bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stacking-Based Ensemble Learning of Self-Media Data for Marketing Intention Detection
Authors: Wang Yufeng , Liu Shuangrong , Li Songqian , Duan Jidong , Hou Zhihao , Yu Jia , Ma Kun
Published: July 2019

Social network services for self-media, such as Weibo, Blog, and WeChat Public, constitute a powerful medium that allows users to publish posts every day. Due to insufficient information transparency, malicious marketing of the Internet from self-media posts imposes potential harm on society. Therefore, it is necessary to identify news with marketing intentions for life. We follow the idea of text classification to identify marketing intentions. Although there are some current methods to address intention detection, the challenge is how the feature extraction of text reflects semantic information and how to improve the time complexity and space complexity of the recognition model. To this end, this paper proposes a machine learning method to identify marketing intentions from large-scale We-Media data. First, the proposed Latent Semantic Analysis (LSI)-Word2vec model can reflect the semantic features. Second, the decision tree model is simplified by decision tree pruning to save computing resources and reduce the time complexity. Finally, this paper examines the effects of classifier associations and uses the optimal configuration to help people efficiently identify marketing intention. Finally, the detailed experimental evaluation on several metrics shows that our approaches are effective and efficient. The F1 value can be increased by about 5%, and the running time is increased by 20%, which prove that the newly-proposed method can effectively improve the accuracy of marketing news recognition.
Evaluation of the Bioaccessibility of Antioxidant Bioactive Compounds and Minerals of Four Genotypes of Brassicaceae Microgreens
Authors: de la Fuente Beatriz , López-García Gabriel , Máñez Vicent , Alegría Amparo , Barberá Reyes , Cilla Antonio
Published: July 2019

Microgreens constitute an emerging class of fresh, healthy foods due to their nutritional composition. In this study the content of minerals and antioxidant bioactive compounds, and for the first time bioaccessibility, were evaluated in broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica Plenck), green curly kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica L.), red mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.) and radish (Raphanus sativus L.) hydroponic microgreens. Macro- (K, Ca, Mg) and oligo-elements (Fe, Zn), ascorbic acid, total soluble polyphenols, total carotenoids, total anthocyanins, total isothiocyanates and total antioxidant capacity (Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity and Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) were determined before and after the standardized simulated gastrointestinal digestion process. All microgreens provided relevant amounts of vitamin C (31–56 mg/100 g fresh weight) and total carotenoids (162–224 mg β-carotene/100 g dry weight). Mineral content was comparable to that normally found in hydroponic microgreens and the low potassium levels observed would allow their dietetic recommendation for patients with impaired kidney function. Both total soluble polyphenols and total isothiocyanates were the greatest contributors to the total antioxidant capacity after digestion (43–70% and 31–63% bioaccessibility, respectively) while macroelements showed an important bioaccessibility (34–90%). In general, radish and mustard presented the highest bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds and minerals. Overall, the four hydroponic Brassicaceae microgreens present a wide array of antioxidant bioactive compounds.
Chamorro Roots Genealogy Project: Technological Milestones
Authors: Punzalan Bernard T.
Published: July 2019

With the advent of technology, the Chamorro Roots Genealogy Project has evolved from a personal family project into a CHamoru peoples’ project with a database containing over 344,000 names and globally accessible over the internet. The technological presence is not only for CHamoru-specific genealogists. Its accessibility is also important for an ever-growing CHamoru diaspora population of over 147,798 in the United States, where the majority of the CHamoru population now resides. In this paper, I will discuss some of the Project’s history, technological tools to network, communicate, and collaborate on the Project’s data. This includes the publication of the transcribed 1920 and 1930 Census of Guam with observational comments. The essay concludes with a brief observation of methods, use and results of social media as a key collaborating mechanism that is the genesis for further developing a comprehensive index of CHamoru family clan names and a first name-nickname dictionary. The global accessibility of these resources produced from this Project will continue to add to the availability of CHamoru genealogy resources locally and abroad. More importantly, perhaps it will provide a key data-mining resource for scholars to review and interpret data that will enable another aspect to the knowledge-base of CHamoru history from a genealogical lens.
Transcriptome Profiling of Primary Skin Fibroblasts Reveal Distinct Molecular Features Between PLOD1- and FKBP14-Kyphoscoliotic Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome
Authors: Lim Pei Jin , Lindert Uschi , Opitz Lennart , Hausser Ingrid , Rohrbach Marianne , Giunta Cecilia
Published: July 2019

