bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plataformas de visualización de datos e indicadores financieros y de gestión
Authors: Aucancela Guamán Margarita Alejandra , Viteri Ojeda Jimena Catalina , Castro Viteri Christián Andrés
Published: July 2019

La presente investigación tiene como objetivo el brindar un panorama real y concreto de las potencialidades de las plataformas de visualización de datos y a la vez determinar cuales son los indicadores financieros y de gestión que permiten generar estas novedosas herramientas; para ello se presenta un compedio de información obtenida como resultado de una investigación bibliográfica exhaustiva en diferentes bases científicas de alto impacto,  informes de empresas de consultoría y de investigación del mercado de las nuevas tecnologías de la información en relación con la inteligencia de negocios, logrando presentar los principales aspectos de estos sistemas automatizados de información y su aporte en la generación de reportes que faciliten el desarrollo de los procesos empresariales, permitiendo una rápida toma de decisiones, lo que repercute directamente en la competitividad de las organizaciones, esencial en una época donde la rapidez y la eficiencia marcan la diferencia entre el éxito o el fracaso.
Neumonía grave por infección con candida krusei: Reporte de caso
Authors: Gutiérrez Vásquez Ramiro , Ortega Rosales Alberto , Delgado Torres Nelson , Zapata Tapia Evelyn , Calva Sánchez Ricardo
Published: July 2019

La neumonía por Candida Krusei es una patología rara, pero con reciente aumento de su incidencia. Se asocia a una alta mortalidad, y se presenta especialmente en pacientes inmunocomprometidos y pacientes geriátricos. El diagnóstico de esta entidad clínica es dificultoso debido a presentación clínica inespecífica. Presentamos el caso de un paciente de 90 años de edad, que debutó con cuadro respiratorio agudo, que no evolucionó de forma favorable tras la administración de antibióticos de amplio espectro, pero con remisión completa del cuadro clínico luego de la administración de voriconazol debido a la sospecha clínica de micosis pulmonar, y que posteriormente se llegó al diagnóstico definitivo de neumonía por Candida Krusei al confirmarse el crecimiento de este germen en cultivo de muestra de lavado broncoalveolar. El diagnóstico de neumonías por Candida se debe considerar en pacientes con sintomatología respiratoria especialmente en inmunocomprometidos y pacientes geriátricos. El tratamiento oportuno permitirá evitar complicaciones que pongan en riesgo la vida del paciente.
Diseño de un proceso para la obtención de una bebida nutritiva a base de Hortalizas como el tomate (Solanum lycopersicum) y el pepinillo (Cucumis sativus)
Authors: Vallejo Abarca Sonia Mercedes , Caluña Sánchez Edmundo
Published: July 2019

Se programa realizar una bebida nutritiva utilizando hortalizas, bulbos y tubérculos como complemento alimenticio para una vida saludable, en la que se incorporaron  diferentes niveles de tomate (28%, 38% y 48%) y pepinillo (20%, 30% y 40%) a un coctel de cebollas, pimientos, zanahorias y ajo al que se le adicionó otros ingredientes que realzaron los atributos sensoriales a la bebida.

A las bebidas obtenidas se les realizó pruebas físico – químicas, microbiológicas y sensoriales con el objeto de determinar su valor nutritivo y aceptabilidad resultando que la bebida elaborada con pepinillo y 48% de tomate fue la mayormente aceptada con respecto a los niveles 28 y 38% de tomate,  la calificación de las variables fue sobre 10 puntos registrándose los valores más altos debido a que el tomate le  proporciona mejores características sensoriales a la bebida
PENERAPAN PRINSIP UNCITRAL MODEL LAW DALAM PEMBUKTIAN KASUS TRANSAKSI ELEKTRONIK DI INDONESIA
Authors: Fauji Asep Ahmad
Published: July 2019

Pemanfaatan teknologi  informasi  tidak  lagi  dapat  dilakukan melalui sistem hukum konvensional, mengingat kegiatannya tidak lagi bisa dibatasi oleh teritorial suatu Negara. Persoalan yang lebih luas juga terjadi untuk masalah-masalah keperdataan, karena saat ini transaksi e-commerce telah menjadi bagian dari perniagaan nasional dan internasional. Pelanggaran hukum dengan instrumen teknologi informasi seringkali sulit dipecahkan. Tulisan ini akan membahas terkait dengan perapan prinsip UNCITRAL Model Law dalam pembuktian kasus transaksi elektronik di Indonesia dan persyaratan hukum terhadap data elektronik sebagai bentuk pembuktian kasus transaksi elektronik di Indonesia. Kesimpulan yang didapatkan yakni Indonesia telah menerapkan prinsip UNCITRAL Model Law dalam Pembuktian Kasus Transaksi Elektronik dengan pendekatan yang secara fugsinya sama dan pendekatan kenetralan suatu teknologi. Penyelesaian kasus e-commerce di Indonesia harus memenuhi persyaratan hukum terhadap data elektronik sebagai bentuk pembuktian kasus transaksi elektronik dengan mengandung unsur tertulis, syarat adanya tanda tangan, dan juga keaslian.
Expression of Ki67 in Precancerous Squamous Cell Skin Lesion of Mice Induced by DMBA
Authors: Nurkasanah Siti , Hoemardani Aida S D , Sinuraya Evlina Suzanna
Published: July 2019

