bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors Influencing Anorexia in Elderly Patients in South Korea
Authors: Kim Chaebong , Kim Mooyoung , Yoon Seokjun , Hwang Sung wan
Published: July 2019

Introduction: Anorexia of ageing, described as a reduction in appetite or food intake in old age, is a significant contributing factor to poor nutrition and worse health outcomes in the geriatric population. Anorexia can affect a variety of medical conditions in the elderly. This study was undertaken to determine the factors affecting anorexia in this population.

Methods: We used several surveys to explore this subject, these included; the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire(SNAQ), the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living(IADL), the Activities of Daily Living (ADL), the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA),the Korean version of the Mini Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). The study targeted outpatients of family medicine and cardiology clinics, residents of long term care facilities, community health care promotion participants, and those living in social welfare facilities in Seoul, South Korea. We analyzed the risk factors that affect anorexia in the elderly. Basic statistical methods were used for analysis: Chi-square test (Fisher’s exact test), student’s t-test, and regression analysis.

Results: Our study showed that the prevalence of anorexia in nursing-home patients was higher than the other groups studied. The risk factors of impaired appetite and nutrition were related to the K-MMSE, MNA, and ADL from the cognitive and activities of daily living assessments. The results demonstrated that the issues contributing to anorexia were nutrition management, psychological problems, and diminished physical activity.

Conclusion: Anorexia was found to be associated with problems with psychological well-being, impaired activities of daily living and poor nutrition. In the future, with a growing elderly population that is becoming less healthy it will be very important to focus on improving mental health care, nutrition management, and physical activity in order to reduce the impact of anorexia on medical problems in the elderly. Support is needed from specialized community health care centers.
Recensión de Libros: La psicoterapia dei processi di significato personale dei disturbi psicopatologici. Manuale teorico-pratico
Authors: Ugarte Pérez Carla
Published: July 2019

Recensión del libro " La psicoterapia dei processi di significato personale dei disturbi psicopatologici. Manuale teorico-pratico". EDITORES: Quiñones, A., Cimbolli, P.  y Pascale, A.Editorial Casa Alpes, RomaAño de publicación 2014ISBN-10: 8865312076
Intervención Conductual en un Caso de Bajo Estado de Ánimo
Authors: Ortega Otero Marta , Kendzierski Mateusz , Aranda Rubio Mª Elena
Published: July 2019

El presente trabajo describe el tratamiento llevado a cabo con un varón de 27 años que presenta sintomatología ansioso-depresiva. A partir del análisis funcional se decidió combinar distintas técnicas cognitivo-conductuales, tales como la activación conductual, el entrenamiento en toma de decisiones, el entrenamiento en habilidades sociales, la reestructuración cognitiva, técnicas de manejo de la ira y pautas de higiene del sueño. Tras cinco meses de intervención, se concluye su eficacia en el control de la sintomatología ansioso-depresiva. Concretamente, se apreció un cambio significativo en la puntuación del BDI-II, en el número y el tipo de actividades desarrolladas, en la reducción de las rumiaciones, la mejora de la calidad del sueño y las verbalizaciones del cliente. Los beneficios terapéuticos se mantuvieron en la sesión de seguimiento.
Entrenamiento en “Open Mindfuness: Un Estudio Piloto
Authors: Miró Barrachina María Teresa , Ibáñez Ignacio , Felipe Isaura , García Nieves M.
Published: July 2019

The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of a mindfulness training program, "The Open Mindfulness Fundamental Training" (OMFT), on a non-clinical sample of 27 persons. On the one hand, it was intended to study pre-post intervention changes and, on the other hand, whether previous experience was modulating these changes. Results showed significant differences in several dimensions of interoceptive awareness: the ability to control attention regarding body sensations, the ability to regulate body tensions paying attention to embodied sensations, and the ability to trust that the body is safe and reliable. In addition, decentering skills improve significantly after training, as well as perception of the awareness level and attention to the present experience during a specific time in a given context.  Previous experience in meditation was not related to participants improvement after the intervention, so all of them were equally benefited.
Terapia adleriana de grupo: la comunidad terapéutica como base del cambio emocional
Authors: Merz Lilly , Raff Diethelm
Published: July 2019

En este artículo se presenta la terapia adleriana de grupo tal y como se practica en un centro de día y comunidad terapéutica en Suiza. Se presentan las bases teóricas de la terapia de grupo, la composición de los grupos, los factores del cambio terapéutico y el perfil adecuado del terapeuta. Según Alfred Adler, el ser humano es, por naturaleza, un ser social y constuye, en los primeros años de la vida y a través de la relación con sus congéneres, una opinión inconsciente sobre sí mismo y los demás. Este Estilo de Vida sirve de guía para las emociones, cogniciones y conductas en la vida. El Estilo de Vida puede contener errores que forman la base de problemas psicológicos. En la psicoterapia de grupo, estas creencias erróneas se pueden corregir a través de la creación de la confianza, la ayuda mutua de los participantes, la promoción del sentimiento de comunidad y el trabajo terapéutico en una atmósfera abierta y de igualdad. Es crucial que el terapeuta se sienta igual con los participantes, que sea consciente de sus propias convicciones y que mantenga una actitud de modestia.
La Psicología Individual de Adler: La Psicología Positiva original
Authors: Watts Richard E.
Published: July 2019

