bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Ultrafast Papanicolaou stain with standard Papanicolaou stain for cervical smear
Authors: Pudasaini Sujata , Pathak Rakesh , Pande Kricha , Koirala Shraddha
Published: September 2018

Background: After the first evolution of Papanicolaou smear, it has been successfully used to screen cervical cancer. With modifications in the staining method of Pap stain, the lesser staining time and unequivocal cell morphology has been achieved by Ultrafast Papanicolaou stain. The aim of this study is to compare the UFP stain and SP stain in cervical pap smears on the basis of background, cell morphology, nuclear details and overall staining.Materials and methods: This is a prospective hospital based study conducted in a tertiary hospital, Nepal Medical College over a period of six months (January 2017 to June 2017). Cervical pap smears received in the department of Pathology is subjected to Standard papanicolaou (SP) stain and Ultrafast papanicolaou (UFP) stain for comparison.Results:  Total of 368 cervical pap smears were subjected to SP stain and UFP stain. Mean age of the patient was 36.57+-10.06 years. The quality of UFP stain was assessed by considering the background, cell morphology, nuclear details and overall staining. Difference in regards to the interpretation and background was not significant when SP stain was compared to UFP stain. However, cell morphology, nuclear details and overall staining were far better in smears stained with UFP stain.Conclusion: Pap smear is the simple and effective screening tool for cervical lesions. With modifications in staining method and introduction of UFP stain, the result is lesser staining time and excellent morphological quality. Hence, UFP stain has become the choice of stain and can be used on a regular basis.
Benign melanocytic lesions with emphasis on melanocytic nevi – A histomorphological analysis
Authors: Ghosh Arnab , Ghartimagar Dilasma , Thapa Sushma , Sathian Brijesh , Shrestha Binaya , Talwar Om Prakash
Published: September 2018

Background: Melanocytic lesions are common and include both benign and malignant conditions. Benign melanocytic nevus may show varied microscopic features and should be differentiated from malignant lesions. In the present study, we analyse the histopathological pictures of different types of benign melanocytic nevi.Materials and methods: This study was a hospital based retrospective study and all the cases reported as melanocytic nevus in the period from Jan 2014 to June 2018 in the Department of Pathology, Manipal Teaching Hospital were retrieved and analysed in the study.Results: A total of 104 melanocytic lesions including 74 cases of benign melanocytic nevus were reported in the study period. Females were affected more with a female to male ratio of 1.8:1. The age range was 5 to 78 years with mean age of 28 years. Among the female patients, the commonest age group was 21-30 years while among the males; the most affected age group was 11-20. The commonest histopathological subtype was intradermal nevus comprising 73% cases followed by compound nevus.  On analysis of the different sites involved, face, head and neck were found to comprise 92% cases. Epidermal changes including hyperkeratosis, acanthosis were common in intradermal nevus. In most cases, tumor cells were arranged in nests. Melanin pigment was noted in majority of the cases. Secondary changes noted were chronic inflammation, fibrosis and multinucleated giant cells.Conclusion: Benign melanocytic nevus may present in varied age range and show wide spectrum of histological features. All pigmented lesions should be biopsied for its subtypes.
Early detection of cancer in Nepal: Role of liquid biopsy
Authors: Chhetri Aryal Sameer , Aryal Gopi
Published: September 2018

Cancers of the uterine cervix, breast, lung and stomach are four of the most common cancers in Nepal. Lack of knowledge and awareness about cancer, its risk factors and negligence of the early warning signs play crucial role in raising the incidence of the cancer. Curative therapies are most successful when cancer is diagnosed and treated at an early stage.Organized cancer screening programmes provide screening to target population and use multidisciplinary delivery teams, coordinated clinical oversight committees, and regular review by a multidisciplinary evaluation board. For population-based screening programs, decision- making and governance structures, tasks and procedures need to be defined.In this paper, we review population-based cancer screening programmes of different countries and share recommendations and relevant evidence for screening and early detection of common cancers in Nepal. The evidence-based recommendations provided in this Review are intended to act as a guide for policy makers, clinicians, and public health practitioners who are developing and implementing strategies in cancer control.  We also discuss the role of liquid biopsy in early detection, diagnosis and monitoring of cancers using circulating biomarkers. Despite challenges, time has come to include cell free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs), as a parameters for early detection of cancer in the days to come.
Sudden death associated with melanoma brain metastases
Authors: Carlos Durão H , Marcos Veiga G , Pedro Nina , Manuela Gonçalves M , Pedrosa Frederico
Published: September 2018

A 48-year-old male Caucasian, with no relevant medical history except for a mild depression, was found by the partner, passed out on the bedroom floor. Since he was found in cardiac arrest, cardiopulmonary resuscitation was attempted, without success.  Initially, it was suspected to be a suicide attempt and autopsy findings revealed coronary atherosclerosis of about 40%, with no other recoverable cardiac findings.The brain showed multiple probable neoplastic lesions, associated with cerebral and cerebellar hemorrhage. The primary tumor was not identified, but the victim had multiple cutaneous nevi. Histological examination revealed melanoma metastases, confirmed by immunohistochemistry.In this case, the forensic autopsy allowed an accurate determination of the cause of death. Besides having fulfilled its role to the judiciary system, the autopsy also had relevance from an epidemiological point of view, which is essential for Public Health prevention programs.
Hubungan Antara Self Regulated Learning dengan Kematangan Karir pada Siswa SMA
Authors: Aziz Azhar , Putri Siswanto Khaulah Aisyah
Published: September 2018

