bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia in Canada: prevalence and associations with six health status indicators
Authors: Rusu C , Gee ME , Lagacé C , Parlor M
Published: March 2017

Introduction

Few studies have considered the factors independently associated with
chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and/or fibromyalgia (FM) or considered the impact of
these conditions on health status using population-based data.

Methods

We used data from the nationally representative 2010 Canadian Community
Health Survey (n= 59 101) to describe self-reported health professional-diagnosed CFS
and/or FM, and their associations with 6 health status indicators.

Results

In 2010, diagnosed CFS and FM are reported by 1.4% (95% confidence interval
[CI]: 1.3%–1.6%) and 1.5% (1.4%–1.7%), respectively, of the Canadian household
population aged 12 years and over, with comorbid CFS and FM affecting 0.3% (0.3%–0.4%) of that population. Prevalent CFS and/or FM were more common among women,
adults aged 40 years and over, those with lowest income, and those with certain risk
factors for chronic disease (i.e. obesity, physical inactivity and smoking). After
controlling for differences between the groups, people with CFS and/or FM reported
poorer health status than those with neither condition on 5 indicators of health status,
but not on the measure of fair/poor mental health. Having both CFS and FM and having
multiple comorbid conditions was associated with poorer health status.

Conclusion

Co-occurrence of CFS and FM and having other chronic conditions were
strongly related to poorer health status and accounted for much of the differences in
health status. Understanding factors contributing to improved quality of life in people
with CFS and/or FM, particularly in those with both conditions and other comorbidities,
may be an important area for future research.
A DASH dietary pattern and the risk of colorectal cancer in Canadian adults
Authors: Jones-McLean E , Hu J , Greene-Finestone LS , de Groh M
Published: March 2017

Introduction

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a high incidence cancer affecting many
Canadian adults each year. Diet is important in the etiology of CRC with many dietary
components identified as potential risk factors. The Dietary Approaches to Stop
Hypertension (DASH) diet is a well-established pattern to characterize overall eating.
The purpose of this study was to characterize a DASH pattern within the Canadian
context and to assess its relationship to the risk of CRC in Canadian adults.

Methods

Unconditional multiple logistic regression with control for confounding
variables was performed using data from the National Enhanced Cancer Surveillance
Study. Dietary intake was captured for this case-control study through a food frequency
questionnaire (FFQ) and categorized into a DASH score ranging from 0 to 10 representing
a poor to a strong DASH pattern respectively.

Results

Consuming a strong DASH pattern of eating (score§8) was not common in the
3161 cases and 3097 controls. Overall, only 10.8 % of men and 13.6 % of women had a
strong DASH pattern. Multivariate analysis demonstrated a trend for decreasing risk of
CRC in men with increasing DASH scores (p value for trend = .007). Men with a strong
DASH score had a 33% reduction in risk of CRC compared to those with a low DASH
score. There were no significant trends for women for CRC or for colon or rectal cancers
separately.

Conclusion

Our findings are similar to other researchers suggesting a benefit with a
strong DASH pattern associated with a decreased risk of CRC, especially in men.
Research should further investigate our gender-based differences.
Mining Software Repositories for Defect Categorization
Authors: Kumaresh Sakthi , Baskaran Ramachandran
Published: March 2017

Early detection of software defects is very important to decrease the software cost and subsequently increase the software quality. Success of software industries not only depends on gaining knowledge about software defects, but largely reflects from the manner in which information about defect is collected and used. In software industries, individuals at different levels from customers to engineers apply diverse mechanisms to detect the allocation of defects to a particular class. Categorizing bugs based on their characteristics helps the Software Development team take appropriate actions to reduce similar defects that might get reported in future releases. Classification, if performed manually, will consume more time and effort. Human resource having expert testing skills & domain knowledge will be required for labeling the data. Therefore, the need of automatic classification of software defect is high.This work attempts to categorize defects by proposing an algorithm called Software Defect CLustering (SDCL). It aims at mining the existing online bug repositories like Eclipse, Bugzilla and JIRA for analyzing the defect description and its categorization. The proposed algorithm is designed by using text clustering and works with three major modules to find out the class to which the defect should be assigned. Software bug repositories hold software defect data with attributes like defect description, status, defect open and close date. Defect extraction module extracts the defect description from various bug repositories and converts it into unified format for further processing. Unnecessary and irrelevant texts are removed from defect data using data preprocessing module. Finally grouping of defect data into clusters of similar defect is done using clustering technique. The algorithm provides classification accuracy more than 80% in all of the three above mentioned repositories.
An Optimized Node Selection Routing Protocol for Vehicular Ad-hoc Networks – A Hybrid Model
Authors: Jeyaprakash Thangakumar , Mukesh Rajeswari
Published: March 2017

