bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessing and improving the quality of security methodologies for distributed systems
Authors: Uzunov Anton V. , Fernandez Eduardo B. , Falkner Katrina 
Published: August 2018

AbstractSecurity methodologies represent systematic approaches for introducing security attributes into a system throughout the development lifecycle. While isolated attempts have been made to demonstrate the value of particular security methodologies, the “quality” of security methodologies, as such, has never been given due consideration; indeed, it has never been studied as a self‐standing topic. The literature therefore entirely lacks supportive artifacts that can provide a basis for assessing, and hence for improving, a security methodology's quality. In this paper, we fill the aforementioned gap by proposing a comprehensive quality framework and accompanying process, within the context of an existing approach to engineering security methodologies, which can be used for both (bottom‐up) quality assessment and (top‐down) quality improvement. The main framework elements can be extended and customized to allow an essentially arbitrary range of methodology features to be considered, thus forming a basis for flexible, fine‐grained quality control. We demonstrate the bottom‐up application of the latter framework and process on three real‐life security methodologies for distributed systems, taken as case studies. Based on the assessment results, we subsequently show in detail (for one) and briefly discuss (for the remaining set) how the case study methodologies can be re‐engineered to improve their quality.
Epigenetic Enzymes, Age, and Ancestry Regulate the Efficiency of Human iPSC Reprogramming
Authors: Mackey Lantz C. , Annab Lois A. , Yang Jun , Rao Bhargavi , Kissling Grace E , Schurman Shepard H. , Dixon Darlene , Archer Trevor K. 
Published: August 2018

Abstract

Epigenetic enzymes regulate higher-order chromatin architecture and cell-type specific gene expression. The ATPase BRG1 and the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex are epigenetic enzymes that regulate chromatin accessibility during steady and transitional cell states. Experiments in mice show that the loss of BRG1 inhibits cellular reprogramming, while studies using human cells demonstrate that the overexpression of BRG1 enhances reprogramming. We hypothesized that the variation of SWI/SNF subunit expression in the human population would contribute to variability in the efficiency of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) reprogramming. To examine the impact of an individual's sex, ancestry, and age on iPSC reprogramming, we created a novel sex and ancestry balanced cohort of 240 iPSC lines derived from human dermal fibroblasts (DF) from 80 heathy donors. We methodically assessed the reprogramming efficiency of each DF line and then quantified the individual and demographic-specific variations in SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling proteins and mRNA expression. We identified BRG1, BAF155, and BAF60a expression as strongly correlating with iPSC reprogramming efficiency. Additionally, we discovered that high efficiency iPSC reprograming is negatively correlated with donor age, positively correlated with African American descent, and uncorrelated with donor sex. These results show the variations in chromatin remodeling protein expression have a strong impact on iPSC reprogramming. Additionally, our cohort is unique in its large size, diversity, and focus on healthy donors. Consequently, this cohort can be a vital tool for researchers seeking to validate observational results from human population studies and perform detailed mechanistic studies in a controlled cell culture environment.
Carbon Nanomaterials for Targeted Cancer Therapy Drugs: A Critical Review
Authors: Hosnedlova Bozena , Kepinska Marta , Fernandez Carlos , Peng Qiuming , Ruttkay‐Nedecky Branislav , Milnerowicz Halina , Kizek Rene 
Published: August 2018

AbstractCancer represents one of the main causes of human death in developed countries. Most current therapies, unfortunately, carry a number of side effects, such as toxicity and damage to healthy cells, as well as the risk of resistance and recurrence. Therefore, cancer research is trying to develop therapeutic procedures with minimal negative consequences. The use of nanomaterial‐based systems appears to be one of them. In recent years, great progress has been made in the field using nanomaterials with high potential in biomedical applications. Carbon nanomaterials, thanks to their unique physicochemical properties, are gaining more and more popularity in cancer therapy. They are valued especially for their ability to deliver drugs or small therapeutic molecules to these cells. Through surface functionalization, they can specifically target tumor tissues, increasing the therapeutic potential and significantly reducing the adverse effects of therapy. Their potential future use could, therefore, be as vehicles for drug delivery. This review presents the latest findings of research studies using carbon nanomaterials in the treatment of various types of cancer. To carry out this study, different databases such as Web of Science, PubMed, MEDLINE and Google Scholar were employed. The findings of research studies chosen from more than 2000 viewed scientific publications from the last 15 years were compared.
Role of late amniocentesis in the era of modern genomic technologies
Authors: Daum H. , Ben David A. , Nadjari M. , Zenvirt S. , Helman S. , Yanai N. , Meiner V. , Yagel S. , Frumkin A. , Shkedi Rafid S. ,   collaborating authors
Published: August 2018

