bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A phase I study of the bispecific antibody T-cell engager GBR 1302 in subjects with HER2-positive cancers.
Authors: Wermke Martin , Schmidt Helmuth , Nolte Hildegard , Ochsenreither Sebastian , Back Jonathan , Salhi Yacine , Bayever Eliel
Published: September 2018

TPS3091

Background: GBR 1302, a bispecific antibody based on Glenmark’s BEAT platform, is designed to recruit cytotoxic T-cells (independent of their specificity) to HER2-positive cancer cells where they are activated by the CD3e-specific domain of the molecule. Preclinically, GBR 1302 has demonstrated potent killing of HER2-positive human cancer cells (HER2 3+ or 2+ by IHC HercepTest), as well as growth suppression of the trastuzumab-resistant cell line JIMT-1. In contrast, the GBR 1302 concentration required to kill primary cardiomyocytes with normal HER2 levels was up to 1000 times greater than the concentration needed to kill HER2 3+ tumor cell lines. This study will determine safety and tolerability of GBR 1302 monotherapy in subjects with HER2-positive cancers. Methods: Part 1 (dose-finding) of this ongoing phase 1 study (NCT02829372) is enrolling adults with progressing HER2-positive solid tumors for which no standard treatment is available. Intravenous GBR 1302 is given every 2 weeks in 28-day cycles at escalating doses (Table). Each of the first 4 cohorts includes a single subject; subsequent cohorts enroll subjects using a standard 3+3 design. Primary endpoints are: maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of GBR 1302; and relationship of GBR 1302 with the incidence, nature, and intensity of adverse events. After Cycle 1, subjects continue GBR 1302 treatment until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Part 2 (expansion) will treat subjects at the MTD to further evaluate anti-tumor activity, as well as safety and pharmacokinetics. Due to the known cardiotoxic potential of classic HER2-targeting strategies, this study incorporates a rigorous serological and echocardiographic surveillance schedule. The effects of GBR 1302 on the adaptive immune system will also be studied at cellular and serological levels in translational research. Clinical trial information: NCT02829372. [Table: see text]
Phase 1b/2 keynote-365 trial: Pembrolizumab (pembro) combination therapy in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).
Authors: Yu Evan Y. , Wu Haiyan , Schloss Charles
Published: September 2018

TPS5089

Background: Approved treatments for mCRPC (eg, enzalutamide and docetaxel) may increase programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and facilitate neoantigen release. In phase 1b and 1/2 trials, pembro, an anti–PD-1 antibody, has produced antitumor responses in previously treated mCRPC as monotherapy and in combination with enzalutamide. Olaparib, a PARP inhibitor, has shown activity in mCRPC with DNA-repair defects. The nonrandomized, multicohort, open-label KEYNOTE-365 study (NCT02861573) will evaluate the safety and efficacy of pembro with olaparib (cohort A), docetaxel + prednisone (cohort B), or enzalutamide (cohort C) in mCRPC. Methods: Cohort allocation depends upon prior treatment: cohort A requires prior docetaxel (treatment with 1 other chemotherapy and ≤2 second-generation hormonal manipulations is allowed); cohort B requires prior abiraterone acetate or enzalutamide (but not both); cohort C requires prior abiraterone acetate. Additional eligibility criteria include confirmed prostate adenocarcinoma, disease progression (PD) ≤6 months before screening, ongoing androgen deprivation (serum testosterone < 50 ng/dL), and provision of nonirradiated tumor sample. Pembro 200 mg will be given every 3 weeks (Q3W) with either olaparib 400 mg twice daily (cohort A), docetaxel 75 mg/m2 Q3W + prednisone 5 mg twice daily (cohort B), or enzalutamide 160 mg once daily (cohort C). Pembro treatment will continue for up to 35 cycles or until PD or unacceptable adverse events (AEs). Patients in cohort B may receive a maximum of 10 cycles of docetaxel + prednisone. Patients who discontinue 1 of 2 drugs in a combination because of a treatment-related AE may continue to receive the other drug until PD. Response will be evaluated by prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels Q3W and by imaging Q9W for the first year and Q12W thereafter. Primary end points are safety and PSA response rate (decline of ≥50% from baseline twice ≥3 weeks apart). Secondary end points include time to PSA progression, progression-free survival, overall survival, and overall response rate. Enrollment will continue until 70 patients are enrolled for each cohort. Clinical trial information: NCT02861573.
KI intolerance study: A phase 2 study to assess the safety and efficacy of TGR-1202 in pts with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who are intolerant to prior BTK or PI3K-delta inhibitor therapy.
Authors: Dorsey Colleen , Paskalis Dana , Brander Danielle M. , Lansigan Frederick , Barr Paul M. , Lamanna Nicole , Cheson Bruce D. , Pu Jeffrey J. , Schreeder Marshall T. , Pagel John M. , Sportelli Peter , Fanning Molly J , Miskin Hari P. , Zimmer Tracey , Walsh Kristy , Schuster Stephen J. , Luning-Prak Eline T. , Wileyto E. Paul , Weiss Michael S. , Mato Anthony R.
Published: September 2018

