bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Samoprocjena promjena ponašanja učenika osnovnih škola s problemima u ponašanju nakon sudjelovanja u socijalnopedagoškim intervencijama
Authors: Bijedić Meliha , Kuralić Čišić Lejla , Jahić Adela , Muminović Vildić Melisa
Published: July 2019

Cilj rada bio je prikazati rezultate Programa socijalnopedagoških intervencija za učenike koji su u rizičnoj skupini razvijanja problema u ponašanju. Program se provodio u trima osnovnim školama na području grada Tuzle u Bosni i Hercegovini, a realiziran je tijekom 2016./2017. školske godine. Provedena je procjena 500 učenika (248 dječaka i 252 djevojčice) u dobi od 10 do 15 godina, od čega je izdvojeno 86 učenika (39 dječaka i 47 djevojčica) kod kojih je procijenjeno da su u rizičnoj skupini za razvoj problema u ponašanju. Za procjenu je korištena Achenbachova dimenzionalna klasifikacija poremećaja ponašanja (Achenbach, Rescorla, 2001), a da bi se utvrdili efekti Programa, učenici su testirani u inicijalnoj, medijalnoj i finalnoj fazi. Strukturiranim pedagoškim postupcima putem skupnoga i individualnog pristupa došlo je do promjene u ponašanju učenika prema društveno poželjnim modelima. Skupni i individualni susreti s učenicima realizirani su u trajanju od dva sata tjedno, a Programom su putem radionica educirani nastavnici i roditelji. Da bi se prikazale promjene kod učenika s eksternaliziranim i internaliziranim problemima, korištene su deskriptivne statističke metode na Youth Self Report skalama. Programom je potvrđeno očekivanje da će, pravovremenom identifikacijom učenika rizičnih za nastanak problema u ponašanju i pravovremenom i adekvatnom socijalnopedagoškom intervencijom u radu s djecom i njihovim roditeljima, doći do pozitivnih pomaka u ponašanju.
Descrição morfométrica da anatomia cardíaca canina e humana: proximidades e distanciamentos
Authors: De Oliveira Gustavo , Oliveira Gustavo Duarte de , Faria Vanessa Pavesi de , Oliveira Lilian Regina Inácio de
Published: July 2019

Article developed as a result of research Project of Studies in Cardiology at the University Center Montes Belos - UniMB, Veterinary Medicine course - Comparative Study of the Cardiological Profile between Dogs and Men: parameters of the main cardiopathies and anatomical similarities. The specific objective of this analysis is to reassess the proximities between the classes’ hominidae and canidae regarding the anatomical aspect of the heart. The proximities, similarities and distances, differences between the cardiac morphometric of the dog and the human. The theoretical referencing was based on an argumentative basis by Ghoshal (1986), Carvalho et al. (2002) and Queiroz et al. (2018) for argumentative support in cardiac and human cardiac morphometric discussion, Cunningham (2011) for cardiac physiology and other authors with equal importance for the support of the argumentative archetype of this work.
Enxerto ósseo na ortopedia veterinária: Revisão
Authors: Carvalho Leonardo , COSTA Marina , Murakami Vanessa , Rocha Jessé , Honsho Daniel , Pereira Lucas , Dias Fernanda
Published: July 2019

The increasing advance of veterinary medicine and the development of its subareas require the development of methods for the advancement of surgical techniques and the performance of specialized procedures that reduce postoperative complications, especially in veterinary orthopedics. In view of this, the increase of the techniques need prior knowledge about the composition of the bone tissue and its main functions. It is known that bone tissue is composed of four cell types, osteoblasts, osteocytes, osteoclasts and osteoprogenitor cells, which are responsible for the formation, repair and remodeling of the tissue. Currently, the use of bone grafts has been widely used, since they use the bone tissue as the basis of the technique, exerting functions that stimulate the genesis of a new tissue (bone tissue). These are of great value for the treatment of comminuted fractures, arthrodesis, exérese of bone tumors, osteomyelitis, bad union and not bone union, and corrective osteotomies, minimizing the chances of amputation of the affected limb. A range of classifications are found to describe the types of bone grafts, and according to their origin these may be autogenous, allogeneic, xenogens and allopathic, and as for structural classification, they may be called spongy, cortical, corticospinal, depending on the site donor. Each graft has distinct characteristics and functions that must be evaluated before the grafting process, so that it is better suited to the type of patient. Thus, the purpose of the paper is to describe the bone grafts and their applications in veterinary medicine.
PEMANFAATAN ALIRAN AIR SEBAGAI PRIME OVER PEMBANGKIT LISTRIK ALTERNATIF SKALA RUMAH TANGGA
Authors: Majid Abdul , Danus Muhar , Yuniarti Erliza
Published: July 2019

Kesulitan masyarakat pedesaan di wilayah terpencil yang belum terjangkau oleh listrik dari PLN dan  yang tidak memiliki potensi aliran sungai dengan debit yang besar atau saluran irigasi cenderung menggunakan generator set. Di sisi lain generator set  memiliki konsumsi bahan bakar relatif besar mahal dibandingkan dengan bahan bakar jenis lainya. Pembangkit listrik alternatif dengan prime mover air dengan debit rendah memanfaatkan pompa air untuk mendapatkan energi mekanis pada kincir air pelton yang kemudian dikopel ke generator sehingga menghasilkan energi listrik. Berdasarkan hasil pengujian didapatkan pada kincir pelton dengan 12 sudu dengan bukaan katup 90o, dan nozel diarahkan ke atas menghasilkan putaran kincir terbesar 342 rpm. Perbandingan pulley kincir dan generator untuk peningkatan putaran generator terbaik terjadi pulley 1:4 dengan kecepatan putar 902,2 rpm dan bukaan katub 90o
Mechanisms of Oncolysis by Paramyxovirus Sendai
Authors: Matveeva O. V. , Kochneva G. V. , Netesov S. V. , Onikienko S. B. , Chumakov P. M.
Published: July 2019

