bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surface functionalizing effect of fillers on the tribological properties of MWCNT reinforcement HSGFs/phenolic laminate composites under water lubrication
Authors: Cao Fengxiang , Jiang Pengfei , Wang Jianzhang , Yan Fengyuan
Published: October 2017

Multi‐wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and high strength glass fabrics (HSGFs) were modified by polydopamine and polyethyleneimine, respectively. The aim is to improve the friction and wear performance of the synthesized laminate composites in water environment. In this work, polydopamine was used to improve the dispersibility of MWCNTs in phenolic resin matrix, and polyethyleneimine was utilized to enhance the wettability and reactivity of HSGFs. The modified results showed that the dispersibility of MWCNTs treated by polydopamine in water had a distinct improvement in comparison with that of the pristine MWCNTs. Furthermore, it can be clearly observed that good dispersibility can improve the friction and wear performance of the laminate composites. After functionalizing HSGFs by polyethyleneimine, the laminate composites exhibited excellent interfacial bonding, also greatly enhancing the friction and wear properties of the composites.
Effects of PAN‐based carbon fibers and its precursors on ethylenepropylenediene monomer insulations: Morphology and properties
Authors: Zhang Shuangkun , Zhang Peng , Ali Shafqat , Akram Raheel , Wu Dezhen , Wu Zhanpeng
Published: October 2017

The properties of ethylenepropylenediene monomer (EPDM) insulations are often inadequate for solid rocket motor (SRM) applications. These materials exhibit relatively high erosion rates during the operation of SRM unless they are reinforced with suitable fiber fillers. In this article, we report the findings of comprehensive mechanical and ablative studies of EPDM insulations blended with polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fiber, pre‐oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber and carbon fiber using a two‐roll mill methodology. During the course of this investigation, PAN fiber‐filled EPDM insulations showed much superior mechanical and ablative properties than other fiber‐filled EPDM insulations. The microstructures of charred layers of these insulations after ablation were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:3336–3340, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
The roles of surface wettability and roughness of carbon fibers in interfacial enhancement of silicone resin composites
Authors: Wu Guangshun , Ma Lichun , Jiang Hua
Published: October 2017

Besides chemical bonding, surface wettability and roughness of carbon fibers (CFs) also play key roles in improving interfacial adhesion of CFs composites. In this study, the roles of surface wettability and roughness of CFs in interfacial enhancement of methylphenylsilicone resin composites were systematically studied. p‐Phenylene trimethoxyaminosilane (PTMAS) was chemically grafted onto CFs to increase surface polarity and wettability. Furthermore, by bridging PTMAS, the bigger surface roughness of fibers was obtained after following epoxycyclohexyllsobutyl‐polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) grafting. PTMAS grafting (CF–PTMAS) had higher wettability and surface energy than that of the grafting with PTMAS and further with POSS (CF–PTMAS–POSS). However, surface roughness of CF–PTMAS was lower than that of CF–PTMAS–POSS. Interfacial shear strength and interlaminar shear strength showed great enhancements, especially for CF–PTMAS–POSS composites, indicating that surface roughness played more important role than the wettability for interface improvement. Additionally, antihydrothermal aging behaviors were also improved obviously. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:E255–E264, 2019. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Analysis of renal blood flow and renal volume in normal fetuses and in fetuses with a solitary functioning kidney
Authors: Hindryckx An , Raaijmakers Anke , Levtchenko Elena , Allegaert Karel , De Catte Luc
Published: October 2017

Objective

To evaluate renal blood flow and renal volume for the prediction of postnatal renal function in fetuses with solitary functioning kidney (SFK).

Methods

Seventy‐four SFK fetuses (unilateral renal agenesis [12], multicystic dysplastic kidney [36], and severe renal dysplasia [26]) were compared with 58 healthy fetuses. Peak systolic velocity (PSV), pulsatility index (PI), and resistance index (RI) of the renal artery (RA) were measured; 2D and 3D (VOCAL) volumes were calculated. Renal length and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were obtained in SFK children (2 years).

Results

Compared with the control group, the PSV RA was significantly lower in nonfunctioning kidneys and significantly higher in SFK. Volume measurements indicated a significantly larger volume of SFK compared with healthy kidneys. All but 4 children had GFR above 70 mL/min/1.73 m2, and compensatory hypertrophy was present in 69% at 2 years. PSV RA and SFK volume correlated with postnatal renal hypertrophy. No correlation between prenatal and postnatal SFK volume and GFR at 2 years was demonstrated.

Conclusion

Low PSV RA might have a predictive value for diagnosing a nonfunctioning kidney in fetuses with a SFK. We demonstrated a higher PSV RA and larger renal volume in the SFK compared with healthy kidneys.
Impact of Ketamine Use on Adjunctive Analgesic and Sedative Medications in Critically Ill Trauma Patients
Authors: Pruskowski Kaitlin A. , Harbourt Kelly , Pajoumand Mehrnaz , Chui Sai‐Ho Jason , Reynolds H. Neal
Published: October 2017

Background

Ketamine may be used to manage pain and agitation that is refractory to what are usually considered traditional agents such as fentanyl, propofol, benzodiazepines, and dexmedetomidine; however, literature describing the use of ketamine continuous infusions for this purpose in critically ill trauma patients is limited.

