bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bipolar or monopolar electrosurgery in blepharoplasty: A comparison of surgical outcomes and patient satisfaction
Authors: Kim Jeenam , Kwon Yongseok , Jun Dong‐keun , Lee Myungchul , Shin Donghyeok , Kim Soonheum , Jo Dongin , Kim Cheolkeun , Kim Heonjoon , Choi Hyungon
Published: July 2020

Background

An electrosurgery unit (ESU) is the mainstay of bleeding control in blepharoplasty. There are two different types of ESUs: monopolar (m‐ESU) and bipolar (b‐ESU).

Aims

We used m‐ and b‐ESUs in upper, lower, and combined blepharoplasty and compared their outcomes.

Patients/Methods

In this retrospective file review of 292 blepharoplasty patients, we excluded 14 who were lost to follow‐up or had missing data; among the 278 enrolled patients, we recorded operative time, a surgeon panel's score for edema and ecchymosis on the third postoperative day, patients’ scores of their satisfaction and inconvenience, and postoperative complications.

Results

One hundred thirty‐nine patients were included in the m‐ESU and b‐ESU group. Overall, 105 patients underwent upper blepharoplasty, 77 underwent lower blepharoplasty, and 96 underwent combined blepharoplasty. The total mean operative time in the m‐ESU and b‐ESU was 67.94 and 62.82 minutes, respectively. This difference was not significant (P > .05). The panel's edema and patient satisfaction and inconvenience scores were significantly better in the b‐ESU group (P < .05). There were no significant differences in the panel's ecchymosis score and frequency as well as nature of complications between the m‐ESU and b‐ESU group (P > .05).

Conclusions

In this cohort of blepharoplasty patients, minimally invasive b‐ESUs were efficient in obtaining reliable surgical results with higher satisfaction and lower inconvenience rates of patients than m‐ESUs. We would like to recommend the use of b‐ESUs in blepharoplasty, especially for plastic surgeons inexperienced in periorbital esthetic surgery.
Clinical efficacy of dissolvable microneedles armed with anti‐melanogenic compounds to counter hyperpigmentation
Authors: Avcil Muhammet , Akman Gokhan , Klokkers Jens , Jeong Dohyeon , Çelik Ayhan
Published: July 2020

Background

Hyperpigmentation is a complex physiological process associated with alterations of skin color due to melanin overproduction and distribution. Both intrinsic and extrinsic factors influence discoloration with the involvement of multiple pathways in cooperative manners. Restoring natural skin color requires a multi‐targeted approach. Latest advances in anti‐melanogenic compounds and microneedle delivery system have presented opportunities for tackling hyperpigmentationsuccessfully.

Aims

This work was aimed at assessing the dermal tolerability and efficacy of hyaluronic acid‐based microneedle patches loaded with anti‐melanogenic actives for improvements of skin discoloration.

Patients/Methods

The test products consist of hyaluronic acid with niacinamide, ascorbic acid 2‐glucoside, tranexamic acid, resveratrol, 4‐n‐butyl‐resorcinol, and Halidrys siliquosa extract. In a monocentric 12 weeks clinical trial, the HA‐MNs patches were applied to the affected areas of the faces on subjects with hyperpigmented skin. The color properties of the skin were analyzed spectrophotometrically.

Results

The products were tolerated remarkably; none of the subjects informed any primary or cumulative skin responses. Evaluation of color related measurable skin properties provided insight into the general effectiveness: The individual topology measurements showed 51.4% noticeable improvements in hyperpigmented zones, which were also in good agreement with the personal impressions of the subjects determined by questionnaires before and after the treatments.

Conclusions

The concentrated blends of actives in microneedle patches act in a multi‐targeted manner, and they could be worked in a complementary fashion for the improvement of skin color and appearance. The study has established the overall convenience of the HA‐MNs with the formulation of anti‐melogenic compounds against skin discoloration.
A demand‐induced overtreatment model with heterogeneous experts
Authors: Crettez Bertrand , Deloche Régis , Jeanneret‐Crettez Marie‐Hélène
Published: July 2020

We propose an original game‐theoretic demand‐induced supply model of overtreatment with heterogeneous experts. We show that experts, whatever their abilities, must give the treatment if customers expect them to do so. We show how launching awareness campaigns (on the prudent use of treatment) disseminating information to both the general public and prescribers may, by undermining customers' expectations, reduce overtreatment. Introducing a diagnostic test may have the same effect, but not if its use is costly, especially for good experts. We rely on our model to account for antibiotics overprescription.
Effects of predation risk on the body mass regulation of growing wood mice
Authors: Monarca R. I. , Speakman J. R. , Mathias M. L.
Published: July 2020

