bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
George Mason and the Ambiguity of Executive Power
Authors: CASH JORDAN T.
Published: October 2018

In studies of how the Founders viewed executive power, little has been said about George Mason despite his involvement in creating two executives: the Virginia governorship and the American presidency. This article examines how George Mason defined and arranged executive power during his forays into constitution making. I find that Mason presents a unique understanding of how executive power should be treated in a republican context and within a system of separation of powers, allowing us to better observe and comprehend the subtleties and tensions in establishing and perpetuating a strong, but limited, executive.
Non‐uniqueness and symmetry in stratigraphic interpretations: A quantitative approach for determining stratal controls
Authors: Xiao Jie , Waltham Dave
Published: October 2018

Different combinations of stratal controls could produce identical sequence architectures. Consequently, interpretations of the stratigraphic record, for example to infer palaeo‐climate and eustatic sea‐level history, suffer from non‐uniqueness. However, variations in the multiple controls can be encapsulated through discovery of all possible solutions to an interpretation. As this paper demonstrates, a single solution can be directly transformed into an alternative solution that leaves the expected geological outcomes unaltered, which can be regarded as the existence of symmetry in the interpretation. Repetitive application of the symmetry method can therefore allow additional solutions to be rapidly derived given an existing solution. The proposed method has been adapted to a stratigraphic forward model for interpreting the Baltimore Canyon (USA) stratigraphy. Modelling results have indicated the ranges of changes in relative sea‐level, sediment supply and subaerial erosion from Oligocene to Mid‐Miocene. Using these limits, it is possible to determine what appears to be true in the palaeo‐history, even when a solution is not unique.
Aerobic fitness thresholds to define poor cardiometabolic health in children and youth
Authors: Aadland Eivind , Anderssen Sigmund Alfred , Andersen Lars Bo , Resaland Geir Kåre , Kolle Elin , Steene‐Johannessen Jostein
Published: October 2018

Aerobic fitness is an apparent candidate for screening children and youth for poor cardiometabolic health and future risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Yet, age‐ and sex‐specific cut points for children and youth determined using a maximal protocol and directly measured peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) does not exist. We used a nationally representative sample of 1462 Norwegian children and youth (788 boys and 674 girls aged 8.7‐10.4 years and 14.7‐16.7 years) who in 2005‐2006 performed a maximal cycle ergometer test with direct measurement of VO2peak, along with measurement of several other risk factors for CVD (systolic blood pressure, waist circumference:height ratio, total:high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio, triglycerides, Homeostasis Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance). Based on the proportion of children having clustering (least favorable quartile) of 6 (1.6%), ≥5 (5.2%), and ≥4 (10.6%) CVD risk factors, we established the 2nd, 5th, and 10th percentile cut points for VO2peak (mL/kg/min) for children and youth aged 8‐18 years. Classification accuracy was determined using the Kappa coefficient (k), sensitivity, and specificity. For boys, the 2nd, 5th, and 10th percentile VO2peak cut points were 33.6‐36.4, 36.3‐39.8, and 38.7‐43.0 mL/kg/min, respectively. For girls, the corresponding cut points were 29.7‐29.1, 32.4‐31.4, and 34.8‐33.5 mL/kg/min Together with BMI, but without more invasive measures of traditional risk factors for CVD, these cut points can be used to screen schoolchildren for poor cardiometabolic health with moderate discriminating ability (k ≤ 0.53).
Cis‐regulated alternative splicing divergence and its potential contribution to environmental responses in Arabidopsis
Authors: Wang Xuncheng , Yang Mei , Ren Diqiu , Terzaghi William , Deng Xing‐Wang , He Guangming
Published: October 2018

Alternative splicing (AS) plays key roles in plant development and the responses of plants to environmental changes. However, the mechanisms underlying AS divergence (differential expression of transcript isoforms resulting from AS) in plant accessions and its contribution to responses to environmental stimuli remain unclear. In this study, we investigated genome‐wide variation of AS in Arabidopsis thaliana accessions Col‐0, Bur‐0, C24, Kro‐0 and Ler‐1, as well as their F1 hybrids, and characterized the regulatory mechanisms for AS divergence by RNA sequencing. We found that most of the divergent AS events in Arabidopsis accessions were cis‐regulated by sequence variation, including those in core splice site and splicing motifs. Many genes that differed in AS between Col‐0 and Bur‐0 were involved in stimulus responses. Further genome‐wide association analyses of 22 environmental variables showed that single nucleotide polymorphisms influencing known splice site strength were also associated with environmental stress responses. These results demonstrate that cis‐variation in genomic sequences among Arabidopsis accessions was the dominant contributor to AS divergence, and it may contribute to differences in environmental responses among Arabidopsis accessions.
Blood transfusion safety in sub‐Saharan Africa: A literature review of changes and challenges in the 21st century
Authors: Weimer A. , Tagny C.T. , Tapko J.B. , Gouws C. , Tobian A.A.R. , Ness P.M. , Bloch E.M.
Published: October 2018

BACKGROUND

Access to a safe, adequate blood supply has proven challenging in sub‐Saharan Africa, where systemic deficiencies spanning policy, collections, testing, and posttransfusion surveillance have long been recognized. Progress in transfusion safety in the early 2000s was in large part due to intervention by the World Health Organization and other foreign governmental bodies, coupled with an influx of external funding.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

A review of the literature was conducted to identify articles pertaining to blood safety in sub‐Saharan Africa from January 2009 to March 2018. The search was directed toward addressing the major elements of the blood safety chain, in the countries comprising the World Health Organization African region. Of 1380 articles, 531 met inclusion criteria and 136 articles were reviewed.