Objectives

The primary objective of this study was to determine the impact of the initiation of a ketamine continuous infusion on sedative and analgesic use in critically ill trauma patients. Secondary objectives were to identify the patient population in which ketamine was initiated, assess the proportion of time patients were at their goal level of sedation, and determine the dosing patterns of adjunctive sedative agents.

Methods

This single‐center retrospective chart review over a 19‐month period included critically ill mechanically ventilated adult trauma patients in whom a ketamine continuous infusion was initiated for management of sedation and agitation. Patients who received ketamine for other indications or by the acute pain management service were not included in this evaluation.

Results

Thirty‐six patients were included in the study. Patients in whom ketamine was initiated tended to be white men with blunt trauma. Overall, the initiation of ketamine was associated with a decrease in the amount of opioids and propofol used and an increase in the amount of ziprasidone and dexmedetomidine needed to achieve the goal Richmond Agitation Sedation Score. When compared with the time period before ketamine initiation, the proportion of time that patients achieved goal sedation was not significantly different after the addition of ketamine.

Conclusions

Although the use of ketamine in critically ill mechanically ventilated adult trauma patients was associated with decreased opioid use, it was also associated with increased use of dexmedetomidine and ziprasidone to achieve and maintain sedation. Further examination of clinical outcomes associated with these differences in drug use in a larger population of trauma patients is warranted before routine use of ketamine for analgesia and sedation can be recommended.
A Pharmacist‐Led Program to Evaluate and Reduce Polypharmacy and Potentially Inappropriate Prescribing in Older HIV‐Positive Patients
Authors: McNicholl Ian R. , Gandhi Monica , Hare C. Bradley , Greene Meredith , Pierluissi Edgar
Published: October 2017

Objective

The goal of this pharmacist‐led study was to utilize two validated instruments, Beers Criteria and Screening Tool of Older Persons’ Potentially Inappropriate Prescriptions (STOPP), to assess potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) in older patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and evaluate pharmacist interventions.

Design

Prospective randomized interventional trial.

Setting

Large urban clinic providing interdisciplinary primary and HIV care for ~2700 HIV‐positive publicly insured patients.

Data Source

A computerized electronic record search was conducted for all patients who met the two search criteria: 50 years and older, and a primary care appointment within the last 12 months.

Patients

After identification of 857 patients meeting the search criteria, 324 patients were randomly selected and contacted, resulting in 248 patients assessed.

Measurements and Main Results

Patients had a mean age of 58 years, 71% male, 44% white, and a mean CD4 count of 536 cells/mm3. Common comorbidities included hypertension (56%), depression (52%), asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (48%), dyslipidemia (39%), coronary artery disease (27%), and diabetes (22%). Patients sampled were prescribed a mean of 11.6 ± 5.7 concomitant medications (excluding antiretrovirals) with 35% receiving at least 16 medications. PIP was identified in 54% and 63% of patients using the STOPP and Beers Criteria, respectively. Twenty‐five contraindicated drug interactions were identified in 20 patients. After the pharmacist visit, at least 69% of patients had at least one medication discontinued with almost 10% having six or more medications discontinued. More than 40% of patients had at least one Beers or STOPP criteria that required immediate correction by the pharmacist.

Conclusions

Results suggest that targeting individuals with 11 or more chronic medications would have the highest yield and greatest impact. Pharmacist‐led review of medication prescribing using Beers and STOPP criteria revealed a large number of PIP, many amenable to immediate clinical pharmacist intervention.
Evaluation and Treatment of Acute and Subacute Hearing Loss: A Review of Pharmacotherapy
Authors: Fazel Maryam T. , Jedlowski Patrick M. , Cravens Robert B. , Erstad Brian L.
Published: October 2017

Among various forms of hearing loss, there are acute (within 72 hrs) or subacute (weeks to months) presentations that may be reversible with early pharmacological intervention. The workup of a patient presenting with hypoacusia includes the usual history and physical examination in conjunction with an audiometric assessment in order to categorize the hearing loss as conductive, sensorineural, or mixed. Sudden sensorineural hearing loss and autoimmune inner ear disease are acute and subacute forms of sensorineural hypoacusia most likely to be reversed with prompt pharmacological intervention. Systemic or local corticosteroid therapy has the most evidence of benefit in patients with sudden sensorineural hypoacusia and is the best available first line therapy noted in clinical practice guidelines. Alternative immunosuppressant therapies have not been well studied, and many have serious toxicities that further complicate the benefit‐risk assessment. There are no randomized comparisons of corticosteroid dosing regimens that evaluated clinically important outcomes, so expert opinion must serve as the basis for dosing recommendations. Clinicians need to involve patients with hypoacusia in the shared decision‐making process, since partial or complete reversal of hearing loss can have substantial quality‐of‐life implications for affected patients.
Deformation mechanisms in uniaxial‐oriented semi‐crystalline PET‐films as a function of orientation to tensile direction
Authors: Fritz‐Popovski Gerhard , Feuchter Michael , Maier Guenther A.
Published: October 2017