Body mass in wild animals has been suggested to be regulated by the opposing fitness consequences of variation in body size (and fat storage) for starvation and predation risk. Many studies of adult mammals and birds have broadly confirmed the predictions of this model. However, relatively few studies have addressed the potential role of such trade‐offs during early phases of development when animals are growing. Similarly, studies of the impact of high‐fat diets on wild small mammals generally show a resistance to weight gain. But whether growing animals are similarly resistant is unclear. In this study, weaned wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) were exposed to a high risk of predation, simulated by the broadcasting of owl calls, for 66 days during which body mass and energy intake were monitored. We hypothesized that if the risk of predation plays a role in regulating body mass during this phase then animals growing under predation risk would grow less. We found female (but not male) mice exposed to the predation risk treatment had lower growth rates and ended the experiment lighter; however, variations in energy intake and resting metabolic rate did not explain the observed differences. Feeding on high‐fat diet resulted in individuals with higher body mass. Females reached their adult size earlier than males and were more responsive to the predation risk treatment when feeding on high‐fat diet. Our data suggest males body mass to have fitness consequences on social dominance and reproductive success not accounted for in the simple starvation‐predation trade‐off model.
Historical poetics and the definition of epic in the eighteenth century
Authors: Foy Anna M.
Published: July 2020

What was the epic for eighteenth‐century Anglophone readers and writers? And how did those expectations differ from later definitions of the genre? This paper advocates an approach to historical poetics centered on these questions. Older approaches to historical poetics, including Mikhail Bakhtin's influential theory of the novel, impose modern ideas of post‐Miltonic decline and modern expectations of epic as a rigid, “half‐moribund,” “classic” genre, representative of an inaccessible, “absolute past.” Yet eighteenth‐century writers approached the epic as a living genre defined by its capacity to “form the manners,” even in the present moment. Resurrecting this lost understanding could provide a large‐scale analytical framework supportive of various kinds of historicist research now prevalent in eighteenth‐century studies—book history, intellectual history, theory, criticism, and the digital humanities—to accommodate new models for thinking about the rise and fall of genres. The most obvious payoffs are local. Reviving old definitions of epic accommodates an earlier hierarchy of poetic making in which translation was not deemed inferior to original composition, and in which epic canons were not yet dominated by Homer and Dante. Alternative contemporary approaches to historical poetics and genre assert the primacy of philosophically‐logical definitions of genre, or of generic rules derived from hyper‐canonical examples; the present approach seeks newfound coherence in the previously marginalized or misunderstood. Historical poetics can unearth forgotten connections, reveal the eighteenth century as something other than an epic wasteland, and—by recovering lost abstractions—facilitate more global, cross‐linguistic comparisons than familiar, racialized, Western‐centered ideas of epic encourage. Recovering lost generic definitions also demands meta‐critical reflection on the descriptive limitations of modern(ist) conceptions, including confidence in “genre memory.” The case of the epic demonstrates that genres do not always remember their pasts. Even classic genres suffer desuetude and deprecation that modern interpreters must work imaginatively to overcome.
Making the health system work for the delivery of nutrition interventions
Authors: King Shannon E. , Sawadogo‐Lewis Talata , Black Robert E. , Roberton Timothy
Published: July 2020

Addressing malnutrition requires strategies that are comprehensive and multi‐sectoral. Within a multi‐sectoral approach, the health system is essential to deliver 10 nutrition‐specific interventions, which, if scaled up, could substantially reduce under‐5 deaths in high‐burden countries through improving maternal and child undernutrition. This study identifies the health system components required for the effective delivery of these interventions, highlighting opportunities and challenges for nutrition programmes and policies. We reviewed implementation guidance for each nutrition‐specific intervention, mapping the delivery process for each intervention and determining the health system components required for their delivery. We integrated the components into a single health systems framework for nutrition, illustrating the pathways by which health system components influence household‐level determinants of nutrition and individual‐level health outcomes. Nutrition‐specific interventions are typically delivered in one of four ways: (i) when nutrition interventions are intentionally sought out, (ii) when care is sought for other, unrelated interventions, (iii) at a health facility after active community case finding and referral, and (iv) in the community after active community case finding. A health system enables these processes by providing health services and facilitating care seeking for services, which together require a skilled and motivated health workforce, an effective supply chain, demand for services and access to services. The nutrition community should consider the processes by which nutrition‐specific interventions are delivered and the health system components required for their success. Programmes should encourage the delivery of nutrition interventions at every client–provider interaction and should actively generate demand for services—in general, and for nutrition services specifically.
Abductive reasoning in nursing: Challenges and possibilities
Authors: Karlsen Bjørg , Hillestad Torgeir Martin , Dysvik Elin
Published: July 2020

Abduction, deduction and induction are different forms of inference in science. However, only a few attempts have been made to introduce the idea of abductive reasoning as an extended way of thinking about clinical practice in nursing research. The aim of this paper was to encourage critical reflections about abductive reasoning based on three empirical examples from nursing research and includes three research questions on what abductive reasoning is, how the process has taken place, and how knowledge about abductive reasoning based on the examples can inform nursing research and clinical practice. The study has a descriptive and explorative approach using a convenience sample of three empirical studies from nursing research. The three studies illustrate different ways to enter the abductive reasoning process in steps. They represent new caring models, which offer visual and cognitive maps for expanding nursing research, education and thus informing care. Therefore, we suggest that abductive reasoning may be beneficial for different ways of knowing and demonstrates scientific innovation to shed new light on health phenomena, which can help researchers and practitioners to gain a broader and deeper understanding of nursing care inquiry. However, more studies are needed to broaden this scope.
Diet‐induced rodent models of obesity‐related metabolic disorders—A guide to a translational perspective
Authors: Preguiça Inês , Alves André , Nunes Sara , Fernandes Rosa , Gomes Pedro , Viana Sofia D. , Reis Flávio
Published: July 2020

