bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Optimization design of drive system for industrial robots based on dynamic performance
Authors: Ge LianZheng , Chen Jian , Li Ruifeng , Liang Peidong 
Published: August 2017

Purpose
The global performance of industrial robots partly depends on the properties of drive system consisting of motor inertia, gearbox inertia, etc. This paper aims to deal with the problem of optimization of global dynamic performance for robotic drive system selected from available components.

Design/methodology/approach
Considering the performance specifications of drive system, an optimization model whose objective function is composed of working efficiency and natural frequency of robots is proposed. Meanwhile, constraints including the rated and peak torque of motor, lifetime of gearbox and light-weight were taken into account. Furthermore, the mapping relationship between discrete optimal design variables and component properties of drive system were presented. The optimization problem with mixed integer variables was solved by a mixed integer-laplace crossover power mutation algorithm.

Findings
The optimization results show that our optimization model and methods are applicable, and the performances are also greatly promoted without sacrificing any constraints of drive system. Besides, the model fits the overall performance well with respect to light-weight ratio, safety, cost reduction and others.

Practical implications
The proposed drive system optimization method has been used for a 4-DOF palletizing robot, which has been largely manufactured in a factory.

Originality/value
This paper focuses on how the simulation-based optimization can be used for the purpose of generating trade-offs between cost, performance and lifetime when designing robotic drive system. An applicable optimization model and method are proposed to handle the dynamic performance optimization problem of a drive system for industrial robot.
Shadow economy and tax evasion. The Achilles heel of Greek economy. Determinants, effects and policy proposals
Authors: Vousinas Georgios L. 
Published: August 2017

PurposeThis paper aims to bring into surface two major socioeconomic problems of Greece, tax evasion and shadow economy.Design/methodology/approachIt examines the determinants and the factors that led to the formation and expansion of tax evasion and subsequently of black economy. Empirical data and related research are used to provide a clearer view of the existing situation.FindingsTax evasion and shadow economy are proved to remain two of the most severe problems that torture Greek economy. The factors that contribute the most to the formation of these phenomena are the lack of tax awareness, the tax burden, the structure of the tax system, the role of the state, the level of approvement of public authority, self-employment, unemployment and the level of organization of the economy. Except from the negative characteristics, positive ones are also identified, and certain policies are suggested so as to combat tax evasion and black economy.Originality/valueThe paper highlights two major issues that constitute the deadly weakness of the Greek economy, providing a holistic view of the current situation, identifying the roots of the problem and suggesting specific measures.
Digital entrepreneurship in a resource-scarce context
Authors: Ngoasong Michael Zisuh 
Published: August 2017

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to critically explore how context as an antecedent to entrepreneurial digital competencies (EDCs) influences digital entrepreneurship in a resource-scarce environment.

Design/methodology/approach
The data comprises semi-structured interviews with 16 digital entrepreneurs, as owner-managers of small digital businesses in Cameroon.

Findings
The results reveal the ways in which EDCs shape the entry (or start-up) choices and post-entry strategic decisions of digital entrepreneurs in response to context-specific opportunities and challenges associated with digital entrepreneurship.

Research limitations/implications
The data comes from one African country and 16 digital businesses thus the research setting limits the generalisability of the results.

Practical implications
This paper highlights important implications for encouraging digital entrepreneurship by focussing on institutional, technology and local dimensions of context and measures to develop the entrepreneurial and digital competencies. This includes policy interventions to develop the information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure, transport and local distribution infrastructure, and training opportunities to develop the EDCs of digital entrepreneurs.

