bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Histological and Radiographic Evaluation of Equine Bone Structure after Implantation of Castor Oil Polymer
Authors: Selim Mariana , Facó Lara , Filippo Hagen Stefano , De Zoppa André , Arana Chavez Victor , Corrêa Luciana , Nóbrega Fernanda
Published: October 2018

Objective The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of a vegetal polymeric biomaterial intended for bone substitution in horses and to investigate the responses of the equine third metacarpal bone to biomaterial implantation.

Materials and Methods Six horses were submitted to osteotomy on the dorsal aspect of the left and right third metacarpal bones; one bone defect was randomly selected for treatment with biopolymer, while the other was left untreated and served as a control. Bone density was monitored radiographically after surgery and bone biopsy fragments were collected at the end of the 120-day follow-up period. Biopsy fragments were analysed using light and scanning electron microscopy.

Results Mean bone density values (mmAL) were greater in control defects (16.33 ± 1.6) than in polymer-treated defects (14.17 ± 1.7) at 120 days (p = 0.027). Light microscopy revealed greater percentages of new bone formation in control defects (50.15 ± 14.8) than in polymer treated defects (26.94 ± 12.1) at 120 days (p < 0.0001). Scanning electron microscopy analysis suggested a similar quality of pre-existing bone and new bone formed in the presence of biomaterial.

Clinical Significance The absence of adverse reactions supports biomaterial biocompatibility and osteoconducting capacity and suggests the castor oil polymer is a suitable bone substitute for the treatment of bone defects in horses.
Vulvar Lipoma: A Case Report
Authors: Reda Ahmed , Gomaa Ihab
Published: October 2018

The present study is a case report of vulvar lipoma. The vulva is a rare site for the development of lipomas, and the aim of the study is to determine if the current imaging modalities can diagnose lipomas correctly. A 43-year-old patient presented with a painless, slowly progressive, oval, mobile and non-tender right vulvar mass compressing the vagina and totally covering the introitus. Both the ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams suggested the diagnosis of lipoma. Surgical excision was performed, and the histopathological examination of the mass confirmed a lipoma.
Five-year Follow-up of Transobturator Sling: 152 Cases with the Same Surgeon
Authors: Diniz Mucio Barata , Diniz Luisa Campos Barata , Lopes da Silva Gustavo Francisco , Filho Agnaldo Lopes da Silva , Reis Zilma Silveira Nogueira , Monteiro Marilene Vale de Castro
Published: October 2018

Objective To evaluate the long-term subjective cure rate of the transobturator sling, including an analysis of the risk factors and of the impact of increased surgical experience on the results.

Methods A retrospective cohort study of women who underwent transobturator sling surgery from 2005 to 2011 was conducted. Patients were evaluated by a telephone survey using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF) and by subjective questions regarding satisfaction. An ICIQ-SF score of 0 was considered a cure. The crude and adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated in univariate and multivariate logistic regression models to identify risk factors for surgical failure. Differences with p < 0.05 were considered significant.

Results In total, 152 (70.6%) patients answered the questionnaire. The median follow-up period was 87 months. The urodynamic diagnosis was stress urinary incontinence in 144 patients (94.7%), and mixed urinary incontinence in 8 (5.3%) patients. Complications occurred in 25 (16%) patients. The ICQ-SF results indicated that 99 (65.10%) patients could be considered cured (ICIQ-SF score = 0). Regarding the degree of satisfaction, 101 (66%) considered themselves cured, 43 (28%) considered themselves improved, 7 (4.6%) considered themselves unchanged, and one reported worsening of the incontinence. After the univariate and multivariate analyses, the primary risk factor for surgical failure was the presence of urgency (p < 0.001).

Conclusion The transobturator sling is effective, with a low rate of complications and a high long-term satisfaction rate. The risk factors for failure were the presence of urgency and patient age. The increased experience of the surgeon was not a factor that influenced the rate of complications.
Negative Correlation between Placental Growth Factor and Endocan-1 in Women with Preeclampsia
Authors: Hentschke Marta Ribeiro , da Cunha Filho Edson Vieira , Vieira Matias Costa , Paula Letícia Germany , Mistry Hiten D. , Costa Bartira Ercília Pinheiro da , Poli-de-Figueiredo Carlos Eduardo
Published: October 2018

Objective To analyze endocan-1, a biomarker of vascular endothelial related pathologies, and the placental growth factor (PlGF), an angiogenic factor and a placental dysfunction marker in patients with preeclampsia (PE).

Methods Case-control study conducted at Hospital São Lucas, in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil. Endocan-1 and PlGF levels were quantified in the maternal plasma using the MagPlexTH-C microsphere system (MAGPIX System, Luminex, Austin, Texas, US) and evaluated through analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and adjusted by body mass index (BMI), gestational age and maternal age. To estimate the difference between the groups, the mean ratio (MR) and the 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were calculated. The Pearson correlation test was used to establish any association between endocan-1 and PlGF levels. The null hypothesis was rejected when p < 0.05.

Results The group of patients was composed by normotensive (n = 67) patients and patients with PE (n = 50). A negative correlation between endocan-1 and the PlGF was noted in the entire normotensive group (linear correlation coefficient [r] = −0.605; p < 0.001), as well as in the PE group (r = −0.545; p < 0.001).

