bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pharmaceutical development with commercialization of generic drugs with poor soluble substance – tablets of drug nimodipine
Authors: Schykovskiy O. E. , Кrutskikh Т. V.
Published: October 2018

The pharmaceutical development of solid dosage forms which containing a poor soluble substance deserves special attention, because a composition and a technology of production such drugs directly effects on release the active pharmaceutical ingredient in the human body and, as a consequence, on pharmacological effectiveness of this drug. The search of therapeutically effective, economically viable and industrially reproducible technology for the production of such drugs is very important for the pharmaceutical industry.

The purpose of our work was the pharmaceutical development of the generic drug, which contains a poor soluble in water substance nimodipine. The subject of the research is the substance nimodipine and the samples of tablets obtained with the help of various technological methods from this substance. All analytical and pharmaco-technological researches were implemented according to generally accepted methods that accordance with the requirements of the State Pharmacopoeia of Ukraine.

Laboratory batches were developed using technological methods of physical modification of a substance, such as: micronization, sonocrystalllization, solid dispersion by melting, solid dispersion by solvent evaporation, complexation with β-cyclodextrins. Researches of the comparative in vitro dissolution kinetics of substance nimodipin from these laboratory batches made it possible to establish optimal technology for the commercial production of a generic drug. Researches on influence quantity of disintegrant and lubricant in the composition of tablets on the pharmacopoeial parameters of the quality were done.

According to the results of the pharmaceutical development, it can be argued that the use of the technological method for production a solid dispersion with the aid of a solvent is most appropriate for the production of tablets of a generic drug with a substance nimodipine, which is confirmed by the results of the comparative in vitro dissolution kinetics in three media and clinical trials. The required quantity of disintegrat (not less than 2.5% per tablet) and lubricant (not less than 0.4% per tablet) in the composition of generic tablets were defined.
Identification and quantitative determination of the flavonoids of the complex dense extract of st. john's wort herb and pot marigold flowers
Authors: Shostak T. A. , Kalyniuk T. G. , Vronska L.V.
Published: October 2018

Common Saint-John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) and pot marigold (Calendula officinalis) are rich in such biologically active substances (BAS) as carotene, ascorbic acid, essential oils, vitamins, tannin and resinous substances, as well as flavonoids that bear evident wound healing properties and antiulcerous properties.

The object of this study was BAR composition of the complex dense herb extract of St. John's wort and flowers of marigolds (1:10). In order to introduce a new herbal substance into medical practice, it is necessary to develop methods for its identification and quantification.

The TLC [thin layer chromatography] method was used to identify the BAR in the extract under study, and the method of absorption spectrophotometry was proposed for quantification of the content of flavonoids.

As a result of the conducted research, there were selected characteristic substances - identification markers of the extract, the choice of which was in accordance with the requirements of the SPF on the quality of the herb of St. John's wort and the flowers of pot marigold, and there was indicated the position and coloring of the zones in the chromatographic profile of the tested extract solution. Such approach will enable objective identification of the extract as a substance and as an active pharmaceutical ingredient in the formulation.

The criterion for quantitative standardization of the complex dense extract is the content of the amount of flavonoids not less than 1.5% in terms of hyperoside and dry substance.
Economic aspects of pharmacotherapy of servicemen with injury and wound of the brain
Authors: Shmatenko A. P. , Rumyancev Yu. V. , Vlasenko O. M. , Pleshkova O. V.
Published: October 2018

The fighting in the area of the antiterrorist operation led to a large number of injuries among servicemen who are serving in the east of the country. Injuries and wound of the brain occupy about 35–40% among the total level of injury. and mortality in severe traumatic brain injury is 70%. All this has determined the relevance of the study of medical treatment of servicemen with injury and wound of the brain., Numerous pharmacotherapeutic schemes have been proposed for the treatment of victims with this pathology, aimed at preventing brain hypoxia, improving metabolic processes, normalizing life support functions and intracranial pressure, and the price range of pharmacotherapy of this pathology varies considerably, that’s why the aim of our work is to establish the cost indicators of the main directions of pharmacotherapy of affected servicemen with injury and wound of the brain.The main directions of the pharmacotherapy of injuries and wounds of the brain have been identified as a result of the analysis of the scientific literature and primary medical documentation, which include: normalization of life-supporting functions and brain metabolism; treatment of intracranial hypertension; restoration of microcirculation and cerebral circulation; elimination of excitation and convulsions; antibacterial, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, blood-resuscitating and symptomatic therapy.

Analysis of the dependence of the cost of treatment on the severity of the affected servicemen with injury and wound of the brain showed that the most expensive is the pharmacotherapy of severe injuries and wounds, the average cost of treatment of the affected is 139,98 UAH for 1 patient per day. The average cost of medicines for the treatment of servicemen with injuries and wounds of medium and mild severity was 67,23 and 42,26 UAH per day respectively

We analyzed the total costs spent on these directions of pharmacotherapy and found that the greatest cost is characterized by the costs of normalizing brain metabolism, the costs are 1 261,21 UAH per patient, this accounts for 38% of the total cost of medicines. Also, the most expensive directions are antibacterial – 649,27 UAH (19%) and analgesic therapy – 375,90 UAH (11%). The least expenses are expended on anti-inflammatory therapy, the cost of which is 19,96 UAH.