Los defensores de la Psicología Positiva, cuando abordan las perspectivas fundacionales, suelen identificar a Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers y Gordon Allport como precursores y predecesores. Este artículo demuestra que la Psicología Individual de Alfred Adler precedió a estos precursores de la Psicología Positiva y se podría considerar como la Psicología Positiva original. Tras un breve resumen de las ideas clave de la Psicología Individual de Adler, los autores presentan específicamente los dos principios fundacionales de la teoría de Adler que se repiten particularmente en la Psicología Positiva y a continuación ofrecen una perspectiva más amplia de las bases comunes notables entre las ideas teóricas tardías de Adler y el movimiento de la Psicología Positiva.
γ-Graphs of Trees
Authors: Finbow Stephen , van Bommel Christopher M.
Published: July 2019

For a graph

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=
(
V
,
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)

, the

γ

-graph of G, denoted

G
(
γ
)
=
(
V
(
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,
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, is the graph whose vertex set is the collection of minimum dominating sets, or

γ

-sets of G, and two

γ

-sets are adjacent in

G
(
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)

if they differ by a single vertex and the two different vertices are adjacent in G. In this paper, we consider

γ

-graphs of trees. We develop an algorithm for determining the

γ

-graph of a tree, characterize which trees are

γ

-graphs of trees, and further comment on the structure of

γ

-graphs of trees and its connections with Cartesian product graphs, the set of graphs which can be obtained from the Cartesian product of graphs of order at least two.
Apple Scion and Rootstock Contribute to Nutrient Uptake and Partitioning under Different Belowground Environments
Authors: Valverdi Nadia A. , Cheng Lailiang , Kalcsits Lee
Published: July 2019

Soil environment strongly contributes to tree growth and development, affecting nutrient and water uptake. Composite woody perennials, like apple, are a combination of two genetically different parts: a rootstock and a scion, and yet, the role of each part on nutrient uptake and distribution under differing soil environments has not been previously studied. We tested how water limitations and elevated soil temperatures, applied to different apple rootstocks and scions, affected mineral nutrient uptake and distribution on young apple trees. Two one-year-old potted apple cultivars were grown in a greenhouse, ‘Honeycrisp’ and ‘Gala,’ combined with four rootstocks: G890, G41, M9, and B9. Belowground abiotic environmental treatments were imposed for 60 days after trees reached approximately 45 cm height. Water limitations reduced aboveground biomass and, to a lesser extent, root biomass. ‘Gala’ and the rootstock G890 showed elevated mineral nutrient uptake compared to ‘Honeycrisp’ and the other rootstock genotypes. Additionally, G890 showed greater plasticity for both biomass and mineral nutrient accumulation. Elevated soil temperatures increased the ratios of K:Ca, N:Ca, Mg:Ca, and (N + K + Mg):Ca in leaf tissue of rootstock G41 and ‘Honeycrisp’. These findings highlight the importance of the use of scion and rootstock genotypes that are adapted to specific soil environments to ensure optimal nutrient uptake.
Determination of Reduced and Oxidized Coenzyme Q10 in Canine Plasma and Heart Tissue by HPLC-ECD: Comparison with LC-MS/MS Quantification
Authors: Schou-Pedersen Anne , Schemeth Dieter , Lykkesfeldt Jens
Published: July 2019

Coenzyme Q10 (Q10) plays an important role in mammals for energy production in the mitochondria, and as a potent antioxidant. Oxidation ratio (% oxidized in relation to total Q10) has been proposed as an important biomarker. A sensitive and reproducible HPLC-ECD method was developed for determination of reduced and oxidized Q10 in canine plasma and heart tissue. Chromatographic separation was achieved in 10 min using a Waters Nova-pak C18 column and a mobile phase with lithium perchlorate in ethanol/methanol/2-propanol. The validation showed satisfying results. Excellent linear correlation was found (r2 > 0.9997), intra- and inter-day precisions were below 6.5% (n = 5) and recoveries were between 89 and 109% (n = 5). Sensitivity stated as Lower Limit of Quantification (LLOQ) was 10 nM. Acceptable stability of both extracted and un-extracted samples was observed. The plasma concentration range of total Q10 was found to be between 0.64 and 1.24 µg/mL. Comparison with a developed LC-MS/MS method showed a correlation of r = 0.85 for reduced Q10 and r = 0.60 for oxidized Q10 (N = 17). However, average results were around 30% lower for ubiquinol using the LC-MS/MS method as compared with the HPLC-ECD analysis. The two methods are therefore not considered to be interchangeable.
Allelopathic Potential of Phenolic Compounds in Secale Cereale Cultivars and Its Relationship with Seeding Density
Authors: Ghimire Bimal Kumar , Yu Chang Yeon , Ghimire Balkrishna , Seong Eun Soo , Chung Ill Min
Published: July 2019