Background: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is an invasive skin cancer that is found in the human skin. SCC growth from the precancerous lesion is known as a wart or papilloma. Ki67 is a protein expressed by cells during proliferation. Cells with higher Ki67 expression showed abnormal regulation of apoptosis. 5-FU is an antimetabolite compound that works as a DNA/RNA pyrimidine antagonist molecule that can induce cell apoptosis. The main objective of this research is to evaluate the inhibition proliferation of precancerous squamous cell in skin lesion induced by DMBA/croton oil treated by using 5-FU cream topically compared to 5% imiquimod cream. Methods: This research assesses three different concentrations of 5-FU cream namely 1%, 2%, and 5% topically on 24 wild type mice divided into 6 groups of 4 each including positive control (with carcinogenesis but without treatment), negative control (without treatment ; normal), carcinogenesis with treatment 5-FU cream (1%, 2%, and 5%) or 5% imiquimod cream. The expression of Ki67 was analyzed using immunohistochemistry. Statistical analysis was performed by one-way ANOVA using SPSS version 23. Results: Based on this research, 5-FU cream treatment during 4 weeks (week 10-week 14) showed the decrease of cumulative number of papilloma (p<0.05) and immunohistochemistry analysis resulted in the lowest Ki67 expression in 5-FU 2% and 5% groups compared to 5% imiquimod cream (p<0.05). Conclusions: 5-FU cream treatment during 4 weeks showed a decrease of papilloma and Ki67 expression in 5-FU cream 2% and
Kinerja Simpang Bersinyal Jalan Ahmad Yani dengan Jalan M.Hasibuan – Jalan KH. Noer Ali Kota Bekasi
Authors: Maarif Rizal , Nuryati Sri , Paryati Ninik
Published: July 2019

Material construction resources are very limited, but the demand for these materials tends to increase. Therefore, it is necessary to search for alternative materials such as utilizing used goods (garbage) as construction materials. An alternative material used in this study was iron shavings waste as an additional material in the concrete brick mixture to replace sand. Therefore, it can minimize the use of sand and reduce iron shavings. The study was conducted by changing the standard size of the brick according to SNI to a size of 10 x 10 x 10 cm. The results showed that the addition of iron shavings in the concrete mixture was able to increase compressive strength value. The percentage increases in compressive strength of normal concrete blocks were: 14.87%, 24.79%, 45.45%, and 71.90%. The compressive strength of ordinary concrete brick of age 7 days is 41,374 KN, and after iron shaving addition the strength improve by 47,529 KN, 51,632 KN, 60,18 KN and 71,123 KN with the percentage of iron shaving of 2.5%, 5% , 7.5% and 10% respectively. These improve value was also categorized as quality I, II and III according to SNI 03-0349-1989 requirement.
Desorption processes in the measurement of weak currents
Authors: Lukin V G , Khvostenko O G
Published: July 2019

It was previously shown that the experimental measurement of the lifetime of gas-phase negative ions formed in autoionization states during resonant electron capture by molecules is inherently fraught with inaccuracy due to adsorption of ions on the walls of the ionization chamber, with some of them surviving there and staying stabilized as ‘eternal’ till they eventually desorb back into the vacuum and merge with the total ion flow; this leads to an upward distortion of lifetime measurements. This paper describes a technique for removing desorbed ions from the total flow using an ion filter that lets only gas-phase ions pass into the detection system but detains the desorbed ions due to the differences among their kinetic energies.
Disease Management and Estimated Effects on DON (Deoxynivalenol) Contamination in Fusarium Infested Barley
Authors: McKee Gregory , Cowger Christina , Dill-Macky Ruth , Friskop Andrew , Gautam Pravin , Ransom Joel , Wilson William
Published: July 2019

Fusarium head blight (FHB or scab) economically devastates barley production. FHB is predominantly caused by Fusarium graminearum and has resulted in major reductions in the quality of barley in the United States. The most common source of economic loss is through development of potent mycotoxins in the grain, the most prominent of which, in the United States, is deoxynivalenol (DON). DON levels can be managed through a variety of techniques. This study presents the estimate of the statistical relationship among DON contamination in barley, FHB incidence and severity, and a variety of disease management techniques. Data from 22 field studies and a survey of barley producers are used to estimate the relationship. Fungicide applications reduce DON in barley in general and via complementary interactions with the barley cultivar. Genetic FHB resistance in barley varieties is an important determinant of DON levels, as well as previous crop and factors related to time and location. Taking care to avoid rotations with FHB host crops immediately prior to barley is also important to reduce DON levels in barley. These become key inputs into barley producer decisions for evaluating the economic value of adopting FHB management techniques.
The First Case of Short-Spiked Canarygrass (Phalaris brachystachys) with Cross-Resistance to ACCase-Inhibiting Herbicides in Iran
Authors: Golmohammadzadeh Sajedeh , Gherekhloo Javid , Rojano-Delgado Antonia M. , Osuna-Ruíz M. Dolores , Kamkar Behnam , Ghaderi-Far Farshid , De Prado Rafael
Published: July 2019