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) films with oriented lamellar structure were deformed in tensile experiments and investigated in situ using small angle X‐ray scattering. The tensile direction was set parallel, normal and in an angle of 45° relative to the surface normal of the lamellae. Data were interpreted in terms of two‐dimensional autocorrelation functions. The deformation of lattice spacing and lamellar orientation can largely be explained by affine transformations. The sample, where the lamellar surface normal was normal to tensile direction, developed a chequerboard type arrangement of crystalline parts. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2018, 56, 159–169
Oxyresveratrol, a Stilbene Compound from Morus alba L. Twig Extract Active Against Trichophyton rubrum
Authors: Lu Hai‐Peng , Jia Ya‐Nan , Peng Ya‐Lin , Yu Yan , Sun Si‐Long , Yue Meng‐Ting , Pan Min‐Hui , Zeng Ling‐Shu , Xu Li
Published: October 2017

Morus alba L. (mulberry) twig is known to have an inhibitory effect on pathogens in traditional Chinese medicine. In the present study, the dermophytic fungus, Trichophyton rubrum, was used to evaluate the inhibitory effect of total M. alba twig extract and extracts obtained using solvents with different polarities by the method of 96‐well MTT colorimetry. The main active substance was isolated and identified by tracking its activity. In addition, the inhibitory effects of active extracts and a single active substance were investigated in combination with miconazole nitrate. Our data indicated that ethyl acetate extracts of mulberry twig (TEE) exhibited a desired inhibitory activity on T. rubrum with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1.000 mg/mL. With activity tracking, the main substance showing antimicrobial activity was oxyresveratrol (OXY), which was isolated from TEE. Its MIC for inhibiting the growth of T. rubrum was 0.500 mg/mL. The combined use of miconazole nitrate and OXY showed a synergistic inhibitory effect, as shown by a significant decrease in the MIC of both components. Based on the OXY content in TEE, the contribution rate of OXY to the inhibitory effect of TEE on T. rubrum was 80.52%, so it was determined to be the main antimicrobial substance in M. alba twig. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dose–Response Effects of p‐Synephrine on Fat Oxidation Rate During Exercise of Increasing Intensity
Authors: Gutiérrez‐Hellín Jorge , Del Coso Juan
Published: October 2017

The aim of this investigation was to determine the effects different doses of p‐synephrine on maximal fat oxidation during exercise. Seventeen healthy subjects volunteered to participate in a double‐blind and randomised experimental design composed of four identical experimental trials. On four trials separated by 72 h, participants ingested a placebo or 1, 2 or 3 mg/kg of p‐synephrine. After resting for 60 min to allow substance absorption, participants performed an exercise test of increasing intensity on a cycle ergometer while gas exchange was measured continuously. None of the doses of p‐synephrine affected energy expenditure or heart rates during the test. The highest rate of fat oxidation with the placebo (0.35 ± 0.05 g/min) was reached at 38.0 ± 1.9% of VO2max. The ingestion of 1 mg/kg increased maximal fat oxidation to 0.47 ± 0.11 g/min (p = 0.01) but did not change the intensity at which it was obtained (42.0 ± 9.4% of VO2max). The ingestion of 2 and 3 mg/kg of p‐synephrine increased maximal fat oxidation to 0.55 ± 0.14 g/min (p < 0.01), although only 3 mg/kg slightly changed the intensity at which it was obtained (43.0 ± 9.5% of VO2max, p < 0.01). In conclusion, although all p‐synephrine increased the maximal rate of fat oxidation during exercise, the highest effects were found with 2 and 3 mg/kg. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An architecture for robust UAV navigation in GPS‐denied areas
Authors: Perez‐Grau Francisco J. , Ragel Ricardo , Caballero Fernando , Viguria Antidio , Ollero Anibal
Published: October 2017

This article presents a software architecture for safe and reliable autonomous navigation of aerial robots in GPS‐denied areas. The techniques employed within key modules from this architecture are explained in detail, such as a six‐dimensional localization approach based on visual odometry and Monte Carlo localization, or a variant of the Lazy Theta* algorithm for motion planning. The aerial robot used to demonstrate this approach has been extensively tested over the past 2 years for localization and state estimation without any external positioning systems, autonomous local obstacle avoidance, and local path planning among other tasks. This article describes the architecture and main algorithms used to achieve these goals to build a robust autonomous system.
Direct Readout of Single Nucleobase Variations in an Oligonucleotide
Authors: Cao Chan , Yu Jie , Li Meng‐Yin , Wang Ya‐Qian , Tian He , Long Yi‐Tao
Published: October 2017

Direct, low‐cost, label‐free, and enzyme‐free identification of single nucleobase is a great challenge for genomic studies. Here, this study reports that wild‐type aerolysin can directly identify the difference of four types of single nucleobase (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine) in a free DNA oligomer while avoiding the operations of additional DNA immobilization, adapter incorporation, and the use of the processing enzyme. The nanoconfined space of aerolysin enables DNA molecules to be limited in the narrow pore. Moreover, aerolysin exhibits an unexpected capability of detecting DNA oligomers at the femtomolar concentration. In the future, by virtue of the high sensitivity of aerolysin and its high capture ability for DNA oligomers, aerolysin will play an important role in the studies of single nucleobase variations and open up new avenues for a broad range of nucleic‐acid‐based sensing and disease diagnosis.
Active Sites Intercalated Ultrathin Carbon Sheath on Nanowire Arrays as Integrated Core–Shell Architecture: Highly Efficient and Durable Electrocatalysts for Overall Water Splitting
Authors: Hou Jungang , Wu Yunzhen , Cao Shuyan , Sun Yiqing , Sun Licheng
Published: October 2017