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk melihat hubungan self regulated learning dengan kematangan karirpada siswa kelas XI MAN 2 MODEL MEDAN.  Subjek dalam penelitian ini adalah siswa kelas XI jurusan IPA, yang mendapat ranking 1-10 yang berjumlah 100 siswa. Teknik pengambilan sampel menggunakan teknik purposive sampling. Pengambilan data dilakukan dengan menggunakan dua skala, yaitu skala self regulated learning dan skala kematangan karir. Analisis data menggunakan teknik korelasi (rxy) sebesar 0.543 dengan p = 0,000 < 0,005, artinya terdapat hubungan positif dan signifikan antara self regulated learning dengan kematangan karirsiswa kelas XI, yang menunjukkan bahwa semakin tinggi self regulated learning siswa maka semakin tinggi kematangan karirnya. Sebaliknya semakin rendah self regulated learning siswa maka semakin rendah kematangan karirnya. Self regulated learning dalam penelitian ini siswa Man 2 Model Medan tergolong tinggi karena (mean empirik =106,64.> mean hipotetik = 87,5 dimana selisihnya melebihi bilangan SD = 19,59). Dan kematangan karirjuga tergolong tinggi, karena (mean empirik= 127,12.> mean hipotetik = 100 dimana selisihnya melebihi bilangan SD = 27,12). Adapun koefisien determinasi dari korelasi tersebut sebesar R2 = 0,294 artinya  self regulated learning memberikan sumbangan terhadap kematangan karirsebesar 29%.  Hasil penelitian ini sesuai hipotesis dengan hasil penelitian di lapangan.

Kata Kunci : Self Regulated Learning; Kematangan Karir; Siswa.
Recognition and Repentance in Canadian Multicultural Heritage: The Community Historical Recognition Program and Italian Canadian Memorializing
Authors: Gordon-Walker Caitlin , Hernandez Analays Alvarez , Ashley Susan L.T.
Published: September 2018

In this article, we examine the multiculturalization of Canadian heritage, and, in particular, the shift to a politics of repentance that has emerged in the past few decades, recognizing specific instances of violence and exclusion that occurred in the nation’s past. Understood in relation to a duty to remember (devoir de mémoire) and a growing global discourse of reconciliation, as well as locally specific demands for redress, this shift has occurred through a convergence of institutional and grassroots activities, and it is exemplified by the Community Historical Recognition Program (CHRP). To explore the implications of this shift, we analyze heritage projects, including both CHRP-funded and independently developed exhibitions and memorials, created in recognition of the discrimination and internment experienced by Italian Canadians during the Second World War. While these can be read as institutionalizing traumatic memories and promoting a legitimizing narrative of the Canadian settler nation-state, they also serve to enable communities to inscribe their own narratives in Canadian history.
On the Call for a Residential Schools National Monument
Authors: Cooper-Bolam Trina
Published: September 2018

In its final report, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada called “… upon the federal government, in collaboration with Survivors and their organizations, and other parties to the Settlement Agreement, to commission and install a publicly accessible, highly visible, Residential Schools National Monument in the city of Ottawa to honour Survivors and all the children who were lost to their families and communities.” As we reckon with this “call to action” number 81, and bear witness to recent and ongoing public repudiation of contentious monuments, it becomes apparent that the logic of such a monument must be questioned. On the surface, it would appear that a counter or therapeutic monument (for which we have models) might best suit call 81’s objectives. I argue that the 144 Indigenous-led commemoration projects funded through the Indian Residential Schools Settlement, which reflect contemporary Indigenous commemorative approaches, forms, and practices for remembering and healing from traumatic pasts and their ongoing legacies, are those most relevant to the Residential Schools National Monument project. They can inform its process, design, siting, and programming, which may enable it to resist, counter, redefine, and perhaps even decolonize the “national monument.” In this article, I both critique call 81 and seek to contribute to this possibility.
Test Method Dependent Efficacy of Antibacterial Textiles
Authors: Hilgenberg Britta , Vossebein Lutz
Published: September 2018

Within the course of this investigation five different antibacterial textiles have been tested with four important standards for assessment of antibacterial efficacy (AATCC 147, ASTM E2149, DIN EN ISO 20645 and DIN EN ISO 20743). For some combinations of conducted method and utilized antibacterial textile the results revealed unexpected variations in antibacterial efficacy. This fact could lead to misperception of antibacterial textile efficacy which in turn could result in hygiene deficits for operators or economic losses for manufacturers. Accordingly, there is a strong need for a consistent method for evaluation of antibacterial efficacy so that the comparability of antibacterial textiles and particularly the significance of antibacterial efficacy will be improved.
Херсонський альманах «Степ» в історії української журналістики
Authors: Лубчак Вадим
Published: September 2018

Стаття присвячена історії виходу у світ херсонського альманаху «Степ», ролі гуртка О. Русова в цьому процесі. У матеріалі акцентується увага на особливостях підготовки збірника до друку, авторському колективі та цензурних утисках.
Новинні портали як новітня платформа українського інформаційного простору
Authors: Ситник Олексій
Published: September 2018