The weed Phalaris brachystachys Link. severely affects winter cereal production. Acetyle-CoA Carboxylase (ACCase)-inhibiting herbicides are commonly used to control this weed in wheat fields. Thirty-six populations with suspected resistance to ACCase-inhibiting herbicides were collected from wheat fields in the Golestan Province in Iran. A rapid test performed in Petri dishes and whole-plant dose–response experiments were conducted to confirm and investigate the resistance level of P. brachystachys to ACCase-inhibiting herbicides. The seed bioassay results showed that 0.02 mg ai L−1 clodinafop-propargyl (CP) and 1.36 mg ai L−1 of the diclofop-methyl (DM) solution were the optimal amounts for reliably screening resistant and susceptible P. brachystachys populations. In the whole plant bioassay, all populations were found to be resistant to CP, resistance ratios ranging from 2.7 to 11.6, and all of the CP-resistant populations exhibited resistance to DM. Fourteen populations showed low resistance to cycloxydim, and thirteen of these populations were also 2-fold resistant to pinoxaden. The results showed that DM resistance in some P. brachystachys populations is likely due to their enhanced herbicide metabolism, which involves Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, as demonstrated by the indirect assay. This is the first report confirming the cross-resistance of ACCase-inhibiting herbicides in P. brachystachys in Iran.
Raman Spectroscopy and 2DCOS Analysis of Unsaturated Fatty Acid in Edible Vegetable Oils
Authors: Qiu Jin , Hou Hua-Yi , Huyen Nguyen Thi , Yang In-Sang , Chen Xiang-Bai
Published: July 2019

Raman spectroscopy has been applied to study unsaturated fatty acid in edible vegetable oils. The relative intensity ratio of characteristic vibrational bands has been investigated as a function of the content of totally unsaturated fatty acid, polyunsaturated fatty acid, and monounsaturated fatty acid. The results suggest the intensity ratio of 1655 cm−1 to 1440 cm−1 or 1265 cm−1 to 1300 cm−1, i.e., a characteristic vibrational band correlated with carbon-carbon double bond in acid chain to a vibrational band not correlated with double bond, could be applied for preliminary analysis of the content of polyunsaturated fatty acid or monounsaturated fatty acid, but cannot be used to analyze the content of total unsaturated fatty acid. Additionally, two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2DCOS) has been performed on the content dependent Raman spectra. The 2DCOS result is consistent with that by Raman spectroscopy.
Algorithm Development for the Non-Destructive Testing of Structural Damage
Authors: Noori Hoshyar Azadeh , Rashidi Maria , Liyanapathirana Ranjith , Samali Bijan
Published: July 2019

Monitoring of structures to identify types of damages that occur under loading is essential in practical applications of civil infrastructure. In this paper, we detect and visualize damage based on several non-destructive testing (NDT) methods. A machine learning (ML) approach based on the Support Vector Machine (SVM) method is developed to prevent misdirection of the event interpretation of what is happening in the material. The objective is to identify cracks in the early stages, to reduce the risk of failure in structures. Theoretical and experimental analyses are derived by computing the performance indicators on the smart aggregate (SA)-based sensor data for concrete and reinforced-concrete (RC) beams. Validity assessment of the proposed indices was addressed through a comparative analysis with traditional SVM. The developed ML algorithms are shown to recognize cracks with a higher accuracy than the traditional SVM. Additionally, we propose different algorithms for microwave- or millimeter-wave imaging of steel plates, composite materials, and metal plates, to identify and visualize cracks. The proposed algorithm for steel plates is based on the gradient magnitude in four directions of an image, and is followed by the edge detection technique. Three algorithms were proposed for each of composite materials and metal plates, and are based on 2D fast Fourier transform (FFT) and hybrid fuzzy c-mean techniques, respectively. The proposed algorithms were able to recognize and visualize the cracking incurred in the structure more efficiently than the traditional techniques. The reported results are expected to be beneficial for NDT-based applications, particularly in civil engineering.
Effective Assessment of Inelastic Torsional Deformation of Plan-Asymmetric Shear Wall Systems
Authors: Ha Taehyu , Hong Sung-Gul , Cho Bong-Ho , Kim Dae-Jin
Published: July 2019

Torsional deformation may occur in plan-asymmetric wall structures during seismic events. In most current seismic design codes, the torsional deformation is handled using the concept of design eccentricity, in which design loads may be excessively amplified. This approach has limitations in accurately estimating the torsional deformation of the plan-asymmetric structures, mainly because it is based on linear elastic material behavior. In this paper, we propose a simple method that can accurately evaluate the inelastic lateral displacement and rotation of plan-asymmetric wall structures and is suitable for use in the displacement-based design method. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by comparing its predictions with the results of rigorous time history analyses for a model problem. The comparison shows that the proposed method is able to provide accurate estimates of the inelastic torsional deformation for the plan-asymmetric wall system, while requiring less computational cost than the time history analysis.
A Sesquiterpenoid from Farfarae Flos Induces Apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 Human Breast Cancer Cells through Inhibition of JAK–STAT3 Signaling
Authors: Jang Hyeri , Ko Hyejin , Song Kwangho , Kim Yeong
Published: July 2019

Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are hard-to-treat breast tumors with poor prognosis, which need to be treated by chemotherapy. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a transcription factor involved in proliferation, metastasis, and invasion of cancer cells. Therefore, research on searching for promising compounds with metabolism that suppress phosphorylation or transcription of STAT3 in TNBC cells is important. Farfarae Flos is well known as a traditional medicine for treating inflammation. However, few studies have shown that sesquiterpenoids from Farfarae Flos have an anticancer effect. In this study, efficient separation methods and an MTT assay were conducted to isolate an anticancer compound from Farfarae Flos against TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells. Here, 7β-(3-Ethyl-cis-crotonoyloxy)-1α-(2-methylbutyryloxy)-3,14-dehydro-Z-notonipetranone (ECN), a compound isolated from Farfarae Flos showed a potent cytotoxic effect on MDA-MB-231 cells. ECN inhibited JAK–STAT3 signaling and suppressed the expression of STAT3 target genes. In addition, ECN induced apoptosis through both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways. Furthermore, we investigated that ECN inhibited the growth of tumors by intraperitoneal administration in mice injected with MDA-MB-231 cells. Therefore, ECN can be an effective chemotherapeutic agent for breast cancer treatment.
Flagella-Driven Motility of Bacteria
Authors: Nakamura Shuichi , Minamino Tohru
Published: July 2019

The bacterial flagellum is a helical filamentous organelle responsible for motility. In bacterial species possessing flagella at the cell exterior, the long helical flagellar filament acts as a molecular screw to generate thrust. Meanwhile, the flagella of spirochetes reside within the periplasmic space and not only act as a cytoskeleton to determine the helicity of the cell body, but also rotate or undulate the helical cell body for propulsion. Despite structural diversity of the flagella among bacterial species, flagellated bacteria share a common rotary nanomachine, namely the flagellar motor, which is located at the base of the filament. The flagellar motor is composed of a rotor ring complex and multiple transmembrane stator units and converts the ion flux through an ion channel of each stator unit into the mechanical work required for motor rotation. Intracellular chemotactic signaling pathways regulate the direction of flagella-driven motility in response to changes in the environments, allowing bacteria to migrate towards more desirable environments for their survival. Recent experimental and theoretical studies have been deepening our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the flagellar motor. In this review article, we describe the current understanding of the structure and dynamics of the bacterial flagellum.
Systemic Dental Pulp Stem Cell Secretome Therapy in a Mouse Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: Wang Junmei , Zuzzio Kirstin , Walker Chandler L.
Published: July 2019

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating motor neuron (MN) disease with no cure. Accumulating evidence indicates ALS involves a complex interaction between central glia and the peripheral immune response and neuromuscular interface. Stem cell secretomes contain various beneficial trophic factors and cytokines, and we recently demonstrated that administration of the secretome of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) during early neuromuscular junction (NMJ) denervation in the mutant superoxide dismutase (mSOD1G93A) ALS mouse ameliorated NMJ disruption. In the present study, we hypothesized that administration of dental pulp stem cell secretome in the form of conditioned medium (DPSC-CM) at different stages of disease would promote NMJ innervation, prevent MN loss and extend lifespan. Our findings show that DPSC-CM significantly improved NMJ innervation at postnatal day (PD) 47 compared to vehicle treated mSOD1G93A mice (p < 0.05). During late pre-symptomatic stages (PD70-P91), DPSC-CM significantly increased MN survival (p < 0.01) and NMJ preservation (p < 0.05), while reactive gliosis in the ventral horn remained unaffected. For DPSC-CM treated mSOD1G93A mice beginning at symptom onset, post-onset days of survival as well as overall lifespan was significantly increased compared to vehicle treated mice (p < 0.05). This is the first study to show therapeutic benefits of systemic DPSC secretome in experimental ALS, and establishes a foundation for future research into the treatment effects and mechanistic analyses of DPSC and other stem cell secretome therapies in ALS.
Anxiety and Depression in Adolescents with Severe Asthma and in Their Parents: Preliminary Results after 1 Year of Treatment
Authors: Licari Amelia , Ciprandi Riccardo , Marseglia Gianluigi , Ciprandi Giorgio
Published: July 2019

Emotional problems, such as anxiety and depression, are a relevant co-morbidity in severe asthma. Anxiety and depression may also be common in the parents of asthmatic adolescents. The current study evaluated anxious and depressive symptoms in 40 adolescents suffering from severe asthma, and in their parents, before and after 1 year of treatment, tailored according to validated asthma guidelines. We used the HADS (Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale) questionnaire for the adolescents, and HADS, STAY (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), and BDI (Beck Depression Inventory) questionnaires for their parents. We also considered the grade of asthma severity before and after 1 year of treatment. The current study demonstrated that anxiety and depression are common in both the adolescents suffering from severe asthma and their parents. Anxious and depressive symptoms were correlated between adolescents and their parents. Asthma treatment improved the asthma severity in almost all adolescents. However, the parental anxiety and depression remained unchanged at the end of the asthma treatment. Thus, a psychological assessment could be included in the adolescent severe asthma work-up, involving both the adolescents and their parents.
Catalytic Oxidation of Dimethyl Disulfide over Bimetallic Cu–Au and Pt–Au Catalysts Supported on γ-Al2O3, CeO2, and CeO2–Al2O3
Authors: Nevanperä Tuomas K. , Ojala Satu , Laitinen Tiina , Pitkäaho Satu , Saukko Sami , Keiski Riitta L.
Published: July 2019

