bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hyperbranched PdRu nanospine assemblies: an efficient electrocatalyst for formic acid oxidation
Authors: Wang Hongjing , Li Yinghao , Li Chunjie , Wang Ziqiang , Xu You , Li Xiaonian , Xue Hairong , Wang Liang
Published: August 2018

A very simple one-step synthetic method is developed for the fabrication of PdRu nanospine assemblies for electrocatalytic formic acid oxidation.
Multifunctional magnetic particles for effective suppression of non-specific adsorption and coimmobilization of multiple enzymes by DNA directed immobilization
Authors: Song Jiayi , Shen Hao , Yang Ye , Zhou Zixin , Su Ping , Yang Yi
Published: August 2018

Zwitterion-functionalized magnetic particles can efficiently suppress non-specific adsorption of enzymes and can be used for coimmobilization of multienzymes by DNA directed immobilization.
Effects of highly conductive PH1000 anode in combination with ethylene glycol additive and H2SO4 immersion treatments on photovoltaic performance and photostability of polymer solar cells
Authors: Liu Zhiyong , Wang Ning
Published: August 2018

In this study, we have fabricated efficient polymer solar cells (PSCs) by introducing a highly conductive poly(3,4-ethylene dioxy-thiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PH1000) thin film treated with a combination of ethylene glycol (EG) additive and H2SO4 solution immersion as a transparent electrode (PH1000–EG–H2SO4).
Toward self-powered photodetection enabled by triboelectric nanogenerators
Authors: Wen Zhen , Fu Jingjing , Han Lei , Liu Yina , Peng Mingfa , Zheng Li , Zhu Yuyan , Sun Xuhui , Zi Yunlong
Published: August 2018

This review article summarizes the existing research work on combining triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) with photodetectors through four different configurations.
Tuning the phase stability of Mo-based TMD monolayers through coupled vacancy defects and lattice strain
Authors: Tang Qing
Published: August 2018

The synergistic effect between vacancies and lattice strain improves the possibility of achieving the 2H to 1T′ transition in Mo-based TMDs.
Local burst model of CMB temperature fluctuations: luminescence in lines of primary para- and orthohelium
Authors: Dubrovich V. , Grachev S. , Zalialiutdinov T.
Published: August 2018

We have considered the formation of the luminescent subordinate HeI lines by the absorption of continuum radiation from a source in the lines of the main HeI series in the expanding Universe. It is suggested that at some moment of time, corresponding to the redshift z0, a burst of superequilibrium blackbody radiation with a temperature T + ΔT occurs. This radiation is partially absorbed at different z <  z0 in the lines of the main HeI series and then converted into the radiation of subordinate lines. If νij is the laboratory frequency of the transition of some subordinate line originating at some z, then in the present time its frequency will be ν = νij/(1 + z). For different z (and, consequently, for different ν), the quantum yield for the subordinate lines of para- and orthohelium - the number of photons emitted in the subordinate line, per one initial excited atom and line profiles are calculated. Different pumping channels were considered. Spatial and angular distributions of radiation intensity of luminescent lines for the spherically symmetric radiation sources are presented. It is shown that for sufficiently large ΔT/T, the luminescent lines can be very noticeable in the spectrum of blackbody background radiation.
Cigarette smoking and school culture: An analysis of smoking at a high school according to different variables
Authors: Gercek Cem
Published: August 2018

This research aims to analyse the smoking status of students and teachers at a high school and their mental images in relation to cigarette smoking according to different variables. In this way, it will be possible to be informed of school culture formed about smoking. This is a descriptive research using the survey model. The research group was composed of 537 students attending a high school and 41 teachers. The research data were collected with a form. Data collected were analysed by means of descriptive statistics and Chi-square test. The findings obtained demonstrated that smoking had increased according to grade levels. Accordingly, boys smoked more than girls. 27% of the teachers were smokers. It was found that teachers as well as students had positive metaphors about smoking. Based on these conclusions, it may be stated that smoking has become a school culture in that school.
Gaining of common culture perception to students in divided societies and the role of Art course in this context; Northern and Southern Cyprus
Authors: Miralay Fatma
Published: August 2018

Cultural dimension in education bears importance in terms of transferring and sustaining cultural values in addition to creating local and upper intercultural awareness in individuals. Especially in divided societies, gaining cultural values to individuals via education eliminates boundaries between societies, ensures cultural integration and carries local values to a universal point without terminating them. In this paper, effort is paid to identify the importance of preserving common cultural values of Cyprus in the content of art course curricula applied in Northern and Southern Cyprus societies according to teacher opinions. In accordance with this purpose, research data were collected using a semi-structured interview form which is a qualitative research method. The study was conducted on 20 secondary education art teachers in capital Northern and Southern Nicosia regions. Descriptive analysis method was used in the analysis of data. An examination of research results shows that there is no difference between the opinions of Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot teachers, but that Turkish Cypriot teachers give more prominence to the basic needs as regards the course. It has been determined that material needs of Greek Cypriot teachers are supported by the ministry whereas the opportunities of Turkish Cypriot teachers are limited. A majority of the teachers emphasized that the topic should be included in education curricula and the methods should serve to put this into practice. In the study, it has been concluded that the similarity of positive opinions between Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot teachers is high and that there are fewer disagreements.
Investigation of World assumption, personal attributes and gender roles of adolescents
Authors: Sert Aǧır Meral
Published: August 2018