Analyzing the daily cost of one day of treatment of affected it was found that the most expensive are the first 7 days of treatment.
Pharmaco-technological researches for development of sachet composition
Authors: Tryhubchak O. V. , Gureyeva S. N. , Yuryeva O. A. , Goy А. М.
Published: October 2018

In the article it is presented data on the relevance of drugs from the group of analgesics-antipyretics in the form of fast dissolving solid dosage forms and excipients for its manufacture are described. The advantages of a sachet as a solid dosage form are described. For developing a sachet with anti-inflammatory properties, the features of active pharmaceutical ingredients interrelation and their physicochemical properties, which determine the technology, are shown.

The purpose of this work was to select the excipients for improvement the pharmaco-technological and organoleptic characteristics of the sachet.

We studied 27 excipients 5 functional groups. The experiment is based on the Latin cube of the second order. Technology was the mixing of components. The obtained mass was tested twice on pharmaco-technological parameters and the characteristics of the solution. Experimental data were subjected to statistical analysis by the method of dispersion analysis. The results were expressed using ranked rows of benefits and bar charts.

The results of the study present the effect of excipients from groups of alkaline and acid fractions, dyes, flavors, fillers on the quality of the sachets. The results of the study show that the different tested excipients show the greatest influence on appearance of the mass, bulk density, density after shrinkage, Carr`s index, fluidity, angle of the slope, mass loss in drying, solution appearance, solution smell, solution taste and pH of the solution.

Generalized results of dispersion analysis showed that calcium phosphate, citric anhydrous acid, maleic acid, curcumin, lemon-lime flavor and sugar powder improve the pharmacological-technological and organoleptic characteristics of the studied sachet.

In the result of the work, the selection of excipients in the development of a sachet is scientifically substantiated. The influence of the exipiences nature on the pharmaco-technological indicators sachets and organoleptic properties was studied. It was selected the excipients for the optimal sachet composition with anti-inflammatory properties.
A MULHER DENTRO DOS MOVIMENTOS SOCIAIS DO CAMPO: Emancipações em disputa no âmbito da construção de protagonismos
Authors: Lage Allene
Published: October 2018

Este artigo reúne os resultados do projeto de produtividade científica A MULHER NOS MOVIMENTOS SOCIAIS DO CAMPO. Identidades, saberes de luta e educação. Um estudo comparado entre as mulheres do Movimento Sem Terra e as do Movimento das Mulheres Trabalhadoras Rurais, financiado pelo CNPq. O projeto tratou de vários fenômenos inerentes às questões da mulher dentro dos movimentos sociais do campo, tais os processos sociais de (in)visibilização produzidos sobre as mulheres camponesas, as estratégias de luta adotadas pelas mulheres dentro dos movimentos sociais para a sua afirmação no âmbito das relações de gênero, as violências contra a mulher e o trabalho pedagógico de dentro dos movimentos sociais do campo em Pernambuco para a igualdade de nas relações de gênero, as repercussões no interior dos movimentos sociais referentes às dimensões de raça, etnia, geração e orientação sexual das mulheres que participam do movimento, as vivências que provocam a construção de novos processos identitários, os protagonismos das mulheres no contexto da função social da terra dentro dos movimentos sociais do campo em Pernambuco, e as aprendizagens políticas que as trabalhadoras rurais ensinam às suas filhas; o que refletiu os objetivos específicos do projeto de produtividade e que, para sua realização foram divididos em sub-projetos. Esta pesquisa foi fundamentada pelo Método do Caso Alargado (SANTOS, 1983) por proporcionar um exame mais abrangente sobre as várias implicações do estudo da mulher dentro dos movimentos sociais do campo em Pernambuco. As nossas conclusões apontam que as experiências dessas mulheres dentro desses movimentos sociais, as colocam numa luta por emancipações cotidiana, onde se constroem protagonistas nas lutas por cidadania.
UM PASSEIO PELO SHOPPING CENTER EM BUSCA DE... GÊNERO E INFÂNCIA!!
Authors: Meireles Gabriela Silveira
Published: October 2018

Este artigo foi produzido a partir de um ensaio fotográfico realizado para a disciplina Fotografia e Cultura Visual do Curso Mídias na Educação da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora no mês de dezembro de 2017. A proposta consistiu em registrar aspectos do gênero relacionado à infância em um shopping center, na cidade de Juiz de Fora. A princípio, o que comumente é uma atividade cotidiana, transformou-se em uma atividade de pesquisa. Assim, bastou sair do elevador e não tirei mais o dedo polegar do meu Iphone! Uma experiência inquietante, desconfortante, cheia de constatações importantes sobre como o nosso mundo é generificado e, mais ainda, como os produtos voltados para o consumo infantil também estão totalmente generificados! Para ampliar meu olhar, me embasei nos Estudos Culturais, para compreender que esses produtos também são capazes de educar as crianças, ou seja, que há uma pedagogia cultural no shopping center que ensina algo a essas crianças.
ENTREVISTA COM LUIS FELIPE MIGUEL: O Golpe de 2016 e o Futuro da Democracia no Brasil
Authors: Feitosa Cleyton
Published: October 2018