Vehicular Ad-hoc networks (VANETs) are a subset of Mobile Ad-hoc Networks made by vehicles communicating among themselves on roadways. The Routing protocols implemented for MANETs such as Ad-hoc on Demand Distance Vector Routing Protocol (AODV), Dynamic Source Routing (DSR), and Destination Sequence Distance Vector Routing Protocol (DSDV) are not suitable for VANET due to high Mobility. Trusted routing in VANET is a challenging task due to highly dynamic network topology and openness of wireless architecture. To avoid a frequent communication link failure, to reduce the communication overhead and to provide a trusted routing among the vehicular nodes for achieving high packet transmission, we implemented an Optimized Node Selection Routing protocol (ONSRP) of VANET based on Trust. In our proposed work, we implemented an enhanced routing protocol which prevents the network from communication link failure frequently. The testing results stated that the ONSRP routing have a high performance measures than the above mentioned existing routing protocols.
EVALUASI PENCAPAIAN STANDAR PELAYANAN MINIMAL BERDASARKAN PRINSIP GOOD GOVERNANCE DI SEKOLAH DASAR NEGERI
Authors: Wijanarti Novita
Published: March 2017

This study aimed to evaluate the achievement of Minimum Service Standards according to Minister of Education and Culture Act, Number 23/2013 based on the principles of Good Governance in SD Negeri 4 Kaliaman Jepara through discrepancy evaluation model. This study was evaluation research consisted of the definition phase, the instalation, process, and product. This research subject was the principal, teachers and students of six grade. Data source was obtained from 12 teachers including Principal and 35 students through interviews, questionnaires, and study of documents. Data collection techniques used were interviews, questionnaires, and observations. Data processing techniques performed by data classification, data  presentation, and data verification. The data validity used triangulation of data. The results of this study indicated that the definition phase of the school had a vision in line with the objective of Minimum Service Standards program, supported by adequate human resources in terms of number of educators and educational qualifications as well as the infrastructure that supported understanding of the principles of Good Governance. In addition, the installation phase, had been carried out by looking at the expectations and activities that made the School Work Plan and saw the challenges facing schools with the implementation of the principles of Good Governance which was held on the activities of each type of service in the Minimum Service Standards. At the process phase, School Work Plan was already implemented based on the principles of Good Governance Implementation. At the product phase, it was seen from the Minimum Service Standards data achievement and implementation of the principles of good governance were equally obtained good category. The Minimum Service Standards attainment of the six types of services was 87.4%, gained good criteria (B) and the implementation of the principle of good governance to the implementation was 87.5% with good criteria (B). The program is still feasible to proceed because the Minimum Service Standards program that has been made reached and acquired good categories.
PENGEMBANGAN HANDOUT PEMBELAJARAN TEMATIK UNTUK SISWA SEKOLAH DASAR KELAS III
Authors: Ningtyas Retno , Yunianta Tri Nova Hasti , Wahyudi Wahyudi
Published: March 2017

Bahan ajar yang sering digunakan siswa di sekolah adalah Lembar Kerja Siswa (LKS) karena harganya yang ekonomis dan relatif terjangkau. Banyak sekolah yang hanya menggunakan Lembar Kerja Siswa (LKS) saja tanpa adanya handout atau buku penunjang sebagai pegangan siswa sehingga bahan ajar yang dapat digunakan anak belajar secara mandiri kurang dalam proses pembelajaran. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menghasilkan produk bahan ajar berupa handout pembelajaran tematik gambar seri untuk siswa sekolah dasar kelas III pada materi keliling dan luas persegi dan persegi panjang yang valid, efektif dan praktis. Penelitian ini merupakan jenis penelitian R&D (Research and Development). Penelitian ini mengacu pada model desain sistem pembelajaran ADDIE, yaitu: analysis, design, development, implementation, dan evaluation. Instrumen yang digunakan untuk memperoleh data pembuatan dan kualitas handout, yaitu: lembar penilaian handout, lembar pendapat siswa, wawancara guru, dan pretest-postest. Keberhasilan pembuatan produk ini ditinjau dari segi valid, efekif, dan praktis. Hasil penelitian menyatakan: (1) valid yang ditunjukkan dalam dua aspek yaitu (a) aspek materi yang memperoleh persentase penilaian 78,66% menunjukkan kategori kualitatif baik (B), (b) aspek tampilan memperoleh persentase penilaian 80% menunjukkan kategori kualitatif sangat baik (SB); (2) Efektif yang dinilai berdasarkan (a) uji ketuntasan klasikal yang menunjukkan thitung = 5,148 dengan taraf  signifikan  5%  dan dk = (n-1) = 33 diperoleh nilai ttabel = 1, 697, maka thitung > ttabel sehingga dapat disimpulkan rata-rata hasil belajar siswa melampaui KKM (b) persentase ketuntasan postest  banyak siswa yang lulus KKM sekolah yaitu 79,412% siswa; (3) Praktis yang ditentukan oleh (a) penilaian observer memperoleh persentase penilaian 87% menunjukkan kategori kualitatif sangat baik (SB), (b) handout memperoleh respon positif siswa dalam penggunaannya pada pembelajaran matematika. Pembelajaran dengan menggunakan produk ini menjadi lebih menyenangkan dan membuat siswa menjadi aktif. Produk ini selain berisi gambar-gambar yang sesuai dengan dan tema yang berkaitan dengan lingkungan rumah juga di dalam materi yang disajikan diberikan proses terbentuknya suatu rumus sehingga siswa dapat belajar secara runtut tentang rumus yang diperoleh.
UPAYA PENINGKATAN KEAKTIFAN DAN HASIL BELAJAR MATEMATIKAMELALUI PENDEKATAN CONTEXTUAL TEACHING AND LEARNING (CTL) BERBANTUAN ALAT PERAGA PADA SISWA KELAS 5 SDN LODOYONG 03 – AMBARAWA TAHUN PELAJARAN 2013/2014
Authors: Taurina Nova Dinda , Wasitohadi Wasitohadi
Published: March 2017

