bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary ecology of the visual opsin gene sequence and its expression in turbot (Scophthalmus maximus)
Authors: Wang Yunong , Zhou Li , Wu Lele , Ma Xiaona , Xu Shihong , Du Tengfei , Li Xian , Li Jun
Published: March 2020

Background As flatfish, turbot undergo metamorphosis as part of their life cycle. In the larval stage, turbot live at the ocean surface, but after metamorphosis they move to deeper water and turn to benthic life. Thus, the light environment differs greatly between life stages. The vision system plays a great role in organic evolution, but reports of the relationship between the visual system and benthic life are rare. In this study, we reported the molecular and evolutionary analysis of opsin genes in turbot, and the heterochronic shifts in opsin expression during development.Results Our gene synteny analysis showed that subtype RH2C was not on the same gene cluster as the other four green-sensitive opsin genes ( RH2 ) in turbot. It was translocated to chromosome 8 from chromosome 6. Based on branch-site test and spectral tuning sites analyses, E122Q and M207L substitutions in RH2C , which were found to be under positive selection, are closely related to the blue shift of optimum light sensitivities. And real-time PCR results indicated the dominant opsin gene shifted from red-sensitive ( LWS ) to RH2B1 during turbot development, which may lead to spectral sensitivity transition from red to green.Conclusions We demonstrated that RH2C may be an important subtype of green opsin gene that was retained by turbot and possibly other flatfish species during evolution. Moreover, E122Q and M207L substitutions in RH2C may contribute to the survival of turbot in the bluish colored ocean. And heterochronic shifts in opsin expression may be an important strategy for turbot to adapt to benthic life.
Improved multi-bandwidth mode manifold for enhanced bearing fault diagnosis
Authors: Du Guifu , Jiang Tao , Wang Jun , Jiang Xingxing , Zhu Zhongkui
Published: March 2020

Variational mode decomposition (VMD) has been proved to be useful for extraction of fault-induced transients of rolling bearings. Multi-bandwidth mode manifold (Triple M, TM) is one variation of the VMD, which units multiple fault-related modes with different bandwidths by a nonlinear manifold learning algorithm named local tangent space alignment (LTSA). The merit of the TM method is that the bearing fault-induced transients extracted contain low level of in-band noise without optimization of the VMD parameters. However, the determination of the neighborhood size of the LTSA is time-consuming, and the extracted fault-induced transients may have the problem of asymmetry in the up-and-down direction. This paper aims to improve the performance of the TM method. The major contribution of the improved TM method for bearing fault diagnosis is that the pure fault-induced transients are extracted efficiently and are symmetrical as the real. Specifically, the multi-bandwidth modes consisting of the fault-related modes with different bandwidths are first obtained by repeating the recycling VMD (RVMD) method with different bandwidth balance parameters. Then, the LTSA algorithm is performed on the multi-bandwidth modes to extract their inherent manifold structure, in which the natural nearest neighbor (Triple N, TN) algorithm is adopted to efficiently and reasonably select the neighbors of each data point in the multi-bandwidth modes. Finally, a weight-based feature compensation strategy is designed to synthesize the low-dimensional manifold features to alleviate the asymmetry problem, resulting in a symmetric TM feature that can represent the real fault transient components. One simulation analysis and two experimental applications in bearing fault diagnosis validate the enhanced performance of the improved TM method proposed over the traditional methods.
Bacteriological And Parasitological Study Of Acute Gastroenteritis Among Patients Visiting Sukraraj Tropical And Infectious Disease Hospital (STIDH), Teku, Kathmandu
Authors: Jangam Sanjeena , Lamsal Nisha , Sharma Prashansha , Makaju Najma , Mali Beena , Chaudhary Pankaj
Published: March 2020

BACKGROUND: Gastroenteritisis a major public-health problem in developing nations like Nepal, where communities are still ravaged by poverty, poor sanitation, poor personal hygiene, and poor water supplies.The objective of our study was to find the bacterial and parasitic agents responsible for causing gastroenteritis.METHODOLOGY: A hospital based prospective study was carried out for 3 months in Bacteriology and Parasitology section of STIDH. Stool samples received in respective section from patients with gastroenteritis were included in the study. Standard Microbiological Guidelines were employed for collection and processing of samples, followed by Isolation, Identification and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of bacterial isolates. Normal saline and Iodine preparation were done for microscopic examination of parasites.RESULTS: Among 421 stool samples processed in Bacteriology section, 28(6.65%) showed bacterial growth with 15(53.57%) Shigella flexneri , 4(14.28%) S higella sonnei and 9(32.14%) Salmonella typhimurium . Ceftriaxone and Nalidixic acid were found to be the most Sensitive and Resistant antibiotic for Shigella spp. and Salmonella typhimurium. Similarly, in parasitology section, microscopic observation of 648 stool samples showed 136(20.98%) cysts of Entamoeba histolytica , 3(0.46%) cysts of Giardia lamblia , 2(0.30%) trophozoites of Giardia lamblia , 1 (0.15%) larva of Strongyloides stercoralis , 1(0.15%) ova of hookworm and 1(0.15%) ova of Ascaris lumbricoides .CONCLUSION: The study revealed Shigella species as the predominant bacterial agent with S. flexneri being the major one. Hence, extensive study of shigellosis with greater emphasis on resistance pattern of different group of antibiotics is essential in such hospital. Similarly, parasitic infections are found in significant amount. Hence, concerned hospital authorities and government official’s needs to take strict action in contending such infections.
Nutritional quality of prepackaged food that carry health or nutritional claims and their compliance with SFDA regulations in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Almughthim Amal , Jr Hoda
Published: March 2020

