bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Promotion of Efficacy in the Regulation of Noise Pollution in Kenya through Devolution and Public Participation
Authors: Mercy Emojong Amai , Michura Eliud Garry , Ndege Aloyce 
Published: August 2019

This research article examines the promotion of efficacy in the regulation of noise pollution in Kenya through devolution and public participation. The prevention of noise pollution has been recognised as a component of a clean and healthy environment. In many countries, Kenya included, comparatively little attention is paid to noise pollution, despite its importance in the urban and industrial scene. For example, although the provisions of sections 115 and 175 of the Public Health Act and the Penal Code respectively, prohibit and criminalise public nuisance, their enforcement is outside the competence of the individual. Rarely does one hear of a court action by public health or other officers yet pollution continue to occur. It appears that there has been total apathy by the officers concerned with the enforcement and the community affected by the nuisance. Lack of efficacy in the implementation and enforcement of the Regulations is a major reason for the existence of noise pollution in Kenya. Among the challenges faced is the lack of resources in terms of logistics to create awareness with regards to the problems associated with noise pollution. The Kenyan public are yet to appreciate and understand that noise is an unnecessary evil in the society. As the level of noise pollution rises every day at an alarming rate a serious problem is looming to the members of the public and the country in terms of the health issues, communication troubles, general nuisance, and its corresponding effects on wildlife. There is a limited research field study and gaps in this area regarding noise pollution control and how to enhance its efficacy in Kenya. New strategies, beyond the simple command and control instruments currently in place at the national level, shall help in changing behaviours in ways that shall be beneficial to the society as a whole. This paper tends to look at how the various tiers of national and county governments have embraced these principles in the promotion of efficacy in the environmental governance in Kenya, especially in noise pollution control.
In vitro Antifungal Activity of Plant Extracts, Hydrolates and Essential Oils of Some Medicinal Plants and Control of Cucumber Anthracnose
Authors: P. Mattos Amanda , P. Povh Fabricio , B. Rissato Bruna , V. Schwan Vítor , Schwan-Estrada Kátia R. F. 
Published: August 2019

Aims: This study is aimed to evaluate the in vitro antifungal activity effect of the crude aqueous extract (CAE), hydrolate (HY) and essential oil (EO) of Corymbia citriodora, Cymbopogon citratus, Cymbopogon flexuosus and Curcuma longa against the phytopathogenic fungi Alternaria steviae, Botryosphaeria dothidea, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Sclerotium rolfsii, and assess, in situ, the effectiveness of CAE of medicinal plants in reducing the severity of the cucumber anthracnose.
Methodology: The EOs and HYs were obtained by hydrodistillation. The CAEs were prepared by the turbolysis method. Mycelial growth of the fungi was measured daily, by the diametrically opposite method. In the in vivo test, the CAEs were sprayed on the cotyledon leaves of healthy cucumber plants with three days after were inoculated with C. lagenarium. The severity of assessment of the disease was based on a scale of notes.
Results: The medicinal plants studied showed antifungal activity against all or almost all pathogens. In general, treatment with CAE and HY of C. longa revealed the highest inhibition against the fungi tested. With the exception of the EO of C. longa, the other EOs showed total inhibition against all the fungi and in all the concentrations tested. Compared to control, in in vivo assays CAE of C. citratus presents a potential for control of cucumber anthracnose reducing the severity of the disease.
Conclusion: The medicinal plants studied produce compounds associated with antimicrobial activity.
The longitudinal relationships of interpersonal openness trait, hostility, and hostile attribution bias
Authors: Wang Ya‐Jie , Xia Ling‐Xiang 
Published: August 2019

AbstractWhile the relationship between personality, hostility, and hostile attribution bias (HAB) has been explored in previous studies, their longitudinal relationship is unclear, and no related study has utilized the indigenous Chinese personality. This research explored the longitudinal relationships of interpersonal openness (IO; an indigenous Chinese personality construct), hostility, and HAB. The 942 valid participants (38.5% male, mean age = 20.83, standard deviation =
1.04) were from six different provinces in China. Measurements were completed on two separate occasions (Times 1 and 2), with a 6‐month interval. Results showed that IO has longitudinal effects on hostility, after controlling for the Big Five, and HAB could be longitudinally predicted by IO and hostility as well. Moreover, hostility served as a mediator in the relationship between IO and HAB. These results suggest that IO can affect the development of hostility and HAB, and some indigenous Chinese personality factors may complement Western personality theories.
Alterations in the human gut microbiome in anti‐N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor encephalitis
Authors: Gong Xue , Liu Xu , Li Chen , Chen Chu , Lin Jingfang , Li Aiqing , An Dongmei , Zhou Dong , Hong Zhen 
Published: August 2019

