bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of intumescent mat on post-fire performance of carbon fibre reinforced composites
Authors: Zhu Chenkai , Li Jingjing , Clement Mandy , Yi Xiaosu , Rudd Chris , Liu Xiaoling
Published: May 2019

This study investigated the effect of intumescent mats (M1 and M2) with different compositions on the post-fire performance of carbon fibre reinforced composites. The sandwich structure was designed for composites where M1 (carbon fibre reinforced composite-M1) or M2 (carbon fibre reinforced composite-M2) mats were covered on the composite surface. A significant reduction in the peak heat release rate and total heat release was observed from the cone calorimetric data, and carbon fibre reinforced composite-M1 showed the lowest value of 148 kW/m2 and 29 MJ/m2 for peak heat release rate and total heat release, respectively. In addition, a minor influence on mechanical properties was observed due to the variation of composite thickness and resin volume in the composite. The post-fire properties of composite were characterised, and the M1 mat presented better retention of flexural strength and modulus. The feasibility of two-layer model was confirmed to predict the post-fire performance of composites and reduce the reliance on the large amounts of empirical data.
Parental Anxiety and Depression Moderate Intergenerational Transmission of Parental Psychological Aggression in China
Authors: Wang Meifang , Wang Fang , Wang Yuzhu , Xing Xiaopei
Published: May 2019

The present study examined the intergenerational patterns in the transmission of parental psychological aggression in China and the moderating effects of parental anxiety and depression. Participants were 552 children ( Mage = 12.81 years, 250 boys) and their parents who were recruited from two junior high schools in Jinan, the capital city of Shandong Province in China. The results showed that both maternal and paternal psychological aggressions were transmitted in Chinese societies, and maternal but not paternal anxiety and depression moderated the transmission of psychological aggression. The strength of transmission was stronger for mothers with high levels of anxiety and depression than those with low levels of anxiety and depression. The findings highlighted the roles of parental distal (psychological aggression experiences) and proximal (negative emotions) factors in their use of psychological aggression and suggested the need for intervention programs to focus on reduction of parental negative emotions.
Adolescent Tobacco and Betel Nut Use in the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands: Evidence From Guam
Authors: Pokhrel Pallav , Dalisay Francis , Pagano Ian , Buente Wayne , Guerrero Elizabeth , Herzog Thaddeus A.
Published: May 2019

Purpose:

To determine the prevalence of, and the risk and protective factors associated with, tobacco product use among adolescents in Guam, a US-Affiliated Pacific Island (USAPI) territory. To examine disparities in risk and protective factors across indigenous and nonindigenous groups.

Design:

Quantitative; cross-sectional.

Setting:

Middle and high schools in Guam.

Sample:

The Global Youth Tobacco Survey sample included a representative sample of 2449 6th to 12th graders (71% response rate). Sample for the supplemental study included 670 middle school students (76% response rate across randomly selected classrooms).

Measures:

Self-reported measures of lifetime and past 30-day tobacco and betel nut use, social competence, resistance self-efficacy, risk perceptions, friend and family tobacco product use, and ease of access to tobacco products.

Analysis:

Multilevel logistic regression and analysis of covariance.

Results:

The prevalence rates of current cigarette, smokeless tobacco, and e-cigarette use among middle school students were 8%, 8%, and 25%, respectively. Ability to resist social pressure to use tobacco/betel nut use was strongly associated with lower likelihood of tobacco (odds ratio [OR] = 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.68-0.84) and betel nut use (OR = 0.74; 95% CI: 0.67-0.82). Indigenous Pacific Islanders scored significantly lower on protective and higher on risk factors.

Conclusion:

Tobacco product use rates among Guam middle school students appear to be 4 to 5 times higher than the US national average rates. There is an urgent need for developing tobacco and betel nut use prevention programs for USAPI youth that are tailored to the needs of indigenous Pacific Islanders.
Tobacco Advertising and ID Checks in Columbus, Ohio, in Advance of Tobacco 21
Authors: Muralidharan Nirupama , Ferketich Amy K. , Keller-Hamilton Brittney , Roberts Megan E.
Published: May 2019

Purpose:

In autumn 2017, Columbus, Ohio, joined numerous other US locations in raising their legal sales age for purchasing tobacco to 21 (ie, becoming “T21”). The present study sought to establish a baseline for ID checks in Columbus prior to T21 enforcement and to examine whether store type and marketing were associated with better rates of ID checks.

Design:

Fieldworkers aged 20 to 21 years visited a random sample of 110 tobacco retailers during summer 2017 (drawn from >10 000 licensed retailers in the county). After collecting store-related information, they attempted to purchase cigarettes and recorded whether their ID was checked (federal law requires ID checks for anyone who looks younger than 27 years).

Setting:

Columbus, Ohio.

Measures:

Store type, external tobacco advertising, and ID check outcome.