Conclusion Endocan-1 levels are increased in patients with PE, and are inversely correlated with PlGF levels. We suggest that it is important to analyze angiogenic and proinflammatory molecules concomitantly in women with PE to better understand the pathophysiology of the disease. Both molecules are strong candidates for PE biomarkers, and future studies will examine any mechanisms connecting these factors in PE.
Management of Transverse Vaginal Septum by Vaginoscopic Resection: Hymen Conservative Technique
Authors: Scutiero Gennaro , Greco Pantaleo , Iannone Piergiorgio , Bernardi Giulia , Greco Francesca , Nappi Luigi
Published: October 2018

Transverse vaginal septum is a rare female genital tract anomaly, and little is described about its surgical treatment. We report the case of a patient who wished to preserve hymenal integrity due to social and cultural beliefs. We performed a vaginoscopic resection of the septum under laparoscopic view, followed by the introduction of a Foley catheter in the vagina, thus preserving the hymen. After 12 months of follow-up, no septal closure was present, and the menstrual flow was effective. Vaginoscopic hysteroscopy is an effective method of vaginal septum resection, even in cases in which hymenal integrity must be preserved due to social and cultural beliefs.
The Apoptotic, Angiogenic and Cell Proliferation Genes CD63, S100A6 e GNB2L1 are Altered in Patients with Endometriosis
Authors: Gomes Valéria Aguiar , Bonocher Camila de Moraes , Rosa-e-Silva Júlio César , de Paz Cláudia Cristina Paro , Ferriani Rui Alberto , Meola Juliana
Published: October 2018

Objective The aim of the present study was to analyze the expression of the CD63, S100A6, and GNB2L1genes, which participate in mechanisms related to the complex pathophysiology of endometriosis.

Methods A case-control study was conducted with 40 women who were diagnosed with endometriosis, and 15 fertile and healthy women. Paired samples of eutopic endometrium and endometriotic lesions (peritoneal and ovarian endometriotic implants) were obtained from the women with endometriosis in the proliferative (n = 20) or secretory phases (n = 20) of the menstrual cycle. As controls, paired endometrial biopsy samples were collected from the healthy women in the proliferative (n = 15) and secretory (n = 15) phases of the same menstrual cycle. We analyzed the expression levels of the CD63, S100A6, and GNB2L1 genes by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results An increase in CD63, S100A6, and GNB2L1 gene transcript levels was observed in the ectopic implants compared with the eutopic endometrium of the women with and without endometriosis, regardless of the phase of the menstrual cycle.

Conclusion These findings suggest that the CD63, S100A6, and GNB2L1 genes may be involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis, since they participate in mechanisms such as inhibition of apoptosis, angiogenesis and cell proliferation, which lead to the loss of cell homeostasis in the ectopic endometrium, thus contributing to the implantation and survival of the tissue in the extrauterine environment.
Prevalence, Attitudes, and Factors Motivating Conscientious Objection toward Reproductive Health among Medical Students
Authors: Darzé Omar Ismail Santos Pereira , Barroso Júnior Ubirajara
Published: October 2018

Objective We have evaluated the prevalence of and the motivating factors behind the refusal to provide reproductive health services and the ethical knowledge of the subject among medical students from the Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública, in the state of Bahia, Brazil.

Methods The present cross-sectional study involved 120 medical students. A questionnaire was utilized. The dependent variables were students' objections (or not) regarding three clinical reproductive health cases: abortion provided by law, contraceptive guidance to an adolescent without parental consent, and prescription of emergency contraception. The independent variables were age, gender, religion, ethical value, degree of religiosity, and attendance at worship services. Ethical knowledge comprised an obligation to state the reasons for the objection, report possible alternatives, and referral to another professional. Data were analyzed with χ2 tests and t-tests with a significance level of 5%.

Results Abortion, contraception to adolescents, and emergency contraception were refused by 35.8%, 17.5%, and 5.8% of the students, respectively. High religiosity (p < 0.001) and higher attendance at worship services (p = 0.034) were predictors of refusing abortion. Refusal to provide contraception to adolescents was significantly higher among women than men (p = 0.037). Furthermore, 25% would not explain the reason for the refusal, 15% would not describe all the procedures used, and 25% would not refer the patient to another professional.

Conclusion Abortion provided by law was the most objectionable situation. The motivating factors for this refusal were high commitment and religiosity. A reasonable portion of the students did not demonstrate ethical knowledge about the subject.
Lateral Basal Approach to CPA in Supine No-Retractor Method: Microvascular Decompression for Hemifacial Spasm
Authors: Shimizu Katsuyoshi
Published: October 2018

Objectives In this video, we demonstrate our more basal approach in microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm.

Design The patient is in supine position with the head rotated maximally to the opposite side on the U-shaped head rest. The small cranial window is made at the lateral bottom of occipital cranium with the adequate superficial manipulation on the muscles layers in the craniocervical junction.

Results The more basal approach enables the surgeon to access all the segments of the VIIth nerve tract without cerebellar retraction by spatula, especially in the case with vertebral artery associated compression.

Conclusion This approach safely provides the ideal operative corridor promising sufficient decompression in micorvascular decompression for the VIIth nerve.