Penelitian ini didasarkan pada kenyataan bahwa guru kurang optimal dalam pembelajaran matematika. Metode pembelajaran yang sering digunakan adalah ceramah, dan guru tidak menggunakan alat peraga dalam pembelajaran. Hal tersebut menyebabkan rendahnya keaktifan siswa dan berdampak pada rendahnya hasil belajar mereka. Sebanyak 62% atau 13 siswa dari 21 siswa tidak dapat mencapai nilai ≥ KKM sebesar 70. Berdasar dari permasalahan tersebut, maka penelitian ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan keaktifan dan hasil belajar matematika pada siswa kelas 5 SDN Lodoyong 03 Kecamatan Ambarawa Tahun Pelajaran 2013/2014 melalui pendekatan CTL berbantuan alat peraga. Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian tindakan kelas atau PTK. Model PTK yang digunakan adalah model Kemmis dan Taggart yang terdiri dari empat tahapan yaitu tahap perencanaan, pelaksanaan, observasi, dan refleksi. Adapun yang menjadi subyek penelitian ini adalah siswa kelas 5 SDN Lodoyong 03 berjumlah 21 siswa, yang terdiri dari 14 siswa laki-laki dan 7 siswa perempuan. Teknik pengumpulan data menggunakan teknik tes, observasi, wawancara dan dokumentasi. Instrumen penelitiannya berupa lembar evaluasi berbentuk isian dan uraian, lembar observasi aktivitas guru dan siswa, serta lembar wawancara guru dan siswa. Indikator keberhasilan penelitian ini sebesar 80% atau sekitar 17 siswa harus mencapai nilai ≥ KKM sebesar 70 dan harus aktif dalam pembelajaran. Adapun teknik analisis data yang digunakan adalah analisis ketuntasan dan analisis komparatif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan adanya peningkatan hasil belajar siswa. Pada pra siklus hanya 8 siswa (38%) yang tuntas dan 13 siswa lainnya (62%) belum tuntas. Pada siklus I jumlah siswa yang tuntas meningkat menjadi 13 siswa (62%), sedangkan 8 siswa (38%) belum tuntas. Kemudian pada siklus II meningkat lagi menjadi 17 siswa (81%) yang tuntas, dan hanya 4 siswa (19%) yang belum tuntas. Hal tersebut berarti bahwa penelitian ini berhasil, karena telah mencapai indikator keberhasilan penelitian yaitu sebesar 80%. Sedangakan rata-rata tingkat keaktifan siswa pada siklus I hanya 12,3 atau 72%, kemudian pada siklus II meningkat menjadi 15,3 atau 90%. Sehingga dapat disimpulkan bahwa pendekatan CTL berbantuan alat peraga dapat meningkatkan keaktifan dan hasil belajar matematika pada siswa kelas 5 SDN Lodoyong 03 Kecamatan Ambarawa Tahun Pelajaran 2013/1014.
PENGARUH PENDEKATAN SAINTIFIK MELALUI MODEL DISCOVERY LEARNING DENGAN PERMAINAN TERHADAP HASIL BELAJAR MATEMATIKA SISWA KELAS 5 SD
Authors: Wahyudi Wahyudi , Siswanti Mia Christy
Published: March 2017

Latar belakang dalam penelitian ini adalah kegiatan pembelajaran matematika yang masih menekankan pada konsep hafalan sehingga siswa hanya berpusat pada angka dan rumus. Pemerintah menyajikan solusi yang menarik melalui kurikulum 2013 yang tertulis dalam Permendikbud Nomor 57 Tahun 2014. Sebelum pendekatan beserta model pembelajaran dalam kurikulum 2013 dibuktikan keberhasilnya, pemerintah telah menetapkan berhentinya kurikulum 2013 (Permendikbud Nomor 160 Tahun 2014). Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh pendekatan saintifik melalui model discovery learning dengan permainan terhadap hasil belajar siswa kelas 5 semester II SD kristen 03 Eben Haezer Salatiga tahun pelajaran 2014/2015.Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian eksperimen semu dengan metode Quasi Eksperimen Research. Desain penelitian yang digunakan adalah Nonequivalent Control Group Design dan teknik pengambilan sampel sampling jenuh. Populasi penelitian ini adalah seluruh siswa kelas V paralel SD Kristen 03 Eben Haezer Salatiga. Teknik pengumpulan data menggunakan observasi, dan tes. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian diperoleh bahwa ada pengaruh penerapan pendekatan saintifik melalui model discovery learning dengan permainan terhadap hasil belajar matematika siswa kelas 5 semester II SD Kristen 03 Eben Haezer Salatiga Tahun Pelajaran 2014/2015. Rata-rata kelas eksperimen 80,84 sedangkan kelas kontrol 71,75. Hal ini juga didukung dari nilai t hitung > t tabel, yaitu (4,905>2.018) dan signifikan 0,000<0,05 yang menunjukkan bahwa H0 ditolak H1 diterima.
Organic Geochemical Characteristic Of Crude Oils From Orange Graben, South Sumatra Basin
Authors: Syaifuddin Muhammad
Published: March 2017