Dimethyl disulfide (DMDS, CH3SSCH3) is an odorous and harmful air pollutant (volatile organic compound (VOC)) causing nuisance in urban areas. The abatement of DMDS emissions from industrial sources can be realized through catalytic oxidation. However, the development of active and selective catalysts having good resistance toward sulfur poisoning is required. This paper describes an investigation related to improving the performance of Pt and Cu catalysts through the addition of Au to monometallic “parent” catalysts via surface redox reactions. The catalysts were characterized using ICP-OES, N2 physisorption, XRD, XPS, HR-TEM, H2-TPR, NH3-TPD, CO2-TPD, and temperature-programmed 18O2 isotopic exchange. The performance of the catalysts was evaluated in DMDS total oxidation. In addition, the stability of a Pt–Au/Ce–Al catalyst was investigated through 40 h time onstream. Cu–Au catalysts were observed to be more active than corresponding Pt–Au catalysts based on DMDS light-off experiments. However, the reaction led to a higher amount of oxygen-containing byproduct formation, and thus the Pt–Au catalysts were more selective. H2-TPR showed that the higher redox capacity of the Cu-containing catalysts may have been the reason for better DMDS conversion and lower selectivity. The lower amount of reactive oxygen on the surface of Pt-containing catalysts was beneficial for total oxidation. The improved selectivity of ceria-containing catalysts after the Au addition may have resulted from the lowered amount of reactive oxygen as well. The Au addition improved the activity of Al2O3-supported Cu and Pt. The Au addition also had a positive effect on SO2 production in a higher temperature region. A stability test of 40 h showed that the Pt–Au/Ce–Al catalyst, while otherwise promising, was not stable enough, and further development is still needed.
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia Cells Impair Dendritic Cell and Macrophage Differentiation: Role of BMP4
Authors: Valencia Jaris , M. Fernández-Sevilla Lidia , Fraile-Ramos Alberto , Sacedón Rosa , Jiménez Eva , Vicente Angeles , Varas Alberto
Published: July 2019

Dendritic cells and macrophages are common components of the tumour immune microenvironment and can contribute to immune suppression in both solid and haematological cancers. The Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) pathway has been reported to be involved in cancer, and more recently in leukaemia development and progression. In the present study, we analyse whether acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) cells can affect the differentiation of dendritic cells and macrophages and the involvement of BMP pathway in the process. We show that ALL cells produce BMP4 and that conditioned media from ALL cells promote the generation of dendritic cells with immunosuppressive features and skew M1-like macrophage polarization towards a less pro-inflammatory phenotype. Likewise, BMP4 overexpression in ALL cells potentiates their ability to induce immunosuppressive dendritic cells and favours the generation of M2-like macrophages with pro-tumoral features. These results suggest that BMP4 is in part responsible for the alterations in dendritic cell and macrophage differentiation produced by ALL cells.
An Accurate Method for Crystallographic Reconstruction of Parent Austenite from Inherited Martensite in a Low-Alloy Steel
Authors: Wang Daokuan , Jin Junsong , Li Qiaomin , Wang Xinyun
Published: July 2019

The microstructure of austenite at high temperatures, which cannot be reserved at room temperatures, determines the properties of its transformed phase in low-alloy steels. Consequently, an accurate method is herein developed to reconstruct local orientations of the parent austenite ( γ ) phase from electron backscatter diffraction maps of the martensite ( α ′ ) microstructure. The orientation map of α ′ is cropped into a grid of data squares as the reconstruction unit. The cropped square is then divided into the square inherited from only one γ grain and the square inherited from more than one γ grain. The local orientations around parent γ grain boundaries are more accurately determined using a newly proposed reconstruction criterion. Furthermore, the solution spaces for the orientation relationship and the parent γ orientation are refined, which simultaneously improves the calculation accuracy and efficiency of reconstruction procedure. The validated reconstruction method is applied to obtain local orientations of the deformed γ microstructure accurately.
Fe Melting Transition: Electrical Resistivity, Thermal Conductivity, and Heat Flow at the Inner Core Boundaries of Mercury and Ganymede
Authors: Ezenwa Innocent C. , Secco Richard A.
Published: July 2019

The electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity behavior of Fe at core conditions are important for understanding planetary interior thermal evolution as well as characterizing the generation and sustainability of planetary dynamos. We discuss the electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity of Fe, Co, and Ni at the solid–liquid melting transition using experimental data from previous studies at 1 atm and at high pressures. With increasing pressure, the increasing difference in the change in resistivity of these metals on melting is interpreted as due to decreasing paramagnon-induced electronic scattering contribution to the total electronic scattering. At the melting transition of Fe, we show that the difference in the value of the thermal conductivity on the solid and liquid sides increases with increasing pressure. At a pure Fe inner core boundary of Mercury and Ganymede at ~5 GPa and ~9 GPa, respectively, our analyses suggest that the thermal conductivity of the solid inner core of small terrestrial planetary bodies should be higher than that of the liquid outer core. We found that the thermal conductivity difference on the solid and liquid sides of Mercury’s inner core boundary is ~2 W(mK)−1. This translates into an excess of total adiabatic heat flow of ~0.01–0.02 TW on the inner core side, depending on the relative size of inner and outer core. For a pure Fe Ganymede inner core, the difference in thermal conductivity is ~7 W(mK)−1, corresponding to an excess of total adiabatic heat flow of ~0.02 TW on the inner core side of the boundary. The mismatch in conducted heat across the solid and liquid sides of the inner core boundary in both planetary bodies appears to be insignificant in terms of generating thermal convection in their outer cores to power an internal dynamo suggesting that chemical composition is important.
Visible Light Communication and Positioning: Present and Future
Authors: Gong Chen
Published: July 2019