The link to the video can be found at: https://youtu.be/_nKSjGEHoB4.
Contributed Review: Advanced three-dimensional laser radar imaging with the airborne optical systems testbed
Authors: Albota Marius A. , Gurjar Rajan , Mangognia Anthony , Dumanis Daniel , Edwards Brendan
Published: October 2018

We describe the development of a state-of-the-art airborne 3D laser radar system capable of area coverage rates in excess of 150 km2/h. The ladar testbed can operate day and night and uses a low-power, eye-safe, and covert near-IR laser transmitter and a large-pixel-format photon-counting detector array coupled with a precision, fast-scanning, beam pointing mechanism. Mission areas include wide-area down-looking high-resolution open terrain and foliage-penetrating imaging, side-looking and up-looking laser ranging and tracking, and sensor fusion with electro-optical infrared cameras and hyperspectral payloads. We describe the airborne optical systems testbed ladar system, present recently collected 3D data, and discuss testbed configurations that can support advanced imaging applications.
Electrical hysteresis of ultrathin silicon oxides induced by heavy boron doping
Authors: Eom Daejin , Moon Chang-Youn , Koo Ja-Yong
Published: October 2018

We have fabricated a resistive memory device made of the ultrathin (1.6–3.6 nm) layer of silicon oxide, for which the electrical hysteresis is hardly induced via the conventional electroforming process or field-driven structural modification because non-dissipative quantum tunneling across it hampers this process. We show that such thin silicon oxide comes to exhibit the hysteretic behavior successfully when a large amount of boron atoms are incorporated into it: a typical ratio of high-to-low resistance is as high as >300 and maintained up to the set/reset cycles of >50000, and the projected retention time is longer than a couple of months. We also propose an electronic model for its hysteretic mechanism where the charge trapping into the boron-induced defects in silicon oxide and the alteration of its energy band near the interfacial region play the active roles.
Stretching of single DNA molecules caused by accelerating flow on a microchip
Authors: Hirano Ken , Iwaki Takafumi , Ishido Tomomi , Yoshikawa Yuko , Naruse Keiji , Yoshikawa Kenichi
Published: October 2018

DNA elongation induced by fluidic stress was investigated on a microfluidic chip composed of a large inlet pool and a narrow channel. Through single-DNA observation with fluorescence microscopy, the manner of stretching of individual T4 DNA molecules (166 kbp) was monitored near the area of accelerating flow with narrowing streamlines. The results showed that the DNA long-axis length increased in a sigmoidal manner depending on the magnitude of flow acceleration, or shear, along the DNA chain. To elucidate the physical mechanism of DNA elongation, we performed a theoretical study by adopting a model of a coarse-grained nonlinear elastic polymer chain elongated by shear stress due to acceleration flow along the chain direction.
Constant-power management algorithms of a hybrid wind energy system
Authors: Halima Nahla Ben , Ammous Sahar , Oualha Abdelmajid
Published: October 2018

As a source of renewable energy, wind is known for the uneven amounts of power it yields owing to its naturally varying speed and the technical difficulties attendant upon wind turbine (WT)/permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) and energy storage system (ESS) control. This is a serious problem which necessitates tackling if WT energy is to be relied upon producing a constant power. To solve these issues, the present paper develops and assesses a control system that is aimed to ensure the regular feeding of a given power grid with a steady energy flow. It investigates both components of the hybrid wind energy system (HWES), viz., the WT/PMSG ensemble constituting the principal element of wind energy harnessing and the ESS composed of batteries and supercapacitors. The control system suggested here consists of two supervision algorithms (basic/modified) developed according to the constraints of the different elements of HWES. While the first algorithm deals with the state of charge of the storage system, the second takes account the wind speed. The hybrid system is developed and simulated using MATLAB/Simulink. Satisfactory control results are obtained, which testify the efficiency of the basic/modified algorithm-based control system.
Competition ability evaluation of power generation enterprises using a hybrid MCDM method under fuzzy and hesitant linguistic environment
Authors: Li Rong , Dong Jun , Wang Dongxue
Published: October 2018

The austere environmental and resource developing situation in China poses adverse conditions to power generation enterprises, especially thermal power enterprises. Moreover, the new round electric market reform is being pushed forward vigorously, which greatly affects the future developing path for power generation enterprises. A comprehensive competition performance and ability evaluation is significant for power generation enterprises' laudable and sustainable development in the current situation. In this paper, a novel hybrid multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) framework is established for the evaluation. To effectively deal with the hesitation and uncertainty frequently occurring in the evaluation process, we combine the fuzzy set theory and the hesitant fuzzy linguistic term set (HFLTS) with traditional MCDM methods, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and Vlsekriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR). The HFLTS-AHP method is used to determine the weight allocation of criteria, and fuzzy-VIKOR further gives performance rankings of the alternatives. The evaluation index system is established based on sustainable perspective and enterprise management, which contains ten sub-criteria from four aspects, “economy,” “environment and society,” “resource and technology,” and “sustainable development.” In empirical analysis, four large power generation enterprises are selected to perform the competition ability evaluation with the proposed framework. The results provide a reliable competition performance rank for the four alternatives and indicate that during the evaluation process, the sub-criteria “return on capital,” “electricity trading rate,” and “renewable energy installed capacity proportion” are more important. Finally, to verify the validity and robustness of the model, a set of sensitivity analyses are conducted. The proposed hybrid MCDM framework shows the advantages and practical value for competition ability evaluation of power generation enterprises.
Three-dimensional model of thermoacoustic tomography with electric excitation
Authors: Song Jiaxiang , Li Yanhong , Li Yuanyuan , Liu Guoqiang
Published: October 2018