TPS7569

Background: Although kinase inhibitor (KI) therapies, such as ibrutinib, are generally well tolerated, intolerance is the most common reason for discontinuation (d/c) in practice (~50%, Mato et al, Blood 2016). Additionally KI interruptions (≥ 8 days) can shorten OS (Barr et al, ASCO 2015). Fortunately, data suggest that KIs have non-overlapping toxicity profiles. Therefore, pts who d/c KI due to intolerance, with ongoing CLL response, represent an unmet need. TGR-1202 is a next generation, highly-specific PI3K-delta inhibitor with nanomolar inhibitory potency. TGR-1202 is well-tolerated with a d/c rate due to AEs of 8% as demonstrated in an integrated safety analysis of 165 treated pts (Burris et al, ASCO 2016). Methods: A phase 2 investigator initiated study is being conducted to assess the safety and activity of TGR-1202 in CLL pts who are KI intolerant. KI Intolerance is defined as ≥ 1 Gr 3 or ≥ 2 Gr 2 non-heme toxicities, ≥ 1 Gr 3 neutropenia with infection or fever, and/or ≥ 1 Gr 4 heme toxicity leading to KI (BTK and/or PI3K inhibitor) d/c (Table). Toxicities must resolve to ≤ Gr 1 prior to TGR-1202 dosing. Prior KI must be d/c for ≥ 14 days without progression (PD). All eligible pts are treated with TGR-1202 (800mg oral daily) until PD, toxicity or study conclusion. Primary study endpoint is PFS. Secondary endpoints include ORR, duration of response, time to treatment failure and TGR-1202 safety profile. Peripheral blood samples are collected prior to TGR-1202, after 28 days and at PD for correlative analyses to identify markers associated with KI intolerance. The trial commenced 10/1/2016. 55 eligible pts will be enrolled in approximately 12 months with 24 months follow-up. As of 1/2017, 10 study sites are enrolling pts with 10 more to be activated. To date, 10 pts have been enrolled and treated with TGR-1202. Clinical trial information: NCT02742090. [Table: see text]
Multicenter phase 2 study to identify the optimal neo-adjuvant combination scheme of ipilimumab (IPI) and nivolumab (NIVO) (OpACIN-neo).
Authors: Rozeman Elisa A. , Van Akkooi Alexander Christopher Jonathan , Routier Emilie , Menzies Alexander M. , Eriksson Hanna , Smith Myles , Scolyer Richard A. , Hoeller Christoph , Hansson Johan , Robert Caroline , Larkin James M. G. , Long Georgina V. , Blank Christian U.
Published: September 2018

TPS9600

Background: The outcome of high risk stage IIIb and IIIc melanoma patients is poor, with a 5 year overall survival (OS) rate of < 50%. Adjuvant high dose IPI significantly improves 5 year progression free survival (PFS) and OS. In stage IV patients the combination of IPI and NIVO improves response rates (RR) and PFS compared to monotherapy, but at cost of higher toxicity. Neo-adjuvant treatment may be a favorable approach as immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) is of greatest value at the moment of TCR triggering and therefore dependent on the amount of antigen present. The phase Ib OpACIN study comparing neo-adjuvant and adjuvant IPI and NIVO showed that neo-adjuvant treatment is feasible as all patients underwent surgery on time. The neo-adjuvant pathological RR was 80%, although 18/20 patients (90%) stopped early due to ≥1 grade 3 or 4 immune-related adverse events (irAEs). To date (median follow-up 45 wks), none of the 8 responders in the neo-adjuvant arm have relapsed. This raises the question whether the neo-adjuvant IPI and NIVO schedule can be adjusted to reduce toxicity but preserve efficacy. Methods: The aim of the multi-center phase 2 OpACIN-neo trial is to identify an optimal neo-adjuvant combination scheme of IPI and NIVO. 90 patients with resectable stage III melanoma will be randomized 1:1:1 between three combination schemes of IPI and NIVO. Patients in arm A will receive 2 courses standard regimen IPI 3mg/kg + NIVO 1mg/kg q3wks, in arm B IPI 1mg/kg + NIVO 3mg/kg q3wks, and in arm C 2 courses of IPI 3mg/kg q3wks directly followed (2-24hr) by 2 courses NIVO 3mg/kg q2wks. All patients will undergo surgery at week 6. The primary endpoints are rate of grade 3/4 irAEs, pathological RR, and radiologic RECIST 1.1. An interim analysis is planned after 13 patients have been accrued to each arm (according to the Simon 2-stage design). Major inclusion criteria are: ≥1 measurable lymph node metastases (according to RECIST 1.1) that can be biopsied, no history of in-transit metastases in the last 6 months, and naïve for ICI. Baseline biopsies and blood samples (week 0, 6, 12) will be taken for translational research. The first center started inclusion in December 2016, until now 2 patients have been enrolled. Clinical trial information: NCT02977052.
Recommendations for clinical translation of nanoparticle-enhanced radiotherapy
Authors: Ricketts Kate , Ahmad Reem , Beaton Laura , Cousins Brian , Critchley Kevin , Davies Mark , Evans Stephen , Fenuyi Ifeyemi , Gavriilidis Asterios , Harmer Quentin J , Jayne David , Jefford Monica , Loizidou Marilena , Macrobert Alexander , Moorcroft Sam , Naasani Imad , Ong Zhan Yuin , Prise Kevin M , Rannard Steve , Richards Thomas , Schettino Giuseppe , Sharma Ricky A , Tillement Olivier , Wakefield Gareth , Williams Norman R , Yaghini Elnaz , Royle Gary
Published: September 2018

