bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cu–Co bimetallic nanospheres embedded in graphene as excellent anode catalysts for electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction
Authors: Sun Wei , Fei Fan , Zheng Jianbo , Mao Guanghua , Wei Wei , Xie Jimin
Published: January 2019

In this work, novel Cu–Co bimetal/reduce graphene oxide nanostructures with excellent catalytic activity were prepared by embedding Cu–Co bimetallic nanospheres into the interlayer of graphene. The composite materials were characterised by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) etc. The characterisation results indicated that the diameters of the bimetallic nanospheres were controlled within ∼60 nm, which embedded uniformly in graphene. A series of electrochemical tests were carried out and the composites were found to exhibit excellent oxygen evolution properties under alkaline conditions. The excellent catalytic activity and stability make the composite have great potential for wide application and provide a basis for its industrial application.
Collisional RF sheath in capacitive discharge in strong oblique magnetic field
Authors: Kobelev A. , Babinov N. , Barsukov Yu. , Chernoizumskaya T. , Dmitriev A. , Mukhin E. , Razdobarin A. , Smirnov A.
Published: January 2019

Erosion and re-deposition of plasma-facing components in tokamaks require the development of in-vessel optics protection and cleaning techniques. Front-end diagnostic optics in large-scale fusion machines like ITER must be cleaned by a technique adopted for the in-vessel environmental conditions. The technique based on plasma sputtering in low pressure capacitively coupled radio frequency (CCRF) discharge is considered for the removal of the deposited metal films during the maintenance periods, in scenarios with and without the strong external magnetic field of several tesla. The sputtering efficiency is strongly dependent on energy and angular distribution of ions impinging the treated surface. This paper presents a numerical study of magnetized He+ ion motion within a collisional radio-frequency (rf) sheath of CCRF discharge in a spatially uniform oblique magnetic field using one-dimensional three velocity coordinate Particle-In-Cell Monte-Carlo Collision simulations. The effect of the magnetic field of 1–2.5 T, inclined to the normal of the treated electrode surface at an angle of 0–85° on the ion energy and angular distribution functions, is analyzed. A criterion of the magnetic sheath formation within the rf sheath is formulated.
Analysis of hysteresis and transport regimes using the normalized differential conductance in hybrid inorganic/organic nanocomposites
Authors: Vercik A. , Vercik L. C. O. , Bueno G.
Published: January 2019

Hysteresis in the current-voltage characteristics is usually observed in several types of materials and devices. Its origin is still controversial and the subject of intense research even to date. The interest in this phenomenon is constantly renewed as new materials that exhibit this characteristic are developed because of its undesired effects on the performance of different devices like solar cells and sensors. The space charge limited current spectroscopy is a technique frequently used to study transport in general and it has been used particularly to identify the dominant mechanisms during different branches of the current voltage hysteresis loops. The transport regimes are identified from the slope of double logarithmic plots of the experimental data. This methodology is relatively poor, particularly when linear regions of those plots are narrow or even non-existent. Thus, more efficient and detailed analytical techniques are required. One of these techniques is based on the use of the normalized differential conductance. This function allows obtaining hidden information of the transport mechanism not available with the traditional methodology. The use of this method to study the hysteresis is analyzed in this work. Different nanocomposites, made of chitosan or polyvinyl alcohol, containing gold nanoparticles or carbon nanotubes as fillers, whose current-voltage characteristics exhibit hysteresis when subjected to applied voltage cycling, are used as a test workbench for the proposed methodology. Whereas different normalized differential conductance versus voltage curves are obtained for forward ramps, the same behaviors during reverse ramps are observed for all the materials, indicating clearly a change of the transport mechanisms. From the voltage dependencies, it is possible to conclude that whereas bulk mechanisms dominate during forward ramps, interface or electrode mechanisms are more important during reverse ramps.
Proton array focused by a laser-irradiated mesh
Authors: Zhai S. H. , Shen B. F. , Borghesi M. , Wang W. P. , Zhang H. , Kar S. , Ahmed H. , Li J. F. , Li S. S. , Zhang H. , Wang C. , Lu X. M. , Wang X. L. , Xu R. J. , Yu L. H. , Leng Y. X. , Liang X. Y. , Li R. X. , Xu Z. Z.
Published: January 2019