As the electrical properties of biological tissues are highly sensitive to their physiological and pathological status, the noninvasive imaging method of electrical properties also has drawn much attention. Thermo-acoustic tomography with electric excitation (TATE) is a typical noninvasive method of electrical properties for biological tissues. To the best of our knowledge, however, there is no 3D simulation model of TATE. In this paper, a new mathematical model is built, and the 3D TATE equations have been deduced. The performance of TATE has been studied by a series of 3D simulation models, including the tumors with different background tissues, different sizes, and different conductivities. In the simulation results, the Joule heat distribution of tumors has been imaged clearly. In addition, a verification experiment has validated the mathematical model and simulation results. The simulation and experiment results also indicate that the mathematical model can describe TATE well and TATE has the potential to image the tumors with high contrast and high resolution.
Birefringent reconfigurable metasurface at visible wavelengths by MEMS nanograting
Authors: Shimura Takashi , Kinoshita Takuya , Koto Yuji , Umeda Norihiro , Iwami Kentaro
Published: October 2018

A birefringent reconfigurable metasurface at visible wavelengths was obtained by combining an Au nanograting metasurface, which shows very high birefringence characteristics in visible light, and a microelectromechanical system actuator. The system was based on the electrostatic out-of-plane motion of the nanograting and it was developed by microfabrication. The modulation of retardation was achieved at a wavelength of 633 nm by up to 25.3° (from 21.5° to 46.8°) by applying a voltage in the range of 0–200 V.
Research Update: Liquid gated membrane filtration performance with inorganic particle suspensions
Authors: Alvarenga Jack , Ainge Yuki , Williams Chris , Maltz Aubrey , Blough Thomas , Khan Mughees , Aizenberg Joanna
Published: October 2018

Membrane filtration technology is widely used across several industries. But its efficiency is plagued by fouling, which ultimately deteriorates the membrane’s performance. This paper provides a research update on the biologically inspired liquid-enabled gating mechanism that acts as a novel filtration and separation approach offering reduction in transmembrane pressure (TMP), improved throughput, and reduced fouling. We study the performance of such Liquid Gated Membranes (LGMs) and present their benefits for filtration in the presence of model inorganic (nanoclay particles) fouling. We show over twofold higher throughput, nearly threefold longer time to foul, more than 60% reduction in irreversible fouling, ability to return to baseline pressures after backwashing along with reduction in use of backwash water, and 10%-15% reduction in TMP for filtration of nanoclay particles. Fouling models exhibit not only delayed onset of fouling for LGMs compared to the control but also different fouling characteristics. These results demonstrate the potential of the liquid gating mechanism, which can lead to breakthroughs in membrane technology applications in particle filtration, microfiltration, and ultrafiltration.
Terahertz-driven ultrafast recovery of plasmon resonance in photoexcited nanoantennas on GaAs
Authors: Mousavian Ali , Lee Byounghwak , Stickel Andrew D. , Brequigny Victor , Meyers Joseph A. , Bradley Alden N. , Lee Yun-Shik
Published: October 2018

Photocarrier injection by a femtosecond laser excitation immediately turns off the plasmon resonance in nanoantenna-patterned GaAs, while a strong and short terahertz pulse instantly revives the antenna resonance. The terahertz induced transparency, hugely boosted by the field enhancement in the antennas via the plasmon resonance, exhibits extremely nonlinear effects. The strong terahertz fields drive intervalley scattering and interband tunneling of the photocarriers and consequently reduce the transient conductivity of the photoexcited GaAs leading to the revival of the antenna resonance. In the high-field regime, the transient conductivity rapidly decays in the first few tens of picoseconds after the photoexcitation, while the photocarriers, initially in the highly nonequilibrium state, cool down and reach equilibrium, yet the decay significantly slows down at longer pump delays when the carriers settle down near the bottom of the conduction band.
Electrical resistivity, magnetism and electronic structure of the intermetallic 3d/4f Laves phase compounds ErNi2Mnx
Authors: Balinski K. , Kuznetsova T. V. , Gerasimov E. G. , Protasov A. V. , Marchenkov V. V. , Mushnikov N. V. , Galakhov V. R. , Mesilov V. V. , Shamin S. N. , Gaviko V. S. , Senkovskiy B. V. , Fijałkowski M. , Schneider L. , Ślebarski A. , Chrobak A. , Kuepper K.
Published: October 2018