AbstractObjectiveTo explore the diversity and composition of the fecal microbiota in patients with anti‐N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis.MethodsWe enrolled 10 patients in the acute stage with naïve treatment, seven patients with relapse, 13 patients without relapse in the remission phase, and 12 paired healthy controls. The fecal microbiota in different groups was compared by 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) gene pyrosequencing.ResultsProminent dysbiosis in the gut microbiome of patients with anti‐NMDAR encephalitis was found. Our primary findings showed that the overall species richness (alpha diversity indexes) of the microbiota was higher in patients than in controls (P < 0.05). Distance‐based community analysis revealed that the microbiota differed substantially within all subgroups of patients and controls (P < 0.05). The relative abundance of species heatmap showed a tendency toward depletion for some commensal genera, such as Prevotella_6, Bifidobacterium, Faecalibacterium, and other short‐chain fatty acid (SCFA)‐producing bacteria. Additionally, our results showed that all subgroups had a distinct bacterial species, with an increase in the genus Fusobacterium in the acute phase group and the genera Streptococcus and Parabacteroides in patients with relapse. However, the genus Bacteroides was very abundant in patients without relapse. Although the findings regarding the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratios across the four comparison groups were not statistically significant, the F/B ratio gradually increased in patients from the acute phase group (0.87), to the disease remission group with relapse (1.06), to the group without relapse (1.28), to the healthy group (1.63).InterpretationPatients with anti‐NMDAR encephalitis exhibit a substantial alteration in fecal microbiota composition.
Transformable Nanoparticle‐Enabled Synergistic Elicitation and Promotion of Immunogenic Cell Death for Triple‐Negative Breast Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Xu Chenfeng , Yu Yulin , Sun Yu , Kong Li , Yang Conglian , Hu Mei , Yang Ting , Zhang Jiao , Hu Qian , Zhang Zhiping 
Published: August 2019

AbstractAlthough cisplatin‐based neoadjuvant chemotherapy is an efficient therapy approach for triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC), it has dismal prognosis and modestly improved survival benefit. Here, a synergistic immunotherapy of TNBC premised on the elicitation and promotion of immunogenic cell death (ICD) response, through a transformable nanoparticle‐enabled approach for contemporaneous delivery of cisplatin, adjudin, and WKYMVm is reported. The nanoparticles can sequentially respond to matrix metalloproteinases‐2, pH, and glutathione to achieve structural transformation with the advantages of optimal size change, efficient drug delivery, and well‐controlled release. Cisplatin and adjudin can synergistically amplify reactive oxygen species (ROS) cascade and eventually increase the formation of hydrogen peroxide and downstream highly toxic ROS like •OH, which can elicit ICD response by mechanisms of endoplasmic reticulum stress, apoptotic cell death, and autophagy. WKYMVm can further promote anti‐TNBC immunity by activation of formyl peptide receptor 1 to build stable interactions between dendritic cells and dying cancer cells. Thus, the nanoparticles achieve significant primary tumor regression and pulmonary metastasis inhibition as well as a remarkable survival benefit, with boosting of the innate and adaptive anti‐TNBC immunity.
Graphdiyne‐Based Materials: Preparation and Application for Electrochemical Energy Storage
Authors: Wang Ning , He Jianjiang , Wang Kun , Zhao Yingjie , Jiu Tonggang , Huang Changshui , Li Yuliang 
Published: August 2019