Analysis:

Descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results:

Among stores where cigarettes were purchased, 61.1% did not conduct ID checks. Absent ID checks were associated with the store being a convenience store or tobacco shop, χ2(2) = 4.45, P = .035, and having a greater amount of external advertising, t(93) = 2.00, P = .049.

Conclusion:

Overall, the low rate of ID checks for young adults purchasing tobacco in Columbus is concerning. Continued monitoring of retailer compliance will be important as retailers adjust to the arrival of T21. Targeted enforcement and additional outreach with tobacco shops, convenience stores, and stores with a high amount of external advertising may be particularly needed.
Preparation and characterization of polypropylene/polylactide blends and nanocomposites and their biodegradation study
Authors: Mandal Dev K , Bhunia Haripada , Bajpai Pramod K , Chaudhari Chandrasekhar V , Dubey Kumar A , Varshney Lalit , Kumar Anil
Published: May 2019

Melt blending technique was used for the preparation of blends of two different polymers (polypropylene (PP) and polylactide (PLA)) with/without compatibilizer and nanoclay. The effect of nanoclay on the properties of blends and PP was investigated. Compression molding was used for the preparation of films. PP/PLA (85/15) and PP/PLA/maleic anhydride (85/15/4) were chosen as optimum blends from tensile strength test for further characterization. Tensile strength of PP/PLA (85/15) blend improved with the addition of 4 phr resin compatibilizer. The content of nanoclay was varied from 0 wt% to 5 wt% in PP. The optimized blends were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry, rheological studies, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, biodegradability test, and ecotoxicology. FTIR studies indicated the presence of PLA and nanoclay in the PP matrix. The addition of compatibilizer increased the compatibility between PP and PLA. Biodegradability studies confirmed the biodegradable nature of the blends and composites. Nontoxic nature of biodegraded intermediates has been confirmed by the ecotoxicological tests.
Letters Lost: Capturing Appearance in Crowded Peripheral Vision Reveals a New Kind of Masking
Authors: Sayim Bilge , Taylor Henry
Published: May 2019

Peripheral vision is strongly limited by crowding, the deleterious influence of flanking items on target perception. Distinguishing what is seen from what is merely inferred in crowding is difficult because task demands and prior knowledge may influence observers’ reports. Here, we used a standard identification task in which participants were susceptible to these influences, and to minimize them, we used a free-report-and-drawing paradigm. Three letters were presented in the periphery. In Experiment 1, 10 participants were asked to identify the central target letter. In Experiment 2, 25 participants freely named and drew what they saw. When three identical letters were presented, performance was almost perfect in Experiment 1, but it was very poor in Experiment 2, in which most participants reported only two letters. Our study reveals limitations of standard crowding paradigms and uncovers a hitherto unrecognized effect that we call redundancy masking.
Lupus is associated with poorer outcomes after primary total hip arthroplasty
Authors: Singh J A , Cleveland J D
Published: May 2019

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess whether lupus is associated with poorer outcomes after primary total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Methods

We used the 1998–2014 US National Inpatient Sample data. Multivariable-adjusted separate logistic regression models assessed the association of lupus with post-operative complications (implant infection, transfusion, THA revision and mortality) and health care utilization outcomes (total hospital charges, discharge to an inpatient facility and length of hospital stay >3 days) post-THA, adjusting for demographics, underlying diagnosis, comorbidity, insurance payer and hospital characteristics, using odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results

Among 4,116,485 primary THA hospitalizations, 22,557 (0.5%) were in patients with lupus. Patients with lupus were younger and more likely to be female, African-American or Hispanic, living in the South, or to have Medicaid insurance, and had higher comorbidity or lower income. In multivariable-adjusted analyses, the presence of lupus was associated with significantly higher risk of implant infection, transfusion, discharge to an inpatient facility and higher hospital charges above the median, with respective ORs of 1.95 (95% CI, 1.28, 2.97), 1.34 (95% CI, 1.25, 1.43), 1.21 (95% CI, 1.01, 1.44) and 1.38 (95% CI, 1.30, 1.47). Lupus was not significantly associated with the risk of revision, mortality or hospital stay >3 days; the ORs were 1.10 (95% CI, 0.68, 1.78), 0.95 (95% CI, 0.61, 1.47) and 1.06 (95% CI, 0.99, 1.13), respectively.