Висвітлено теоретико-практичні проблеми функціонування термінології в інформаційно-діяльнісному просторі мережевих медіа, зокрема новинних порталів; визначено й обґрунтовано поняття новинного порталу, виокремлено й розглянуто його змістові й технологічні характеристики.
Геноцид проти українців – реалізація національної політики Кремля (у дзеркалі світової публіцистики)
Authors: Житарюк Мар’ян
Published: September 2018

Публікацію підготовлено на основі опрацьованих підшивок львівської газети «Діло» 30-х рр. ХХ ст., переосмислення власних наукових публікацій [21, 22]. Ця стаття є спробою показати згубність імперіалізму, більшовизму-тоталітаризму й неоімперіалізму для поневолених націй колишньої Російської імперії, колишнього Радянського Союзу та сучасної Російської Федерації, які за формою, можливо, інші, а за змістом та суттю — однакові. Автор вважає, що документальні свідчення злочинів проти людяності, які постають не тільки на матеріалах відкритих архівів, а й очевидні на основі опрацювання газетних джерел, не можна замовчати або забути чи пробачити усім тим конструкторам і архітекторам геноциду проти українського народу, які розробили й утілювали всілякі зайди-комісари ВКП(б) з Московщини, НКВД, МГБ тощо, а допомагали їм національні зрадники, місцеві комуністи, комсомольці… Наша публікація доводить, що людина, звичайний український селянин, в умовах радянського тоталітаризму, не мала шансів залишатися людиною. Навіть у селян система вичавлювала все національне: памʼять, звичаї, традиції, любов до землі, вміння працювати, гідність, самодостатність, право на власну думку й незалежність дій. Тоталітарний прес таки зламав національну резистентність, але тільки з допомогою Геноциду українства шляхом штучного Голодомору 1932–1933 рр. В умовах цивілізаційного протистояння Москви Заходу, яке нині відбувається переважно коштом України й синів України, ми нерідко спостерігаємо ту ж зраду, яка вже мала місце для нашої країни на початку ХХ ст. Замість національного єднання проти ворога між українськими містами й Росією курсують потяги, їздять автобуси, йде торгівля. Натомість головні висновки цієї статті зводяться до того, що, по-перше, уроки історії треба засвоювати, а, по-друге, Україна матиме шанс на успіх тоді, коли нашу владу репрезентуватиме самодостатня – не прозахідна і не проросійська (не апологети Варшави і не «грязь Москви»), а національна еліта, яка буде спроможна виробити дієві запобіжні механізми національного зламу й поступу.
Проблеми функціонування часопису української діаспори в чужомовному інфоpмаційному просторі (на матеріалах паризького журналу «Тризуб»)
Authors: Тимошик-Сударикова Аліна
Published: September 2018

Уперше на основі архівних матеріалів досліджено проблеми функціонування українськомовного періодичного друкованого органу (конкретно — журналу «Тризуб») в зарубіжному інформаційному просторі, зокрема щодо організації кореспондентських пунктів у різних країнах, створення власної мережі поширення видання та його промоція.
La mediación parental de las prácticas online de los menores españoles: una revisión de estudios empíricos
Authors: López de Ayala María Cruz , Ponte Cristina
Published: September 2018

Se examinan las principales características temáticas y metodológicas de la investigación científica sobre las estrategias de mediación parental de las práctica online de los menores españoles. El trabajo se basa en una revisión bibliográfica sistemática de los artículos, informes y otros documentos publicados en la última década, con una dimensión doble que toma en consideración tanto las iniciativas académicas como las institucionales. Después de analizar las aportaciones más recientes de las estrategias de mediación parental en España en comparación con los países de su entorno europeo, elaboramos un diagnóstico de las principales carencia, lagunas y sesgos de la producción científica en este campo. Se destaca el escaso desarrollo y madurez de este objeto de estudio en la investigación en España.
La iniciativa belga “G1000”. Un posible modelo de ciberdemocracia deliberativa
Authors: Tejedor Fuentes Laura , Paget Vanessa
Published: September 2018

En 2010, tras quinientos días sin gobierno, un grupo de ciudadanos belgas de diferentes estratos sociales crearon una cumbre ciudadana llamada G1000. Este experimento pretendía acercar la política a los ciudadanos a través de técnicas innovadoras de democracia deliberativa. A fin de constatar si dicho modelo cumple con los requisitos de democracia deliberativa, este artículo realiza un estudio práctico de carácter cuantitativo con la valoración de la iniciativa G1000 basado en la obra de Fishkin, Chadwick y Habermas. El resultado, en sintonía con la mayoría de autores que han hecho aportaciones sobre el tema como el portavoz y organizador del evento, Vincent Jacquet, nos permite verificar que el G1000 es una verdadera iniciativa democrático-deliberativa.
Koordinasi Simpang Empat Bersinyal Jalan S.Parman-Belitung Dengan S.Parman-Tarakan Kota Banjarmasin
Authors: Anisari Rezky
Published: September 2018

Evaluasi lampu lalu lintas di kota Banjarmasin seharusnya dilakukan setiap tahun agar bisa diketahui apakah lampu lalu lintas tersebut sudah berfungsi dengan baik dan benar atau sebaliknya, agar tidak menimbulkan kemacetan, kecelakaan lalu lintas dan sebagainya. Mengevaluasi ulang lampu lalu lintas yang berada di persimpangan jalan S.Parman-Belitung dengan jalan S.Parman-Tarakan Kota Banjarmasin Kalimantan Selatan. Agar dapat diketahui kapasitas jalan, waktu siklus, derajat kejenuhan dan koordinasi antar dua persimpangan.