Lemat Formation in the Orange Graben in the South Sumatra basin has been considered as syn-rift sediments consist of fluvio-lacustrine sediments, create source rock with fluvio-lacustrine characterize. Based on existing publications, showing that the oils from Orange Graben have fluvio-deltaic characterization and generated by source rock from Talangakar Formation with fluvio-deltaic depositional environment.

This paper emphasizes geochemistry methods. Source rock analysis, consist of 26 samples for carbon isotope and 14 samples for biomarker, while oil analysis, consist of 15 samples for carbon isotope and 19 samples for biomarker. Characterization has been based on qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data comprise evaluation based on chromatograms and mass-fragmentograms, whereas quantitative data consists of a series of cross-plots, eg. cross plot of carbon isotope δ13C saturates - aromatics, distribution of C27-C28-C29 sterane, Pr/nC17-Ph/nC18, Pr/Ph-Pr/nC17, carbon isotope δ13C saturates-Pr/Ph, Pr/Ph-total hopane/total sterane, and ratio of C26/C25 (tricyclic).

Based on geochemical result of analysis, source rocks of Lemat Formation in the Orange Graben interpret as source rock with fluvio-deltaic characterize, have terrestrial influence while Talangakar Formation in the Orange Graben interpreted as source rock with deltaic characterization, having marine and terrestrial influence. Both of them , consist of humic kerogen. Whereas, oil samples in the Orange Graben interpreted as oilwhich is generated by source rock with fluvio-deltaic characterization, having terrestrial influence, in anoxic-suboxic-oxic conditions, consisting of humic kerogen. Correlation result between source rocks and oils in the Orange Graben, indicating that fluvio-deltaic oil type in the Orange Graben are correlate with not only the source rocks of Talangakar Formations but also with source rock of Lemat Formation.
An Improved Electron Pre-Sheath Model for TSS-1R Current Enhancement Computations
Authors: Cai Chunpei
Published: March 2017

This report presents improvements of investigations on the Tethered Satellite System (TSS)-1R electron current enhancement due to magnetic limited collections. New analytical expressions are obtained for the potential and temperature changes across the pre-sheath. The mathematical treatments in this work are more rigorous than one past approach. More experimental measurements collected in the ionosphere during the TSS-1R mission are adopted for validations. The relations developed in this work offer two bounding curves for these data points quite successfully; the average of these two curves is close to the curve-fitting results for the measurements; and an average of 2.95 times larger than the Parker-Murphy theory is revealed. The results indicate that including the pre-sheath analysis is important to compute the electron current enhancement due to magnetic limitations.
Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ) in Osteoporosis Patients: Report of Delayed Diagnosis of a Multisite Case and Commentary about Risks Coming from a Restricted ONJ Definition
Authors: Migliario Mario , Mergoni Giovanni , Vescovi Paolo , Martino Iolanda De , Alessio Manuela , Benzi Luca , Renò Filippo , Fusco Vittorio
Published: March 2017

Osteonecrosis of the jaws (ONJ) in osteoporosis patients has been defined as rare, but the number of reported cases is increasing. We report a case of delayed ONJ diagnosis in a patient, who was being treated with alendronate, developing bone alterations both in maxilla and in mandible. Underestimation of ONJ incidence and missed or delayed ONJ diagnosis in osteoporosis patients might derive from lack of awareness of health providers as well as from an ONJ definition that is too restricted. The more recent definition of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws (MRONJ) released in 2014 by the American Association of Oral Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) accept fistula, besides bone exposure, as a major sign of disease, but it seems to be insufficient since it excludes all cases of ONJ disease without bone exposure. A new MRONJ definition is needed to avoid missing or delayed diagnosis.
Distributed Control Strategy for Autonomous Operation of Hybrid AC/DC Microgrid
Authors: Baek Jongbok , Choi Wooin , Chae Suyong
Published: March 2017

This paper proposes a distributed control strategy that considers several source characteristics to achieve reliable and efficient operation of a hybrid ac/dc microgrid. The proposed control strategy has a two-level structure. The primary control layer is based on an adaptive droop method, which allows local controllers to operate autonomously and flexibly during disturbances such as fault, load variation, and environmental changes. For efficient distribution of power, a higher control layer adjusts voltage reference points based on optimized energy scheduling decisions. The proposed hybrid ac/dc microgrid is composed of converters and distributed generation units that include renewable energy sources (RESs) and energy storage systems (ESSs). The proposed control strategy is verified in various scenarios experimentally and by simulation.
Advanced Endwall Contouring for Loss Reduction and Outflow Homogenization for an Optimized Compressor Cascade
Authors: Reutter Oliver , Rozanski Magdalena , Hergt Alexander , Nicke Eberhard
Published: March 2017