Diet is a critical element determining human health and diseases, and unbalanced food habits are major risk factors for the development of obesity and related metabolic disorders. Despite technological and pharmacological advances, as well as intensification of awareness campaigns, the prevalence of metabolic disorders worldwide is still increasing. Thus, novel therapeutic approaches with increased efficacy are urgently required, which often depends on cellular and molecular investigations using robust animal models. In the absence of perfect rodent models, those induced by excessive consumption of fat and sugars better replicate the key aspects that are the root causes of human metabolic diseases. However, the results obtained using these models cannot be directly compared, particularly because of the use of different dietary protocols, and animal species and strains, among other confounding factors. This review article revisits diet‐induced models of obesity and related metabolic disorders, namely, metabolic syndrome, prediabetes, diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. A critical analysis focused on the main pathophysiological features of rodent models, as opposed to the criteria defined for humans, is provided as a practical guide with a translational perspective for the establishment of animal models of obesity‐related metabolic diseases.
A transcriptomic, metabolomic and cellular approach to the physiological adaptation of tomato fruit to high temperature
Authors: Almeida Juliana , Perez‐Fons Laura , Fraser Paul D.
Published: July 2020

High temperatures can negatively influence plant growth and development. Besides yield, the effects of heat stress on fruit quality traits remain poorly characterised. In tomato, insights into how fruits regulate cellular metabolism in response to heat stress could contribute to the development of heat‐tolerant varieties, without detrimental effects on quality. In the present study, the changes occurring in wild type tomato fruits after exposure to transient heat stress have been elucidated at the transcriptome, cellular and metabolite level. An impact on fruit quality was evident as nutritional attributes changed in response to heat stress. Fruit carotenogenesis was affected, predominantly at the stage of phytoene formation, although altered desaturation/isomerisation arose during the transient exposure to high temperatures. Plastidial isoprenoid compounds showed subtle alterations in their distribution within chromoplast sub‐compartments. Metabolite profiling suggests limited effects on primary/intermediary metabolism but lipid remodelling was evident. The heat‐induced molecular signatures included the accumulation of sucrose and triacylglycerols, and a decrease in the degree of membrane lipid unsaturation, which influenced the volatile profile. Collectively, these data provide valuable insights into the underlying biochemical and molecular adaptation of fruit to heat stress and will impact on our ability to develop future climate resilient tomato varieties.
Effects of exogenous methyl jasmonate on the synthesis of endogenous jasmonates and the regulation of photosynthesis in citrus
Authors: Qiu Xia , Xu Yinghuan , Xiong Bo , Dai Lin , Huang Shengjia , Dong Tiantian , Sun Guochao , Liao Ling , Deng Qunxian , Wang Xun , Zhu Jin , Wang Zhihui
Published: July 2020

Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is an airborne signaling phytohormone that can induce changes in endogenous jasmonates (JAs) and cause photosynthetic responses. However, the response of these two aspects of citrus plants at different MeJA concentrations is still unclear. Four MeJA concentrations were used in two citrus varieties, Huangguogan (C. reticulata × C. sinensis) and Shiranuhi [C. reticulata × (C. reticulata × C. sinensis)], to investigate the effects of MeJA dose on the endogenous JAs pathway and photosynthetic capacity. We observed that MeJA acted in a dose‐dependent manner, and its stimulation in citrus leaves showed a bidirectional character at different concentrations. This work demonstrates that MeJA at only a concentration of 2.2 mM or less contributed to the activation of magnesium protoporphyrin IX methyltransferase (ChlM, EC 2.1.1.11) and protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase (POR, EC 1.3.1.11) and the simultaneous accumulation of Chl a and Chl b, which in turn contributed to an improved photosynthetic capacity and PSII photochemistry efficiency of citrus. Meanwhile, the inhibition of endogenous JAs synthesis by exogenous MeJA was observed. This was achieved by reducing the ratio of monogalactosyl diacylglycerol (MGDG) to diagalactosyl diacylglycerol (DGDG) and inhibiting the activities of key enzymes in JAs synthesis, especially 12‐oxo‐phytodienoic acid reductase (OPR, EC 1.3.1.42). Another noteworthy finding is that there may exist a JA‐independent pathway that could regulate 12‐oxo‐phytodienoic acid (OPDA) synthesis. This study jointly analyzed the internal hormone regulation mechanism and the external physiological response, as well as revealed the effects of exogenous MeJA on promoting the photosynthesis and inhibiting the endogenous JAs synthesis.
Restoration, soil organisms, and soil processes: emerging approaches
Authors: Farrell Hannah L. , Léger Ariel , Breed Martin F. , Gornish Elise S.
Published: July 2020

Better understanding of the connection between aboveground plant communities and belowground soil organisms and processes has led to an explosion in recent research on the applications of this link to the field of ecological restoration. Research is only beginning to have the capacity to link soil organisms and specific ecosystem functions. Establishing general ecological principles of the role microbial communities have during ecological restoration is also still in its infancy. As such, the literature is at a critical point to generate a Special Feature that brings together novel approaches of linking soil and restoration to promote more regular inclusion and consideration of soil organisms and soil‐based processes in ecological restoration. In this special feature, we bring together nine research articles from different ecosystems that study the relationship between restoration activities, soil microbial communities, and soil properties. From these research articles, we describe two primary themes: (1) research on the impacts of ecosystem‐specific restoration activities on soil organisms and processes and (2) research testing methods of soil manipulation to improve restoration outcomes. We hope to inspire readers and restoration practitioners to consider soil microbes and soil processes in their research, restoration projects, and world views.
Regulating human control over autonomous systems
Authors: Firlej Mikolaj , Taeihagh Araz
Published: July 2020