Originality/value
Whereas the capabilities to adopt and use ICTs and the internet by small businesses have been examined, this is among the first theoretically sensitised study linking context, EDCs and digital entrepreneurship.
Case–control study of chronic low‐level exposure of inorganic arsenic species and non‐melanoma skin cancer
Authors: Kim Tae‐Hoon , Seo Jeong‐Wook , Hong Young‐Seoub , Song Ki‐Hoon 
Published: August 2017

AbstractA significant relationship between arsenic exposure and non‐melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is well known. The toxicity of arsenics which develop NMSC is dependent on their species. Accordingly, total arsenic levels are unreliable for risk assessment of NMSC. However, there are few studies on quantitative exposure assessment of arsenic species in NMSC patients. To validate the contribution of each arsenic species to NMSC, we compared the creatinine‐adjusted urinary concentration of arsenic species in NMSC patients and community controls. A total of 124 biopsy‐proven NMSC cases and 125 age‐ and sex‐matched community controls, drinking tap water with low‐level arsenic concentration (<5 μg/L), were included in the study. High‐performance liquid chromatography and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry were used for the measurement. The NMSC group was found to have significantly higher levels of total inorganic arsenic, trivalent and pentavalent arsenic and monomethylarsonic acid than the control group. Total arsenic, organic arsenic and dimethylarsonic acid levels were lower in the NMSC group. We suggest that inorganic arsenic species, trivalent arsenic and pentavalent arsenic may influence the prevalence of NMSC, in spite of these levels being lower than the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry‐recommended standard or the levels reported by other highly contaminated areas and neighboring countries in East Asia. Furthermore, it also suggests that total arsenic level cannot represent the risk of NMSC.
Amelioration of atopic‐like skin conditions in NC/Tnd mice by topical application with distilled Alpinia intermedia Gagnep extracts
Authors: Amagai Yosuke , Katsuta Chihiro , Nomura Yoshihiro , Oida Kumiko , Matsuda Kenshiro , Jang Hyosun , Ahn Ginnae , Hamasaki Tetsuyoshi , Matsuda Hiroshi , Tanaka Akane 
Published: August 2017

AbstractAlpinia intermedia, a perennial plant that belongs to the Zingiberaceae family, has been used in folk medicine for a long time in the southern region of Japan. Because skin care is an effective approach that enables patients to manage their atopic dermatitis (AD), various herbal ingredients with few adverse effects have been evaluated for use in AD patients in recent years. In this study, we examined whether distilled extracts obtained from A. intermedia were beneficial for AD‐like skin conditions in NC/Tnd mice. Topical application with the A. intermedia extracts significantly reduced the severity of AD, transepidermal water loss and scratching behavior in the mice. Supplementation of the extracts to cell cultures suppressed the expression of Tslp mRNA in PAM212 keratinocytes, degranulation in bone marrow‐derived cultured mast cells (BMCMC), and neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells and dorsal root ganglia. In addition, the component analysis revealed that β‐pinene was a major constituent of the A. intermedia extracts. The inhibitory effects of β‐pinene both in vivo and in vitro were also demonstrated. These results indicate that topical application with the A. intermedia extract to the skin of NC/Tnd mice improved the condition of the skin by suppressing multiple inflammatory responses. The extracts may become novel skin‐care remedies for AD patients.
Case report of cutaneous protothecosis caused by Prototheca wickerhamii designated as genotype 2 and current status of human protothecosis in Japan
Authors: Inoue Maki , Miyashita Azusa , Noguchi Hiromitsu , Hirose Noriyuki , Nishimura Kazuko , Masuda Michiaki , Ihn Hironobu 
Published: August 2017

AbstractAn 85‐year‐old Japanese woman presented with infiltrative erythema and ulceration on the extensor surface of her right forearm. Direct microscopic examination demonstrated spherical and morula‐like sporangia, while histopathology revealed numerous microorganisms with a mulberry‐like appearance in the dermis. Staining of the microorganisms also showed mulberry‐like sporangia that resembled the spokes of a wheel. The isolated yeast‐like microorganism had been identified as Prototheca wickerhamii genotype 2 in another independent study on the basis of its morphological, biochemical and genetic analysis. This case of protothecosis was recorded in Kyushu, Japan, and oral treatment with itraconazole 200 mg/day for 2 months was effective. Herein, we also summarize and analyze 39 cases of human protothecosis reported in Japan since the first record in 1983.
(‐)‐Epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate and atorvastatin treatment down‐regulates liver fibrosis‐related genes in non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Ying Le , Yan Feng , Zhao Yueling , Gao Hugh , Williams Bryan RG , Hu Yiqun , Li Xiaofang , Tian Run , Xu Ping , Wang Yuefei 
Published: August 2017