ABSTRACTObjectiveTraditionally, amniocentesis is performed between 17 and 23 weeks of gestation. This enables decisions regarding the course of pregnancy to be made before viability. Less frequently, amniocentesis is performed in the third trimester. Advanced genomic technologies such as chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) provide more detailed information about the fetus compared with traditional G‐banded chromosomal analysis. The aim of this study was to assess the indications for and safety of late amniocentesis, genetic‐test results (especially in the context of CMA technology) and outcome of pregnancies that underwent the procedure after 24 weeks.MethodsMedical records were analyzed retrospectively of all women in whom amniocentesis was performed at a gestational age of 24 + 0 to 38 + 6 weeks, at Hadassah Medical Center, between June 2013 and March 2017. Parameters investigated included indications for late amniocentesis, complications, CMA results and pregnancy outcome.ResultsDuring the study period, 291 women (303 fetuses, 277 singleton and 14 twin pregnancies; in two twin pairs, one fetus was terminated before amniocentesis) underwent late amniocentesis. CMA was performed in all instances of amniocentesis. The most frequent indication was abnormal sonographic finding(s) (204/303 fetuses, 67%). Preterm delivery occurred in 1.7% and 5.1% of pregnancies within the first week and within 1 month following the procedure, respectively. Aneuploidy was detected in nine (3%) fetuses and nine (3%) others had a pathogenic/likely pathogenic copy number variant, suggesting that CMA doubled the diagnostic yield of traditional karyotyping. Maximal diagnostic yield (17.5%) was achieved for the subgroup of fetuses referred with abnormal sonographic findings in two or more fetal anatomical systems. Variants of uncertain significance or susceptibility loci were found in another nine (3%) fetuses.ConclusionsIn pregnancies undergoing late amniocentesis, CMA increased detection rates of fetal abnormalities and had a shorter turnaround time compared with traditional chromosomal analysis; therefore, late amniocentesis may serve as a helpful tool for detecting fetal abnormalities or reassuring parents following late‐appearing abnormal sonographic findings. However, CMA may expose findings of uncertain significance, about which the couple should be precounseled. The procedure appears to be safe. Copyright © 2018 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Transparente leitfähige Nitride
Authors: Dadgar Armin 
Published: August 2018

SummaryTransparent conductive nitrides – New perspectives in device designMore than 20 years after the pioneer of the GaN LED Nobel laureate Shuji Nakamura published that germanium is an inferior dopand for GaN when compared to silicon we showed that the opposite is true in regard of achievable n‐type doping concentration. With Ge‐doped GaN now device performance can be improved and new device structures realized. As transparent highly conductive nitride (TCN) new application fields emerge for GaN, in particular the replacement of ITO. Besides many potential applications Ge‐doped GaN layers also show interesting physics as a new quasiparticle, the Collexon.
Zuverlässige Prozesse durch Vakuumkomponenten mit definierten Ausgasraten
Authors: Worsch Christian , Flämmich Michael , Bergner Ute 
Published: August 2018