In recent years, many sectors have experienced significant progress in automation, associated with the growing advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning. There are already automated robotic weapons, which are able to evaluate and engage with targets on their own, and there are already autonomous vehicles that do not need a human driver. It is argued that the use of increasingly autonomous systems (AS) should be guided by the policy of human control, according to which humans should execute a certain significant level of judgment over AS. While in the military sector there is a fear that AS could mean that humans lose control over life and death decisions, in the transportation domain, on the contrary, there is a strongly held view that autonomy could bring significant operational benefits by removing the need for a human driver. This article explores the notion of human control in the United States in the two domains of defense and transportation. The operationalization of emerging policies of human control results in the typology of direct and indirect human controls exercised over the use of AS. The typology helps to steer the debate away from the linguistic complexities of the term “autonomy.” It identifies instead where human factors are undergoing important changes and ultimately informs about more detailed rules and standards formulation, which differ across domains, applications, and sectors.
Existential Risks to Humanity Should Concern International Policymakers and More Could Be Done in Considering Them at the International Governance Level
Authors: Boyd Matt , Wilson Nick
Published: July 2020

In this perspective, we consider the possible role of the United Nations (UN) with respect to existential risks to human civilization and the survival of humanity. We illustrate how existential risks have been discussed at an international governance level, specifically in documents in the UN Digital Library. In this large corpus, discussions of nuclear war account for over two‐thirds (69%, 67/97) of mentions of existential risks, while mention of other existential risks, or such risks as a category, appears scant. We take these observations to imply inadequate attention to these significant threats. These deficits, combined with the need for a global response to many risks, suggest that UN member nations should urgently advocate for appropriate action at the UN to address threats, such as artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, geoengineering, and supervolcanic eruption, in analogous fashion to existing attempts to mitigate the threats from nuclear war or near‐Earth objects.
High‐frequency ultrasonography of the scalp ‐ Comparison of ultrasound and trichoscopic images in healthy individuals
Authors: Mikiel Dominik , Polańska Adriana , Żaba Ryszard , Adamski Zygmunt , Dańczak‐Pazdrowska Aleksandra
Published: July 2020

Background

Hair loss is a common problem in dermatological patients. Its diagnosis is based on selected non‐invasive and invasive tests. Searching for new diagnostic methods, especially non‐invasive ones, aims to accelerate the correct diagnosis in the least invasive way possible. The aim of our study was to establish the characteristics of ultrasound images in healthy individuals and to compare them to selected trichoscopic parameters.

Materials and methods

Eighteen healthy adults (10 women and 8 men) underwent trichoscopy and high‐frequency ultrasound (HF‐USG) with 20 MHz DermaScan transducer on the parietal region of the scalp. Selected parameters were compared in relation to sex and the research method used.

Results

HF‐USG of the parietal area in all examined patients revealed hyperechogenic entrance echo and less echogenic layer corresponding to the dermis with well‐defined hypoechoic follicular structures (FS). The number of hair units in trichoscopy and the number of FS in HF‐USG did not differ significantly, while the differences in the studied distances between structures were statistically significant. The width of FS in HF‐USG was significantly higher than hair shafts thickness in trichoscopy.

Conclusions

HF‐USG (20MHz) due to the possibility of visualization of FS can be a valuable complement to the range of non‐invasive diagnostic procedures used in evaluation of the scalp.
Prevalence of natural and acquired antibodies to amustaline/glutathione pathogen reduced red blood cells
Authors: Geisen Christof , North Anne , Becker Lisa , Brixner Veronika , von Goetz Melissa , Corash Laurence , Benjamin Richard J. , Mufti Nina , Seifried Erhard
Published: July 2020

Background

The INTERCEPT™ Blood System for Red Blood Cells (RBCs) utilizes amustaline (S‐303) and glutathione (GSH) to inactivate pathogens and leukocytes in transfused RBCs. Treatment‐emergent low titer non‐hemolytic antibodies to amustaline/GSH RBC were detected in clinical trials using a prior version of the process. The amustaline/GSH process was re‐formulated to decrease S‐303 RBC adduct formation.

Study Design and Methods

A standard three‐cell antibody screening panel was modified to include reagent red cells (RRC) with high (S‐303H) or low (S‐303L) S‐303 adduct density as assessed by flow cytometry, representative of the original and current amustaline/GSH treatment processes, respectively. General hospital and RBC transfusion‐dependent patients never exposed, and clinical trial subjects exposed to amustaline/GSH RBC were screened for antibodies to amustaline/GSH RBC using a standardized agglutination assay.

