bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Collaborative Location Recommendation by Integrating Multi-dimensional Contextual Information
Authors: Yao Lina , Sheng Quan Z. , Wang Xianzhi , Zhang Wei Emma , Qin Yongrui
Published: February 2018

Point-of-Interest (POI) recommendation is a new type of recommendation task that comes along with the prevalence of location-based social networks and services in recent years. Compared with traditional recommendation tasks, POI recommendation focuses more on making personalized and context-aware recommendations to improve user experience. Traditionally, the most commonly used contextual information includes geographical and social context information. However, the increasing availability of check-in data makes it possible to design more effective location recommendation applications by modeling and integrating comprehensive types of contextual information, especially the temporal information. In this article, we propose a collaborative filtering method based on Tensor Factorization, a generalization of the Matrix Factorization approach, to model the multi-dimensional contextual information. Tensor Factorization naturally extends Matrix Factorization by increasing the dimensionality of concerns, within which the three-dimensional model is the one most popularly used. Our method exploits a high-order tensor to fuse heterogeneous contextual information about users’ check-ins instead of the traditional two-dimensional user-location matrix. The factorization of this tensor leads to a more
compact
model of the data that is naturally suitable for integrating contextual information to make POI recommendations. Based on the model, we further improve the recommendation accuracy by utilizing the internal relations within users and locations to regularize the latent factors. Experimental results on a large real-world dataset demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.
Abstract Non-Interference
Authors: Giacobazzi Roberto , Mastroeni Isabella
Published: February 2018

Non-interference happens when some elements of a dynamic system do not interfere, i.e., do not affect, other elements in the same system. Originally introduced in language-based security, non-interference means that the manipulation of private information has no effect on public observations of data. In this article, we introduceabstract non-interferenceas a weakening of non-interference by abstract interpretation. Abstract non-interference is parametric on which private information we want to protect and which are the observational capabilities of the external observer, i.e., what the attacker can observe of a computation and of the data manipulated during the computation. This allows us to model a variety of situations in information-flow security, where the security of a system can be mastered by controlling the degree of precision of the strongest harmless attacker and the properties that are potentially leaked in case of successful attack.
Epigenetics and developmental origins of diabetes: correlation or causation?
Authors: Bansal Amita , Simmons Rebecca A.
Published: February 2018

The incidence of metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity continue to increase. Although it is evident that the increasing incidence of diabetes confers a global societal and economic burden, the mechanisms responsible for the increased incidence of T2D are not well understood. Extensive efforts to understand the association of early-life perturbations with later onset of metabolic diseases, the founding principle of developmental origins of health and disease, have been crucial in determining the mechanisms that may be driving the pathogenesis of T2D. As the programming of the epigenome occurs during critical periods of development, it has emerged as a potential molecular mechanism that could occur early in life and impact metabolic health decades later. In this review, we critically evaluate human and animal studies that illustrated an association of epigenetic processes with development of T2D as well as intervention strategies that have been employed to reverse the perturbed epigenetic modification or reprogram the naturally occurring epigenetic marks to favor improved metabolic outcome. We highlight that although our understanding of epigenetics and its contribution toward developmental origins of T2D continues to grow, whether epigenetics is a cause, consequence, or merely a correlation remains debatable due to the many limitations/challenges of the existing epigenetic studies. Finally, we discuss the potential of establishing collaborative research efforts between different disciplines, including physiology, epigenetics, and bioinformatics, to help advance the developmental origins field with great potential for understanding the pathogenesis of T2D and developing preventive strategies for T2D.
A Simplified Solution for Calculating the Phreatic Line and Slope Stability during a Sudden Drawdown of the Reservoir Water Level
Authors: Sun Guanhua , Lin Shan , Jiang Wei , Yang Yongtao
Published: February 2018

On the basis of the Boussinesq unsteady seepage differential equation, a new simplified formula for the phreatic line of slopes under the condition of decreasing reservoir water level is derived by means of the Laplacian matrix and its inverse transform. In this context, the expression of normal stress on the slip surface under seepage forces is deduced, and a procedure for obtaining the safety factors under hydrodynamic forces is proposed. A case study of the Three Gorges Reservoir is used to analyze the influences of the water level, decreasing velocity and the permeability coefficient on slope stability.
Diagnosis and Managment of Maxillary Incisor with Vertical Root Fracture: A Clinical Report with Three-Year Follow-Up
Authors: Kallel Ines , Moussaoui Eya , Chtioui Fadwa , Douki Nabiha
Published: February 2018

According to the American Association of Endodontists, “a ‘true’ vertical root fracture is defined as a complete or incomplete fracture initiated from the root at any level, usually directed buccolingually.” Vertical root fracture (VRF) usually starts from an internal dentinal crack and develops over time, due to masticatory forces and occlusal loads. When they occur in teeth, those types of fractures can present difficulties in diagnosis, and there are however many clinic and radiographical signs which can guide clinicians to the existence of the fracture. Prognosis, most often, is hopeless, and differential diagnosis from other etiologies may be difficult sometimes. In this paper, we present a case of VRF diagnosed after surgical exploration; the enlarged fracture line was filled with a fluid resin. A 36-month clinical and radiological follow-up showed an asymptomatic tooth, reduction of the periodontal probing depth from 7 mm prior to treatment to 4 mm with no signs of ankylosis. In this work, the diagnosis and treatment alternatives of vertical root fracture were discussed through the presented clinical case.
An Adaptive Scheduler for Real‐Time Operating Systems to Extend WSN Nodes Lifetime
Authors: Rodriguez-Zurrunero Roberto , Utrilla Ramiro , Romero Elena , Araujo Alvaro
Published: February 2018

