bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
TimeTeller: a New Tool for Precision Circadian Medicine and Cancer Prognosis
Authors: Vlachou Denise , Bjarnason Georg A. , Giacchetti Sylvie , Lévi Francis , Rand David A. 
Published: April 2019

AbstractRecent studies have established that the circadian clock influences onset, progression and therapeutic outcomes in a number of diseases including cancer and heart disease. Therefore, there is a need for tools to measure the functional state of the circadian clock and its downstream targets in patients. We provide such a tool and demonstrate its clinical relevance by an application to breast cancer where we find a strong link between survival and our measure of clock dysfunction. We use a machine-learning approach and construct an algorithm called TimeTeller which uses the multi-dimensional state of the genes in a transcriptomics analysis of a single biological sample to assess the level of circadian clock dysfunction. We demonstrate how this can distinguish healthy from malignant tissues and demonstrate that the molecular clock dysfunction metric is a potentially new prognostic and predictive breast cancer biomarker that is independent of the main established prognostic factors.
Identification of Ca-rich dense granules in human platelets using scanning transmission X-ray microscopy
Authors: Trinh Tung X. , Kwon Sook Jin , Gerelkhuu Zayakhuu , Choi Jang-Sik , Song Jaewoo , Yoon Tae Hyun 
Published: April 2019

ABSTRACTWhole mount (WM) platelet preparations followed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation is the standard method currently used to assess dense granule (DG) deficiency (DGD). However, due to electron density-based contrast mechanism in TEM, other granules such as α-granules might cause false DGs detection. Herein, scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM), was used to identify DGs and minimize false DGs detection of human platelets. STXM image stacks of human platelets were collected at the calcium (Ca) L2,3absorption edge and then converted to optical density maps. Ca distribution maps obtained by subtracting the optical density map at pre-edge region from those obtained at post-edge region were used for identification of DGs based on richness of Ca. Dense granules were successfully detected by using STXM method without false detection based on Ca maps for 4 human platelets. Spectral analysis of granules in human platelets confirmed that DGs contained richer Ca content than other granules. Image analysis of Ca maps provided quantitative parameters which would be useful for developing image-based DG diagnosis models. Therefore, we would like to propose STXM as a promising approach for better DG identification and DGD diagnosis, as a complementary tool to the current WM TEM approach.
Exploring Deep Physiological Models for Nociceptive Pain Recognition
Authors: Thiam Patrick , Bellmann Peter , Kestler Hans A. , Schwenker Friedhelm 
Published: April 2019

AbstractStandard feature engineering involves manually designing and assessing measurable descriptors based on some expert knowledge in the domain of application, followed by the selection of the best performing set of designed features in order to optimize an inference model. Several studies have shown that this whole manual process can be efficiently replaced by deep learning approaches which are characterized by the integration of feature engineering, feature selection and inference model optimization into a single learning process. Such techniques have proven to be very successful in the domain of image processing and have been able to attain state-of-the-art performances while significantly outperforming traditional approaches based on hand-crafted features. In the following work, we explore deep learning approaches for the analysis of physiological signals. More precisely, deep learning architectures are designed for the assessment of measurable physiological channels in order to perform an accurate classification of different levels of artificially induced nociceptive pain. Most of the previous works related to pain intensity classification based on physiological signals rely on a carefully designed set of hand-crafted features in order to achieve a relatively good classification performance. Therefore, the current work aims at building competitive pain intensity classification models without the need of domain specific expert knowledge for the generation of relevant features. The assessment of the designed deep learning architectures is based on the BioVid Heat Pain Database (Part A) and experimental validation demonstrates that the proposed uni-modal architecture for the electrodermal activity (EDA) and the deep fusion approaches significantly outperform previous classification methods reported in the literature, with respective average performances of 85.03% and 83.76% for the binary classification experiment consisting of the discrimination between the baseline level and the pain tolerance level (T0vs.T4) in a Leave-One-Subject-Out (LOSO) cross-validation evaluation setting.
Non-disclosure of tuberculosis diagnosis by patients to their household members in south western Uganda
Authors: Nyangoma Miria , Bajunirwe Francis , Atwine Daniel 
Published: April 2019