Background Products that carry health or nutrition claims may be perceived by consumers as healthier than those that do not carry claims. Therefore, they will have a more favorable attitude towards it and may also be easily misled about the nutritional proﬁle and may misinterpret it. Nutritional quality of those products should be assessed to protect consumers against being misled and ensuring that they receive accurate information about food products carrying a claim.Methods a cross-sectional survey for a total of 1153 foods were randomly sampled from fourteen stores in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The data were collected from nutritional facts present on food labels and evaluated by comparing the mean level of nutrients between products that carried claims and those that did not using the UK nutrient profile model (UKNPM).Results Overall, 29% of products carried either health or nutritional claims. Only 19.2% of foods that carried health claims met SFDA requirements, while 28.9% of all products that carried nutritional claims met SFDA criteria. The results indicate that products that carried health or nutritional claims were significantly lower in sugar (9.67 g/100 g), fat (9.2 g/100 g), saturated fat (3.2 g/100 g), and sodium (371.36 mg/100 g). According to the UK nutrient profiling model, 46.9% of the products carrying claims were less healthy than those not carrying claims, and statistically significant differences were observed by product origin and category (p=0.005 and p=0.000, respectively).Conclusion a great need for the regulation and monitoring of claims on food packages for the optimal protection of the population’s health.
Cardio-metabolic risk among undergraduate medical students of a selected Faculty of Medicine in Colombo
Authors: Senevirathne Tharika , Samaranayake Dulani , Ojithmali Madara , Wickramarachchi Piyumi , Weerasinghe Ashangi , Muthuthamby M. M. , Wickramasinghe Pujitha
Published: March 2020

Introduction : Non-communicable diseases (NCD) are emerging in all ages, with cardio-metabolic diseases being a leading cause of morbidity and mortality.OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of cardio-metabolic risk among medical students of a selected Faculty of Medicine in Colombo.METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students (volunteered from all 5 batches) of the selected faculty. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Anthropometry and body composition were assessed. Blood pressure was measured and after a 12-hour-overnight-fast, blood was drawn for fasting blood glucose (FBG), lipid profile and two-hour oral glucose tolerance test.RESULTS: Final sample included 188 students (males=66). Mean (SD) age was 23.1yrs (1.7) and mean BMI 22.0 kg/m 2 (3.4). Prevalence of overweight was 35.1% (95%CI 28.3-41.9), obesity 5.9% (95%CI 2.5-9.3) and central obesity 16.9% (95%CI 11.5-22.3). 25.8% of males and 46.7% of females had abnormally high percentage body fat. Impaired FBG and impaired glucose tolerance were seen in 13.8% and 1.1% respectively. 25.4%, 12.2%, 31.6%, 5.3% had hypercholesterolemia, high LDL, low HDL and hypertriglyceridemia respectively. Consumption of alcohol was seen in 9%, low physical activity in 39.5%, sedentary life in 58%, low consumption of vegetables in 83.4% and low consumption of fruits in 86%. Males had higher rate of overweight/obesity (p=0.02), abnormal W/Height ratio (p=0.04), hypertriglyceridemia (p=0.06) while females had higher abnormal fat mass (p=0.005) and W/Hip ratio (p=0.000).CONCLUSIONS: Medical students (young adults) have high prevalence of cardio-metabolic risk, highlighting the importance of routine screening, proper health education and behaviour modification for these future doctors who should be role models of health.
An O(n^3) time algorithm for the maximum weight b-matching problem on bipartite graphs
Authors: Rajabi-Alni Fatemeh , Bagheri Alireza , Minaei-Bidgoli Behrouz
Published: March 2020

Background: A matching between two sets A and B assigns some elements of A to some elements of B. Finding the similarity between two sets of elements by advantage of the matching is widely used in computational biology for example in the contexts of genome-wide and sequencing association studies. Frequently, the capacities of the elements are limited. That is, the number of the elements that can be matched to each element should not exceed a given number. Results: We use bipartite graphs to model relationships between pairs of objects. Given an undirected bipartite graph G = (A [ B;E), the b-matching of G matches each vertex v in A (resp. B) to at least 1 and at most b(v) vertices in B (resp. A), where b(v) denotes the capacity of v. We propose the rst O(n3) time algorithm for nding the maximum weight b-matching of G, where jAj + jBj = O(n). Conclusions: The b-matching has been studied widely for the bipartite graphs with integer weight edges. But our algorithm is the rst algorithm for the maximum (respectively minimum) b-matching problem with non positive real (respectively non negative real) edge weights.
The oxygenated products of cryptotanshinone by biotransformation with Cunninghamella elegans exerting anti-neuroinflammatory effects by inhibiting TLR 4-mediated MAPK signaling pathway
Authors: Wu Jing-Shuai , Meng Qin-Yu , Shi Xiao-Hui , Zhang Zhen-Kun , Guan Hua-Shi , Shao Chang-Lun , Wang Chang-Yun
Published: March 2020