Kyphoscoliotic Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome (kEDS) is a rare genetic heterogeneous disease clinically characterized by congenital muscle hypotonia, kyphoscoliosis, and joint hypermobility. kEDS is caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in either PLOD1 or FKBP14. PLOD1 encodes the lysyl hydroxylase 1 enzyme responsible for hydroxylating lysyl residues in the collagen helix, which undergo glycosylation and form crosslinks in the extracellular matrix thus contributing to collagen fibril strength. FKBP14 encodes a peptidyl-prolyl cis–trans isomerase that catalyzes collagen folding and acts as a chaperone for types III, VI, and X collagen. Despite genetic heterogeneity, affected patients with mutations in either PLOD1 or FKBP14 are clinically indistinguishable. We aim to better understand the pathomechanism of kEDS to characterize distinguishing and overlapping molecular features underlying PLOD1-kEDS and FKBP14-kEDS, and to identify novel molecular targets that may expand treatment strategies. Transcriptome profiling by RNA sequencing of patient-derived skin fibroblasts revealed differential expression of genes encoding extracellular matrix components that are unique between PLOD1-kEDS and FKBP14-kEDS. Furthermore, we identified genes involved in inner ear development, vascular remodeling, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and protein trafficking that were differentially expressed in patient fibroblasts compared to controls. Overall, our study presents the first transcriptomics data in kEDS revealing distinct molecular features between PLOD1-kEDS and FKBP14-kEDS, and serves as a tool to better understand the disease.
Genome-Wide Investigation and Functional Analysis of Sus scrofa RNA Editing Sites across Eleven Tissues
Authors: Wang Zishuai , Feng Xikang , Tang Zhonglin , Li Shuai Cheng
Published: July 2019

Two errors occurred in the References part of our paper [...]
Natural History of Swallow Function during the Three-Month Period after Stroke
Authors: Arreola Viridiana , Vilardell Natàlia , Ortega Omar , Rofes Laia , Muriana Desiree , Palomeras Ernest , Álvarez-Berdugo Daniel , Clavé Pere
Published: July 2019

Oropharyngeal dysphagia is a prevalent complication following stroke (PS-OD), and one that is sometimes spontaneously recovered. This study describes the natural history of PS-OD between admission and three months post-stroke, and the factors associated with its prevalence and development. PS-OD was assessed with the volume-viscosity swallow test (V-VST) in all stroke patients on admission and at the three-month follow-up. We analyzed clinical, demographic, and neuroanatomical factors of 247 older post-stroke patients (National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) = 3.5 ± 3.8), comparing among those with PS-OD the ones with and without spontaneous recovery. PS-OD prevalence on admission was 39.7% (34.0% impaired safety; 30.8%, efficacy) and 41.7% (19.4% impaired safety; 39.3%, efficacy) at three months. Spontaneous swallow recovery occurred in 42.4% of patients with unsafe and in 29.9% with ineffective swallow, associated with younger age and optimal functional status. However, 26% of post-stroke patients developed new signs/symptoms of ineffective swallow related to poor functional, nutritional and health status, and institutionalization. PS-OD prevalence on admission and at the three-month follow-up was very high in the study population. PS-OD is a dynamic condition with some spontaneous recovery in patients with optimal functional status, but also new signs/symptoms can appear due to poor functionality. Regular PS-OD monitoring is needed to identify patients at risk of nutritional and respiratory complications.
Learning in Practice: Collaboration Is the Way to Improve Health System Outcomes
Authors: Van Dam Pieter J. , Griffin Phoebe , Reeves Nicole S. , Prior Sarah J. , Paton Bronwyn , Verma Raj , Giles Amelia , Kirkwood Lea , Peterson Gregory M.
Published: July 2019

Evidence suggests that it is challenging for universities to develop workplace-relevant content and curricula by themselves, and this can lead to suboptimal educational outcomes. This paper examines the development, implementation, and evaluation of Australia’s first tertiary graduate course in healthcare redesign, a partnership initiative between industry and university. The course not only provides students with an understanding of person-centered sustainable healthcare but also the skills and confidence to design, implement, and evaluate interventions to improve health service delivery. Increasing students’ application of new knowledge has been through work-integrated learning, a pedagogy that essentially integrates theory with the practice of workplace application within a purposely designed curriculum. The specific aim of this study was to examine the outcomes of the course after two years, utilizing an anonymous online survey of graduates. Sixty-two graduates (48%) completed the survey. Kirkpatrick’s four-level evaluation model was used to analyze the data. The analysis revealed high satisfaction levels in relation to the course content and delivery. Through successful completion of the innovative course, students had increased their knowledge of health system redesign methods and, importantly, the ability to translate that knowledge into everyday practice. Graduates of the clinical redesign course reported that they had been able to transfer their skills and knowledge to others in the workplace and lead further improvement projects.
The Assessment of Historic Towns’ Outstanding Universal Value Based on the Interchange of Human Values They Exhibit
Authors: Tawab Ayman Abdel
Published: July 2019

Influences exerted by cultural heritage properties on developments in architecture, town planning, or landscape design represent one of the criteria that are used to evaluate the Outstanding Universal Value of the properties nominated for listing as World Heritage Sites, which is criterion (ii). In 1996, the wording of criterion (ii) was revised to address the interchange of human values exhibited by cultural heritage properties. The main aim of this study was to discuss the changes that occurred to the application of criterion (ii) following the revision of its wording of 1996, particularly in relation to historic towns. The study also aimed at investigating the applicability of the revised version of criterion (ii) to the particularity of the cultural heritage of an Egyptian historic town and a potential World Heritage Site, which is “Historic quarters and monuments of Rosetta/Rachid”. To achieve these aims, a sample of World Heritage Sites, or potential ones, representing both the pre-1996 and the post-1996 historic towns whose Outstanding Universal Value was justified based on criterion (ii), was adopted for the analysis of the changes in the application of criterion (ii). Subsequently, a brief preview of the major features that represent the mutual influences experienced throughout Rosetta’s wider cultural context was carried out. The findings revealed that the prevalent trend in the post-1996 listings of historic towns is the emphasis on other cultures’ influences exerted on the concerned historic towns through interchanges of human values that take the form of exchanges of technical know-how, traditions and religious values. The findings also indicated the applicability of the revised version of criterion (ii) to the particularity of Rosetta’s cultural heritage. The study recommends inscribing Rosetta on the World Heritage List based on criterion (ii).
Hydrological Characteristics and Paradoxes of Mediterranean High-Mountain Water-Bodies of the Sierra-Nevada, SE Spain
Authors: Diaz-Hernandez Jose Luis , Herrera-Martinez Antonio Jose
Published: July 2019