Some viral strains of the Paramyxoviridae family may be used as anti-tumor agents. Oncolytic paramyxoviruses include attenuated strains of the measles virus, Newcastle disease virus, and Sendai virus. These viral strains, and the Sendai virus in particular, can preferentially induce the death of malignant, rather than normal, cells. The death of cancer cells results from both direct killing by the virus and through virus-induced activation of anticancer immunity. Sialic-acid-containing glycoproteins that are overexpressed in cancer cells serve as receptors for some oncolytic paramyxoviruses and ensure preferential interaction of paramyxoviruses with malignant cells. Frequent genetic defects in interferon and apoptotic response systems that are common to cancer cells ensure better susceptibility of malignant cells to viruses. The Sendai virus as a Paramyxovirus is capable of inducing the formation of syncytia, multinuclear cell structures which promote viral infection spread within a tumor without virus exposure to host neutralizing antibodies. As a result, the Sendai virus can cause mass killing of malignant cells and tumor destruction. Oncolytic paramyxoviruses can also promote the immune-mediated elimination of malignant cells. In particular, they are powerful inducers of interferon and other cytokynes promoting antitumor activity of various cell components of the immune response, such as dendritic and natural killer cells, as well as cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Taken together these mechanisms explain the impressive oncolytic activity of paramyxoviruses that hold promise as future, efficient anticancer therapeutics.
Regulation of Human Adenovirus Replication by RNA Interference
Authors: Nikitenko N. A. , Speiseder T. , Lam E. , Rubtsov P. M. , Tonaeva Kh. D. , Borzenok S. A. , Dobner T. , Prassolov V. S
Published: July 2019

Adenoviruses cause a wide variety of human infectious diseases. Adenoviral conjunctivitis and epidemic keratoconjunctivitis are commonly associated with human species D adenoviruses. Currently, there is no sufficient or appropriate treatment to counteract these adenovirus infections. Thus, there is an urgent need for new etiology-directed therapies with selective activity against human adenoviruses. To address this problem, the adenoviral early genes E1A and E2B (viral DNA polymerase) seem to be promising targets. Here, we propose an effective approach to downregulate the replication of human species D adenoviruses by means of RNA interference. We generated E1A expressing model cell lines enabling fast evaluation of the RNA interference potential. Small interfering RNAs complementary to the E1A mRNA sequences of human species D adenoviruses mediate significant suppression of the E1A expression in model cells. Furthermore, we observed a strong downregulation of replication of human adenoviruses type D8 and D37 by small hairpin RNAs complementary to the E1A or E2B mRNA sequences in primary human limbal cells. We believe that our results will contribute to the development of efficient anti-adenoviral therapy.
The Use of Transcription Terminators to Generate Transgenic Lines of Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells (CHO) with Stable and High Level of Reporter Gene Expression
Authors: Gasanov N. B. , Toshchakov S. V. , Georgiev P. G. , Maksimenko O. G.
Published: July 2019

Mammalian cell lines are widely used to produce recombinant proteins. Stable transgenic cell lines usually contain many insertions of the expression vector in one genomic region. Transcription through transgene can be one of the reasons for target gene repression after prolonged cultivation of cell lines. In the present work, we used the known transcription terminators from the SV40 virus, as well as the human - and -globin genes, to prevent transcription through transgene. The transcription terminators were shown to increase and stabilize the expression of the EGFP reporter gene in transgenic lines of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Hence, transcription terminators can be used to create stable mammalian cells with a high and stable level of recombinant protein production.
城市小区统一战线工作刍议
Authors: 李 伟丽
Published: July 2019

随着改革开放的纵深发展和社会主义民主建设的推进,城市人口数量不断增加,社区中统战对象也随之不断增多,城市小区作为社区的重要主体,如何把统战工作推进社区,打通统战工作昀后一公里,是当今统战工作面临的新工作和新问题。
幼儿园区角材料投放有效性的研究
Authors: 赵 静
Published: July 2019

幼儿园区角活动是幼儿教育中的一种隐性课程,在幼儿园教育落实中扮演着重要角色,对于促进幼儿身心健康发展发挥着重要价值。在区角活动中,幼儿需要自主动手进行材料的操作、拼插,与材料展开深入互动,因此,区角活动的成功与区角材料的投放有着直接的关系。教师应根据幼儿的发展需要、年龄特点、认知能力等合理的、科学的选择材料、投放材料,以便切实发挥区角活动的价值与作用。基于此,文章对提升幼儿园区角材料投放有效性的策略展开了具体探究,以便为教师提供参考。
浅谈音乐教学中如何培养音乐能力
Authors: 曾 庆圆
Published: July 2019

音乐是实践性很强的学科,其教学的所有内容都具有体验性和操作性,不仅包括音乐知识传授,音乐技能训练这些外显的方式,尤为重要的是体现在音乐感受上,也就是体验的方式。因此,音乐能力的培养应注重激发学生的音乐兴趣、情感、发声和思维。基于此,本文结合高职院校中钢琴教学如何培养学生音乐能力进行探究。
La política comercial de la Unión Europea
Authors: De la UE Subdirección General de Política Comercial , Y Oceanía Subdirección General de Asia, Europa, no Unión Europea , América del Norte Subdirección General de Iberoamérica y , Oriente Medio Subdirección General de Países Mediterráneos, África y , Instrumentos de Defensa Comercial Subdirección General de Política Arancelaria y de
Published: July 2019