Metode Penelitian yang digunakan adalah metode observasi, yaitu pengambilan data langsung dilapangan data yang diperlukan berupa data primer alat-alat yang diperlukan pada metode penelitian yaitu meteran, blanko dan alat tulis. Pengambilan data dilakukan selama dua hari dipersimpangan S.Parman-Belitung dengan S.Parman­Tarakan

Hasil Penelitian pada persimpangan jalan S.Parman-Belitung dengan jalan S.Parman-Tarakan Kota Banjarmasin Kalimantan Selatan kondisi existing sudah tidak efektif lagi, hal iniut dapat dilihat dari besarnya angka derajat kejenuhan pada tiap tiap lengan simpang yang rata-rata melebihi dari batas ideal yaitu <0,85 dengan demikian jelas bahwa pada simpang-simpang tersebut terjadi kemacetan. Waktu siklus pada kondisi existing pada persimpangan S.parman-Belitung 118 detik dan Persimpangan S,Parman-Tarakan 151 detik. Itu menunjukan bahwa waktu tersebut sangatlah lama sehingga disetting ulang persimpangan S.parman-Belitung 100 detik dan Persimpangan S,Parman-Tarakan 100 detik. Dengan kecepatan kendaraan rata-rata 20 km/jam dari persimpangan S.Parman-Belitung menuju persimpangan S.Parman-Tarakan maka dapat dipastikan bahwa kendaraan yang sudah melewati persimpangan S.parman-Belitung menuju S.Parman-Tarakan tidak akan ikut antrian selanjutnya di persimpangan S.Parman-Tarakan.
Meningkatkan Kemampuan Inovasi Organisasi Melalui Human Capital
Authors: Ekawati Ratna , Soleha Lilis Karnita
Published: September 2018

Tujuan penelitian ini adalah (1) membuat sintesa-sintesa yang kemudian disimpulkan menjadi konsep variabel Human capital dan inovasi organisasi ; (2) untuk mengetahui apakah human capital yang dimiliki sebuah organisasi memiliki keterkaitan dengan kemampuan inovasi organisasi. Jenis penelitian ini adalah studi literatur. Data yang digunakan mayoritas berasal dari data sekunder. Teknik pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan cara observasi dan melalui dokumentasi. Metode yang digunakan adalah metode deskriptif. Setelah melalui proses kajian literature yang mendalam, maka diperoleh hasil penelitian yaitu (1) Konsep human capital adalah keseluruhan kemampuan yang melekat pada individu karyawan yang merupakan asset berharga perusahaan sehingga harus dibina dan dikembangkan, sedangkan konsep inovasi organisasi adalah keseluruhan aktivitas yang diarahkan untuk menciptakan dan menerapkan ide baru yang lebih baik dari sebelumnya ; (2) beberapa teori dan hasil penelitian terdahulu menunjukan bahwa human capital yang dimiliki sebuah organisasi berpengaruh positif terhadap kemampuan inovasi organisasi. Untuk itu jika perusahaan ingin meningkatkan kemampuan inovasi organisasinya maka perusahaan harus selalu berupaya untuk mengembangkan human capital yang dimilikinya
The Impact of International Financial Reporting Standards on Financial Performance
Authors: Lawal Adedoyin Isola , Olufemi Yinka D. , Adewuyi IfeOluwa , Oye Olubukoye Opeyemi
Published: September 2018

Globalization, capital market crash and the Enron’s case led the accounting profession to insist on the need for a single set of high quality reporting standards. International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) were first adopted in 2005 by EU countries while Nigeria agreed to adopt in 2012. The question is: How does IFRS adoption improve the monetary relevance of accounting information? Several studies have explored the monetary relevance of IFRS adoption; however, they are based on foreign countries while Nigerian researches do not contain empirical evidence as they are mostly theoretical. This study therefore seeks to investigate the effect of IFRS adoption on financial performance. The study used correlation research design and data on Earnings per Share (EPS), Change in Earnings per Share (CEPS), Book Value per Share (BVPS) and net profit margin
Dynamic Interaction Between Macroeconomic Fundamentals and Stock Prices in Bangladesh
Authors: Ali Mostafa , Sun Gang , Chowdhury Mohammed Ali Arshad
Published: September 2018

This study attempts to investigate whether dynamics in fundamental macroeconomic factors significantly influence the stock prices of Bangladesh by applying cointegration test, Granger causality test based on the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM), Variance Decomposition and Impulse Response Analysis. Johansen and Juselius cointegration test detect six cointegrating vectors and a short-run and long-run relationship is investigated by normalizing the first cointegrating vector corresponding to the largest Eigen-value. We find a long-run positive relationship between stock price and IP, CPI, EX, and RT but a negative relationship between stock price and M2 and interest rate (both TB & GB). Empirical findings of this study reveal that no macroeconomic variables except TB Granger cause stock price in short run. Variance Decomposition analysis shows that most of the stock price variance can be explained by its own shocks in the shorter horizon but its magnitude diminishes over the long horizon which is about 26.77% after 24 months.  Therefore, empirical results suggest that stock prices are weakly exogenous relative to the macroeconomic variables. Findings of the study have important implications to market participants and financial analysts when they have chosen to invest in Bangladesh stock market.
Prediction of Preoperative Blood Preparation for Orthopedic Surgery Patients: A Supervised Learning Approach
Authors: Chang Chia-Mei , Hung Jeng-Hsiu , Hu Ya-Han , Lee Pei-Ju , Shen Cheng-Che
Published: September 2018