Background: Neuroinflammatory processes are critical in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The potent anti-neuroinflammatory inhibitors are expected as the candidates to treat AD. Cryptotanshinone (1), a major bioactive constituent in the traditional Chinese medicinal herb Dan-Shen Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, has been reported to possess remarkable pharmacological activities, especially anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation. Methods: Cryptotanshinone (1) was biotransformed with the fungus Cunninghamella elegans AS3.2028 to improve its bioactivities and physicochemical properties. The structures of transformed products were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic analysis including HRESIMS, NMR and ECD data. Their anti-neuroinflammatory activities were assessed by ELISA, transcriptome analysis, western blot, and immunofluorescence methods. Results: Three oxygenated products (2–4) at C-3 of cryptotanshinone (1) were obtained, among them 2 was a new compound. All of the biotransformed products (2–4) were found to inhibit significantly lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production in BV2 microglia cells with the IC50 values of 0.16‒1.16 μM, approximately 2‒20 folds stronger than the substrate (1). These biotransformed products also displayed remarkably improved inhibitory effects on the production of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, COX-2 and iNOS) in BV-2 cells via targeting TLR4 compared to substrate (1). The underlying mechanism of 2 was elucidated by comparative transcriptome analysis, which suggested that it reduced neuroinflammatory mainly through mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Western blotting results revealed that 2 downregulated LPS-induced phosphorylation of JNK, ERK, and p38 in MAPK signaling pathway. Conclusion: The biotransformed products of cryptotanshinone exhibit potent anti-neuroinflammatory activities. These findings provide a basal material for the discovery of candidates in treating AD.
Impulsivity in Bulimia Nervosa
Authors: Ghandour Bilal Mounir , Bischel Lindsey , Harrell Bridgette , Bailey Grace , Grillo Alexandra , Beeson Cali
Published: March 2020

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Rotator cuff tears: functional outcomes of open surgery
Authors: Gokce Zafer Volkan
Published: March 2020

Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes of the patients who underwent open surgical repair with the diagnosis of rotator cuff rupture. Methods: Twenty-eight rotator cuff tear patients refractory to conservative treatment and underwent open rotator cuff repair between April 2012 and April 2017 were retrospectively included in the study. Patients were assessed radiologically and clinically before and after surgery. Patients' age, gender, duration of complaints, the type of the rupture, the data obtained during operation (rupture size, shape, affected tendon, the presence of retraction if any), postoperative complications were recorded. Functional assessments of the patients were performed at 6th and 12th months preoperatively and postoperatively with objective assessments using Constant and UCLA scoring. All patients' operated shoulders were evaluated with MRI during their recent follow-up. Results: The mean postoperative follow-up period of the patients was 30.4 (range: 13-72) months. Preoperative and postoperative mean UCLA scores of the patients were 10.85±1.89, and 28.8±3.34, respectively (p < 0.001). Pre-, and postoperative average Constant scores were 38.1 (range, 7.0 to 56.0), and 72.4 (range, 52.0 to 98.0), respectively (p < 0.001). Rotator cuff continuity was assessed in shoulder MRIs obtained during recent follow-ups of patients, and four recurrent tears were observed. Correlation tests revealed that tear size observed during surgery showed a significant (p = 0.002) and a weakly negative (r = -0.468) correlation with preoperative Constant scores, and a significant (p = 0.0001) and moderately negative (r = -0.645) relationship with postoperative Constant scores. UCLA and Constant functional outcomes were worse in patients over 60 years of age, than younger patients and recurrent tears were more often observed in the elderly population. A significant relationship was revealed between the age of the patients and tendon healing (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that open repair is a reasonable and successful treatment option in patients with rotator cuff tears. Overall satisfactory clinical outcomes could be achieved.
Hysteroscopy-view with targeted biopsy in the assessment of endometrial carcinoma. What’s the rate of underestimated diagnosis of atypical hyperplasia? The results of a multicenter Italian trial
Authors: Garuti Giancarlo , Angioni Stefano , Mereu Liliana , Calzolari Stefano , Mannini Luca , Scrimin Federica , Casadio Paolo , De Alberti Davide , Nappi Luigi , Busato Enrico , Leone Francesco Paolo G , Perrini Gaetano , Cela Vito , Luerti Massimo
Published: March 2020