Each lake complex must be understood before attempting any regional synthesis leading us to view these water-bodies as indicators of regional climate change. Therefore, in order to improve knowledge of these Mediterranean biotopes, we examined the dependence of the fringes of hygrophilous communities surrounding the water-bodies (green fringes) on their hydrological and geomorphological features. The climate of the western sector of this massif is cryo–oromediterranean, where thawing produces 53 hm3 of run-off and 11 hm3 of sub-surface flow. Part of this water is stored in 123 water-bodies located from 2480 to 3200 m a.s.l., 72 of which (58%) are located on the south-facing Mediterranean watershed. The total surface of the water sheet is approximately 170,000 m2, and volume is approximately 215,000 m3, of which 140,000 m3 (65%) are stored in the south-facing water-bodies. Green fringes surrounding 84 water-bodies have a total surface area of approximately 186,000 m2. Surprisingly, the more xeric Mediterranean watershed holds 58 such fringes (149,000 m2, 80%) while 26 are found on the Atlantic watershed (38,000 m2, 20%). Green fringes are mainly associated with small water-bodies (<5000 m3), which occupy 148,000 m2 on the Mediterranean watershed, while on the Atlantic side, green fringes occupy 31,000 m2. Sierra Nevada also has 46 times higher water-efficiency in the smaller water-bodies than in the large ones; 16.4 and 335.8 times higher on the Atlantic and Mediterranean watersheds, respectively. The differences in gradient of the massif hillsides must largely explain this uneven behaviour.
Potential Benefits of Nobiletin, A Citrus Flavonoid, against Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Nakajima Akira , Ohizumi Yasushi
Published: July 2019

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which is characterized by the presence of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, accompanied by neurodegeneration, is the most common form of age-related neurodegenerative disease. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after AD, and is characterized by early prominent loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. As currently available treatments are not able to significantly alter the progression of these diseases, successful therapeutic and preventive interventions are strongly needed. In the course of our survey of substances from natural resources having anti-dementia and neuroprotective activity, we found nobiletin, a polymethoxylated flavone from the peel of Citrus depressa. Nobiletin improved cognitive deficits and the pathological features of AD, such as Aβ pathology, hyperphosphorylation of tau, and oxidative stress, in animal models of AD. In addition, nobiletin improved motor and cognitive deficits in PD animal models. These observations suggest that nobiletin has the potential to become a novel drug for the treatment and prevention of neurodegenerative diseases such as AD and PD.
Molecular Docking Guided Grid-Independent Descriptor Analysis to Probe the Impact of Water Molecules on Conformational Changes of hERG Inhibitors in Drug Trapping Phenomenon
Authors: Munawar Saba , Vandenberg Jamie I. , Jabeen Ishrat
Published: July 2019

Human ether a-go-go related gene (hERG) or KV11.1 potassium channels mediate the rapid delayed rectifier current (IKr) in cardiac myocytes. Drug-induced inhibition of hERG channels has been implicated in the development of acquired long QT syndrome type (aLQTS) and fatal arrhythmias. Several marketed drugs have been withdrawn for this reason. Therefore, there is considerable interest in developing better tests for predicting drugs which can block the hERG channel. The drug-binding pocket in hERG channels, which lies below the selectivity filter, normally contains K+ ions and water molecules. In this study, we test the hypothesis that these water molecules impact drug binding to hERG. We developed 3D QSAR models based on alignment independent descriptors (GRIND) using docked ligands in open and closed conformations of hERG in the presence (solvated) and absence (non-solvated) of water molecules. The ligand–protein interaction fingerprints (PLIF) scheme was used to summarize and compare the interactions. All models delineated similar 3D hERG binding features, however, small deviations of about ~0.4 Å were observed between important hotspots of molecular interaction fields (MIFs) between solvated and non-solvated hERG models. These small changes in conformations do not affect the performance and predictive power of the model to any significant extent. The model that exhibits the best statistical values was attained with a cryo_EM structure of the hERG channel in open state without water. This model also showed the best R2 of 0.58 and 0.51 for the internal and external validation test sets respectively. Our results suggest that the inclusion of water molecules during the docking process has little effect on conformations and this conformational change does not impact the predictive ability of the 3D QSAR models.
Th17 Cells and the IL-23/IL-17 Axis in the Pathogenesis of Periodontitis and Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases
Authors: Bunte Kübra , Beikler Thomas
Published: July 2019