Conclusions

Lupus was associated with a higher risk of implant infection, transfusion, discharge to an inpatient facility and higher hospital charges post-primary THA. Insight into modifiable factors associated with these outcomes may improve outcomes in patients with lupus undergoing THA.
Patient Engagement Activities and Patient Experience: Are Patients With a History of Depression the Canary in the Coal Mine?
Authors: Shields Morgan C. , Singer Janice , Rosenthal Meredith , Sato Luke , Keohane Carol , Janes Margaret , Boulanger Jason , Martins Natalya , Rabson Barbra
Published: May 2019

Little is known about the effectiveness of primary care practices’ efforts to engage patients in their health and health care. We examine the association between patient engagement efforts and patients’ experiences of care. We found no association between an unweighted count of patient engagement activities and patient experience. Compared with the bottom quartile of practices, however, the top quartile had better performance on patient experience domains of communication, front-office staff, and organizational access (out of nine domains). Furthermore, patients reporting a diagnosis of depression have higher ratings across five domains of patient experience when in practices with higher levels of patient engagement activities measured using an unweighted scale. Future research is needed to understand how the benefits of patient engagement activities can accrue to more patient subgroups. These promising results suggest that payers and policy makers should continue to support implementation and benchmarking of patient engagement efforts across practices.
De-Westernizing African Journalism Curriculum Through Glocalization and Hybridization
Authors: Ezumah Bellarmine
Published: May 2019

Over several decades, scholars have questioned the multilateralism of journalism education on the grounds that journalism education adopts a dominant paradigm that renders it predominantly Western. The argument, however, is polarized; on one hand, some scholars have proposed a de-Westernization of journalism education, on the other hand, a dissenting opinion argues that global journalism curriculum is multilateral. Despite several attempts by scholars and international organizations, specifically, the UNESCO, through the International Programme for Development of Communication (IPDC), to de-Westernize journalism curriculum, remnants of the dominant paradigm still persist. I concede that striking attempts have been made to de-Westernize and glocalize journalism curriculum; therefore, my central argument hinges on the thesis that instead of resisting and discarding the UNESCO model, and other Western influences, reformation and adaptation through glocalization and hybridization is encouraged. As such, this article conceptualizes and concretizes practical application of glocalization through a collaborative venture between a U.S.-based scholar and Ugandan scholars in developing a locally congruent curriculum for a brand new journalism program at a university in Uganda.
Cytarabine ears – A side effect of cytarabine therapy
Authors: Doval Divya , Kumar Sharma Sanjeev , Kumar Meet , Khandelwal Vipin , Choudhary Dharma
Published: May 2019

Cytarabine, a pyramidine analog, is used for treating various hematological malignancies such as acute leukemias and lymphomas. Side effects of cytarabine are dose dependent and include bone marrow suppression, fever, cerebellar toxicity, cardiomyopathy, hepato-renal insufficiency, necrotizing enterocolitis, pancreatitis, acute respiratory distress, corneal toxicity and dermatological side effects. The dermatological side effects can be immediate or due to delayed hypersensitivity reactions. They have been attributed largely to release of cytokines. We present three such cases of delayed hypersensitivity to cytarabine affecting the ears bilaterally.
Effect of decontamination treatment on the quality of dehydrated thyme, coriander, and mustard
Authors: Ferriccioni Natalia , Mateucci Ricardo , Zangrando Agustina , Santana Susana , Campos Carmen A
Published: May 2019

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of different decontamination treatments on the quality of dehydrated thyme, coriander, and mustard. Treatments applied were: (i) ultraviolet radiation treatment irradiation; (ii) steam, (iii) steam–ultraviolet radiation treatment; (iv) humidification–ultraviolet radiation treatment, and (v) steam–humidification–ultraviolet radiation treatment. Their effectiveness to control indigenous aerobic mesophiles and yeasts and molds population was assessed by plate count. The effect of proposed treatments on total polyphenol contents and antioxidant activity was also evaluated. Furthermore, the effect of treatments on spices performance to prevent canola oil oxidation was also analyzed. The use of steam–ultraviolet radiation treatment in aqueous medium was the most effective for decontamination, reducing the aerobic mesophiles and yeasts and molds counts between 1.0 and 2.2 log CFU/g dry spice. This treatment decreased significantly the polyphenol content and the antioxidant capacity of the three spices analyzed. However, in the case of mustard, the residual antioxidant compounds were able to control canola oil oxidation more efficiently than butylated hydroxytoluene. Results suggest that the use of steam–ultraviolet radiation treatment in aqueous medium can be useful in food preservation processes.
Toward efficacy of piecewise polynomial truncated singular value decomposition algorithm in moving force identification
Authors: Chen Zhen , Qin Lifeng , Zhao Shunbo , Chan Tommy HT , Nguyen Andy
Published: May 2019