SummaryReliable processes by use of vacuum components with specified outgassing ratesContamination of vacuum components cannot be avoided in the manufacturing process. In order to significantly reduce particulate and organic impurities, a multi‐stage cleaning process and proof of cleanliness are essential. In order to guarantee a reproducible quality of the cleanliness of vacuum components, uniform standards for defined outgassing rates are necessary. The development of Vacom Purity Classes serves the generally accessible specification of components and characterises their vacuum and cleanroom suitability. Vacom Vacuum Classes guarantee the suitability of vacuum components for use in UHV/XHV. In this article, the importance of cleaning of vacuum chambers and components is examined as well as the need to establish a uniform method for the quantitative measurement of the outgassing rate is highlighted. The systematic division into Vacom Purity and Vacuum Classes provides the basis for a cross‐industry standard for the defined quality of vacuum processes.
Bounded Rational Decision-Making with Adaptive Neural Network Priors
Authors: Hihn Heinke , Gottwald Sebastian , Braun Daniel A. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractBounded rationality investigates utility-optimizing decision-makers with limited information-processing power. In particular, information theoretic bounded rationality models formalize resource constraints abstractly in terms of relative Shannon information, namely the Kullback-Leibler Divergence between the agents’ prior and posterior policy. Between prior and posterior lies an anytime deliberation process that can be instantiated by sample-based evaluations of the utility function through Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) optimization. The most simple model assumes a fixed prior and can relate abstract information-theoretic processing costs to the number of sample evaluations. However, more advanced models would also address the question of learning, that is how the prior is adapted over time such that generated prior proposals become more efficient. In this work we investigate generative neural networks as priors that are optimized concurrently with anytime sample-based decision-making processes such as MCMC. We evaluate this approach on toy examples.
Predicting Survival of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia on the First Day of Life
Authors: Oh Chaeyoun , Youn Joong Kee , Han Ji‐Won , Yang Hee‐Byum , Lee Sanghoon , Seo Jeong‐Meen , Ho In Geol , Kim Soo‐Hong , Cho Yong Hoon , Shin Seung Han , Kim Hyun‐Young , Jung Sung‐Eun 
Published: August 2018

AbstractBackgroundThis study aimed to determine perinatal risk factors for 30‐day mortality of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) patients and develop a prognostic index to predict 30‐day mortality of CDH patients. Identifying risk factors that can prognosticate outcome is critical to obtain the best management practices for patients.MethodsA retrospective study was performed for patients who were diagnosed with CDH from November 2000 to August 2016. A total of 10 prenatal risk factors and 14 postnatal risk factors were analyzed. All postnatal variables were measured within 24 h after birth.ResultsA total of 95 CDH patients were enrolled in this study, including 61 males and 34 females with mean gestational age of 38.86 ± 1.51 weeks. The overall 30‐day survival rate was 63.2%. Multivariate analysis revealed that five factors (polyhydramnios, gestational age at diagnosis <25 weeks, observed‐to‐expected lung‐to‐head ratio ≤45, best oxygenation index in 24 h  >11, and severity of tricuspid regurgitation ≥ mild) were independent predictors of 30‐day mortality of CDH. Using these five factors, a perinatal prognostic index for 30‐day mortality was developed. Four predictive models (poor, bad, good, and excellent) of the perinatal prognostic index were constructed, and external validation was performed.ConclusionsAwareness of risk factors is very important for predicting prognosis and managing patients. Five independent perinatal risk factors were identified in this study. A perinatal prognostic index was developed for 30‐day mortality for patients with CDH. This index may be used to help manage CDH patients.
Space Science: the View from European School Students
Authors: DeWitt Jennifer , Bultitude Karen 
Published: August 2018

AbstractGender imbalance in the physical sciences and engineering is a longstanding and well-documented concern within science education, industry, and policy. The current study is motivated by this issue and focuses on space science in particular, which has been promoted as a physical science with the capacity to inspire both boys and girls. A survey of over 8000 pupils aged 9–16 from 11 European countries was utilised to provide the first large-scale investigation of school students’ perceptions of space science. Enthusiasm for space science was clear within our sample, and individual differences were more important than background characteristics (gender, age, country) in driving attitudes to space science. However, although these positive attitudes and perceptions were shared by boys and girls, substantially fewer students, particularly females, expressed interest in pursuing a career in space science.
Temporospatial components of brain ERPs as biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Chapman Robert M. , Gardner Margaret N. , Klorman Rafael , Mapstone Mark , Porsteinsson Anton P. , Antonsdottir Inga M. , Kamalyan Lily 
Published: August 2018