Cleyton Feitosa Pereira entrevista Luis Felipe Miguel, professor do Instituto de Ciência Política da Universidade de Brasília. Duração: 76 minutos e 47 segundos. Data: 24 de abril de 2018. Local: Instituto de Ciência Política da Universidade de Brasília - IPOL/UnB, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brasil.
MOVIMENTOS SOCIAIS, PARTICIPAÇÃO E INCIDÊNCIA NAS POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS LOCAIS
Authors: Moreira Orlandil De Lima , Santiago Idalina Maria Lima Freitas
Published: October 2018

A presença dos movimentos sociais no cenário político brasileiro faz parte de sua história política, com participação em diferentes momentos históricos, tendo como um dos seus eixos de atuação a luta pela democratização do Estado e da sociedade. Nos períodos de autoritarismo vividos no Brasil, os movimentos sociais resistiram aos regimes ditatoriais, com destaque para o período mais recente de ditadura civil militar de 1964 a 1985. Nesse período, foram interrompidas a participação social e ampliação da democracia. Mesmo sob o regime autoritário, os anos de 1980 foram marcados pela ampliação das mobilizações sociais, destacando-se como a “década da participação”. A promulgação da Constituição em 1988 representou uma conquista para o fortalecimento da democracia e dos direitos sociais. Nesse contexto a participação os espaços públicos institucionais foram se ampliando, e fortalecendo a constituição de uma esfera pública, até então fragilizada. O artigo tem como objetivo problematizar a incidência dos movimentos sociais nas políticas públicas no âmbito local, destacando os avanços e conquistas frente ao conservadorismo do poder local para a participação cidadã na elaboração das políticas públicas. A presença dos movimentos sociais teve papel importante nesse processo como atores coletivos relevantes para as mudanças políticas acontecidas no Brasil. Trata-se de um movimento de renovação da cultura política que tem contribuído para a efetivação da democracia participativa como assegura a Constituição de 1988.
EPISTEMOLOGIAS SUBVERSIVAS EM LABORATÓRIO – O LAMPEAR E O MOVIMENTO OCUPA CERES NA UFRN
Authors: Mariana Fernando Bomfim , Araújo Laiza Brunett Alves de
Published: October 2018

Durante o ano de 2016, diversos movimentos sociais se insurgiram contra as políticas econômicas alavancadas pelos Governo Federal, em especial a PEC 55. Na Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, o LABORATÓRIO INTERNACIONAL DE MOVIMENTOS SOCIAIS E EDUCAÇÃO POPULAR (LAMPEAR) e o MOVIMENTO OCUPA CERES realizaram diversas ações diretas e atividades acadêmicas voltadas para a indissociabilidade entre produção de conhecimento e emancipação social, possibilitando novas formas de aprendizagem intrínsecas à luta social. Este artigo revela alguns pressupostos teóricos dinamizados pelo LAMPEAR e um relato de caso das ocupações desencadeadas pelos estudantes na UFRN através do MOVIMENTO OCUPA CERES.
APONTAMENTOS SOBRE A VIOLÊNCIA CONTRA A MULHER NA POLÍTICA INSTITUCIONAL BRASILEIRA
Authors: Amorim Elba Ravane Alves , Albuquerque Juliene Tenório de
Published: October 2018

O presente artigo tem como objeto de estudo a violência contra mulher na arena política e foi desenvolvido a partir de referenciais teóricos de Pierre Bourdieu, Heleieth Saffioti, Flávia Biroli e Luis Felipe Miguel. A pesquisa qualitativa teve como objetivo geral analisar a violência contra mulher na arena política no Brasil. São objetivos específicos identificar ocorrências de violência contra a mulher no Brasil; Refletir a ausência de marcos legais para o enfrentamento a esse tipo de violência e debater a relação entre a violência contra mulher na arena política e a baixa representatividade das mulheres nos espaços de poder. Na sociedade e na democracia brasileira homens e mulheres ainda não têm as mesmas condições e recursos para exercerem seus direitos políticos. Frente a essa realidade, o estudo mostra-se relevante, uma vez que são poucas as produções científicas que abordam o a relação entre violência e participação política das mulheres no Brasil.
Defying the Law of the Land: The Lawyer's Role in Civil Disobedience in Canada
Authors: Bolger Ellen
Published: October 2018

A lawyer’s role in relation to the issue of civil disobedience is far from settled. Lawyers advocate for values such as “truth” and “justice;” however, they are also instructed to respect the rule of law and the legislature’s role in creating laws and policy. Due to the tension between values and law, lawyers must choose which clients to represent as well as determine what constitutes effective counsel. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms adds another complex dimension to this dilemma because of the fine line between “civil disobedience” and the assertion of Charter rights through test case litigation. It is easy to look back at historical moments, such as the civil rights movement, and recognize when civil disobedience is justified. However, we do not always have the luxury of hindsight, and we must not deny that there are legitimate reasons to practice civil disobedience today. The legal history of Dr. Henry Morgentaler is an example of the juxtaposition between advocacy and policy. Throughout his legal battles, Dr. Morgentaler was labelled a criminal who performed civil disobedience, but who is now highly regarded as someone who fought for Charter rights. Therefore, with competing obligations to one’s client, fellow lawyers, and the public in general, lawyers must chart their own ethical course in these matters.
Separation Anxiety in Canines and Potential Mitigation Options
Authors: Schlehahn Danielle Rose
Published: October 2018

