bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Overview of the blood compatibility of nanomedicines: A trend analysis of in vitro and in vivo studies
Authors: Urbán Patricia , Liptrott Neill J. , Bremer Susanne 
Published: December 2018

As nanomedicines have the potential to address many currently unmet medical needs, the early identification of regulatory requirements that could hamper a smooth translation of nanomedicines from the laboratory environment to clinical applications is of utmost importance. The blood system is especially relevant as many nanomedicinal products that are currently under development are designed for intravenous administration and cells of the blood system will be among the first biological systems exposed to the injected nanomedicine. This review collects and summarizes the current knowledge related to the blood compatibility of nanomedicines and nanomaterials with a potential use in biomedical applications. Different types of nanomedicines were analyzed for their toxicity to the blood system, and the role of their physicochemical properties was further elucidated. Trends were identified related to: (a) the nature of the most frequently occurring blood incompatibilities such as thrombogenicity and complement activation, (b) the contribution of physicochemical properties to these blood incompatibilities, and (c) the similarities between data retrieved from in vivo and in vitro studies. Finally, we provide an overview of available standards that allow evaluating the compatibility of a material with the blood system.This article is categorized under:Toxicology and Regulatory Issues in Nanomedicine > Toxicology of NanomaterialsTherapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging TechnologiesToxicology and Regulatory Issues in Nanomedicine > Regulatory and Policy Issues in Nanomedicine
Politische und gesellschaftliche Einstellungen: soziokulturelle Grundlagen von Selbstorganisation
Authors: Burkhardt Luise , Kausmann Corinna , Siegers Pascal 
Published: December 2018

ZusammenfassungIn diesem Kapitel soll auf der Personenebene der Engagierten in Deutschland ein Einblick in die politischen und gesellschaftlichen Einstellungen gegeben werden, die ihrem Engagement zugrunde liegen. Hierzu gehören beispielsweise Wertorientierungen, religiöse Weltanschauungen, demokratische Orientierungen sowie auch die Wahlbeteiligung der Engagierten. Auch Informationen darüber, in welchen gesellschaftlichen und persönlichen Bereichen sich die Engagierten Sorgen machen und wie zufrieden sie allgemein mit ihrem Leben sind, können Aufschluss über die Motivationen der Engagierten geben. Als Datengrundlage dienen der Deutsche Freiwilligensurvey (FWS), die Allgemeine Bevölkerungsumfrage der Sozialwissenschaften (ALLBUS) und das Sozio-oekonomische Panel (SOEP).
Recursive Measures of Edge Accuracy on Digital Images
Authors: Zheng Jeffrey , Zheng Chris 
Published: December 2018

AbstractIn this chapter, an edge accuracy model is proposed on digital images and five types of edge detection methods are discussed as examples to investigate their edge maps undertaken recursive operations. Using invariant criterion, it is possible to compare different schemes in accuracy, consistency, completeness and simplicity. This provides general mechanism in relation to accurate edge extractions from digital images.
Hierarchical Organization of Variant Logic
Authors: Zheng Jeffrey 
Published: December 2018

AbstractIn modern logic, various systems have been proposed extending classical Boolean logic & switching theory. Such logic frameworks include multiple-valued logic, probability logic, fuzzy logic, module logic, quantum logic and various other frameworks. Although these extensions have been applied to many applications in mathematics, in science and in engineering, all extensions to Boolean logic invalidates at least one of the six fundamental rules of Boolean logic shown in L1 to L6. We propose a new framework of logic, variant logic, extending Boolean logic whilst satisfying the six fundamental rules (L1–L6). By defining the Variant–Invariant behaviour of logical operations, this framework can be constructed using four types of general operators. Main results of the chapter are summarized in Theorems 8–10, respectively. To show significant differences between classical logic and new variant logic, invariant properties of this hierarchical organization are discussed. Simplest cases of one-variable conditions are illustrated. Variant logic can provide the necessary framework to support analysis and description of Cellular Automata, Fractal Theory, Chaos Theory and other systems dealing with complexity. Such applications of this framework will be explored in future papers.
Refined Stationary Randomness of Quantum Random Sequences on Variant Maps
Authors: Zheng Jeffrey , Luo Yamin , Li Zhefei 
Published: December 2018