The development of active bifunctional electrocatalysts with low cost and earth‐abundance toward oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) remains a great challenge for overall water splitting. Herein, metallic Ni4Mo nanoalloys are firstly implanted on the surface of NiMoOx nanowires array (NiMo/NiMoOx) as metal/metal oxides hybrid. Inspired by the superiority of carbon conductivity, an ultrathin nitrogen‐doped carbon sheath intercalated NiMo/NiMoOx (NC/NiMo/NiMoOx) nanowires as integrated core–shell architecture are constructed. The integrated NC/NiMo/NiMoOx array exhibits an overpotential of 29 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a low Tafel slope of 46 mV dec−1 for HER due to the abundant active sites, fast electron transport, low charge‐transfer resistance, unique architectural structure and synergistic effect of carbon sheath, nanoalloys, and oxides. Moreover, as OER catalysts, the NC/NiMo/NiMoOx hybrids require an overpotential of 284 mV at 10 mA cm−2. More importantly, the NC/NiMo/NiMoOx array as a highly active and stable electrocatalyst approaches ≈10 mA cm−2 at a voltage of 1.57 V, opening an avenue to the rational design and fabrication of the promising electrode materials with architecture structures toward the electrochemical energy storage and conversion.
Comparing test methods for the mechanical characterization of fiber reinforced concrete
Authors: Conforti Antonio , Minelli Fausto , Plizzari Giovanni A. , Tiberti Giuseppe
Published: October 2017

Different tests are proposed by international standards for the evaluation of the mechanical properties of fiber reinforced concrete (FRC); among them, either beams or round determinate panels are generally used. However, different tests are accepted by design codes if reliable correlation factors between standard parameters are provided (fibModel Code 2010). Within this context, a broad experimental program on both beams and round determinate panels was carried out in order to provide a critical discussion on material characterization and to evaluate possible correlation factors. Beam tests according to European (EN 14651), American (ASTM1609), and Japanese (JCI‐SF4) standard, as well as small round panels and large round panels (according toASTM1550) were studied within an experimental program comprising 189 beams and 90 round panels. Unlike previous researches, mainly focused on steel fibers, two types of macro‐synthetic fibers were considered. Based on these experimental results, a comparison between test methods is presented, along with correlation approaches are proposed and critically discussed.
Hilarious lessons: The construction of a nonconformist individual through humor in China
Authors: Gao Xuesong (Andy)
Published: October 2017

This paper discusses how individuals can use humor, sarcasm and mockery to question the governmental policies in China regarding issues such as tradition, democracy, values of education in general and of critical thinking specifically. Drawing on research on individualization of the Chinese society (discussed later), the paper interprets the use of humor by an individual Chinese while teaching English in a test-preparation school in China to illustrate how the authorities and their policies in diverse areas of Chinese life can be challenged. Focusing on the images that the teacher constructed in his jokes on the basis of personal experience, the analysis identified how he projected an attitude of a critical, rational, reflexive and self-reliant nonconformist person towards the political establishment by mocking it for its promotion of traditional and nationalistic discourses, as well as its problematic practices. Since such individuals arguably constitute the backbone of the civil society for a better China, there is a need to acknowledge in research their efforts to contest the discursive and ideological constraints when pursuing the path to remain “individuals” in a post-totalitarian society.
Las ciencias de la complejidad y la educación médica
Authors: Guinzberg Alberto Lifshitz , De Pomposo García-Cohen Alexandre S. F.
Published: October 2017

En los últimos 20 años se ha vuelto patente la relevancia de las ciencias de la complejidad en las ciencias biológicas y la medicina no es la excepción. Son muchas las áreas médicas que ya echan mano de las ventajas del pensamiento complejo en su quehacer clínico. Así y todo, se hace necesario reflexionar acerca de lo complejo de la medicina en el ámbito de la educación médica y, más particularmente, en la enseñanza clínica. Se consideró el papel de la complejidad como contenido, ilustrado a través de conceptos básicos, de oposiciones conceptuales y de aforismos médicos muy conocidos; se revisó también la complejidad como estrategia y filosofía pedagógicas. De esa forma se mostró  a cada vez más imprescindible presencia del pensamiento complejo en la enseñanza de la medicina.
Memory Laws, Memory Wars
Authors: Koposov Nikolay
Published: October 2017

Laws against Holocaust denial are perhaps the best-known manifestation of the present-day politics of historical memory. In Memory Laws, Memory Wars, Nikolay Koposov examines the phenomenon of memory laws in Western and Eastern Europe, Ukraine, and Russia and exposes their very different purposes in the East and West. In Western Europe, he shows how memory laws were designed to create a common European memory centred on the memory of the Holocaust as a means of integrating Europe, combating racism, and averting national and ethnic conflicts. In Russia and Eastern Europe, by contrast, legislation on the issues of the past is often used to give the force of law to narratives which serve the narrower interests of nation states and protect the memory of perpetrators rather than victims. This will be essential reading for all those interested in ongoing conflicts over the legacy of the Second World War, Nazism, and communism.
Communicative Functions and Linguistic Forms in Speech Interaction
Authors: Kohler Klaus J.
Published: October 2017