RESULTS

External support has been associated with increased recruitment of voluntary donors and expanded testing for the major transfusion‐transmitted infections (TTIs). However, the rates of TTIs among donors remain high. Regional education and training initiatives have been implemented, and a tiered accreditation process has been adopted. However, a general decline in funding for transfusion safety (2009 onwards) has strained the ability to maintain or improve transfusion‐related services. Critical areas of need include data collection and dissemination, epidemiological surveillance for TTIs, donor recruitment, quality assurance and oversight (notably laboratory testing), and hemovigilance.

CONCLUSION

Diminishing external support has been challenging for regional transfusion services. Critical areas of deficiency in regional blood transfusion safety remain. Nonetheless, substantive gains in education, training, and accreditation suggest durable gains in regional capacity.
Reviewer Acknowledgements
Authors: Gibbs Nikki
Published: October 2018

Applied Economics and Finance (AEF) would like to acknowledge the following reviewers for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Many authors, regardless of whether AEF publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers. Their comments and suggestions were of great help to the authors in improving the quality of their papers. Each of the reviewers listed below returned at least one review for this issue.Reviewers for Volume 5, Number 6 Hichem Maraghni, University of Taibah, TunisiaIbrahim Baghdadi, Lebanese University, LebanonLuca Giordano, CONSOB, ItalyMamdouh Abdelmoula M. Abdelsalam, Minufiya University, EgyptMarco Muscettola, Independent Researcher-Credit Risk Manager, ItalyPatrycja Kowalczyk-Rolczynska, Wroclaw University of Economics, PolandRamona Orastean, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, RomaniaRichard Nguyen, Alliant International University, USASajid Mohy Ul Din, Universiti Utara Malaysia, MalaysiaSteven V. Cates, Purdue University-Global, USAY. Saidi, M’sila University, AlgeriaZi-Yi Guo, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., USA                 Nikki GibbsEditorial AssistantOn behalf of,The Editorial Board of Applied Economics and FinanceRedfame Publishing9450 SW Gemini Dr. #99416Beaverton, OR 97008, USAURL: http://aef.redfame.com
A new species of the genus Raphignathus (Acari: Raphignathidae) from Kurdistan, Iran, with a key to world species
Authors: Nasrollahi Siamak , Khanjani Mohammad , Mirfakhraie Shahram
Published: October 2018

A new species of the genus Raphignathus, R. kurdistaniensis sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on females collected from soil under oak trees in Baneh, Kurdistan province, Iran. A key to all known species of the genus Raphignathus is given.
Erratum: Identification and characterization of Corynebacterium lactis isolated from Amblyomma testudinarium of Sus scrofa in Malaysia. Systematic & Applied Acarology, 23(9), 1838–1844.
Authors: Lim Fang Shiang , Loong Shih Keng , Khoo Jing Jing , Tan Kim Kee , Zainal Nurhafiza , Abdullah MuhammadFirdaus , Khor Chee Sieng , AbuBakar Sazaly
Published: October 2018

AcknowledgmentsThis study was supported in parts by the research grants from University of Malaya, under the Research University Grants (RU016-2015) and (RU005-2017), and the Malaysia One Health University Network (MyOHUN) Seed Fund Award (MY/NCO/ACT/P001/SEEDFUND) provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Complex Association of Virus- and Host-Related Factors with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Rate following Hepatitis C Virus Clearance
Authors: Akuta Norio , Suzuki Fumitaka , Sezaki Hitomi , Kobayashi Masahiro , Fujiyama Shunichiro , Kawamura Yusuke , Hosaka Tetsuya , Kobayashi Mariko , Saitoh Satoshi , Suzuki Yoshiyuki , Arase Yasuji , Ikeda Kenji , Kumada Hiromitsu
Published: October 2018

Little is known about the effects of virus- and host-related factors on hepatocarcinogenesis in patients who show viral clearance after HCV RNA eradication by direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). The subjects of this retrospective study were 1,922 patients with HCV genotype 1 (HCV-1)- or HCV-2-related chronic liver disease who showed a sustained virological response (SVR; defined as negative results for HCV RNA at 12 weeks after the cessation of all-oral DAAs).
A How-To Guide on Bringing Undergraduate Research to Community and Technical Colleges
Authors: Kolokithas Angelo , Calderón Olga
Published: October 2018