This article introduces and evaluates the piecewise polynomial truncated singular value decomposition algorithm toward an effective use for moving force identification. Suffering from numerical non-uniqueness and noise disturbance, the moving force identification is known to be associated with ill-posedness. An important method for solving this problem is the truncated singular value decomposition algorithm, but the truncated small singular values removed by truncated singular value decomposition may contain some useful information. The piecewise polynomial truncated singular value decomposition algorithm extracts the useful responses from truncated small singular values and superposes it into the solution of truncated singular value decomposition, which can be useful in moving force identification. In this article, a comprehensive numerical simulation is set up to evaluate piecewise polynomial truncated singular value decomposition, and compare this technique against truncated singular value decomposition and singular value decomposition. Numerically simulated data are processed to validate the novel method, which show that regularization matrix [Formula: see text] and truncating point [Formula: see text] are the two most important governing factors affecting identification accuracy and ill-posedness immunity of piecewise polynomial truncated singular value decomposition.
Is visual imagery ability higher for orthodontic students than those in other disciplines? A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study
Authors: Smyth Robert SD , Acharya Priti , Hunt Nigel P
Published: May 2019

Objective:

To investigate the effect visual imagery may have on career choice among current university students across a range of subjects and disciplines.

Setting:

University College London (UCL), UK.

Design:

Cross-sectional questionnaire-based study.

Participants:

The study compared four main groups of UCL students: current students at the Slade School of Fine Art; UCL Eastman Dental Institute; UCL Bartlett School of Architecture; and the Faculty of Laws.

Method:

A questionnaire based on the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ) was distributed along with questions regarding demographic information.

Results:

There were no significant differences between the VVIQ scores across the four included Schools/Faculty: The Slade School of Fine Art; UCL Bartlett School of Architecture; Faculty of Laws; and UCL Eastman Dental Institute, F(3,219) = 2.160, P = 0.094. There were also no significant differences in the scores for the Eastman ( M = 60.21, SD = 13.58) and the three other Schools/Faculty ( M = 62.87, SD = 10.96); t(–1.317) = 221, P = 0.189, and no significant difference in the scores for the Orthodontic students ( M = 60.80, SD = 13.39) and the remaining other included students ( M = 61.44, SD = 9.68); t(–0.232) = 221, P = 0.817. Aphantasia was uncommon in this sample, with a prevalence of 0.9%. A positive correlation was found between age group and total VVIQ score, with older participants scoring higher on the VVIQ. Women were significantly more likely to say that their ability to visualise had affected their career choice than male respondents.

Conclusions:

There were no significant differences between the VVIQ scores across the four included Schools/Faculty. Visual imagery ability did not differ in dental or orthodontic students in comparison to other student groups. Further work is needed to replicate these findings in more diverse samples.
Qualitative semiotics: Can we research consumer meaning-making?
Authors: Barnham Chris
Published: May 2019

The notion of “meaning” is central to marketing because it is only through the making of meaning that “added value” can be created. The marketing profession has several models of how such meaning is created, but Peircean semiotics can shed further light on the activity of meaning-making itself and the stages that are involved in this process. This article explores the differences between Peircean and Saussurian semiotics and discusses how these two semiotic traditions construe meaning creation. In particular, it applies the Peircean semiotic model of meaning-making to the notion of concept formation, and the classificatory aspects of this process. This enables convergences to be identified between qualitative research methodologies and semiotics. This, in turn, opens up the possibility of a new kind of qualitative research that understands, and explores, how individual consumers form their concepts. It does this by identifying the semiotic structures that are involved in this process. It will be argued that the resulting framework of “Qualitative Semiotics” has the potential to take semiotics beyond the remit of cultural analysis and to refocus it on processes of individual consumer cognition.
Multichannel preamble sampling MAC protocol for wireless sensor networks
Authors: Alahmadi Hanan , Bouabdallah Fatma
Published: May 2019

In this article, a multichannel preamble sampling MAC protocol, MCPS, especially tailored for wireless sensor networks, is proposed and thoroughly evaluated. MCPS is a low-power MAC protocol operating on multichannel using carrier sensing for collision avoidance. Specifically, MCPS exploits all the non-overlapping channels provided by IEEE 802.15.4 physical layer. Basically, MCPS uses one dedicated common control channel to wake up an intended receiver using a preamble sampling technique. However, data transmission takes place in a dedicated data channel. Indeed, MCPS allocates to every pair of sensor nodes a unique data channel that aims at being 2-hop conflict free. Hence, the probability of collision is highly reduced and even completely mitigated in some scenarios. Moreover, MCPS allows each sensor node to dynamically adjust its transmission power when sending strobed preamble or periodically generated data. Indeed, for each possible distance separating a pair of communicating nodes, MCPS adapts the appropriate transmission power and selects the appropriate data channel. Using multiple channels, MCPS allows multiple simultaneous data communications along with handshaking on the common control channel, hence reducing the end-to-end delay and improving the throughput while being energy efficient. MCPS has been implemented using OMNET++ simulator under INET framework, on top of the IEEE 802.15.4 physical layer, which was improved to support the multichannel communication. The authors compare the performance of MCPS with McMAC and X-MAC. Simulation results show that MCPS greatly improves the network performance especially in terms of throughput, waiting time, end-to-end delay, and energy per bit.
Color image steganalysis based on channel gradient correlation
Authors: Kang Yuhan , Liu Fenlin , Yang Chunfang , Xiang Lingyun , Luo Xiangyang , Wang Ping
Published: May 2019