Blood transfusion is a common and often necessary medical procedure during surgery. However, most physicians rely on their personal clinical experience to determine whether a patient requires a transfusion. This generally involves considering the risk of blood loss during surgery, and the preparation of blood is thus regularly requested before surgery. However, unused blood is a particularly severe problem, especially in orthopedic procedures, which not only increases medical resource wastage but also places a burden on medical personnel. This study collected the records of 1396 patients who received an orthopedic surgery in a regional teaching hospital. Data mining techniques, namely support vector machine, C4.5 decision tree, classification and regression tree, and logistic regression (LGR) were employed to predict whether patients undergoing an orthopedic surgery required an intraoperative blood transfusion. The LGR classifier, which was constructed using the CfsSubsetEval module and GeneticSearch method, exhibited optimal prediction accuracy (area under the curve: 78.7%). This study investigated major variables involved in blood transfusions to provide a clear reference for evaluating the necessity of preparing blood for surgical procedures. Data mining techniques can be used to simplify unnecessary blood preparation procedures, thereby reducing the workload of medical staff and minimizing the wastage of medical resources.
The Method of Multi-Camera Layout in Motion Capture System for Diverse Small Animals
Authors: Zong Weijia , Wang Zhouyi , Xing Qiang , Zhu Junjie , Wang Liuwei , Qin Kai , Bai Hemin , Yu Min , Dai Zhendong
Published: September 2018

Motion capture based on multi-camera is widely used in the quantification of animal locomotor behaviors and this is one of the main research methods to reveal the physical laws of animal locomotion and to inspire the design and realization of bionic robot. It has been found that the multi-camera layout patterns greatly affect the effect of motion capture. Due to the researches for animals of diverse species, determining the most appropriate layout patterns to achieve excellent capture performance remains an unresolved challenge. To improve the capturing accuracy, this investigation focuses on the method of multi-camera layout as a motion capture system for diverse animals with significant differences in outward appearance characteristics and locomotor behaviors. The demand boundaries of motion capture are determined according to the appearance types (shapes and space volume) and the behavior characteristics of the animals, resulting in the matching principle of the typical multi-camera layout patterns (arch, annular and half-annular) with diverse animals. The results of the calibration experiments show that the average standard deviation rate (ASDR) of multi-camera system in the half-annular layout patterns (0.52%) is apparently smaller than that of the other two patterns, while its intersecting volume is the largest among the three patterns. The ASDR at different depths of field in a half-annular layout demonstrate that the greater depth of field is conducive to improving the precision of the motion capture system. Laboratory experiments of the motion capture for small animals (geckos and spiders) employed the multi-camera system locked in the 3-D force measuring platform in a half-annular layout pattern indicate that the ASDR of them could reach less than 3.8% and their capturing deviation rate (ACDR) are respectively 3.43% and 1.74%. In this report, the correlations between the motion capture demand boundaries of small animals and the characteristics of the multi-camera layout patterns were determined to advance the motion capture experimental technology for all kinds of small animals, which can provide effective support for the understanding of animal locomotion.
A Single Simulation Platform for Hybrid Photoacoustic and RF-Acoustic Computed Tomography
Authors: Fadden Christopher , Kothapalli Sri-Rajasekhar
Published: September 2018

In recent years, multimodal thermoacoustic imaging has demonstrated superior imaging quality compared to other emerging modalities. It provides functional and molecular information, arising due to electromagnetic absorption contrast, at ultrasonic resolution using inexpensive and non-ionizing imaging methods. The development of optical- as well as radio frequency (RF)-induced thermoacoustic imaging systems would benefit from reliable numerical simulations. To date, most numerical models use a combination of different software in order to model the hybrid thermoacoustic phenomenon. Here, we demonstrate the use of a single open source finite element software platform (ONELAB) for photo- and RF-acoustic computed tomography. The solutions of the optical diffusion equation, frequency domain Maxwell’s equations, and time-domain wave equation are used to solve the optical, electromagnetic, and acoustic propagation problems, respectively, in ONELAB. The results on a test homogeneous phantom and an approximate breast phantom confirm that ONELAB is a very effective software for both photo- and RF-acoustic simulations, and invaluable for developing new reconstruction algorithms and hardware systems.
A Novel Dictionary-Based Image Reconstruction for Photoacoustic Computed Tomography
Authors: Omidi Parsa , Zafar Mohsin , Mozaffarzadeh Moein , Hariri Ali , Haung Xiangzhi , Orooji Mahdi , Nasiriavanaki Mohammadreza
Published: September 2018

One of the major concerns in photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) is obtaining a high-quality image using the minimum number of ultrasound transducers/view angles. This issue is of importance when a cost-effective PACT system is needed. On the other hand, analytical reconstruction algorithms such as back projection (BP) and time reversal, when a limited number of view angles is used, cause artifacts in the reconstructed image. Iterative algorithms provide a higher image quality, compared to BP, due to a model used for image reconstruction. The performance of the model can be further improved using the sparsity concept. In this paper, we propose using a novel sparse dictionary to capture important features of the photoacoustic signal and eliminate the artifacts while few transducers is used. Our dictionary is an optimum combination of Wavelet Transform (WT), Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT), and Total Variation (TV). We utilize two quality assessment metrics including peak signal-to-noise ratio and edge preservation index to quantitatively evaluate the reconstructed images. The results show that the proposed method can generate high-quality images having fewer artifacts and preserved edges, when fewer view angles are used for reconstruction in PACT.
Control Synergies for Rapid Stabilization and Enlarged Region of Attraction for a Model of Hopping
Authors: Zamani Ali , Bhounsule Pranav A.
Published: September 2018