La política comercial de la Unión Europea
La imaginación en el contexto de la imagen digital. Notas acerca de la tecno-imaginación
Authors: Vallejos Fabres Cristóbal Enrique
Published: July 2019

El artículo reflexiona acerca de las transformaciones que la noción de imaginación ha tenido a lo largo del contexto clásico, moderno y contemporáneo. Para esto, se plantea la hipótesis en la que el despliegue de la órbita productiva y material de la sociedad, ha trasnformado las estructuras mentales de los sujetos en lo relativo a la actividad imaginativa. Se enfatiza la necesaria consideración del concepto de imaginación a la luz del contexto de la imagen digital. El texto propone una análisis general de nuestro contexto productivo, identificando a la matriz informática-digital como una manifestación determinante al momento de pensar en una noción actual del concepto de imaginación, la idea contemporánea de sujeto y una noción crítica en torno a la representación. Finalmente, se reflexiona acerca del impacto que la profusión exponencial de aparatos tecnológicos-digitales tiene al interior del problema propuesto, sugiriendo la necesidad de nuevos planteamientos críticos en torno a la cualidad imaginativa del sujeto, entendiendo sta última como una disposición política posible al interior del contexto de la imagen digital.
Los cruces entre el cálculo de puentes de hormigón armado y la arquitectura sismorresistente a comienzos del siglo XX en Chile
Authors: Barrientos Marco
Published: July 2019

Los altos estándares de resistencia sísmica que presenta la edificación en Chile reflejan la eficiencia estructural y arquitectónica alcanzados durante las últimas décadas. Esto se observa en los acotados daños presentes (especialmente en construcciones recientes), con posterioridad a cada evento sísmico significativo. Lo que es menos evidente, sin embargo, son los fundamentos que han dado sustento teórico y empírico para la erección de edificios resistentes a grandes seísmos. Tales fundamentos remiten, a su vez, un proceso histórico desarrollado en el país de forma sostenida desde comienzos del siglo XX, y que explica en buena medida cómo se ha consolidado paulatinamente una edificación sísmicamente eficaz. El trabajo examina los antecedentes que sirvieron de base al cálculo estructural centrado en la estabilidad de las construcciones y resistencia sísmica. Se sostiene que la inclinación por erigir edificios de hormigón armado a comienzos del siglo XX en Chile, se debió en parte a la experiencia previa aquilatada en los estudios, diseño y ejecución de obras de infraestructura, particularmente, en puentes de hormigón armado. Desde un punto de vista historiográfico, el escrito propone contribuir a comprender una parte del desarrollo de la arquitectura del período, a la luz de los cruces y transferencias disciplinares provenientes del cálculo de puentes. Se examinan los antecedentes y fuentes científicas y técnicas que nutrieron las exploraciones teóricas y empíricas de resistencia sísmica en Chile y sus alcances en la edificación, bajo criterios estructurales fundados en el principio de resistencia por rigidez y monolitismo estructural.
Diseño y análisis CFD del flujo de gases de un header en un motor de 200 cc
Authors: Moyano Arévalo Javier Renato , Naranjo Vargas Eugenia Mercedes , Tenicota García Alex Giovanny , Larrea Moreano Ángel Daniel
Published: July 2019

El sistema de escape de un motor cumple la función de evacuar los gases producidos en la combustión y reduce el ruido del motor, sin embargo varios sistemas no disponen de accesorios que garanticen dichas funciones. Los HEADERS son accesorios que mejoran el desempeño del motor en el ciclo de escape pero los estudios al respecto son reducidos y se limitados. En ese sentido la presente investigación tiene por objeto el diseño y análisis mediante software asistido por computador de tipo CAD con herramientas de Dinámica de Fluidos Computacional CFD  para establecer el diseño más apropiado y mejor desempeño de un motor de motocicleta de 200 centimetros cúbicos.  Como los headers son utilizados como evacuadores rápidos de gases del escape, el análisis se enfocó al estudio de la rapidez con la que fluyen los gases en dos casos de estudio. Ambos casos fueron de tubería de 2 pulgadas de diámetro a velocidad promedio de 10 m/s, pero el caso A fue con curvatura regular de 180° y el caso B de curvatura prolongada fue la diferencia.  El desarrollo del analisis arrojó como resultado al diseño “B” como el más apropiado para ser fabricado puesto que la velocidad de los gases se incrementaron en un 12%. Esto permite saber que al producirse una evacuación rápida de los gases se evita contrapresiones de válvulas obteniendo así un mejor dempeño del motor.
Sostenibilidad social, económica y ambiental del tratamiento de aguas residuales con bacterias del rumen
Authors: Godoy Ponce Sofía Carolina , González García Juan Carlos , León Chimbolema José Gerardo , Beltrán Dávalos Andrés Agustín
Published: July 2019