A multi-disciplinary cooperative for nanoparticle-enhanced radiotherapy (NERT) has been formed to review the current status of the field and identify key stages towards translation. Supported by the Colorectal Cancer Healthcare Technologies Cooperative, the cooperative comprises a diverse cohort of key contributors along the translation pathway including academics of physics, cancer and radio-biology, chemistry, nanotechnology and clinical trials, clinicians, manufacturers, industry, standards laboratories, policy makers and patients. Our aim was to leverage our combined expertise to devise solutions towards a roadmap for translation and commercialisation of NERT, in order to focus research in the direction of clinical implementation, and streamline the critical pathway from basic science to the clinic. A recent meeting of the group identified barriers to and strategies for accelerated clinical translation. This commentary reports the cooperative’s recommendations. Particular emphasis was given to more standardised and cohesive research methods, models and outputs, and reprioritised research drivers including patient quality of life following treatment. Nanoparticle design criteria were outlined to incorporate scalability of manufacture, understanding and optimisation of biological mechanisms of enhancement and in vivo fate of nanoparticles, as well as existing design criteria for physical and chemical enhancement. In addition, the group aims to establish a long-term and widespread international community to disseminate key findings and create a much-needed cohesive body of evidence necessary for commercial and clinical translation.
Dinâmicas locais na implementação de políticas públicas: análise do programa Minha Casa, Minha Vida em Minas Gerais
Authors: Moreira Vinicius de Souza , Silveira Suely de Fátima Ramos , Euclydes Fillipe Maciel
Published: September 2018

A pesquisa investiga as dinâmicas locais no processo de implementação do Programa Minha Casa, Minha Vida de forma a identificar se, e como, as interações e o contexto interferem na sua execução. O estudo foi operacionalizado em duas etapas: análise documental, para apresentar o processo formal de implementação; e a pesquisa in loco, em municípios de Minas Gerais, atendo-se a descrever as redes de atores locais, os fatores contextuais e como isso interfere na execução do programa. Observou-se a constituição de redes entre os agentes implementadores locais e identificaram-se duas estruturas sociais particulares. A partir do conjunto de evidências, foram extraídas lições que sinalizaram para o fato de que o governo local é um coprodutor do programa; para a importância do estabelecimento de parcerias; e que os fatores contextuais importam e podem moldar a atuação dos implementadores.
Editorial
Authors: Rodrigues Andréa Leite
Published: September 2018

Editorial CGPC v. 23, n.75, 2018
Low-dose hydroxycarbamide therapy may offer similar benefit as maximum tolerated dose for children and young adults with sickle cell disease in low-middle-income settings
Authors: Inusa Baba Psalm Duniya , Atoyebi Wale , Hassan Abdul Aziz , Idhate Tushar , Dogara Livingstone , Ijei Ifeoma , Qin Yewen , Anie Kofi , Lawson Juliana Olufunke , Hsu Lewis
Published: September 2018

The multiple clinical benefits of hydroxycarbamide in sickle cell disease are supported by a large body of evidence. The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is the regimen recommended by guidelines from a panel of National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) experts, but other dosage regimens have been used in babies (BABY-HUG) 9 to 18 months old (20 mg/kg per day) and developing countries such as India (10 mg/kg per day); however, there has been no direct comparison of the efficacy, effectiveness, or cost-effectiveness of these different regimens. The purpose of this review was to investigate the current situation with various hydroxycarbamide regimens with particular relevance to low-middle-income countries. In regard to methodology, a literature review was undertaken by using multiple databases in PubMed and Google and the search terms included sickle cell disease, hydroxyurea, hydroxycarbamide, sickle cell anaemia, low-middle-income countries, Sub-Saharan Africa, and India. Although MTD regimens have been widely used in research, especially within North America, clinical trials elsewhere tend to use fixed-dose regimens. In a survey of haematologists across Europe and Africa, 60% (75% response rate) did not use the MTD regimen for hydroxycarbamide treatment of sickle cell disease. The recommendations are (1) for practical purposes to commence using fixed-dose hydroxycarbamide in line with BABY-HUG recommendations and then (2) to consider or propose a trial comparing MTD escalation with various fixed doses and to include as end points health-related quality of life, haemoglobin F levels, adherence, and cost-effectiveness.
Surplus-Invariant, Law-Invariant, and Conic Acceptance Sets Must Be the Sets Induced by Value at Risk
Authors: He Xue Dong , Peng Xianhua
Published: September 2018

The regulator is interested in proposing a capital adequacy test by specifying an acceptance set for firms’ capital positions at the end of a given period. This set needs to be surplus invariant; i.e., not to depend on the surplus of firms’ shareholders, because the test means to protect firms’ liability holders. We prove that any surplus-invariant, law-invariant, and conic acceptance set must be the set of capital positions whose value at risk at a given level is less than zero. The result still holds if we replace conicity with numéraire invariance, a property stipulating that whether a firm passes the test should not depend on the currency used to denominate its assets.
Restorative proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis with colorectal cancer: a case study
Authors: Perry-Woodford Zarah L
Published: September 2018