Increasing the interest and participation of students in STEM is a priority for colleges, universities, and the nation as a whole. As new generations of students embark in training and in learning novel technologies to deal with the challenges of emerging infectious diseases, crop and food production, and the development of new and better sustainable alternatives in the face of a changing environment on our planet, we must also evolve our approach to teaching and learning. One strategy that may be found helpful as students face the challenges ahead is to instill inquiry and problem-solving skills as part of their education as early as possible, whether they pursue a technical career or a graduate college degree. Although many existing technical and community colleges were built with the purpose of teaching a specific skill to supply the demand of a workforce in developing industries, the disappearance of some industries and evolution of others call for a different approach to teaching and learning at this level of education. Here, we present two alternatives to teaching and learning, by implementing scientific research that can result in the development of more holistic students, who are ready to tackle the challenges encountered as they graduate and enter the workforce. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education
Visualizing the Invisible: A Guide to Designing, Printing, and Incorporating Dynamic 3D Molecular Models to Teach Structure–Function Relationships
Authors: Howell Michelle E. , van Dijk Karin , Booth Christine S. , Helikar Tomáš , Couch Brian A. , Roston Rebecca L.
Published: October 2018

3D printing represents an emerging technology with significant potential to advance life-science education by allowing students to directly explore the relationship between macromolecular structure and function. In this article and supplemental video guide, we describe our development of a model-based instructional module on DNA supercoiling and outline practical tips for implementing models in undergraduate classrooms. We also present a procedure to design and print 3D dynamic models for classroom use. Furthermore, we describe repositories of 3D biomolecule files to make using models accessible and cost-effective.
Modeling Ebola Virus Transmission Using Ferrets
Authors: de La Vega Marc-Antoine , Soule Geoff , Tran Kaylie N. , Tierney Kevin , He Shihua , Wong Gary , Qiu Xiangguo , Kobinger Gary P.
Published: October 2018

Our knowledge regarding transmission of EBOV between individuals is vague and is mostly limited to spreading via direct contact with infectious bodily fluids. Studying transmission parameters such as dose and route of infection is nearly impossible in naturally acquired cases—hence the requirement for a laboratory animal model. Here, we show as a proof of concept that ferrets can be used to study EBOV transmission. We also show that transmission in the absence of direct contact is frequent, as all animals with indirect contact with the infected ferrets had detectable antibodies to the virus, and one succumbed to infection. Our report provides a new small-animal model for studying EBOV transmission that does not require adaptation of the virus, providing insight into virus transmission among humans during epidemics.
Glucose Signaling Is Important for Nutrient Adaptation during Differentiation of Pleomorphic African Trypanosomes
Authors: Qiu Yijian , Milanes Jillian E. , Jones Jessica A. , Noorai Rooksana E. , Shankar Vijay , Morris James C.
Published: October 2018

As the African trypanosome
Trypanosoma brucei
completes its life cycle, it encounters many different environments. Adaptation to these environments includes modulation of metabolic pathways to parallel the availability of nutrients. Here, we describe how the blood-dwelling life cycle stages of the African trypanosome, which consume glucose to meet their nutritional needs, respond differently to culture in the near absence of glucose. The proliferative long slender parasites rapidly die, while the nondividing short stumpy parasite remains viable and undergoes differentiation to the next life cycle stage, the procyclic form parasite. Interestingly, a sugar analog that cannot be used as an energy source inhibited the process. Furthermore, the growth of procyclic form parasite that resulted from the event was inhibited by glucose, a behavior that is similar to that of parasites isolated from tsetse flies. Our findings suggest that glucose sensing serves as an important modulator of nutrient adaptation in the parasite.
Alexidine Dihydrochloride Has Broad-Spectrum Activities against Diverse Fungal Pathogens
Authors: Mamouei Zeinab , Alqarihi Abdullah , Singh Shakti , Xu Shuying , Mansour Michael K. , Ibrahim Ashraf S. , Uppuluri Priya
Published: October 2018

The prevalence of fungal infections has seen a rise in the past decades due to advances in modern medicine leading to an expanding population of device-associated and immunocompromised patients. Furthermore, the spectrum of pathogenic fungi has changed, with the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains such as
C. auris
. High mortality related to fungal infections points to major limitations of current antifungal therapy and an unmet need for new antifungal drugs. We screened a library of repurposed FDA-approved inhibitors to identify compounds with activities against a diverse range of fungi in varied phases of growth. The assays identified alexidine dihydrochloride (AXD) to have pronounced antifungal activity, including against preformed biofilms, at concentrations lower than mammalian cell toxicity. AXD potentiated the activity of fluconazole and amphotericin B against
Candida
biofilms
in vitro
and prevented biofilm growth
in vivo
. Thus, AXD has the potential to be developed as a pan-antifungal, antibiofilm drug.
Treatment of fatigue with physical activity and behavioural change support in vasculitis: study protocol for an open-label randomised controlled feasibility study
Authors: Harper Lorraine , Morgan Matthew David , Chanouzas Dimitrios , Caulfield Hollie K , Coughlan Linda , Dean Caroline , Fletcher Kate , Cramp Fiona , Greenfield Sheila , Hewitt Catherine A , Ives Natalie J , Jowett Sue , Daley Amanda
Published: October 2018

Introduction

Fatigue is a major cause of morbidity, limiting quality of life, in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV). The aetiology of fatigue is multifactorial; biological and psychosocial mediators, such as sleep deprivation, pain and anxiety and depression, are important and may be improved by increasing physical activity. Current self-management advice is based on expert opinion and is poorly adhered to. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of increasing physical activity using a programme of direct contact and telephone support, to provide patient education, encourage behaviour self-monitoring and the development of an individual change plan with defined goals and feedback to treat fatigue compared with standard of care to inform the design of a large randomised controlled trial to test the efficacy and cost effectiveness of this programme.