AbstractIn this chapter, a testing model is used to apply statistical probability in multiple distributions on three maps for a selected sequence to check refined stationary randomness on quantum sequences. Three random data sequences are collected from two quantum random resources: one from Australian National University (ANU) and two (initial and secure) from University of Science and Technology of China (USTC). Multiple results are created on three maps, and measurements of stationary randomness are illustrated and compared. Three samples show distinct stationary properties.
Successful Creation of Regular Patterns in Variant Maps from Bat Echolocation Calls
Authors: Heim D. M. , Heim O. , Zeng P. A. , Zheng Jeffrey 
Published: December 2018

AbstractWe created variant maps based on bat echolocation call recordings and outline here the transformation process and describe the resulting visual features. The maps show regular patterns while characteristic features change when bat call recording properties change. By focusing on specific visual features, we found a set of projection parameters which allowed us to classify the variant maps into two distinct groups. These results are promising indicators that variant maps can be used as basis for new echolocation call classification algorithms.
Variant Map System of Random Sequences
Authors: Zheng Jeffrey 
Published: December 2018

AbstractSequences of random variables play a key role in probability theory, stochastic processes, and statistics to analyze dynamic behavior. Speckle patterns have emerged as useful tools to explore space–time variations of random sequences in various measurement applications of comprehensive properties in complex space–time variation events. In this chapter, a variant map system is proposed to analyze statistical properties of random sequences in visual representations. An input 0–1 sequence will be divided into multiple segments and each segment of a fixed length will be transformed into a 2-tuple pair of measures. Five measuring sets are identified and rearranged in a 1D or 2D numerical array as a histogram representing a visual map. These five types of maps consist of two types in 1D format as classical maps and three types in 2D format as variant maps. Properties are analyzed on all five types of maps. A cryptographic sequence of the AES cipher is selected as a sample stream. The five types of visual maps are generated and refined clustering characteristics are organized into four groups on changes of segmented and shifted lengths for visual comparisons on enlarged 2DP maps. Speckle patterns of various distributions are observed. Three variant maps with distinct statistic distributions could be useful to provide new visual tools to explore comprehensive cryptographic sequences on complex nonlinear dynamic behavior in global network environments.
Stationary Randomness of Three Types of Six Random Sequences on Variant Maps
Authors: Zheng Jeffrey , Luo Yamin , Li Zhefei , Zheng Chris 
Published: December 2018

AbstractVarious random streams have different stationary properties. It is necessary to use statistical probability and time series to evaluate quality of stationary randomness. In this chapter, a testing model is used on three maps for a random sequence. Multiple segments are divided on the shifted sequence as three measuring sets. For a map, the maxima are extracted and three maximal values are identified. 2D maps represent stationary randomness. Conditions of station random/stationary sequences are investigated. Testing sets are collected from three types of six random resources: AES, DES, A5, RC4, Australian National University (ANU), and University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) (two block ciphers, two stream ciphers, and two quantum ciphers). Six random sequences are selected. Measurements of stationary randomness are compared. There are only 0.0034–4.27% differences that are recognized. Using variation ratios, six samples are composed of three variation categories on {AES, DES}, {A5, RC4}, and {ANU, USTC}, respectively. From a measuring viewpoint, all six samples are showing distinguished stationary randomness properties.
Scientific realism with historical essences: the case of species
Authors: Godman Marion 
Published: December 2018