SummaryNon‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and associated advanced liver diseases have become prevalent conditions in many countries and are associated with increased mortality. Gene expression profiles in NAFLD have been examined recently but changes in expression elicited by chemical compound treatments have not been investigated. Since (‐)‐Epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG) and atorvastatin (ATST) exhibit similar efficacy in NAFLD models, we reasoned that some common key genes might alter after treatment of EGCG and ATST. Accordingly, we applied integrated bioinformatics analyses of RNA microarray data from EGCG and ATST treatment groups compared to controls in a NAFLD phenotypic mouse model. Using differential expression (DE) analysis, Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and ClueGO enrichment, shared EGCG and ATST down‐regulated pathways were identified which included extracellular matrix (ECM)‐receptor interaction and protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum (ER). To refine key genes associated with liver fibrosis, a human NAFLD signature derived from patients of different fibrosis stages was analyzed. The results showed that fibrosis‐related genes Col1a1, Col1a2, Col3a1 and Col6a3 were significantly down‐regulated. These four genes were further validated as down‐regulated in an independent mouse NAFLD dataset. We conclude that EGCG and ATST treatment results in the significant down‐regulation of genes related to liver fibrosis.
The intersection of class origin and immigration background in structuring social capital: the role of transnational ties
Authors: Andersson Anton , Edling Christofer , Rydgren Jens 
Published: August 2017

AbstractThe study investigates inequalities in access to social capital based on social class origin and immigration background and examines the role of transnational ties in explaining these differences. Social capital is measured with a position generator methodology that separates between national and transnational contacts in a sample of young adults in Sweden with three parental backgrounds: at least one parent born in Iran or Yugoslavia, or two Sweden‐born parents. The results show that having socioeconomically advantaged parents is associated with higher levels of social capital. Children of immigrants are found to have a greater access to social capital compared to individuals with native background, and the study shows that this is related to transnational contacts, parents’ education and social class in their country of origin. Children of immigrants tend to have more contacts abroad, while there is little difference in the amount of contacts living in Sweden across the three groups. It is concluded that knowledge about immigration group resources help us predict its member's social capital, but that the analysis also needs to consider how social class trajectories and migration jointly structure national and transnational contacts.
Clinical Characteristics of Fatal Methamphetamine‐related Stroke: A National Study
Authors: Darke Shane , Lappin Julia , Kaye Sharlene , Duflou Johan 
Published: August 2017

AbstractThe study aimed to determine the clinical characteristics of fatal methamphetamine‐related stroke in Australia, 2009–2015. There were 38 cases, 60.5% male, with a mean age of 40.3 years. In no case was there evidence that this was the first time methamphetamine had been used by the decedent, and 52.6% had known histories of injecting drug use. The stroke was hemorrhagic in 37 of 38 cases. In 21.1% of cases, the stroke was purely parenchymal and, in 18.4%, involved purely the subarachnoid space. A ruptured berry aneurysm was present in 31.6% and in 68.8% of initial subarachnoid hemorrhages. There was evidence of systemic hypertension in 8 of 25 cases in which full autopsy findings were available. With increased use of methamphetamine, there is a high probability of increased hemorrhagic stroke incidence among young people. In cases of fatal hemorrhagic stroke among young cases presenting to autopsy, the possibility of methamphetamine use should be borne in mind.
An Objective Measure of Splitting in Parental Alienation: The Parental Acceptance–Rejection Questionnaire
Authors: Bernet William , Gregory Nilgun , Reay Kathleen M. , Rohner Ronald P. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractBoth clinicians and forensic practitioners should distinguish parental alienation (rejection of a parent without legitimate justification) from other reasons for contact refusal. Alienated children—who were not abused—often engage in splitting and lack ambivalence with respect to the rejected parent; children who were maltreated usually perceive the abusive parent in an ambivalent manner. The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of the Parental Acceptance–Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ) in identifying and quantifying the degree of splitting, which may assist in diagnosing parental alienation. Results showed that severely alienated children engaged in a high level of splitting, by perceiving the preferred parent in extremely positive terms and the rejected parent in extremely negative terms. Splitting was not manifested by the children in other family groups. The PARQ may be useful for both clinicians and forensic practitioners in evaluating children of divorced parents when there is a concern about the possible diagnosis of parental alienation.
Architects of nature: growing buildings with bacterial biofilms
Authors: Dade‐Robertson Martyn , Keren‐Paz Alona , Zhang Meng , Kolodkin‐Gal Ilana 
Published: August 2017