Some 40 years after its conception, restorative proctocolectomy (RPC) with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) remains an excellent option for suitable patients requiring surgery for ulcerative colitis (UC) with a strong desire to avoid permanent ileostomy. Special consideration must be given in patients with both UC and colorectal cancer, as long-term success after IPAA is not guaranteed, and potential complications or disease recurrence may prelude pouch failure. Successful postsurgical outcomes are challenging to produce and require not only the expertise of health professionals, but also highly motivated and carefully selected patients. This article presents a case study of an individual's determination to overcome pouch failure, disease recurrence and maintain personal dignity and quality of life. It also focuses on the role of the pouch nurse practitioner (PNP) in facilitating patients to achieve personal outcomes in extremely challenging times, while reflecting on areas for improvements.
Robotic tilt table exercises versus conventional exercises in rehabilitation of hemiplegic patients
Authors: Yadav Ramakant , Kuma Suraj , Aafreen  , Yadav Sandeep
Published: September 2018

Background/Aims:

Early mobilisation in people with stroke has the potential to affect a number of health-related areas, such as power, coordination, reflex activity, joint range of motion and wellbeing. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of a 1-month exercise programme using a robotic tilt table over conventional physiotherapy treatment in the rehabilitation of patients with hemiplegia following stroke.

Methods:

A total of30 patients with acute stroke were included in the study and randomised equally into two groups (15 in each group), using the lottery method. Group A underwent conventional physiotherapy and Group B had robotic tilt table therapy. Patients were reassessed after 30 days. Outcome measures used were the Quality of Life scale and muscle strength.

Findings:

Both the groups improved in Quality of Life scores and motor power, but Group B improved significantly more than the conventional physiotherapy group.

Conclusions:

Robotic tilt table exercises were found to be beneficial in hemiplegic patients in improving quality of life and muscle strength.
Effects of lumbar stabilisation and treadmill exercise on function in patients with chronic mechanical low back pain
Authors: Bello Bashir , Adeniyi Ade Fatai
Published: September 2018

Background/Aims:

Multifidus muscle is an important contributor to low back pain as it atrophies and is inhibited during the first episode of low back pain. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of lumbar stabilisation exercise with treadmill walking on multifidus muscle activation, pain intensity and functional disability among people with chronic mechanical low back pain.

Methods:

Individuals with chronic mechanical low back pain were randomised into two groups: Group 1 (n=25) performed lumbar stabilisation exercises following the McGill protocol; and Group 2 (n=25) followed the modified Bruce treadmill walking protocol. Participants walked or exercised three times a week for 8 weeks. Pain intensity (measured using a visual analogue scale), functional disability (using the Oswestry Disability Index Questionnaire) and amplitude of multifidus muscle activation (using a surface electromyography machine) were assessed at baseline and at the end of week 8. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, paired and independent t-tests at α≤0.05.

Findings:

There were no significant differences between the groups' anthropometric and clinical characteristics at baseline. Both groups demonstrated significant reductions in pain intensity and functional disability and increases in multifidus muscle activation at the end of the study (all P<0.05). Group 1 had lower pain intensity (2.60 ± 0.48 vs 4.50 ± 0.12) and functional disability (24.20 ± 4.06 vs 40.00 ± 10.56) and significantly higher multifidus muscle activation levels (40.00 ± 4.16 vs 26.95 ± 4.04; P<0.05) than Group 2 at the end of week 8.

Conclusions:

Lumbar stabilisation exercises are more effective than treadmill walking exercises in activating the multifidus muscle, reducing pain intensity and functional disability in individuals with chronic mechanical low back pain.
LA PENA CON RESTRICCIÓN DE LA LIBERTAD EN EL ACUERDO DE PAZ: VISIÓN GEOPOLÍTICA DEL TRATADO FIRMADO ENTRE EL GOBIERNO DE COLOMBIA Y LA FUERZA ARMADA DE REVOLUCIÓN DE COLOMBIA
Authors: Garcete Juan Marcelino González
Published: September 2018

La fuerza armada de revolución colombiana es un grupo al margen de la ley en Colombia que ha cometido delitos que violan los derechos humanos. Actualmente este grupo ilegal se encuentra en diálogos con el gobierno colombiano con el fin de llegar a un acuerdo de paz motivo por el cual en este trabajo tenemos que remitirnos a los pactos y convenciones internacionales para verificar si lo que plantea el gobierno en el comunicado 060 del 2015 se acoge a las normas internacionales.
AS TÉCNICAS DE NEUROMARKETING NOS CONTRATOS ELETRÔNICOS E O VÍCIO DO CONSENTIMENTO NA ERA DIGITAL
Authors: Parchen Charles Emmanuel , Freitas Cinthia Obladen de Almendra , De Meireles Jussara Maria Leal
Published: September 2018