Prosody is generally studied at a separate linguistic level from syntax and semantics. It analyses phonetic properties of utterances such as pitch and prominence, and orders them into phonological categories such as pitch accent, boundary tone, and metrical grid. The goal is to define distinctive formal differentiators of meanings in utterances. But what these meanings are is either excluded or a secondary concern. This book takes the opposite approach, asking what are the basic categories of meaning that speakers want to transmit to listeners? And what formal means do they use to achieve it? It places linguistic form in functions of speech communication, and takes into account all the formal exponents - sounds, words, syntax, prosodies - for specific functional coding. Basic communicative functions such as 'questioning' may be universally assumed, but their coding by linguistic bundles varies between languages. A comparison of function-form systems in English, German and Mandarin Chinese shows this formal diversity for universal functions.
Measuring Knowledge of Parties’ Legislative Seat Shares
Authors: Lee Seonghui , Haime Agustina , Stevenson Randolph
Published: October 2017

We use two original surveys (including survey experiments) conducted the week before the 2015 elections in the Britain and Denmark to explore the best method for measuring individuals’ knowledge of the partisan distribution of legislative seats in multi-party democracies. The complete lack of such questions in the corpus of survey research on multi-party democracies is a testament to the skepticism that many survey researchers have about the feasibility of such complex questions. However, our analysis, which is the first empirical test of this skepticism, reveals little evidence of respondents’ frustration or high levels of non-cooperation with these questions. Additionally, our survey experiments, which examine the usefulness of different question formats, make it clear that such questions should be framed in terms of the numbers of seats each party holds rather than shares or percentages of seats.
THE FUTURE ENFORCEMENT OF ASYMMETRIC JURISDICTION AGREEMENTS
Authors: Merrett Louise
Published: October 2017

Asymmetric jurisdiction clauses are clauses which contain different provisions regarding jurisdiction for each party. They are widely used in international financial markets. However, the validity of this form of agreement has been called into doubt in several European jurisdictions. Furthermore, following Brexit, there may well be an increasing focus on alternative methods of enforcement under the Hague Convention and at common law, claims for damages and anti-suit injunctions. As well as considering recent developments in the case law and the implications of Brexit, this article will emphasize that all of these questions can only be answered after the individual promises contained in any particular agreement are properly identified and construed. Once that is done, there is no reason why the asymmetric nature of a clause should be a bar to its enforcement.
Molecular data reveal high diversity ofUvulifer(Trematoda: Diplostomidae) in Middle America, with the description of a new species
Authors: López-Jiménez A. , Pérez-Ponce de León G. , García-Varela M.
Published: October 2017

Members of the genusUvuliferare distributed worldwide and infect aquatic snails and freshwater fishes as first and second intermediate hosts, respectively, and fish-eating birds (kingfishers) as definitive hosts. Metacercariae ofUvuliferspp. were collected from the fins and skin of 20 species of freshwater fishes in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, and the adults were recovered from the intestine of kingfishers in four localities of Mexico. The genetic divergence among 76 samples (64 metacercariae and 12 adults) was estimated by sequencing the 28S and 5.8S nuclear genes, as well as the internal transcribed spacers ITS1 and ITS2, and one mitochondrial gene (cox1). Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses inferred with each dataset showed a high genetic diversity within the genusUvuliferacross Middle America, revealing the existence of four genetic lineages that exhibit some level of host specificity to their second intermediate hosts. The metacercariae of lineage 1 were associated with characids and cyprinids in central and northern Mexico. Metacercariae of lineages 2 and 3 were associated with cichlids distributed widely across Middle America. The lack of adults of these lineages in kingfishers, in lineages 2 and 3, or the fact that just a few adult specimens were recovered, as in lineage 1, prevented a formal description of these species. The metacercariae of lineage 4 were found in poeciliids, across a distribution range comprising Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, and the adult was found in the green kingfisher in Mexico. The number of specimens sampled for lineage 4, for both gravid adults and metacercariae, allowed us to describe a new species,Uvulifer spinatusn. sp. We describe the new species herein and we discuss briefly the genetic diversity inUvuliferspp. and the importance of using DNA sequences to properly characterize parasite diversity.
The Anatomy of the Science Play
Authors: Kazzazi Seyedeh Anahit
Published: October 2017

In the last three decades the English-speaking stage has witnessed an explosion of plays and performances that deal with scientific topics and issues. Along with the increasing popularity of this ‘science play’ phenomenon, theatre and literary scholars have begun to define, contextualize, and categorize these plays, based on the topics, means, and aims that they cover, via analysis of specific works. The result of these attempts are a number of taxonomies provided by Judith Kupferman, Kirsten Shepherd-Barr, Carl Djerassi, and Eva-Sabine Zehelein. In this essay Seyedeh Anahit Kazzazi provides a critical examination of these categorizations in order to demonstrate their assets and difficulties, and suggests a new taxonomy and analytical framework based on text-based drama, perform ance, and the specific function of science in the plays. The essay includes full listings of science plays written after 1990 in the United Kingdom and the USA, categorized according to the taxonomy suggested. Seyedeh Anahit Kazzazi received her doctorate from the University of Sussex in 2017, and is currently examining the intersection between science, literature, philosophy, and theatre.
Leaf-cutting ant populations profit from human disturbances in tropical dry forest in Brazil
Authors: Siqueira Felipe F. S. , Ribeiro-Neto José Domingos , Tabarelli Marcelo , Andersen Alan N. , Wirth Rainer , Leal Inara R.
Published: October 2017