This research aims to examine adolescents’ world assumptions, personal attributes and gender roles. The research has attempted to examine the thoughts of adolescents about the world and the ways in which they define themselves as a man or a woman by considering the fact that their lives are affected not only by "traumatic" events but also by several family and environmental dynamics affecting their quality of life. Data was obtained from randomly selected 407 high school students from Kadıköy district in Istanbul province, by applying “World Assumptions Scale (WAS)”, “Extended Personal Attributes Questionnaire (EPAQ)”, “Gender Roles Attitude Scale (GRAS)”, and “Data Collection Form”. Our results showed that there was a significant difference in the scales and sub-dimensions used in the research with respect to gender, grade, family characteristics as well as life standards, balance of standards, adequacy of/change in family income, living with the family without problems, level of satisfaction with the environment, and the desire to change the living environment. In addition to a positive relationship between world assumptions and personal attributes, various correlations in different directions were also found between the sub-dimensions of the scales. Our research has shown that adolescents’ life dynamics can make a difference in their perception of the world and their assumptions about perceiving themselves as moral and valuable individuals, as well as their personal attributes and perceptions about gender roles.
Exploration of Climate Change in Architectural Design Studio
Authors: Bozkurt Eray
Published: August 2018

Many researches reveal that climate change is a significant public issue. With the rising awareness of climate change impacts by both national and international bodies, building climate resilience has become a major goal for many institutions. This influence began to find path in architectural design education. Architectural design education is mostly given in the design studios. Each semester, the studio instructors prepare design briefs that need to be completed in a required period of time with given constraints. This is an opportunity for the design studios to adapt new theories and approaches like climate change into the design study. This article describes the experiences of the studio team after the design work proposed for climate. The study explains the transition from research to design stage. The studio tutors collected data after close observations on 42 students from Yasar University, School of Architecture third year studio.
How the seventh grade students visualize atomic structure and models
Authors: Yavuz Rüveyda , Savaşcı-Açıkalın Funda
Published: August 2018

The purpose of this study is to examine how the seventh-grade students visualize the atomic structure and models in their minds. The problem of the study is “How do the seventh grade students visualize the atomic structure and models?” This study is conducted with 25 seventh-grade students in a state school, Bursa. Qualitative research methodology was adopted in the study. As data collection tools, worksheets were collected via four different activities by the researcher. Data collection process took two weeks (eight lessons). Worksheets consist of different questions about atom and structure and also atom models. For the validity and objective evaluation of the worksheets, an analysis schema was prepared for four different activities by a subject instructor and two science teachers with two or four years teaching experiences. Analysis schema and worksheets were re-evaluated by the science teacher with three years of teaching experiences. Consequently, students’ visualization of the atom structures do not match with the scientific models. And also, students confuse the basic concepts about atomic structure.
Knowledge Status of X-Ray Department Managers of Istanbul Private Hospitals about Hospital Accreditation
Authors: Akyurt Nuran
Published: August 2018

JCI accreditation standards are an undertaking that provides continuity of improvement and development work that is guided by the development of patient care quality at the most appropriate level, the provision of a reliable patient care environment, and the reduction of the risks of patient and service providers. The purpose of our work is to determine the extent to which x-ray department managers from the Istanbul city’s private hospitals who are preparing for accreditation or have successfully completed the accreditation can apply the JCI accreditation standards, their knowledge level and their attitude about it. The study’s universe constitutes a total of 111 people serving as managers in the radiology departments of private hospitals operating in the province of Istanbul. A survey form was applied in the study. As a result, the education of the managers of the radiology services should be under the management of the persons with the expertise and experience.
Metaphors Used by the Students at Kocaeli University Sports Sciences Faculty Regarding E-sports Concept
Authors: Karagün Elif , Sarper Kahveci Müge , Kahveci Inanc , Ekiz Zekiye Dilay
Published: August 2018

This study aims to determine what the students at KOU Sport Sciences Faculty think about e-sports via using metaphors. In accordance with this aim, 293 volunteering students were given a questionnaire which evaluates their opinions about e-sports via metaphors. According to the results, which was applied by descriptive analysis, 47,4% of the students at Sport Sciences Faculty admitted that they hadn’t heard of e-sports before. 56,9 % of the female students and 51,3% of the male students stated they had heard of this concept. The most frequently used metaphors by all the students were found to be ‘’digital technological environment’’ (9,2%); ‘’basic need’’ (7,5%); and ‘’entertainment-games’’ ( 6,8%). The results for female students were as follows: The rate for ‘’basic need’’ 9,2% ; ‘’positive feeling’’ 6,2 %; and ‘’entertainment-games’’ 4,2%. As for the male students; 11% of them used metaphors for ‘’digital technological environment’’; 7,5% ‘’entertainment-games’’ and 7% “basic need”
Analysis of Science Teacher Candidates’ Relation between Scientific Creative Thinking Skills, Creative Problem Solving and Project Development Skills
Authors: Demir Kaçan Sibel , Şahin Fatma
Published: August 2018