Separation anxiety is a very common disorder that many domestic dogs suffer from. It comes second only to aggression in terms of behavioural disorders reported and is the most common anxiety disorder in dogs. Canine separation anxiety has a vast range of symptoms, including excessive vocalisation, destruction, inappropriate elimination, hypersalivation, and restlessness. Since these symptoms only occur in the absence of the owner and vary between dogs, separation anxiety is exceedingly difficult to diagnose. This disorder is potentially affected by numerous factors, including gender, breed, existing behavioural issues, the degree of attachment to the owner, and environmental factors, such as the source of the dog. Fortunately, options for anxiety mitigation exist, including proper training of the dog, as well as medications such as fluoxetine and clomipramine. It is imperative that a proper diagnosis and treatment is given to the dog early in the condition, as this disorder can negatively affect both the mental and physical health of the dog, as well as the owner-dog relationship. Unfortunately, the daily struggles of managing dogs with such a disorder take a toll on the owners. This potentially results in the all too common decision to surrender the dog to a shelter, and potentially euthanasia. Ultimately, this disorder still requires future research in many aspects, in order to better the lives of both the dog and its owners.
Pengaruh Profitabilitas, Umur Perusahaan Dan Ukuran Perusahaan Terhadap Ketepatan Waktu Penyampaian Laporan Keuangan Perusahaan
Authors: Astuti Widia , Erawati Teguh
Published: October 2018

Financial information will have benefits if delivered on time to the wearer who is closely related to the agency theory (agency theory) where in the theory of this agency explained that the owner oversees the agency (employee) to perform more efficient performance. The value of timeliness of financial reporting is important for the level of benefit of the report. This study aims to test the profitability, age of the company and the size of the company to the timeliness of corporate financial reporting. The sample of this study consists of 13 food and beverage companies with 65 financial report data listed on the Stock Exchange 2012-2016. To test the hypothesis, used secondary data with purposive sampling method. Data analysis techniques used logistic regression analysis. After the data in the analysis, found that the profitability variable has a significance value of 0.045 means that the hypothesis X1 positive effect on timeliness of corporate financial reporting due to the significance value less than 0.05. Variable of company age have significance value equal to 0,066 and company size have significance value equal to 0,412 meaning hypothesis X2 and X3 have no effect to variable Y because significance value greater than 0,05.
Pengaruh Konvergensi International Financial Reporting Standards (Ifrs) Terhadap Penghindaran Pajak(Tax Avoidance)
Authors: Wahidah Umi , Ayem Sri
Published: October 2018

This research aimed to examine the effect of the convergence of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) on tax avoidance on companies listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange. Tax avoidance that used in this research was Cash Efective Tax Rate (CETR). This research is also use the control variable to get other different influence that different such as CSR, size, and earning management (EM. This research used populations sector of transport service companies that listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange. The data of this research taken from secondary data that was from the Indonesia Stock Exchange in the form of Indonesian Capital Market Directory (ICMD) and the annual report of the company 2011-2015. The method of collecting sample was purposive sampling technique, the population that to be sampling in this research was populations that has the criteria of a particular sample. Companies that has the criteria of the research sample as many as 78 companies. The method of analysis used in this research is multiple regression analysis. Based on regression testing shows that the convergence of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) has a positiveand significant impact on tax evasion. This shows that IFRS convergence actually improves tax evasion practices. The control variables of firm size and earnings management also significantly influence the application of IFRS in improving tax avoidance practices, while CSR control variables have no role in convergence IFRS in improving tax evasion practice.
INTEGRASI PENDIDIKAN DAN IMPLIKASINYA TERHADAP LEMBAGA PENDIDIKAN DI INDONESIA
Authors: Rusdiyanto Rusdiyanto
Published: October 2018

Wacana Integrasi di Indonesia sudah lama digaungkan sebagaimana yang tertuang dalam UUSPN Nomor 20 Tahun 2003 pasal 30 yang mewajibkan penyelenggaraan pendidikan Agama pada semua strata pendidikan sebagai bentuk kesadaran bersama untuk mencapai kualitas hidup yang utuh. Pelaksanaan pendidikan memiliki dua misi utama yaitu pembinaan daya intelektual dan pembinaan daya moral, Mensinergikan sains dan Islam (Agama) merupakan sesuatu yang sangat penting, bahkan keharusan, karena dengan mengabaikan nilai-nilai Agama dalam perkembangan sains dan tekhnologi akan melahirkan dampak negatif yang luar biasa. Dampak negatif dari kecendurungan mengabaikan nilai-nilai (moral Agama) bisa kita lihat secara emperik pada perilaku korup dan lain sebagaianya yang dilakukan oleh manusia dimuka bumi ini dengan munggunakan kekuatan sains dan tekhnolog. Fokus Pembahasan:  Apa Pengertian Integrasi Pendidikan dan Bagaimana Implikasinya terhadap lembaga Pendidikan di Indonesia.
PENGAJARAN MENGGUNAKAN METODE KAISA DALAM MENGHAFAL AL QURAN PADA ANAK
Authors: Salamah Umi
Published: October 2018