In this study, we investigated the allelopathic effect of Secale cereale cultivars on different weeds that grow in the cultivated fields of Perilla frutescens. Two S. cereale cultivars, Paldong and Singhi, were used to test the allelopathic effect on in vitro grown Digitaria ciliaris, Chenopodium album, Amaranthus lividus, Portulaca oleracea, Pinellia ternata and Commelina communis. The results indicated that S. cereale extracts affect callus growth of weeds in terms of fresh weight and percentage of growth inhibition. The inhibitory effects of both S. cereale cultivars combined with grass cover extracts were higher than using grass weeds alone. Concentrations of all identified phenolic compounds were significantly higher in the leaves extracts of Paldong compared to Singhi. Particularly, syringic acid in leaves extract of the Paldong cultivar were 12.87-fold higher than in the Singhi cultivar. The other predominant phenolic compounds such as salicylic acid, p-coumaric acid, vanillic acid, and p-hydroxybenzoic acids were 3.30, 4.63, 3.11, and 1.28 times higher, respectively, in the leaves extracts of Paldong compared to Singhi. Principal component analysis (PCA) results indicated that the composition of phenolic compounds was significantly related to cultivar types and plant parts used. In addition, biomass increase caused increased weed inhibitory capacity of S. cereale both in tillage and no-tillage regimes. These results suggest that the biomass of cover crops negatively influenced weed density.
Automatic Error Compensation for Free-Form Surfaces by Using On-Machine Measurement Data
Authors: Lee Wei-chen , Lee Yu-tzu , Wei Ching-Chih
Published: July 2019

Currently, most computer numerical control (CNC) controllers lack the function needed to compensate machining errors for free-form surfaces. The objective of this research was to enhance the accuracy and precision of the machined free-form surfaces of a workpiece using the mirror compensation method with the on-measurement data. By mirroring the points measured after semi-finishing, a new free-form surface for finishing machining can be automatically reconstructed. The surface can then be used to generate the cutting tool path to reduce the errors during finishing machining. In this research, three different types of surfaces were used for evaluating the proposed method. The results show that the proposed method reduced the standard deviations of the three surface geometries by 61%, 61%, and 32%, respectively. We also evaluated the tool radius modification method commonly used in the industry for error compensation and found that there is no substantial reduction on standard deviation. Therefore, the effectiveness of the error compensation method proposed in this research is evident.
Impact of Particulate Size During Deep Loading on DPF Management
Authors: Chiavola Ornella , Chiatti Giancarlo , Sirhan Nidal
Published: July 2019

Wall-flow particulate filters are a required emission control device to abate diesel emission in order to comply with current regulations. DPFs (diesel particulate filters) are characterized by high filtration efficiency—but in order to avoid deterioration of power and performance, they are required to cause low values of backpressure. The periodical oxidation of collected particle allows for the reestablishment of the ideal flow conditions. Studies highlighted that the regeneration event has an important impact on engine emission, since it is responsible for the emission of a large number of smaller particles. From these considerations, the importance of optimizing the DPF management for what concerns both filtration and regeneration mechanisms arises. The present paper focuses on the loading process of the filter. A filtration model was implemented, based on the ‘unit-collector’ and fluid-dynamic approaches, known as valid modelling techniques. The model was used to predict trapped mass and filter backpressure evolution with time during loading processes, in which soot particle sizes varied, with the aim to analyze how particulate size affects the filter pressure drop rise. A wall-flow filter was investigated, and the behavior of clean material was evaluated by a parametric analysis in which particle diameter varies in the filed 20–1000 nm, that is the typical range of soot sizes in diesel engine exhaust. The results demonstrate that soot size has a great influence on the initial deep bed loading process. Moreover, it defines the value from which the linear pressure drop shape during cake filtration starts, not only when the initial loaded is completed, but also each time the regeneration event is concluded. This outcome provides an important guideline to define the most appropriate strategy for the initial DPF loading in order to establish the regeneration event based on the estimation of trapped mass accounting for the filter backpressure and on the time interval between two successive regeneration.
Launch Bar Dynamics Character Analysis of Carrier-Based Aircraft Catapult Launch
Authors: Zhu Qidan , Lu Peng , Yang Zhibo , Ji Xun , Han Yu , Wang Lipeng
Published: July 2019

The launch bar is a unique device of carrier-based aircraft, which is connected to the nose gear and shuttle. In order to avoid the launch bar striking the flight deck after the launch bar pops out of the shuttle, it is very important to research the dynamics performance of the launch bar. This paper establishes a staged mathematical model of catapult launch including the launch bar, a steam-powered catapult, a holdback bar, and a carrier-based aircraft. This article studied the effect of the mass of the launch bar, restoring moment of the launch bar, and center of gravity position of the launch bar on the dynamics performance of the launch bar. The results showed the following: (1) we could reduce the risk collision of the launch bar and deck by reducing the mass of the launch bar, increasing the restoring moment, and shifting the center of gravity position of the launch bar; (2) under the working condition of this article, we changed the center of gravity position of the launch bar to control the sink of the launch bar end, having the most obvious effect, and we reduced the mass of the launch bar, having the least effect on controlling the sink of the launch bar end; however, reducing the mass of the launch bar could also greatly reduce the risk collision of the launch bar and deck; (3) in order to avoid the launch bar striking the flight deck, the restoring moment of the launch bar must overcome the sum of other moments. The study results can give a theoretical reference for designing and testing the launch bars of carrier-based aircraft. It can also give a theoretical reference for designing and testing the launch bar’s driving mechanisms.
A Novel Splice Variant of the Masculinizing Gene Masc with piRNA-Cleavage-Site Defect Functions in Female External Genital Development in the Silkworm, Bombyx mori
Authors: Zhao Qin , Li Juan , Wen Mao-Yu , Wang He , Wang Yao , Wang Kai-Xuan , Wan Qiu-Xing , Zha Xing-Fu
Published: July 2019