Results

Twelve (0.1%) of 10,721 general hospital and 5 (0.5%) of 998 repeatedly‐transfused patients not previously exposed to amustaline/GSH RBCs expressed natural, low titer (2‐32) IgM and/or IgG (non‐IgG1 or IgG3 isotype) antibodies with acridine (a structural element of amustaline) (n = 14) or non‐acridine (n = 3) specificity. 11 of 17 sera reacted with S‐303L panel RRCs. In clinical studies 81 thalassemia and 25 cardiac surgery patients were transfused with a total of 1085 amustaline/GSH RBCs and no natural or treatment‐emergent S‐303 antibodies were detected.

Conclusion

Standardized RRC screening panels are sensitive for the detection of natural and acquired S‐303‐specific antibodies. Natural low titer antibodies to amustaline/GSH RBC are present in 0.15% of naïve patients. The clinical relevance of these antibodies appears minimal but is under further investigation.
Incidence and risk factors for neurological signs after attenuation of a single congenital portosystemic shunt in 50 cats
Authors: Strickland Rhiannon , Tivers Michael S. , Fowkes Robert C. , Lipscomb Victoria J.
Published: July 2020

Objective

To determine the incidence, outcome, and risk factors for postattenuation neurological signs (PANS) in cats treated for single congenital portosystemic shunts (CPSS).

Study design

Retrospective cohort study.

Animals

Cats (n = 50) with a single CPSS.

Methods

Medical records of cats treated by surgical attenuation of a single CPSS between 2003 and 2017 were reviewed for signalment, surgical technique, preoperative management and postoperative clinical outcomes. Binary logistic regression was performed to investigate risk factors for occurrence of PANS and seizures.

Results

Congenital portosystemic shunts in 50 cats included 40 extrahepatic and 10 intrahepatic shunts. Postattenuation neurological signs were recorded in 31 (62%) cats and graded as 1 in 10 cats, 2 in nine cats, and 3 in 12 cats. Postattenuation neurological signs included seizures in 11 cats. Five of 31 cats with PANS did not survive to discharge. No association was detected between PANS or seizures and the type of CPSS (intrahepatic or extrahepatic), degree of attenuation, age, or the use of perioperative levetiracetam or hepatic encephalopathy immediately preoperatively. Osmolality at a median 24 hours postoperatively was lower in cats with PANS (P < .049, Wald 3.867, odds ratio [Exp(B)] 0.855, CI 0.732‐0.999).

Conclusion

Postattenuation neurological signs are common complications in cats treated for CPSS. Preoperative levetiracetam did not prevent the occurrence of PANS or seizures. The only risk factor for PANS detected was lower postoperative Osmolality in cats with PANS at 24 hours.

Clinical significance

Postattenuation neurological signs including seizures occur frequently in cats undergoing surgical attenuation of a CPSS. Preoperative levetiracetam did not protect against the development of PANS.
Two weeks of remote ischaemic preconditioning alters sympathovagal balance in healthy humans
Authors: Gardner Richard N. , Sabino‐Carvalho Jeann L. , Kim Jahyun , Vianna Lauro C. , Lang James A.
Published: July 2020

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

Delayed cardiovascular responses occur following a single bout of remote ischaemic preconditioning (RIPC). Is heart rate variability (HRV), a surrogate marker of cardiac vagal control, able to detect a delayed effect after a single bout of RIPC? Do repeated bouts of RIPC further alter HRV?

What is the main finding and its importance?

Indices of HRV indicated a shift in sympathovagal balance toward greater parasympathetic activity following 2 weeks of RIPC but not after a single bout of RIPC. Thus, repeated bouts of RIPC were necessary to elicit changes in autonomic function.

Remote ischaemic preconditioning (RIPC), induced by brief periods of ischaemia followed by reperfusion, protects against ischaemia–reperfusion injury and improves microvascular function. However, the effect of RIPC on autonomic function remains unclear. We hypothesized that RIPC, administered as a single bout or repeated over a 2‐week period, will increase markers of cardiac vagal control measured by heart rate variability (HRV). Thirty‐two young adults performed a single bout (n = 13), repeated bouts (n = 11), or served as a time control (n = 8). RIPC sessions consisted of four repetitions of 5 min unilateral brachial artery occlusion interspersed by 5 min of reperfusion. For the single bout protocol, resting lead II electrocardiogram (ECG) was collected before and 24, 48, 72 and 168 h post‐RIPC. The repeated bout protocol consisted of three 4‐day periods of RIPC training, each interspersed by a 1‐day break. Similar to time controls, ECG was collected before and 24 h after the last RIPC bout. HRV was analysed by power spectral density and symbolic dynamics using 350‐beat ECG segments. After a single bout of RIPC, no changes in HRV were observed at any time point (P > 0.05). After 2 weeks of repeated RIPC, the percentage of zero‐variation fragments (baseline = 13.1 ± 1.9%, post‐RIPC = 6.9 ± 1.5%, P < 0.05) and the LF/HF ratio decreased (baseline = 1.1 ± 0.2, post‐RIPC = 0.7 ± 0.1, P < 0.01), whereas the percentage of two‐variation fragments increased (baseline = 42.9 ± 3.6%, post‐RIPC = 52.5 ± 3.0%, P < 0.01). These data indicate that repeated RIPC is necessary to elicit changes in sympathovagal balance, specifically resulting in increased vagal and decreased sympathetic activity.
Study of a Lab-Scale Organic Rankine Cycle for the Ultra-Low-Temperature Waste Heat Recovery Associated With Data Centers
Authors: Araya Sebastian , Wemhoff Aaron P. , Jones Gerard F. , Fleischer Amy S.
Published: July 2020