The following paper deals with the development of an optimized non-axisymmetric endwall contour for reducing the total pressure loss and for homogenizing the outflow of a highly-loaded compressor cascade. In contrast to former studies using a NACA-65 K48 cascade airfoil this study starts with the design of a new high-performance airfoil which is based on the aerodynamic boundary conditions of the NACA-65 K48 cascade. This new airfoil is then used as a basis. Optimizations of the airfoil and of the endwall contour are performed using the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in-house tool AutoOpti and the RANS (Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes)-solver TRACE (Turbomachinery Research Aerodynamic Computational Environment). Three operating points at an inflow Mach number of 0.67 with different inflow angles are used to secure a wide operating range. The optimized endwall contour changes the secondary flow in such a way that the corner stall is reduced which, in turn, significantly reduces the total pressure loss. The endwall contour in the outflow region leads to a considerable homogenization of the outflow in the near wall region. Using non-axisymmetric endwall shaping demonstrates a valuable measure to further improve highly-efficient compressor blading on the vane level.
Influence of Organo-Sulfur Compounds with Overbased Calcium Compounds on Lubrication in Cold Forming
Authors: Takaki Tomohiro , Yagishita Kazuhiro , Tsujimoto Teppei , Wakabayashi Toshiaki
Published: March 2017

The authors analyzed the structures of sulfurized olefins using NMR spectroscopy and studied the effects of sulfur chain length and alkyl structure on the ironing performance. They found that branched chain olefins, which contain branched alkyl groups, show superior ironing performance to straight chain olefins, provided that their carbon numbers are relatively low. When the sulfurized olefins were used in combination with overbased detergents (calcium sulfonate or salicylate), they showed a higher performance in ironing than with sulfurized olefins alone. It was also found that lubricating films consisting of both iron sulfide and calcium carbonate seem to improve ironing performance.
Hypocholesterolemic Effects of Probiotic Mixture on Diet-Induced Hypercholesterolemic Rats
Authors: Kim Shang-Jin , Park Sang , Sin Hong-Sig , Jang Seung-Hwan , Lee Sang-Wang , Kim Seon-Young , Kwon Bora , Yu Kang-Yeol , Kim Su , Yang Dong
Published: March 2017

Growing evidence has indicated that supplementation with probiotics improves lipid metabolism. We aimed to investigate the beneficial effects of a probiotics mixture (PM) of three strains belonging to the species Bifidobacterium (B. longum, B. lactis, and B. breve) and two strains belonging to the species Lactobacillus (L. reuteri and L. plantarum) on cholesterol-lowering efficacy in hypercholesterolemic rats. A hypercholesterolemic rat model was established by feeding a high-cholesterol diet for eight weeks. To test the effects of PM on hypercholesterolemia, hypercholesterolemic rats were assigned to four groups, which were treated daily with low (1.65 × 109 cfu/kg), medium (5.5 × 109 cfu/kg), or high (1.65 × 1010 cfu/kg) doses of probiotic mixture or simvastatin for eight weeks. Significant reductions of serum total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels, but increases of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol were observed after supplementation of PM in hypercholesterolemic rats. In PM-supplemented hypercholesterolemic rats, hepatic tissue contents of TC and TG also significantly decreased. Notably, the histological evaluation of liver tissues demonstrated that PM dramatically decreased lipid accumulation. For their underlying mechanisms, we demonstrated that PM reduced expressions of cholesterol synthesis-related proteins such as sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) in the liver. Taken together, these findings suggest that PM has beneficial effects against hypercholesterolemia. Accordingly, our PM might be utilized as a novel therapeutic agent for the management of hypercholesterolemia.
Aptamers: Biomedical Interest and Applications
Authors: Romero-López Cristina , Berzal-Herranz Alfredo
Published: March 2017

Aptamers are short DNA or RNA oligonucleotides specialized in the specific and efficient binding to a target molecule. They are obtained by in vitro selection or evolution processes. It was in 1990 that two independent research groups described the bases of a new in vitro technology for the identification of RNA molecules able to specifically bind to a target [1,2]. Tuerk and Gold established the principals of the in vitro selection process that was named SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential enrichment), which is based on iterative cycles of binding, partitioning, and amplification of oligonucleotides from a pool of variant sequences [2]. Ellington and Szostak coined the term aptamer to define the selected molecules by the application of this method [1]. To date, numerous reports have described the isolation of aptamers directed against a great variety of targets covering a wide diversity of molecules varying in nature, size, and complexity ranging from ions to whole cells, including small molecules (e.g., aminoacids, nucleotides, antibiotics), peptides, proteins, nucleic acids, and viruses, among others (for example, see [3–6]). Modifications and optimization of the SELEX procedure aimed to get newly modified aptamers has also attracted much interest (examples can be found in [7,8]). These advances along with the parallel progresses in the nucleic acids chemistry and cellular delivery fields have allowed for the rise of a new hope in developing aptamers as efficient molecular tools for diagnostics and therapeutics (for recent comprehensive reviews, see [9–11]).
Person Recognition System Based on a Combination of Body Images from Visible Light and Thermal Cameras
Authors: Nguyen Dat , Hong Hyung , Kim Ki , Park Kang
Published: March 2017