A sociedade contemporânea vive alterações sociais e comportamentais à medida que novas tecnologias são desenvolvidas e incorporadas ao dia a dia. Vive-se a quebra de paradigmas. Conceitos como velocidade, mobilidade e distância estão em modificação e o consumidor necessita usar produtos e serviços que em suas cláusulas contratuais preveem a Mineração de Dados como mecanismo de coleta, filtragem e catalogação dos gostos e das preferências. Os dados pessoais fomentam um mercado lucrativo, que lança mão de técnicas de neuromarketing para existir e se retroalimentar. Propõe-se a mudança de paradigma do atual mercado de compartilhamento de dados, por meio da atuação do Poder Judiciário, que, por exemplo, pode ser instado a revisar ou a modificar as cláusulas contratuais consideradas desproporcionais ao consumidor. Por meio do método dedutivo, o artigo analisa os vícios do consentimento em contratos eletrônicos sob a ótica do neuromarketing como técnica que fomenta o consumo irrefletido e compulsivo.
Anatomy study of the genus Cirsium Mill. in Iran
Authors: Sheidai Masoud , Shojaei Saeedeh , Koohdar Fahimeh
Published: September 2018

The genus Cirsium Mill. (Asteraceae) also known as plume thistles with about 250 perennial, biennial or rarely annual spiny species is a phylogenetically unresolved and paraphyletic genus. Cirsium species grow in different ecological conditions and tend to form interspecific hybrids. Some species are morphologically very similar and need to be delineated by additional anatomical and molecular characters. About 28 Cirsium species have been reported in Flora Iranica; they were classified in five sections. Taxonomic investigation of these species was confined to morphology and molecular study of RAPD and ISSR markers. The present study carried out anatomical investigation (leaf and stem characters) of Cirsium species in the country. PCoA analysis of anatomical characters could delimit the studied species and the grouping obtained was almost in agreement with morphological and sectional delineation of the genus. The results obtained are in agreement with several other investigations and all together suggestive of the continued gene flow and introgression between Cirsium species that make taxonomy and phylogenetic relationship of the species difficult.
Calcium Orthophosphate (CaPO4) Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering Applications
Authors: Dorozhkin Sergey V.
Published: September 2018

The chemical and structural similarities of calcium orthophosphates (abbreviated as CaPO4)to the mineral composition of natural bones and teeth have made them a good candidate for bone tissue engineering applications. Nowadays, a variety of natural or synthetic CaPO4-based biomaterials is produced and has been extensively used for dental and orthopedic applications. Despite their inherent brittleness, CaPO4 materials possess several appealing characteristics as scaffold materials. Namely, their biocompatibility and variable stoichiometry, thus surface charge density, functionality and dissolution properties, make them suitable for both drug and growth factor delivery. Therefore, CaPO4, especially hydroxyapatite (HA) and tricalcium phosphates (TCPs), have attracted a significant interest in simultaneous use as bone grafts and drug delivery vehicles. Namely, CaPO4-based three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds and/or carriers have been designed to induce bone formation and vascularization. These scaffolds are usually porous and harbor various types of drugs, biologically active molecules and/or cells. Over the past few decades, their application as bone grafts in combination with stem cells has gained much importance. This review discusses the source, manufacturing methods and advantages of using CaPO4 scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications. Perspective future applications comprise drug delivery and tissue engineering purposes.
Archetypal Analysis for Sparse Representation-Based Hyperspectral Sub-pixel Quantification
Authors: Drees Lukas , Roscher Ribana , Wenzel Susanne
Published: September 2018

The estimation of land cover fractions from remote sensing images is a frequently used indicator of the environmental quality. This paper focuses on the quantification of land cover fractions in an urban area of Berlin, Germany, using simulated hyperspectral EnMAP
data with a spatial resolution of 30 m × 30 m. We use constrained sparse representation, where each pixel with unknown surface characteristics is expressed by a weighted linear combination of elementary spectra with known land cover class. We automatically determine the elementary spectra
from image reference data using archetypal analysis by simplex volume maximization, and combine it with reversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo method. In our experiments, the estimation of the automatically derived elementary spectra is compared to the estimation obtained by a manually designed
spectral library by means of reconstruction error, mean absolute error of the fraction estimates, sum of fractions, R2, and the number of used elementary spectra. The experiments show that a collection of archetypes can be an adequate and efficient alternative to the manually designed
spectral library with respect to the mentioned criteria.
Large-Scale Supervised Learning For 3D Point Cloud Labeling: Semantic3d.Net
Authors: Hackel Timo , Wegner Jan D. , Savinov Nikolay , Ladicky Lubor , Schindler Konrad , Pollefeys Marc
Published: September 2018