Future wireless communication may extend its spectrum to visible light due to its potential large bandwidth [...]
Structural Analysis of Power Devices and Assemblies by Thermal Transient Measurements
Authors: Farkas Gabor , Sarkany Zoltan , Rencz Marta
Published: July 2019

Power modules composed of semiconductor dice, thermal interface layers, and cooling mounts can be characterized by thermal transient testing at their actual position (in situ). This paper demonstrates that transient testing enables tracking of changes in material quality and structural details on the raw heating or cooling curves. Higher precision can be achieved with the structure function technique where absolute and partial thermal resistance and capacitance values can be used for unambiguous identification of structural elements in a heat conducting path. Measurement techniques are presented to characterize the self-heating of a die and heat transfer between dice. Change of the thermal interface material layers in assembly during test sequences is also highlighted by the structure function concept. The power distribution between dice and wiring is analyzed by the newly introduced “accordion” principle.
Use of Reaction Force to Evaluate Older Adults’ Gait Patterns While Using a Walker to Walk
Authors: Yeh Po-Chan
Published: July 2019

Walking is the most common activity in daily life. As people age, however, they begin to become imbalanced and need the assistance of mobility devices for walking, such as walkers. However, clinical gait measurement requires a lot of equipment to be worn; as walker users are seniors or disabled, this may cause them to be troubled in the assessment. Thus, this study used four load cells on the walker to estimate gait status. To understand the difference between the three groups of the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), 60 volunteers, who served as the subjects, were divided into three groups according to BBS scores, 20 volunteers for each group. Data were obtained from four load cells; walker users were divided per the BBS to observe their stance, swing phases, and support force while walking. The results of the study found that participants in the study were able to walk smoothly with the walker, and differences between the three groups in stance, swing phases, and support force were observed. The main findings of this study were: (1) While walking, the stance and swing phases could be stabilized by the evaluated gait; and (2) even if the user can walk stably, body function can be evaluated by the support force. We hope that our method will be widely applied in the design of mobility devices and in the evaluation of seniors’ care; we also hope our study will contribute to increasing knowledge, generally, in this field.
Turnover Intention and Its Related Factors of Employed Doctors in Korea
Authors: Oh Suhyun , Kim Hyeongsu
Published: July 2019

Employment turnover among doctors at healthcare facilities negatively influences healthcare provision, facility management, and staffing. To support institutional and policy change, turnover intentions and its related factors of employed doctors were evaluated with 2016 Korean Physician Survey (n = 2719) in Korea. About 30.5% intended a turnover within two years. The significant related factors by multivariate analysis via binary logistic regression were gender, age, specialty, type of facility, length of current employment, usual number of hours worked per week, and income satisfaction. The odds of reporting turnover intention are 46.2% greater for males than females and 55.5% greater for aged 30–39 than aged 40–49. The odds are 28.9% smaller for support medicine than internal medicine. The odds are 224.2% greater for those employed at tertiary hospitals than those employed at clinics, but the odds are 34.0% smaller for convalescent hospital employment than general hospital employment. The number of years of current employment and income satisfaction each negatively, and the number of hours worked per week positively, related to turnover intentions. Fair compensation and performance evaluation systems and reasonable working hours should be guaranteed at healthcare facilities to reduce turnover, and institutional and policy measures should be implemented to improve workplace environmental quality.
City Maker: Reconstruction of Cities from OpenStreetMap Data for Environmental Visualization and Simulations
Authors: Hadimlioglu I. Alihan , King Scott A.
Published: July 2019

Recent innovations in 3D processing and availability of geospatial data have contributed largely to more comprehensive solutions to data visualization. As various data formats are utilized to describe the data, a combination of layers from different sources allow us to represent 3D urban areas, contributing to ideas of emergency management and smart cities. This work focuses on 3D urban environment reconstruction using crowdsourced OpenStreetMap data. Once the data are extracted, the visualization pipeline draws features using coloring for added context. Moreover, by structuring the layers and entities through the addition of simulation parameters, the generated environment is made simulation ready for further use. Results show that urban areas can be properly visualized in 3D using OpenStreetMap data given data availability. The simulation-ready environment was tested using hypothetical flooding scenarios, which demonstrated that the added parameters can be utilized in environmental simulations. Furthermore, an efficient restructuring of data was implemented for viewing the city information once the data are parsed.
Quantitative Structure–Retention Relationships with Non-Linear Programming for Prediction of Chromatographic Elution Order
Authors: Liu J. Jay , Alipuly Alham , Bączek Tomasz , Wong Ming Wah , Žuvela Petar
Published: July 2019