Anthropogenic disturbance often results in the proliferation of native species of particular groups that leads to biotic homogenization. Leaf-cutting ants are an example of such winner organisms in tropical rain forests, but their response to disturbance in dry forests is poorly known. We investigatedAttacolony density in areas of tropical dry forest in Brazil with different distance to roads and vegetation cover.Attacolonies were surveyed in 59 belt transects of 300 × 20 m, covering a total area of 35.4 ha. We found 224Attacolonies, 131 of which were active and belonged toAtta opaciceps(87 colonies, 2.45 ha−1),A. sexdens(35 colonies, 0.98 ha−1) andA. laevigata(9 colonies, 0.25 ha−1). The density of active colonies sharply decreased from 15 ± 2.92 ha−1in the 50-m zone along roads to only 2.55 ± 1.65 ha−1at distances up to 300 m. The reverse pattern was observed for inactive colonies. ActiveAttacolonies preferentially occur in areas with low vegetation cover, while inactive colonies prefer areas with high vegetation cover. We demonstrate for the first time that anthropogenic disturbances promote the proliferation of leaf-cutting ants in dry forest in Brazil, which may affect plant regeneration via herbivory and ecosystem engineering as demonstrated for rain forests.
The Dance of “Old” and “New” in Chinese Print Culture, 1860s-1955
Authors: Brokaw Cynthia
Published: October 2017

Argument

Scholars of modern Chinese publishing and book culture focus on the dramatic transformations that took place in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries: the new technologies that enabled “mass” printing and the development of “modern” genres of print. They often neglect the fact that xylography remained a working technology through much of the Republican period and even into the People's Republic of China. Here I examine the continued use of woodblock printing and the continuing popularity of “traditional” textual genres from two perspectives. First, from a “bottom up” perspective, I examine the production and sale of woodblock texts in rural markets, often in the face of efforts by both the Republic and the People's Republic to prohibit their use. Second, from a perspective from the top, I consider the deliberate choices made by the government, some elite book collector-publishers, and Daoist and Buddhist devotees to print certain works xylographically.
Evaluation de la culture de sécurité en Etablissement d’Hébergement pour Personnes Agées Dépendantes (EHPAD): adaptation française du questionnaire Nursing Home Survey on Patient Safety Culture
Authors: Herr Marie , Raharimanana Séhéno , Bagaragaza Emmanuel , Aegerter Philippe , Sipos Irène , Fabre Céline , Ankri Joël , Pisica-Donose George
Published: October 2017

The objective was to translate into French the American questionnaire “Nursing Home Survey on Patient Safety Culture” and to test the feasibility of its use in a sample of nursing homes. The questionnaire was translated by a multidisciplinary group of six experts and tested on a sample of people working in nursing homes. The questionnaire was then administered in five nursing homes. A first version of the French NHSPSC is proposed in this article. Despite similarities between items and ceiling effect for one item, the choices made were conservative to allow international comparisons. The administration of the questionnaire in five nursing homes confirmed the feasibility of the approach, with a participation of more than 50 per cent. This work made a French version of the NHSPSC available and confirmed that it is a feasible method for evaluating safety culture in nursing homes.
An Earnest Meyerbeer:Le Prophèteat London’s Royal Italian Opera, 1849
Authors: Protano-Biggs Laura
Published: October 2017

When thegrands opérasof Giacomo Meyerbeer were introduced to London audiences as a cluster in the mid-1800s, critics identified moments of understated musical and dramatic expression, and made little mention of more sensational dimensions, such as their impressive staging. With a focus on the 1849 staging ofLe Prophèteat the brand-new Royal Italian Opera in London, this article demonstrates that numerous critics were keen to endorse this new opera house, where most of the composer’s works were mounted, and that, to this end, they zeroed in on the most bare and restrained elements in his works so as to invest them with moral and intellectual relevance for Victorian audiences. ApproachingLe Prophèteas various London critics did is to see it anew and to consider alternatives to recent narratives which have taken material excess as a starting point for understanding the success of Meyerbeer’sgrands opérason the continent.
New evidence concerning the origin of the monophonic chants in the Codex Calixtinus
Authors: TORRES SANTIAGO RUIZ
Published: October 2017