The non-stoichiometric intermetallic compounds RENi2Mnx (RE = rare earth) with the cubic MgCu2-type structure display a large variety of magnetic properties which is due to a complex interplay between the degrees of freedom of the 3d and 4f electrons and their interactions. We performed a comprehensive study of the electrical resistivity, magnetic properties and the electronic structure of ErNi2Mnx (x =0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.25) compounds by employing a suitable set of complementary experimental approaches. We find an increase in electrical resistance compared to ErNi2 upon Mn doping, the residual resistivity ratio decreases with increasing manganese content. The Curie temperature exhibits a sharp increase to around 50 K for Mn concentrations x ≥ 0.5, whereas the saturation magnetization decreases with growing Mn content x ≥ 0.5. Valence band X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals an increasing intensity of Mn 3d states near Fermi energy in dependence of Mn concentration and Curie temperature. Resonant photoelectron spectroscopy of ErNi2Mn0.75 reveals that the photoemission decay channels dominate the valence band spectra across the Er N5 and Mn L3 X-ray absorption maxima, whereas the L3VV Auger dictates the resonant valence band spectra close to and at the Ni L3 X-ray absorption edge.
Microrotor of a chain-grafted colloidal disk immersed in the active bath: The impact of particle concentration, grafting density, and chain rigidity
Authors: Wang Chao , Li Hui-shu , Ma Yu-qiang , Tian Wen-de , Chen Kang
Published: October 2018

In an earlier work, we discussed the possibility to realize a microrotor by immersing a chain-grafted colloidal disk in a thin film of active-particle suspension. Under certain conditions, the colloidal disk rotates unidirectionally driven by the bath active particles. Here we systematically study the role of active-particle concentration, grafting density, and chain rigidity in the phenomenon of the spontaneous symmetry breaking of the chain configurations and the unidirectional rotation of the disk. We find that high chain rigidity can help stabilize both the collective asymmetric chain configurations and the rotation of the disk, while it has a weak impact on the rotational speed/efficiency. Increasing the number of grafted chains can also stabilize the rotation but has a negative impact on the rotational speed/efficiency. Active particles power the rotation of the colloidal disk, yet their contribution saturates beyond a certain concentration. Our work provides new insights into the active systems with chain-structured objects and the design of soft/deformable micromachines.
Temperature dependence of the dielectric function of thin film CuI in the spectral range (0.6–8.3) eV
Authors: Krüger Evgeny , Zviagin Vitaly , Yang Chang , Sturm Chris , Schmidt-Grund Rüdiger , Grundmann Marius
Published: October 2018

We determined the dielectric function of CuI by means of spectroscopic ellipsometry in the spectral range from 0.6 eV up to 8.3 eV for temperatures from 10 K to 300 K. Features observed in the dielectric function are attributed to electronic transitions in the Brillouin zone. The observed spin-orbit splitting of the top valence band of 630 meV at the Γ-point and 330 meV at the L-point are in good agreement with theoretical band structure calculations. From the temperature evolution of the critical point energies, we deduced the electron-phonon coupling constants as well as the typical phonon energies. The electron-phonon coupling for the lowest transitions at the Γ-point is found to be smaller than for high energy transitions at other symmetry points in the Brillouin zone.
Simulation analysis and experimental study of the temperature characteristics of electromagnetic levitation
Authors: Lv Qingqing , Jiang Hai , Jiao Xiaoyang , Liu Jianfang , Liu Jiajun , Yang Zhigang
Published: October 2018

This paper aims to realize the electromagnetic levitation of experimental samples with low conductivity and high density at relatively low temperatures. The relationships among the temperature characteristics of an electromagnetic levitation device and the structural size of the induction coil, the size of the experimental sample, the levitation position, respectively, which were studied using Maxwell and ANSYS through simulation analysis. Simulation results show that the maximum temperature produced by the induction coil decreases with an increase in winding turns of a stable coil and increases in the half-taper angles of levitation and stable coils; increases with the levitation position, that is, the temperature of the levitation device is higher at the bottom than in other areas; and increases initially and then decreases with an increase in the radius of the levitation sample. Other parameters, such as the first winding radius of the levitation coil, the planar space between the levitation and stable coils, the winding spacing of coils, and the winding turns of the levitation coil, slightly influence the maximum temperature that the induction coil can provide. Furthermore, constructing an experimental platform allowed for the discovery of the relationships between the parameters of the induction coil and its temperature characteristics; these relationships are consistent with the simulation results. The spherical levitation sample with a radius of 5.1 mm reaches its maximum temperature of 853 °C after 55.65 s, thereby achieving the objective of melting when the first winding radius of the levitation coil is 17 mm, the planar space between the levitation and stable coils is 16 mm, the winding spacing of coils is 8 mm, the winding turns of the levitation coil are 3, the winding turns of the stable coil are 2, the half-taper angles of the levitation and stable coils are 15°, and the levitation position is 17 mm.
Comparative investigation of body mass index of tertiary students of the South Pacific origin
Authors: Devi Riteshma , Maharaj Prayna P. P. , Prasad Surendra
Published: October 2018