The research aims to determine the “relationship between the scientific creative thinking skills and creative problem solving and project development skills of candidate science teachers.” The research was performed with 24 teacher candidates in the control group and 24 teacher candidates in the experimental group in the second class of the Department of Science Teaching in a university in Istanbul Province. In the experimental group of the research, the laboratory program to be designed by the researchers on the basis of scientific discussion and research; and in the control group, the conventionally designed laboratory program were applied for 14 weeks. The research data was gained through “Self-Assessment for Creativity Questionnaire” to be developed by Raudsepp [28] and adapted by Sungur [30] into Turkish with the reliability value by Gülel [11]; two projects which were “the kite project”, “bridge project from spaghetti macaroni” and “personal interviews”. The conclusions to be reached by the research are in favour of the experimental group and the last application. While it was found that the project development processes of the candidate teachers in the experiment group had an important impact on their scientific creativity, the positive opinions of the candidate teachers were also found.
Reviewing sports sciences students’ perceived freedom levels in leisure in terms of any variables (Kocaeli university case)
Authors: Akdeniz Hakan , Körmükçü Yeşim , Sekban Gülşah , Bostan İrem
Published: August 2018

This study was executed with the aim of investigating whether the perceived freedom levels of students who study in the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Sciences vary by any variables. The target population of the study composed of 240 voluntary students who study at Kocaeli University, the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, 132 (55%) of whom was female and 108 (45%) of whom were male. Perceived Freedom in Leisure Scale, which was developed by Witt and Ellis (1985) and adopted into Turkish by [21] was used as the data collection tool of the study. Kolmogrov-Smirnof test analyzed whether the data showed normal distribution and it was observed that data do not display a normal distribution. As a result of this, Mann Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis H tests were applied. The significance level was considered as 0,05. No significant difference was identified between perceived freedom levels in leisure by means of certain variables such as gender, department, participation in social activities, approximate participation in recreation activities and frequency of leisure participation (p>0,05). A significant difference was found between knowledge and skill – excitement and joy by means of participation in sportive activities, participation in cultural and artistic activities and competence in recreation areas (p<0,05). Consequently, when knowledge and skill – excitement and joy sub-dimensions of students who use their recreational areas, attend to sportive and artistic activities were evaluated, it was seen that individuals who actively participate in any activity may perceive him or herself freer when he or she is compared to the individuals who participate in an activity in a passive way. Therefore, a further activity participation sense may be created.
Font games in typography education: Typewar
Authors: Öz Pektaş Hatice
Published: August 2018

Typography is an area of expertise that focuses on artistic and design-based features and production technologies of all printed scripts. Although typography is an important element of many design branches, it is primarily one of the basic courses of Communication Design, Visual Communication Design, and Graphic Design departments. Current education methods are outdated and boring for the young target audience who got used to a lifestyle full of computers and mobile devices. Digital games are important means used in educational environments thanks to computer technologies. In 2017-2018 Academic Year’s Fall Semester, 20 students from Graphic Design and Communication Design Departments who took Typography I course was made to play "typewar" game and the results of the games were recorded and the success of the students in recognizing the writing types in this game was measured. The typewar game was preferred in order to teach students "the anatomical structures of the whole alphabet by introducing serif and non-serif fonts" as a purpose of the course. In the research, it was observed that there was a difference in the number of the font types that students can remember and distinguish between classical methods and typewar game. In the survey made after the game, students’ opinion on the use of games in typography education was taken.
Balancing selection and introgression of newt immune-response genes
Authors: Fijarczyk Anna , Dudek Katarzyna , Niedzicka Marta , Babik Wiesław
Published: August 2018

The importance of interspecific introgression as a source of adaptive variation is increasingly recognized. Theory predicts that beneficial genetic variants cross species boundaries easily even when interspecific hybridization is rare and gene flow is strongly constrained throughout the genome. However, it remains unclear whether certain classes of genes are particularly prone to adaptive introgression. Genes affected by balancing selection (BS) may constitute such a class, because forms of BS that favour novel, initially rare alleles, should facilitate introgression. We tested this hypothesis in hybridizing newts by comparing 13 genes with signatures of BS, in particular an excess of common non-synonymous polymorphisms, to the genomic background (154 genes). Parapatric hybridizing taxa were less differentiated in BS candidate genes than more closely related allopatric lineages, while the opposite was observed in the control genes. Coalescent and forward simulations that explored neutral and BS scenarios under isolation and migration showed that processes other than differential gene flow are unlikely to account for this pattern. We conclude that BS, probably involving a form of novel allele advantage, promotes introgression. This mechanism may be a source of adaptively relevant variation in hybridizing species over prolonged periods.
Information use during movement regulates how fragmentation and loss of habitat affect body size
Authors: Hillaert Jasmijn , Vandegehuchte Martijn L. , Hovestadt Thomas , Bonte Dries
Published: August 2018