The ongoing growth in data center rack power density leads to an increased capability for waste heat recovery. Recent studies revealed the organic Rankine cycle (ORC) as a viable means for data center waste heat recovery since the ORC uses waste heat to generate on-site, low-cost electricity, which can produce economic benefits by reducing the overall data center power consumption. This paper describes the first experimental and theoretical study of a lab-scale ORC designed for ultralow grade (40–85 °C) waste heat conditions typical of a data center server rack, and it outlines the implementation of a similar ORC system for a data center. The experimental results show thermal efficiencies ranging from 1.9% at 43 °C to 4.6% at 81 °C. The largest contributors to ORC exergy destruction are the evaporator and condenser due to large fluid temperature differences in the heat exchangers. The average isentropic efficiency of the expander is 70%. A second-law analysis estimates a reduction of 4–8% in data center power requirements when ORC power is fed back into the servers at a waste heat temperature of 90 °C. The data from the lab-scale experiment, when complemented by the thermodynamic model, provide the necessary first step toward advancing this type of waste heat recovery for data centers (DCs).
Crosstalk in Mechanomyographic Signals From Elbow Flexor Muscles During Submaximal to Maximal Isometric Flexion, Pronation, and Supination Torque Tasks
Authors: Talib Irsa , Sundaraj Kenneth , Lam Chee Kiang
Published: July 2020

This study analyzed the crosstalk in mechanomyographic (MMG) signals from elbow flexors during isometric muscle actions from 20% to 100% maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC). Twenty-five young, healthy, male participants performed the isometric elbow flexion, forearm pronation, and supination tasks at an elbow joint angle of 90 deg. The MMG signals from the biceps brachii (BB), brachialis (BRA), and brachioradialis (BRD) muscles were recorded using accelerometers. The cross-correlation coefficient was used to quantify the crosstalk in MMG signals, recorded in a direction transverse to muscle fiber axis, among the muscle pairs (P1: BB and BRA, P2: BRA and BRD, and P3: BB and BRD). In addition, the MMG RMS and MPF were quantified. The mean normalized RMS and mean MPF exhibited increasing (r > 0.900) and decreasing (r < −0.900) trends, respectively, with increases in the effort levels in all three tasks. The magnitude of crosstalk ranged from 0.915% to 21.565% in all three muscle pairs. The crosstalk was found to exhibit high positive correlations with submaximal to maximal flexion [P1 (r = 0.970), P2 (r = 0.951), and P3 (r = 0.824)], pronation [P1 (r = 0.811), P2 (r = 0.763), and P3 (r = 0.901)] and supination [P1 (r = 0.898), P2 (r = 0.838), and P3 (r = 0.852)] torque levels (eight out of nine p-values were < 0.05). Regardless of the high positive correlation between crosstalk and level of effort, the crosstalk remained at a low range (0.915–21.565%) with increases in the torque levels.
Electrical Performances of a Surface Acoustic Wave Device With Inter-Digital Transducers Electrodes in Local Resonances
Authors: Serhane Rafik , Belkhelfa Nabila , Hadj-Larbi Fayçal , Bakha Yamna , Merah Sidi Mohammed
Published: July 2020

In this paper, we investigate numerically the coupling of the Rayleigh mode with the micro-wall resonance modes in inter-digital transducers (IDTs) electrodes of surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices. We perform a finite element analysis (FEA) of the SAW features using an implemented model using comsol Multiphysics® software. The SAW structure comprises identical transmitter and receiver IDTs electrodes, with different electrode heights (he). The proposed FEA study is based on the extraction of reflection (S11) and transmission (S21) coefficients of the SAW device. The IDTs are considered to be a micro-wall phononic crystal acting as local resonators at frequencies inside the SAW passband. The locally resonance gap is strongly dependent on the he value, and S11 and S21 parameters are affected by the SAW energy absorption in the IDTs system. We have chosen two he values (0.5 and 3 µm) to study low and high aspect ratios of micro-walls, corresponding respectively to Bragg-type and resonance-type bandgaps appearing near the SAW central frequency. At the SAW resonance frequency, the return (S11) and the insertion (S21) losses are reduced. S21 is reduced by 12.73 and 18.49 dB for he = 0.5 and 3 µm, respectively, accompanied by an increase in the quality factor, and S11 parameter is reduced by 1.357 and 4.98 dB for he = 0.5 and 3 µm, respectively.
Synthesis of Six-Bar Timed Curve Generators of Stephenson-Type Using Random Monodromy Loops
Authors: Baskar Aravind , Plecnik Mark
Published: July 2020

Synthesis of rigid-body mechanisms has traditionally been motivated by the design for kinematic requirements such as rigid-body motions, paths, or functions. A blend of the latter two leads to timed curve synthesis, the goal of which is to produce a path coordinated to the input of a joint variable. This approach has utility for altering the transmission of forces and velocities from an input joint onto an output point path. The design of timed curve generators can be accomplished by setting up a square system of algebraic equations and obtaining all isolated solutions. For a four-bar linkage, obtaining these solutions is routine. The situation becomes much more complicated for the six-bar linkages, but the range of possible output motions is more diverse. The computation of nearly complete solution sets for these six-bar design equations has been facilitated by recent root finding techniques belonging to the field of numerical algebraic geometry. In particular, we implement a method that uses random monodromy loops. In this work, we report these solution sets to all relevant six-bars of the Stephenson topology. The computed solution sets to these generic problems represent a design library, which can be used in a parameter continuation step to design linkages for different subsequent requirements.
Demonstration of the lateral AC skin effect using a pickup
coil
Authors: Blackwell Anne E. , Rotunno Andrew P. , Aubin Seth
Published: July 2020