Innate immunity represents the semi-specific first line of defense and provides the initial host response to tissue injury, trauma, and pathogens. Innate immunity activates the adaptive immunity, and both act highly regulated together to establish and maintain tissue homeostasis. Any dysregulation of this interaction can result in chronic inflammation and autoimmunity and is thought to be a major underlying cause in the initiation and progression of highly prevalent immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel diseases among others, and periodontitis. Th1 and Th2 cells of the adaptive immune system are the major players in the pathogenesis of IMIDs. In addition, Th17 cells, their key cytokine IL-17, and IL-23 seem to play pivotal roles. This review aims to provide an overview of the current knowledge about the differentiation of Th17 cells and the role of the IL-17/IL-23 axis in the pathogenesis of IMIDs. Moreover, it aims to review the association of these IMIDs with periodontitis and briefly discusses the therapeutic potential of agents that modulate the IL-17/IL-23 axis.
Beyond Open Data Hackathons: Exploring Digital Innovation Success
Authors: Kitsios Fotis , Kamariotou Maria
Published: July 2019

Previous researchers have examined the motivations of developers to participate in hackathons events and the challenges of open data hackathons, but limited studies have focused on the preparation and evaluation of these contests. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine factors that lead to the effective implementation and success of open data hackathons and innovation contests. Six case studies of open data hackathons and innovation contests held between 2014 and 2018 in Thessaloniki were studied in order to identify the factors leading to the success of hackathon contests using criteria from the existing literature. The results show that the most significant factors were clear problem definition, mentors’ participation to the contest, level of support to participants by mentors in order to launch their applications to the market, jury members’ knowledge and experience, the entry requirements of the competition, and the participation of companies, data providers, and academics. Furthermore, organizers should take team members’ competences and skills, as well as the support of post-launch activities for applications, into consideration. This paper can be of interest to organizers of hackathon events because they could be knowledgeable about the factors that should take into consideration for the successful implementation of these events.
Interactions and Sentiment in Personal Finance Forums: An Exploratory Analysis
Authors: Naldi Maurizio
Published: July 2019

The kinds of interactions taking place in an online personal finance forum and the sentiments expressed in its posts may influence the diffusion and usefulness of those forums. We explore a set of major threads on a personal finance forum to assess the degree of participation of posters and the prevailing sentiments. The participation appears to be dominated by a small number of posters, with the most frequent poster contributing even more than a third of all posts. Just a small fraction of all possible direct interactions actually take place. Dominance is also confirmed by the large presence of self-replies (i.e., a poster submitting several posts in succession) and rejoinders (i.e., a poster counter-replying to another poster). Though trust is the prevailing sentiment, anger and fear appear to be present as well, though at a lower level, revealing that posts exhibit both aggressive and defensive tones.
Parthenogenetic Females of the Stick Insect Clitarchus hookeri Maintain Sexual Traits
Authors: Nakano Mari , Morgan-Richards Mary , Godfrey A. Jonathan R. , Clavijo McCormick Andrea
Published: July 2019

The New Zealand stick insect Clitarchus hookeri has both sexual and parthenogenetic (all-female) populations. Sexual populations exhibit a scramble competition mating system with distinctive sex roles, where females are signalers and males are searchers, which may lead to differences in the chemical and morphological traits between sexes. Evidence from a range of insect species has shown a decay of sexual traits is common in parthenogenetic lineages, especially those traits related to mate attraction and location, presumably due to their high cost. However, in some cases, sexual traits remain functional, either due to the recent evolution of the parthenogenetic lineage, low cost of maintenance, or because there might be an advantage in maintaining them. We measured morphological and chemical traits of C. hookeri to identify differences between males and females and between females from sexual and parthenogenetic populations. We also tested the ability of males to discriminate between sexual and parthenogenetic females in a laboratory bioassay. Our results show that male C. hookeri has morphological traits that facilitate mobility (smaller body with disproportionately longer legs) and mate detection (disproportionately longer antennae), and adult females release significantly higher amounts of volatile organic compounds than males when this species is sexually active, in accordance with their distinctive sex roles. Although some differences were detected between sexual and parthenogenetic females, the latter appear to maintain copulatory behaviors and chemical signaling. Males were unable to distinguish between sexual and parthenogenetic females, suggesting that there has been little decay in the sexual traits in the parthenogenetic lineage of C. hookeri.
Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Adherence Tool (CRAT)
Authors: Hamedani Behzad , Shahsavari Hooman , Amaniyan Sara , Sieloff Christina , Vaismoradi Mojtaba
Published: July 2019