In the silkworm, the sex-determination primary signal Fem controls sex differentiation by specific binding of Fem-derived piRNA to the cleavage site in Masc mRNA, thus inhibiting Masc protein production in the female. In this study, we identified a novel splicing isoform of Masc, named Masc-S, which lacks the intact sequence of the cleavage site, encoding a C-terminal truncated protein. Results of RT-PCR showed that Masc-S was expressed in both sexes. Over-expression of Masc-S and Masc in female-specific cell lines showed that Masc-S could be translated against the Fem-piRNA cut. By RNA-protein pull-down, LC/MS/MS, and EMSA, we identified a protein BmEXU that specifically binds to an exclusive RNA sequence in Masc compared to Masc-S. Knockdown of Masc-S resulted in abnormal morphology in female external genital and increased expression of the Hox gene Abd-B, which similarly occurred by Bmexu RNAi. These results suggest that the splice variant Masc-S against Fem-piRNA plays an important role in female external genital development, of which function is opposite to that of full-length Masc. Our study provides new insights into the regulatory mechanism of sex determination in the silkworm.
A Comparative Evaluation of the Antiproliferative Activity against HepG2 Liver Carcinoma Cells of Plant-Derived Silver Nanoparticles from Basil Extracts with Contrasting Anthocyanin Contents
Authors: Abbasi Bilal Haider , Nazir Munazza , Muhammad Wali , Hashmi Syed Salman , Abbasi Rashda , Rahman Lubna , Hano Christophe
Published: July 2019

Nanotechnology is a well-established and revolutionized field with diverse therapeutic properties. Several methods have been employed using different reducing agents to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Chemical mediated synthetic methods are toxic and resulted in non-desired effects on biological systems. Herein, we, synthesized silver nanoparticles using callus extract of purple basil (BC-AgNPs) and anthocyanin extract deriving from the same plant (i.e., purple basil) (AE-AgNPs), and systematically investigated their antiproliferative potential against HepG2 Liver Carcinoma Cells. The phyto-fabricated AgNPs were characterized by different techniques like UV–visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Energy dispersive X-rays (EDX). Morphologically, both types of NPs were found spherical. The average size of BC-AgNPs and AE-AgNPs as revealed through XRD and SEM analyses were calculated as 50.97 ± 0.10 nm and 42.73 ± 1.24 nm, respectively. FT-IR spectral analysis demonstrates the existence of possible phytochemicals required for the capping and reduction of Ag ions. Herein, following solid phase extraction (SPE) coupled to HPLC analysis, we report for the first-time the anthocyanin mediated synthesis of AgNPs and conforming the successful capping of anthocyanin. Small sized AE-AgNPs showed significant cytotoxic effect against human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cell line as compared to BC-AgNPs. Therefore, the results revealed that the prevalent group of flavonoids present in purple basil is the anthocyanins and AE-AgNPs could be employed as potential anticancer agents in future treatments strategies.
Metabolic Innovations Underpinning the Origin and Diversification of the Diatom Chloroplast
Authors: Nonoyama Tomomi , Kazamia Elena , Nawaly Hermanus , Gao Xia , Tsuji Yoshinori , Matsuda Yusuke , Bowler Chris , Tanaka Tsuyoshi , G. Dorrell Richard
Published: July 2019

Of all the eukaryotic algal groups, diatoms make the most substantial contributions to photosynthesis in the contemporary ocean. Understanding the biological innovations that have occurred in the diatom chloroplast may provide us with explanations to the ecological success of this lineage and clues as to how best to exploit the biology of these organisms for biotechnology. In this paper, we use multi-species transcriptome datasets to compare chloroplast metabolism pathways in diatoms to other algal lineages. We identify possible diatom-specific innovations in chloroplast metabolism, including the completion of tocopherol synthesis via a chloroplast-targeted tocopherol cyclase, a complete chloroplast ornithine cycle, and chloroplast-targeted proteins involved in iron acquisition and CO2 concentration not shared between diatoms and their closest relatives in the stramenopiles. We additionally present a detailed investigation of the chloroplast metabolism of the oil-producing diatom Fistulifera solaris, which is of industrial interest for biofuel production. These include modified amino acid and pyruvate hub metabolism that might enhance acetyl-coA production for chloroplast lipid biosynthesis and the presence of a chloroplast-localised squalene synthesis pathway unknown in other diatoms. Our data provides valuable insights into the biological adaptations underpinning an ecologically critical lineage, and how chloroplast metabolism can change even at a species level in extant algae.
Management of Sickle Cell Disease Pain among Adolescent and Pediatric Patients
Authors: Abdo Samar , Nuseir Khawla Q. , Altarifi Ahmad A. , Barqawi Moussa , Ayoub Nehad M. , Mukkatash Tareq L.
Published: July 2019