AbstractNatural kinds, real kinds, or, following J.S. Mill simply,Kinds, are thought to be an important asset for scientific realists in the non-fundamental (or “special”) sciences. Essential natures are less in vogue. I show that the realist would do well to couple her Kinds with essential natures in order to strengthen their epistemic and ontological credentials. I argue that these essential natures need not however be intrinsic to the Kind’s members; they may be historical. I concentrate on assessing the merits of historical essential natures in a paradigm case of Kinds in the non-fundamental sciences: species. I specify two basic jobs for essential natures: (1) offering individuation criteria, and (2) providing a causal explanation of the Kind’s multiple projectable properties. I argue that at least in the case of species historical essences are fit for both tasks. The principled resistance to Kinds with historical essences should also be cleared.
A randomized, single ascending dose study of intravenous BIIB092 in healthy participants
Authors: Qureshi Irfan A. , Tirucherai Giridhar , Ahlijanian Michael K. , Kolaitis Gerry , Bechtold Clifford , Grundman Michael 
Published: December 2018

AbstractIntroductionExtracellular tau is hypothesized to mediate the onset and progression of tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, and a subset of frontotemporal lobar degenerations. A putative strategy for treating these disorders is to reduce extracellular tau levels using tau‐directed immunotherapy. The results of the first‐in‐human study of BIIB092 (formerly BMS‐986168/IPN007), a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to N‐terminal tau, are reported here. This randomized, double‐blind, single ascending dose study evaluated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and immunogenicity profile of BIIB092 after a single intravenous infusion in healthy participants.MethodsSixty‐five participants were randomized to receive a single intravenous infusion of placebo or BIIB092 at doses of 21, 70, 210, 700, 2100, or 4200 mg (or 700 or 2100 mg for Japanese participants). Serial blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples were obtained for assessment of pharmacokinetic parameters and unbound N‐terminal tau suppression.ResultsThere were no deaths, serious adverse events (AEs), severe AEs, or discontinuations due to an AE. The majority of AEs were mild. Serum BIIB092 concentrations increased in a dose‐proportional manner and suppressed unbound cerebrospinal fluid N‐terminal tau by 67%–97% at 28 days after dose, with doses of ≥210 mg producing persistent unbound N‐terminal tau suppression over 12 weeks. Levels of cerebrospinal fluid N‐terminal tau suppression were similar for Japanese and non‐Japanese participants.DiscussionBIIB092 was generally safe and well tolerated after a single dose of up to 4200 mg, and up to 2100 mg in Japanese participants. BIIB092 exhibited a dose‐dependent increase in the extent and duration of unbound N‐terminal tau suppression.
How agents change institutions: Coalitional dynamics and the reform of commercial training in Switzerland
Authors: Seitzl Lina , Emmenegger Patrick 
Published: December 2018

AbstractHistorical institutionalist research has long struggled to come to terms with agency. Yet injecting agency into historical-institutionalist accounts is no easy task. If institutions are structuring agents’ actions, while they are simultaneously being structured by these very agents’ behavior, the ontological status of institutions remains unclear. Hence, most historical-institutional accounts, at the conceptual level, tend to downplay the role of agency. However, in this way, they also remain incomplete. Following the “coalitional turn” in historical institutionalism, we develop a new account of institutional change and stability that awards a central role to agency. At the heart of our approach is the notion that both stability and change in institutions presuppose constant coalition building by organized entrepreneurial actors. However, for several reasons, such coalition building is complicated, which ultimately leads to institutional stability. In addition, we argue that relevant state agencies actively shape whether the incumbent coalition or the challenger coalition prevails. We illustrate the potential of our actor-centered approach to institutional change by analyzing the reform of commercial training in Switzerland, tracing developments from the beginning of the 1980s until today.
Fearing the “Nicas”: Perceptions of Immigrants and Policy Choices in Costa Rica
Authors: Malone Mary Fran T. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractDo attitudes toward immigrants shape public policy preferences? To answer this question, this article analyzes a prominent example of South-South migration: the Nicaraguan immigrant community in Costa Rica. Over the past two decades, Costa Rica has experienced extensive socioeconomic changes, and Nicaraguans have been frequent scapegoats for the fears and worries generated by these changes. Relying on the 2014 AmericasBarometer survey, this analysis finds that respondents who perceive immigrants as an economic threat are significantly more supportive of punitive crime control policies. Attitudes toward immigrants were also significantly linked to support for government policies to reduce income inequality. However, given the historically strong support for the Costa Rican social welfare state, attitudes toward immigrants did not significantly affect support for government services.
Mexican Movers and Shakers: Protest Mobilization and Political Attitudes in Mexico City
Authors: Inclán María 
Published: December 2018