Patients with cardiac diseases can achieve the greatest benefit from cardiac rehabilitation through modification of their unhealthy behaviors. This study aimed to develop and examine the psychometric properties of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Adherence Tool (CRAT), which was designed to assess patients’ adherence to cardiac rehabilitation. In this instrument development study, the items of the CRAT were extracted through a comprehensive literature review. The CRAT was assessed in terms of validity and reliability. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to assess its construct validity, which led to the development of a tool containing 57 items and five dimensions including “acceptance of the rehabilitation center”, “being interested in health”, “feeling a need”, “personal control over the situation”, and “encouragement and advice.” These five factors accounted for 45.23% of the observed variance. The Cronbach’s alpha was 0.935. The test-retest method supported the stability of the instrument (r = 0.95). Health care professionals can use the CRAT to examine factors influencing the patient’s decision to leave cardiac rehabilitation and design strategies for improving their adherence to the rehabilitation program.
High-Risk Multiple Myeloma: Integrated Clinical and Omics Approach Dissects the Neoplastic Clone and the Tumor Microenvironment
Authors: Solimando Antonio Giovanni , Da Vià Matteo Claudio , Cicco Sebastiano , Leone Patrizia , Di Lernia Giuseppe , Giannico Donato , Desantis Vanessa , Frassanito Maria Antonia , Morizio Arcangelo , Delgado Tascon Julia , Melaccio Assunta , Saltarella Ilaria , Ranieri Giuseppe , Ria Roberto , Rasche Leo , Kortüm K. Martin , Beilhack Andreas , Racanelli Vito , Vacca Angelo , Einsele Hermann
Published: July 2019

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a genetically heterogeneous disease that includes a subgroup of 10–15% of patients facing dismal survival despite the most intensive treatment. Despite improvements in biological knowledge, MM is still an incurable neoplasia, and therapeutic options able to overcome the relapsing/refractory behavior represent an unmet clinical need. The aim of this review is to provide an integrated clinical and biological overview of high-risk MM, discussing novel therapeutic perspectives, targeting the neoplastic clone and its microenvironment. The dissection of the molecular determinants of the aggressive phenotypes and drug-resistance can foster a better tailored clinical management of the high-risk profile and therapy-refractoriness. Among the current clinical difficulties in MM, patients’ management by manipulating the tumor niche represents a major challenge. The angiogenesis and the stromal infiltrate constitute pivotal mechanisms of a mutual collaboration between MM and the non-tumoral counterpart. Immuno-modulatory and anti-angiogenic therapy hold great efficacy, but variable and unpredictable responses in high-risk MM. The comprehensive understanding of the genetic heterogeneity and MM high-risk ecosystem enforce a systematic bench-to-bedside approach. Here, we provide a broad outlook of novel druggable targets. We also summarize the existing multi-omics-based risk profiling tools, in order to better select candidates for dual immune/vasculogenesis targeting.
Liquid Biopsy for the Detection of Resistance Mechanisms in NSCLC: Comparison of Different Blood Biomarkers
Authors: Pasini Luigi , Ulivi Paola
Published: July 2019

The use of targeted agents and immunotherapy for the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has made it mandatory to characterize tumor tissue for patient selection. Moreover, the development of agents that are active against specific resistance mechanisms arising during treatment make it equally important to characterize the tumor tissue at progression by performing tissue re-biopsy. Given that tumor tissue is not always available for molecular characterization due to the paucity of diagnostic specimens or problems relating to the carrying out of invasive procedures, the use of liquid biopsy represents a valid approach to overcoming these difficulties. The most common material used for liquid biopsy in this setting is plasma-derived cell free DNA (cfDNA), which originates from cells undergoing apoptosis or necrosis. However, other sources of tumor material can be considered, such as extracellular vesicle (EV)-derived nucleic acids, which are actively secreted from living cells and closely correspond to tumor dynamics. In this review, we discuss the role of liquid biopsy in the therapeutic management of NSCLC with particular regard to targeted therapy and immunotherapy, and analyze the pros and cons of the different types of samples used in this context.
A Novel Application of Buprenorphine Transdermal Patch to Relieve Pain in the Knee Joint of Knee Osteoarthritis Patients: A Retrospective Case-Control Study
Authors: Gil Ho Young , Park Sungchul , Kim Na Eun , Choi Yi Hwa , Kim Jae Hyung , Choi Sooil , Kim Hyun Joong , Koh Jae Chul , Lee Byung Ho , Lee Sook Young , Min Sang Kee , Kim Bora , Lee Hye Seon , Jeong Hae Won , Park Ji Hyun , Park Bumhee , Choi Jong Bum
Published: July 2019

Osteoarthritis (OA) is considered to be one of the most disabling diseases. The intra-articular opioid injection has been widely studied for its simplicity, safety, and efficacy in OA. In this study, however, we suggest a novel method of buprenorphine transdermal patch (BTDP) to painful knee joints of OA patients, instead of intra-articular opioid injection, and subsequently compared the knee application with conventional chest application. We retrospectively enrolled 213 patients with knee OA who did not respond to conventional therapy. The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), adverse effects, and compliance were recorded before and after the application of the BTDP. All parameters were compared between the knee applied group and the chest applied group. After the BTDP application, the NRS score in the knee applied group was lower than that of the chest applied group (p = 0.007). NRS scores after buprenorphine patch decreased to 2.21 ± 0.77, and 2.55 ± 0.71 in the chest applied group and the knee applied group, respectively. The adverse effects were 19.32% in the knee applied group, and 64.00% in the chest applied group. The compliances were 82.95% and 37.60% in the knee applied group and chest applied group, respectively. This novel application of BTDP directly to the painful knee joint of knee OA patients led to a decrease in the NRS score, adverse effects, and an increase in compliance compared with the chest application method.
Baseline Absolute Lymphocyte Count and ECOG Performance Score Are Associated with Survival in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Undergoing PD-1/PD-L1 Blockade
Authors: Huemer Florian , Lang David , Westphal Theresa , Gampenrieder Simon Peter , Hutarew Georg , Weiss Lukas , Hackl Hubert , Lamprecht Bernd , Rinnerthaler Gabriel , Greil Richard
Published: July 2019