SummaryIn his text ‘On Architecture’, Vitruvius suggested that architecture is an imitation of nature. Here we discuss what happens when we begin using nature in architecture. We describe recent developments in the study of biofilm structure, and propose combining modern architecture and synthetic microbiology to develop sustainable construction approaches. Recently, Kolodkin‐Gal laboratory and others revealed a role for precipitation of calcium carbonate in the maturation and assembly of bacterial communities with complex structures. Importantly, they demonstrated that different secreted organic materials shape the calcium carbonate crystals formed by the bacterial cells. This provides a proof‐of‐concept for a potential use of bacteria in designing rigid construction materials and altering crystal morphology and function. In this study, we discuss how these recent discoveries may change the current strategies of architecture and construction. We believe that biofilm communities enhanced by synthetic circuits may be used to construct buildings and to sequester carbon dioxide in the process.
Comparative metabolomics revealing Staphylococcus aureus metabolic response to different antibiotics
Authors: Schelli Katie , Zhong Fanyi , Zhu Jiangjiang 
Published: August 2017

SummaryIt is known that changes in bacterial metabolism can contribute to the modulation of bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics. Understanding how bacterial metabolism is impacted by antibiotics may improve our understanding of the antibiotic mechanism of actions from a metabolic perspective. Here, we utilized a mass spectrometry‐based targeted metabolic profiling technique to characterize the metabolome of a pair of isogenic methicillin‐susceptible and resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA and MRSA) strains RN450 and 450M treated with the sublethal dose of three antibiotics from different classes (β‐lactams, aminoglycosides and quinolones). These treatments induced a set of metabolic alterations after 6 h of co‐incubation with antibiotics. Similar and divergent metabolic perturbations were observed from different antibiotics to the tested strains. Different metabolic response from MSSA and MRSA to the same antibiotics was also detected in the study and indicated the potentially different stress response mechanism in MSSA and MRSA metabolism. This work has shown that a complex set of metabolic changes can be induced by a variety of antibiotics, and the comparative metabolomics strategy can provide a good understanding of this process from a metabolic perspective.
T7 RNA polymerase‐driven inducible cell lysis for DNA transfer from Escherichia coli to Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Juhas Mario , Ajioka James W. 
Published: August 2017

SummaryThe majority of the good DNA editing techniques have been developed in Escherichia coli; however, Bacillus subtilis is better host for a plethora of synthetic biology and biotechnology applications. Reliable and efficient systems for the transfer of synthetic DNA between E. coli and B. subtilis are therefore of the highest importance. Using synthetic biology approaches, such as streamlined lambda Red recombineering and Gibson Isothermal Assembly, we integrated genetic circuits pT7L123, Repr‐ts‐1 and pLT7pol encoding the lysis genes of bacteriophages MS2, ΦX174 and lambda, the thermosensitive repressor and the T7 RNA polymerase into the E. coli chromosome. In this system, T7 RNA polymerase regulated by the thermosensitive repressor drives the expression of the phage lysis genes. We showed that T7 RNA polymerase significantly increases efficiency of cell lysis and transfer of the plasmid and bacterial artificial chromosome‐encoded DNA from the lysed E. coli into B. subtilis. The T7 RNA polymerase‐driven inducible cell lysis system is suitable for the efficient cell lysis and transfer of the DNA engineered in E. coli to other naturally competent hosts, such as B. subtilis.
Target temperature 34 vs. 36°C after out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest – a retrospective observational study
Authors: Arvidsson L. , Lindgren S. , Martinell L. , Lundin S. , Rylander C. 
Published: August 2017