Management of sickle cell pain in adolescent and pediatric patients is inadequate, and the employment of proper management guidelines and practices are highly variable among different regions and populations. APPT, the multidimensional adolescent pediatric pain tool, promotes optimal pain management and introduces best practical guidelines for pain management. The goal of this study is to assess pain and pain management among young patients diagnosed with sickle cell disease (SCD) by introducing the APPT as a tool for pain management, and analyze factors contributing to pain management. Information relevant to demographic data, SCD characteristics, APPT assessment, and satisfaction of patients regarding pain management were collected using a structured questionnaire. Results showed that SCD is highly associated with gender (p = 0.022), consanguinity (p = 0.012), and number of surgeries (p = 0.013). Most patients (58.9%) indicated the involvement of more than six body areas affected during pain crisis. Severe pain was described by more than half the patients (55.6%), while moderate pain was reported by 31.1%. Most patients described their pain by sensory, affective, and temporal words. The number of painful areas, pain intensity, and use of descriptive pain words was correlated and interpreted by age, BMI, school absence, and number of surgeries. Results of this study could provide guidance to healthcare providers to improve current practices for SCD pain management in order to improve health outcomes and patients’ satisfaction.
Immunotherapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Is There a Light at the End of the Tunnel?
Authors: Mahipal Amit , Tella Sri Harsha , Kommalapati Anuhya , Lim Alexander , Kim Richard
Published: July 2019

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer with dismal prognosis when diagnosed at advanced stages. Surgical resection of the primary tumor or orthotropic liver transplantation serves as a potential curative option. However, this approach is highly dependent on the hepatic reserve and baseline functional status of the patient. Liver directed therapies such as portal vein embolization (PVE), trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE), and systemic chemotherapy are employed in non-surgical candidates. Sorafenib was the only approved systemic therapeutic agent for almost a decade until the recent approval of lenvatinib by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an alternate first-line agent. Regorafenib, nivolumab, pembrolizumab and cabozantinib are approved by the FDA as second-line agents in patients who failed or could not tolerate sorafenib. Ramucirumab was recently FDA approved for the subset of patients that have high alfa-fetoprotein levels (>400 ng/mL). A better understanding of tumorigenesis and encouraging clinical trial results that evaluated immune-checkpoint inhibitors opened doors for immunotherapy in HCC. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have demonstrated a prolonged median overall and progression-free survival in a subset of patients with HCC. On-going translational and clinical research will hopefully provide us with a better understanding of tumor markers, genetic aberrations and other factors that determine the immunotherapy response in HCC. In this review, we sought to summarize the potential role and future directions of immunotherapy in the management of HCC.
TP53 DNA Binding Domain Mutations Predict Progression-Free Survival of Bevacizumab Therapy in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Hsu Hung-Chih , You Jeng-Fu , Chen Shu-Jen , Chen Hua-Chien , Yeh Chien-Yuh , Tsai Wen-Sy , Hung Hsin-Yuan , Yang Tsai-Sheng , Lapke Nina , Tan Kien Thiam
Published: July 2019

(1) Background: Bevacizumab-based regimens are a standard treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients, however meaningful clinical biomarkers for treatment benefit remain scarce. (2) Methods: Tumor samples from 36 mCRC patients treated with bevacizumab-based chemotherapy underwent comprehensive genomic profiling. Alterations in frequently altered genes and important signaling pathways were correlated with progression-free survival (PFS). (3) Results: Overall genetic alteration analysis of investigated genes and pathways did not identify promising new predictors of PFS. However, when considering mutation subtypes, TP53 DNA binding domain (DBD) missense mutations were associated with prolonged PFS (HR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.13−0.65; p = 0.005). In contrast, TP53 truncating mutations were associated with short PFS (HR, 2.95; 95% CI, 1.45−27.50; p = 0.017). Importantly, neither TP53 mutation subtype was associated with overall response rate. In multivariate analysis, TP53 DBD missense mutations remained an independent PFS predictor (HR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.13–0.77; p = 0.011). The other genetic factor independently associated with PFS were PTPRT/PTPRD deleterious alterations, which we previously identified in a screen for biomarkers of bevacizumab response. (4) Conclusions: TP53 DBD missense mutations may predict prolonged PFS in mCRC patients treated with bevacizumab-based therapy. Analyses of TP53 mutations as clinical biomarkers should take the biological impact of different mutation subtypes into consideration to improve patient stratification.
The Role of Intra-Tumoral Heterogeneity and Its Clinical Relevance in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Recurrence and Metastasis
Authors: Roberts Cai M. , Cardenas Carlos , Tedja Roslyn
Published: July 2019