An individual's body size is central to its behaviour and physiology, and tightly linked to its movement ability. The spatial arrangement of resources and a consumer's capacity to locate them are therefore expected to exert strong selection on consumer body size. We investigated the evolutionary impact of both the fragmentation and loss of habitat on consumer body size and its feedback effects on resource distribution, under varying levels of information used during habitat choice. We developed a mechanistic, individual-based, spatially explicit model, including several allometric rules for key consumer traits. Our model reveals that as resources become more fragmented and scarce, informed habitat choice selects for larger body sizes while random habitat choice promotes small sizes. Information use may thus be an overlooked explanation for the observed variation in body size responses to habitat fragmentation. Moreover, we find that resources can accumulate and aggregate if information about resource abundance is incomplete. Informed movement results in stable resource–consumer dynamics and controlled resources across space. However, habitat loss and fragmentation destabilize local dynamics and disturb resource suppression by the consumer. Considering information use during movement is thus critical to understand the eco-evolutionary dynamics underlying the functioning and structuring of consumer communities.
Phenotypic selection on floral traits in an urban landscape
Authors: Irwin Rebecca E. , Warren Paige S. , Adler Lynn S.
Published: August 2018

Native species are increasingly living in urban landscapes associated with abiotic and biotic changes that may influence patterns of phenotypic selection. However, measures of selection in urban and non-urban environments, and exploration of the mechanisms associated with such changes, are uncommon. Plant–animal interactions have played a central role in the evolution of flowering plants and are sensitive to changes in the urban landscape, and thus provide opportunities to explore how urban environments modify selection. We evaluated patterns of phenotypic selection on the floral and resistance traits of
Gelsemium sempervirens
in urban and non-urban sites. The urban landscape had increased florivory and decreased pollen receipt, but showed only modest differences in patterns of selection. Directional selection for one trait, larger floral display size, was stronger in urban compared to non-urban sites. Neither quadratic nor correlational selection significantly differed between urban and non-urban sites. Pollination was associated with selection for larger floral display size in urban compared to non-urban sites, due to the differences in the translation of pollination into seeds rather than pollinator selectivity. Thus, our data suggest that urban landscapes may not result in sweeping differences in phenotypic selection but rather modest differences for some traits, potentially mediated by species interactions.
EncoMPASS: an Encyclopedia of Membrane Proteins Analyzed by Structure and Symmetry
Authors: Aleksandrova Antoniya A. , Sarti Edoardo , Forrest Lucy R.
Published: August 2018

Protein structure determination and prediction, active site detection, and protein sequence alignment techniques all exploit information about protein structure and structural relationships. For membrane proteins, however, there is no agreement among available online tools for highlighting and mapping such structural similarities. Moreover, no available resource provides a systematic overview of quaternary and internal symmetries, and their orientation with respect to the membrane, despite the fact that these properties can provide key insights into membrane protein function. To address these issues, we created theEncyclopediaofMembraneProteinsAnalyzed byStructure and Symmetry (EncoMPASS), a database for relating integral membrane proteins of known structure from the points of view of sequence, structure, and symmetry. EncoMPASS is accessible athttps://encompass.ninds.nih.govand its contents can be easily downloaded. This allows the user not only to focus on specific systems, but also to study general properties of the structure and evolution of membrane proteins.

Highlights

-EncoMPASS relates and analyzes known structures of membrane proteins

-Structure and sequence similarity is assessed through alignments and topology considerations, not clustering

-Symmetry is detected based on CE-Symm and SymD using a multi-step procedure
Invasion genetics of the silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) across North America: Differentiation of fronts, introgression, and eDNA detection
Authors: Stepien Carol A. , Elz Anna E. , Snyder Matthew R.
Published: August 2018