In this paper we review current state-of-the-art in 3D point cloud classification, present a new 3D point cloud classification benchmark data set of single scans with over four billion manually labeled points, and discuss first available results on the benchmark. Much of the stunning
recent progress in 2D image interpretation can be attributed to the availability of large amounts of training data, which have enabled the (supervised) learning of deep neural networks. With the data set presented in this paper, we aim to boost the performance of CNNs
also for 3D point cloud labeling. Our hope is that this will lead to a breakthrough of deep learning also for 3D (geo-) data. The semantic3D.net data set consists of dense point clouds acquired with static terrestrial laser scanners. It contains eight semantic classes and covers a wide range
of urban outdoor scenes, including churches, streets, railroad tracks, squares, villages, soccer fields, and castles. We describe our labeling interface and show that, compared to those already available to the research community, our data set provides denser and more complete point clouds,
with a much higher overall number of labeled points. We further provide descriptions of baseline methods and of the first independent submissions, which are indeed based on CNNs, and already show remarkable improvements over prior art. We hope that semantic3D.net
will pave the way for deep learning in 3D point cloud analysis, and for 3D representation learning in general.
Strategy of Management by Insurance Reserves of the Insurance Organizations
Authors: LUIBOV Ulibina , SERIKOVA Gulzira , OLGA Okorokova , SEMBEKOV Amir , VOROBYEVA Svetlana , AFF Josef
Published: September 2018

In the article the author considers the mechanism of state regulation of formation and strategy of management of insurance reserves of insurance organizations of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus discussed the factors that determine the dynamics of the modern state and tendencies of development of insurance markets and their financial capacities, the structure of insurance reserves, the investment yield.
Corporate Social Responsibility in Nigeria: Realities, Modalities and Possibilities
Authors: OYEWUNMI Adebukola E. , OYEWUNMI Olabode A.
Published: September 2018

This conceptual paper provides a non-revisionist but contextual perspective on the largely controversial issue of corporate social responsibility. It expounds the dimensions of CSR by leveraging on specific global benchmarks whilst highlighting gaps applicable to Nigeria’s business environment. In furtherance of this objective, the essence of the global oil economy is noted, conceptualizations are proffered and contextual issues are discussed. The paper argues that a flexible and innovative model is plausible as a platform to elevate the essence of CSR on multiple levels. It emphasizes the importance of harmonizing the political, business, environmental and legal aspects of CSR to promote corporate sustainability, broad based economic development and community wellbeing.
The Features of Modern e-Marketing
Authors: SAFONOVA Marina S. , IL'YASHCHENKO Dmitry P. , KUCHEROV Aleksey V. , LING Viktoriya V. , SMIRNOVA Zhanna V. , BUKHTIYAROVA Irina N.
Published: September 2018

The selection is not resolved before the General problem. Some domestic scholars insist on the need to introduce special taxes for subjects of electronic business – the need to improve existing tax regimes, in particular, simplified, and introduction of tax privileges and preferences. Foreign experience of the taxation of electronic business is also contradictory – from strict state regulation through the introduction of special taxes to full tax exemption. While acknowledging the results of scientific research on this issue, we note that the General concept of taxation of e-business and is still not formed. So now the special relevance of the formation of the effective mechanism of taxation of e-business, and that led to the need for further research in this direction.
Spatial Distribution of Human Development Index in the Regions of Russia
Authors: SHAMSUTDINOVA Nailya K. , ISIANGULOVA Elmira I. , LAKMAN Irina A. , PRUDNIKOV Vadim B. , SADIKOVA Liana F.
Published: September 2018

Spatial effects in human development levels among different regions of a territory are important to study in the context of the core-periphery model. We use different methods to study human development index (HDI) for 85 Russian regions. The authors studied the human development index (HDI) for 85 Russian regions. Methods of spatial statistics (econometrics) are used to estimate the ‘spatial gradient’ in economic geography (Moran’s global and local I, Geary’s C, Getis-Ord global G indices). As a weighting matrix we used a contiguity matrix, taking into account the HDI levels only in neighboring regions. Analysis of the global indices of Moran’s I, Geary’s C and Getis-Ord G and Morans scatter plots showed the presence of time-inconsistent spatial autoregressive dependence of the level of HDI in regions of Russia. The ‘spatial gradient’ of the level of human development in Russia is influenced by historically existing imbalances (due to strong oil and gas export-oriented nature of the economy) and insufficient use of human capital. To our view the regional differentiation in human development among the regions is caused primarily by the ‘catching up’ style of Russian economy: human capital is concentrated in regions with already high level of development, although in terms of growth rates Moscow and St. Petersburg are not the leaders. The territorial and geopolitical policies of Russian Federation also influence HDI distribution. For example, huge public investments in the regions of Russian Far East are often ineffective.
Composite Cluster as a Factor of Aerospace Brach Development in Perm Krai
Authors: ANDREEVA Olga Yu. , POSTNIKOV Vladimir P.
Published: September 2018

In today’s economy competition is getting severe not only on between companies, but also on the level of territories. This is why clusters in both developed countries and in Russia are becoming the new way of getting competitive advantages through creation of new highly qualified labour options, through innovative entrepreneurship development and closer cooperation of capital and science. The authors of this article carry out the analysis of the already existing clusters from the standpoint of their efficiency and applying the methodology of the European Cluster Observatory as well as several other approaches developed by Russian researchers. As of today the map of clusters for Russian Federation shows a very insignificant number of clusters in the field of new materials and technologies. Thus, this article suggests a structure for an aerospace composite cluster for Perm Krai. This region already has several innovation clusters, and this is why there is already a certain organizational and intellectual potential for this new cluster. During spring 2016 the government of Perm Krai was discussing the decision on this new structural unit – a composite cluster, however, detailed research on its potential structure has not been carried out. Basing on the available demand of the local market and evaluation of the parameters of the already successful industrial and innovation clusters in Russia we suggest here the strategic guidelines for the discussed cluster development until 2020.
Social Partnership in Human Resources Management
Authors: BAREEVA Irkyam Adgamovna , VASIN Sergey Mikhailovich , SUGROBOVA Galina Alekseevna , KORCHAGINA Lunika Nikolaevna
Published: September 2018