It is one of the potential threats to the Internet of Things to reveal confidential messages by color image steganography. The existing color image steganalysis algorithm based on channel geometric transformation measures owns higher accuracy than the others, but it fails to utilize the correlation between the gradient amplitudes of different color channels. Therefore, this article points out that the color image steganography weakens the correlation between the gradient amplitudes of different color channels and proposes a color image steganalysis algorithm based on channel gradient correlation. The proposed algorithm extracts the co-occurrence matrix feature from the gradient amplitude residuals among different color channels and then combines it with the existing color image steganalysis features to train the ensemble classifier for color image steganalysis. The experimental results show that, for WOW and S-UNIWARD steganography, compared with the existing algorithms, the proposed algorithm outperforms the existing algorithms.
Region search based on hybrid convolutional neural network in optical remote sensing images
Authors: Yin Shoulin , Zhang Ye , Karim Shahid
Published: May 2019

Currently, big data is a new and hot issue. Particularly, the rapid growth of the Internet of Things causes a sharp growth of data. Enormous amounts of networking sensors are continuously collecting and transmitting data to be stored and processed in the cloud, including remote sensing data, environmental data, and geographical data. And region is regarded as the very important object in remote sensing data, which is mainly researched in this article. Region search is a crucial task in remote sensing process, especially for military area and civilian fields. It is difficult to fast search region accurately and achieve generalizability of the regions’ features due to the complex background information, as well as the smaller size. Especially, when processing region search in large-scale remote sensing image, detailed information as the feature can be extracted in inner region. To overcome the above difficulty region search task, we propose an accurate and fast region search in optical remote sensing images under cloud computing environment, which is based on hybrid convolutional neural network. The proposed region search method partitioned into four processes. First, fully convolutional network is adopted to produce all the candidate regions that contain the possible object regions. This process avoids exhaustive search for input images. Then, the features of all candidate regions are extracted by a fast region-based convolutional neural network structure. Third, we design a new difficult sample mining method for the training process. At the end, in order to improve the region search precision, we use an iterative bounding box regression algorithm to normalize the detected bounding boxes, in which the regions contain candidate objects. The proposed algorithm is evaluated on optical remote sensing images acquired from Google Earth. Finally, we conduct the experiments, and the obtained results show that the proposed region search method constantly achieves better results regardless of the type of images tested. Compared with traditional region search methods, such as region-based convolutional neural network and newest feature extraction frameworks, our proposed methods show better robustness with complex context semantic information and backgrounds.
Effects of air swirler geometry on air and spray droplet interactions in a spray chamber
Authors: Sharma Shraddha , Ghate Kushal , Sundararajan Thirumalachari , Sahu Srikrishna
Published: May 2019

In this work, interactions between cold spray and swirl airflow are characterized experimentally and numerically for various air swirler geometries. The number of vanes, vane angle, vane curvature, and air velocity are varied for the swirling airflow. Spray visualization and phase Doppler interferometry techniques have been employed to obtain important parameters such as spray cone angle and mean drop size. In the numerical work, the Realizable [Formula: see text] turbulence model has been employed along with the Linearized Instability Sheet Atomization and Taylor Analogy Breakup to simulate spray field. The predicted results for the airflow field compare well with available experimental results in published literature. Good match is also found between the present predictions and measured spray data. The radial distribution of Sauter mean diameter exhibits peak values at the periphery of the spray near the injector, due to liquid swirl. The peak Sauter mean diameter shifts to the spray axis, beyond the recirculation zone, due to entrainment of droplets by the swirling air stream. The volume fraction of droplets exhibits multi-modal distribution, due to the interactions between spray droplets and recirculating airflow. A curved swirler gives rise to finer spray compared to a flat swirler, due to lower losses and better utilization of momentum.
Application-oriented type synthesis and coupling kinematics analysis of a 1Rx2Tyz parallel stabilized platform for tunnel detection system
Authors: Liu Xiao , Liu Bo , Duan Yingjie , Bian Hui
Published: May 2019

For collecting image high precisely, the application-oriented type synthesis and kinematics analysis for parallel vehicle-based stabilized platform are systematically carried out. Firstly, taking multi-camera install center and vehicle trajectory offset as research objects, the influence of external perturbation on visual system is analyzed quantitatively by numerical calculation and field testing. On this basis, a new type of 2SPR/RPS parallel mechanism with two-translational and one-rotational degree of freedoms is presented. Secondly, by analyzing the motion characteristic of 2SPR/RPS parallel mechanism, the motion adjoint transformation and input–output mapping for parallel vehicle-based stabilized platform are proposed by screw description of rigid-body movement. In addition, an experimental prototype is developed, and the results between numerical examples and semi-physical simulations are compared in order to prove the validity of theoretical analysis. Finally, based on the concept of influence of external perturbations on tunnel detecting system, an external parameter identify method for coupling pose and object distance of visual system is studied. The results can be extended to development, application, and performance evaluation for parallel vehicle-based stabilized platform in next step.
The p53/miR-193a/EGFR feedback loop function as a driving force for non-small cell lung carcinoma tumorigenesis
Authors: Wang Wei , Shen Xia-Bo , Jia Wei , Huang Da-Bing , Wang Yong , Pan Yue-Yin
Published: May 2019