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are a growing research area as a large of number portable devices are being developed. This fact makes operating systems (OS) useful to homogenize the development of these devices, to reduce design times, and to provide tools for developing complex applications. This work presents an operating system scheduler for resource‐constraint wireless devices, which adapts the tasks scheduling in changing environments. The proposed adaptive scheduler allows dynamically delaying the execution of low priority tasks while maintaining real‐time capabilities on high priority ones. Therefore, the scheduler is useful in nodes with rechargeable batteries, as it reduces its energy consumption when battery level is low, by delaying the least critical tasks. The adaptive scheduler has been implemented and tested in real nodes, and the results show that the nodes lifetime could be increased up to 70% in some scenarios at the expense of increasing latency of low priority tasks.
The Many Facets of Sphingolipids in the Specific Phases of Acute Inflammatory Response
Authors: Grösch Sabine , Alessenko Alice V. , Albi Elisabetta
Published: February 2018

This review provides an overview on components of the sphingolipid superfamily, on their localization and metabolism. Information about the sphingolipid biological activity in cell physiopathology is given. Recent studies highlight the role of sphingolipids in inflammatory process. We summarize the emerging data that support the different roles of the sphingolipid members in specific phases of inflammation: (1) migration of immune cells, (2) recognition of exogenous agents, and (3) activation/differentiation of immune cells.
Oral Mass of a Fetus Incidentally Found during Second Trimester: Ultrasound Survey and Postnatal Prognosis of the Baby
Authors: Durukan Huseyin , Gundogan Savas , Çevikoğlu Kıllı Murside , Dilek Talat Umut Kutlu
Published: February 2018

Ultrasound (USG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to detect and evaluate the face and neck tumors during the in-utero period. We reported and discussed an oral mass which was diagnosed incidentally at mid-trimester exam and managed successfully.
Data Processing Delay Optimization in Mobile Edge Computing
Authors: Li Guangshun , Wang Jiping , Wu Junhua , Song Jianrong
Published: February 2018

With the development of Internet of Things (IoT), the number of mobile terminal devices is increasing rapidly. Because of high transmission delay and limited bandwidth, in this paper, we propose a novel three‐layer network architecture model which combines cloud computing and edge computing (abbreviated as CENAM). In edge computing layer, we propose a computational scheme of mutual cooperation between the edge devices and use the Kruskal algorithm to compute the minimum spanning tree of weighted undirected graph consisting of edge nodes, so as to reduce the communication delay between them. Then we divide and assign the tasks based on the constrained optimization problem and solve the computation delay of edge nodes by using the Lagrange multiplier method. In cloud computing layer, we focus on the balanced transmission method to solve the data transmission delay from edge devices to cloud servers and obtain an optimal allocation matrix, which reduces the data communication delay. Finally, according to the characteristics of cloud servers, we solve the computation delay of cloud computing layer. Simulation shows that the CENAM has better performance in data processing delay than traditional cloud computing.
Exercise Training Restores the Cardiac Microrna-16 Levels Preventing Microvascular Rarefaction in Obese Zucker Rats
Authors: Fernandes Tiago , Casaes Lilian , Soci Úrsula , Silveira Andre , Gomes João , Barretti Diego , Roque Fernanda , Oliveira Edilamar
Published: February 2018

Objective: To evaluate the effects of aerobic exercise training (AET) on cardiac miRNA-16 levels and its target gene VEGF related to microvascular rarefaction in obese Zucker rats (OZR). Methods: OZR (n = 11) and lean (L; n = 10) male rats were assigned into 4 groups: OZR, trained OZR (OZRT), L and trained L (LT). Swimming exercise training lasted 60 min, 1×/day/10 weeks, with 4% body weight workload. Cardiac angiogenesis was assessed by histological analysis (periodic acid-Schiff) by calculating the capillary/fiber ratio. The protein expressions of VEGF, VEGFR2, and CD31 were evaluated by western blot. The expression of miRNA-16 was evaluated by real-time PCR. Results: Heart rate decreased in the trained groups compared to sedentary groups. The cardiac capillary/fiber ratio was reduced in OZR compared to L, LT and OZRT groups, indicating that aerobic exercise training (AET) was capable of reversing the microvascular rarefaction in the obese animals. miRNA-16 expression was increased in OZR compared to L, LT and OZRT. In contrast, its target, VEGF protein expression was 24% lower in OZR compared to L group, which has been normalized in OZRT group. VEGFR2 protein expression was increased in trained groups compared to their controls. CD31, a endothelial cells marker, showed increased expression in OZRT compared to OZR, indicating greater vascularization in OZRT group. Conclusion: AET induced cardiac angiogenesis in obese animals. This revascularization is associated with a decrease in miRNA-16 expression permissive for increased VEGF protein expression, suggesting a mechanism for potential therapeutic application in vascular diseases.
Feasibility, Validity, and Reliability of the Italian Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Multidimensional Fatigue Scale for Adults in Inpatients with Severe Obesity
Authors: Manzoni Gian Mauro , Rossi Alessandro , Marazzi Nicoletta , Agosti Fiorenza , De Col Alessandra , Pietrabissa Giada , Castelnuovo Gianluca , Molinari Enrico , Sartorio Allessandro
Published: February 2018