La sostenibilidad social, económica y ambiental  del aprovechamiento del potencial de los residuos de camal (rumen) para el tratamiento de aguas residuales se centró en  el análisis social en torno al área de desarrollo de las descargas de agua residual de la  industria quesera San José y el líquido ruminal como residuo poco aprovechado proveniente del camal municipal de la ciudad de Riobamba. El estudio se realizó en dirección de dos ejes: el primero, correspondiente al estudio de los conflictos socio ambientales derivados de la disposición final de las aguas residuales de una quesera con análisis del costo- beneficio social, el segundo eje relacionado con las pruebas de crecimiento y adaptabilidad de bacterias lipolíticas del rumen de vaca para tratamiento de aceites y grasas en aguas residuales. El estudio de los conflictos socio ambientales se realizó a través de un diagnóstico línea base entorno de la quesera empleando las herramientas de análisis de conflictos desde diferentes perspectivas formando una plataforma para el diseño de estrategias de transformación. Se analizó la eficiencia de las bacterias lipolíticas del líquido ruminal de vaca aislándolas en agar tributirina. La concentración de aceites y grasas de las aguas residuales de la quesera disminuyó en un 52% cumpliendo con la normativa ambiental vigente para descargas de agua, resultado que determinó  que el  tratamiento empleado  de bajo costo aprovechó la potencialidad de un residuo municipal generado en grandes volúmenes e impulsó las prácticas de producción limpia dentro de la microempresa.
Interpretación de niveles de riesgos ergonómicos en puestos de trabajo mediante el análisis de esfuerzos ocupacionales
Authors: Redroban Dillon Cristian David , Tenicota García Alex Giovanny , Nuela Sevilla Stalin Eduardo , Telenchano Paucar Nestor Lizardo
Published: July 2019

El procesamiento de productos alimenticios en países subdesarrollados aún responde con intervenciones manuales, mismas que han sufrido lesiones o trastornos, y a su vez podrían visualizarse alternativas de mejora reflejados en el puesto de trabajo según  la severidad de cada riesgo ergonómico. El objetivo que persigue la investigación es interpretar los niveles de riesgos ergonómicos en los puestos de trabajo mediante el análisis de esfuerzos ocupacionales tales como posturas forzadas, movimientos repetitivos y levantamiento para prevenir los trastornos musculoesqueléticos de personal operativo y administrativo involucrado en el procesamiento de cereales. El método Rula propio de posturas forzadas evidenció como resultado un 66,67% de casos moderados, 28,57% de casos importantes y el 4,76% de casos intolerables. El método de Niosh para levantamiento excesivo de cargas identificó casos que evidencian dolores hasta en un 19,04% de los evaluados. En el caso del método Ocra mediante la aplicación del check list en el marco del estudio de movimientos repetitivos se describe en un 9,52% de casos con niveles aceptables de riesgo.  La jerarquización de los niveles de riesgo muestra acciones de mejora para reducir las molestias y dolores musculoesqueléticos de los trabajadores en cambios de postura, locación de objetos, programas de capacitación y en el caso de riesgos intolerables sea el cambio de puesto de trabajo.
DISKRIPSI HUBUNGAN KEPRIBADIAN, EMOSI DAN PERILAKU ‘ORIENTASI SERVICE’ GURU DI ERA INDUSTRI 4.0
Authors: Alwi Muhammad , Wiyono Bambang Wahyu , Bafadhal Ibrahim , Imron Ali
Published: July 2019

The purpose of this study was to find out how the Personality Profile (Big Five), Emotional Intelligence (EI) and 'Orientation Service' Behavior (Organizational Citizenship Behavior, OCB) were high school teachers in Pasuruan Regency. This study is a descriptive-quantitative study. Data obtained from 175 respondents with cluster method, random random. The results showed that the respondents had a relatively young age (average under 40 years), with the proportion of men and women almost the same, and having a Big Five quite high (with Mean, 107, 76), Emotional Intelligence that was quite High (with Mean, 81.74) and also High OCB (with Mean, 71.39). These results are expected to have an impact on positive personality and Emotional intelligence will have a fairly good effect on organizational life and service-oriented behavior where it is all expected in educational institutions. This profile provides a preliminary description that teachers in Pasuruan Regency have readiness to welcome the changes needed for success in the era of 4.0
How Soil Ecological Intensification by Means of Cover Crops Affects Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Pepper Cultivation
Authors: Mancinelli Roberto , Muleo Rosario , Marinari Sara , Radicetti Emanuele
Published: July 2019

Ecological intensification, based on agricultural practices that promote ecosystem services, has been recently proposed to match crop yield and environmental concerns. Two-year experiments were conducted in a Mediterranean environment. The treatments were: (i) four intensification levels (common vetch (CV), ryegrass (RG), bare soil without Nitrogen (N) fertilization (Control-N0) and with 100 kg ha−1 of N fertilization (Control-N100) applied during pepper cultivation), and(ii) two soil tillage [soil tillage at 15 cm and 30 cm of soil depth (ST-15 and ST-30, respectively)]. The field experiment was disposed in a randomized block design with three replications. Cover crop, soil samples, and pepper samples were collected for analysis. Soil available nitrogen increased after soil tillage, especially in CV, which showed the highest fruit yield. The reduced soil N availability in RG decreased fruit yield and N uptake. The agro-physiological efficiency of pepper was similar in common vetch and Control-N100, while it was low in ryegrass. However, the adoption of RG increased the soil organic matter more than both control treatments, which, in turn, caused a depletion of soil organic matter. Moreover, reduced tillage practices for green manuring that both cover crops arepreferable to reduce external inputs in terms of fuel saving and farming operations.
Trade-Off between Energy Wood and Grain Production in Temperate Alley-Cropping Systems: An Empirical and Simulation-Based Derivation of Land Equivalent Ratio
Authors: Seserman Diana-Maria , Freese Dirk , Swieter Anita , Langhof Maren , Veste Maik
Published: July 2019