Methods and analysis

Patients with AAV and significant levels of fatigue (patient self-report using multidimensional fatigue index score questionnaire ≥14) will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio to the physical activity programme supported by behavioural change techniques or standard of care. The intervention programme will consist of 8 visits of supervised activity sessions and 12 telephone support calls over 12 weeks with the aim of increasing physical activity to the level advised by government guidelines. Assessment visits will be performed at baseline, 12, 24 and 52 weeks. The study will assess the feasibility of recruitment, retention, the acceptability, adherence and safety of the intervention, and collect data on various assessment tools to inform the design of a large definitive trial. A nested qualitative study will explore patient experience of the trial through focus groups or interviews.

Ethics and dissemination

All required ethical and regulatory approvals have been obtained. Findings will be disseminated through conference presentations, patient networks and academic publications.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN11929227.
Cardiac output changes from prior to pregnancy to post partum using two non-invasive techniques
Authors: Masini Giulia , Foo Lin F , Cornette Jérôme , Tay Jasmine , Rizopoulos Dimitris , McEniery Carmel M , Wilkinson Ian B , Lees Christoph C
Published: October 2018

Objectives

We aimed to describe cardiac output (CO) trend from prepregnancy to post partum using an inert gas rebreathing (IGR) device and compare these measurements with those obtained by a pulse waveform analysis (PWA) technique, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally.

Methods

Non-smoking healthy women, aged 18–44 years, with body mass index <35 were included in this prospective observational study. CO measurements were collected at different time points (prepregnancy, at four different gestational epochs and post partum) using IGR and PWA. A linear mixed model analysis tested whether the longitudinal change in CO differed between the techniques. Bland-Altman analysis and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used for cross-sectional and a four-quadrant plot for longitudinal comparisons.

Results

Of the 413 participants, 69 had a complete longitudinal assessment throughout pregnancy. In this latter cohort, the maximum CO rise was seen at 15.2 weeks with IGR (+17.5% from prepregnancy) and at 10.4 weeks with PWA (+7.7% from prepregnancy). Trends differed significantly (p=0.0093). Cross-sectional analysis was performed in the whole population of 413 women: the mean CO was 6.14 L/min and 6.38 L/min for PWA and IGR, respectively, the percentage of error was 46% and the ICC was 0.348, with similar results at all separate time points. Longitudinal concordance was 64%.

Conclusions

Despite differences between devices, the maximum CO rise in healthy pregnancies is more modest and earlier than previously reported. The two methods of CO measurement do not agree closely and cannot be used interchangeably. Technique-specific reference ranges are needed before they can be applied in research and clinical settings.
General group exercise in low back pain management in a military population, a comparison with specific spine group exercise: a service evaluation
Authors: Surtees Joanna E , Heneghan N R
Published: October 2018

Objective

To investigate whether general group exercise (GGE) offers the same outcomes compared with a specific spinal group exercise (SSGE) for chronic low back pain (CLBP) in a military population.

Design

Retrospective service evaluation using routine service activity data.

Setting

A UK military rehabilitation centre.

Participants

A total of 106 patients with CLBP.

Interventions

Three-week intensive (5 days per week, 15-day intervention) rehabilitation course for patients with CLBP. Six SSGE groups (n=64); CLBP only. Six GGE groups (n=42); CLBP patients grouped with chronic lower limb (LL) injuries.

Outcome measures

Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Numerical Pain-Rating Scores and the Modified Multi-Stage Fitness Test (Mod-MSFT). Long-term effects were measured by Medical Employment Standard (MES) status and physiotherapy follow-up at 3 and 12 months.

Results

A between-group analysis showed no significant difference in GGE compared with SSGE. Mean changes (SD) in pain were −2.71±2.35 and −1.20±1.99 (p=0.018), ODI were −3.6±5.7 and −4±8.5 respectively (p=0.649) and Mod-MSFT 28.4±30.8 and 29.7±31.7 respectively (p=0.792). At 3 months, a greater proportion of the GGE were having ongoing physiotherapy; GGE=50%, SSGE=30.2%, (p=0.016) although some differences were evident across MES with 32.5 % of GGE compared with 20.6 % of SSGE being medically fit with no restrictions. At 12 months, groups were largely comparable for follow-up physiotherapy and MES; 22.5% of GGE and 20.6% of SSGE continued to have physiotherapy input; 47.5% of GGE and 50.8% of SSGE were medically fit with no restrictions.

