex, 30% of ICU, and 0% of Acrysof MA30 eyes could read classified ads, stock quotations, and pocket bibles, respectively. Tested binocularly after bilateral implantation, 96% of Tetraflex patients could read telephone directory print and 89% could read ads, stock quotations, and pocket bibles.

CONCLUSIONS: Functional near visual acuity is not equivalent to the bottom-line objective at 20/20 (J1) near visual acuity. No print size was found at or smaller than 20/40 (J5), indicating that a requirement of nearly perfect near visual acuity, while desirable, may not be necessary for patients' social reading needs for accommodative IOLs. [J Refract Surg. 2007;23:747-751.]
Comparison of Surgical Performance of Internal Limiting Membrane Peeling Using a 3-D Visualization System With Conventional Microscope
Authors: Babu Naresh , Kohli Piyush , Ramachandran N Obuli , Ramasamy Kim
Published: December 2018

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

To compare the surgical performance of internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling in idiopathic macular hole using a digitally assisted vitreoretinal system (DAVS) and an analog microscope (AM).

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Patients were operated on using an AM (Group A) and a DAVS (Group B). The data analyzed included surgical time required to complete ILM peeling, number of attempts to create ILM flap and complete ILM peeling, and intraoperative complications.

RESULTS:

Each group included 20 patients. The average surgical time for ILM peeling in groups A and B was 123.05 seconds ± 42.23 seconds and 142.35 seconds ± 31.49 seconds, respectively (
P
= .109). The mean number of surgical attempts to create the ILM flap was 1.05 ± 0.22 and 1.70 ± 1.22 respectively (
P
= .008). The mean number of surgical attempts to complete ILM peeling was 22.85 ± 9.95 and 27.20 ± 7.16, respectively (
P
= .121). Retinal touch occurred in one and three patients, respectively (
P
= .534).

CONCLUSIONS:

DAVS provides similar surgical performance to AM; however, the creation of ILM flap is difficult with DAVS compared to AM.

[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina
. 2018;49:941–945.]
Large Spot Laser for Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity
Authors: Chandra Parijat , Bhoutekar Priti , Azad Rajvardhan , Agarwal Ramesh
Published: December 2018

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

To compare large spot versus standard spot laser for treatment of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Eighty eyes of 40 infants with bilateral type 1 ROP were randomized for laser photocoagulation using laser indirect ophthalmoscope with either standard spot or large spot size laser. During the procedure, total time taken and Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) scores were noted. Regression of disease and refractive error were noted on follow-up.

RESULTS:

The infants were randomized into two groups. All infants in both groups had regression of ROP. Large spot laser significantly reduced total treatment duration in zone I by 32% (
P
= .005) and zone II by 63.4% (
P
= .0006). Moderate-to-severe pain occurred in PIPP scores in both groups throughout the procedure (under topical anesthesia) and was comparable between the groups. Mean change in refractive error (myopia) from pre-laser (2.090 diopters [D] ± 1.345 D) to 3 months' post-laser (2.465 D ± 1.399 D) was not statistically significant between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS:

Large spot laser significantly reduced total duration of laser treatment in zone I/II ROP. Large spot laser is a useful alternative for treatment of ROP in terms of faster procedure, lesser total duration of pain, and similar regression profile. It does not cause additional myopia and can be performed without additional training.

[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina.
2018;49:e233–e239.]