Background:

Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is a major worldwide health threat due to its low cure rate and high lethality. Emerging evidence suggests that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays vital roles in cancer initiation and progression, and is considered an important cancer-driving protein. However, how EGFR expression is regulated during NSCLC development remains to be fully elucidated.

Methods:

In NSCLC clinical samples, EGFR protein levels were measured by western blotting and qRT-PCR, respectively. Combining microRNA (miRNA) target prediction software and the pulldown assay, we predicted microRNAs (miRNAs) that targeted EGFR. Next, three NSCLC cell lines, A549 (p53 WT), H322 (p53 mutant), and H1299 (p53 null), were used to demonstrate the direct targeting of EGFR by miR-193a. In addition, we investigated the biological effects of EGFR inhibition by miR-193a in vitro using Cell Counting Kit-8, 5-Ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU), transwell, and apoptosis assays. Then, using ChIP and luciferase assays, we demonstrated that miR-193a was directly activated by p53 at the transcriptional level and that p53-induced-miR-193a and EGFR form a double-negative feedback loop.

Results:

We found that EGFR mRNA and protein were upregulated in NSCLC. We predicted that EGFR was a target of miR-193a and validated that miR-193a bound directly to the 3′-UTR of the EGFR mRNA. Moreover, miR-193a inhibited NSCLC proliferation and invasion, and promotes NSCLC apoptosis by directly downregulating EGFR. Then, we demonstrated that p53 directly activated miR-193a transcription, whereas EGFR functioned as a transcriptional repressor to negatively control miR-193a expression, forming a feedback loop. The loop promoted NSCLC cell proliferation and migration and accelerated tumor growth in xenograft mice.

Conclusions:

This study highlights a double-negative feedback loop in NSCLC. The feedback loop is crucial because overexpressing EGFR strongly accelerated tumor growth, while miR-193a restoration blocked tumor growth in vivo. Our findings are in line with the emerging opinion that miRNAs and protein regulators form regulatory networks in critical biological processes and that their dysregulation can lead to cellular dysfunction. In conclusion, this study provides important insights into the molecular mechanisms of NSCLC progression and may help inform the development of new therapeutics for managing NSCLC.
Piscicartone, a Rotenoid From Piscidia carthagenensis
Authors: Ortega Alfredo R. , Pérez-Hernández Nury , Joseph-Nathan Pedro
Published: May 2019

The bark of the roots of Piscidia carthagenensis afforded the known insecticides rotenone (1) and millettone (2), as well as the new rotenoid piscicartone (3). The structure of 3 followed from nuclear magnetic resonance studies, while its absolute configuration (AC) was determined by vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) measurements in comparison with discrete Fourier transform B3LYP/DGDZVPcalculated spectra using the Compare VOA software. In addition, the AC of 1 and 2 was verified using the same VCD methodology.
Big Data and quality data for fake news and misinformation detection
Authors: Torabi Asr Fatemeh , Taboada Maite
Published: May 2019

Fake news has become an important topic of research in a variety of disciplines including linguistics and computer science. In this paper, we explain how the problem is approached from the perspective of natural language processing, with the goal of building a system to automatically detect misinformation in news. The main challenge in this line of research is collecting quality data, i.e., instances of fake and real news articles on a balanced distribution of topics. We review available datasets and introduce the MisInfoText repository as a contribution of our lab to the community. We make available the full text of the news articles, together with veracity labels previously assigned based on manual assessment of the articles’ truth content. We also perform a topic modelling experiment to elaborate on the gaps and sources of imbalance in currently available datasets to guide future efforts. We appeal to the community to collect more data and to make it available for research purposes.
Understanding Adults With Chronic Kidney Disease and Their Caregivers’ Self-Management Experiences: A Qualitative Study Using the Theoretical Domains Framework
Authors: Baay Sarah , Hemmelgarn Brenda , Tam-Tham Helen , Finlay Juli , Elliott Meghan J. , Straus Sharon , Beanlands Heather , Herrington Gwen , Donald Maoliosa
Published: May 2019

Background:

Self-management support interventions are widely accepted in chronic kidney disease (CKD) care; however, interventions rarely consider individual behaviors by incorporating a behavioral theoretical framework. The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) can be used to facilitate an understanding of patients and their caregivers’ behaviors to successfully self-manage CKD.