AbstractUsing an innovative survey of six major street demonstrations in Mexico City between 2011 and 2013, this study compares political attitudes of protest participants and nonparticipants. The analysis offers three relevant findings. The results suggest that in comparison to protest nonparticipants, demonstrators tend to be more politically involved and experienced individuals, mobilized through their personal and organizational networks. The intensity of these factors’ effects as protest participation predictors varied across demonstrations, showing that protest participation is triggered by different factors. And the diversity of mobilizing factors shows that protest participation in Mexico City is complex, and is a common form of political participation for the plural, mobilized civil society.
The POlarised GLEAM Survey (POGS) I: First results from a low-frequency radio linear polarisation survey of the southern sky
Authors: Riseley C. J. , Lenc E. , Van Eck C. L. , Heald G. , Gaensler B. M. , Anderson C. S. , Hancock P. J. , Hurley-Walker N. , Sridhar S. S. , White S. V. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThe low-frequency polarisation properties of radio sources are poorly studied, particularly in statistical samples. However, the new generation of low-frequency telescopes, such as the Murchison Widefield Array (the precursor for the low-frequency component of the Square Kilometre Array) offers an opportunity to probe the physics of radio sources at very low radio frequencies. In this paper, we present a catalogue of linearly polarised sources detected at 216 MHz, using data from the Galactic and Extragalactic All-sky Murchison Widefield Array survey. Our catalogue covers the Declination range –17° to –37° and 24 h in Right Ascension, at a resolution of around 3 arcminutes. We detect 81 sources (including both a known pulsar and a new pulsar candidate) with linearly polarised flux densities in excess of 18 mJy across a survey area of approximately 6 400 deg2, corresponding to a surface density of 1 source per 79 deg2. The level of Faraday rotation measured for our sources is broadly consistent with those recovered at higher frequencies, with typically more than an order of magnitude improvement in the uncertainty compared to higher-frequency measurements. However, our catalogue is likely incomplete at low Faraday rotation measures, due to our practice of excluding sources in the region where instrumental leakage appears. The majority of sources exhibit significant depolarisation compared to higher frequencies; however, a small sub-sample repolarise at 216 MHz. We also discuss the polarisation properties of four nearby, large-angular-scale radio galaxies, with a particular focus on the giant radio galaxy ESO 422–G028, in order to explain the striking differences in polarised morphology between 216 MHz and 1.4 GHz.
Mean, variance, and trends of Levant precipitation over the past 4500 years from reconstructed Dead Sea levels and stochastic modeling
Authors: Morin Efrat , Ryb Tamar , Gavrieli Ittai , Enzel Yehouda 
Published: December 2018