Metode kaisa adalah cara menghafal al-Quran yang berorientasi pada hafalan dan pemahaman ayat al-Quran beserta artinya melalui gerakan atau kinestetik yang disesuaikan dengan arti setiap ayat sehingga memberikan kemudahan santri untuk memahami dan mengingat setiap ayat al-Quran yang diberikan. Tahapan metode kaisa : Guru memberi salam, menyiapkan atau memberi aba-aba kepada santri persiapan proses belajar mengajar, presensi kehadiran santri, membaca basmalah dan doa sebelum belajar, Murojaah atau mengulang hafalan, tambahan hafalan dengan membaca ayat perkata dengan gerakan/kinestetik, menjelaskan hukum tajwid serta maknanya/tafsirnya, santri melafalkan ayat secara berulang-ulang sampai ayat tersebut dihafal, satu per satu santri melafalkan ayat sesuai hukum tajwidnya dan menerjemahkan per kata, guru menyimak hafalan ayat yang dihafalkan oleh masing-masing santri, guru membenarkan jika ada kesalahan dengan hukum tajwid serta artinya, setelah ayat pertama dihafal, guru membimbing santri untuk lanjut ke ayat berikutnya dengan perlakuan yang sama, merefleksi pembelajaran dengan memberi game sambung ayat (yaitu hafalan surat-surat secara berkesin- ambungan), penutup pembelajaran dengan doa senandung al-Quran dan doa kafaratul majelis secara berjamaah.
Enhancing Students� Writing Skill Through Blogging
Authors: Apriani Luthfiyah , Melati Melati
Published: October 2018

Nowadays, people are expected to be able to write and literate. As one of the important skills in language learning, writing has been considered as an important role in all aspects of life. In order to help our students having a good skill in writing, the use of technology is chosen to be integrated in the learning process. And Blogging is one of the activity that can be used to motivate the students to write actively and constructively. By using blog, teachers can help students to write constructively, promote student�s autonomy and enhance their motivation.
The Significance of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1918
Authors: Paterson Lindsay
Published: October 2018

The Education (Scotland) Act of 1918 was the most influential piece of legislation governing Scottish education in the twentieth century, and the system which it established is still essentially in place today. Yet it is remembered now mostly because of one of its provisions – setting up a mechanism by which Catholic schools could transfer from the ownership of the Church to that of the locally elected Education Authorities. Significant though that arrangement was, its importance lies in its being an instance of the Act's wider framework of promoting the liberal universalism that became Scotland's guiding social principle in the ensuing century.
Falling Through the Cracks: The Cost of the School Day for Families Living in In-work and Out-of-work Poverty
Authors: Treanor Morag
Published: October 2018

Poverty is known to deleteriously affect children's experience of, and success in, education. One facet of this relationship is the financial costs associated with full participation in education in what has become known as the ‘cost of the school day’. This paper draws on a small-scale longitudinal qualitative study of families living in poverty, drawn from a wider study called the ‘Early Warning System’, carried out in collaboration with the Child Poverty Action Group Scotland. The paper explores the experiences of parents in out-of-work and in-work poverty, and cycling between the two, in relation to school costs for their children and the effects this has on their wider financial situation. The findings show that families experiencing in-work poverty, especially those who have recently moved from receipt of out-of-work benefits, face the financial hurdle of not being entitled to passported benefits such as free school meals, school clothing grants, and initiatives such as schools’ subsidies of activities and trips. The longitudinal aspects of the study design allow the impacts that changes in entitlement to benefits have on families. The paper concludes that the costs of the school day can be unseen and not well understood by educators but keenly felt by children and families living in low-income and makes recommendations to mitigate this.
Explorative Study on Isolation and Characterization of a Microviridae G4 Bacteriophage, EMCL318, against Multi-Drug-resistant Escherichia coli 15-318
Authors: Ghosh Soumya , Persad Emma , Shiue Ting-Yun , Lam Cindy , Islam Afsana , Mascibroda Lauren G. , Sherman Michael B. , Smith Thomas , Cheeptham Naowarat
Published: October 2018

Bacteriophages screened and isolated from sewage water samples exhibited antibacterial activities against multi-drug-resistant Escherichia coli strains. Five different water samples from Canadian habitats such as Kamloops Wastewater Treatment Center, Domtar, the Pacific Ocean, Bisaro Anima Cave, and alkali ponds, were used in this study. Four Enterobacteriaceae strains including one non-resistant and three clinical multi-drug Escherichia coli strains (E. coli 15-102, E. coli 15-124, and E. coli 15-318) were selected as target bacteria to screen for the bacteriophages from these collected water samples. Seeded agar assay technique was implemented for the screening. It was found that only sewage water sample exhibited a significant number of plaques count with the E. coli 15-318 (1.82 × 102 plaques/plate) cells in comparison to E. coli non-resistant strain K12 (8 plaques/plate). The phage did not produce plaques in the E. coli 15-124 and E. coli 15-102 strains. The bacteriophage, designated EMCL318, was isolated, purified, characterized, and identified to belong to the G4 species of the Family Microviridae, GenBank accession number MG563770. This is an explorative study conducted in order to reveal the viruses as alternative potentials to fight against emerging and existing multi-drug-resistant infectious diseases.
Heat Sepsis Precedes Heat Toxicity in the Pathophysiology of Heat Stroke—A New Paradigm on an Ancient Disease
Authors: Lim Chin Leong
Published: October 2018