AbstractIntroductionDeveloping biomarkers that distinguish individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) from those with normal cognition remains a crucial goal for improving the health of older adults. We investigated adding brain spatial information to temporal event‐related potentials (ERPs) to increase AD identification accuracy over temporal ERPs alone.MethodsWith two‐step principal components analysis, we applied multivariate analyses that incorporated temporal and spatial ERP information from a cognitive task. Discriminant analysis used temporospatial ERP scores to classify participants as belonging to either the AD or healthy control group.ResultsTemporospatial ERPs produced a cross‐validated area under the curve of 0.84. Adding spatial information through a formal procedure significantly improves classification accuracy.DiscussionA weighted combination of temporospatial ERP markers performs well in detecting AD. Because ERPs are noninvasive and inexpensive, they may be promising biomarkers for AD that can add functional information to other biomarker systems while providing the individual's probability of correct classification.
Growing outrage
Authors: SUNSTEIN CASS R. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractWhy and when does outrage grow? This essay, based on the 2018 LSE Behavioural Public Policy Lecture delivered in February 2018, explores two potential answers. The first points to a revision or weakening of social norms, which leads people to express outrage that they had previously suppressed. The second points to a revision or weakening of social norms, which leads people to express outrage that they had not previously felt (and may or may not now feel). The intensity of outrage is often a product of what is most salient. It is also a product of ‘normalization’; people compare apparently outrageous behavior to behavior falling into the same category in which it is observed, and do not compare it to other cases, which leads to predictable incoherence in judgments. These points bear on the #MeToo movement of 2017 and 2018 and the rise and fall (and rise again, and fall again) of discrimination on the basis of sex and race (and also religion and ethnicity).
After ‘HLEG’: EU Banks, Climate Change Abatement and the Precautionary Principle
Authors: CULLEN Jay 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe EU is making progress in reducing its carbon footprint. The creation of a High-Level Group on Sustainable Finance has supplemented recent market-led initiatives and provided some recommendations for future reform. This article argues that more remains to be achieved. In particular, in light of the fundamental structural uncertainties attached to climate change, precautionary approaches to the funding of GHG-intensive industries are worth contemplating. Such measures include raising the capital requirements on assets with ‘brown’ credentials. The high dependence on banks for external financing in the EU makes these reforms particularly appropriate for implementation within the bloc.
Heat Transfer Analysis for Peristalsis of MHD Carreau Fluid in a Curved Channel Through Modified Darcy Law
Authors: Tanveer A. , Hayat T. , Alsaedi A. , Ahmad B. 
Published: August 2018

ABSTRACTThe present analysis has been developed to investigate the heat transfer phenomenon in peristaltic flow of Carreau fluid in a curved channel with rhythmic contraction and expansion of waves along the walls (similar to blood flow in tubes). Magnetic field is imposed in radial direction. The heat transfer aspect is further studied with viscous dissipation effect. The curved channel walls are influenced by flow and thermal partial slip. In addition the flow stream comprised porous medium. The system of relevant non-linear PDEs have been reduced to ODEs by utilizing the long wavelength approximation. The striking features of flow and temperature characteristics under the involved parameters are examined by plotting graphs. The generation of fluid temperature and velocity due to viscous dissipation and gravitational efforts are recorded respectively. Moreover indicated results signify activation of velocity, temperature and heat transfer rate with Darcy number.
Sweetgrass Stories: Listening for Animate Land
Authors: Cariou Warren 
Published: August 2018