ABSTRACTBackgroundTuberculosis (TB) non-disclosure by adult patients to all household members is a setback to TB control efforts. It reduces the likelihood that household contacts will seek early TB screening, initiation on preventive or curative treatment, but also hinders the implementation of infection controls and home-based directly observed treatment. Therefore, this study aimed at determining the level of TB non-disclosure, its predictors and effects of disclosure to household members on adult patients at a large regional referral hospital in south-western Uganda.MethodsCross-sectional study. Questionnaires administered to collect patients’ sociodemographic and their TB disclosure data. Non-disclosure was considered if a patient did not reveal their TB diagnosis to all household members within 2 weeks post-treatment initiation. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were fitted for predictors of non-disclosure.ResultsEnrolled 62 patients, 74% males, mean age of 32 years, and median of five people per household. Non-disclosure rate was 30.6%. Post-disclosure experiences were positive in 98.3% of patients, while negative experiences suggestive of severe stigma occurred in 24.6% of patients. Being female (OR 6.5, 95% CI: 1.42-29.28) and belonging to Muslim faith (OR 12.4, 95% CI: 1.42-109.05) predicted TB non-disclosure to household members.ConclusionsThere is a high rate of TB non-disclosure to household members by adult patients in rural Uganda, with the highest vulnerability seen among female and Muslim patients. Interventions enhancing TB disclosure at household level while minimizing negative effects of stigma should be developed and prioritized.
Intellectual property challenges for the roads of innovation in Brazil
Authors: Vasconcelos Cleiton Rodrigues de , Silva Daniel Pereira da 
Published: April 2019

Purpose
This paper aims to present reflections and points of interest on the performance of Brazil and highlight the advances and challenges in relation to the intellectual property (IP) system; the authors highlight some scientific, economic and technological indicators on the main IP objects registered in the National Industrial Property of Brazil (INPI).

Design/methodology/approach
A structured literature reviews the main indicators of IP of Brazil (2013-2017), related to the scientific and economic factors more evidenced in the global scenario, with emphasis on the investment of national GDP in R&D activities, the allocation of resources from the government sector and private initiative, as in other emerging economies, such as the BRICS.

Findings
Despite Brazil’s progressive efforts to achieve greater efficiency in the public IP management system, GDP investment in R&D activities for 2019 is still below the OECD average of 2.3 per cent, and the IP indicators in the areas of patent registration, industrial designs and technology contracts have been declining.

Research limitations/implications
Because of the difference between the laws of the countries on IP rights, the more incisive comparison could not be established among the emerging economies, highlighting the need for a standardization between the different international legislations.

Originality/value
In the scientific field, this paper allows understanding the performance of the Brazilian IP system, and the categories that require greater investments, strengthen the IP culture and stimulate integration between the international IP systems, as it is a recurrent discussion in different research studies. Originally, the paper brought together economic and scientific indicators going beyond the traditional approach that deals with IP only restricting to the quantitative of patents.
Illicit finance and money laundering trends in Eurasia
Authors: Cassella Stefan 
Published: April 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review recent examples of sophisticated money laundering operations involving financial institutions in Eurasia, including Russia and Moldova, and the resulting flow of licit and illicit capital from that part of the world to the UK, the USA, and other Western countries.

Design/methodology/approach
Relying on materials from publicly available sources, the study uses several case studies to illustrate various money laundering methods with a view toward identifying common elements and aspects of the schemes that might be considered new or innovative.

Findings
In particular, the study examines the roles that lax anti-money laundering compliance by financial institutions and the use of shell corporations designed to conceal the beneficial ownership of the companies and their assets have played in virtually all of the money laundering schemes.