Objective: This study was aimed to examine the feasibility, validity, and reliability of the Italian Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (PedsQL™ MFS) for adult inpatients with severe obesity. Methods: 200 inpatients (81% females) with severe obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2) completed the PedsQL MFS (General Fatigue, Sleep/Rest Fatigue and Cognitive Fatigue domains), the Fatigue Severity Scale, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale immediately after admission to a 3-week residential body weight reduction program. A randomized subsample of 48 patients re-completed the PedsQL MFS after 3 days. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis showed that a modified hierarchical model with two items moved from the Sleep/Rest Fatigue domain to the General Fatigue domain and a second-order latent factor best fitted the data. Internal consistency and test-retest reliabilities were acceptable to high in all scales, and small to high statistically significant correlations were found with all convergent measures, with the exception of BMI. Significant floor effects were found in two scales (Cognitive Fatigue and Sleep/Rest Fatigue). Conclusion: The Italian modified PedsQL MFS for adults showed to be a valid and reliable tool for the assessment of fatigue in inpatients with severe obesity. Future studies should assess its discriminant validity as well as its responsiveness to weight reduction.
Checkpoint-Inhibition bei Non-Hodgkin-Lymphom
Authors: Heß Georg
Published: February 2018

Immer noch sterben Patienten an malignen Lymphomen, weshalb neue therapeutische Optionen weiterhin erforderlich sind. Um ungehindert wachsen und sich ausbreiten zu können, müssen Tumorzellen in der Lage sein, dem Immunsystem zu entgehen. Daher könnte die Verstärkung oder Wiederherstellung von Immuneffektormechanismen gegen maligne Zellen von großem Nutzen sein, wie dies beispielsweise für die allogene Transplantation gezeigt wurde. Fortschritte im Wissen über die Regulation der Aktivierung und Inhibition T-Zell-basierter Effektormechanismen haben zur Entwicklung von Arzneimitteln geführt, die in der Lage sind, spezifische Checkpoints dieses Systems zu verändern und auf diese Weise eine Immunreaktion gegen die Tumorzellen hervorzurufen. Angesichts des dramatischen Ansprechens bei Hodgkin-Lymphomen (HL) ist das Interesse, diese Arzneimittel auch bei Non-Hodgkin-Lymphomen (NHL) zu untersuchen, gestiegen. Die verfügbaren Daten unterstreichen das Potenzial von Checkpoint-Inhibitoren bei verschiedenen Lymphom-Entitäten, wie dem primären mediastinalen B-Zelllymphom (PMBCL) oder den Lymphomen des zentralen Nervensystems (ZNS), und es besteht die Hoffnung, dass ein Großteil der Patienten letztlich davon profitieren wird. Allerdings sind intensive Anstrengungen erforderlich, um optimale Screening-Instrumente, Kombinationen und Therapiesequenzen zu entwickeln und das gesamte Potenzial dieser neuen Klasse therapeutischer Wirkstoffe auszuloten. Übersetzung aus Oncol Res Treat 2017;40:662-672 (DOI:10.1159/000481888)
Patienten mit metastasiertem Karzinom des ösophagogastralen Übergangs oder Magens können von einer multimodalen Therapie inklusive Lokaltherapie profitieren
Authors: Homayounfar Kia
Published: February 2018

Background: Through a multidisciplinary decision-making process, we developed a strategy of systemic therapy followed by local consolidative therapy (chemoradiation with/without surgery) in selected patients with metastatic gastroesophageal carcinoma (mGEAC). Only after a consensus during multidisciplinary discussions, local therapy was initiated. Methods: We identified 101 patients with mGEAC who had local consolidation. We evaluated the association between various clinical variables (location of the primary, location of metastases, duration of initial chemotherapy, histologic grade, and radiation dose) and overall survival (OS). Results: Of 101 patients, 71 had a proximal primary (esophageal, Siewert type I or II), and 30 patients had a distal primary (Siewert type III or distal). The median OS was 25.7 months (95% confidence interval (CI) 22.3-32.8). The OS rates at 2 and 5 years were 53.8% (95% CI 44.7-64.8) and 20.7% (95% CI 13.4-31.9), respectively. OS was highly associated with the location of the primary (median of 22.8 months for Siewert I/II vs. 41.5 months for Siewert III or distal, p = 0.03). The duration of initial chemotherapy was highly associated with OS (median of 21.8 months for < 3 months vs. 32.5 months for ≥ 3 months, p = 0.004). Conclusion: Some mGEAC patients with a favorable clinical course can achieve a ~ 20% 5-year survival rate with an approach that uses initial chemotherapy followed by multidisciplinary discussion to proceed with consolidation with local therapy. Patients with distal GEAC and those who receive initial chemotherapy for ≥ 3 months are the maximum beneficiaries.
Prophylaktische Gabe von G-CSF: Unverzichtbar für die Prävention einer febrilen Neutropenie
Authors: Ruckhäberle Eugen
Published: February 2018