Epithelial ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecologic cancer, due in large part to recurrent tumors. Recurrences tend to have metastasized, mainly in the peritoneal cavity and developed resistance to the first line chemotherapy. Key to the progression and ultimate lethality of ovarian cancer is the existence of extensive intra-tumoral heterogeneity (ITH). In this review, we describe the genetic and epigenetic changes that have been reported to give rise to different cell populations in ovarian cancer. We also describe at length the contributions made to heterogeneity by both linear and parallel models of clonal evolution and the existence of cancer stem cells. We dissect the key biological signals from the tumor microenvironment, both directly from other cell types in the vicinity and soluble or circulating factors. Finally, we discuss the impact of tumor heterogeneity on the choice of therapeutic approaches in the clinic. Variability in ovarian tumors remains a major barrier to effective therapy, but by leveraging future research into tumor heterogeneity, we may be able to overcome this barrier and provide more effective, personalized therapy to patients.
Short Overview of ROS as Cell Function Regulators and Their Implications in Therapy Concepts
Authors: Milkovic Lidija , Cipak Gasparovic Ana , Cindric Marina , Mouthuy Pierre-Alexis , Zarkovic Neven
Published: July 2019

The importance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been gradually acknowledged over the last four decades. Initially perceived as unwanted products of detrimental oxidative stress, they have been upgraded since, and now ROS are also known to be essential for the regulation of physiological cellular functions through redox signaling. In the majority of cases, metabolic demands, along with other stimuli, are vital for ROS formation and their actions. In this review, we focus on the role of ROS in regulating cell functioning and communication among themselves. The relevance of ROS in therapy concepts is also addressed here.
Warming Winters Reduce Chill Accumulation for Peach Production in the Southeastern United States
Authors: Parker Lauren E. , Abatzoglou John T.
Published: July 2019

Insufficient winter chill accumulation can detrimentally impact agriculture. Understanding the changing risk of insufficient chill accumulation can guide orchard management and cultivar selection for long-lived perennial crops including peaches. This study quantifies the influence of modeled anthropogenic climate change on observed chill accumulation since 1981 and projected chill accumulation through the mid-21st century, with a focus on principal peach-growing regions in the southeastern United States, and commonly grown peach cultivars with low, moderate, and high chill accumulation requirements. Anthropogenic climate change has reduced winter chill accumulation, increased the probability of winters with low chill accumulation, and increased the likelihood of winters with insufficient chill for commonly grown peach cultivars in the southeastern United States. Climate projections show a continuation of reduced chill accumulation and increased probability of winters with insufficient chill accumulation for cultivars with high chill requirements, with approximately 40% of years by mid-century having insufficient chill in Georgia. The results highlight the importance of inter-annual variability in agro-climate risk assessments and suggest that adaptive measures may be necessary in order to maintain current peach production practices in the region in the coming decades.
Highly Localized and Efficient Energy Harvesting in a Phononic Crystal Beam: Defect Placement and Experimental Validation
Authors: Lv Xu-Feng , Fang Xiang , Zhang Zhi-Qiang , Huang Zhi-Long , Chuang Kuo-Chih
Published: July 2019

We study energy harvesting in a binary phononic crystal (PC) beam at the defect mode. Specifically, we consider the placement of a mismatched unit cell related to the excitation point. The mismatched unit cell contains a perfect segment and a geometrically mismatched one with a lower flexural rigidity which serves as a point defect. We show that the strain in the defect PC beam is much larger than those in homogeneous beams with a defect segment. We suggest that the defect segment should be arranged in the first unit cell, but not directly connected to the excitation source, to achieve efficient less-attenuated localized energy harvesting. To harvest the energy, a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film is attached on top of the mismatched segment. Our numerical and experimental results indicate that the placement of the mismatched segment, which has not been addressed for PC beams under mechanical excitation, plays an important role in efficient energy harvesting based on the defect mode.
Tuning the Crystal Habits of Organic Explosives by Antisolvent Crystallization: The Case Study of 2,6-dimaino-3,5-dinitropyrazine-1-oxid (LLM-105)
Authors: Zhou Xiaoqing , Shan Junhui , Chen Dong , Li Hongzhen
Published: July 2019

Crystallization is one of the most important methods in the crystal habit control of explosive products. For this study, the antisolvent crystallization experiments were carried out to tune the crystal habits of 2,6-dimaino-3,5-dinitropyrazine-1-oxid (LLM-105). Dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) was used as an organic solvent. Water, methanol, acetic acid, nitromethane, acetone, ethanol, methylene chloride, o-dichlorobenzene, and toluene were selected as antisolvents. The X-shaped, spherical cluster-like, rod-like, needle-like, and dendritic crystals were successfully produced by varying the kind of the antisolvent. These results manifested that the polarity and functional groups of antisolvent molecules played important roles in the crystal habits of LLM-105 explosive. The powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) measurements indicated that these antisolvents just tuned the crystal habit of LLM-105 but did not change the crystal structure. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG) results of the obtained crystals showed that the crystal habits significantly affected the thermal properties. This study can contribute to the investigation of the mechanism of antisolvent-induced crystal habit modification and screen out the efficient antisolvents.
Paving the Way to Increased Interoperability of Earth Observations Data Cubes
Authors: Giuliani Gregory , Masó Joan , Mazzetti Paolo , Nativi Stefano , Zabala Alaitz
Published: July 2019