Originality/value
The paper discusses the risks that these emerging money laundering methods pose to Western countries and their financial institutions and the approaches that governments might take to minimize those risks and raise the barriers for the laundering of illicit funds within their jurisdictions.
Universal basic education in Nigeria: can non-state actors make a difference?
Authors: Kolade Oluwaseun 
Published: April 2019

Purpose
Against the backdrop of falling standards and failing government policies in the education sector in Nigeria, this paper aimed to investigate how and why non-state actors can make a significant impact on the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals for universal basic education (UBE).

Design/methodology/approach
This study draws from semi-structured interviews of 15 heads and proprietors – six state-funded schools, six faith schools and three other privately owned schools – to examine and compare the different motivations, guiding principles and overall impact of these actors in the education sector.

Findings
Religious actors, along with private providers, are making a significant contribution to the provision of basic education in Nigeria. Students from faith schools tend to perform better academically and they also tend to be more disciplined and resourceful. However, because these schools are fee-paying, fewer households are able to access them.

Practical implications
The findings highlight the need to facilitate better cooperation and knowledge transfer activities between public, private and faith schools. It also emphasises the need for better government commitment and investment in provision of resources and facilities, effort in regulating the curriculum and regular inspection and quality monitoring of public schools.

Originality/value
The study highlights, on the one hand, the superior capacity of non-state actors – especially religious actors – to deploy their vast social capital towards the mobilisation of funds and human resources. On the other hand, while they have made inroads in their share of total national school enrolment, non-state actors have not made significant impact on access to quality education, owing to high fees and entry barriers faced by poorer households.
Plasma Exchange Is Highly Effective for Anti‐Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody‐Associated Vasculitis Patients With Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis Who Have Advanced to Dialysis Dependence: A Single‐Center Case Series
Authors: Nishida Reimi , Kaneko Shuzo , Usui Joichi , Kawamura Tetsuya , Tsunoda Ryoya , Tawara Takashi , Fujita Akiko , Nagai Kei , Kai Hirayasu , Morito Naoki , Saito Chie , Yamagata Kunihiro 
Published: April 2019

AbstractPlasma exchange (PEX) can be an effective treatment in anti‐neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody‐associated vasculitis with severe renal damage; however, it is still controversial. Among cases of newly diagnosed AAV with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis at our department from 2008 onward, 11 patients who received PEX (seven cases for severe renal damage [R‐PEX] and four cases for lung hemorrhage [L‐PEX]) were retrospectively analyzed. All cases of R‐PEX were dependent on hemodialysis at the beginning of PEX and all received seven sessions of PEX (50 mL/kg or 1.3 plasma volume per exchange) within 2 weeks. All cases became dialysis‐independent within 8 weeks, with 3‐ and 12‐month cumulative renal survival rates of 100% and 80%, respectively. All cases of L‐PEX retained their renal function. In rapidly developing, newly dialysis‐dependent antibody‐associated vasculitis with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis patients with normal renal function before disease onset, standard PEX can be expected to induce sufficient renal recovery to establish dialysis independence.
rsmove—An r package to bridge remote sensing and movement ecology
Authors: Remelgado Ruben , Wegmann Martin , Safi Kamran 
Published: April 2019

Abstract

Remote sensing is a valuable tool in movement ecology. However, the way it is combined with animal movement data is far from optimal as most studies overlook differences in the spatial, temporal and thematic resolutions between both data types.

rsmove uses a pixel‐based approach to link animal tracking and remote sensing data that bridge the gap between these two disciplines while respecting the limitations of the latest. Additionally, if offers standardize methods to pre‐analyse the connection between animal movement and environmental change.

The package guides the choice of study sites, satellite data and environmental predictors though data mining and visualization tools. rsmove offers a simple methodology to analyse animal–environment interactions that helps avoid unnecessary, time‐consuming satellite data processing through an informed decision process.