Objective: The primary outcome of the current study is, whether there is a protective effect of prior chemotherapy or of prior granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on the next cycle blood cell counts. Methods: Hematologic toxicity was evaluated, based on a randomized phase III study in breast cancer patients (n = 167) with > 20% risk of febrile neutropenia. The primary endpoint was the nadir blood cell counts for patients treated with G-CSF given during all 6 chemotherapy cycles or limited to the first 2 chemotherapy cycles only. Results: For the present analyses, 47 patients were eligible. In the G-CSF 1-6 arm, the median white blood cell count (WBC) and absolute neutrophil count (ANC) nadir slowly decreased from 10.8 × 10 9 /L in cycle 1 to 7.5 × 10 9 /L in cycle 6 and from 7.1 × 10 9 /L to 5.5 × 10 9 /L, respectively. The median WBC nadir in the G-CSF 1-2 arm decreased from 1.2 × 10 9 /L in cycle 3 to 0.9 × 10 9 /L in cycle 6 and the ANC nadir showed a grade 4 neutropenia of 0.1 × 10 9 /L in cycles 3-6. All patients had ANC recovery to normal levels (≥ 1.5 × 10 9 /L) without delay on day 1 of the next cycle. Conclusion: We conclude that there is no protective effect of prior G-CSF or prior chemotherapy use on nadir blood cell counts in subsequent cycles.
High Efficacy of Repeating Colonoscopy by an Advanced Endoscopist after an Incomplete Colonoscopy
Authors: Ponte Ana , Pinho Rolando , Rodrigues Adélia , Proença Luísa , Silva Joana , Rodrigues Jaime P. , Sousa Mafalda , Carlos Silva João , Carvalho João
Published: February 2018

Background and Aims: This study aims to evaluate the role of an advanced endoscopist to study the entire colon after an incomplete colonoscopy. Methods: All patients with an elective incomplete colonoscopy performed under deep sedation in our department between January 2010 and October 2016 were included. Patients with a colonic stenosis, an inadequate bowel preparation, or a colonoscopy performed without deep sedation were excluded. Included patients were followed up to evaluate if and what type of subsequent examinations (colonoscopy by an advanced endoscopist, single-balloon enteroscopy [SBE], and/or CT colonography) was performed to complete the study of the entire colon. Lesions found during these subsequent examinations were also recorded. Results: Ninety-three patients had an incomplete colonoscopy, with no diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) and a high-risk polyp rate of 5.4% (n = 5). Seventy-seven patients with incomplete colonoscopies underwent subsequent examinations, namely CT colonography in 45.5% (n = 35), colonoscopy by an advanced endoscopist in 53.2% (n = 41), and SBE in 13% (n = 10). In the 49 patients who performed either colonoscopy (n = 39) or SBE (n = 10) by an advanced endoscopist, the cecal intubation rate was 100%, and high-risk polyps were found in 26.5% (n = 13) and CRC in 4.1%. CT colonography revealed findings consistent with polyps and CRC in 22.9% (n = 8) and 2.9% (n = 1) of the cases, respectively. Colonoscopy was further repeated in 6 patients with suspected polyps in CT colonography, confirming the initial diagnosis in 5 patients. Conclusions: Colonoscopy by an advanced endoscopist achieved cecal intubation in all patients, representing a good choice after an incomplete colonoscopy.
Torsion Mechanics as an Indicator of More Advanced Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction in Secondary Mitral Regurgitation in Patients with Dilated Cardiomyopathy: A 2D Speckle-Tracking Analysis
Authors: Kinova Elena , Spasova Natalia , Borizanova Angelina , Goudev Assen
Published: February 2018

Left ventricular (LV) twist serves as a compensatory mechanism in systolic dysfunction and its degree of reduction may reflect a more advanced stage of disease. Aim: The aim was to investigate twist alterations depending on the degree of functional mitral regurgitation (MR) by speckle-tracking echocardiography. Methods: Sixty-three patients with symptomatic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) were included. Patients were divided according to MR vena contracta width (VCW): group 1 with VCW <7 mm (mild/moderate MR) and group 2 with VCW ≥7 mm (severe MR). Results: There were no differences in LV geometry and function between groups. Group 2 showed lower endocardial basal rotation (BR) (–2.04° ± 1.83° vs. –3.23° ± 1.83°, p = 0.012); epicardial BR (–1.54° ± 1.18° vs. –2.31° ± 1.22°, p = 0.015); endocardial torsion (0.41°/cm ± 0.36°/cm vs. 0.63°/cm ± 0.44°/cm, p = 0.033) and mid-level circumferential strain (CSmid) (–6.12% ± 2.64% vs. –7.75% ± 2.90%, p = 0.028), when compared with group 1. Multivariable linear regression analysis identified endocardial BR, torsion and CSmid, as the best predictors of larger VCW. In the ROC curve analysis, endocardial BR and CSmid values greater than or equal to –3.63° and –9.35%, respectively, can differentiate patients with severe MR. Conclusions: In DCM patients, torsional profile was more altered in severe MR. Endocardial BR, endocardial torsion, and CSmid, can be used as indicators of advanced structural wall architecture damage.
Family Physician-Led Group Visits for Lifestyle Modification in Women with Weight Problems: A Pilot Intervention and Follow-Up Study
Authors: Tunay Merthan , Kurdak Hatice , Özcan Sevgi , Özdemir Çiğdem , Özer Zeliha Yelda
Published: February 2018