Earth observations data cubes (EODCs) are a paradigm transforming the way users interact with large spatio-temporal Earth observation (EO) data. It enhances connections between data, applications and users facilitating management, access and use of analysis ready data (ARD). The ambition is allowing users to harness big EO data at a minimum cost and effort. This significant interest is illustrated by various implementations that exist. The novelty of the approach results in different innovative solutions and the lack of commonly agreed definition of EODC. Consequently, their interoperability has been recognized as a major challenge for the global change and Earth system science domains. The objective of this paper is preventing EODC from becoming silos of information; to present how interoperability can be enabled using widely-adopted geospatial standards; and to contribute to the debate of enhanced interoperability of EODC. We demonstrate how standards can be used, profiled and enriched to pave the way to increased interoperability of EODC and can help delivering and leveraging the power of EO data building, efficient discovery, access and processing services.
Comparing Filtering Techniques for Removing Vegetation from UAV-Based Photogrammetric Point Clouds
Authors: Anders Niels , Valente João , Masselink Rens , Keesstra Saskia
Published: July 2019

Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) are 3D representations of the Earth’s surface and have numerous applications in geomorphology, hydrology and ecology. Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry using photographs obtained by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been increasingly used for obtaining high resolution DEMs. These DEMs are interpolated from point clouds representing entire landscapes, including points of terrain, vegetation and infrastructure. Up to date, there has not been any study clearly comparing different algorithms for filtering of vegetation. The objective in this study was, therefore, to assess the performance of various vegetation filter algorithms for SfM-obtained point clouds. The comparison was done for a Mediterranean area in Murcia, Spain with heterogeneous vegetation cover. The filter methods that were compared were: color-based filtering using an excessive greenness vegetation index (VI), Triangulated Irregular Networks (TIN) densification from LAStools, the standard method in Agisoft Photoscan (PS), iterative surface lowering (ISL), and a combination of iterative surface lowering and the VI method (ISL_VI). Results showed that for bare areas there was little to no difference between the filtering methods, which is to be expected because there is little to no vegetation present to filter. For areas with shrubs and trees, the ISL_VI and TIN method performed best. These results show that different filtering techniques have various degrees of success in different use cases. A default filter in commercial software such as Photoscan may not always be the best way to remove unwanted vegetation from a point cloud, but instead alternative methods such as a TIN densification algorithm should be used to obtain a vegetation-less Digital Terrain Model (DTM).
Automatic Modulation Classification of Digital Communication Signals Using SVM Based on Hybrid Features, Cyclostationary, and Information Entropy
Authors: Wei Yangjie , Fang Shiliang , Wang Xiaoyan
Published: July 2019

Since digital communication signals are widely used in radio and underwater acoustic systems, the modulation classification of these signals has become increasingly significant in various military and civilian applications. However, due to the adverse channel transmission characteristics and low signal to noise ratio (SNR), the modulation classification of communication signals is extremely challenging. In this paper, a novel method for automatic modulation classification of digital communication signals using a support vector machine (SVM) based on hybrid features, cyclostationary, and information entropy is proposed. In this proposed method, by combining the theory of the cyclostationary and entropy, based on the existing signal features, we propose three other new features to assist the classification of digital communication signals, which are the maximum value of the normalized cyclic spectrum when the cyclic frequency is not zero, the Shannon entropy of the cyclic spectrum, and Renyi entropy of the cyclic spectrum respectively. Because these new features do not require any prior information and have a strong anti-noise ability, they are very suitable for the identification of communication signals. Finally, a one against one SVM is designed as a classifier. Simulation results show that the proposed method outperforms the existing methods in terms of classification performance and noise tolerance.
Entropy Generation Optimization in Squeezing Magnetohydrodynamics Flow of Casson Nanofluid with Viscous Dissipation and Joule Heating Effect
Authors: Zubair Muhammad , Shah Zahir , Dawar Abdullah , Islam Saeed , Kumam Poom , Khan Aurangzeb
Published: July 2019

In this research article, the investigation of the three-dimensional Casson nanofluid flow in two rotating parallel plates has been presented. The nanofluid has been considered in steady state. The rotating plates have been considered porous. The heat equation is considered to study the magnetic field, joule heating, and viscous dissipation impacts. The nonlinear ordinary system of equations has been solved analytically and numerically. For skin friction and Nusslt number, numerical results are tabulated. It is found that velocity declines for higher values of magnetic and porosity parameter while it is heightened through squeezing parameter. Temperature is an enhancing function for Eckert number and nanoparticles volume fraction. Entropy generation is augmented with radiation parameter, Prandtl, and Eckert numbers. The Casson, porosity, magnetic field, and rotation parameters were reduced while the squeezing and suction parameters increased the velocity profile along x-direction. The porosity parameter increased the Bejan number while the Eckert and Prandtl numbers decreased the Bejan number. Skin friction was enhanced with increasing the Casson, porosity, and magnetic parameters while it decreased with enhancing rotation and squeezing parameters. All these impacts have been shown via graphs. The influences by fluid flow parameters over skin friction and Nusselt number are accessible through tables.
Environmental Education for Students from School to University: Case Study on Biorefineries
Authors: Nogales-Delgado Sergio , Encinar Martín José María
Published: July 2019