Inspired by biological control synergies, wherein fixed groups of muscles are activated in a coordinated fashion to perform tasks in a stable way, we present an analogous control approach for the stabilization of legged robots and apply it to a model of running. Our approach is based on the step-to-step notion of stability, also known as orbital stability, using an orbital control Lyapunov function. We map both the robot state at a suitably chosen Poincaré section (an instant in the locomotion cycle such as the mid-flight phase) and control actions (e.g., foot placement angle, thrust force, braking force) at the current step, to the robot state at the Poincaré section at the next step. This map is used to find the control action that leads to a steady state (nominal) gait. Next, we define a quadratic Lyapunov function at the Poincaré section. For a range of initial conditions, we find control actions that would minimize an energy metric while ensuring that the Lyapunov function decays exponentially fast between successive steps. For the model of running, we find that the optimization reveals three distinct control synergies depending on the initial conditions: (1) foot placement angle is used when total energy is the same as that of the steady state (nominal) gait; (2) foot placement angle and thrust force are used when total energy is less than the nominal; and (3) foot placement angle and braking force are used when total energy is more than the nominal.
Non-Invasive Assessment of Lactate Production and Compartmentalization in Renal Cell Carcinomas Using Hyperpolarized 13C Pyruvate MRI
Authors: Sriram Renuka , Gordon Jeremy , Baligand Celine , Ahamed Fayyaz , Delos Santos Justin , Qin Hecong , Bok Robert A. , Vigneron Daniel B. , Kurhanewicz John , Larson Peder E. Z. , Wang Zhen J.
Published: September 2018

Optimal treatment selection for localized renal tumors is challenging due to their variable biological behavior and limited ability to pre-operatively assess their aggressiveness. We investigated hyperpolarized (HP) 13C pyruvate MRI to noninvasively assess tumor lactate production and compartmentalization, which are strongly associated with renal tumor aggressiveness. Orthotopic tumors were created in mice using human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) lines (A498, 786-O, UOK262) with varying expression of lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) which catalyzes the pyruvate-to-lactate conversion, and varying expression of monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) which mediates lactate export out of the cells. Dynamic HP 13C pyruvate MRI showed that the A498 tumors had significantly higher 13C pyruvate-to-lactate conversion than the UOK262 and 786-O tumors, corresponding to higher A498 tumor LDHA expression. Additionally, diffusion-weighted HP 13C pyruvate MRI showed that the A498 tumors had significantly higher 13C lactate apparent diffusion coefficients compared to 786-O tumors, with corresponding higher MCT4 expression, which likely reflects more rapid lactate export in the A498 tumors. Our data demonstrate the feasibility of HP 13C pyruvate MRI to inform on tumor lactate production and compartmentalization, and provide the scientific premise for future clinical investigation into the utility of this technique to noninvasively interrogate renal tumor aggressiveness and to guide treatment selection.
PDGFR and IGF-1R Inhibitors Induce a G2/M Arrest and Subsequent Cell Death in Human Glioblastoma Cell Lines
Authors: Carrasco-Garcia Estefania , Martinez-Lacaci Isabel , Mayor-López Leticia , Tristante Elena , Carballo-Santana Mar , García-Morales Pilar , Ventero Martin Maria Paz , Fuentes-Baile Maria , Rodriguez-Lescure Álvaro , Saceda Miguel
Published: September 2018

Glioblastomas are highly resistant to radiation and chemotherapy. Currently, there are no effective therapies for this type of tumor. Signaling mechanisms initiated by PDGFR and IGF-1R are important in glioblastoma, and inhibition of the signal transduction pathways initiated by these receptors could be a useful alternative strategy for glioblastoma treatment. We have studied the effects of the PDGFR inhibitor JNJ-10198409 (JNJ) and the IGF-1R inhibitor picropodophyllin (PPP) in glioblastoma cell lines as well as in primary cultures derived from patients affected by this type of tumor. JNJ and PPP treatment blocked PDGFR and IGF-1R signaling respectively and reduced Akt and Erk 1/2 phosphorylation. Both inhibitors diminished cell proliferation, inducing a G2/M block of the cell cycle. Cell death induced by JNJ was caspase-dependent, Annexin-V positive and caused PARP cleavage, especially in T98 cells, suggesting an apoptotic mechanism. However, cell death induced by PPP was not completely inhibited by caspase inhibitors in all cell lines apart from LN-229 cells, indicating a caspase-independent mechanism. Several inhibitors targeted against different cell death pathways could not block this caspase-independent component, which may be a non-programmed necrotic mechanism. Apoptotic arrays performed in T98 and LN-229 cells upon JNJ and PPP treatment revealed that procaspase 3 levels were augmented by both drugs in T98 cells and only by JNJ in LN229-cells. Furthermore, XIAP and survivin levels were much higher in LN-229 cells than in T98 cells, revealing that LN-229 cells are more susceptible to undergo caspase-independent cell death mechanisms. JNJ and PPP combination was more effective than each treatment alone.
Microstructure and Corrosion Characterization of Cr Film on Carburized CSS-42L Aerospace Bearing Steel by Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc Deposition
Authors: Wang Fangfang , Li Qiushi , Zheng Lijing , Zhang Fengxiang , Zhang Hu
Published: September 2018