Conclusion

Patients with CLBP who completed a 3-week rehabilitation programme had comparable outcomes when grouped with patients with LL, although only improvements in pain in the GGE group achieved a meaningful change. Further evaluation of potential costs and savings to service costs is now required.
Of dilemmas and tensions: a qualitative study of palliative care physicians’ positions regarding voluntary active euthanasia in Quebec, Canada
Authors: Bélanger Emmanuelle , Towers Anna , Wright David Kenneth , Chen Yuexi , Tradounsky Golda , Macdonald Mary Ellen
Published: October 2018

Objectives

In 2015, the Province of Quebec, Canada passed a law that allowed voluntary active euthanasia (VAE). Palliative care stakeholders in Canada have been largely opposed to euthanasia, yet there is little research about their views. The research question guiding this study was the following: How do palliative care physicians in Quebec position themselves regarding the practice of VAE in the context of the new provincial legislation?

Methods

We used interpretive description, an inductive methodology to answer research questions about clinical practice. A total of 18 palliative care physicians participated in semistructured interviews at two university-affiliated hospitals in Quebec.

Results

Participants positioned themselves in opposition to euthanasia. Their justifications were framed within their professional commitment to not hasten death, which sat in tension with the value of patients’ autonomy to choose how to die. Participants described VAE as unacceptable if it impeded opportunities to evaluate and alleviate suffering. Further, they contested government rhetoric that positioned VAE as a way to improve end-of-life care. Participants felt that VAE would diminish the potential of palliative care to relieve suffering. Dilemmas were apparent in their narratives, about reconciling respect for patient autonomy with broader palliative care values, and the value of accompanying and not abandoning patients who make requests for VAE while being committed to neither prolonging nor hastening death.

Conclusions

This study provides insight into nuanced positions of experienced palliative care physicians in Quebec and confirms expected tensions between an important stakeholder and the practice of VAE as guided by the new legislation.
Evidence of compensation among waterpipe smokers using harm reduction components
Authors: Brinkman Marielle C , Kim Hyoshin , Buehler Stephanie S , Adetona Anna M , Gordon Sydney M , Clark Pamela I
Published: October 2018

Objectives

We examined two waterpipe tobacco smoking components advertised to reduce harm to determine if they result in lower levels of biomarkers of acute exposure.

Methods

We conducted a crossover study of 34 experienced waterpipe smokers smoking a research-grade waterpipe in three configurationsad libitumin a controlled chamber: control (quick-light charcoal), electric (electric heating) and bubble diffuser (quick-light charcoal and bubble diffuser). We collected data on smoking topography, environmental carbon monoxide (CO), subjective effects, heart rate, plasma nicotine and exhaled CO and benzene.

Results

Smokers’ mean plasma nicotine, heart rate, and exhaled benzene and CO boost were all significantly lower for electric compared with control. However, smokers puffed more intensely and took significantly more and larger volume puffs for a larger total puffing volume (2.0 times larger, p<0.0001) when smoking electric; machine yields indicate this was likely due to lower mainstream nicotine. Smokers rated electric smoking experience less satisfying and less pleasant. For charcoal heating, the mean mass of CO emitted into the chamber was ~1 g when participants smoked for a mean of 32 minutes at a typical residential ventilation rate (2.3 hr−1).

Conclusion

Waterpipe smokers engaged in compensation (i.e., increased and more intense puffing) to make up for decreased mainstream nicotine delivery from the same tobacco heated two ways. Waterpipe components can affect human puffing behaviours, exposures and subjective effects. Evidence reported here supports regulation of waterpipe components, smoking bans in multifamily housing and the use of human studies to evaluate modified or reduced risk claims.
Fire-severity mitigation by prescribed burning assessed from fire-treatment encounters in maritime pine stands
Authors: Espinosa Juncal , Palheiro Pedro , Loureiro Carlos , Ascoli Davide , Esposito Assunta , Fernandes Paulo M.
Published: October 2018

Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) stands are prone to high-intensity fire. Fuel treatments lessen potential fire behaviour and severity, but evidence of their effectiveness when tested by wildfire is extremely scarce in Europe. We assess the longevity of prescribed burning in maritime pine plantations in decreasing fire severity. Heights of crown scorch and stem-bark char were measured in treated and untreated adjacent areas after fire-treatment encounters in Portugal, Italy, and Australia. Treatment effect was quantified as the log-transformed ratio between prescribed-burned and untreated fire-severity data. Linear mixed modelling indicated that for typical wildfire conditions, the effect of prescribed burning in crown scorch height lasts 2–6 years. The persistence of prescribed burning benefits is higher for fire control operations than for fire-severity mitigation. Regression tree analysis of data from one wildfire highlighted the roles of wind direction, topography, and stand height in explaining variability in fire severity. A 4-year interval between prescribed burning treatments in maritime pine stands is recommended in general, depending on site quality and stand age and structure. Improved fuel-consumption prescriptions and monitoring procedures are advisable to foster prescribed-burning effectiveness and its evaluation.
Contextuality of a two-qubit state in 4-cycle measurement scenarios
Authors: Meng Hui-Xian , Wang Wen-Hua , Zhou Jie , Chen Jing-Ling
Published: October 2018