Objective: In the last two decades many reports demonstrated the unreliability of endometrial biopsy pathology showing an AH (Atypical Hyperplasia) to exclude a synchronous EEC (Endometrioid Endometrial Carcinoma), with an underestimation of EEC in up to 50% of women. Hysteroscopy is now considered the standard diagnostic tool for endometrial pathology. However, a recent meta-analysis showed that hysteroscopically-guided biopsy provides a high rate of failure with respect to dilatation and curettage (D&C) and endometrial resection, in underestimating AH instead of concurrent EC. The aim of this study was to assess the sensitivity of hysteroscopy-view and hysteroscopic sampling in diagnosing EEC. Materials and Methods: A multicenter, retrospective, observational trial was conducted between January 2012 and December 2018 in 14 Italian Gynecological Units (University-affiliated or Public Hospitals). Eligible patients were identified as those women in whom either a pathologic report of EEC was found on hysterectomy specimen and a preoperative hysteroscopy assessment with endometrial biopsy targeted under vision had been performed. As primary outcome we calculated the sensitivity of hysteroscopy-view and biopsy pathology on hysteroscopically-driven sampling in the diagnostic work-up of EC. Results: 948 patients (age 65,83±10,43) resulted eligible for analysis. Hysteroscopy-view showed a sensitivity of 54.2%, specificity 47,2% and accuracy 54% in the diagnosis of EC. Moreover, hysteroscopic view was significantly able to distinguish carcinoma from hyperplasia (p<0.001). We evidenced an important difference of the results comparing the centers involved. Hysteroscopy-driven biopsy presented a sensitivity of 76,2%, a specificity of 52,8% and an accuracy of 75,3%. AH pathology was reported in 19% of the cases. Conclusion: Our study showed that EEC diagnosis via hysteroscopy diagnosis could be improved through the implementation of operator training. Hysteroscopy-driven biopsies have excellent sensitivity and accuracy in the diagnosis of EEC, and the advantages of using hysteroscopy for making a diagnosis can improve the management of the patients with EEC. While it seems reasonable that hysteroscopy is the preferred technique for diagnosing and treating a benign pathology of the uterus, it could play a major role even in the diagnosis of a malignancy.
Identification of a novel autophagy-related gene signature for predicting metastasis and survival in patients with osteosarcoma
Authors: Zhang Guangzhi , Deng Yajun , Wu Zuolong , Ren Enhui , Yuan Wenhua , Xie Qiqi
Published: March 2020

Background: Osteosarcoma (OS) is a bone malignant tumor that occurs in children and adolescents. Due to a lack of reliable prognostic biomarkers, the prognosis of OS patients is often uncertain. This study aimed to construct an autophagy-related gene signature to predict the prognosis of OS patients.Methods: The gene expression profile data of OS and normal muscle tissue samples were downloaded separately from the Therapeutically Applied Research To Generate Effective Treatments (TARGET) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases . The differentially expressed autophagy-related genes (DEARGs) in OS and normal muscle tissue samples were screened using R software, before being subjected to Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed and hub autophagy-related genes were screened. Finally, the screened autophagy-related genes were subjected to univariate Cox regression, Lasso Cox regression, survival analysis, and clinical correlation analysis.Results: A total of 120 DEARGs and 10 hub autophagy-related genes were obtained. A prognostic autophagy-related gene signature consisting of 9 genes ( BNIP3 , MYC , BAG1 , CALCOCO2 , ATF4 , AMBRA1 , EGFR , MAPK1 , and PEX ) was constructed. This signature was significantly correlated to the prognosis ( P <0.0001) and distant metastasis of OS patients ( P = 0.013).Conclusion: This signature based on 9 autophagy-related genes could predict metastasis and survival in patients with OS.
The efficacy of single posterior debridement, bone grafting, and instrumentation for the treatment of thoracic spinal tuberculosis
Authors: Zhou Jiao , Li Quanyi , Zhou Yongchun , Song Qichun
Published: March 2020

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy of single posterior debridement, bone grafting, and instrumentation for the treatment of thoracic spinal tuberculosis of adult patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 88 adult patients with thoracic spinal tuberculosis between June 2013 and September 2017. All patients were treated with single posterior debridement, bone grafting and instrumentation. The clinical manifestations and laboratory and imaging results of the approach were subsequently analysed. Results: All patients were followed up for 40.6 ± 4.1 m (range, 36–48 m). Bony fusion was achieved in all bone grafts. The VAS scores, ESR, and CRP levels 6 weeks after operation and at the final follow-up were significantly lower than the preoperative levels (P<0.05). The postoperative and final-follow-up kyphosis angles were both significantly smaller than the pre-operative kyphosis angles (P<0.05). The postoperative angle correction rate reached 81.5%, and the postoperative angle loss only reached 4.1%. At the last follow-up, ASIA improvement was significant compared with the preoperative levels (P<0.05). Conclusion: The single posterior approach can achieve satisfactory clinical outcomes in the treatment of thoracic spinal tuberculosis.
Ethnoherpetology and snakebites in a risk area in Northeast Brazil
Authors: Costa Mikaelle Kaline Bezerra da , Alves Rômulo Romeu da Nóbrega , Navoni Julio Alejandro , Freire Eliza Maria Xavier
Published: March 2020

Background Ethnozoology comprehends human interactions with animals, including their knowledge, meaning, and use by societies. In this sense and from the point of view of the human relationship with snakes, this study had the objectives to describe and analyse the level of Ethnozoological knowledge of snakebite accident victims in the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil. Methods The accident records were accessed through case notifications registered in the SINAN between 2007 and 2016 in the Borborema Potiguar Microregion of Rio Grande do Norte State, specifically in the municipality of Santa Cruz, which was identified as a risk area. An effort was made to locate the snakebite accident victims during this period. Next, a semi-structured questionnaire was applied through an interview to identify the characteristics of the accident, record the victim’s perception of the snake and the accident, their daily life, as well as positive and negative attitudes towards snake conservation and knowledge about species. Information about the possible uses of traditional treatment, allopathic care characteristics along with the symptoms and sequelae resulting from the accident were also recorded. Results The most relevant characteristics detected in these accidents were the strong influence of myths about traditional treatment and the knowledge about identifying common snake species in the region. No perception was detected about the importance of these animals, but there were negative attitudes when finding a snake, thus constituting facts which may be related to the deficiency in the education level of this population which is interfering in environmental and public health issues. Conclusion Work on improving the knowledge and local perception could subsidize actions and policies aimed to prevent accidents, demystify snakes and contribute to the conservation of the species.
The relationship between selected sociodemographic factors and speech organ dysfunction in sporadic ALS patients
Authors: Pawlukowska Wioletta , Baumert Bartłomiej , Gołąb-Janowska Monika , Meller Agnieszka , Machowska-Sempruch Karolina , Wełnicka Agnieszka , Paczkowska Edyta , Rotter Iwona , Machaliński Bogusław , Nowacki Przemysław
Published: March 2020