Objectives:

(1) To understand behaviors of patients with CKD and their caregivers and identify potential intervention approaches to support CKD self-management and (2) to explore relationships between the 14 TDF domains and CKD self-management.

Design:

Qualitative descriptive study using both content and thematic analysis

Setting:

Purposive criterion was used to recruit participants from across Canada.

Patients:

Canadian patients with CKD and their caregivers.

Measurements:

Focus groups and telephone interviews using a semistructured interview guide.

Methods:

We conducted a secondary analysis of qualitative data collected from focus groups and telephone interviews from July 2017 to January 2018. Two research team members coded the transcribed data to the 14 TDF domains using a modified approach of the Framework Method. We linked the common TDF domains to relevant intervention functions from the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) to identify potential intervention approaches. We also identified and mapped relationships between the relevant TDF domains to report emerging themes.

Results:

Six focus groups (37 participants) and 11 telephone interview transcripts were analyzed. Five TDF domains that influenced CKD self-management behavior were identified: environmental context and resources, knowledge, beliefs about capabilities, beliefs about consequences, and social influences. Four BCW intervention functions were identified: education, modeling, persuasion, and environmental restructuring. Four emergent themes, shaped by the populated 14 TDF domains, were identified: What does this mean for me? Help me help myself, How does this make me feel? and Who am I?

Limitations:

The TDF was not used to design the interview guide; therefore, there may be underrepresentation of some TDF domains relevant for self-management.

Conclusion:

Our findings highlight 5 TDF domains that can influence CKD self-management behavior and 4 possible intervention approaches to influence behavior change in patients with CKD and their caregivers. Emergent themes highlight participants’ interpretation of being diagnosed with CKD, their motivations, feelings, values, and altered identity. This work will inform the codesign of a behavior change intervention to enhance patient self-management of CKD.
Anatomical landmarks for localizing the otic ganglion: A possible new treatment target for headache disorders
Authors: Crespi Joan , Bratbak Daniel , Dodick David W. , Matharu Manjit S. , Senger Miriam , Angelov Doychin N. , Tronvik Erling
Published: May 2019

Background:

The otic ganglion (OG) is a cranial parasympathetic ganglion located in the infratemporal fossa under the foramen ovale (FO) and adjacent to the medial part of the mandibular nerve. Parasympathetic innervation of intracranial vessels from the OG has been shown both in animal and human models and evidence suggests that the OG plays an important role in the cranial vasomotor response. We review the evidence that positions the OG as a viable target for headache disorders. The OG is a small structure and not detectable on medical imaging. The FO is easily identifiable on CT scans and the mandibular nerve on MRI, hence, the position of the OG may be predicted if the mean distance from the FO is known.

Objective:

The objective is to describe the average distance between the FO and the OG in a sample of 18 infratemporal fossae from 21 cadavers.

Methods:

A total of 21 high definition photographs of 21 infratemporal fossae from 18 cadavers were analyzed. The distance between the inferior edge of the medial part of the FO to the OG was measured.

Results:

Four photographs of infratemporal fossae of four cadavers were excluded due to the inability to localize the inferior edge of the FO. A total of 15 infratemporal fossae from 17 cadavers were measured. The mean distance from the FO to the OG was 4.5 mm (SD 1.7), range 2.1–7.7 mm.

Conclusions:

We have described the average distance from the OG to an easily identifiable anatomical landmark that is visible in CT scans, the FO. This anatomical study may aid in the development of strategies to localize the OG in order to explore its role as a therapeutic target for headache disorders.
Predictors for choroidal neovascular membrane formation and visual outcome following blunt ocular trauma
Authors: Venkatesh Ramesh , Bavaharan Bharathi , Yadav Naresh Kumar
Published: May 2019

Aim:

The aim of this study was to determine the predictors for choroidal neovascular membrane formation and visual outcome after blunt ocular trauma.

Methods:

Retrospective review of electronic medical records of patients with blunt ocular trauma from January 2013 to December 2016 at Narayana Nethralaya Super Speciality Eye Hospital (Bangalore, India) was done. Cases with positive macular findings were enrolled. Data such as age, sex, laterality, mode of injury, presenting and final vision, follow-up duration and retinal findings were noted.

Results:

A total of 853 cases were referred to the retina clinic with history of blunt ocular trauma. Of which, 37 cases with positive macular findings were identified. Trauma with ball (18/37, 49%) was the most common mode of injury. Choroidal rupture was seen in 33 (89%) eyes. Other retinal findings noted were as follows: retinal haemorrhages (11%), commotio retinae (22%), submacular haemorrhage (43%), macular hole (11%), epiretinal membrane (3%), macular scar (8%) and vitreous haemorrhage (4%). Choroidal neovascular membrane was noted in 6 (16%) out of 37 eyes. No retinal findings showed any positive association with choroidal neovascular membrane formation. Using Pearson’s correlation test, independent variables such as presenting visual acuity ( r = 0.601, p = 0.000) and choroidal neovascular membrane formation ( r = –0.356, p = 0.031) showed a strong correlation with final visual acuity.