The alley-cropping systems (ACSs), which integrate parallel tree strips at varying distances on an agricultural field can result, complementarity of resource use, in an increased land-use efficiency. Practitioners’ concerns have been directed towards the productivity of such systems given a reduced area covered by agricultural crops. The land equivalent ratio (LER) serves as a valuable productivity indicator of yield performance and land-use efficiency in ACSs, as it compares the yields achieved in monocultures to those from ACSs. Consequently, the objective of this combined experimental and simulation study was to assess the tree- and crop-yields and to derive the LER and gross energy yield for two temperate ACSs in Germany under different design scenarios, i.e., tree arrangements (lee- or wind-ward) and ratios of tree area to crop area. Both LER and gross energy yields resulted in a convex curve where the maximum values were achieved when either the tree or crop component was dominant (>75% of the land area) and minimum when these components shared similar proportions of land area. The implications of several design scenarios have been discussed in order to improve the decision-making, optimization, and adaptation of the design of ACSs with respect to site-specific characteristics.
Temporal Interactions between Root-Lesion Nematodes and the Fungus Rhizoctonia Solani Lead to Reduced Potato Yield
Authors: Edin Eva , Gulsher Mehreen , Andersson Franko Mikael , Englund Jan-Eric , Flöhr Adam , Kardell Jonas , Viketoft Maria
Published: July 2019

Soil microorganisms and soil fauna may have a large impact on the tuber yield of potato crops. The interaction between root-lesion nematodes and the pathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani Kühn was studied on potato plants grown in pots under controlled conditions. In two similar experiments, different combinations of nematodes and fungal mycelium were added to the pots at three occasions; at planting, after 14 days, and after 28 days. The nematodes reduced root biomass and the combination of nematodes and R. solani resulted in reduced tuber yield in both experiments, but the interaction was not synergistic. In contrast, the number of stem canker lesions decreased in the presence of nematodes compared to treatments with R. solani only. The time of inoculation influenced the severity of both fungal and nematode damage. The nematode damage on tubers was less severe if the nematodes were added at 28 days, while the number of severe stem canker lesions increased if the fungus was added at 28 days. However, the time of nematode inoculation did not affect the incidence of fungal damage, hence the nematodes did not assist R. solani to infect the plant. Our results highlight the underestimated importance of root-lesion nematodes, not resulting in obvious above ground symptoms or misshaped tubers yet affecting the performance of other pathogens.
Perceptions on Health Benefits of Guide Dog Ownership in an Austrian Population of Blind People with and without a Guide Dog
Authors: Glenk Lisa Maria , Přibylová Lucie , Stetina Birgit Ursula , Demirel Sami , Weissenbacher Karl
Published: July 2019

Blindness has previously been associated with impaired quality of life (QOL). Guide dogs may not only support blind people in their independency, but also facilitate social relationships and overall health. This study sought to investigate whether blind people from Austria with a guide dog, when compared with blind people without a guide dog, differ in their QOL, annual medical costs, and attitudes towards the human–guide dog relationship. Participants (n = 36) filled out an online accessible questionnaire that consisted of the World Health Organization (WHO)QOL-BREF and additional self-designed questions. Guide dog ownership was not associated with a better QOL. However, yearly medical cost expenditures were descriptively lower in guide dog owners, who were also more likely to believe that guide dogs can increase their independency and exert positive effects on health. Moreover, guide dog owners more likely considered a guide dog as a family member than non-guide dog owners. Although within the framework of this study, owning a guide dog was not significantly associated with increased QOL, some differences between the groups regarding health beliefs, attitude towards the dog, and relationship with the dog were identified. Accounting for the emerging prevalence of visual impairment, further research into this topic is warranted.
First Apocarotenoids Profiling of Four Microalgae Strains
Authors: Zoccali Mariosimone , Giuffrida Daniele , Salafia Fabio , Socaciu Carmen , Skjånes Kari , Dugo Paola , Mondello Luigi
Published: July 2019

Both enzymatic or oxidative carotenoids cleavages can often occur in nature and produce a wide range of bioactive apocarotenoids. Considering that no detailed information is available in the literature regarding the occurrence of apocarotenoids in microalgae species, the aim of this study was to study the extraction and characterization of apocarotenoids in four different microalgae strains: Chlamydomonas sp. CCMP 2294, Tetraselmis chuii SAG 8-6, Nannochloropsis gaditana CCMP 526, and Chlorella sorokiniana NIVA-CHL 176. This was done for the first time using an online method coupling supercritical fluid extraction and supercritical fluid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 29 different apocarotenoids, including various apocarotenoid fatty acid esters, were detected: apo-12’-zeaxanthinal, β-apo-12’-carotenal, apo-12-luteinal, and apo-12’-violaxanthal. These were detected in all the investigated strains together with the two apocarotenoid esters, apo-10’-zeaxanthinal-C4:0 and apo-8’-zeaxanthinal-C8:0. The overall extraction and detection time for the apocarotenoids was less than 10 min, including apocarotenoids esters, with an overall analysis time of less than 20 min. Moreover, preliminary quantitative data showed that the β-apo-8’-carotenal content was around 0.8% and 2.4% of the parent carotenoid, in the C. sorokiniana and T. chuii strains, respectively. This methodology could be applied as a selective and efficient method for the apocarotenoids detection.
Assessment of In Vitro Bioactivities of Polysaccharides Isolated from Hericium Novae-Zealandiae
Authors: Chen Zhixia (Grace) , Bishop Karen Suzanne , Tanambell Hartono , Buchanan Peter , Quek Siew Young
Published: July 2019