The human body contains identity information that can be used for the person recognition (verification/recognition) problem. In this paper, we propose a person recognition method using the information extracted from body images. Our research is novel in the following three ways compared to previous studies. First, we use the images of human body for recognizing individuals. To overcome the limitations of previous studies on body-based person recognition that use only visible light images for recognition, we use human body images captured by two different kinds of camera, including a visible light camera and a thermal camera. The use of two different kinds of body image helps us to reduce the effects of noise, background, and variation in the appearance of a human body. Second, we apply a state-of-the art method, called convolutional neural network (CNN) among various available methods, for image features extraction in order to overcome the limitations of traditional hand-designed image feature extraction methods. Finally, with the extracted image features from body images, the recognition task is performed by measuring the distance between the input and enrolled samples. The experimental results show that the proposed method is efficient for enhancing recognition accuracy compared to systems that use only visible light or thermal images of the human body.
The Molecular Basis of Toxins’ Interactions with Intracellular Signaling via Discrete Portals
Authors: Lahiani Adi , Yavin Ephraim , Lazarovici Philip
Published: March 2017

An understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which microbial, plant or animal-secreted toxins exert their action provides the most important element for assessment of human health risks and opens new insights into therapies addressing a plethora of pathologies, ranging from neurological disorders to cancer, using toxinomimetic agents. Recently, molecular and cellular biology dissecting tools have provided a wealth of information on the action of these diverse toxins, yet, an integrated framework to explain their selective toxicity is still lacking. In this review, specific examples of different toxins are emphasized to illustrate the fundamental mechanisms of toxicity at different biochemical, molecular and cellular- levels with particular consideration for the nervous system. The target of primary action has been highlighted and operationally classified into 13 sub-categories. Selected examples of toxins were assigned to each target category, denominated as portal, and the modulation of the different portal’s signaling was featured. The first portal encompasses the plasma membrane lipid domains, which give rise to pores when challenged for example with pardaxin, a fish toxin, or is subject to degradation when enzymes of lipid metabolism such as phospholipases A2 (PLA2) or phospholipase C (PLC) act upon it. Several major portals consist of ion channels, pumps, transporters and ligand gated ionotropic receptors which many toxins act on, disturbing the intracellular ion homeostasis. Another group of portals consists of G-protein-coupled and tyrosine kinase receptors that, upon interaction with discrete toxins, alter second messengers towards pathological levels. Lastly, subcellular organelles such as mitochondria, nucleus, protein- and RNA-synthesis machineries, cytoskeletal networks and exocytic vesicles are also portals targeted and deregulated by other diverse group of toxins. A fundamental concept can be drawn from these seemingly different toxins with respect to the site of action and the secondary messengers and signaling cascades they trigger in the host. While the interaction with the initial portal is largely determined by the chemical nature of the toxin, once inside the cell, several ubiquitous second messengers and protein kinases/ phosphatases pathways are impaired, to attain toxicity. Therefore, toxins represent one of the most promising natural molecules for developing novel therapeutics that selectively target the major cellular portals involved in human physiology and diseases.
Consumption of Bt Maize Pollen Containing Cry1Ie Does Not Negatively Affect Propylea japonica (Thunberg) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)
Authors: Li Yonghui , Liu Yanmin , Yin Xinming , Romeis Jörg , Song Xinyuan , Chen Xiuping , Geng Lili , Peng Yufa , Li Yunhe
Published: March 2017

Propylea japonica (Thunberg) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) are prevalent predators and pollen feeders in East Asian maize fields. They are therefore indirectly (via prey) and directly (via pollen) exposed to Cry proteins within Bt-transgenic maize fields. The effects of Cry1Ie-producing transgenic maize pollen on the fitness of P. japonica was assessed using two dietary-exposure experiments in the laboratory. In the first experiment, survival, larval developmental time, adult fresh weight, and fecundity did not differ between ladybirds consuming Bt or non-Bt maize pollen. In the second experiment, none of the tested lethal and sublethal parameters of P. japonica were negatively affected when fed a rapeseed pollen-based diet containing Cry1Ie protein at 200 μg/g dry weight of diet. In contrast, the larval developmental time, adult fresh weight, and fecundity of P. japonica were significantly adversely affected when fed diet containing the positive control compound E-64. In both experiments, the bioactivity of the Cry1Ie protein in the food sources was confirmed by bioassays with a Cry1Ie-sensitive lepidopteran species. These results indicated that P. japonica are not affected by the consumption of Cry1Ie-expressing maize pollen and are not sensitive to the Cry1Ie protein, suggesting that the growing of Bt maize expressing Cry1Ie protein will pose a negligible risk to P. japonica.
The Human Threat to River Ecosystems at the Watershed Scale: An Ecological Security Assessment of the Songhua River Basin, Northeast China
Authors: Shen Yuan , Cao Huiming , Tang Mingfang , Deng Hongbing
Published: March 2017