Immune-checkpoint blockade in front-line or second-line treatment improves survival in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC) when compared with chemotherapy alone. However, easily applicable predictive parameters are necessary to guide immune-checkpoint inhibition in clinical practice. In this retrospective bi-centric analysis, we investigated the impact of baseline patient and tumor characteristics on clinical outcome in aNSCLC patients treated with programmed cell death protein 1(PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors. Between May 2015 and January 2018, 142 unselected consecutive NSCLC patients received PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors during the course of disease. In multivariate analysis, we identified the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (ECOG > 1 versus ECOG ≤ 1, HR: 3.23, 95%CI: 1.58–6.60, P = 0.001), baseline absolute lymphocyte count (ALC; high: >0.93 × 109/L versus low: ≤ 0.93 × 109/L, HR: 0.38, 95%CI: 0.23–0.62, P < 0.001), prior or concomitant anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) targeting therapy (yes versus no, HR: 2.18, 95%CI: 1.15–4.14, P = 0.017) and TNM stage (IV versus III, HR: 4.18, 95%CI: 1.01–17.36, P = 0.049) as the most relevant parameters for survival. Neither antibiotic exposure (antibiotic-positive versus antibiotic-negative, HR: 0.90, 95%CI: 0.56–1.45, P = 0.675), nor PD-L1 expression on tumor cells (≥1% versus <1%, HR: 0.68, 95%CI: 0.41–1.13, P = 0.140) was associated with survival. Baseline ECOG performance status and ALC were associated with survival in aNSCLC patients treated with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors and assessment of these parameters could be suitable in clinical practice.
Strategies to Tune Electrospun Scaffold Porosity for Effective Cell Response in Tissue Engineering
Authors: Ameer Jimna Mohamed , PR Anil Kumar , Kasoju Naresh
Published: July 2019

Tissue engineering aims to develop artificial human tissues by culturing cells on a scaffold in the presence of biochemical cues. Properties of scaffold such as architecture and composition highly influence the overall cell response. Electrospinning has emerged as one of the most affordable, versatile, and successful approaches to develop nonwoven nano/microscale fibrous scaffolds whose structural features resemble that of the native extracellular matrix. However, dense packing of the fibers leads to small-sized pores which obstruct cell infiltration and therefore is a major limitation for their use in tissue engineering applications. To this end, a variety of approaches have been investigated to enhance the pore properties of the electrospun scaffolds. In this review, we collect state-of-the-art modification methods and summarize them into six classes as follows: approaches focused on optimization of packing density by (a) conventional setup, (b) sequential or co-electrospinning setups, (c) involving sacrificial elements, (d) using special collectors, (e) post-production processing, and (f) other specialized methods. Overall, this review covers historical as well as latest methodologies in the field and therefore acts as a quick reference for those interested in electrospinning matrices for tissue engineering and beyond.
Sediment Transport Processes during Barrier Island Inundation under Variations in Cross-Shore Geometry and Hydrodynamic Forcing
Authors: Engelstad Anita , Ruessink Gerben , Hoekstra Piet , van der Vegt Maarten
Published: July 2019

Inundation of barrier islands can cause severe morphological changes, from the break-up of islands to sediment accretion. The response will depend on island geometry and hydrodynamic forcing. To explore this dependence, the non-hydrostatic wave model SWASH was used to investigate the relative importance of bedload transport processes, such as transport by mean flow, short- (0.05–1 Hz) and infragravity (0.005–0.05 Hz) waves during barrier island inundation for different island configurations and hydrodynamic conditions. The boundary conditions for the model are based on field observations on a Dutch barrier island. Model results indicate that waves dominate the sediment transport processes from outer surfzone until landwards of the island crest, either by transporting sediment directly or by providing sediment stirring for the mean flow transport. Transport by short waves was continuously landwards directed, while infragravity wave and mean flow transport was seaward or landward directed. Landward of the crest, sediment transport was mostly dominated by the mean flow. It was forced by the water level gradient, which determined the mean flow transport direction and magnitude in the inner surfzone and on the island top. Simulations suggest that short wave and mean flow transport are generally larger on steeper slopes, since wave energy dissipation is less and mean flow velocities are higher. The slope of the island top and the width of the island foremost affect the mean flow transport, while variations in inundation depth will additionally affect transport by short-wave acceleration skewness.
Contagion Effect in Cryptocurrency Market
Authors: Ferreira Paulo , Pereira Éder
Published: July 2019