The package offers a basis for a better communication between ecologists and remote sensing experts contributing to the definition of clear remote sensing data requirements. Additionally, it provides future studies on animal movement tools for a more critical approach on the selection of environmental data supporting the reproducibility of animal movement studies.
Cannabinoids and their actions: An update
Authors: Alexander Stephen P. H. , Molina‐Holgado Francisco 
Published: April 2019

Linked ArticlesThis article is part of a themed section on 8th European Workshop on Cannabinoid Research. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v176.10/issuetoc
Design, synthesis, and antimycobacterial activity of novel ciprofloxacin derivatives
Authors: Cilliers Pieter , Seldon Ronnett , Smit Frans J. , Aucamp Janine , Jordaan Audrey , Warner Digby F. , N'Da David D. 
Published: April 2019

AbstractTuberculosis is the deadliest infectious disease affecting humankind with a death toll of approximately 1.7 million people in 2016. The increasing prevalence of multidrug‐resistant strains of the causative pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) which results in reduced effectiveness of the current therapies, underscores the urgent need for the development of new antitubercular drugs. In the search for such drugs, we investigated two series of ciprofloxacin (CPX) derivatives (analogues and hybrids). We herein report the design, synthesis, and biological activity of these series against the human virulent Mtb H37Rv strain in vitro. The small propionyl analogue 11 (MIC90 1.6 μM; SI > 61) and the large cholesteryl hybrid 32 (MIC90 2.0 μM; SI > 6) were the most active derivatives, comparable to CPX (MIC90 1.8 μM). However, the slightly less active but non‐cytotoxic para‐fluorobenzyl hybrid 28 (MIC90 3.7 μM; SI 27) was more selective toward bacteria than 32. Thus, the CPX derivatives 11 and 28 were identified as preferred antitubercular hits for further investigation including distribution, metabolism and pharmacokinetic parameters determination and in vivo activity assessment in animal models.
Regulation of regulatory T cells in cancer
Authors: Stockis Julie , Roychoudhuri Rahul , Halim Timotheus Y. F. 
Published: April 2019

SummaryThe inflammatory response to transformed cells forms the cornerstone of natural or therapeutically induced protective immunity to cancer. Regulatory T (Treg) cells are known for their critical role in suppressing inflammation, and therefore can antagonize effective anti‐cancer immune responses. As such, Treg cells can play detrimental roles in tumour progression and in the response to both conventional and immune‐based cancer therapies. Recent advances in our understanding of Treg cells reveal complex niche‐specific regulatory programmes and functions, which are likely to extrapolate to cancer. The regulation of Treg cells is reliant on upstream cues from haematopoietic and non‐immune cells, which dictates their genetic, epigenetic and downstream functional programmes. In this review we will discuss how Treg cells are themselves regulated in normal and transformed tissues, and the implications of this cross talk on tumour growth.
Portfolio selection under uncertainty: a new methodology for computing relative‐robust solutions
Authors: Caçador Sandra , Dias Joana Matos , Godinho Pedro 
Published: April 2019

AbstractIn this paper, a new methodology for computing relative‐robust portfolios based on minimax regret is proposed. Regret is defined as the utility loss for the investor resulting from choosing a given portfolio instead of choosing the optimal portfolio of the realized scenario. The absolute‐robust strategy was also considered and, in this case, the minimum investor's expected utility in the worst‐case scenario is maximized. Several subsamples are gathered from the in‐sample data and for each subsample a minimax regret and a maximin solution are computed, to avoid the risk of overfitting. Robust portfolios are computed using a genetic algorithm, allowing the transformation of a three‐level optimization problem in a two‐level problem. Results show that the proposed relative‐robust portfolio generally outperforms (other) relative‐robust and non‐robust portfolios, except for the global minimum variance portfolio. Furthermore, the relative‐robust portfolio generally outperforms the absolute‐robust portfolio, even considering higher risk aversion levels.
Tuning oxygen vacancy in LiNbO3 single crystals for prominent memristive and dielectric behaviors
Authors: Wang Chunchang , Sun Jie , Ni Wei , Yue Binbin , Hong Fang , Liu Hong , Cheng Zhenxiang 
Published: April 2019