The recent discovery of several fragments of an antiphoner in the Archive of the Cathedral of Sigüenza (Guadalajara) with repertoire for the feast of St James the Apostle sheds new light on the origin of the monophonic chants of the Codex Calixtinus. The dating of the fragments to c.1100 demonstrates the existence of an officium proprium prior to the writing of the famous Compostelan codex, a fact hitherto unknown. Part of the repertoire collected in the Sigüenza manuscript, particularly the antiphon Honorabilem eximii and the responsory Alme perpetue, evidence textual and melodic concordances with Calixtinus. Moreover, some chants in the Sigüenza Antiphoner, and not in Calixtinus, were widely known across the Iberian Peninsula before the Tridentine liturgical unification. This evidence suggests that the compilers of the monophonic Office in the Codex Calixtinus knew the version transmitted in the recently discovered fragments. The consequent remodelling of the St James Office was probably due to the fact that it incorporated many legendary elements. At the beginning of the twelfth century, the Church of Compostela was actively seeking to legitimise its apostolicity, which Rome seriously questioned. To do so, it was essential to offer a liturgical corpus of proven authority, based on the Bible and the patristic literature.
Additional mechanism for left ventricular dysfunction: chronic pulmonary regurgitation decreases left ventricular preload in patients with tetralogy of Fallot
Authors: Ylitalo Pekka , Jokinen Eero , Lauerma Kirsi , Holmström Miia , Pitkänen-Argillander Olli M.
Published: October 2017

Background

Right ventricular dysfunction in patients with tetralogy of Fallot and significant pulmonary regurgitation may lead to systolic dysfunction of the left ventricle due to altered ventricular interaction. We were interested in determining whether chronic pulmonary regurgitation affects the preload of the left ventricle. In addition, we wanted to study whether severe chronic pulmonary regurgitation would alter the preload of the left ventricle when compared with patients having preserved pulmonary valve annulus.

Methods

The study group comprised 38 patients with tetralogy of Fallot who underwent surgical repair between 1990 and 2003. Transannular patching was required in 21 patients to reconstruct the right ventricular outflow tract. Altogether, 48 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers were recruited. Cardiac MRI was performed on all study patients to assess the atrial and ventricular volumes and function.

Results

Severe pulmonary regurgitation (>30 ml/m2) was present in 13 patients, of whom 11 had a transannular patch, but only two had a preserved pulmonary valve annulus. The ventricular preload volumes from both atria were significantly reduced in patients with severe pulmonary regurgitation, and left ventricular stroke volumes (44.1±4.7 versus 58.9±10.7 ml/m2; p<0.0001) were smaller compared with that in patients with pulmonary regurgitation <30 ml/m2or in controls.

Conclusions

In patients with tetralogy of Fallot, severe pulmonary regurgitation has a significant effect on volume flow through the left atrium. Reduction in left ventricular preload volume may be an additional factor contributing to left ventricular dysfunction.
Evolution of the concept of oxygen transport in the critically ill, with a focus on children after cardiopulmonary bypass
Authors: Li Jia
Published: October 2017

The concept of oxygen transport, defined as the relation between oxygen consumption (VO2) and delivery (DO2), is of fundamental importance in critically ill patients. The past 200 years have witnessed a stepwise progressive improvement in the understanding of pathophysiological disturbances in the balance of DO2and VO2in critically ill patients including those after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. Intermittent spectacular technological achievements have accelerated the rate of progress. Therapeutic advances have been particularly impressive during the recent decades. Examination of the relation between DO2and VO2provides a useful framework around which the care of the critically ill may be developed. Until now, only a few groups have used this framework to examine children after cardiopulmonary bypass. The key topics that will be covered in this review article are the evolution of the concept from its early development to its present, increasingly sophisticated, role in the management of critically ill patients, with a focus on children after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery.
Birth weight and postnatal microbial exposures predict the distribution of peripheral blood leukocyte subsets in young adults in the Philippines
Authors: McDade T. W. , Jones M. J. , Miller G. , Borja J. , Kobor M. S. , Kuzawa C. W.
Published: October 2017

The immune system not only provides protection against infectious disease but also contributes to the etiology of neoplastic, atopic, and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Prenatal and postnatal nutritional and microbial environments have lasting effects on multiple aspects of immunity, indicating that immune processes may play important roles in the developmental origins of disease. The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between birth weight and the distribution of leukocyte (white blood cell) subsets in peripheral blood in young adulthood. Postnatal microbial exposures were also considered as predictors of leukocyte distribution. Participants (n=486; mean age=20.9 years) were drawn from a prospective birth cohort study in the Philippines, and analyses focused on the following cell types: CD4 T lymphocytes, CD8 T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, natural killer cells, monocytes, granulocytes. Higher birth weight was a strong predictor of higher proportion of CD4 T lymphocytes (B=0.12,s.e.=0.041,P=0.003), lower proportion of CD8 T lymphocytes (B=−0.874,s.e.=0.364,P=0.016), higher CD4:CD8 ratio (B=1.964,s.e.=0.658,P=0.003), and higher B lymphocytes (B=0.062,s.e.=0.031,P=0.047). Measures of microbial exposure in infancy were negatively associated with proportions of B lymphocytes and granulocytes, and lower CD4:CD8 ratio. Leukocytes are the key regulators and effectors of innate and specific immunity, but the origins of variation in the distribution of cell type across individuals are not known. Our findings point toward nutritional and microbial exposures in infancy as potentially important determinants of immune-phenotypes in adulthood, and they suggest that leukocyte distribution is a plausible mechanism through which developmental environments have lasting effects on disease risk in adulthood.
Loneliness, Sociodemographic and Mental Health Variables in Spanish Adults over 65 Years Old
Authors: Ausín Berta , Muñoz Manuel , Castellanos Miguel A.
Published: October 2017