The body mass index (BMI) trends in the South Pacific Island Countries (PICs) have been analysed. Five South Pacific countries, namely; Fiji, Tonga, Nauru, Kiribati and Solomon Islands have been analysed based on the population that have stayed in Fiji at some point (mean age 25.20±5.27). Standard BMI threshold defined as underweight (2), normal weight (18.5–24.9 kg/m2) overweight (25–30 kg/m2) and obese (≥30 kg/m2) was used to study the BMI trends. The data collection was carried out by randomly selecting the subject of study and manually recording their heights (in meters) and weight (in kg). These measurements were done during the period of 2014–2015. The data showed that only Fiji had an average BMI with normal weight of 23.74±4.63 kg/m2 while other countries’ population were either overweight (Solomon Islands) or obese (Nauru) in the range of 25.29±4.37 kg/m2 to 37.24±12 kg/m2. Cohen’s d and eta square test were performed to see differences in height and weight where large differences were found primarily in the male population compared to female. The average BMI for gender within a country did not show variation (p>0.001) but variation was seen among the PICs (p
BRCA1 ensures genome integrity by eliminating estrogen-induced pathological topoisomerase II–DNA complexes
Authors: Sasanuma Hiroyuki , Tsuda Masataka , Morimoto Suguru , Saha Liton Kumar , Rahman Md Maminur , Kiyooka Yusuke , Fujiike Haruna , Cherniack Andrew D. , Itou Junji , Callen Moreu Elsa , Toi Masakazu , Nakada Shinichiro , Tanaka Hisashi , Tsutsui Ken , Yamada Shintaro , Nussenzweig Andre , Takeda Shunichi
Published: October 2018

Significance

BRCA1 plays a key role in homology-directed repair (HDR) in S/G
2
-phase cells. It remains unclear why BRCA1 mutation carriers develop cancer predominantly in breast and ovarian tissues. We revealed that a physiological concentration (10 nM) of estrogens efficiently induce TOP2β-dependent DSBs in the absence of BRCA1 in breast cancer cells arrested in G
1
phase. This genotoxicity was confirmed also in G
0
/G
1
-phase epithelial cells of mouse mammary glands. These findings indicated that BRCA1 contributes to DSB repair independent of HDR. Our data suggested that BRCA1 promotes the removal of TOP2 adducts from DSBs by the nucleolytic activity of MRE11 for subsequent DSB repair by nonhomologous end-joining. This function of BRCA1 may help explain the female-organ-specific carcinogenesis of BRCA1-mutation carriers.
An experimental investigation of preference misrepresentation in the residency match
Authors: Rees-Jones Alex , Skowronek Samuel
Published: October 2018

The development and deployment of matching procedures that incentivize truthful preference reporting is considered one of the major successes of market design research. In this study, we test the degree to which these procedures succeed in eliminating preference misrepresentation. We administered an online experiment to 1,714 medical students immediately after their participation in the medical residency match—a leading field application of strategy-proof market design. When placed in an analogous, incentivized matching task, we find that 23% of participants misrepresent their preferences. We explore the factors that predict preference misrepresentation, including cognitive ability, strategic positioning, overconfidence, expectations, advice, and trust. We discuss the implications of this behavior for the design of allocation mechanisms and the social welfare in markets that use them.
Lipoteichoic acid anchor triggers Mincle to drive protective immunity against invasive group AStreptococcusinfection
Authors: Imai Takashi , Matsumura Takayuki , Mayer-Lambertz Sabine , Wells Christine A. , Ishikawa Eri , Butcher Suzanne K. , Barnett Timothy C. , Walker Mark J. , Imamura Akihiro , Ishida Hideharu , Ikebe Tadayoshi , Miyamoto Tomofumi , Ato Manabu , Ohga Shouichi , Lepenies Bernd , van Sorge Nina M. , Yamasaki Sho
Published: October 2018

Significance

Group AStreptococcus(GAS) causes invasive streptococcal infections in humans, resulting in high mortality. Thus, GAS is also known as “killer bacteria” or “flesh-eating bacteria.” The mechanism by which the immune system recognizes this potent pathogen remains elusive. In this study, we showed that the innate immune receptor Mincle (macrophage inducible C-type lectin) plays pivotal roles against invasive GAS infection through the recognition of monoglucosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG), a component of the lipoteichoic acid anchor. MGDG induced proinflammatory cytokines, ROS, and NO production in a Mincle-dependent manner. In an invasive GAS infection model, Mincle-deficient mice exhibited severe bacteremia and rapid lethality. These results indicate that Mincle plays a central role in protective immunity against acute GAS infection.
Noncanonical role for the binding protein in substrate uptake by the MetNI methionine ATP Binding Cassette (ABC) transporter
Authors: Nguyen Phong T. , Lai Jeffrey Y. , Lee Allen T. , Kaiser Jens T. , Rees Douglas C.
Published: October 2018

The
Escherichia coli
methionine ABC transporter MetNI exhibits both high-affinity transport toward
l
-methionine and broad specificity toward methionine derivatives, including
d
-methionine. In this work, we characterize the transport of
d
-methionine derivatives by the MetNI transporter. Unexpectedly, the N229A substrate-binding deficient variant of the cognate binding protein MetQ was found to support high MetNI transport activity toward
d
-selenomethionine. We determined the crystal structure at 2.95 Å resolution of the ATPγS-bound MetNIQ complex in the outward-facing conformation with the N229A apo MetQ variant. This structure revealed conformational changes in MetQ providing substrate access through the binding protein to the transmembrane translocation pathway. MetQ likely mediates uptake of methionine derivatives through two mechanisms: in the methionine-bound form delivering substrate from the periplasm to the transporter (the canonical mechanism) and in the apo form by facilitating ligand binding when complexed to the transporter (the noncanonical mechanism). This dual role for substrate-binding proteins is proposed to provide a kinetic strategy for ABC transporters to transport both high- and low-affinity substrates present in a physiological concentration range.
Effects of a speaker’s gaze on language comprehension and acquisition
Authors: Knoeferle Pia , Kreysa Helene , Pickering Martin J.
Published: October 2018