AbstractGraphdiyne (GDY) has drawn much attention for its 2D chemical structure, extraordinary intrinsic properties, and wide application potential in a variety of research fields. In particular, some structural features and basic physical properties including expanded in‐plane pores, regular nanostructuring, and good transporting properties make GDY a promising candidate for an electrode material in energy‐storage devices, including batteries and supercapacitors. The chemical structure, synthetic strategy, basic chemical–physical properties of GDY, and related theoretical analysis on its energy‐storage mechanism are summarized here. Moreover, through a view of the mutual promotion between the structure modification of GDY and the corresponding electrochemical performance improvement, research progress on the application of GDY for electrochemical energy storage is systematically explored and discussed. Furthermore, the development trends of GDY in energy‐storage devices are also comprehensively assessed. GDY‐based materials represent a bright future in the field of electrochemical energy storage.
Host–Guest Hybrid Redox Materials Self‐Assembled from Polyoxometalates and Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Jordan Jack W. , Lowe Grace A. , McSweeney Robert L. , Stoppiello Craig T. , Lodge Rhys W. , Skowron Stephen T. , Biskupek Johannes , Rance Graham A. , Kaiser Ute , Walsh Darren A. , Newton Graham N. , Khlobystov Andrei N. 
Published: August 2019

AbstractThe development of next‐generation molecular‐electronic, electrocatalytic, and energy‐storage systems depends on the availability of robust materials in which molecular charge‐storage sites and conductive hosts are in intimate contact. It is shown here that electron transfer from single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) to polyoxometalate (POM) clusters results in the spontaneous formation of host–guest POM@SWNT redox‐active hybrid materials. The SWNTs can conduct charge to and from the encapsulated guest molecules, allowing electrical access to >90% of the encapsulated redox species. Furthermore, the SWNT hosts provide a physical barrier, protecting the POMs from chemical degradation during charging/discharging and facilitating efficient electron transfer throughout the composite, even in electrolytes that usually destroy POMs.
Defect Mitigation in Area‐Selective Atomic Layer Deposition of Ruthenium on Titanium Nitride/Dielectric Nanopatterns
Authors: Soethoudt Job , Hody Hubert , Spampinato Valentina , Franquet Alexis , Briggs Basoene , Chan Boon Teik , Delabie Annelies 
Published: August 2019

AbstractArea‐selective deposition (ASD) receives increasing attention as a bottom‐up approach for nanoelectronic device fabrication. Uptake of ASD is however limited by defects, which manifest as undesired particle growth on the nongrowth surface. A defect mitigation solution is demonstrated for Ru ASD on TiN/SiO2 nanopatterns by making use of the size‐dependent Ru nanoparticle reactivity. During the initial stages of 1‐(ethylbenzyl)‐1,4‐(ethylcyclohexadienyl)ruthenium and oxygen (EBECHRu/O2) atomic layer deposition (ALD) on dielectrics, Ru particles are too small to catalytically dissociate oxygen, and their growth is suppressed. This phenomenon creates an ASD process window in which particles can be completely etched while retaining the integrity of the ASD pattern on a TiN growth surface. Decreasing the ALD temperature strongly suppresses defect growth, which can be used to expand the process window for ASD. The ASD process window is confirmed by self‐focusing secondary ion mass spectrometry (SF‐SIMS) with its low limit of detection while analyzing 104 structures simultaneously. No defects are detected for Ru ASD on 36 nm TiN/SiO2 patterns by SF‐SIMS. The Ru ASD process is applied for bottom‐up block patterning and functional hardmask patterns are obtained on 300 mm wafers. The approach followed in this work can produce defect‐free ASD processes for a wide variety of applications.
A Meta‐Analysis of Program Characteristics for Youth with Disruptive Behavior Problems: The Moderating Role of Program Format and Youth Gender
Authors: Granski Megan , Javdani Shabnam , Anderson Valerie R. , Caires Roxane 
Published: August 2019

AbstractThere is high variability in efficacy for interventions for youth with disruptive behavior problems (DBP). Despite evidence of the unique correlates and critical consequences of girls’ DBP, there is a dearth of research examining treatment efficacy for girls. This meta‐analysis of 167 unique effect sizes from 29 studies (28,483 youth, 50% female; median age: 14) suggests that existing treatments have a medium positive effect on DBP (g = .33). For both boys and girls, the most effective interventions included (a) multimodal or group format, (b) cognitive skills or family systems interventions, and (c) length‐intensive programs for (d) younger children. Boys demonstrated significantly greater treatment gains from group format interventions compared to girls, which is particularly important given that the group program format was the most prevalent format for boys and girls, with 14 studies involving 10,433 youth encompassing this category. This is the first meta‐analysis to examine the effect of program characteristics in a sample of programs selected to be specifically inclusive of girls. Given that girls are underrepresented in intervention research on DBP, findings are discussed in terms of gender‐responsive considerations and elucidating how key aspects of program structure can support more effective intervention outcomes for youth.
Recent Advances in Natural Products Synthesis Using Bifunctional Organocatalysts Bearing a Hydrogen‐Bonding Donor Moiety
Authors: Odagi Minami , Nagasawa Kazuo 
Published: August 2019