Background: Speech disorders are observed in 30% of newly diagnosed sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. Characterized by a dynamic course, dysfunction of articulation has not so far been well understood. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of sociodemographic factors (sex, age, duration of the disease) and concomitant diseases (degenerative spine disease, depression, hypertension, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and allergy) on the functioning of speech organs in ALS patients.Methods: The study group consisted of 65 patients with sporadic ALS. Patients were examined for articulatory functions by means of the Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment (FDA). Results: 68% of the study sample had spinal disorders. Logistic regression analysis showed that a decline in the functioning of lips, soft palate, length of phonation and voice loudness was more common among men. Patients diagnosed with degenerative spine disease more often suffered from respiratory disorders, while younger patients (< 60 years of age) significantly more often had the impairment of the sentence and spontaneous speech functions.Conclusions: The male sex and young age of ALS patients substantially increase the risk of progression of the impairment of speech organs (such as lips, soft palate) and functions (length of phonation, voice loudness, sentence, spontaneous speech). Degenerative spondylogenic changes in the spinal column deteriorated respiratory problems in patients with ALS.
Improving Capacity, Stiffness and Pneumatic Hammer Stability of Aerostatic Thrust Bearing Using Damping Orifice and Virtual Recess
Authors: Ma Wei , Kong Xianglong , Xu Yi
Published: March 2020

An aerostatic thrust bearing is designed using damping orifice and virtual recess. Finite element simulations and measurements are performed and results indicate that with damping orifice and virtual recess, the maximum capacity of the designed aerostatic bearing increases from 1590 N to 2285 N and its maximum stiffness increases from 106 N/μm to 145 N/μm, while the range of pneumatic hammer decreases from 8.5 μm to 4.5 μm at 4 bar. It is therefore concluded that damping orifice and virtual recess are one of the means which can be used to improve the capacity, stiffness and pneumatic hammer stability of aerostatic bearing.An aerostatic thrust bearing is designed using damping orifice and virtual recess. Finite element simulations and measurements are performed and results indicate that with damping orifice and virtual recess, the maximum capacity of the designed aerostatic bearing increases from 1590 N to 2285 N and its maximum stiffness increases from 106 N/μm to 145 N/μm, while the range of pneumatic hammer decreases from 8.5 μm to 4.5 μm at 4 bar. It is therefore concluded that damping orifice and virtual recess are one of the means which can be used to improve the capacity, stiffness and pneumatic hammer stability of aerostatic bearing.
Self-adaptive control system for additive manufacturing using double electrode micro plasma arc welding
Authors: Li Nan , Fan Ding , Huang Jiankang , Yu Shurong , Yuan Wen , Han Miaomiao
Published: March 2020

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) has been investigated to deposit large-scale metal parts due to its high deposition efficiency and low material cost. However, in the process of automatically manufacturing the high-quality metal parts by WAAM, several problems about the heat build-up, the deposit-path optimization, and the stability of the process parameters need to be well addressed. To overcome these issues, a new WAAM method based on the double electrode micro plasma arc welding (DE-MPAW) was designed. The circuit principles of different metal-transfer models in the DE-MPAW deposition process were analyzed theoretically. The effects between the parameters, wire feed rate and torch stand-off distance, in the process of WAAM were investigated experimentally. In addition, a real-time DE-MPAW control system was developed to optimize and stabilize the deposition process by self-adaptively changing the wire feed rate and torch stand-off distance . Finally, a series of tests were performed to evaluate the control system’s performance . The results show that the capability against interferences in the process of WAAM has been enhanced by this self-adaptive adjustment system. Further, the deposition paths about the metal part’s layer heights in WAAM are simplified. Finally, the appearance of the WAAM-deposited metal layers is also improved with the use of the control system.
Effectiveness of self-help workbook intervention on quality of life in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy: results of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Takano Toshimi , Matsuda Ayako , Ishizuka Noriko , Ozaki Yukinori , Suyama Koichi , Tanabe Yuko , Miura Yuji , Matsushima Eisuke
Published: March 2020