Objective: Lifestyle modification requires extensive information sharing and counseling. However, one-on-one primary care consultations are lacking to cover all necessary components due to time constraints. This preliminary study aims to investigate the feasibility and effects of lifestyle-changing intervention by family physician-led group visits (GVs) on weight management in overweight and obese women. Methods: 60 volunteers fulfilling the inclusion criteria were enrolled. Baseline and 6th month assessments consisted of anthropometric measurements, SF-36 Health Survey, blood variables, exercise test, and resting metabolic rate. Weight maintenance was controlled at the 12th month. Results: Although weight loss among participants varied, the mean body weights were significantly decreased by 8.2% in full-attenders (n = 30). A significant increase in HDL-cholesterol and decreases in heart rate and blood pressure were found. SF-36 summary scales were significantly improved. Weight change was moderately correlated with exercise duration, compliance to diet, and baseline mental component score. It was determined that 62.5% of the participants either lost or maintained body weight at the 12th month. Conclusion: Significant weight loss and quality of life improvement was achieved in this pilot study. GVs may be a promising alternative to primary care consultations for obesity management; however, the high dropout level and diverse outcomes need further assessment.
Prelemniscal Lesion for Selective Improvement of Parkinson Disease Tremor
Authors: Velasco Francisco , Esqueda-Liquidano Mauricio , Velasco Ana Luisa , García-Gomar Maria Guadalupe
Published: February 2018

Background: Selective improvement of symptoms may be required when treating Parkinson disease (PD) patients with a predominantly monosymptomatic clinical picture. Objective: To define a target in prelemniscal radiation fibers (Raprl) related to the physiopathology of tremor evidenced by tractography. Case Report: We report a patient with predominant unilateral rest and postural tremor, diagnosed as PD based on 80% improvement induced by the administration of L-DOPA/carbidopa, subsequently complicated by motor fluctuations, L-DOPA dyskinesia, and a reduced ON period. A stereotactic radiofrequency lesion was made for tremor control, and postoperative diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) demonstrated the precise location and extension of the lesioned tract. Results: Perfect control of the tremor was achieved with the patient OFF medication; this has lasted for 5 years, without hypotonia in the treated extremities. DWI revealed a 3.0-mm lesion at the base of the nucleus ventralis intermedius (Vim) interrupting cerebellar-Vim fibers sparing the cerebellar ventralis oralis posterior nucleus component. Conclusion: Selective improvement of symptoms is feasible in patients with a predominantly monosymptomatic PD clinical presentation.
GTPBP4 Promotes Gastric Cancer Progression via Regulating P53 Activity
Authors: Li Li , Pang Xunlei , Zhu Zuan , Lu Lili , Yang Jun , Cao Jiang , Fei Sujuan
Published: February 2018

Background/Aims: gastric cancer is a serious health concern with high morbidity and mortality. Therefore, it is urgent to find novel targets for gastric cancer diagnosis and treatment. Methods: qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry assays were used to detect GTPBP4 expression in gastric cancer tissues, and gastric cancer and gastric epithelial cells. Lentivirus infection was used to construct GTPBP4 stable knockdown cells. Annexin V/PI apoptosis, CCK8, EdU incorporation and cell clone formation analysis were performed to evaluate the effects of GTPBP4 on gastric cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. Further RNA-based high-throughput sequencing and co-IP assays were constructed to explore the related mechanisms contributing to GTPBP4-mediated effects. Results: GTPBP4 expression was significantly increased in gastric cancer tissues compared with that in adjacent normal tissues, and positively correlated with gastric cancer stages. Meanwhile, GTPBP4 level was markedly upregulated in gastric cancer cells than in gastric epithelial cells. Additionaly, stable knockdown of GTPBP4 inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis. Mechanistically, p53 and its related signaling were significantly activated in GTPBP4 stable knockdown cells. And GTPBP4 interacted with p53 in gastric cancer cells. Conclusions: our results provide insights into mechanistic regulation and linkage of the GTPBP4-p53 in gastric cancer, and also a valuable potential target for gastric cancer.
Gentlemen, Heroes, Real Men, Disabled Men: Explorations at the Intersections of Disability and Masculinity in Contemporary China
Authors: Dauncey Sarah
Published: February 2018

This article advances new perspectives on disability culture in contemporary China. Using gender – specifically masculinity – as an “intersection,” it addresses key questions that both help to explain, but also further trouble, the way in which the “impaired” male body is both represented and lived in China today. Although recent research across the disciplines is revealing more and more about pre-modern and contemporary understandings of, and responses to, disability in China, little is known about the way in which gendered identities intersect and interact with disabled identities. From “gentlemen” and “heroes” to “real men” and “disabled men,” this article examines dominant historical and contemporary images of masculinity and disability, and illustrates how they have come to frame the way in which disabled men have been viewed and view themselves. And, through the close reading of the memoirs of one young man, Zhang Yuncheng, it reveals the possibilities and limitations through which gendered behaviours are formed and enacted on an individual level when set against Chinese discourses of disability, normalcy, and gender.
A new species of the genus Amigdoscalpellum (Cirripedia, Thoracica, Scalpellidae) from deep waters in the western Pacific
Authors: Sha Zhong-Li , Lu Bo , Wang Chun-Sheng , Ren Xian-Qiu
Published: February 2018