The invasive silver carpHypophthalmichthys molitrixescaped from southern U.S. aquaculture during the 1970s to spread throughout the Mississippi River basin and steadily moved northward, now reaching the threshold of the Laurentian Great Lakes. The silver carp is native to eastern Asia and is a large, prolific filter-feeder that decreases food availability for fisheries. The present study evaluates its population genetic variability and differentiation across the introduced range using 10 nuclear DNA microsatellite loci, sequences of two mitochondrial genes (cytochromeband cytochromecoxidase subunit 1), and a nuclear gene (ribosomal protein S7 gene intron 1). Populations are analyzed from two invasion fronts threatening the Great Lakes (the Illinois River outside Lake Michigan and the Wabash River, leading into the Maumee River and western Lake Erie), established areas in the southern and central Mississippi River, and a later Missouri River colonization. Results discern considerable genetic diversity and some significant population differentiation, with greater mtDNA haplotype diversity and unique microsatellite alleles characterizing the southern populations. Invasion fronts significantly differ, diverging from the southern Mississippi River population. About 3% of individuals contain a unique and very divergent mtDNA haplotype (primarily the southerly populations and the Wabash River), which may stem from historic introgression in Asia with female largescale silver carpH. harmandi. Nuclear microsatellites and S7 sequences of the introgressed individuals do not significantly differ from silver carp. MtDNA variation is used in a high-throughput sequence assay that identifies and distinguishes invasive carp species and their population haplotypes (includingH. molitrixandH. harmandi) at all life stages, in application to environmental (e)DNA water and plankton samples. We discerned silver and bighead carp eDNA from four bait and pond stores in the Great Lakes watershed, indicating that release from retailers comprises another likely vector. Our findings provide key baseline population genetic data for understanding and tracing the invasion’s progression, facilitating detection, and evaluating future trajectory and adaptive success.
Delayed aneuploidy stress response of neural stem cells impairs adult lifespan in flies
Authors: Mirkovic Mihailo , Guilgur Leonardo G. , Passagem-Santos Diogo , Oliveira Raquel A.
Published: August 2018

Studying aneuploidy during organism development has strong limitations, as chronic mitotic perturbations used to generate aneuploidy result in lethality. We developed a genetic tool to induce aneuploidy in an acute and time controlled manner during Drosophila development. This is achieved by reversible depletion of cohesin, a key molecule controlling mitotic fidelity.

Larvae challenged with aneuploidy hatch into adults with severe motor defects shortening their lifespan. Neural stem cells, despite being aneuploid, display a delayed stress response and continue proliferating, resulting in the rapid appearance of chromosomal instability, complex array of karyotypes and cellular abnormalities. Notably, when other brain cell-lineages are forced to self-renew, aneuploidy-associated stress response is significantly delayed, indicating that stemness state confers resistance to aneuploidy. Sparing solely the developing brain from induced aneuploidy is sufficient to rescue motor defects and adult lifespan, suggesting that neural tissue is the most ill-equipped to deal with developmental aneuploidy.

Highlights

Reversible depletion of cohesin results in just a round or two of aberrant cell divisions, generating high levels of aneuploidy.

Larvae challenged with aneuploidy during development hatch into impaired adults.

Few cell cycles are sufficient for chromosomal instability to emerge from a previously stable aneuploid state.

Neural stemness delays aneuploidy stress response.

Protecting only the neural tissue from aneuploidy rescues adult abnormalities and lifespan.
Consumers’ reactions to variety reduction in grocery stores: a freedom of choice perspective
Authors: Argouslidis Paraskevas , Skarmeas Dionysis , Kühn Antonios , Mavrommatis Alexis
Published: August 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a framework for psychological reactance–triggered adverse effects of variety reductions in grocery product categories on shoppers’ patronage intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper tests this framework in two field studies with European shoppers.

Findings

Participants perceived mild (let alone aggressive or conspicuous) variety reductions as a threat to their prior freedom of choice (i.e. a precondition for the occurrence of domain-specific reactance). Through lower satisfaction with the reduced variety and anger towards the grocer, this threat, in turn, fostered adverse patronage intentions. Such effects depended on product category nature (utilitarian vs hedonic) and shoppers’ intrinsic need for variety, attitude towards private-label items and general proclivity towards experiencing reactance.

Research limitations/implications

By applying psychological reactance theory to a variety reduction context, this paper offers new implications for assortment reduction research. Certain limitations call for future reactance theory–framed inquiry.

Practical implications

The findings caution against traditional grocers’ drastic variety reduction policy and highlight conditions enabling assortment rationalisation without severely affecting freedom of choice.

Originality/value

Drawing on notions such as “the tyranny of choice”, critics have urged traditional grocers to drastically reduce variety. However, this paper shows that shoppers perceive variety reductions as threats to their prior freedom, which traditional grocers themselves educated them to expect and enjoy.
Institutional practices and vulnerability of shrimp fry catchers in the south-west region of Bangladesh
Authors: Moni Nurun Naher , Haider Mohammed Ziaul , Al Masud Md Mahedi
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a better understanding of the dynamics of institutional practices, socio-economic status and vulnerability of shrimp fry catchers in the south-west region of Bangladesh.

Design/methodology/approach

This study draws on primary research conducted through face-to-face interviews with women fry collectors in the south-west region of Bangladesh. This study attempts to identify the nature and extent of the impact of institutional practices on the women engaged in catching fry regarding their positioning within the institutional framework.