We introduce a quantity of contextuality, i.e. the maximum contextuality of a two-qubit state in 4-cycle measurement scenarios, to study quantum contextuality of two-qubit states for the 4-cycle noncontextual inequalities. Subsequently, we prove several appealing features of this quantity of contextuality, including the faithfulness, the boundedness, the invariance under unitary operations and the convexity. Remarkably, for arbitrary two-qubit state, we reformulate this quantity of contextuality analytically by eigenvalues of the state. Therefore, in 4-cycle measurement scenarios, we establish an efficient way to distinguish two-qubit states that can reveal contextuality from ones that cannot.
A novel method for identifying influential nodes in complex networks based on multiple attributes
Authors: Liu Dong , Nie Hao , Zhang Baowen
Published: October 2018

Identifying influential nodes is a crucial issue in epidemic spreading, controlling the propagation process of information and viral marketing. Thus, algorithms for exploring vital nodes have aroused more and more concern among researchers. Recently, scholars have proposed various types of algorithms based on different perspectives. However, each of these methods has their own strengths and weaknesses. In this work, we introduce a novel multiple attributes centrality for identifying significant nodes based on the node location and neighbor information attributes. We call our proposed method the MAC. Specifically, we utilize the information of the number of iterations per node to enhance the accuracy of the K-shell algorithm, so that the location attribute can be used to distinguish the important nodes more deeply. And the neighbor information attribute we selected can effectively avoid the overlapping problem of neighbor information propagation caused by large clustering coefficient of networks. Because these two indexes have different emphases, we use entropy method to assign them reasonable weights. In addition, MAC has low time complexity O(n), which makes the algorithm suitable for large-scale networks. In order to objectively assess its performance, we utilize the Susceptible-Infected-Recovered (SIR) model to verify the propagation capability of each node and compare the MAC method with several classic methods in six real-life datasets. Extensive experiments verify the superiority of our algorithm to other comparison algorithms.
An FPGA-based quantum circuit emulation framework using heisenberg representation
Authors: Lee Y. H. , Khalil-Hani M. , Marsono M. N.
Published: October 2018

While physical realization of practical large-scale quantum computers is still ongoing, theoretical research of quantum computing applications is facilitated on classical computing platforms through simulation and emulation methods. Nevertheless, the exponential increase in resource requirement with the increase in the number of qubits is an inherent issue in classical modeling of quantum systems. In the effort to alleviate the critical scalability issue in existing FPGA emulation works, a novel FPGA-based quantum circuit emulation framework based on Heisenberg representation is proposed in this paper. Unlike previous works that are restricted to the emulations of quantum circuits of small qubit sizes, the proposed FPGA emulation framework can scale-up to 120-qubit on Altera Stratix IV FPGA for the stabilizer circuit case study while providing notable speed-up over the equivalent simulation model.
A Relational Framework for Classifier Engineering
Authors: Kimelfeld Benny , Ré Christopher
Published: October 2018

In the design of analytical procedures and machine learning solutions, a critical and time-consuming task is that of feature engineering, for which various recipes and tooling approaches have been developed. In this article, we embark on the establishment of database foundations for feature engineering. We propose a formal framework for classification in the context of a relational database. The goal of this framework is to open the way to research and techniques to assist developers with the task of feature engineering by utilizing the database’s modeling and understanding of data and queries and by deploying the well-studied principles of database management. As a first step, we demonstrate the usefulness of this framework by formally defining three key algorithmic challenges. The first challenge is that of separability, which is the problem of determining the existence of feature queries that agree with the training examples. The second is that of evaluating the VC dimension of the model class with respect to a given sequence of feature queries. The third challenge is identifiability, which is the task of testing for a property of independence among features that are represented as database queries. We give preliminary results on these challenges for the case where features are defined by means of conjunctive queries, and, in particular, we study the implication of various traditional syntactic restrictions on the inherent computational complexity.
Insulin signaling in LepR cells modulates fat and glucose homeostasis independent of leptin
Authors: Borges Beatriz C. , Han Xingfa , Allen Susan J. , Garcia-Galiano David , Elias Carol F.
Published: October 2018

Hypothalamic neurons detect changes in circulating hormones such as leptin and insulin and put forward outputs to sustain energy and glucose homeostasis. Because leptin and insulin receptors colocalize in ~40–60% of neurons in the hypothalamus, we characterized the metabolic phenotype of mice with selective deletion of the insulin receptor (InsR) in LepR cells. LRΔInsRmice presented no difference in body weight and insulin levels but increased fat mass. In the light phase, LRΔInsRmice exhibited increased food intake, locomotor activity, carbon dioxide production, and respiratory exchange rate. These mice showed reduced fat oxidation and reduced expression of cluster of differentiation 36 and AMP-activated protein kinase-α1in the liver, increased glucose oxidation in the light phase, and overall reduced basal glucose levels. To verify the impact of InsR deletion in LepR cells in obesity, we generated ob/ ob InsRfl, ob/ ob LRcre, and ob/ ob LRΔInsRmice. The ob/ ob LRΔInsRmice had higher body weight, fat mass, and expression of genes related to fat metabolism in the liver. No difference in food intake despite increased neuropeptide Y and agouti-related peptide expression, and no difference in energy expenditure, fat, or glucose oxidation was found in ob/ ob LRΔInsRcompared with LRcreor LRΔInsRcontrols. Remarkably, basal glucose levels were reduced, and the expression of genes associated with glucose metabolism in the liver was higher. Insulin signaling in LepR cells is required for the proper fat and glucose oxidation. These effects are independent of leptin given that the leptin-deficient ob/ ob LRΔInsRmice also presented reduced glycemia and higher adiposity. The mechanisms underlying these responses remain to be unveiled.
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Iatrogenic Right Coronary Artery Dissection Post Bentall Procedure: A Case Report and Minireview
Authors: Saleem Sameer , Syed Mubbasher A. , Changal Khalid , Nuqali Abdulelah , Sheikh Mujeeb
Published: October 2018