In this work, we employed a non-linear programming (NLP) approach via quantitative structure–retention relationships (QSRRs) modelling for prediction of elution order in reversed phase-liquid chromatography. With our rapid and efficient approach, error in prediction of retention time is sacrificed in favor of decreasing the error in elution order. Two case studies were evaluated: (i) analysis of 62 organic molecules on the Supelcosil LC-18 column; and (ii) analysis of 98 synthetic peptides on seven reversed phase-liquid chromatography (RP-LC) columns with varied gradients and column temperatures. On average across all the columns, all the chromatographic conditions and all the case studies, percentage root mean square error (%RMSE) of retention time exhibited a relative increase of 29.13%, while the %RMSE of elution order a relative decrease of 37.29%. Therefore, sacrificing %RMSE(tR) led to a considerable increase in the elution order predictive ability of the QSRR models across all the case studies. Results of our preliminary study show that the real value of the developed NLP-based method lies in its ability to easily obtain better-performing QSRR models that can accurately predict both retention time and elution order, even for complex mixtures, such as proteomics and metabolomics mixtures.
Identification and Characterization of MiRNAs in Coccomyxa subellipsoidea C-169
Authors: Yang Runqing , Chen Gu , Peng Huifeng , Wei Dong
Published: July 2019

Coccomyxa subellipsoidea C-169 (C-169) is an oleaginous microalga which is promising for renewable biofuel production. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), as the pivotal modulators of gene expression at post-transcriptional level, are prospective candidates for bioengineering practice. However, so far, no miRNA in C-169 has been reported and its potential impact upon CO2 supplementation remains unclear. High-throughput sequencing of small RNAs from C-169 cultured in air or 2% CO2 revealed 124 miRNAs in total, including 118 conserved miRNAs and six novel ones. In total, 384 genes were predicted as their potential target genes, 320 for conserved miRNAs and 64 for novel miRNAs. The annotated target genes were significantly enriched in six KEGG pathways, including pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis, C5-branched dibasic acid metabolism, 2-oxocarboxylic acid metabolism, butanoate metabolism, valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis and alpha-linolenic acid metabolism. The miRNAs’ target genes were enriched in lipid metabolism as well as RNA-interacting proteins involved in translation, transcription and rRNA processing. The pioneering identification of C-169 miRNAs and analysis of their putative target genes lay the foundation for further miRNA research in eukaryotic algae and will contribute to the development of C-169 as an oleaginous microalga through bioengineering in the future.
Annexins in Adipose Tissue: Novel Players in Obesity
Authors: Grewal Thomas , Enrich Carlos , Rentero Carles , Buechler Christa
Published: July 2019

Obesity and the associated comorbidities are a growing health threat worldwide. Adipose tissue dysfunction, impaired adipokine activity, and inflammation are central to metabolic diseases related to obesity. In particular, the excess storage of lipids in adipose tissues disturbs cellular homeostasis. Amongst others, organelle function and cell signaling, often related to the altered composition of specialized membrane microdomains (lipid rafts), are affected. Within this context, the conserved family of annexins are well known to associate with membranes in a calcium (Ca2+)- and phospholipid-dependent manner in order to regulate membrane-related events, such as trafficking in endo- and exocytosis and membrane microdomain organization. These multiple activities of annexins are facilitated through their diverse interactions with a plethora of lipids and proteins, often in different cellular locations and with consequences for the activity of receptors, transporters, metabolic enzymes, and signaling complexes. While increasing evidence points at the function of annexins in lipid homeostasis and cell metabolism in various cells and organs, their role in adipose tissue, obesity and related metabolic diseases is still not well understood. Annexin A1 (AnxA1) is a potent pro-resolving mediator affecting the regulation of body weight and metabolic health. Relevant for glucose metabolism and fatty acid uptake in adipose tissue, several studies suggest AnxA2 to contribute to coordinate glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) translocation and to associate with the fatty acid transporter CD36. On the other hand, AnxA6 has been linked to the control of adipocyte lipolysis and adiponectin release. In addition, several other annexins are expressed in fat tissues, yet their roles in adipocytes are less well examined. The current review article summarizes studies on the expression of annexins in adipocytes and in obesity. Research efforts investigating the potential role of annexins in fat tissue relevant to health and metabolic disease are discussed.
The Effectiveness of 0.6% Povidone Iodine Eye Drops in Reducing the Conjunctival Bacterial Load and Needle Contamination in Patients Undergoing Anti-VEGF Intravitreal Injection: A Prospective, Randomized Study
Authors: Reibaldi Michele , Avitabile Teresio , Bandello Francesco , Longo Antonio , Bonfiglio Vincenza , Russo Andrea , Castellino Niccolò , Rejdak Robert , Nowomiejska Katarzyna , Toro Mario , Furino Claudio , Cillino Salvatore , Fiore Tito , Cagini Carlo , Grassi Patrizia , Musumeci Rosario , Cocuzza Clementina Elvezia , Martinelli Marianna , Fallico Matteo
Published: July 2019