Findings

In the coastal region of Bangladesh, the shrimp sector has opened up economic opportunities for women in terms of access to income and employment. However, women have to make a trade-off between employment gain in terms of wage and health hazards caused due to poor working conditions. The findings of the study indicate that shrimp fry catching, complemented by other sources of income, can only help women to survive. The study also finds that the vulnerability of the fry collectors is the end result of mutually interacting institutional practices under different institutional domains. Accordingly, recommendations are made with a view to effectively utilizing social capital at the community level, which will be particularly helpful in raising fry catchers’ voice in the local political arena and strengthening their position in the marketplace. Due to the higher preferences of buyers towards wild fry and the participation of a huge number of people in fry collecting, this study suggests rethinking government intervention in this regard.

Originality/value

This is original research focusing on the underlying structural and institutional factors behind the marginalization and vulnerability of women and devising policies that will enable modification of the factors that restrain women.
Measuring the interdisciplinarity of Big Data research: a longitudinal study
Authors: Hu Jiming , Zhang Yin
Published: August 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to measure the degree of interdisciplinary collaboration in Big Data research based on the co-occurrences of subject categories using Stirling’s diversity index and specialization index.

Design/methodology/approach

Interdisciplinarity was measured utilizing the descriptive statistics of disciplines, network indicators showing relationships between disciplines and within individual disciplines, interdisciplinary communities, Stirling’s diversity index and specialization index, and a strategic diagram revealing the development status and trends of discipline communities.

Findings

Comprehensively considering all results, the degree of interdisciplinarity of Big Data research is increasing over time, particularly, after 2013. There is a high level of interdisciplinarity in Big Data research involving a large number of disciplines, but it is unbalanced in distribution. The interdisciplinary collaborations are not intensive on the whole; most disciplines are aggregated into a few distinct communities with computer science, business and economics, mathematics, and biotechnology and applied microbiology as the core. Four major discipline communities in Big Data research represent different directions with different development statuses and trends. Community 1, with computer science as the core, is the most mature and central to the whole interdisciplinary network. Accounting for all network indicators, computer science, engineering, business and economics, social sciences, and mathematics are the most important disciplines in Big Data research.

Originality/value

This study deepens our understanding of the degree and trend of interdisciplinary collaboration in Big Data research through a longitudinal study and quantitative measures based on two indexes. It has practical implications to study and reveal the interdisciplinary phenomenon and characteristics of related developments of a specific research area, or to conduct comparative studies between different research areas.
Genetic dissection of bull fertility in US Jersey dairy cattle
Authors: Rezende F. M. , Dietsch G. O. , Peñagaricano F.
Published: August 2018

The service sire has been recognized as an important factor affecting herd fertility in dairy cattle. Recent studies suggest that genetic factors explain part of the difference in fertility among Holstein sires. The main objective of this study was to dissect the genetic architecture of sire fertility in US Jersey cattle. The dataset included 1.5 K Jersey bulls with sire conception rate (SCR) records and 96 K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers spanning the whole genome. The analysis included whole‐genome scans for both additive and non‐additive effects and subsequent functional enrichment analyses using KEGG Pathway, Gene Ontology (GO) and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) databases. Ten genomic regions located on eight different chromosomes explained more than 0.5% of the additive genetic variance for SCR. These regions harbor genes, such as PKDREJ, EPB41L2, PDGFD, STX2, SLC25A20 and IP6K1, that are directly implicated in testis development and spermatogenesis, sperm motility and the acrosome reaction. In addition, the genomic scan for non‐additive effects identified two regions on BTA11 and BTA25 with marked recessive effects. These regions harbor three genes—FER1L5, CNNM4 and DNAH3—with known roles in sperm biology. Moreover, the gene‐set analysis revealed terms associated with calcium regulation and signaling, membrane fusion, sperm cell energy metabolism, GTPase activity and MAPK signaling. These gene sets are directly implicated in sperm physiology and male fertility. Overall, this integrative genomic study unravels genetic variants and pathways affecting Jersey bull fertility. These findings may contribute to the development of novel genomic strategies for improving sire fertility in Jersey cattle.
The Importance of Physical Activity in the Protection of the Mental Health of Students of Faculty of Sport Sciences
Authors: Tanır Halil , Özmaden Murat
Published: August 2018

The purpose of the present research is determining the psychological symptoms observed among the students of the Faculty of Sports Sciences and to define the effects of physical activity on the mental health of the students. The sample of the research consists of 222 volunteer students (n=75 female and n=147 male) who study at Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Sports Sciences in 2017-2018 Academic Year. International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to define the physical activity levels of students and Symptom Distress Check List (SCL-90-R) was used to define the psychological symptoms of the students. SPSS 22.0 package program was used for the statistical analysis of the data collected for the present research. According to the findings of the statistical analyses, the most frequent psychological symptoms observed among students respectively were obsessive-compulsive symptoms (70.3%, n=156), paranoid thoughts (63.1%, n=140), interpersonal sensitivity (51.8%, n=115) and anger hostility (51.4%, n=114). It was also found that there was a significant negative correlation between the physical activity levels of the students and general symptom averages and the psychological symptoms such as obsessive-compulsive symptoms, depression, anxiety, anger hostility at 0.01 level (p>0.05). According to the findings of the present research, symptoms, such as obsessive-compulsive symptoms, paranoid thoughts, interpersonal sensitivity and anger hostility are observed, and general symptom average was high among students of Faculty of Sports Sciences and psychological symptoms such as obsessive-compulsive symptoms, depression, anxiety, anger hostility, phobic reaction decreased as the physical activity level of the students increased. Psychological symptoms other than psychotics were mostly among female students. Participation in meditation, yoga, music therapy, exercise and physical activity programs as well as applied lessons in the curriculum can contribute to the prevention of mental problems among students with these symptoms.
Phase changes in neurotransmission
Authors: Boczek Edgar E. , Alberti Simon
Published: August 2018