The rapid development of cryptocurrencies has drawn attention to this particular market, with investors trying to understand its behaviour and researchers trying to explain it. The evolution of cryptocurrencies’ prices showed a kind of bubble and a crash at the end of 2017. Based on this event, and on the fact that Bitcoin is the most recognized cryptocurrency, we propose to evaluate the contagion effect between Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies. Using the Detrended Cross-Correlation Analysis correlation coefficient (ΔρDCCA) and comparing the period after and before the crash, we found evidence of a contagion effect, with this particular market being more integrated now than in the past—something that should be taken into account by current and potential investors.
4,4″-Dichloro-4′-(2-thienyl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine
Authors: Husson Jérôme , Guyard Laurent
Published: July 2019

A new thiophene-substituted terpyridine derivative has been prepared and characterized. This ligand features a thiophene heterocycle (as an electrochemically polymerizable unit) as well as two chlorine atoms for further functionalization.
SEM Image Analysis in Permeable Recycled Concretes with Silica Fume. A Quantitative Comparison of Porosity and the ITZ
Authors: Chinchillas-Chinchillas Manuel J. , Rosas-Casarez Carlos A. , Arredondo-Rea Susana P. , Gómez-Soberón José M. , Corral-Higuera Ramón
Published: July 2019

Recycled aggregates (RA) from construction and demolition can be used in permeable concretes (PC), improving the environment. PCs have a significant porous network, their cement paste and the interaction between the paste and the RA establishing their strength. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the porosity in the interfacial transition zones. The porosity of the cement paste, the aggregate and the interfacial transitional zones (ITZ) of a PC with recycled coarse aggregates (RCA) and silica fume (SF) is measured by means of image analysis–scanning electron microscope (IA)-(SEM) and by mapping the chemical elements with an SEM-EDS (energy dispersive spectrometer) detector microanalysis linked to the SEM and, as a contrast, the mercury intrusion porosimetry technique (MIP). In the IA process, a “mask” was created for the aggregate and another for the paste, which determined the porosity percentage (for the anhydrous material and the products of hydration). The results showed that using SF caused a reduction (32%) in the cement paste porosity in comparison with the PC with RA. The use of RA in the PC led to a significant increase (190%) in the porosity at different thicknesses of ITZ compared with the reference PC. Finally, the MIP study shows that the use of SF caused a decrease in the micropores, mesopores and macropores.
Analysis of the Basal Plane Dislocation Density and Thermomechanical Stress during 100 mm PVT Growth of 4H-SiC
Authors: Steiner Johannes , Roder Melissa , Nguyen Binh Duong , Sandfeld Stefan , Danilewsky Andreas , Wellmann Peter J.
Published: July 2019

Basal plane dislocations (BPDs) in 4H silicon carbide (SiC) crystals grown using the physical vapor transport (PVT) method are diminishing the performance of SiC-based power electronic devices such as pn-junction diodes or MOSFETs. Therefore, understanding the generation and movement of BPDs is crucial to grow SiC suitable for device manufacturing. In this paper, the impact of the cooldown step in PVT-growth on the defect distribution is investigated utilizing two similar SiC seeds and identical growth parameters except for a cooldown duration of 40 h and 70 h, respectively. The two resulting crystals were cut into wafers, which were characterized by birefringence imaging and KOH etching. The initial defect distribution of the seed wafer was characterized by synchrotron white beam X-ray topography (SWXRT) mapping. It was found that the BPD density increases with a prolonged cooldown time. Furthermore, small angle grain boundaries based on threading edge dislocation (TED) arrays, which are normally only inherited by the seed, were also generated in the case of the crystal cooled down in 70 h. The role of temperature gradients inside the crystal during growth and post-growth concerning the generation of shear stress is discussed and supported by numerical calculations.
An Experimental Study on Micro-Milling of a Medical Grade Co-Cr-Mo Alloy Produced by Selective Laser Melting
Authors: Allegri Gabriele , Colpani Alessandro , Ginestra Paola Serena , Attanasio Aldo
Published: July 2019

Cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (Co-Cr-Mo) alloys are very promising materials, in particular, in the biomedical field where their unique properties of biocompatibility and wear resistance can be exploited for surgery applications, prostheses, and many other medical devices. While Additive Manufacturing is a key technology in this field, micro-milling can be used for the creation of micro-scale details on the printed parts, not obtainable with Additive Manufacturing techniques. In particular, there is a lack of scientific research in the field of the fundamental material removal mechanisms involving micro-milling of Co-Cr-Mo alloys. Therefore, this paper presents a micro-milling characterization of Co-Cr-Mo samples produced by Additive Manufacturing with the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) technique. In particular, microchannels with different depths were made in order to evaluate the material behavior, including the chip formation mechanism, in micro-milling. In addition, the resulting surface roughness (Ra and Sa) and hardness were analyzed. Finally, the cutting forces were acquired and analyzed in order to ascertain the minimum uncut chip thickness for the material. The results of the characterization studies can be used as a basis for the identification of a machining window for micro-milling of biomedical grade cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (Co-Cr-Mo) alloys.
Chitosan/Essential Oils Formulations for Potential Use as Wound Dressing: Physical and Antimicrobial Properties
Authors: Pereira dos Santos Elaine , Nicácio Pedro Henrique Medeiros , Coêlho Barbosa Francivandi , Nunes da Silva Henrique , Andrade André Luís Simões , Lia Fook Marcus Vinícius , de Lima Silva Suédina Maria , Farias Leite Itamara
Published: July 2019