BackgroundIntensive care for comatose survivors of cardiac arrest includes targeted temperature management (TTM) to attenuate cerebral reperfusion injury. A recent multi‐center clinical trial did not show any difference in mortality or neurological outcome between TTM targeting 33°C or 36°C after out‐of‐hospital‐cardiac‐arrest (OHCA). In our institution, the TTM target was changed accordingly from 34 to 36°C. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze if this change had affected patient outcome.MethodsIntensive care registry and medical record data from 79 adult patients treated for OHCA with TTM during 2010 (n = 38; 34°C) and 2014 (n = 41; 36°C) were analyzed for mortality and neurological outcome were assessed as cerebral performance category. Student's t‐test was used for continuous data and Fischer's exact test for categorical data, and multivariable logistic regression was applied to detect influence from patient factors differing between the groups.ResultsWitnessed arrest was more common in 2010 (95%) vs. 2014 (76%) (P = 0.03) and coronary angiography was more common in 2014 (95%) vs. 2010 (76%) (P = 0.02). The number of patients awakening later than 72 h after the arrest did not differ. After adjusting for gender, hypertension, and witnessed arrest, neither 1‐year mortality (P = 0.77), nor 1‐year good neurological outcome (P = 0.85) differed between the groups.ConclusionOur results, showing no difference between TTM at 34°C and TTM at 36°C as to mortality or neurological outcome after OHCA, are in line with the previous TTM‐trial results, supporting the use of either target temperature in our institution.
Persistent increase in TNF and IL‐1 markers in severe mental disorders suggests trait‐related inflammation: a one year follow‐up study
Authors: Mørch R. H. , Dieset I. , Færden A. , Hope S. , Aas M. , Nerhus M. , Gardsjord E. S. , Haram M. , Falk R. S. , Joa I. , Morken G. , Agartz I. , Aukrust P. , Djurovic S. , Melle I. , Ueland T. , Andreassen O. A. 
Published: August 2017

ObjectiveWe evaluated if plasma levels of inflammatory markers are persistently altered in severe mental disorders with psychotic symptoms or associated with state characteristics in a longitudinal study.MethodsSoluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (sTNF‐R1), interleukin‐1 receptor antagonist (IL‐1Ra), von Willebrand factor (VWF), and osteoprotegerin (OPG) were measured in schizophrenia (n = 69) and affective (n = 55) spectrum patients at baseline and at one‐year follow‐up, and compared to healthy controls (HC) (n = 92) with analysis of covariance. Association between change in symptoms and inflammatory markers was analyzed with mixed‐effects models.ResultssTNF‐R1 was higher in the schizophrenia (P < 0.0001) and affective disorders (P = 0.02) compared to HC, while IL‐1Ra was higher in schizophrenia (P = 0.01) compared to HC at one year follow‐up. There were no significant differences between schizophrenia and affective groups; however, levels in the affective group were in between schizophrenia and HC for sTNF‐R1 and IL‐1Ra. There were no significant associations between change in symptoms and inflammatory markers.ConclusionPersistently increased sTNF‐R1 and IL‐1Ra after one year in patients with severe mental disorders primarily reflecting data from the schizophrenia group may suggest that inflammation is a trait phenomenon, and not only the result of stress‐related mechanisms associated with acute episodes.