Heat stroke (HS) is an ancient illness dating back more than 2000 years and continues to be a health threat and to cause fatality during physical exertion, especially in military personnel, fire-fighters, athletes, and outdoor laborers. The current paradigm in the pathophysiology and prevention of HS focuses predominantly on heat as the primary trigger and driver of HS, which has not changed significantly for centuries. However, pathological and clinical reports from HS victims and research evidence from animal and human studies support the notion that heat alone does not fully explain the pathophysiology of HS and that HS may also be triggered and driven by heat- and exercise-induced endotoxemia. Exposure to heat and exercise stresses independently promote the translocation of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from gram-negative bacteria in the gut to blood in the circulatory system. Blood concentration of LPS can increase to a threshold that triggers the systemic inflammatory response, leading to the downstream ramifications of cellular and organ damage with sepsis as the end point i.e., heat sepsis. The dual pathway model (DPM) of HS proposed that HS is triggered by two independent pathways sequentially along the core temperature continuum of >40 °C. HS is triggered by heat sepsis at Tc < 42 °C and by the heat toxicity at Tc > 42 °C, where the direct effects of heat alone can cause cellular and organ damage. Therefore, heat sepsis precedes heat toxicity in the pathophysiology of HS.
Distribution of Anticancer Drugs in River Waters and Sediments of the Yodo River Basin, Japan
Authors: Azuma Takashi
Published: October 2018

This article reviews the pollution status of anticancer drugs present in the Yodo River basin located in the Kansai district of Japan, covering both the soluble and insoluble (adsorbed on the river sediments and suspended solids) levels. Procedures ranging from sampling in the field and instrumental analytical methods to the data processing for mass balance estimation of the target basin are also described. All anticancer drugs concerned with this article were detected in sewage and river waters, where the presence of bicalutamide (BLT) was identified at considerably high concentrations (maximum 254 ng/L in the main stream, 151 ng/L in tributaries, and 1032 ng/L in sewage treatment plant (STP) effluents). In addition, sorption distribution coefficient (logKd) values showed a tendency to become higher in the silty sediments at Suita Bridge than in the sandy sediments at Hirakata Bridge; these trends were supported by the results of the laboratory-scale sorption experiment. STPs were concluded to be the main sources of the anticancer drug load in the river, and a mass flux evaluation revealed that the effect of attenuation in the river environment was small. The effectiveness of ozonation in the sewage treatment process for removal of these anticancer drugs was further confirmed. The present article should be of value for facilitating the environmental risk assessment of a wide range of drugs in a broader geographical area.
400GbE Technology Demonstration Using CFP8 Pluggable Modules
Authors: Yue Yang , Wang Qiang , Yao Jian , O’Neil Jason , Pudvay Daniel , Anderson Jon
Published: October 2018

In this article, we first review the current status of 400GBASE client-side optics standards and multi-source agreements (MSAs). We then compare different form factors for 400GE modules, including CFP8, OSFP and QSFP-DD. The essential techniques to implement 400GE, such as pulse amplitude modulation (PAM4), forward error correction (FEC) and a continuous time-domain linear equalizer (CTLE), are discussed. A 400GE physical interface card (PIC) in Juniper’s PTX5000 platform has been developed, conforming to the latest IEEE802.3bs standard. To validate the PIC’s performance, a commercial optical network tester (ONT) and the PIC are optically interconnected through two CFP8-LR8 modules. The CFP8-LR8 module utilizes eight optical wavelengths through coarse wavelength division multiplexing (CWDM). Each wavelength carries 50 Gb/s PAM4 signal. The signal transmits through 10 km of single mode fiber (SMF). The ONT generates framed 400GE signal and sends it to the PIC through the first CFP8 module. The PIC recovers the signal, performs an internal loopback, and sends 400GE signal back to the ONT through the second CFP8 module. The optical spectrum, eye diagram, receiver sensitivity, long time soaking results, and internal digital diagnosis monitoring (DDM) result are fully characterized. The pre-FEC bit error rate (BER) is well below the KP4 FEC threshold of 2.2 × 10−4. After KP4 FEC, error-free performance over 30 km of SMF is achieved. In this way, we demonstrate both the interoperation between the PIC and the ONT, as well as the interoperation between the two CFP8 modules. This demonstration represents the successful implementation of the 400GE interface in the core IP/MPLS router.
Research of Message Scheduling for In-Vehicle FlexRay Network Static Segment Based on Next Fit Decreasing (NFD) Algorithm
Authors: Jin Shiyi , Liu Mengzhuo , Wu Yujing , Xu Yihu , Zhang Jingnan , Xu Yinan
Published: October 2018

FlexRay is becoming the in-vehicle communication network of the next generation. In this study, the main contents are the FlexRay network static segment scheduling algorithm and optimization strategy, improve the scheduling efficiency of vehicle network and optimize the performance of communication network. The FlexRay static segment characteristic was first analyzed, then selected bandwidth utilization as the performance metrics to scheduling problem. A signal packing method is proposed based on Next Fit Decreasing (NFD) algorithm. Then Frame ID (FID) multiplexing method was used to minimize the number of FIDs. Finally, experimental simulation by CANoe. FlexRay software, that shows the model can quickly obtain the message schedule of each node, effectively control the message payload size and reduced bus payload by 16.3%, the number of FID drops 53.8% while improving bandwidth utilization by 32.8%.
Common Fixed Point Theorems for Generalized Geraghty (α,ψ,ϕ)-Quasi Contraction Type Mapping in Partially Ordered Metric-Like Spaces
Authors: Qawaqneh Haitham , Noorani Mohd , Shatanawi Wasfi , Alsamir Habes
Published: October 2018