Human disturbances impact river basins by reducing the quality of, and services provided by, aquatic ecosystems. Conducting quantitative assessments of ecological security at the watershed scale is important for enhancing the water quality of river basins and promoting environmental management. In this study, China’s Songhua River Basin was divided into 204 assessment units by combining watershed and administrative boundaries. Ten human threat factors were identified based on their significant influence on the river ecosystem. A modified ecological threat index was used to synthetically evaluate the ecological security, where frequency was weighted by flow length from the grids to the main rivers, while severity was weighted by the potential hazard of the factors on variables of river ecosystem integrity. The results showed that individual factors related to urbanization, agricultural development and facility construction presented different spatial distribution characteristics. At the center of the plain area, the provincial capital cities posed the highest level of threat, as did the municipal districts of prefecture-level cities. The spatial relationships between hot spot locations of the ecological threat index and water quality, as well as the distribution areas of critically endangered species, were analyzed. The sensitivity analysis illustrated that alteration of agricultural development largely changed the ecological security level of the basin. By offering a reference for assessing ecological security, this study can enhance water environmental planning and management.
Children Diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder and Their Parents: A Qualitative Study about Perceptions of Living with APD
Authors: Lawton Sarah , Purdy Suzanne C. , Kalathottukaren Rose Thomas
Published: March 2017

Background:Negative psychosocial consequences have been reported for children with auditory processing disorder (APD). The current literature surrounding APD does not sufficiently address the emotional and psychological consequences of living with the disorder. It is recommended
that data be collected from multiple sources, including the child living with APD. Subjective reports of the perceptions of children with APD and their families have real-life validity and can inform clinical decisions and guide future research.Purpose:The aims of this study were to
explore the psychosocial consequences of APD as perceived by children with the disorder and their parents.Research Design:Qualitative cross-sectional study.Study Sample:Thirteen participants were interviewed: six children with APD, aged 10‐12 yr, and one parent for each
child (in one case, two parents participated in the interview).Data Collection and Analysis:Semistructured interviews were used to examine the social, emotional, and educational well-being of children with APD. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted to develop themes that illustrated
the experiences of living with APD.Results:Three themes were identified forming a causal network conceptual framework that is reciprocal in nature: (1) external factors, (2) internal problems, and (3) coping. The themes revealed how APD impacted negatively on children’s psychosocial
well-being (internal problems: covert thoughts, overt behaviors) and described the basis for these outcomes (external factors: environmentally based problems, dissatisfaction with support) and the ability of children and their parent(s) to manage the impact of APD (coping: positive, negative).Conclusions:The
three themes identified in this research provide a novel understanding of the experience of APD. The themes reflect the psychosocial consequences of external factors that are created internally through “thought” and expressed externally through “behavior.” Pathways
to support positive coping strategies while discouraging negative coping strategies will enable children to overcome problems and improve their psychosocial well-being.
Noncongruence between Audiologist and Patient Preferences for Patient-Centeredness
Authors: Manchaiah Vinaya , Dockens Ashley L. , Bellon-Harn Monica , Burns Erin S.
Published: March 2017

Background:Trends in preferences of both healthcare providers and patients to patient-centeredness have been emphasized in research. However, an understanding of the nature of preferences to patient-centeredness within the context of the audiologist‐patient relationship
is needed.Purpose:The purpose of this study is to explore the congruence between audiologist and patient preferences for patient-centeredness.Research Design:A cross-sectional survey design was used to gather data from audiologists and patients with hearing loss.Study Sample:Participants
included 75 audiologists and 105 consecutive patients with hearing loss.Data Collection and Analysis:Participants completed the modified Patient‐Practitioner Orientation Scale (PPOS) and provided selected demographic information. Data were analyzed using an independent sample
t test to evaluate the differences between audiologist and patient congruence. Regression analysis was performed to evaluate factors contributing to preferences for patient-centeredness.Results:Patients had significantly lower scores in PPOS full scale when compared to the audiologists
[t(170) = 0.78; p ≤ 0.001] with a very large effect size (Cohen’s d = 1.43). Patients also had significantly lower scores when compared to the audiologists on both the sharing [t(170) = 1.01; p ≤ 0.001] and caring [t(170)
= 0.56; p ≤ 0.001] subscales. Statistically significant lower scores were noted for patients when compared to audiologists on 12 items on the PPOS. No relationship between any demographic factors and preferences for patient-centeredness were found.Conclusions:The current study
results indicated noncongruence in preferences for patient-centeredness among audiologists and patients with hearing loss. Results point toward the need for more research considering the nature and impact of patient-centered audiology practice.
What Factors Are Associated with Autonomous and Controlled Motivation for Hearing Help-Seekers?
Authors: Ridgway Jason , Hickson Louise , Lind Christopher
Published: March 2017