AbstractUnderstanding and manipulating the behavior of oxygen vacancy in oxide materials are of vital importance for rejuvenating materials with novel functionalities. We herein report a exciting phenomenon of oxygen vacancies changing from an isolated state to a clustered state in LiNbO3 single crystals. The clustering of the oxygen vacancies induces a relaxor‐like dielectric anomaly and a first‐order phase transition. The relaxor‐like dielectric anomaly was argued to be a pseudo‐relaxor behavior resulting from the combined contributions of a dipolar relaxation and a Maxwell‐Wagner relaxation. The first‐order phase transition was ascribed to be an electric‐ferroelectric phase transition. Interestingly, a well‐defined melting point of the oxygen‐vacancy clusters was observed. At temperatures near the point, a small dc field can lead to resistance switching from a high resistance state to a low resistance state, yielding a prominent memristive effect with the OFF/ON ratio of 102. Our results underscore that controlling the oxygen vacancy state is a promising strategy to tailor the properties of oxides for novel device applications.
Thermal stability of nano Ce1−xTixO2 material system for X < 0.2
Authors: Mordekovitz Yuval , Shelly Lee , Hayun Shmuel 
Published: April 2019

AbstractCeria (CeO2) is a technologically promising compound due to a remarkable set of properties. However, the use of ceria also has drawbacks, the most pronounced of which is the material's poor thermal stability. This property limits the use of ceria‐based materials at elevated temperatures, in many technological applications. To overcome this, the addition of TiO2 is proposed. Such addition essentially creates a new material system, namely Ce1−xTixO2. In this work, an array of techniques were employed to determine the thermal stability of this new compound range (X < 0.2). Results show that when nano‐sized, TiO2 is fully soluble in CeO2 in this range. After heat treatment, however, the material coarsens and the solubility limit decreases to less than 2 at.%. as the compound undergoes significant changes. These include solute segregation and phase separation. Finally, the factors that affect compound stability are discussed.
Successful treatment of facial vascular skin diseases with a 577‐nm pro‐yellow laser
Authors: Mohamed Essam‐Elden M. , Mohamed Tawfik Khaled , Hassan Ahmad Wafaa 
Published: April 2019

AbstractBackgroundTreatment of vascular skin diseases is one of the most important indications of the laser.AimsTo evaluate the effectiveness of 577‐nm pro‐yellow laser in the treatment of some vascular skin diseases.Patients/methodsNinety‐five patients with vascular skin diseases were included in this prospective monocentric study. They were classified into: port‐wine stain birthmarks (n = 37), papulopustular rosacea (n = 20), facial telangiectasia (n = 16), and facial erythema (n = 22). All participants received a monthly session of 577‐nm pro‐yellow laser. Follow‐up was done by comparing the photographs before and at every follow‐up visit.ResultsAt the final visit, there was a significant improvement (>50%) occurred in 24/37 (64.82%), 12/20 (60%), 10/16 (62.5%), and 19/22 (86.3%) cases and poor response occurred in 6/37 (16.2%), 2/20 (10%), 2/16 (12.5%), and 0/22 cases after a mean number of sessions 7.76 ± 2.28, 3.1 ± 1.8, 3.63 ± 1.12, and 1.8 ± 0.85 in port‐wine stain, rosacea‐, facial telangiectasia‐, and facial erythema‐treated groups, respectively. Transient irritation and erythema during the session were the only complications reported in the study.ConclusionFacial port‐wine stains, rosacea, telangiectasia, and erythema can be successfully treated with a single pass of 577‐nm pro‐yellow laser with a minimal side effect. Facial erythema showed the highest degree of success with the least number of sessions, while more sessions needed for the treatment of port‐wine stain.