The present article provides a retrospective analysis of the views of various authors on the problem of social partnership, considering social partnership as an alternative to social confrontation, as a means to harmonize the interests of various social groups in the process of resolving emerging contradictions in various areas of public practice. It was pointed out that partnership allows striking a balance of mutual interests in achieving an overall objective, effectively allocating the available resources and opportunities. The article presents the analysis of the activities of a trade union organization as a social partner, the analysis of social and labor relations in an industrial business. The authors have revealed significant problems in the field of social partnership, on which they have developed several practical recommendations.The analysis is based on social activity index calculation in a trade union organization. To comply with confidentiality requirements, property rights and trade secrets, the enterprise name is not listed.
Machine Translation in Indian Languages: Challenges and Resolution
Authors: Patel Raj Nath , Pimpale Prakash B. , Sasikumar M.
Published: September 2018

English to Indian language machine translation poses the challenge of structural and morphological divergence. This paper describes English to Indian language statistical machine translation using preordering and suffix separation. The preordering uses rules to transfer the structure of the source sentences prior to training and translation. This syntactic restructuring helps statistical machine translation to tackle the structural divergence and hence provides better translation quality. The suffix separation is used to tackle the morphological divergence between English and highly agglutinative Indian languages. We demonstrate that the use of preordering and suffix separation helps in improving the quality of English to Indian language machine translation.
Bergoglio among the Phenomenologists: Encounter, Otherness, and Church in Evangelii gaudium and Amoris laetitia
Authors: Oltvai Kristóf
Published: September 2018

Because Jorge Bergoglio’s (Pope Francis’s) pontifical texts depart from his predecessor’s Thomistic vocabulary, critics claim his works deploy an “improvisational” style. Closer analysis reveals, however, that Francis deploys the terminology of French phenomenology after the “theological turn.” In fact, Evangelii gaudium and Amoris laetitia frame the event of interpersonal encounter using three concepts drawn from Emmanuel Levinas’s and Jean-Luc Marion’s philosophical projects: the gaze, the face, and the other. Without ruling out a direct textual influence, I argue that Bergoglio’s theology of encounter highlights recent phenomenology’s implications for Catholic moral theology and ecclesiology. Faith is born of an encounter with the merciful gaze of a specific other - Jesus Christ. The Church, as the community that bears witness to this gaze, is thus called to eniconize this same gaze for “the least of these” (Matt 25:40). Not obviating the need for moral precepts, the encounter with the particular other becomes the condition of their possibility; moral norms only cohere within the context of the pastoral “face-to-face.” The main ecclesiological consequence of the “pastoral turn” Bergoglio initiates is thus a “kerygmatic hermeneutic” of the Church: the community of believers turns outward to encounter the other in mercy, evangelizing by example and charity.
Multi-robot Voronoi tessellation based area partitioning algorithm study
Authors: Alexandrov Vladimir , Kirik Konstantin , Kobrin Alexander
Published: September 2018

This article is focused on the multi-robot applied Voronoi tessellation based area partitioning algorithm operation and properties. The selection of main parameters of the algorithm is covered and explanation of the algorithm functionality is given. The subspace area equality and the operation time are taken as main measures of the algorithm operation for experiments where a dependency on the border shape and structure and a number of robots in the group are considered. The experimental data, gained during the study, is summarized mainly in a graphical way.
Towards natural handshakes for social robots: human-aware hand grasps using tactile sensors
Authors: Avelino João , Paulino Tiago , Cardoso Carlos , Nunes Ricardo , Moreno Plinio , Bernardino Alexandre
Published: September 2018

Handshaking is a fundamental part of human physical interaction that is transversal to various cultural backgrounds. It is also a very challenging task in the field of Physical Human-Robot Interaction (pHRI), requiring compliant force control in order to plan the arm’s motion and for a confident, but at the same time pleasant grasp of the human user’s hand. In this paper,we focus on the study of the hand grip strength for comfortable handshakes and perform three sets of physical interaction experiments between twenty human subjects in the first experiment, thirty-five human subjects in the second one, and thirty-eight human subjects in the third one. Tests are made with a social robot whose hands are instrumented with tactile sensors that provide skin-like sensation. From these experiments, we: (i) learn the preferred grip closure according to each user group; (ii) analyze the tactile feedback provided by the sensors for each closure; (iii) develop and evaluate the hand grip controller based on previous data. In addition to the robot-human interactions, we also learn about the robot executed handshake interactions with inanimate objects, in order to detect if it is shaking hands with a human or an inanimate object. This work adds physical human-robot interaction to the repertory of social skills of our robot, fulfilling a demand previously identified by many users of the robot.
Towards animal-friendly machines
Authors: Bendel Oliver
Published: September 2018