Loneliness is a risk factor for morbidity as well as mortality. Older people are more vulnerable to feeling alone due to age-associated changes and losses they might experience. This study aimed to analyze sociodemographic, psychosocial, and mental health variables related to loneliness in the elderly. A random sample of 419 people over 65 years old from the Community of Madrid was used. The UCLA Loneliness Scale, the CIDI65+ Diagnostic Interview, and the WHOQOL-BREF Quality of Life Measure were administered. A regression p model was estimated to identify the variables that best predict loneliness associated with old age. Loneliness-associated variables included living alone t(161.41) = 2.07; p < .040, marital status F(5, 404) = 4.52; p < .001, frequency of economic problems F(1, 408 ) = 4.86; p < .028, quality of life F(4, 405) = 7.36; p < .001, satisfaction with life F(4, 405) = 3.80; p < .005, satisfaction with social relationships F(4, 405) = 19.50; p < .001, presence of a mental disorder (t(98.70) = 2.92; p < .004), and having an anxiety disorder (t(51.11) = 2.19; p < .033). The results presented in this paper highlight some predictors of loneliness in older people that could be useful in intervention, to minimize harmful conditions that can lead to loneliness in people over 65.
Validation of the Gratitude Questionnaire in Filipino Secondary School Students
Authors: Valdez Jana Patricia M. , Yang Weipeng , Datu Jesus Alfonso D.
Published: October 2017

Most studies have assessed the psychometric properties of the Gratitude Questionnaire – Six-Item Form (GQ-6) in the Western contexts while very few research has been generated to explore the applicability of this scale in non-Western settings. To address this gap, the aim of the study was to examine the factorial validity and gender invariance of the Gratitude Questionnaire in the Philippines through a construct validation approach. There were 383 Filipino high school students who participated in the research. In terms of within-network construct validity, results of confirmatory factor analyses revealed that the five-item version of the questionnaire (GQ-5) had better fit compared to the original six-item version of the gratitude questionnaire. The scores from the GQ-5 also exhibited invariance across gender. Between-network construct validation showed that gratitude was associated with higher levels of academic achievement (β = .46, p <.001), autonomous motivation (β = .73, p <.001), and controlled motivation (β = .28, p <.01). Conversely, gratitude was linked to lower degree of amotivation (β = -.51, p <.001). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Relative Activity of Four Triclopyr Formulations
Authors: Dias José Luiz C. S. , Banu Afsari , Sperry Benjamin P. , Enloe Stephen F. , Ferrell Jason A. , Sellers Brent A.
Published: October 2017

Triclopyr is a synthetic auxin herbicide currently available as a triethylamine salt, butoxyethyl ester, pyridinyloxyacetic acid, or choline salt. The formulation of a herbicide has the potential to impact its activity; therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the relative activity of these four triclopyr formulations. Greenhouse dose–response studies were conducted twice at the University of Florida in 2015. The four formulations were foliar applied at rates ranging from 17 to 1,121 g ae ha−1to 2- to 3-leaf soybean, sunflower, tomato, and cotton. The amine salt formulation provided the lowest ED50values in tomato and sunflower (22.87 and 60.39 g ha−1, respectively); whereas in soybean, amine and choline formulations provided the lowest ED50values (22.56 and 20.95 g ha−1, respectively). No differences between formulations were observed in cotton. These data suggest that (1) the amine salt formulation of triclopyr might be more active than the others on tomato and sunflower, and (2) the amine and choline salt formulations might be more active than the others on soybean. Further work must be conducted to determine whether there are differences among these formulations under a range of field conditions and target species. In addition, other important management factors such as applicator safety, volatility potential, and cost should be considered when choosing the best formulated product to be applied.
Summer Rainfall Patterns in East Asia Shift with the Wind
Authors: Stanley Sarah
Published: October 2017

Decades of data reveal the link between westerly winds and year-to-year changes in monsoon rainfall.
Inverse poroelasticity as a fundamental mechanism in biomechanics and mechanobiology
Authors: Ehret Alexander E. , Bircher Kevin , Stracuzzi Alberto , Marina Vita , Zündel Manuel , Mazza Edoardo
Published: October 2017

Understanding the mechanisms of deformation of biological materials is important for improved diagnosis and therapy, fundamental investigations in mechanobiology, and applications in tissue engineering. Here we demonstrate the essential role of interstitial fluid mobility in determining the mechanical properties of soft tissues. Opposite to the behavior expected for a poroelastic material, the tissue volume of different collagenous membranes is observed to strongly decrease with tensile loading. Inverse poroelasticity governs monotonic and cyclic responses of soft biomembranes, and induces chemo-mechanical coupling, such that tensile forces are modulated by the chemical potential of the interstitial fluid. Correspondingly, the osmotic pressure varies with mechanical loads, thus providing an effective mechanism for mechanotransduction. Water mobility determines the tissue’s ability to adapt to deformation through compaction and dilation of the collagen fiber network. In the near field of defects this mechanism activates the reversible formation of reinforcing collagen structures which effectively avoid propagation of cracks.