The objective of this study was to investigate the potential effect of the polysaccharides isolated from Hericium novae-zealandiae, a native New Zealand fungus, on the in vitro proliferation of prostate cancer cell lines, gene expression, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and oxidation. One water-soluble and two alkali-soluble polysaccharide fractions were isolated from H. novae-zealandiae. The proliferation of the prostate cancer cell lines DU145, LNCaP, and PC3 was evaluated following treatment with these polysaccharide fractions. It was found that the polysaccharides possess anti-proliferative activity on LNCaP and PC3 cells, with a 50% growth inhibition (IC50) value as low as 0.61 mg/mL in LNCaP. Subsequently, it was determined through via RT-qPCR assay that apoptosis was one of the possible mechanisms responsible for the anti-proliferative activity in LNCaP. This was supported by the up-regulation of CASP3, CASP8, and CASP9. An alternative, discovered in PC3, was revealed to be anti-inflammation, which was hinted at by the down-regulation of IL6 and up-regulation of IL24. The polysaccharides also exhibited antioxidant and weak AChE inhibitory activities. This is the first report on the potential health benefits of polysaccharides prepared from the New Zealand fungus, H. novae-zealandiae.
Self-Gated Respiratory Motion Rejection for Optoacoustic Tomography
Authors: Ron Avihai , Davoudi Neda , Deán-Ben Xosé Luís , Razansky Daniel
Published: July 2019

Respiratory motion in living organisms is known to result in image blurring and loss of resolution, chiefly due to the lengthy acquisition times of the corresponding image acquisition methods. Optoacoustic tomography can effectively eliminate in vivo motion artifacts due to its inherent capacity for collecting image data from the entire imaged region following a single nanoseconds-duration laser pulse. However, multi-frame image analysis is often essential in applications relying on spectroscopic data acquisition or for scanning-based systems. Thereby, efficient methods to correct for image distortions due to motion are imperative. Herein, we demonstrate that efficient motion rejection in optoacoustic tomography can readily be accomplished by frame clustering during image acquisition, thus averting excessive data acquisition and post-processing. The algorithm’s efficiency for two- and three-dimensional imaging was validated with experimental whole-body mouse data acquired by spiral volumetric optoacoustic tomography (SVOT) and full-ring cross-sectional imaging scanners.
Electronic Properties of Electron-Deficient Zn(II) Porphyrins for HBr Splitting
Authors: Berardi Serena , Caramori Stefano , Benazzi Elisabetta , Zabini Nico , Niorettini Alessandro , Orbelli Biroli Alessio , Pizzotti Maddalena , Tessore Francesca , Di Carlo Gabriele
Published: July 2019

Two different high potential Zn(II) porphyrin designs carrying either 4 or 5 meso pentafluorophenyl moieties as electron acceptor groups and a further electron withdrawing branch inserted in either the β (1) or meso (2) position were tested in photoelectrosynthetic cells for HBr splitting. Photoaction spectra in the presence of HBr showed that red photons up to 700 nm could be harvested and converted and that 2 performed better than 1, thanks to better electronic properties of the excited state, favored by the insertion of the benzothiadiazole electron withdrawing group. Photoanodic performances in the presence of HBr, however, remained low, due to inefficient regeneration of the oxidized sensitizer as a result of an insufficient driving force for Br− oxidation.
The Integration of Azure Sphere and Azure Cloud Services for Internet of Things
Authors: Shi Jiong , Jin Liping , Li Jun
Published: July 2019

Internet of Things (IoT) has become one of the key factors that enables, drives and accelerates the digital transformation all over the world. The vision of the IoT is not only the immediate access to the data but also the ability to turning data into intelligence. As such, there is a growing number of public cloud computing providers offering IoT related services, including data processing, data analyzing and data visualization. However, with tens of billions of microcontroller-powered devices getting involved in the era of IoT, the concerns for overall security, privacy and cost are rising constantly and exponentially. Furthermore, these issues cannot be solved by public cloud computing providers since they mainly focus on the software and services rather than on the end devices. In this article, an integrated solution including Azure Sphere devices and Azure cloud services is proposed to provide a comprehensive and efficient way to ensure security that starts in the device and extends to the cloud with limited budgets. Moreover, the implementation details including hardware components, software design and Azure cloud integration are presented to demonstrate the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed solution.
Post-FEC Performance of Pilot-Aided Carrier Phase Estimation over Cycle Slip
Authors: Li Yan , Ning Quanyan , Yue Lei , Zhou Honghang , Gao Chao , Liu Yuyang , Qiu Jifang , Li Wei , Hong Xiaobin , Wu Jian
Published: July 2019

The POST-forward error correction (FEC) bit error rate (BER) performance and the cycle-slip (CS) probability of the carrier phase estimation (CPE) scheme based on Viterbi–Viterbi phase estimation (VVPE) algorithm and the VV cascaded by pilot-aided-phase-unwrap (PAPU) algorithm have been experimentally investigated in a 56 Gbit/s quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) coherent communication system. Experimental results show that, with 0.78% pilot overhead, the VVPE + PAPU scheme greatly improves the POST-FEC performance degraded by continuous CS, maintaining a low CS probability with less influence of filter length. Comparing with the VVPE scheme, the VVPE + PAPU scheme can respectively obtain about 3.1 dB, 1.3 dB, 0.6 dB PRE-FEC optical signal noise ratio (OSNR) gains at PRE-BER of 1.8 × 10−2. Meanwhile, the VVPE + PAPU scheme respectively achieves about 3 dB, 1 dB, and 0.5 dB POST-FEC OSNR gain and improves the FEC limit from 2.5 × 10−3 to 1.4 × 10−2, from 8.9 × 10−3 to 1.8 × 10−2, and from 1.6 × 10−2 to 1.9 × 10−2 under the CPE filter length of 8, 16, and 20.
Supplementation of Non-Dairy Creamer-Enriched High-Fat Diet with D-Allulose Ameliorated Blood Glucose and Body Fat Accumulation in C57BL/6J Mice
Authors: Do Ga Young , Kwon Eun-Young , Kim Yun Jin , Han Youngji , Kim Seong-Bo , Kim Yang Hee , Choi Myung-Sook
Published: July 2019