The aim of this paper is to establish the existence of some common fixed point results for generalized Geraghty ( α , ψ , ϕ ) -quasi contraction self-mapping in partially ordered metric-like spaces. We display an example and an application to show the superiority of our results. The obtained results progress some well-known fixed (common fixed) point results in the literature. Our main results cannot be specifically attained from the corresponding metric space versions. This paper is scientifically novel because we take Geraghty contraction self-mapping in partially ordered metric-like spaces via α − admissible mapping. This opens the door to other possible fixed (common fixed) point results for non-self-mapping and in other generalizing metric spaces.
Selective Survey on Spaces of Closed Subgroups of Topological Groups
Authors: Protasov Igor V.
Published: October 2018

We survey different topologizations of the set S ( G ) of closed subgroups of a topological group G and demonstrate some applications using Topological Groups, Model Theory, Geometric Group Theory, and Topological Dynamics.
Antioxidants: Positive or Negative Actors?
Authors: Salehi Bahare , Martorell Miquel , Arbiser Jack , Sureda Antoni , Martins Natália , Maurya Pawan , Sharifi-Rad Mehdi , Kumar Pradeep , Sharifi-Rad Javad
Published: October 2018

The term “antioxidant” is one of the most confusing definitions in biological/medical sciences. In chemistry, “antioxidant” is simply conceived “a compound that removes reactive species, mainly those oxygen-derived”, while in a cell context, the conceptual definition of an antioxidant is poorly understood. Indeed, non-clinically recommended antioxidants are often consumed in large amounts by the global population, based on the belief that cancer, inflammation and degenerative diseases are triggered by high oxygen levels (or reactive oxygen species) and that through blocking reactive species production, organic unbalances/disorders can be prevented and/or even treated. The popularity of these chemicals arises in part from the widespread public mistrust of allopathic medicine. In fact, reactive oxygen species play a dual role in dealing with different disorders, since they may contribute to disease onset and/or progression but may also play a key role in disease prevention. Further, the ability of the most commonly used supplements, such as vitamins C, E, selenium, and herbal supplements to decrease pathologic reactive oxygen species is not clearly established. Hence, the present review aims to provide a nuanced understanding of where current knowledge is and where it should go.
Simultaneous Inhibition of MEK and Hh Signaling Reduces Pancreatic Cancer Metastasis
Authors: Gu Dongsheng , Lin Hai , Zhang Xiaoli , Fan Qipeng , Chen Shaoxiong , Shahda Safi , Liu Yunlong , Sun Jie , Xie Jingwu
Published: October 2018

Pancreatic cancer, mostly pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), is one of the most lethal cancer types, with an estimated 44,330 death in 2018 in the US alone. While targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors have significantly improved treatment options for patients with lung cancer and renal cell carcinomas, little progress has been made in pancreatic cancer, with a dismal 5-year survival rate currently at ~8%. Upon diagnosis, the majority of pancreatic cancer cases (~80%) are already metastatic. Thus, identifying ways to reduce pancreatic cancer metastasis is an unmet medical need. Furthermore, pancreatic cancer is notorious resistant to chemotherapy. While Kirsten RAt Sarcoma virus oncogene (K-RAS) mutation is the major driver for pancreatic cancer, specific inhibition of RAS signaling has been very challenging, and combination therapy is thought to be promising. In this study, we report that combination of hedgehog (Hh) and Mitogen-activated Protein/Extracellular Signal-regulated Kinase Kinase (MEK) signaling inhibitors reduces pancreatic cancer metastasis in mouse models. In mouse models of pancreatic cancer metastasis using human pancreatic cancer cells, we found that Hh target gene Gli1 is up-regulated during pancreatic cancer metastasis. Specific inhibition of smoothened signaling significantly altered the gene expression profile of the tumor microenvironment but had no significant effects on cancer metastasis. By combining Hh signaling inhibitor BMS833923 with RAS downstream MEK signaling inhibitor AZD6244, we observed reduced number of metastatic nodules in several mouse models for pancreatic cancer metastasis. These two inhibitors also decreased cell proliferation significantly and reduced CD45+ cells (particularly Ly6G+CD11b+ cells). We demonstrated that depleting Ly6G+ CD11b+ cells is sufficient to reduce cancer cell proliferation and the number of metastatic nodules. In vitro, Ly6G+ CD11b+ cells can stimulate cancer cell proliferation, and this effect is sensitive to MEK and Hh inhibition. Our studies may help design novel therapeutic strategies to mitigate pancreatic cancer metastasis.
A Microstructural and Wear Resistance Study of Stainless Steel-Ag Coatings Produced through Magnetron Sputtering
Authors: España P. Claudia L. , Recco Abel A. C. , Olaya Jhon J.
Published: October 2018