Iatrogenic coronary artery dissection is a potentially life-threatening complication of cardiovascular interventions. The optimal management of iatrogenic coronary artery dissection is not clear; however, both conservative management and percutaneous or surgical revascularization have been performed depending on the patient’s clinical status and the extent of dissection. We present the first reported case of right coronary artery dissection after Bentall procedure performed for ascending aortic aneurysm. Urgent percutaneous intervention using adjunctive coronary imaging was performed with excellent clinical recovery. In this article, we highlight coronary artery dissection after Bentall procedure as a possible complication, provide an insight into various options in its management, and review published data on iatrogenic coronary artery dissection. We also discuss the challenges in percutaneous treatment of coronary artery dissection with special focus on intracoronary imaging for accurate diagnosis and guidance in the management of this complex lesion.
Estimating the Effect of Fractal Dimension on Representative Elementary Volume of Randomly Distributed Rock Fracture Networks
Authors: Zhang Jing , Yu Liyuan , Jing Hongwen , Liu Richeng
Published: October 2018

The effect of fractal dimension (Df) on the determination of representative elementary volume (REV) was investigated through numerical experimentations, in which a new method was adopted to extract submodels that have different length-width ratios from original discrete facture networks (DFNs). Fluid flow in 1610 DFNs with different geometric characteristics of fractures and length-width ratios was simulated, and the equivalent permeability was calculated. The results show that the average equivalent permeability (KREV) at the REV size for DFNs increases with the increase in Df. The KREV shows a downward trend with increasing length-width ratio of the submodel. A strong exponent functional relationship is found between the REV size and Df. The REV size decreases with increasing Df. With the increment of the length-width ratio of submodels, the REV size shows a decreasing trend. The effects of length-width ratio and Df on the REV size can be negligible when Df≥1.5, but are significant when Df<1.5.
Efficacy of Dental Bleaching with Whitening Dentifrices: A Systematic Review
Authors: Casado Bruno G. S. , Moraes Sandra L. D. , Souza Gleicy F. M. , Guerra Catia M. F. , Souto-Maior Juliana R. , Lemos Cleidiel A. A. , Vasconcelos Belmiro C. E. , Pellizzer Eduardo P.
Published: October 2018

A systematic review was performed to evaluate whether whitening toothpastes promote tooth whitening when compared to the use of conventional (nonbleaching) dentifrices. This review was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42017065132) and is based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. Electronic systematic searches of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library were conducted for published articles. Only randomized clinical trials in adults that compared the use of so-called whitening dentifrices to the use of nonwhitening dentifrices were selected. The outcome was tooth color change. Twenty-two articles from 703 data sources met the eligibility criteria. After title and abstract screening, 16 studies remained, after which a further five studies were excluded. In total, nine studies were qualitatively analyzed. Significant differences in tooth color change were found between the groups using whitening dentifrices and those using nonwhitening dentifrices. Within the limitations of this study, the evidence from this systematic review suggests that bleaching dentifrices have potential in tooth whitening. However, although many whitening dentifrices have been introduced into the dental market for bleaching treatments, it is important to analyze tooth surface and color changes when performing home bleaching.
Sonographic Indicators for Treatment Choice and Follow-Up in Patients with Pleural Effusion
Authors: Stevic Ruza , Colic Nikola , Bascarevic Slavisa , Kostic Marko , Moskovljevic Dejan , Savic Milan , Ercegovac Maja
Published: October 2018

Aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of thoracic sonography in treatment of pleural effusions and to identify sonographic indicators for surgical intervention. Materials and Methods. This study included 378 patients with pleural effusions. US characteristics of effusions as the echo structure and pleural thickening were analyzed. Regarding the US finding, the diagnostic or therapeutic procedure was performed. Results. The study included 267 male and 111 female patients, an average of 56.7 years. Infection was the most frequent cause of effusion. Two hundred sixty-nine patients had loculated and 109 free pleural effusion. Most frequent echo structure of loculated effusion was complex septate, whereas free effusion was mostly anechoic. Successful obtaining of the pleural fluid without real-time guidance was in 88% and under real-time guidance in 99% patients (p<0.012). There was no significant difference in success rate between free and loculated effusion and regarding the echo structure (p=0.710 and 0.126, respectively). Complete fluid removal after serial thoracentesis or drainage was achieved in 86% patients. Forty-five patients with significantly thicker pleural peel and impairment of the diaphragmatic function than remaining of the group (p<0.001) underwent surgery. Open thoracotomy and decortication was more frequently performed in patients with completely fixed diaphragm and complex, dominantly septated effusions. There is no significant difference in US parameters comparing to patients underwent VATS, but the number of VATS is too small for valid conclusion. Conclusion. Thoracic sonography is a very useful tool in the evaluation of clinical course and treatment options in patients with pleural effusions of a different origin.
Optimization Problem of Insurance Investment Based on Spectral Risk Measure and RAROC Criterion
Authors: Zhao Xia , Ji Hongyan , Shi Yu
Published: October 2018