For present and future advanced aerospace bearing applications, it is significant and necessary to improve the corrosion resistance of carburized CSS-42L steel. In this study, Cr films of about 1 μm in thickness were fabricated onto carburized CSS-42L bearing steel using a filtered cathodic vacuum arc deposition system. The corrosion behavior of carburized CSS-42L steel with Cr films was investigated. The Cr film was composed of nanocrystalline α–Cr. The electrochemical experimental results indicated that the current density had two orders of magnitude decrease and the corrosion potential evidently increased after Cr film deposition. The protective efficiency of this Cr film was as high as 99.7%. Nanocrystalline exhibits a higher corrosion resistance and enhances the modification effect of Cr film on carburized CSS-42L steel.
Investigation of Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells for Viscosity of PEDOT:PSS Solution
Authors: Huang Pao-Hsun , Wang Yeong-Her , Huang Chien-Wu , Chen Wen-Ray , Huang Chien-Jung
Published: September 2018

In this paper, we demonstrate that the inverted CH3NH3PbI3 (perovskite) solar cells (PSCs) based on fullerene (C60) as an acceptor is fabricated by applying an improved poly(3,4-ethlyenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) solution as a hole transport layer (HTL). The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of inverted PSCs is increased by 37.5% with stable values of open-circuit voltage (VOC) and fill factor (FF) because we enhance the viscosity of the PEDOT:PSS solution, indicating the perfect effect on both external quantum efficiency (EQE) and surface grain size. The characteristics of the PEDOT:PSS solution, which is being improved through facile methods of obtaining excellent growth of PEDOT:PSS thin film, have a considerable impact on carrier transport. A series of further processing fabrications, including reliable and feasible heating and stirring techniques before the formation of the PEDOT:PSS thin film via spin-coating, not only evaporate the excess moisture but also obviously increase the conductivity. The raised collection of holes become the reason for the enhanced PCE of 3.0%—therefore, the stable performance of FF and VOC are attributed to lower series resistance of devices and the high-quality film crystallization of perovskite and organic acceptors, respectively.
“Holes” in the Jaw—A Report of Two Cases of Periapical Actinomycosis
Authors: Ayoade Folusakin , Olayiwola Ayoola , Li Ailing
Published: September 2018

Periapical actinomycosis is a relatively rare form of cervicofacial actinomycosis, which typically involves the periapical region with subsequent potential spread to the jaw bones. We hereby present two cases of periapical actinomycosis. Both patients presented with jaw pain and “holes” in their gum and lacked the characteristic clinical features commonly seen in cervicofacial actinomycosis such as jaw mass, draining ulcers, sinuses and fistulae. The first patient was an immunocompetent host with chronic stable medical conditions but with a rather bad dentition requiring multiple recent teeth extractions. The second patient was edentulous, had refractory multiple myeloma, was on low-dose chronic steroids and pomalidomide therapy and therefore relatively immunocompromised. Both cases of actinomycosis were diagnosed by jaw bone histopathology, which showed characteristic sulfur granules and embedded Actinomyces-like organisms. The two patients had excellent clinical response to six months of penicillin therapy without any need for surgical intervention. The cases remind clinicians of including actinomycosis in the differential diagnosis of periapical lesions and illustrates the possibility of achieving cure with non-surgical treatment.
Study on Mutual Information and Fractal Dimension-Based Unsupervised Feature Parameters Selection: Application in UAVs
Authors: Wang Xiaohong , He Yidi , Wang Lizhi
Published: September 2018

In this study, due to the redundant and irrelevant features contained in the multi-dimensional feature parameter set, the information fusion performance of the subspace learning algorithm was reduced. To solve the above problem, a mutual information (MI) and fractal dimension-based unsupervised feature parameters selection method was proposed. The key to this method was the importance ordering algorithm based on the comprehensive consideration of the relevance and redundancy of features, and then the method of fractal dimension-based feature parameter subset evaluation criterion was adopted to obtain the optimal feature parameter subset. To verify the validity of the proposed method, a brushless direct current (DC) motor performance degradation test was designed. Vibrational sample data during motor performance degradation was used as the data source, and motor health-fault diagnosis capacity and motor state prediction effect ware evaluation indexes to compare the information fusion performance of the subspace learning algorithm before and after the use of the proposed method. According to the comparison result, the proposed method is able to eliminate highly-redundant parameters that are less correlated to feature parameters, thereby enhancing the information fusion performance of the subspace learning algorithm.
Environmental Impacts of Solar-Photovoltaic and Solar-Thermal Systems with Life-Cycle Assessment
Authors: Mahmud M. A. Parvez , Huda Nazmul , Farjana Shahjadi Hisan , Lang Candace
Published: September 2018