This paper presents a study of the tribological properties of stainless steel coatings with varying Ag contents, deposited via magnetron sputtering. The growth of the coatings was done in Ar and Ar + N2 atmospheres in order to change the crystalline phase in the coating. The analysis of the chemical composition was performed using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and the structural analysis was performed via X-ray diffraction (XRD). The adhesive wear resistance and the friction coefficient were evaluated using the ball-on-disk test with a ball of alumina. The coatings’ adhesion was measured with a scratch tester and the mechanical properties were evaluated with a nanoindenter. The morphology of the films and the wear track were characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). By means of XRD, phases corresponding to the body-centred cubic (BCC) structure were found for the coatings deposited in an inert atmosphere and face-centred cubic (FCC) for those deposited in a reactive atmosphere. A more compact morphology was observed in coatings with a higher silver content. The values of the hardness increased with an increase in the silver content and the presence of nitrogen in the coatings. In the wear traces, mainly mechanisms of oxidative and adhesive wear and plastic deformation were found. The coefficient of friction decreased with an increase of silver in the coatings, whereas the wear rate decreased.
Dissecting Deep Learning Networks—Visualizing Mutual Information
Authors: Fang Hui , Wang Victoria , Yamaguchi Motonori
Published: October 2018

Deep Learning (DL) networks are recent revolutionary developments in artificial intelligence research. Typical networks are stacked by groups of layers that are further composed of many convolutional kernels or neurons. In network design, many hyper-parameters need to be defined heuristically before training in order to achieve high cross-validation accuracies. However, accuracy evaluation from the output layer alone is not sufficient to specify the roles of the hidden units in associated networks. This results in a significant knowledge gap between DL’s wider applications and its limited theoretical understanding. To narrow the knowledge gap, our study explores visualization techniques to illustrate the mutual information (MI) in DL networks. The MI is a theoretical measurement, reflecting the relationship between two sets of random variables even if their relationship is highly non-linear and hidden in high-dimensional data. Our study aims to understand the roles of DL units in classification performance of the networks. Via a series of experiments using several popular DL networks, it shows that the visualization of MI and its change patterns between the input/output with the hidden layers and basic units can facilitate a better understanding of these DL units’ roles. Our investigation on network convergence suggests a more objective manner to potentially evaluate DL networks. Furthermore, the visualization provides a useful tool to gain insights into the network performance, and thus to potentially facilitate the design of better network architectures by identifying redundancy and less-effective network units.
Data-Driven Prediction of Load Curtailment in Incentive-Based Demand Response System
Authors: Kang Jimyung , Lee Soonwoo
Published: October 2018

Demand response, in which energy customers reduce their energy consumption at the request of service providers, is spreading as a new technology. However, the amount of load curtailment from each customer is uncertain. This is because an energy customer can freely decide to reduce his energy consumption or not in the current liberalized energy market. Because this uncertainty can cause serious problems in a demand response system, it is clear that the amount of energy reduction should be predicted and managed. In this paper, a data-driven prediction method of load curtailment is proposed, considering two difficulties in the prediction. The first problem is that the data is very sparse. Each customer receives a request for load curtailment only a few times a year. Therefore, the k-nearest neighbor method, which requires a relatively small amount of data, is mainly used in our proposed method. The second difficulty is that the characteristic of each customer is so different that a single prediction method cannot cover all the customers. A prediction method that provides remarkable prediction performance for one customer may provide a poor performance for other customers. As a result, the proposed prediction method adopts a weighted ensemble model to apply different models for different customers. The confidence of each sub-model is defined and used as a weight in the ensemble. The prediction is fully based on the electricity consumption data and the history of demand response events without demanding any other additional internal information from each customer. In the experiment, real data obtained from demand response service providers verifies that the proposed framework is suitable for the prediction of each customer’s load curtailment.
Energy-Efficiency Performance Analysis and Maximization Using Wireless Energy Harvesting in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Masood Zaki , Jung Sokhee P. , Choi Yonghoon
Published: October 2018

Paradigm shift to wireless power transfer provides opportunities for ultra-low-power devices to increase energy storage from electromagnetic (EM) sources. The notable gain occurs when EM sources deliver information as a meaningful signal with power transfer. Thus, energy harvesting (EH) is an active approach to obtain power from surrounding EM sources that transfer energy deliberately. This paper discusses energy efficiency (EE) trade-offs and EE maximization in simultaneous wireless power and information transfer (SWIPT) for wireless sensor networks (WSNs). The power splitting (PS) and time switching (TS) model for SWIPT are investigated in detail, where EE optimization is essential. This work formulates EE maximization problem as non-linear fractional programming and proposes a novel algorithm to solve the maximization problem using Lagrange dual decomposition. Numerical results reveal that the proposed algorithm maximizes EE in both PS and TS modes through noteworthy improvements.
Integrated Photovoltaic Inverters Based on Unified Power Quality Conditioner with Voltage Compensation for Submarine Distribution System
Authors: Simatupang Desmon Petrus , Choi Jaeho
Published: October 2018

This paper proposes a multi-functional Photovoltaic (PV) inverter based on the Unified Power Quality Conditioner (UPQC) configuration. Power quality improvement is a difficult issue to solve for isolated areas or islands connected to the mainland through long submarine cables. In the proposed system, the line voltage is compensated for by the series inverter while the shunt inverter delivers the PV generating power to the grid. Depending on the technical conditions of power quality and system environment, it has five different operating modes. Especially during poor power quality conditions, the sensitive load is separated from the normal load to provide a different power quality level by using the microgrid conception. In this paper, the control method and the power flow for each mode are described, and the operational performance is verified through a PSiM simulation so that it can be applied to the power quality improvement of weak grid power systems such as in isolated areas or on islands connected to the mainland by long submarine cables.