This paper introduces spectral risk measure (SRM) into optimization problem of insurance investment. Spectral risk measure could describe the degree of risk aversion, so the underlying strategy might take the investor's risk attitude into account. We establish an optimization model aiming at maximizing risk-adjusted return of capital (RAROC) involved with spectral risk measure. The theoretical result is derived and empirical study is displayed under different risk measures and different confidence levels comparatively. The result shows that risk attitude has a significant impact on investment strategy. With the increase of risk aversion factor, the investment ratio of risk asset correspondingly reduces. When the aversive level increases to a certain extent, the impact on investment strategies disappears because of the marginal effect of risk aversion. In the case of VaR and CVaR without regard for risk aversion, the investment ratio of risk asset is increasing significantly.
Anwendung, Wirkung und Risiken von Antiseptika - ein Update
Authors: Stücker Markus
Published: October 2018

Wound antisepsis has undergone a renaissance due to the introduction of highly effective wound-compatible antimicrobial agents and the spread of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). However, a strict indication must be set for the application of these agents. An infected or critically colonized wound must be treated antiseptically. In addition, systemic antibiotic therapy is required in case the infection spreads. If applied preventively, the Wounds-at-Risk Score allows an assessment of the risk for infection and thus appropriateness of the indication. The content of this updated consensus recommendation still largely consists of discussing properties of octenidine dihydrochloride (OCT), polihexanide, and iodophores. The evaluations of hypochlorite, taurolidine, and silver ions have been updated. For critically colonized and infected chronic wounds as well as for burns, polihexanide is classified as the active agent of choice. The combination 0.1% OCT/phenoxyethanol (PE) solution is suitable for acute, contaminated, and traumatic wounds, including MRSA-colonized wounds due to its deep action. For chronic wounds, preparations with 0.05% OCT are preferable. For bite, stab/puncture, and gunshot wounds, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-iodine is the first choice, while polihexanide and hypochlorite are superior to PVP-iodine for the treatment of contaminated acute and chronic wounds. For the decolonization of wounds colonized or infected with MDROs, the combination of OCT/PE is preferred. For peritoneal rinsing or rinsing of other cavities with a lack of drainage potential as well as the risk of central nervous system exposure, hypochlorite is the superior active agent. Silver-sulfadiazine is classified as dispensable, while dyes, organic mercury compounds, and hydrogen peroxide alone are classified as obsolete. As promising prospects, acetic acid, the combination of negative pressure wound therapy with the instillation of antiseptics (NPWTi), and cold atmospheric plasma are also subjects of this assessment.
Memoria, pronunciatio e a arte de compor na mente
Authors: Lorenzetti Stefano
Published: October 2018

Memória é, na renascença, a relação conceitual que une performance e composição musical. Uma análise destes dois aspectos a partir do ponto de vista da memória possibilita compreender o valor operacional deste sistema mnemônico no processo de acumular e relembrar o material musical relacionado ao ato de produzir/compor e executar música.
O pathos na música do tardo-renascimento: Nachleben der Antike e construção de memória
Authors: Lemos Maya Suemi
Published: October 2018

Há pouco mais de um século a historiografia da arte, sobretudo de matriz germânica, parece ter reorientado sua leitura do Renascimento italiano, se debruçando sobre os componentes anticlássicos visíveis na produção não apenas quinhentista, mas também quatrocentista. A partir da perspectiva do historiador Aby Warburg sobre o pathos na arte italiana do Renascimento, fazemos um paralelo com aspectos de determinadas vertentes da música tardo-renascentista. Buscamos atentar para as similitudes e diferenças no processo de sobrevivência ou memória da Antiguidade nos dois respectivos campos da expressão, levantando uma hipótese de leitura de determinados traços da música da vanguarda florentina deste período.
Sobre imaginação e fantasia
Authors: Gütlich George Rembrandt
Published: October 2018

Este estudo tem por objeto a Imaginação e a Fantasia entendidas como princípios de representação nas artes visuais, e enfocada num recorte temporal que parte do Maneirismo ao advento do Rococó. Como ferramenta de análise optou-se pela observação da ornamentação de origem fitomórca. Nesta abordagem a condição seminal da Fantasia está atrelada historicamente ao conceito de desenvolvimento e variação, que indica uma articulação de gênese criativa direta para com a Fantasia. Desenvolvida como um “Corpus” com auto-suficiência estrutural, o ornamento entre os séculos XVI e XVIII derivou numa maneira rigorosa de organização das formas e ordenou linguagens distintas. Como resultado observou-se o desenvolvimento de um gosto regido por afinidades com as variações da curva e também o advento da transição do ornamento enquanto elemento agregado para a condição de estrutura. O estudo é situado num recorte temporal quando, por um princípio de primazia técnica, se privilegiou o gosto pela imagem de caráter pictórico sobre a linear.