We present a simple demonstration of the skin effect by observing the current distribution in a wide rectangular strip conductor driven at frequencies in the 0.25–5 kHz range. We measure the amplitude and phase of the current distribution as a function of the transverse position and find that they agree well with numerical simulations: The current hugs the edges of the strip conductor with a significant variation in phase across the width. The experimental setup is simple, uses standard undergraduate physics instructional laboratory equipment, and is easy to implement as a short in-class demonstration. Our study is motivated by modeling ac magnetic near fields in the vicinity of a rectangular trace on an atom chip.
An undergraduate experiment to illustrate spatial transfer function concepts in Fourier optics
Authors: Salvi Jérôme , Fanjoux Gil , Boetsch Anne , Giust Remo
Published: July 2020

Fourier analysis is a key tool in physics and engineering in the broadest sense and is particularly used in the field of optics to design and study the properties of advanced imaging systems. Fourier optics as a distinct topic is usually taught in final-year undergraduate or first-year postgraduate studies, and a wide range of teaching approaches have been used to describe and explain its key concepts. Concerning practical work to accompany classroom lectures, the simplest laboratory experiments are based on studying how the properties of some diffracting aperture (pupil) are related to the corresponding Fraunhofer diffraction pattern, but this approach usually does not consider in detail the concepts of the optical transfer function and spatial frequencies. We here describe a simple experimental setup that fills this particular gap and that illustrates the spatial frequency-domain response of a simple optical system using incoherent light. The Modulation Transfer Function is directly measured for several different pupil geometries and shows very good agreement with theoretical calculations. This experiment clearly demonstrates spatial transfer function concepts in Fourier optics, complementing and extending other studies of Fourier transforms in physics that may consider similar ideas in a time and frequency signal-processing context.
On the Wiener optical method to study molecular diffusion in liquids
Authors: Roussel Jean-Marc , Gailhanou Marc , Larrivé Alexandre , Montero Luis , Zaffran Margaux , Torregrosa Claude
Published: July 2020

In 1893, Otto Wiener developed the first optical method for measuring the rate at which two liquids mix by interdiffusion. His elegant experiment is often reproduced at University to illustrate the phenomenon of molecular diffusion. It is based on the property that an interface between two liquids deflects light by refraction because of the composition gradient formed by interdiffusion. In this study, we refine the analysis that is generally made of Wiener's experiment by performing both simulations of the interdiffusion and ray tracing in the tank that contains the two liquids. By considering first the water/glycerol model system, we determine the time interval during which it is possible to simply extract the value of the interdiffusion coefficient. Then, we extend this study to alcohol/water systems for which unfamiliar experimental patterns are obtained. These images are explained qualitatively by modeling the two main ingredients responsible for their formation, namely, how the interdiffusion coefficient and the refractive index depend on the composition.
The Effects of a High-Protein Diet on Markers of Muscle Damage Following Exercise in Active Older Adults: A Randomized, Controlled Trial
Authors: Clifford Tom , Hayes Eleanor J. , Scragg Jadine H. , Taylor Guy , Smith Kieran , Bowden Davies Kelly A. , Stevenson Emma J.
Published: July 2020

Purpose: This study examined whether a higher protein diet following strenuous exercise can alter markers of muscle damage and inflammation in older adults. Methods: Using a double-blind, independent group design, 10 males and eight females (age 57 ± 4 years; mass 72.3 ± 5.6 kg; height 1.7 ± 6.5 m) were supplied with a higher protein (2.50 g·kg−1·day−1) or moderate protein (1.25 g·kg−1·day−1) diet for 48 hr after 140 squats with 25% of their body mass. Maximal isometric voluntary contractions, muscle soreness, creatine kinase, Brief Assessment of Mood Adapted, and inflammatory markers were measured preexercise, and 24 hr and 48 hr postexercise. Results: The maximal isometric voluntary contractions decreased postexercise (p = .001, ), but did not differ between groups (p = .822, ). Muscle soreness peaked at 24 hr post in moderate protein (44 ± 30 mm) and 48 hr post in higher protein (70 ± 46 mm; p = .005; ); however, no group differences were found (p = .585; ). Monocytes and lymphocytes significantly decreased postexercise, and eosinophils increased 24 hr postexercise (p < 0.05), but neutrophils, creatine kinase, interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and Brief Assessment of Mood Adapted were unchanged by exercise or the intervention (p > .05). Conclusion: In conclusion, 2.50 g·kg−1·day−1 of protein is not more effective than 1.25 g·kg−1·day−1 for attenuating indirect markers of muscle damage and inflammation following strenuous exercise in older adults.
Comparison of Molecular Subtyping and Antimicrobial Resistance Detection Methods Used in a Large Multistate Outbreak of Extensively Drug-Resistant Campylobacter jejuni Infections Linked to Pet Store Puppies
Authors: Joseph Lavin A. , Francois Watkins Louise K. , Chen Jessica , Tagg Kaitlin A. , Bennett Christy , Caidi Hayat , Folster Jason P. , Laughlin Mark E. , Koski Lia , Silver Rachel , Stevenson Lauren , Robertson Scott , Pruckler Janet , Nichols Megin , Pouseele Hannes , Carleton Heather A. , Basler Colin , Friedman Cindy R. , Geissler Aimee , Hise Kelley B. , Aubert Rachael D.
Published: July 2020