Semi-autonomous machines, autonomous machines and robots inhabit closed, semi-closed and open environments. There they encounter domestic animals, farm animals, working animals and/or wild animals. These animals could be disturbed, displaced, injured or killed. Within the context of machine ethics, the School of Business FHNW developed several design studies and prototypes for animal-friendly machines,which can be understood as moral machines in the spirit of this discipline. They were each linked with an annotated decision tree containing the ethical assumptions or justifications for interactions with animals. Annotated decision trees are seen as an important basis in developing moral machines. They are not without problems and contradictions, but they do guarantee well-founded, secure actions that are repeated at a certain level. This article documents completed and current projects, compares their relative risks and benefits, and makes proposals for future developments in machine ethics. The findings in this article and proposals for the future hope to systemically promote animal well-being and prevent animal suffering in encounters between machines and animals.
Application of hydroxyapatite and its modified forms as adsorbents for water defluoridation: an insight into process synthesis
Authors: George Suja , Mehta Dhiraj , Saharan Virendra Kumar
Published: September 2018

Fluorosis is a major scourge in many countries caused by prolonged consumption of drinking water with high fluoride content found in groundwater resources. Hydroxyapatite (Hap) and its composite forms are excellent biomaterials that recently gained attention as efficient adsorbents, owing to its physical and chemical nature as it can substitute both cationic and anionic complexes present in an aqueous solution in its atomic arrangement. Its biological nature, biocompatibility and biodegradability along with its chemical characteristics such as crystallinity, stability, ion adsorption capability and highly specific catalytic activity make it suitable for a variety of applications especially in water treatment for fluoride removal. This review describes various techniques for synthesis of a wide variety of biogenic, synthetic, composite and modified forms of Hap for application in water defluoridation. Hap derived from natural sources or synthesized using conventional methods, hydrothermal, sol-gel or advanced sonication-cum-precipitation technique varied in terms of its crystallinity, structure, size, etc., which affect the fluoride removal capacity. The advantage and disadvantages of various synthesis methods, process parameters and product characteristics have been compiled, which may help to identify a suitable synthesis method for a desired Hap product for potential application and future perspectives in water treatment.
Subject pronoun expression and language mode in bilingual Spanish
Authors: de Prada Pérez Ana
Published: September 2018

In research on Spanish subject pronoun expression, Spanish-English bilinguals have been shown to present higher rates of expressed subjects in code-switching than in monolingual Spanish mode, an outcome attributed to perseveration from English or to convergence with English. In this study we seek to arbitrate between these competing accounts. For that purpose, productions were elicited from bilinguals in an oral elicitation task, manipulating perseveration source and target structures in three modes: monolingual Spanish, language switching, and code-switching. Participants demonstrated the anticipated sensitivity to perseveration across conditions and effects of bilingual mode in the code-switching condition, with greater expressed pronoun use with omitted subject primes. These results allow us to isolate structural perseveration from bilingual effects and to ascribe the source of increased use of expressed pronominal subjects in bilingual Spanish to dual language activation or convergence.
Creativity and Construction Grammar: Cognitive and Psychological Issues
Authors: Hoffmann Thomas
Published: September 2018

Creativity is an important evolutionary adaptation that allows humans to think original thoughts, to find solutions to problems that have never been encountered before and, potentially, to fundamentally change the way we live. In this special issue, we explore the cognitive and psychological factors that influence the verbal creativity of speakers.
I don’t want to go all Yoko Ono on you
Authors: Uhrig Peter
Published: September 2018

The present paper discusses what may be responsible for the creative effect that instances of a family of constructions, the go/get all/full [PROPER NOUN(S)] on Y pattern, appear to have on the hearer. For this purpose, a set of possible properties of creative language use will be discussed and checked against the results of a detailed corpus analysis of the pattern and related structures. Both the speaker’s and the hearer’s perspectives will be taken into account.
The Role of Creativity in Multimodal Construction Grammar
Authors: Turner Mark
Published: September 2018

Construction Grammar accepts responsibility to account for forms of creativity otherwise almost entirely ignored in linguistics. This commitment is wise, given that creativity is the engine that develops systems of communication.Blendingis the main mechanism of this creativity.
Study on Hydration of Illite in K+, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and Al3+ Electrolyte Solutions
Authors: Du Jia , Min Fanfei , Zhang Mingxu , Peng Chenliang
Published: September 2018

The hydration of clay particles in aqueous solutions plays an important role in the scientific and industrial fields. In this study, the hydration properties of fine illite particles in K+, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and Al3+ electrolyte solutions were investigated through the relative viscosity method based on Einstein’s viscosity equation. During the experiments, the hydration index (I) was measured using a rheometer to analyze the hydration layers formed on the illite surfaces in different aqueous electrolyte solutions, and it was found that the index I was the highest in Al3+ followed by that in Mg2+, Ca2+, Na2+, and K+ in descending order. It was also observed that the index increased as the electrolyte concentration increased until the solution reached an adsorption equilibrium. When electrolytes were added, the effect of electroviscosity on the calculated value of I became weaker until it could eventually be neglected. Based on these results, we concluded that the electroviscosity should be considered when calculating the hydration index of a suspension of fine charged particles with low conductivity.