We present a technique on focusing laser-driven proton beams in an array pattern by employing a copper mesh irradiated by a separate, intense laser pulse. Transient fields are generated on the mesh following the intense interaction. Under the combined effect of collisional scattering and electrical deflections from the mesh, a laser-driven proton beam is split into multiple focused beams with a high density of ∼4 × 109/cm2 after propagation through the charged-up mesh. The particle density within the focused beamlets is up to ∼11 times the initial density of the proton beam. Multiple beam focusing through this approach may open routes for proton beam conditioning, leading to opportunities for multi-beam applications, such as tomographic radiography and proton implantation.
Chemical signatures of surface microheterogeneity on liquid mixtures
Authors: Enami Shinichi , Ishizuka Shinnosuke , Colussi Agustín J.
Published: January 2019

Many chemical reactions in Nature, the laboratory, and chemical industry occur in solvent mixtures that bring together species of dissimilar solubilities. Solvent mixtures are visually homogeneous, but are not randomly mixed at the molecular scale. In the all-important binary water-hydrotrope mixtures, small-angle neutron and dynamic light scattering experiments reveal the existence of short-lived (<50 ps), short-ranged (∼1 nm) concentration fluctuations. The presence of hydrophobic solutes stabilizes and extends such fluctuations into persistent, mesoscopic (10–100 nm) inhomogeneities. While the existence of inhomogeneities is well established, their impacts on reactivity are not fully understood. Here, we search for chemical signatures of inhomogeneities on the surfaces of W:X mixtures (W = water; X = acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran, or 1,4-dioxane) by studying the reactions of Criegee intermediates (CIs) generated in situ from O3(g) addition to a hydrophobic olefin (OL) solute. Once formed, CIs isomerize to functionalized carboxylic acids (FC) or add water to produce α-hydroxy-hydroperoxides (HH), as detected by surface-specific, online pneumatic ionization mass spectrometry. Since only the formation of HH requires the presence of water, the dependence of the R = HH/FC ratio on water molar fraction xw expresses the accessibility of water to CIs on the surfaces of mixtures. The finding that R increases quasi-exponentially with xw in all solvent mixtures is consistent with CIs being preferentially produced (from their OL hydrophobic precursor) in X-rich, long-lived OL:XmWn interfacial clusters, rather than randomly dispersed on W:X surfaces. R vs xw dependences therefore reflect the average ⟨m, n⟩ composition of OL:XmWn interfacial clusters, as weighted by cluster reorganization dynamics. Water in large, rigid clusters could be less accessible to CIs than in smaller but more flexible clusters of lower water content. Since mesoscale inhomogeneities are intrinsic to most solvent mixtures, these phenomena should be quite general.
Automated detection of many-particle solvation states for accurate characterizations of diffusion kinetics
Authors: Rudzinski Joseph F. , Radu Marc , Bereau Tristan
Published: January 2019

Discrete-space kinetic models, i.e., Markov state models, have emerged as powerful tools for reducing the complexity of trajectories generated from molecular dynamics simulations. These models require configuration-space representations that accurately characterize the relevant dynamics. Well-established, low-dimensional order parameters for constructing this representation have led to widespread application of Markov state models to study conformational dynamics in biomolecular systems. On the contrary, applications to characterize single-molecule diffusion processes have been scarce and typically employ system-specific, higher-dimensional order parameters to characterize the local solvation state of the molecule. In this work, we propose an automated method for generating a coarse configuration-space representation, using generic features of the solvation structure—the coordination numbers about each particle. To overcome the inherent noisy behavior of these low-dimensional observables, we treat the features as indicators of an underlying, latent Markov process. The resulting hidden Markov models filter the trajectories of each feature into the most likely latent solvation state at each time step. The filtered trajectories are then used to construct a configuration-space discretization, which accurately describes the diffusion kinetics. The method is validated on a standard model for glassy liquids, where particle jumps between local cages determine the diffusion properties of the system. Not only do the resulting models provide quantitatively accurate characterizations of the diffusion constant, but they also reveal a mechanistic description of diffusive jumps, quantifying the heterogeneity of local diffusion.
Reactive SINDy: Discovering governing reactions from concentration data
Authors: Hoffmann Moritz , Fröhner Christoph , Noé Frank
Published: January 2019