AbstractA novel quantitative assessment of late Holocene precipitation in the Levant is presented, including mean and variance of annual precipitation and their trends. A stochastic framework was utilized and allowed, possibly for the first time, linking high-quality, reconstructed rises/declines in Dead Sea levels with precipitation trends in its watershed. We determined the change in mean annual precipitation for 12 specific intervals over the past 4500 yr, concluding that: (1) the twentieth century was substantially wetter than most of the late Holocene; (2) a representative reference value of mean annual precipitation is 75% of the present-day parameter; (3) during the late Holocene, mean annual precipitation ranged between −17 and +66% of the reference value (−37 to +25% of present-day conditions); (4) the driest intervals were 1500–1200 BC and AD 755–890, and the wettest intervals were 2500–2460 BC, 130–40 BC, AD 350–490, and AD 1770–1940; (5) lake-level rises and declines probably occurred in response to trends in precipitation means and are less likely to occur when precipitation mean is constant; (6) average trends in mean annual precipitation during intervals of ≥200 yr did not exceed 15 mm per decade. The precipitation trends probably reflect shifts in eastern Mediterranean cyclone tracks.
Adherence to UK dietary guidelines is associated with higher dietary intake of total and specific polyphenols compared with a traditional UK diet: further analysis of data from the Cardiovascular risk REduction Study: Supported by an Integrated Dietary Approach (CRESSIDA) randomised controlled trial
Authors: Castro-Acosta Monica L. , Sanders Thomas A. B. , Reidlinger Dianne P. , Darzi Julia , Hall Wendy L. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractAdherence to dietary guidelines (DG) may result in higher intake of polyphenols via increased consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. We compared polyphenol dietary intake and urinary excretion between two intervention groups in the Cardiovascular risk REduction Study: Supported by an Integrated Dietary Approach study: a 12-week parallel-arm, randomised controlled trial (n161; sixty-four males, ninety-seven females; aged 40–70 years). One group adhered to UK DG, whereas the other group consumed a representative UK diet (control). We estimated polyphenol dietary intake, using a 4-d food diary (4-DFD) and FFQ, and analysed 24-h polyphenol urinary excretion by liquid chromatography-tandem MS on a subset of participants (n46 control;n45 DG). A polyphenol food composition database for 4-DFD analysis was generated using Phenol-Explorer and USDA databases. Total polyphenol intake by 4-DFD at endpoint (geometric means with 95 % CI, adjusted for baseline and sex) was significantly higher in the DG group (1279 mg/d per 10 MJ; 1158, 1412) compared with the control group (1084 mg/d per 10 MJ; 980, 1197). The greater total polyphenol intake in the DG group was attributed to higher intake of anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins and hydroxycinnamic acids, with the primary food sources being fruits, cereal products, nuts and seeds. FFQ estimates of flavonoid intake also detected greater intake in DG compared with the control group. 24-h urinary excretion showed consistency with 4-DFD in their ability to discriminate between dietary intervention groups for six out of ten selected, individual polyphenols. In conclusion, following UK DG increased total polyphenol intake by approximately 20 %, but not all polyphenol subclasses corresponded with this finding.
Effect of cocoa on the brain and gut in healthy subjects: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Fox Mark , Meyer-Gerspach Anne Christin , Wendebourg Maria Janina , Gruber Maja , Heinrich Henriette , Sauter Matthias , Woelnerhanssen Bettina , Koeberle Dieter , Juengling Freimut 
Published: December 2018

AbstractDark chocolate is claimed to have effects on gastrointestinal function and to improve well-being. This randomised controlled study tested the hypothesis that cocoa slows gastric emptying and intestinal transit. Functional brain imaging identified central effects of cocoa on cortical activity. Healthy volunteers (HV) ingested 100 g dark (72 % cocoa) or white (0 % cocoa) chocolate for 5 d, in randomised order. Participants recorded abdominal symptoms and stool consistency by the Bristol Stool Score (BSS). Gastric emptying (GE) and intestinal and colonic transit time were assessed by scintigraphy and marker studies, respectively. Combined positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET–CT) imaging assessed regional brain activity. A total of sixteen HV (seven females and nine males) completed the studies (mean age 34 (21–58) years, BMI 22·8 (18·5–26·0) kg/m2). Dark chocolate had no effect on upper gastrointestinal function (GE half-time 82 (75–120) v. 83 (60–120) min; P=0·937); however, stool consistency was increased (BSS 3 (3–5) v. 4 (4–6); P=0·011) and there was a trend to slower colonic transit (17 (13–26) v. 21 (15–47) h; P=0·075). PET–CT imaging showed increased [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) in the visual cortex, with increased FDG uptake also in somatosensory, motor and pre-frontal cortices (P<0·001). In conclusion, dark chocolate with a high cocoa content has effects on colonic and cerebral function in HV. Future research will assess its effects in patients with functional gastrointestinal diseases with disturbed bowel function and psychological complaints.