D-allulose, which has 70% of the sweet taste of sucrose but nearly no calories, has been reported to inhibit the absorption of lipids and suppress body weight gain in obese mice. Fats in non-dairy creamer consist of highly saturated fatty acids, which can cause various lipid disorders when consumed over a long period. We investigated whether D-allulose supplementation alleviates the effects of a non-dairy creamer-enriched high-fat diet on lipid metabolism. High-fat diets enriched with non-dairy creamer were administered to C57BL/6J mice with or without D-allulose supplementation for eight weeks by the pair-feeding design. Lipid metabolic markers were compared between the non-dairy creamer control group (NDC) and non-dairy creamer allulose group (NDCA). Body, adipose tissue, and liver weights, and fasting blood glucose levels, were significantly lower in the NDCA group than in the NDC group. Fecal fatty acid and triglyceride levels were significantly higher in the NDCA group than in the NDC group. Supplementing a non-dairy creamer-enriched high-fat diet with D-allulose improved overall lipid metabolism, including the plasma and hepatic lipid profiles, hepatic and adipose tissue morphology, and plasma inflammatory adipokine levels in mice. These results suggest that D-allulose can be used as a functional food component for preventing body fat accumulation from a high-fat diet that includes hydrogenated plant fats.
On Sharing Spatial Data with Uncertainty Integration Amongst Multiple Robots Having Different Maps
Authors: Ravankar Abhijeet , Ravankar Ankit A. , Hoshino Yohei , Kobayashi Yukinori
Published: July 2019

Information sharing is a powerful feature of multi-robot systems. Sharing information precisely and accurately is important and has many benefits. Particularly, smart information sharing can improve robot path planning. If a robot finds a new obstacle or blocked path, it can share this information with other remote robots allowing them to plan better paths. However, there are two problems with such information sharing. First, the maps of the robots may be different in nature (e.g., 2D grid-map, 3D semantic map, feature map etc.) as the sensors used by the robots for mapping and localization may be different. Even the maps generated using the same sensor (e.g., Lidar) can vary in scale or rotation and the sensors used might have different specifications like resolution or range. In such scenarios, the ‘correspondence problem’ in different maps is a critical bottleneck in information sharing. Second, the transience of the obstacles has to be considered while also considering the positional uncertainty of the new obstacles while sharing information. In our previous work, we proposed a ‘node-map’ with a confidence decay mechanism to solve this problem. However, the previous work had many limitations due to the decoupling of new obstacle’s positional uncertainty and confidence decay. Moreover, the previous work applied only to homogeneous maps. In addition, the previous model worked only with static obstacles in the environment. The current work extends our previous work in three main ways: (1) we extend the previous work by integrating positional uncertainty in the confidence decay mechanism and mathematically model the transience of newly added or removed obstacles and discuss its merits; (2) we extend the previous work by considering information sharing in heterogeneous maps build using different sensors; and (3) we consider dynamic obstacles like moving people in the environment and test the proposed method in complex scenarios. All the experiments are performed in real environments and with actual robots and results are discussed.
Maximization of Eigenfrequency Gaps in a Composite Cylindrical Shell Using Genetic Algorithms and Neural Networks
Authors: Miller Bartosz , Ziemiański Leonard
Published: July 2019

This paper presents a novel method for the maximization of eigenfrequency gaps around external excitation frequencies by stacking sequence optimization in laminated structures. The proposed procedure enables the creation of an array of suggested lamination angles to avoid resonance for each excitation frequency within the considered range. The proposed optimization algorithm, which involves genetic algorithms, artificial neural networks, and iterative retraining of the networks using data obtained from tentative optimization loops, is accurate, robust, and significantly faster than typical genetic algorithm optimization in which the objective function values are calculated using the finite element method. The combined genetic algorithm–neural network procedure was successfully applied to problems related to the avoidance of vibration resonance, which is a major concern for every structure subjected to periodic external excitations. The presented examples illustrate a combined approach to avoiding resonance through the maximization of a frequency gap around external excitation frequencies complemented by the maximization of the fundamental natural frequency. The necessary changes in natural frequencies are caused only by appropriate changes in the lamination angles. The investigated structures are thin-walled, laminated one- or three-segment shells with different boundary conditions.
Geometry of the Vocal Tract and Properties of Phonation near Threshold: Calculations and Measurements
Authors: Fulcher Lewis , Lodermeyer Alexander , Kähler George , Becker Stefan , Kniesburges Stefan
Published: July 2019

In voice research, analytically-based models are efficient tools to investigate the basic physical mechanisms of phonation. Calculations based on lumped element models describe the effects of the air in the vocal tract upon threshold pressure (Pth) by its inertance. The latter depends on the geometrical boundary conditions prescribed by the vocal tract length (directly) and its cross-sectional area (inversely). Using Titze’s surface wave model (SWM) to account for the properties of the vocal folds, the influence of the vocal tract inertia is examined by two sets of calculations in combination with experiments that apply silicone-based vocal folds. In the first set, a vocal tract is constructed whose cross-sectional area is adjustable from 2.7 cm2 to 11.7 cm2. In the second set, the length of the vocal tract is varied from 4.0 cm to 59.0 cm. For both sets, the pressure and frequency data are collected and compared with calculations based on the SWM. In most cases, the measurements support the calculations; hence, the model is suited to describe and predict basic mechanisms of phonation and the inertial effects caused by a vocal tract.
Recognition of Urdu Handwritten Characters Using Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Husnain Mujtaba , Saad Missen Malik Muhammad , Mumtaz Shahzad , Jhanidr Muhammad Zeeshan , Coustaty Mickaël , Muzzamil Luqman Muhammad , Ogier Jean-Marc , Sang Choi Gyu
Published: July 2019