Background: A self-help workbook is expected to support cancer patients to cope with physical and psychosocial distress, to facilitate communication with medical staff, and to improve quality of life (QOL). We conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a self-help workbook intervention on QOL and survival. Methods: From June 2014 to March 2015, patients with breast, colorectal, gastric, and lung cancer receiving outpatient chemotherapy were randomized into an intervention group (n = 100) or control group (n = 100). Intervention group participants received workbooks originally made for this study, read advice on how to cope with distress, and filled out questionnaires on the workbooks periodically. EORTC QLQ-C30 was evaluated at baseline, at 12 weeks, and at 24 weeks. The primary endpoint was Global Health Status / QOL scale (GQOL). Results: No significant interaction was observed between the intervention and time in terms of GQOL or any of the functional scales. Among the 69 patients who continued cytotoxic chemotherapy at 24 weeks, the intervention was significantly associated with improved emotional functioning scores (P = 0.0007). Overall survival was not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusions: Self-help workbook intervention was feasible in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Although the effect of the intervention was limited, the intervention may improve emotional functioning among patients who receive long-term cytotoxic chemotherapy.Trial registration: UMIN Clinical Trials Registry, UMIN000012842. Registered 14 January 2014, https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000015002
HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder (HAND) Biomarker Identification: Significance Analysis of Microarrays and Two Persuasive Approaches with Random Forest
Authors: Rodrigo Hansapani , Martinez Bryan , Garza Roberto De La , Roy Upal
Published: March 2020

Background: HIV Associated Neurological Disorders (HAND) is relatively common among people with HIV-1 infection, even those taking combined antiretroviral treatment (cART). Genome-wide screening of transcription regulation in brain tissue helps in identifying substantial abnormalities present in patients’ gene transcripts and to discover possible biomarkers for HAND. This study explores the possibility of identifying differentially expressed (DE) genes, which can serve as potential biomarkers to detect HAND. In this study, we have investigated the gene expression levels of three subject groups with different impairment levels of HAND along with a control group in three distinct brain sectors: white matter, frontal cortex, and basal ganglia.
Methods: Linear models with weighted least squares along with Benjamini-Hochberg multiple corrections were used to identify DE genes in each brain region. Genes with an adjusted p-value of less than 0.01 were identified as differentially expressed. Principal component analyses (PCA) were performed to detect any groupings among the subject groups. Significance Analysis of Microarrays (SAM) and random forests (RF) methods with two distinct approaches were used to identify DE genes.
Results: A total of 710 genes in basal ganglia, 794 genes in the frontal cortex, and 1481 genes in white matter were screened. The highest proportion of DE genes was observed within the two brain regions, frontal neocortex, and basal ganglia. PCA analyses do not exhibit clear groupings among four subject groups. SAM and RF models reveal the genes, CIRBP, RBM3, GPNMB, ISG15, IFIT6, IFI6, and IFIT3, to have DE genes in the frontal cortex or basal ganglia among the subject groups. The gene, GADD45A, a protein-coding gene whose transcript levels tend to increase with stressful growth arrest conditions, was consistently ranked among the top genes by both RF models within the frontal cortex.
Conclusions: Our study contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the gene expression levels of the subject with different severity levels of HAND. Several genes that appear to play critical roles in the inflammatory response have been found, and they have an excellent potential to be used as biomarkers to detect HAND under further investigations.
Analytical Investigation of the Vibrational and Dynamic Response of Nano-Composite Cylindrical Shell Under Thermal Shock and Mild Heat Field by DQM Method
Authors: Rahmani Masoud , Moslemi Petrudi Amin
Published: March 2020

In this paper, the vibrations and dynamic response of an orthotropic thin-walled composite cylindrical shell with epoxy graphite layers reinforced with carbon nanotubes under heat shock and heat field loading are investigated. the carbon nanotubes were uniformly distributed along the thickness of the composite layer. The problem is that at first there is a temperature change due to the thermal field in the cylinder and the cylinder is coincident with the thermal field, then the surface temperature of the cylinder rises abruptly. Partial derivative equations of motion are coupled to heat equations. The differential quadrature method (DQM) is used to solve the equations. In this study, the effects of length, temperature, thickness and radius parameters on the natural frequencies and mid-layer displacement are investigated. The results show that increasing the outside temperature reduces the natural frequency and increases the displacement of the system. Radial displacement results were also compared with previous studies and were found to be in good agreement with previous literature. Increasing the percentage of carbon nanotubes also increased the natural frequency of the system and decreased the mobility of the middle layer.
The extent of voluntary disclosure in the annual reports of Islamic banks: empirical evidence from Yemen
Authors: A. Al-Homaidi Eissa , Khalaf Allamy Karrar , Ahmad Anwar , I. Tabash Mosab
Published: March 2020

This article aims to measure the level of voluntary disclosure in the published annual reports of Yemeni Islamic banks. Four full-fledged Islamic banks from Yemen are selected for the current study. A disclosure checklist covering 266 items is prepared and a 10-year period, 2005–2014, is taken. The disclosure index items were classified into seven groups, such as basic information on Islamic banks, financial ratios, corporate governance information, financial statements data, corporate social disclosure, Zakat information, and other information that has been taken as an important attribute of voluntary disclosure. The obtained results show that the amount of voluntary disclosure that Yemeni Islamic banking institutions publish in their annual reports has gradually increased over the ten years examined. The results revealed that the highest average disclosure index score over the ten years was achieved by Tadhamon Islamic International Bank (TIIB), the second highest average disclosure score was obtained by Saba Islamic Bank (SIB), and the lowest average voluntary disclosure rating score during the ten years surveyed was achieved by Shamil Bank of Yemen & Bahrain in Yemen during the study period. Substantially, the result of voluntary disclosure scores indicates that the degree of voluntary disclosure by Yemeni Islamic financial institutions has relatively expanded during the ten years investigated. The findings provide new evidence for voluntary disclosure, particularly, Islamic disclosure items. The survey findings can be useful for regulators in Yemen to improve overall disclosure practices by Islamic banks operating in Yemen.
Determination of the activity of selected antioxidant enzymes during bovine laminitis, induced by oligofructose overload
Authors: HAYAT MUHAMMAD ABID , DING JIAFENG , LI YUEPENG , ZHANG XIANHAO , ZHANG JIANTAO , LI SHUAICHEN , WANG HONG BIN
Published: March 2020