A new species of deep-water barnacle belonging to the family Scalpellidae is described from the western central Pacific. Based on the presence and absence of radial stripes on the surfaces of the plates, the 23 species of the genusAmigdoscalpellumcan be divided into two groups. In the species group with radial stripes, the new species here described,A. dorsituberculatumsp. nov., differs from other species by the dorsal part of the carina being round and arched, the roof without lateral ribs and median furrow; the infra-median latus wider triangular, its length on the basal margin greater than its height; and by the vestigial form of the caudal appendage. A key to the species ofAmigdoscalpellumis provided.
Crayfish arts: an evaluation into the efficacy of artificial refuge traps for monitoring lotic white-clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes (Lereboullet, 1858) (Decapoda, Astacidae) populations
Authors: O’Connor James , Brennan Sakinah , Baars Jan-Robert
Published: February 2018

White-clawed crayfishAustropotamobius pallipes(Lereboullet, 1858) are one of five crayfish species indigenous to Europe, and the only crayfish species to occur in Ireland. With no known invasive species posing a risk, the Irish population is of considerable conservation importance, particularly in a European context. While there are a number of capture techniques described for crayfish population studies, many have a number of limitations associated with them. There is a need therefore to evaluate new and emerging techniques, so as to assess their efficacy for monitoringA. pallipespopulations. Artificial refuge traps (ARTs), an alternative passive capture method, were evaluated against three other widely used capture techniques during the summer months of 2015. Results indicate ARTs to be an effective technique for sampling crayfish, and suggest that, in combination with other capture methods, ARTs could depict accurate population structures, and reduce some of the sampling effort and bias associated with crayfish monitoring.
Constructivism’s Vešč, Objet, Gegenstand and the New Art of the “Object”
Authors: Vladiv-Glover Slobodanka
Published: February 2018

There is no doubt that the Futurists, Constructivists, Productionists – all the Russian avant-garde groups – wanted to represent the “new world” of socialism in and through art. However, the relationship between art and life, or art and work in the new socialist state was not one-dimensional. This can be seen from a close reading of one of the major Constructivist manifestoes, published in Ilya Erenburg’s and El Lisitzky’s short-lived journal “Vešč, Objet, Gegenstand” 1922–23 (Berlin). What emerges from the militaristic jargon and the metaphors with which the new art platform announced in “Vešč, Objet, Gegenstand” comes to expression is that the Constructivist movement is focused on structures which it calls “the object” and that this emerging Structuralism constitutes not just a method of artistic inquiry but a new mode of perception. This paper attempts to show, by a close reading of the lexicon of this Constructivist manifesto, how the concept of the ‘object’ had a metaphysical dimension in that it was raised into a phenomenology of perception by the Constructivist artist but also a new artistic paradigm of international, collective art.
Estranging Objects and Complicating Form: Viktor Shklovsky and the Labour of Perception
Authors: Bulatova Asiya
Published: February 2018

In Viktor Shklovsky’s essay “Art as Device” habitual perception is described as a dangerous practice, which renders one insensitive to the experiences of modernity. Importantly, the subjects’ automatized relationship with the surrounding world disrupts their ability to engage with objects. Rather than being experienced through the senses, the object is recognized through an epistemological (preconceived) framework. As a result, Shklovsky argues, “we do not see things, we merely recognize them by their primary characteristics. The object passes before us, as if it were prepackaged.” By making the usual strange Shklovsky’s technique of estrangement promises a relief from an alienating, consumerist experience of modernity, which “automatizes the object” instead of enabling perception: “in order to return sensation to our limbs, in order to make us feel objects, to make a stone feel stony, man has been given the tool of art.” In this article I trace the development of Shklovsky’s views on literature and the arts as an alternative way of experiencing objects in his writings during and after the Russian Revolution. I will pay particular attention to the relationship between things and words in Shklovsky’s writings produced during his exile in Berlin in 1923. The publication of the Berlin-based magazine Veshch/ Objet /Gegenstand in 1922, shortly before Shklovsky’s arrival, signals a rejection of both recognition and observation as passive consumerist practices. Instead, the manifesto published in the first issue of the magazine invites its readers to create new objects, which here is inseparable from the creation of new social formations. I will argue that Shklovsky’s 1923 writings provide a rethinking of the word “object” in society, literature and the arts. The function of art is not to “express what lies beyond words and images,” in other words, not to point to a referent that exists as a ‘real’ object, but rather to create a world “of independently existing things.”
Serviles personae in Roman Law
Authors: Pelloso Carlo
Published: February 2018

This article aims at sketching the prima facie “paradoxical” legal status of “slaves” in Roman law. Hence, it deals with principles and rules directed to regulate two paradigmatic and highly relevant areas of economic life, i.e. sale and agency. Both shared the fundamental presence of servi or mancipia, conceived at times as mere objects, at times as real individuals. On the one hand, according to non-Roman conceptions (that consider slavery per se a liminal and, thereby, indefinable institution), the law concerning serviles personae would represent such a contradiction by merging the Aristotelian categories of bios and zoe. On the other hand, pre-classical and classical Roman law, adhering to a functional and wide notion of legal persona, and embodying a status-system, transcends any apparent inconsistency between property law and business law.
Some Remarks on Manumission and Consecration in Hellenistic Chaeronea
Authors: Zanovello Sara L.
Published: February 2018