This chapter discusses the role of a speaker’s gaze on a listener’s language processing, recall of information, and on child language learning. Speaker gaze facilitates performance in all of these domains, which suggests that it plays an important role in communication. Indeed, the findings indicate that speaker gaze can facilitate not just referential but also compositional processes such as syntactic structuring and thematic role assignment in listeners. Speaker gaze even guided comprehenders’ attention to a target object more rapidly than other aspects of the visual context (action event depictions); but unlike the action depictions, it had no beneficial effects on comprehenders’ post-experiment memory in socially non-interactive settings (when comprehenders inspect the speaker on a computer display). In socially interactive settings, however, speaker gaze seemed to affect memory in that joint object-based attention between a caregiver and child was beneficial for language learning. We conclude that speaker gaze effects are important for both language processing and learning, and are potentially boosted in a socially interactive context.
Gaze and face-to-face interaction
Authors: Bailly Gérard , Mihoub Alaeddine , Wolf Christian , Elisei Frédéric
Published: October 2018

This chapter describes experimental and modeling work aiming at describing gaze patterns that are mutually exchanged by interlocutors during situated and task-directed face-to-face two-ways interactions. We will show that these gaze patterns (incl. blinking rate) are significantly influenced by the cognitive states of the interlocutors (speaking, listening, thinking, etc.), their respective roles in the conversation (e.g. instruction giver, respondent) as well as their social relationship (e.g. colleague, supervisor).

This chapter provides insights into the (micro-)coordination of gaze with other components of attention management as well as methodologies for capturing and modeling behavioral regularities observed in experimental data. A particular emphasis is put on statistical models, which are able to learn behaviors in a data-driven way.

We will introduce several statistical models of multimodal behaviors that can be trained on such multimodal signals and generate behaviors given perceptual cues. We will notably compare performances and properties of models which explicitly model the temporal structure of studied signals, and which relate them to internal cognitive states. In particular we study Semi-Hidden Markov Models and Dynamic Bayesian Networks and compare them to classifiers without sequential models (Support Vector Machines and Decision Trees).

We will further show that the gaze of conversational agents (virtual talking heads, speaking robots) may have a strong impact on communication efficiency. One of the conclusions we draw from these experiments is that multimodal behavioral models able to generate co-verbal gaze patterns of interactive avatars should be designed with great care in order not to increase the cognitive load of human partners. Experiments involving an impoverished or irrelevant control of the gaze of artificial agents (virtual talking heads and humanoid robots) have demonstrated its negative impact on communication (Garau, Slater, Bee, & Sasse, 2001).
In search of immersion teacher educators’ knowledge base
Authors: Cammarata Laurent , Cavanagh Martine
Published: October 2018

Although it has long been touted as a key ingredient to successful immersion practice, no research to date has examined immersion
teacher educators’ (ITEs) knowledge base as it relates to the work of content, language, and literacy integration in curriculum
planning and teaching. Thus, it is difficult to know whether or not ITEs are ready and able to support the pedagogical transition
toward better-integrated practice in the immersion classroom. This qualitative study set out to fill this gap in our knowledge by
exploring ITEs’ understanding of the nature and role of language and literacy in the context of their discipline of expertise
through the use of an analytic framework designed to examine ITEs’ knowledge base. Key findings point to the need for the
elaboration of a professional development (PD) program specifically dedicated to supporting ITEs’ continuous knowledge growth,
particularly when it comes to the issue of pedagogical integration.
Complementizers and negative polarity in German hypothetical comparatives
Authors: Bacskai-Atkari Julia
Published: October 2018

The article examines the synchronic and diachronic relation between German hypothetical comparatives and ordinary comparatives. While the presence of an overt equative complementizer is not universally obligatory, it is so in hypothetical comparatives, whereas a conditional complementizer may be absent. This is because the equative complementizer in hypothetical comparatives functions as the licenser of the conditional clause in monoclausal hypothetical comparatives, and in this sense, it is a polarity marker. This difference regarding function accounts for the fact that German allows als in hypothetical comparatives but not in equatives: while the combinations als ob and als wenn historically derive from biclausal constructions, the reanalysis into monoclausal constructions allowed the fossilization of a complementizer without reference to changes affecting ordinary equatives.
Two kinds of VERUM distinguished by aspect choice in Russian
Authors: Mueller-Reichau Olav
Published: October 2018

The paper proposes a direct tie between the existential use of imperfective aspect in Russian and the expression of VERUM. It is argued that the kind of VERUM expressed in these cases differs from the kind of VERUM that utterances based on perfective verb forms convey. In the former cases the speaker invites the addressee to infer the truth of a generic proposition, whereas in the latter cases she invites the addressee to infer the truth of an episodic proposition. It is also shown that in the imperfective cases VERUM may be indicated by verum focus, whereas for perfective aspect to express VERUM verum focus is mandatory.
Polarity focus and non-canonical syntax in Italian, French and Spanish
Authors: Garassino Davide , Jacob Daniel
Published: October 2018