Alimentary oligofructose (OF) overload induces acute laminitis in dairy heifers. We examined the correlation between acute bovine laminitis and antioxidant levels by measuring the activities of malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in dairy heifers with acute bovine laminitis. A total of 12 clinically healthy non-pregnant Chinese Holstein heifers, aged between 18-26 months (20.67 ± 3.01 mo), weighing 335-403 kg (379.71 ± 19.87 kg), and with BCS ranging from 2.7 to 3.3 were selected and divided into two groups of six animals: an OF-treated group and a control group. The OF-treated heifers (n = 6) received 17 g/kg BW of oligofructose dissolved in 2 L/100 kg BW of tap water, whereas the control heifers (n = 6) received 2 L/100 kg BW of tap water. Blood samples of OF-treated and the control heifers were collected at –72 h before, as well as 0, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60 and 72 h after OF overload. Malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), and catalase (CAT) activity levels were measured by authenticated standard methods using blood samples. The mean concentration of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was significantly lower (p < 0.01) in the OF-treated heifers from 24 h to 72 h and significantly lower (p < 0.05) at 18 h compared to the control group. Malondialdehyde (MDA) level was significantly higher (p < 0.01) at 24 h to 72 h and significant increased (p < 0.05) at 12 h to 18 h in OF-treated heifers compared with healthy heifers. There were no significant differences in GSH and CAT activities between the control and treatment groups. Our study showed that inadequate levels of antioxidants (enzymatic and non-enzymatic) may be linked to oxidative stress in sick heifers. OF-treated heifers had decreased SOD and increased MDA in response to acute laminitis. Therefore, SOD, GSH, CAT, and MDA activities may play a dynamic role in the etiopathogenesis of acute laminitis in dairy heifers. However, further detailed research is required to describe these responses and to develop strategies to control acute laminitis.
ZOOLÓGICO EMPÍRICO: A NOVA FRONTEIRA ENTRE O ENSINO E A PESQUISA EM ZOOS NO BRASIL
Authors: Souza Marcos Vinícius de , Telles Letícia Prata Juliano Dimatteu , Hirano Líria Queiroz Luz , Santos Nathan Passos dos , Botelho Núbia Estéfane Gomes , Silva Júnior Paulo Gabriel Pereira da , Moura Maruzan Dos Anjos , Batista Maycon José
Published: March 2020

Zoológicos empíricos representam o presente e o futuro na manutenção de animais em cativeiro para visitação, e se baseiam em evidências e experiências prévias para a tomada de decisões. Para que haja dados, as pesquisas científicas são necessárias, assim como associações com universidades, estudantes e pesquisadores. Esses estudos focam nos recintos, nos visitantes, no comportamento animal e visam, principalmente, o bem-estar para os exemplares cativos. Ao colocar o bem-estar como prioridade, os zoológicos também contribuem para a conservação. Este artigo tem como objetivo realizar uma revisão bibliográfica acerca do zoológico empírico e suas perspectivas.
A szervezeti tényezők szerepe a magyarországi KKV szektor sikerességében
Authors: Almasi Aniko
Published: March 2020

A tanulmány a hazai KKV szektor sikerességét elemzi a versenyképesség és innováció, a tulajdonos-vezető szerep, illetve a szervezeti tényezők tükrében. A szerző saját, illetve négy hazai empirikus kutatás eredményeinek értékelése alapján arra következtet, hogy a szervezeti innováció jellemzően háttérbe szorul a kis- és közepes vállalkozások működésében, fejlesztési céljaiban és stratégiájában, amiben nagy szerepe van a tulajdonos-vezetőnek. Mindeközben a vállalkozás versenyképességére szignifikánsan ható tényezők között gyakran merül fel a növekedés gátjaként a szervezet rugalmatlansága, a humán erőforrás tudásszintje, kompetenciája, teljesítményre gyakorolt hatása, a munkavállalók lojalitása, valamint a munkaerőpiac korlátai. A tanulmány ezért a vállalkozássikeressége, illetve a vezetőhöz köthető döntések és folyamatok tükrében elemzi a szervezeti innovációt, és a szekunder kutatások eredményeit e szempontok alapján értékeli. A saját primer kutatás újszerű módszertannal a cégvezető és a szervezet közötti GAP-eken keresztül analizálja a KKV-k sikerességét és innovációs attitűdjét.