Background:Hearing impairment is prevalent in older adults. Motivation is important in people’s choice to seek help for their hearing and whether to adopt or not adopt hearing aids.Purpose:To investigate associations between sociodemographic and audiometric characteristics
and autonomous and controlled motivation among a sample of hearing help-seekers.Research Design:A quantitative approach was taken for this cross-sectional cohort study.Study Sample:A total of 253 adult first-time hearing help-seekers were recruited to the study.Data Collection
and Analysis:Participants provided sociodemographic information and completed questionnaires adapted from self-determination theory that measured autonomous motivation (motivation that originates from within the self and is aligned with personal values and beliefs) and controlled motivation
(motivation that stems from external pressures such as rewards or punishment, or conflicted inner feelings such as guilt or shame).Results:Participants with higher autonomous motivation scores were younger, wanted hearing aids more, and reported greater hearing difficulty in everyday
life than those with lower scores. Participants with higher controlled motivation scores were more often referred to the service by others and wanted hearing aids more than those with lower controlled motivation scores. Controlled motivation scores were not associated with perceptions of hearing
difficulty in everyday life.Conclusion:Relationships among motivation and sociodemographic factors highlight the importance of characterizing autonomous and controlled motivation in first-time hearing help-seekers. Attention to personal characteristics in order to understand motivational
processes involved in rehabilitation decisions such as hearing aid adoption may aid in consultations.
Clinical Application and Psychometric Properties of a Norwegian Questionnaire for the Self-Assessment of Communication in Quiet and Adverse Conditions Using Two Revised APHAB Subscales
Authors: Heggdal Peder O. Laugen , Nordvik Øyvind , Brännström Jonas , Vassbotn Flemming , Aarstad Anne Kari , Aarstad Hans Jørgen
Published: March 2017

Background:Difficulty in following and understanding conversation in different daily life situations is a common complaint among persons with hearing loss. To the best of our knowledge, there is currently no published validated Norwegian questionnaire available that allows for
a self-assessment of unaided communication ability in a population with hearing loss.Purpose:The aims of the present study were to investigate a questionnaire for the self-assessment of communication ability, examine the psychometric properties of this questionnaire, and explore how
demographic variables such as degree of hearing loss, age, and sex influence response patterns.Research Design:A questionnaire based on the subscales of the Norwegian translation of the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit was applied to a group of hearing aid users and normal-hearing
controls.Study Sample:A total of 108 patients with bilateral hearing loss, and 101 controls with self-reported normal hearing.Data Collection and Analysis:The psychometric properties were evaluated. Associations and differences between outcome scores and descriptive variables
were examined. A regression analysis was performed to investigate whether descriptive variables could predict outcome.Results:The measures of reliability suggest that the questionnaire has satisfactory psychometric properties, with the outcome of the questionnaire correlating to hearing
loss severity, thus indicating that the concurrent validity of the questionnaire is good.Conclusions:The findings indicate that the proposed questionnaire is a valid measure of self-assessed communication ability in both quiet and adverse listening conditions in participants with and
without hearing loss.
The Relationship between Central Auditory Processing, Language, and Cognition in Children Being Evaluated for Central Auditory Processing Disorder
Authors: Brenneman Lauren , Cash Elizabeth , Chermak Gail D. , Guenette Linda , Masters Gay , Musiek Frank E. , Brown Mallory , Ceruti Julianne , Fitzegerald Krista , Geissler Kristin , Gonzalez Jennifer , Weihing Jeffrey
Published: March 2017

Background:Pediatric central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) is frequently comorbid with other childhood disorders. However, few studies have examined the relationship between commonly used CAPD, language, and cognition tests within the same sample.Purpose:The present
study examined the relationship between diagnostic CAPD tests and “gold standard” measures of language and cognitive ability, the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC).Research Design:A retrospective study.Study
Sample:Twenty-seven patients referred for CAPD testing who scored average or better on the CELF and low average or better on the WISC were initially included. Seven children who scored below the CELF and/or WISC inclusion criteria were then added to the dataset for a second analysis, yielding
a sample size of 34.Data Collection and Analysis:Participants were administered a CAPD battery that included at least the following three CAPD tests: Frequency Patterns (FP), Dichotic Digits (DD), and Competing Sentences (CS). In addition, they were administered the CELF and WISC. Relationships
between scores on CAPD, language (CELF), and cognition (WISC) tests were examined using correlation analysis.Results:DD and FP showed significant correlations with Full Scale Intelligence Quotient, and the DD left ear and the DD interaural difference measures both showed significant
correlations with working memory. However, ∼80% or more of the variance in these CAPD tests was unexplained by language and cognition measures. Language and cognition measures were more strongly correlated with each other than were the CAPD tests with any CELF or WISC scale. Additional
correlations with the CAPD tests were revealed when patients who scored in the mild‐moderate deficit range on the CELF and/or in the borderline low intellectual functioning range on the WISC were included in the analysis.Conclusions:While both the DD and FP tests showed significant
correlations with one or more cognition measures, the majority of the variance in these CAPD measures went unexplained by cognition. Unlike DD and FP, the CS test was not correlated with cognition. Additionally, language measures were not significantly correlated with any of the CAPD tests.
Our findings emphasize that the outcomes and interpretation of results vary as a function of the subject inclusion criteria that are applied for the CELF and WISC. Including participants with poorer cognition and/or language scores increased the number of significant correlations observed.
For this reason, it is important that studies investigating the relationship between CAPD and other domains or disorders report the specific inclusion criteria used for all tests.