Campylobacter jejuni
is a leading cause of enteric bacterial illness in the United States. Traditional molecular subtyping methods, such as pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and 7-gene multilocus sequence typing (MLST), provided limited resolution to adequately identify
C. jejuni
outbreaks and separate out sporadic isolates during outbreak investigations. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has emerged as a powerful tool for
C. jejuni
outbreak detection.
Herpes Simplex Virus Organizes Cytoplasmic Membranes To Form a Viral Assembly Center in Neuronal Cells
Authors: White Shaowen , Kawano Hiroyuki , Harata N. Charles , Roller Richard J.
Published: July 2020

Herpesvirus particles are complex and contain many different proteins that must come together in an organized and coordinated fashion. Many viruses solve this coordination problem by creating a specialized assembly factory in the host cell, and the formation of such factories provides a promising target for interfering with virus production. Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infects several types of cells, including neurons, but has not previously been shown to form such an organized factory in the nonneuronal cells in which its assembly has been best studied. Here, we show that HSV-1 forms an organized assembly factory in neuronal cells, and we identify some of the viral and host cell factors that are important for its formation.
Virulence as a Side Effect of Interspecies Interaction in
Vibrio
Coral Pathogens
Authors: Rubio-Portillo Esther , Martin-Cuadrado Ana B. , Caraballo-Rodríguez Andrés M. , Rohwer Forest , Dorrestein Pieter C. , Antón Josefa
Published: July 2020

Vibrio coralliilyticus
and
Vibrio mediterranei
are important coral pathogens capable of inducing serious coral damage, which increases severely when they infect the host simultaneously. This has consequences related to the dispersion of these pathogens among different locations that could enhance deleterious effects on coral reefs. However, the mechanisms underlying this synergistic interaction are unknown. The work described here provides a new perspective on the complex interactions among these two
Vibrio
coral pathogens, suggesting that coral infection could be a collateral effect of interspecific competition. Major implications of this work are that (i)
Vibrio
virulence mechanisms are activated in the absence of the host as a response to interspecific competition and (ii) release of molecules by
Vibrio
coral pathogens produces changes in the coral microbiome that favor the pathogenic potential of the entire
Vibrio
community. Thus, our results highlight that social cues and competition sensing are crucial determinants of development of coral diseases.
A Baltic heritage in Scotland: Basement terrane transfer during the Grenvillian orogeny
Authors: Strachan R.A. , Johnson T.E. , Kirkland C.L. , Kinny P.D. , Kusky T.
Published: July 2020

Archean basement inliers within the Northern Highland terrane (NHT), Scottish Caledonides, have been correlated with the Lewisian Gneiss Complex of the Laurentian foreland. New zircon U-Pb ages indicate that the NHT basement contains evidence for magmatism at 2823–2687 Ma and 1772–1655 Ma. The first group compares with crystallization ages of the foreland Archean gneisses. However, the second group, and a supracrustal unit, formed ∼100–250 m.y. after the youngest major phase of juvenile magmatism and sedimentation in the foreland. Also, there is no indication within the NHT basement of the Paleoproterozoic mafic and felsic intrusions common within the foreland, leading us to conclude that there is no firm basis for correlation of the two crustal blocks. The Caledonian Moine thrust, which separates the foreland and the NHT basement, is thought to have reworked a Grenvillian suture indicated by the presence of the ca. 1100–1000 Ma Eastern Glenelg eclogites. On the basis of the new isotopic data, we propose that the NHT basement was a fragment of Baltica that was emplaced onto Laurentia during the Grenvillian orogeny, representing a further example of basement terrane transfer in the circum–North Atlantic orogens.
Intermittent fracturing in the middle continental crust as evidence for transient switching of principal stress axes associated with the subduction zone earthquake cycle
Authors: Mancktelow Neil , Pennacchioni Giorgio
Published: July 2020

In the Neves area, eastern Alps, fractures that localized shear zones in middle continental crust above the Alpine megathrust are commonly oriented at a high angle to the inferred long-term shortening direction. Fractures show a segmentation geometry and, locally, a discernible offset, indicating movement opposite to the sense of subsequent ductile shear and implying a switch of principal stress axes σ1 and σ3 during fracturing. We propose that this repeated switch, demonstrated by overprinting relationships and different degrees of fracture reactivation, was due to sporadic co-seismic to early post-seismic rebound in the upper plate of the Alpine continental collision system. Fracturing occurred intermittently in the weak midcrustal rocks due to seismic stress release at high transient strain rates and pore-fluid pressures. Widespread transient fracturing in the hanging wall of the Alpine megathrust regionally controls the orientation of ductile shear zones in the middle crust, as well as the emplacement of magmatic dikes.