Unlike in Germanic languages, in the Romance family the prosodic realization of polarity focus is strongly restricted. Instead, we observe a wealth of formal means that involve other language domains, such as the lexicon and non-canonical syntax. In this article, we provide a fine-grained analysis of the contribution of marked syntax to the expression of polarity focus in French, Italian and Spanish, by examining two constructions: clitic dislocation and sì che / sí que. Our main goals are to understand the distribution of these structures and their cross-linguistic differences on the basis of data gathered from the Direct Europarl corpus. Based on a Question Under Discussion model, we identify the main contexts of use to which clitic dislocation and sì che / sí que appear to be a good fit thanks to their functional properties; in particular, we recognize the framing function of clitic left dislocation as one of the most relevant features justifying the affinity between these structures and the expression of polarity focus. Finally, we explain the profound asymmetry observed in the distribution of clitic dislocation and sì che / sí que in our dataset on the basis of inherent grammatical grounds (related to the absence vs. presence of a system of clitic subject pronouns in the three languages), as well as the typology of information structure within the Romance family, as put forward by Leonetti (cf. Leonetti 2010, 2014) in his recent works.
Machina ex homine, homo ex machina
Authors: Poppi Fabio I. M.
Published: October 2018

In this article, I identify and describe multimodal hybrid metaphors—the conceptual representation of two elements represented as merged into a new single ‘gestalt’—represented by themachineandhuman bodydomains in “Tetsuo: The Iron Man” (鉄男: Tetsuo), a Japanese avant-garde film. Since “Tetsuo: The Iron Man” portrays the genesis of a man whose body becomes a human-machine hybrid, I explore to what extent this film can act as an example of how hybrid metaphors are conveyed. In line with the ideological function of metaphors, where the use of alternative metaphors may produce different meanings and potentially have different effects on the recipient, I also try to interpret how these hybrid metaphors reveal information about the contemporary Japanese society. Specifically, the ideological analysis considers how the notion of ‘artificial’ and the social phenomena of misogyny, homophobia and social deviance are held to characterise the post-World War II Japanese culture.
Rhetorical confinement, contrasting metaphors, and cultural polarities
Authors: Ritchie L. David , Feliciano Alex , Sparks Ashley
Published: October 2018

In this study we contrast metaphors and metaphorical stories in President Trump’s 2017 inaugural address with those of former President Barack Obama’s first inaugural address. We draw on the concept of ‘rhetorical confinement’ (Patterson, 2011) to show how the contrasting life trajectories of the two leaders are reflected in the contrasting themes and tone established by their metaphorical language. We argue that Obama’s rhetorical tone, including his use of metaphors, was at least in part a response to the compound constraints of race and class. In contrast, Trump’s rhetorical tone and use of metaphors reflects and reinforces his image as a political outsider, as a challenge to the constraints of ordinary political discourse. The contrast between the rhetorically confined politeness of Obama’s discourse (lampooned as ‘political correctness’ by many of his opponents) and the unconstrained crudeness of Trump’s discourse (lauded as ‘telling it like it is’) apparently legitimates the open expression of previously suppressed resentments and encourages an extreme rhetoric that is symptomatic of, and may contribute to, the growing polarization in American political discourse.
Emotion metaphors in Spanish retain aspects of spatial meaning
Authors: Reali Florencia , Riaño Cesar
Published: October 2018

Previous work has shown that the abstract use of the spatial prepositionsinandonretains spatial meaning, such as containment and support that includes the control relationship between a located object (the figure) and a reference object (the landmark/ground) (Feist & Gentner, 2003;Talmy, 1983). We extend these ideas to the case of metaphorical descriptions of emotion in Spanish—some of them featuring the emotion as a located entity in the person’s body, others featuring emotion as the ground in which the person’s body stands. Two rating experiments show that people judge emotions in Spanish as more controllable when they are described as located entities (the figure) than when they are described as grounds. We conclude that functional elements of the spatial meaning of the prepositionenin Spanish are extended to abstract uses in metaphor, affecting the perceived controllability of emotions.
The structural format and rhetorical variation of writing Chinese judicial opinions
Authors: Han Zhengrui , Bhatia Vijay K. , Ge Yunfeng
Published: October 2018

As Chinese legal system follows a statutory tradition, the writing of Chinese judicial opinions is normally considered as an invariant sequential process of stating the law, presenting the fact, and finally providing the conclusion. The official ideology is further reinforced by the fact that Chinese judges need to follow various authoritative writing guidelines and templates prescribed by the official bodies of legal profession. This paper examines to what extent this ideology is a trustworthy description, and to what extent it is only an imagined myth related to the rhetorical practices of Chinese legal profession. Theoretical constructs employed in the study are genre, text type, and rhetorical modes, and analytical data include exemplar judicial opinions, intertextual legislative documents, and insiders’ accounts. According to the research findings, while the official ideology remains a strong shaping force in the composing of Chinese judicial opinions, Chinese judges do take compelling moves to add dialogic elements to the traditionally monologue-dominated discursive sphere of legal writing.