This article examines Indigenous stories that reveal how the land communicates to humans through medicinal plants. The intention is to address a blind spot in new materialist theory, which Zoe Todd has criticized for its lack of attention to Indigenous forms and practices of relational materialism. The main focus of this essay is Indigenous narratives about the sacred plant sweetgrass (known as (wihkaskwa in Cree; wiingaashk in Anishinaabemowin). Reading Robin Wall Kimmerer’s meditation Braiding Sweetgrass and Drew Hayden Taylor’s novel Motorcycles and Sweetgrass, and watching Jessie Short’s 2016 film Sweet Night, I argue that these artists portray sweetgrass as an intermediary between humans and the land, strengthening Indigenous cultural sovereignty and deepening human relationships by reminding people of their shared embodiment and their shared spiritual-territorial connection. The plant is revealed in these works as a teacher, operating through its scent, texture, and literal rootedness to teach humans about their own connectedness to particular living places.By working at the level of sensation rather than linguistic signification, the sweetgrass is also shown to have an immediate and embodied effect upon the characters in these works. In particular, it offers itself as a gift, and as a conduit of love. I argue that the repeated image of the sweetgrass braid in these works is not exactly a metaphor, but is instead a profound conjoining of the earth and the human body, both submitted to the care of human hands. To braid the earth’s fragrant hair is to treat it in the most intimate way, as a family member or a beloved. It is this human activity of braiding that clarifies the kinship aspect of sweetgrass, showing us that it is not a thing, but a relation. The reciprocity of this relationship shows an Indigenous ethic of engagement with the living material world.
A Review of the Radiocarbon Dates for the Afanasyevo Culture (Central Asia): Shifting Towards the “Shorter” Chronology
Authors: Poliakov Andrey V , Svyatko Svetlana V , Stepanova Nadezhda F 
Published: August 2018

ABSTRACTThis article provides a summary and in-depth analysis of all existing radiocarbon (14C) dates for the Afanasyevo Culture of the Paleometal period. The previous “long” chronology of the culture was widely criticized and contradicted many archaeological observations. The exceedingly wide ranges of the liquid scintillation counting (LSC) dates from bone samples produced in several laboratories and the systematically older ages for the wood/charcoal samples finally reveal the shortcomings of the conventional “long” chronology. From accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), the Afanasyevo burials of the Altai are dated to the 31st–29th century BC, whereas those of the Middle Yenisei Region to the 29th–25th century BC, which confirms the relatively earlier age of the Altai monuments. The “short” chronology removes the incompatibility of deriving the Afanasyevo Culture from the Yamnaya Culture, which previously appeared “younger” than the Afanasyevo, and also contradictions with the archaeological data. It also explains the small number of sites, the small size of the cemeteries and the lack of the internal periodization. We can now clearly move, from the earlier understanding that the Afanasyevo chronology is too broad, towards a different perception. The new AMS dates only represent a “core” for the Afanasyevo chronology, which cannot be narrowed down, but could be slightly expanded over time.
Mediterranean diet and mortality in the elderly: a prospective cohort study and a meta-analysis
Authors: Bonaccio Marialaura , Di Castelnuovo Augusto , Costanzo Simona , Gialluisi Alessandro , Persichillo Mariarosaria , Cerletti Chiara , Donati Maria Benedetta , de Gaetano Giovanni , Iacoviello Licia 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe Mediterranean diet (MD) has been associated with prolonged survival in the general population, but no meta-analysis has apparently investigated the potential health benefits in relation to mortality in the elderly. We performed a longitudinal analysis on 5200 individuals aged ≥65 years identified within the general population recruited in the Moli-sani study cohort (2005–2010). Adherence to the MD was appraised by thea prioriMediterranean diet score (MDS; range 0–9). Survival estimates were derived using Cox regression and competing risk models. For the meta-analysis, PubMed and Scopus databases were searched from inception until April 2018 to identify prospective studies on the MD and death risk in the elderly. Over a median follow-up of 8·1 years, a total of 900 deaths were ascertained in the elderly sub-sample of the Moli-sani cohort. A one-point increase in the MDS was associated with lower risk of all-cause, coronary artery disease/cerebrovascular and non-cardiovascular/non-cancer mortality (multi-variable hazard ratio (HR)=0·94; 95 % CI 0·90, 0·98; HR=0·91; 95 % CI 0·83, 0·99 and HR=0·89; 95 % CI 0·81, 0·96, respectively). In a meta-analysis of seven prospective studies, including our results, for a total of 11 738 participants and 3874 deaths, one-point increment in MDS was associated with 5 % (4–7 %) lower risk of all-cause death. An inverse linear dose–response relationship was found from a meta-analysis including three studies. In conclusion, a prospective cohort study and a meta-analysis showed that closer adherence to the MD was associated with prolonged survival in elderly individuals, suggesting the appropriateness for older persons to adopt/preserve the MD to maximise their prospects for survival.