This article aims to discuss the relationship between manumission and consecration from a legal perspective, by analyzing as a case study the corpus of inscriptions from Hellenistic Chaeronea, which is usually believed to represent a specific mode of “sacral” manumission, namely, through consecration of a slave to the god. Chaeronea provides the bulk of the evidence for this alleged form of manumission, and the content of its inscriptions are highly formulaic: they typically attest the consecration (anatithemi) of a slave (doulos) as sacred (hieros) to a god, generally Serapis. After pointing out the legal nature of manumission, the article will challenge the traditional scholarly interpretation that holds that, as an effect of consecration, slaves became free individuals. The identification of consecration with manumission, in other words, raises a number of problems. Through a close look at the single elements which characterized the condition of hieroi in Hellenistic Central Greece, the article will argue that while from a legal point of view, hieroi were slaves of the god, the absence of an actual owner exercising the powers descending from his right of ownership meant that their de facto condition resembled in several ways that of free individuals. The inscriptions from Chaeronea do not attest to manumission, but rather to consecration of slaves to the god, which ultimately result in a transfer of ownership over slaves from the human to the divine sphere.
Depression literacy and help-seeking in Australian police
Authors: Reavley Nicola J , Milner Allison J , Martin Angela , Too Lay San , Papas Alicia , Witt Katrina , Keegel Tessa , LaMontagne Anthony D
Published: February 2018

Objective:

To assess depression literacy, help-seeking and help-offering to others in members of the police force in the state of Victoria, Australia.

Methods:

All staff in police stations involved in a cluster randomised controlled trial of an integrated workplace mental health intervention were invited to participate. Survey questions covered sociodemographic and employment information, recognition of depression in a vignette, stigma, treatment beliefs, willingness to assist co-workers with mental health problems, help-giving and help-seeking behaviours, and intentions to seek help. Using the baseline dataset associated with the trial, the paper presents a descriptive analysis of mental health literacy and helping behaviours, comparing police station leaders and lower ranks.

Results:

Respondents were 806 staff, comprising 618 lower-ranked staff and 188 leaders. Almost 84% of respondents were able to correctly label the problem described in the vignette. Among those who had helped someone with a mental health problem, both lower ranks and leaders most commonly reported ‘talking to the person’ although leaders were more likely to facilitate professional help. Leaders’ willingness to assist the person and confidence in doing so was very high, and over 80% of leaders appropriately rated police psychologists, general practitioners, psychologists, talking to a peer and contacting welfare as helpful. However, among both leaders and lower ranks with mental health problems, the proportion of those unlikely to seek professional help was greater than those who were likely to seek it.

Conclusion:

Knowledge about evidence-based interventions for depression was lower in this police sample than surveys in the general population, pointing to the need for education and training to improve mental health literacy. Such education should also aim to overcome barriers to professional help-seeking. Interventions that aim to improve mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviour appear to be suitable targets for better protecting police member mental health.
Chemical plume tracing
Authors: Eu Kok Seng , Yap Kian Meng
Published: February 2018

Most of the reported three-dimensional chemical plume tracing methods use stereo sensing method to determine the next tracing step direction. For example, multiple sensors are used for detection in the left, right, up and down directions. Left and right detections are feasible for stereo sniffing; unfortunately, the same approach is infeasible for the up/down sensing of the quadrotor platforms because the propellers of the quadrotor continuously draw the air from the top and bring it down, which affects the sensing of the upper and lower sensors, and fails to determine the subsequent tracing step of up/down direction. Therefore, up/down sensing in the surging stage of chemical plume tracing is ineffective for quadrotor platforms (chemical plume tracing has two stages: surging and casting). To solve the problem, we propose an alternative that is not in the surging but in the casting stage of chemical plume tracing, by designing a new three-dimensional chemical plume tracing technique with variations of altitude ( z-axis) control during the casting stage, which has never been considered in the previous works. Besides, we use a computational fluid dynamics software to study the airflow pattern of quadrotor platform. Subsequently, a fuzzy-based stereo-sniffing algorithm is developed by considering the quadrotor propeller’s air intake stream angle associated with the environmental wind direction angle, so as to improve the accuracy of stereo sensing. The results of the proposed solutions are verified and validated via both experimental and simulation approaches.
Non‐thermal ablation of non‐neoplastic Barrett's esophagus with the novel EndoRotor® resection device
Authors: Knabe Mate , Blößer Sandra , Wetzka Jens , Ell Christian , May Andrea
Published: February 2018

Background

International guidelines suggest endoscopic resection for all patients with low‐risk mucosal cancer. Ultimately, it is essential to treat the remaining Barrett's esophagus as part of the treatment. Different thermal ablative therapies have been implemented to effect this treatment. They can lead to potential post‐therapeutic stenosis. Furthermore, a histologic assessment of treated mucosa is not possible.

Objective

Clinical evaluation of a novel, non‐thermal resection device (EndoRotor®) in the treatment of non‐neoplastic Barrett's esophagus was conducted.

Methods

Fourteen patients with early Barrett's carcinoma were treated with endoscopic resection. Subsequently, EndoRotor® therapy was performed for resection of the remaining Barrett's mucosa. Complications were assessed during the study. After a three‐month period patients received follow‐up endoscopy to evaluate post‐therapeutic stenosis.