Journal of Economic Literature (JEL) kód: M14
Фотолюминесценция квантовых точек (Zn, Pb, Mn)S в полиакрилатной матрице
Authors: Исаева А.А. , Смагин В.П.
Published: March 2020

Solutions of quantum dots (Zn,Pb,Mn)S with different mole ratio of cations were obtained by colloidal synthesis in methyl methacrylate (MMA) medium. By thermal polymerization of MMA in the block, colloidal solutions are transferred to the glassy state. The optical transparency of PMMA/(Zn,Pb,Mn)S compositions at wavelengths >500 nm reaches 90% with the thickness of the absorbing layer up to 5 mm. Photoluminescence of compositions in the spectral region of 400–480 nm is associated with electron recombination at the levels of defects in the crystal structure of ZnS, in the range of 520–620 nm with 4T1 → 6A1 electron transition in Mn2+ ions. Excitation of photoluminescence occurs as a result of interband transitions in ZnS and energy transfer from the conduction band of ZnS to Mn2+ ion levels. The luminescence spectrum depends on the molar ratio of Mn2+ and Pb2+ ions, the sequence of introduction of the components into the reaction mixture, the wavelength of the exciting radiation.
Низкоразмерные структуры карбида кремния: аналитические оценки характеристик электронного спектра
Authors: Давыдов С.Ю.
Published: March 2020

Abstract Using the Green’s function method within the tight-binding approximation, the electronic structure of an infinite silicon-carbide sheet, and nanoribbons and one-dimensional chains cut from it, is considered. Analytical expressions for band gaps, electron effective masses and characteristic velocities are derived. The effect of metal and dielectric substrates on the band characteristics is discussed.
Влияние слоя нанопористого кремния на практическую реализацию и особенности эпитаксиального роста слоев GaN на темплейтах SiC/por-Si/c-Si
Authors: Середин П.В. , Голощапов Д.Л. , Золотухин Д.С. , Леньшин А.С. , Худяков Ю.Ю. , Мизеров А.М. , Тимошнев С.Н. , Арсентьев И.Н. , Бельтюков А.Н. , Leiste Harald , Кукушкин С.А.
Published: March 2020

Abstract A set of structural and spectroscopic methods of diagnostics is used to study the influence of a nanoporous silicon ( por -Si) transition layer on the practical implementation and specific features of growth of GaN layers on SiC/ por -Si/ c -Si templates by molecular-beam epitaxy with the plasma activation of nitrogen. It is shown that a por -Si transition layer introduced into a template, in which a 3 C -SiC layer is created by the method of atom substitution, offers unquestionable advantages over standard silicon substrates. Specifically, such an approach makes it possible to lower the level of stresses in the crystal lattice of the epitaxial GaN layer by about 90% and to reduce the fraction of vertical dislocations in the GaN layer. The GaN layer is grown on the surface of the SiC layer, which in turn is on the surface of the SiC/ por -Si/ c -Si template. It is found for the first time that the use of the SiC/ por -Si/ c -Si template brings about the formation of a qualitatively more uniform GaN layer free of visible extended defects.
Оптические свойства и критические точки наноструктурированных тонких пленок PbSe
Authors: Гусейналиев М.Г. , Ясинова С.Н. , Джалилли Д.Н. , Мехтиева С.И.
Published: March 2020

Spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) method has been used to investigate the optical properties of nanostructured PbSe thin films obtained by chemıcal bath deposıtıon (CBD) method. For a better resolution of the structure of interband transitions and for determination of critical points, the function obtained by numerical differentiation of the experimental data of the dielectric function is used. The theoretical fitting was carried out using the "Graphical Analysis" program. The best fit ıs obtained with a 2D-critical point line shape (m = 0) for E=2÷3 eV energy region. One critical point corresponding to Eg = 2,5 eV have been determined. This value is attributed to the L4L6 transition of the Brillouin zone.
Предельная температура генерации микродисковых лазеров
Authors: Жуков А.Е. , Крыжановская Н.В. , Моисеев Э.И. , Кулагина М.М. , Минтаиров С.А. , Калюжный Н.А. , Надточий А.М. , Максимов М.В.
Published: March 2020

A model is developed that allows one to analytically determine the threshold current of a microdisk laser taking into account its self-heating as a function of the ambient temperature and the microlaser diameter. It is shown that there exists a minimal diameter of a microdisk caused by self-heating, up to which it is possible to achieve continuous-wave lasing at a given temperature. Another manifestation of self-heating effect is the existence of a maximum operating temperature, which is the lower the smaller the diameter of the microlaser. Reasonable agreement between the predictions of the model and the available experimental data is shown.
Электронные свойства пленок силицена, подвергнутых нейтронному легированию
Authors: Галашев А.Е. , Воробьев А.С.
Published: March 2020

Abstract The radiation doping of single-crystal silicon with phosphorus retains the structure of the sample, reduces internal stresses, and increases the lifetime of minority charge carriers. The study is concerned with the effect of phosphorus additives on the electronic properties of silicene. The electron density-of-states spectra of a phosphorus-doped single layer and 2 × 2 bilayer silicene on a graphite substrate are calculated by the quantum-mechanical method. The carbon substrate imparts semiconductor properties to silicene due to p – p hybridization. Doping with phosphorus can retain or modify the metal properties gained by silicene. The position of phosphorus dopant atoms in silicene influences the semiconductor–conductor transition. The theoretical specific capacity of a phosphorus-doped silicene electrode decreases, and the electrode becomes less efficient for application in lithium-ion batteries. However, the increase in the conductivity is favorable for use of this material in solar cells.