Universities play an important role in society. On the other hand, more and more governments and international organizations are concerned about the environment. Thus, both in their educational programs and research, as well as in the case of public exhibitions, universities are increasingly including subjects related to the environment and its preservation. In the case of Spain, there are fewer university students than ten years ago (from approximately 140,000 to fewer than 130,000), and the number of students interested in technical and scientific degrees has equally decreased. Consequently, the importance of fostering a scientific culture with concerns in environmental issues is continuously increasing, from schools to universities. The role of real scientific environments, such as laboratories devoted to scientific research, could be an important support for environmental divulgation, as most research carried out at universities have to do with these subjects. The aim of this work was to show a specific case of environmental education in a laboratory devoted to the production of biodiesel and biolubricants, covering a wide range of academic levels and, depending on the audience, selecting the right content (both theoretical and practical). This guide was useful for the laboratory technicians, increasing the interest of the audience (considering the expositions good or excellent, depending on the academic level, and gaining enough or excellent knowledge about biorefineries).
Hardware Friendly Robust Synthetic Basis Feature Descriptor
Authors: Zhang Dong , Raven Lindsey Ann , Lee Dah-Jye , Yu Meng , Desai Alok
Published: July 2019

Finding corresponding image features between two images is often the first step for many computer vision algorithms. This paper introduces an improved synthetic basis feature descriptor algorithm that describes and compares image features in an efficient and discrete manner with rotation and scale invariance. It works by performing a number of similarity tests between the feature region surrounding the feature point and a predetermined number of synthetic basis images to generate a feature descriptor that uniquely describes the feature region. Features in two images are matched by comparing their descriptors. By only storing the similarity of the feature region to each synthetic basis image, the overall storage size is greatly reduced. In short, this new binary feature descriptor is designed to provide high feature matching accuracy with computational simplicity, relatively low resource usage, and a hardware friendly design for real-time vision applications. Experimental results show that our algorithm produces higher precision rates and larger number of correct matches than the original version and other mainstream algorithms and is a good alternative for common computer vision applications. Two applications that often have to cope with scaling and rotation variations are included in this work to demonstrate its performance.
Miniature DC-DC Boost Converter for Driving Display Panel of Notebook Computer
Authors: Ham Seok-Hyeong , Choe Hyung-Jin
Published: July 2019

This paper proposes a miniature DC-DC boost converter to drive the display panel of a notebook computer. To reduce the size of the circuit, the converter was designed to operate at a switching frequency of 1 MHz. The power conversion efficiency improved using a passive snubber circuit that consisted of one inductor, two capacitors, and two diodes; it reduced the switching losses by lowering the voltage stress of the switch and increased the voltage gain using charge pumping operations. An experimental converter was fabricated at 2.5 cm × 1 cm size using small components, and tested at input voltage 5 V ≤ VIN ≤ 17.5 V and output current 30 mA ≤ IO ≤ 150 mA. Compared to existing boost converters, the proposed converter had ~7.8% higher power conversion efficiency over the entire range of VIN and IO, only ~50% as much voltage stress of the switch and diodes, and a much lower switch temperature TSW = 49.5 °C. These results indicate that the proposed converter is a strong candidate for driving the display panel of a notebook computer.
Thermal Properties of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Lightweight Substrate for Ecological Slope Protection
Authors: Ma Qiang , Huang Chaogang , Xiao Henglin , Chen Qingsheng
Published: July 2019

A new ecological substrate is proposed to achieve a desired electric conduction and heating to protect the slope plants from freeze injury. Expanded polystyrene (EPS), cement, carbon fiber, graphite, and raw soil are the main components of the ecological substrate. The electrical conductivity, heating efficiency, thermo-sensitivity, and heat preservation of the substrate are experimentally investigated. The result shows that the addition of carbon fiber could significantly decrease resistivity of substrate, but the effect of fiber content exceeding 3% on the resistivity of substrate becomes insignificant. Conductive fine materials (i.e., carbon fiber and graphite powder) covering the surface of EPS would result in a significant reduction of the global resistivity of non-dry substrate, but it could only slightly affect the counterpart of the completely dry substrates. The substrate could hardly be formed when the EPS content exceeds 4%. As EPS content increases, the contact surface decreases and the resistivity of the substrate increases. The peak temperature at 30 min of substrate without root is higher than that of substrate with plant roots. Nevertheless, the temperature alteration ratio below 40 °C of substrate with plant root is nearly the same as its counterpart in the substrate without roots. The resistance of the substrate with plant roots increases with the temperature. The resistance of rootless substrate decreases by the heat action of the loosely bound water. EPS particles improve the heat preservation performance of substrate, but the heat preservation performance of substrate degrades with the growth of plants.