Conclusion:

The occurrence rate of post-traumatic choroidal neovascular membranes is about 12% in eyes with choroidal rupture. Most choroidal neovascular membranes occur within 1 year of trauma. Eyes with poor presenting vision and choroidal rupture or subretinal haemorrhage warrant regular and shorter follow-up intervals for long periods to identify the choroidal neovascular membrane. Treatment with intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy is useful.
A Process Model of Talent Management in Structurally Ambidextrous Organisations
Authors: Gulshani Romana
Published: May 2019

In complex, volatile and unstable environments, organisations aim to effectively develop and retain their key talent to achieve sustainable advantage. Specifically, in the case of ambidextrous organisations which balance tension between exploration and exploitation, talent management (TM) becomes critical. Continuing this stream of thought, the current study explores central questions associated with the role of TM in an ambidextrous organisation. Previous literature does not address the question of how TM facilitates ambidextrous learning in organisations. This conceptual article attempts to address the gap by suggesting a process model of TM in structurally ambidextrous organisations. The process model is explored further to arrive at some key research questions. The article also discusses implications of the research for practitioners.
Nest initiation and flooding in response to season and semi-lunar spring tides in a ground-nesting shorebird
Authors: Plaschke Silvia , Bulla Martin , Cruz-López Medardo , Gómez del Ángel Salvador , Küpper Clemens
Published: May 2019

Background

Marine and intertidal organisms face the rhythmic environmental changes induced by tides. The large amplitude of spring tides that occur around full and new moon may threaten nests of ground-nesting birds. These birds face a trade-off between ensuring nest safety from tidal flooding and nesting near the waterline to provide their newly hatched offspring with suitable foraging opportunities. The semi-lunar periodicity of spring tides may enable birds to schedule nest initiation adaptively, for example, by initiating nests around tidal peaks when the water line reaches the farthest into the intertidal habitat. We examined the impact of semi-lunar tidal changes on the phenology of nest flooding and nest initiation in Snowy Plovers (Charadrius nivosus) breeding at Bahía de Ceuta, a coastal wetland in Northwest Mexico.

Results

Using nest initiations and fates of 752 nests monitored over ten years we found that the laying season coincides with the lowest spring tides of the year and only 6% of all nests were flooded by tides. Tidal nest flooding varied substantially over time. First, flooding was the primary cause of nest failures in two of the ten seasons indicating high between-season stochasticity. Second, nests were flooded almost exclusively during the second half of the laying season. Third, nest flooding was associated with the semi-lunar spring tide cycle as nests initiated around spring tide had a lower risk of being flooded than nests initiated at other times. Following the spring tide rhythm, plovers appeared to adapt to this risk of flooding with nest initiation rates highest around spring tides and lowest around neap tides.

Conclusions

Snowy Plovers appear generally well adapted to the risk of nest flooding by spring tides. Our results are in line with other studies showing that intertidal organisms have evolved adaptive responses to predictable rhythmic tidal changes but these adaptations do not prevent occasional catastrophic losses caused by stochastic events.
A Raman micro-spectroscopy study of 77,000 to 71,000 year old ochre processing tools from Sibudu, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Authors: Wojcieszak Marine , Wadley Lyn
Published: May 2019

Many Middle Stone Age sites in South Africa yielded hundreds, even thousands, of ochre pieces sometimes showing use traces. Less attention has been paid to the tools used for their processing. Here, seven tools excavated from the oldest layers (71,000 to 77,000 years ago) of Sibudu rock shelter were studied non-invasively to identify the micro-residues on them. The tools were first examined with optical microscopy to detect areas of interest. Then, Raman micro-spectroscopy was performed on the residues present, as well as on random areas of tool surfaces. These Raman signatures were compared to those obtained from the sediments and ochre samples recovered from the same layers. All tools exhibited red, orange and brown stains on their surfaces and these comprised iron oxides (haematite and maghemite) and oxyhydroxide (goethite). The other compounds detected include amorphous carbon, quartz, anatase and manganese oxides. All of these can occur within ochre, but they may alternatively be natural components of other rocks and sediments, formed secondarily by decay processes. However, the large and thick residues present on the surfaces of the artefacts imply their use for ochre processing (microscopic observations and chemical analyses of the sediments and the local rocks showed that they contain only traces of haematite). Ochre seems to have been the only material processed with these old Sibudu artefacts whereas in younger occupations, items such as bone were also processed with grindstones. The grinding tools are morphologically varied and the ochre pieces are both morphologically and chemically diverse.