In the area of pattern recognition and pattern matching, the methods based on deep learning models have recently attracted several researchers by achieving magnificent performance. In this paper, we propose the use of the convolutional neural network to recognize the multifont offline Urdu handwritten characters in an unconstrained environment. We also propose a novel dataset of Urdu handwritten characters since there is no publicly-available dataset of this kind. A series of experiments are performed on our proposed dataset. The accuracy achieved for character recognition is among the best while comparing with the ones reported in the literature for the same task.
Formononetin Regulates Multiple Oncogenic Signaling Cascades and Enhances Sensitivity to Bortezomib in a Multiple Myeloma Mouse Model
Authors: Kim Chulwon , Lee Jong Hyun , Ko Jeong-Hyeon , Chinnathambi Arunachalam , Alharbi Sulaiman Ali , Shair Omar H.M. , Sethi Gautam , Ahn Kwang Seok
Published: July 2019

Here, we determined the anti-neoplastic actions of formononetin (FT) against multiple myeloma (MM) and elucidated its possible mode of action. It was observed that FT enhanced the apoptosis caused by bortezomib (Bor) and mitigated proliferation in MM cells, and these events are regulated by nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT, and activator protein-1 (AP-1) activation. We further noted that FT treatment reduced the levels of diverse tumorigenic proteins involved in myeloma progression and survival. Interestingly, we observed that FT also blocked persistent NF-κB, PI3K/AKT, and AP-1 activation in myeloma cells. FT suppressed the activation of these oncogenic cascades by affecting a number of signaling molecules involved in their cellular regulation. In addition, FT augmented tumor growth-inhibitory potential of Bor in MM preclinical mouse model. Thus, FT can be employed with proteasomal inhibitors for myeloma therapy by regulating the activation of diverse oncogenic transcription factors involved in myeloma growth.
Profiling the Stromal and Vascular Heterogeneity in Patient-derived Xenograft Models of Head and Neck Cancer: Impact on Therapeutic Response
Authors: Folaron Margaret , Merzianu Mihai , Duvvuri Umamaheswar , Ferris Robert L. , Seshadri Mukund
Published: July 2019

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) represent a group of epithelial neoplasms that exhibit considerable heterogeneity in clinical behavior. Here, we examined the stromal and vascular heterogeneity in a panel of patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of HNSCC and the impact on therapeutic response. Tumor sections from established tumors were stained for p16 (surrogate for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection), stromal (Masson’s trichrome) and vascular (CD31) markers. All PDX models retained the HPV/p16 status of the original patient tumor. Immunohistochemical evaluation revealed the presence of multiple vessel phenotypes (tumor, stromal or mixed) in the PDX panel. Vascular phenotypes identified in the PDX models were validated in a tissue microarray of human HNSCC. Treatment with a microtubule targeted vascular disrupting agent (VDA) resulted in a heterogeneous antivascular and antitumor response in PDX models. The PDX with the tumor vessel phenotype that exhibited higher CD31+ vessel counts and leaky vasculature on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was sensitive to VDA treatment while the PDX with the stromal vessel phenotype was resistant to therapy. Collectively, our results demonstrate the phenotypic and functional vascular heterogeneity in HNSCC and highlight the impact of this heterogeneity on response to antivascular therapy in PDX models of HNSCC.
The Role of Phosphatases in Nuclear Envelope Disassembly and Reassembly and Their Relevance to Pathologies
Authors: Huguet Florentin , Flynn Shane , Vagnarelli Paola
Published: July 2019

The role of kinases in the regulation of cell cycle transitions is very well established, however, over the past decade, studies have identified the ever-growing importance of phosphatases in these processes. It is well-known that an intact or otherwise non-deformed nuclear envelope (NE) is essential for maintaining healthy cells and any deviation from this can result in pathological conditions. This review aims at assessing the current understanding of how phosphatases contribute to the remodelling of the nuclear envelope during its disassembling and reformation after cell division and how errors in this process may lead to the development of diseases.
Community Structures of Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukaryotic Microbes in the Freshwater Glacier Lake Yukidori-Ike in Langhovde, East Antarctica
Authors: Chaya Aoi , Kurosawa Norio , Kawamata Akinori , Kosugi Makiko , Imura Satoshi
Published: July 2019

Since most studies about community structures of microorganisms in Antarctic terrestrial lakes using molecular biological tools are mainly focused on bacteria, limited information is available about archaeal and eukaryotic microbial diversity. In this study, the biodiversity of microorganisms belonging to all three domains in a typical Antarctic freshwater glacier lake (Yukidori-Ike) was revealed using small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) clone library analysis. The bacterial clones were grouped into 102 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and showed significant biodiversity. Betaproteobacteria were most frequently detected, followed by Cyanobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes as major lineages. In contrast to the bacterial diversity, much lower archaeal diversity, consisting of only two OTUs of methanogens, was observed. In the eukaryotic microbial community consisting of 20 OTUs, Tardigradal DNA was remarkably frequently detected. Genera affiliated with the phyla Ciliophora, Cryptomycota, Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta, and Apusozoa were also detected. The biodiversity and species compositions of the whole microbial community of Lake Yukidori-Ike are similar to those of freshwater environments in temperate regions but are different from saline lakes in Antarctica, indicating that the salinity seems to affect the microbial composition more than the temperature.