Results

On average, 674 mm2 (172 mm2 – 1600 mm2) of Barrett's mucosa was treated with the novel device. In six (37.5%) cases, intra‐procedural bleeding occurred with the need for hemostasis. All bleeding could be managed by endoscopic therapy alone. After a three‐month follow‐up there was no post‐therapeutic stenosis registered.

Conclusion

EndoRotor® resection is a feasible non‐thermal treatment of non‐neoplastic Barrett's esophagus. Larger trials have to evaluate risks and benefits of this novel device.
What makes you go back home? Determinants of the duration of migration of Mexican immigrants in the United States
Authors: Carrión-Flores Carmen E.
Published: February 2018

This paper examines the optimal migration duration of Mexican immigrants in the USA using individual-level data from the Mexican Migration Project (MMP). A simple theoretical model rationalizes the decision of the migrant to return to Mexico, despite higher wages in the USA. I use the Cox proportional hazard model to empirically examine the determinants of return migration of Mexican immigrants. This paper contributes to the literature by introducing distances from origin states in Mexico to destination states in the USA as a proxy for costs of migration and uses a US expected wage measure instead of the average US real wages. The empirical analysis shows that the optimal migration duration increases as the US expected wage increases. Importantly, tighter US migration policies have an ambiguous effect on the optimal migration duration while longer distances decrease the hazard of return to their state of origin.
Poro-acoustoelasticity with compliant pores for fluid-saturated rocks
Authors: Fu Bo-Ye , Fu Li-Yun
Published: February 2018

Stress-induced influences on elastic wave velocities include elastic and inelastic behaviors. In general, deformation of rocks is primarily linear elastic for small-magnitude stresses; such behavior can be predicted by the conventional poro-acoustoelasticity theory. On the contrary, large-magnitude stresses induce linear elastic deformation in stiff pores and rock grains and nonlinear elastic deformation in compliant pores. Conventional poro-acoustoelasticity combines the kinetic and strain energy functions via the Lagrange equation. This theory reveals the strain energy transformation of the stiff pores and rock grains for velocity variation. The dual-porosity model uses a semiempirical equation to express the influence of the nonlinear elastic deformation of compliant pores on velocity variations; however, this model does not include the strain energy transformation of compliant pores. We incorporate the dual-porosity model into the conventional poro-acoustoelasticity theory to account for linear and nonlinear elastic deformations through the strain energy transformation of rock grains, stiff pores, and compliant pores. We determine that the work of the loading stress is transformed into two parts: the strain energy for the linear elastic deformation of rock grains and stiff pores and the nonlinear elastic deformation of compliant pores. On applying this theory to ultrasonic measurements under different differential pressures for a saturated sandstone sample, we see that the resulting solution of stress-associated velocity variations is more precise than that obtained using the conventional poro-acoustoelasticity theory, especially in the low-effective-pressure regime.
A new high-order scheme based on numerical dispersion analysis of the wave phase velocity for semidiscrete wave equations
Authors: Ma Xiao , Yang Dinghui , He Xijun , Li Jingshuang , Zheng Yongchang
Published: February 2018

In the numerical computation of wave equations, numerical dispersion is a persistent problem arising from inadequate discretization of the continuous wave equation. To thoroughly understand the mechanism of numerical dispersion, we separately analyze the numerical dispersion relations of time-stepping and spatial discretization schemes by Fourier analysis. The relevant results show that the numerical dispersion errors of time-marching schemes depend on the time step length or the Courant number, whereas the numerical dispersion errors of spatial discretization schemes are determined by the error between the eigenvalues of the numerical spatial differential operator and the continuous spatial differential operator. We also find that the much better numerical dispersion accuracy of the stereo-modeling discrete (SMD)-type operator can be attributed to the inclusion of diversified basis functions for its eigenvalue. Based on these findings, we combine the optimal four-stage symplectic partitioned Runge-Kutta and eighth-order SMD as a new fully discrete scheme. The subsequent analysis of its normalized phase velocity is consistent with the numerical dispersion analysis in semidiscrete forms. This is followed by an acoustic wave simulation in a homogeneous model and corresponding computational efficiency comparison. The results show that the new scheme is much more accurate and antidispersive on a coarse grid. In the final two numerical experiments, we use the new scheme to model the acoustic wave propagation in a three-layer model and the Marmousi model. The convolutional perfectly matched layer is applied to eliminate artificial boundary reflections. Our semidiscrete numerical dispersion analysis provides an efficient tool to quantitatively evaluate the time-stepping and spatial discretization schemes. It can facilitate the development of more accurate fully discrete numerical schemes for solving seismic wave equations.
Βυζάντιο και ρωμαϊκό πρωτείο κατά τον 11ο αιώνα: Το πρόβλημα της συνειδητοποίησης των παπικών αξιώσεων
Authors: ΜΑΜΑΓΚΑΚΗΣ Διονύσιος
Published: February 2018

Σκοπός της παρούσας μελέτης είναι η εξέταση του προβλήματος της συνειδητοποίησης εκ μέρους των Βυζαντινών του 11ου αιώνα των παπικών αξιώσεων για πρωτοκαθεδρία και οικουμενική δικαιοδοσία, όπως αυτό προβάλλει μέσα από την “σιωπή” των πηγών.