AbstractOrganocatalysis is widely used for the asymmetric synthesis of natural products and pharmaceuticals, and bifunctional organocatalysts are particularly effective for controlling stereochemistry. Here, we present an overview of natural products syntheses involving bifunctional catalysts bearing a hydrogen‐bonding donor moiety reported during the last five years.
Design, synthesis, molecular docking, and anticancer activity of benzoxazole derivatives as VEGFR‐2 inhibitors
Authors: El‐Helby Abdel‐Ghany A. , Sakr Helmy , Eissa Ibrahim H. , Abulkhair Hamada , Al‐Karmalawy Ahmed A. , El‐Adl Khaled 
Published: August 2019

AbstractNovel series of benzoxazoles 4a‐f‐16 were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for anticancer activity against HepG2, HCT‐116, and MCF‐7 cells. HCT‐116 was the most sensitive cell line to the influence of the new derivatives. In particular, compound 5e was found to be the most potent against HepG2, HCT‐116, and MCF‐7 with IC50 = 4.13 ± 0.2, 6.93 ± 0.3, and 8.67 ± 0.5 µM, respectively. Compounds 5c, 5f, 6b, 5d, and 6c showed the highest anticancer activities against HepG2 cells with IC50 of 5.93 ± 0.2, 6.58 ± 0.4, 8.10 ± 0.7, 8.75 ± 0.7, and 9.95 ± 0.9 µM, respectively; HCT‐116 cells with IC50 of 7.14 ± 0.4, 9.10 ± 0.8, 7.91 ± 0.6, 9.52 ± 0.5, and 12.48 ± 1.1 µM, respectively; and MCF‐7 cells with IC50 of 8.93 ± 0.6, 10.11 ± 0.9, 12.31 ± 1.0, 9.95 ± 0.8, and 15.70 ± 1.4 µM, respectively, compared with sorafenib as a reference drug with IC50 of 9.18 ± 0.6, 5.47 ± 0.3, and 7.26 ± 0.3 µM, respectively. The most active compounds 5c‐f and 6b,c were further evaluated for their vascular endothelial growth factor receptor‐2 (VEGFR‐2) inhibition. Compounds 5e and 5c potently inhibited VEGFR‐2 at lower IC50 values of 0.07 ± 0.01 and 0.08 ± 0.01 µM, respectively, compared with sorafenib (IC50 = 0.1 ± 0.02 µM). Compound 5f potently inhibited VEGFR‐2 at low IC50 value (0.10 ± 0.02 µM) equipotent to sorafenib. Our design was based on the essential pharmacophoric features of the VEGFR‐2 inhibitor sorafenib. Molecular docking was performed for all compounds to assess their binding pattern and affinity toward the VEGFR‐2 active site.
Performance‐based near‐optimal vibration control for nonlinear offshore platforms with delayed input
Authors: Zhong Xiao‐Fang , Han Shi‐Yuan , Zhou Jin , Chen Yue‐Hui , Tang Gong‐You 
Published: August 2019

AbstractThis paper investigates the vibration control problem for offshore platform, where the nonlinear characteristics, delayed input and external wave force are considered in time domain. By introducing a delay‐free reconstructional vector and applying the maximum principle, the original vibration problem for offshore platform is formulated as a nonlinear two‐point‐boundary‐value (TPBV) problem with delayed items. The major contribution of this paper is that a performance‐based near‐optimal vibration control strategy is proposed by solving this nonlinear TPBV problem, which includes a feedback item with offshore platform system state, a feedforward item with wave force state, and a compensator for nonlinear and delayed items with infinite supersensitive component. In particular, the designed compensator is calculated from two group series of linear differential equations by introducing a parameter for expending the Maclaurin series of nonlinear and delay items. Meanwhile, an iterative algorithm is designed to make the proposed vibration control scheme computable based on the control performance in each iterative procedure. Finally, experimental results show that the displacement, velocity and performance index of an employed offshore platform achieved small values under the proposed control strategy and designed algorithm.
The Design of Inheritance Studies
Authors: Simpson J. M. , McGilchrist C. A. 
Published: August 2019