Film-forming emulsions and films, prepared by incorporating different concentrations of clove essential oil (CEO) and melaleuca essential oil (MEO) into chitosan (CS) were obtained and their properties were evaluated. Film-forming emulsions were characterized in terms of qualitative assessment, hydrogen potential and in vitro antibacterial activity, that was carried by the agar diffusion method, and the growth inhibition effects were tested on the Gram-positive microorganism of Staphylococcus aureus, Gram-negative microorganisms of Escherichia coli, and against isolated fungi such as Candida albicans. In order to study the impact of the incorporation of CEO and MEO into the CS matrix, the appearance and thickness of the films were evaluated. Furthermore, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), contact angle measurements, a swelling test, scanning electron microscopy and a tensile test were carried out. Results showed that the film-forming emulsions had translucent aspect with cloudy milky appearance and showed antimicrobial properties. The CEO had the highest inhibition against the three strains studied. As regards the films’ properties, the coloration of the films was affected by the type and concentration of bioactive used. The chitosan/CEO films showed an intense yellowish coloration while the chitosan/MEO films presented a slightly yellowish coloration, but in general, all chitosan/EOs films presented good transparency in visible light besides flexibility, mechanical resistance when touched, smaller thicknesses than the dermis and higher wettability than chitosan films, in both distilled water and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). The interactions between the chitosan and EOs were confirmed by. The chitosan/EOs films presented morphologies with rough appearance and with EOs droplets in varying shapes and sizes, well distributed along the surface of the films, and the tensile properties were compatible to be applied as wound dressings. These results revealed that the CEO and MEO have a good potential to be incorporated into chitosan to make films for wound-healing applications.
Study on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of WC-10Ni3Al Cemented Carbide Prepared by Different Ball-Milling Suspension
Authors: Zhang Minai , Cheng Zhun , Li Jingmao , Qu Shengguan , Li Xiaoqiang
Published: July 2019

In this paper, WC-10Ni3Al cemented carbides were prepared by the powder metallurgy method, and the effects of ball-milling powders with two different organic solvents on the microstructure and mechanical properties of cemented carbides were studied. We show that the oxygen in the organic solvent can be absorbed into the mixed powders by ball-milling when ethanol (CH3CH2OH) is used as a ball-milling suspension. This oxygen leads to the formation of α-Al2O3 during sintering, which improves the fracture toughness, due to crack deflection and bridging, while the formation of η-phase (Ni3W3C) inhibits the grain growth and increases the hardness. Alternatively, samples milled using cyclohexane (C6H12) showed grain growth during processing, which led to a decrease in hardness. Therefore, the increase of oxygen content from using organic solvents during milling improves the properties of WC-Ni3Al composites. The growth of WC grains can be inhibited and the hardness can be improved without loss of toughness by self-generating α-Al2O3 and η-phase (Ni3W3C).
Fluid–Structure Interaction Modeling Applied to Peristaltic Pump Flow Simulations
Authors: Formato Gaetano , Romano Raffaele , Formato Andrea , Sorvari Joonas , Koiranen Tuomas , Pellegrino Arcangelo , Villecco Francesco
Published: July 2019

In this study, fluid–structure interaction (FSI) modeling was applied for predicting the fluid flow in a specific peristaltic pump, composed of one metallic roller and a hyperelastic tube pumping a viscous Newtonian fluid. Hyperelastic material dynamics and turbulence flow dynamics were coupled in order to describe all the physics of the pump. The commercial finite element software ABAQUS 6.14 was used to investigate the performance of the pump with a 3D transient model. By using this model, it was possible to predict the von Mises stresses in the tube and flow fluctuations. The peristaltic pump generated high pressure and flow pulses due to the interaction between the roller and the tube. The squeezing and relaxing of the tube during the operative phase allowed the liquid to have a pulsatile behavior. Numerical simulation data results were compared with one cycle pressure measurement obtained from pump test loop data, and the maximum difference between real and simulated data was less than 5%. The applicability of FSI modeling for geometric optimization of pump housing was also discussed in order to prevent roller and hose parts pressure peaks. The model allowed to investigate the effect of pump design variations such as tube occlusion, tube diameter, and roller speed on the flow rate, flow fluctuations, and stress state in the tube.
On the Degree-Based Topological Indices of Some Derived Networks
Authors: Ali Haidar , Binyamin Muhammad Ahsan , Shafiq Muhammad Kashif , Gao Wei
Published: July 2019

There are numeric numbers that define chemical descriptors that represent the entire structure of a graph, which contain a basic chemical structure. Of these, the main factors of topological indices are such that they are related to different physical chemical properties of primary chemical compounds. The biological activity of chemical compounds can be constructed by the help of topological indices. In theoretical chemistry, numerous chemical indices have been invented, such as the Zagreb index, the Randić index, the Wiener index, and many more. Hex-derived networks have an assortment of valuable applications in drug store, hardware, and systems administration. In this analysis, we compute the Forgotten index and Balaban index, and reclassified the Zagreb indices, A B C 4 index, and G A 5 index for the third type of hex-derived networks theoretically.