Synaptic vesicles cluster by partitioning into phase-separated condensates
Social robots in rehabilitation: A question of trust
Authors: Kellmeyer Philipp , Mueller Oliver , Feingold-Polak Ronit , Levy-Tzedek Shelly
Published: August 2018

Creating and maintaining trust in human-robot interactions should be priorities when designing social robots for rehabilitation.
Relationship of baseline and maximum glucocorticoid concentrations to migration propensity: a field test with wild subadult brown trout (Salmo trutta)
Authors: Jain-Schlaepfer S.M.R. , Midwood J.D. , Larsen M.H. , Aarestrup K. , King G.D. , Suski C.D. , Cooke S.J.
Published: August 2018

There is considerable variation in glucocorticoid (GC) baseline status and stress responses of individuals, yet the cause and consequence of this variation remains ambiguous. Attempts to relate GC levels to fitness and life-history trade-offs have yielded variable results. In this study, we evaluated whether baseline and poststressor GC hormone concentrations predicted migration strategy (i.e., resident or migrant) and successful seaward migration in a partially migrating population of juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta Linnaeus, 1758). Baseline (N = 99) or poststressor (N = 102) plasma cortisol concentrations were obtained from brown trout and they were tagged with passive integrated transponder (PIT) and released in a natural Danish stream. Subsequently, fish were tracked with PIT reader systems and the stream was resampled for resident individuals. GC levels were not found to be associated with recapture of resident individuals or migration propensity to our first tracking station (S1), but increased baseline (and not poststressor) GC levels were associated with increased passage from S1 to our second tracking station, which anecdotally was an area of high predation or challenge. Our study found no evidence to suggest that cortisol regulates the migration life history in juvenile brown trout, but intermediate increases in baseline GC (and not poststressor GC) levels may favor migration performance.
Machine learning entanglement freedom
Authors: Spillard Samuel , Turner Christopher J. , Meichanetzidis Konstantinos
Published: August 2018

Quantum many-body systems realize many different phases of matter characterized by their exotic emergent phenomena. While some simple versions of these properties can occur in systems of free fermions, their occurrence generally implies that the physics is dictated by an interacting Hamiltonian. The interaction distance has been successfully used to quantify the effect of interactions in a variety of states of matter via the entanglement spectrum [C. J. Turner, K. Meichanetzidis, Z. Papic and J. K. Pachos, Nat. Commun. 8 (2017) 14926, Phys. Rev. B 97 (2018) 125104]. The computation of the interaction distance reduces to a global optimization problem whose goal is to search for the free-fermion entanglement spectrum closest to the given entanglement spectrum. In this work, we employ techniques from machine learning in order to perform this same task. In a supervised learning setting, we use labeled data obtained by computing the interaction distance and predict its value via linear regression. Moving to a semi-supervised setting, we train an autoencoder to estimate an alternative measure to the interaction distance, and we show that it behaves in a similar manner.
Principles of Ubiquitin-Dependent Signaling
Authors: Oh Eugene , Akopian David , Rape Michael
Published: August 2018

Ubiquitylation is an essential posttranslational modification that controls cell division, differentiation, and survival in all eukaryotes. By combining multiple E3 ligases (writers), ubiquitin-binding effectors (readers), and de-ubiquitylases (erasers) with functionally distinct ubiquitylation tags, the ubiquitin system constitutes a powerful signaling network that is employed in similar ways from yeast to humans. Here, we discuss conserved principles of ubiquitin-dependent signaling that illustrate how this posttranslational modification shapes intracellular signaling networks to establish robust development and homeostasis throughout the eukaryotic kingdom.
Safety of Autologous Cord Blood Cells for Preterms: A Descriptive Study
Authors: Yang Jie , Ren Zhuxiao , Zhang Chunyi , Rao Yunbei , Zhong Junjuan , Wang Zhu , Liu Zhipeng , Wei Wei , Lu Lijuang , Wen Jiying , Liu Guocheng , Liu Kaiyan , Wang Qi
Published: August 2018