In a study of the inheritance of a quantitative trait in the general population, data are collected from the three‐generational nuclear families of many index cases. The question arises as to the optimal choice of family members to maximise the power of testing a hypothesis of polygenic and environmental effects against an alternative of environmental effects only.The method chosen is to minimise the asymptotic variance of the ratio of polygenic to environmental variance, for fixed total variance and the environmental correlations between family members. Using Taylor expansions in the region where the ratio is close to zero, an approximate expression for the variance of the ratio is obtained. This expression can then be evaluated for all possible structures of a three‐generational nuclear family of a given size.
The Sizes of Spheres from Profiles in a Thin Slice II. Transparent Spheres
Authors: Coleman R. 
Published: August 2019

Formulae are derived for obtaining the size distribution of transparent spherical particles which are embedded in an opaque material. The data are the sizes of the circular profiles made by particles in a random thin slice of a specimen when it is viewed orthogonally. The formulae incorporate resolution constraints which cause various profile size ranges to be unobservable. Approximate solutions are obtained under specific resolution constraints when the slice is very thin.The corresponding case of opaque spheres in a transparent material was the subject of Part I (Coleman, 1982).
Inverse‐probability‐of‐treatment weighted estimation of causal parameters in the presence of error‐contaminated and time‐dependent confounders
Authors: Shu Di , Yi Grace Y. 
Published: August 2019

AbstractInverse‐probability‐of‐treatment weighted (IPTW) estimation has been widely used to consistently estimate the causal parameters in marginal structural models, with time‐dependent confounding effects adjusted for. Just like other causal inference methods, the validity of IPTW estimation typically requires the crucial condition that all variables are precisely measured. However, this condition, is often violated in practice due to various reasons. It has been well documented that ignoring measurement error often leads to biased inference results. In this paper, we consider the IPTW estimation of the causal parameters in marginal structural models in the presence of error‐contaminated and time‐dependent confounders. We explore several methods to correct for the effects of measurement error on the estimation of causal parameters. Numerical studies are reported to assess the finite sample performance of the proposed methods.
Marginal variable screening for survival endpoints
Authors: Edelmann Dominic , Hummel Manuela , Hielscher Thomas , Saadati Maral , Benner Axel 
Published: August 2019

AbstractWhen performing survival analysis in very high dimensions, it is often required to reduce the number of covariates using preliminary screening. During the last years, a large number of variable screening methods for the survival context have been developed. However, guidance is missing for choosing an appropriate method in practice. The aim of this work is to provide an overview of marginal variable screening methods for survival and develop recommendations for their use. For this purpose, a literature review is given, offering a comprehensive and structured introduction to the topic. In addition, a novel screening procedure based on distance correlation and martingale residuals is proposed, which is particularly useful in detecting nonmonotone associations. For evaluating the performance of the discussed approaches, a simulation study is conducted, comparing the true positive rates of competing variable screening methods in different settings. A real data example on mantle cell lymphoma is provided.
Objective and subjective stress, personality, and allostatic load
Authors: Christensen Dinne S. , Dich Nadya , Flensborg‐Madsen Trine , Garde Ellen , Hansen Åse M. , Mortensen Erik L. 
Published: August 2019

AbstractIntroductionDespite the understanding of allostatic load (AL) as a consequence of ongoing adaptation to stress, studies of the stress–AL association generally focus on a narrow conceptualization of stress and have thus far overlooked potential confounding by personality. The present study examined the cross‐sectional association of objective and subjective stress with AL, controlling for Big Five personality traits.MethodsParticipants comprised 5,512 members of the Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank aged 49–63 years (69% men). AL was measured as a summary index of 14 biomarkers of the inflammatory, cardiovascular, and metabolic system. Objective stress was assessed as self‐reported major life events in adult life. Subjective stress was assessed as perceived stress within the past four weeks.ResultsBoth stress measures were positively associated with AL, with a slightly stronger association for objective stress. Adjusting for personality traits did not significantly change these associations.ConclusionsThe results suggest measures of objective and subjective stress to have independent predictive validity in the context of personality. Further, it is discussed how different operationalizations of stress and AL may account for some of the differences in observed stress–AL associations.