The study purpose was to assess the efficacy of a preservative-free 0.6% povidone iodine eye drops as perioperative prophylactic treatment for reducing conjunctival bacterial load and the rate of needle contamination in patients undergoing intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injection. Enrolled patients were randomized to either the study group (0.6% povidone iodine, three day-prophylactic treatment before the injection) or to the control group (placebo, three day-prophylactic treatment). Conjunctival swabs were obtained before and after the prophylactic treatment in both groups. Intravitreal injections were performed in a sterile fashion. The injection needle and a control needle were collected for microbiological culture. Data from 254 and 253 eyes in the study group and control group, respectively, were analyzed. Bacterial growth from conjunctival swab cultures was significantly lower after 0.6% povidone iodine prophylaxis compared to baseline and to placebo prophylaxis (p < 0.001), showing an 82% eradication rate in the study group. No injection needle showed bacterial contamination in the study group, whereas six needles were culture-positive in the control group (p = 0.015). No serious ocular and non-ocular adverse events were recorded. The 0.6% povidone iodine solution proved an effective treatment in reducing conjunctival bacterial load and risk of needle contamination.
Role of Combined [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-SST Analogues and [18F]FDG PET/CT in the Management of GEP-NENs: A Systematic Review
Authors: Carideo Luciano , Prosperi Daniela , Panzuto Francesco , Magi Ludovica , Pratesi Maria Sole , Rinzivillo Maria , Annibale Bruno , Signore Alberto
Published: July 2019

Gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasia (GEP-NENs) are rare tumors, but their frequency is increasing. Neuroendocrine tumors normally express somatostatin (SST) receptors (SSTR) on cell surface, especially G1 and G2 stage tumors, but they can show a dedifferentiation in their clinical history as they become more aggressive. Somatostatin receptor imaging has previously been performed with a gamma camera using [111In]In or [99mTc]Tc-labelled compounds, while [68Ga]Ga-labelled compounds and PET/CT imaging has recently become the gold standard for the diagnosis and management of these tumors. Moreover, in the last few years 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) PET/CT has emerged as an important tool to define tumor aggressiveness and give relevant prognostic information, particularly when coupled with [68Ga]Ga-labelled SST analogues PET/CT. This review focuses on the importance of combined imaging with [68Ga]Ga-labelled SST analogues and [18F]FDG for the management of GEP-NENs.
Diabetic Retinopathy, lncRNAs, and Inflammation: A Dynamic, Interconnected Network
Authors: Biswas Saumik , Sarabusky Marie , Chakrabarti Subrata
Published: July 2019

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is reaching epidemic levels globally due to the increase in prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM). DR also has detrimental effects to quality of life, as it is the leading cause of blindness in the working-age population and the most common cause of vision loss in individuals with DM. Over several decades, many studies have recognized the role of inflammation in the development and progression of DR; however, in recent years, accumulating evidence has also suggested that non-coding RNAs, especially long non-coding (lncRNAs), are aberrantly expressed in diabetes and may play a putative role in the development and progression of DR through the modulation of gene expression at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, or epigenetic level. In this review, we will first highlight some of the key inflammatory mediators and transcription factors involved in DR, and we will then introduce the critical roles of lncRNAs in DR and inflammation. Following this, we will discuss the implications of lncRNAs in other epigenetic mechanisms that may also contribute to the progression of inflammation in DR.
FFC NMR Relaxometer with Magnetic Flux Density Control
Authors: Roque António , Sousa Duarte M. , Sebastião Pedro , Margato Elmano , Marques Gil
Published: July 2019

This paper describes an innovative solution for the power supply of a fast field cycling (FFC) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer considering its low power consumption, portability and low cost. In FFC cores, the magnetic flux density must be controlled in order to perform magnetic flux density cycles with short transients, while maintaining the magnetic flux density levels with high accuracy and homogeneity. Typical solutions in the FFC NMR literature use current control to get the required magnetic flux density cycles, which correspond to an indirect magnetic flux density control. The main feature of this new relaxometer is the direct control of the magnetic flux density instead of the magnet current, in contrast with other equipment available in the market. This feature is a great progress because it improves the performance. With this solution it is possible to compensate magnetic field disturbances and parasitic magnetic fields guaranteeing, among other possibilities, a field control below the earth magnetic field. Experimental results validating the developed solution and illustrating the real operation of this type of equipment are shown.
An Autonomous Wireless Health Monitoring System Based on Heartbeat and Accelerometer Sensors
Authors: Fakhrulddin Saif Saad , Gharghan Sadik Kamel
Published: July 2019

Falls are a main cause of injury for patients with certain diseases. Patients who wear health monitoring systems can go about daily activities without limitations, thereby enhancing their quality of life. In this paper, patient falls and heart rate were accurately detected and measured using two proposed algorithms. The first algorithm, abnormal heart rate detection (AHRD), improves patient heart rate measurement accuracy and distinguishes between normal and abnormal heart rate functions. The second algorithm, TB-AIC, combines an acceleration threshold and monitoring of patient activity/inactivity functions to accurately detect patient falls. The two algorithms were practically implemented in a proposed autonomous wireless health monitoring system (AWHMS). The AWHMS was implemented based on a GSM module, GPS, microcontroller, heartbeat and accelerometer sensors, and a smartphone. The measurement accuracy of the recorded heart rate was evaluated based on the mean absolute error, Bland–Altman plots, and correlation coefficients. Fourteen types of patient activities were considered (seven types of falling and seven types of daily activities) to determine the fall detection accuracy. The results indicate that the proposed AWHMS succeeded in monitoring the patient’s vital signs, with heart rate measurement and fall detection accuracies of 98.75% and 99.11%, respectively. In addition, the sensitivity and specificity of the fall detection algorithm (both 99.12%) were explored.