Background. Preterm birth complications are one of the leading causes of death among children under 5 years of age. Despite advances in medical care, many survivors face a lifetime of disability, including mental and physical retardation, and chronic lung disease. More recently, both allogenic and autogenic cord blood cells have been applied in the treatment of neonatal conditions such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Objective. To assess the safety of autologous, volume- and red blood cell- (RBC-) reduced, noncryopreserved umbilical cord blood (UCB) cell infusion to preterm infants. Method. This study was a phase I, open-label, single-arm, single-center trial to evaluate the safety of autologous, volume- and RBC-reduced, noncryopreserved UCB cell (5 × 107cells/kg) infusion for preterm infants <37 weeks gestational age. UCB cell characteristics, pre- and postinfusion vital signs, and laboratory investigations were recorded. Clinical data including mortality rates and preterm complications were recorded. Results. After processing, (22.67 ± 4.05) ml UCB cells in volume, (2.67 ± 2.00) × 108 cells in number, with (22.67 ± 4.05) × 106 CD34+, (3.72 ± 3.25) × 105 colony forming cells (CFU-GM), and (99.7 ± 0.17%) vitality were infused to 15 preterm infants within 8 hours after birth. No adverse effects were noticed during treatment. All fifteen patients who received UCB infusion survived. The duration of hospitalization ranged from 4 to 65 (30 ± 23.6) days. Regarding preterm complications, no BPD, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) was observed. There were 1/15 (7%) infant with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), 5/15 (33.3%) infants with ventilation-associated pneumonia, and 10/15 (66.67%) with anemia, respectively. Conclusions. Collection, preparation, and infusion of fresh autologous UCB cells to preterm infants is feasible and safe. Adequately powered randomized controlled studies are needed.
Eltrombopag Improves Refractory Thrombocytopenia in a Patient with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Shima Natsuki , Sumida Keiichi , Kawada Masahiro , Sekine Akinari , Yamanouchi Masayuki , Hiramatsu Rikako , Hayami Noriko , Hasegawa Eiko , Suwabe Tatsuya , Hoshino Junichi , Sawa Naoki , Takaichi Kenmei , Ohashi Kenichi , Fujii Takeshi , Ubara Yoshifumi
Published: August 2018

A 42-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was admitted to our hospital for evaluation of severe thrombocytopenia. She was treated with steroids, intravenous cyclophosphamide, intravenous immunoglobulin, and plasma exchange, but her thrombocytopenia did not improve. Renal biopsy showed class IV-S(C) + V lupus nephritis, according to the classification of the International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society. The PA-IgG and serum thrombopoietin (TPO) levels were elevated. Her thrombocytopenia responded to off-label administration of eltrombopag, which was discontinued after 42 months. At 18 months after stopping eltrombopag, the platelet count was 19.3 × 104/μL. Eltrombopag may be a therapeutic option for SLE patients with severe thrombocytopenia refractory to conventional therapy.
Serum Creatinine and Chronic Kidney Disease-Epidemiology Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate: Independent Predictors of Renal Replacement Therapy following Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Drosos George , Ampatzidou Fotini , Sarafidis Pantelis , Karaiskos Theodoros , Madesis Athanasios , Boutou Afroditi K.
Published: August 2018

Background: Most studies evaluating predictors of renal replacement therapy (RRT) following cardiac surgery use arbitrary defined limits of preoperative serum creatinine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of preoperative renal function using either estimated-glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) derived using Chronic Kidney Disease-Epidemiology (CKD-EPI) or serum creatinine alone as a predictor for RRT after cardiac surgery. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, baseline, intraoperative, and postoperative data of all patients who underwent an elective, urgent, or emergency cardiac surgery between 2012 and 2016 in a single center were analyzed in order to identify multivariate parameters determining the need for RRT after surgery. For preoperative renal function, we used serum creatinine levels and eGFR-derived CKD-EPI equation. We also divided our cohort into eGFR groups following the thresholds of the currently proposed CKD classification. Results: From the 1,614 patients (mean age: 65.4 ± 10.6 years; male: 77.6%) that constituted the study population, 42 (2.6%) underwent RRT postoperatively. EUROSCORE II, cardiopulmonary bypass time, cross clamp time, red blood cell (RBC) units transfused, type and urgency of surgery, combined/non combined operation, peripheral vascular disease, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dyslipidemia, and preoperative renal function were all univariately associated with RRT use. Multivariate regression with bootstrap utilization indicated that CKD-EPI eGFR (OR 0.979; 95% CI 0.956–0.998), heart failure with the New York Heart Association class ≥2 (OR 4.695; 95% CI 1.756–14.061) and RBC units transfused (OR 1.287; 95% CI 1.081–1.850) were independently associated with RRT need. When serum creatinine (OR 2.920, 95% CI1.056–8.074) was used in the model, the associations with RRT were also significant. Conclusion: Preoperative renal function, defined by serum creatinine or eGFR by CKD-EPI, NYHA class II–IV, and the number of blood units transfused were all independent predictors of RRT postoperatively.