The demand for clean energy is strong, and the shift from fossil-fuel-based energy to environmentally friendly sources is the next step to eradicating the world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Solar energy technology has been touted as one of the most promising sources for low-carbon, non-fossil fuel energy production. However, the true potential of solar-based technologies is established by augmenting efficiency through satisfactory environmental performance in relation to other renewable energy systems. This paper presents an environmental life-cycle assessment (LCA) of a solar-photovoltaic (PV) system and a solar-thermal system. Single crystalline Si solar cells are considered for the solar PV system and an evacuated glass tube collector is considered for the solar thermal system in this analysis. A life-cycle inventory (LCI) is developed considering all inputs and outputs to assess and compare the environmental impacts of both systems for 16 impact indicators. LCA has been performed by the International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD), Impact 2002+, Cumulative Energy Demand (CED), Eco-points 97, Eco-indicator 99 and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) methods, using SimaPro software. The outcomes reveal that a solar-thermal framework provides more than four times release to air ( 100 % ) than the solar-PV ( 23.26 % ), and the outputs by a solar-PV system to soil ( 27.48 % ) and solid waste ( 35.15 % ) are about one third that of solar-thermal. The findings also depict that the solar panels are responsible for the most impact in the considered systems. Moreover, uncertainty and sensitivity analysis has also been carried out for both frameworks, which reveal that Li-ion batteries and copper-indium-selenium (CIS)-solar collectors perform better than others for most of the considered impact categories. This study revealed that a superior environmental performance can be achieved by both systems through careful selection of the components, taking into account the toxicity aspects, and by minimizing the impacts related to the solar panel, battery and heat storage.
A Novel Adaptive Neuro-Control Approach for Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor Speed Control
Authors: Wang Qi , Yu Haitao , Wang Min , Qi Xinbo
Published: September 2018

A speed controller for permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) under the field oriented control (FOC) method is discussed in this paper. First, a novel adaptive neuro-control approach, single artificial neuron goal representation heuristic dynamic programming (SAN-GrHDP) for speed regulation of PMSMs, is presented. For both current loops, PI controllers are adopted, respectively. Compared with the conventional single artificial neuron (SAN) control strategy, the proposed approach assumes an unknown mathematic model of the PMSM and guides the selection value of parameter K online. Besides, the proposed design can develop an internal reinforcement learning signal to guide the dynamic optimal control of the PMSM in the process. Finally, nonlinear optimal control simulations and experiments on the speed regulation of a PMSM are implemented in Matlab2016a and TMS320F28335, a 32-bit floating-point digital signal processor (DSP), respectively. To achieve a comparative study, the conventional SAN and SAN-GrHDP approaches are set up under identical conditions and parameters. Simulation and experiment results verify that the proposed controller can improve the speed control performance of PMSMs.
Review of Reactors with Potential Use in Thermochemical Energy Storage in Concentrated Solar Power Plants
Authors: Zsembinszki Gabriel , Solé Aran , Barreneche Camila , Prieto Cristina , Fernández A. Inés , Cabeza Luisa F.
Published: September 2018

The aim of this study is to perform a review of the state-of-the-art of the reactors available in the literature, which are used for solid–gas reactions or thermal decomposition processes around 1000 °C that could be further implemented for thermochemical energy storage in CSP (concentrated solar power) plants, specifically for SPT (solar power tower) technology. Both direct and indirect systems can be implemented, with direct and closed systems being the most studied ones. Among direct and closed systems, the most used configuration is the stacked bed reactor, with the fixed bed reactor being the most frequent option. Out of all of the reactors studied, almost 70% are used for solid–gas chemical reactions. Few data are available regarding solar efficiency in most of the processes, and the available information indicates relatively low values. Chemical reaction efficiencies show better values, especially in the case of a fluidized bed reactor for solid–gas chemical reactions, and fixed bed and rotary reactors for thermal decompositions.
Affinity Sensing Strategies for the Detection of Pesticides in Food
Authors: Capoferri Denise , Della Pelle Flavio , Del Carlo Michele , Compagnone Dario
Published: September 2018

This is a review of recent affinity-based approaches that detect pesticides in food. The importance of the quantification and monitoring of pesticides is firstly discussed, followed by a description of the different approaches reported in the literature. The different sensing approaches are reported according to the different recognition element used: antibodies, aptamers, or molecularly imprinted polymers. Schemes of detection and the main features of the assays are reported and commented upon. The large number of affinity sensors recently developed and tested on real samples demonstrate that this approach is ready to be validated to monitor the amount of pesticides used in food commodities.
SpArcFiRe: Enhancing Spiral Galaxy Recognition Using Arm Analysis and Random Forests
Authors: Silva Pedro , Cao Leon T. , Hayes Wayne B.
Published: September 2018

Automated quantification of galaxy morphology is necessary because the size of upcoming sky surveys will overwhelm human volunteers. Existing classification schemes are inadequate because (a) their uncertainty increases near the boundary of classes and astronomers need more control over these uncertainties; (b) galaxy morphology is continuous rather than discrete; and (c) sometimes we need to know not only the type of an object, but whether a particular image of the object exhibits visible structure. We propose that regression is better suited to these tasks than classification, and focus specifically on determining the extent to which an image of a spiral galaxy exhibits visible spiral structure. We use the human vote distributions from Galaxy Zoo 1 (GZ1) to train a random forest of decision trees to reproduce the fraction of GZ1 humans who vote for the “Spiral” class. We prefer the random forest model over other black box models like neural networks because it allows us to trace post hoc the precise reasoning behind the regression of each image. Finally, we demonstrate that using features from SpArcFiRe—a code designed to isolate and quantify arm structure in spiral galaxies—improves regression results over and above using traditional features alone, across a sample of 470,000 galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.