The inner workings of a biological cell or a chemical reactor can be rationalized by the network of reactions, whose structure reveals the most important functional mechanisms. For complex systems, these reaction networks are not known a priori and cannot be efficiently computed with ab initio methods; therefore, an important goal is to estimate effective reaction networks from observations, such as time series of the main species. Reaction networks estimated with standard machine learning techniques such as least-squares regression may fit the observations but will typically contain spurious reactions. Here we extend the sparse identification of nonlinear dynamics (SINDy) method to vector-valued ansatz functions, each describing a particular reaction process. The resulting sparse tensor regression method “reactive SINDy” is able to estimate a parsimonious reaction network. We illustrate that a gene regulation network can be correctly estimated from observed time series.
Enhanced directional acoustic emission based on anisotropic metamaterials
Authors: Qian Jiao , Sun Hong-xiang , Yuan Shou-qi , Liu Xiao-jun
Published: January 2019

The emergency of anisotropic acoustic metamaterials provides great opportunity for controlling acoustic propagations and realizes many exotic acoustic phenomena. However, the realization of enhanced directional propagation with an unchanged wavefront based on anisotropic metamaterials remains a challenge. Here, we report both experimentally and numerically that an enhanced directional acoustic emission is realized by a broadband anisotropic metamaterial consisting of an array of units constructed by a square cavity and two symmetric straight channels. The anisotropic property of the metamaterial exists in the range of 8430–9460 Hz, which arises from different effective impedances in the orthogonal directions. Based on the anisotropic property, we realize an enhanced directional acoustic emission with an unchanged wavefront by placing a cylindrical source at the center of the metamaterial, in which the enhanced emission in the y direction is attributed to the prohibition of acoustic propagation in the vertical direction induced by mismatched impedance. Besides, the influences of air attenuation on the enhanced directional emission are discussed in detail. More interestingly, we also realize the enhanced directional acoustic emission for two cylindrical sources in the anisotropic metamaterial. The proposed acoustic metamaterial has the advantages of broad bandwidth, high anisotropy, enhanced directivity, and unchanged wavefront, showing promising applications in acoustic communication and architectural acoustics.
Parametric investigation of symmetric electromagnetic waves propagating along inhomogeneous plasma layer coated metallic surfaces
Authors: Li Wenqiu , Liu Yalin , Wang Gang
Published: January 2019

Based on the transcendental dispersion relation of the azimuthally symmetric mode which propagates along the surface of an inhomogeneous and collisional plasma layer coated cylindrical metallic surface, the influence of plasma parameters and metallic surface geometric size on propagation constant, radiation enhancement intensity, and wave energy loss properties is investigated. Theoretical calculation results indicate that there is a resonance at the point ωpe/ω = 1; near this point, the propagation constant of the symmetric mode exhibits extraordinary characteristics, the radiation enhancement intensity reaches a maximum at the point (ωpe/ω = 1.05, ν/ω = 1), and the wave energy loss reaches a maximum at the point (ωpe/ω = 1, ν/ω = 0.006). These theoretical results may have a potential application value in microwave enhanced radiation and high resolution image processing.
Influence of long-lasting electric field on the formation of monodomain polymer stabilized blue phase liquid crystals
Authors: Yan Jing , Lin Jibin , Li Qing , Li Ruo-Zhou
Published: January 2019

Blue phase liquid crystals (BPLCs) are emerging as a promising candidate for tunable three-dimensional (3D) photonic crystals. Uniform monodomain BPLCs with a large temperature range are needed to achieve higher performance for photonic applications. Here, we experimentally demonstrated monodomain polymer stabilized blue phase liquid crystals (PS-BPLCs) induced by a long-lasting electric field. The PS-BPLCs with a single crystal orientation can be obtained with appropriate electrical treatment, and they also possess a large temperature range of 70 °C including room temperature. The physical mechanism behind their spectral properties, phase transition temperature, and the morphology of crystal growth process under different electric fields are investigated with detailed experimental analysis. This work helps further understanding of crystal nucleation and growth of PS-BPLCs in electric field and also can expedite the development of PS-BPLC based tunable 3D photonic crystal devices.
Grazing promotes plant functional diversity in alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Li Yu , Dong Shikui , Gao Qingzhu , Zhang Yong , Liu Shiliang , Swift David , Zhao Jinbo , Ganjurjav Hasbagan , Hu Guozheng , Wang Xuexia , Yan Yulong , Cao Xujuan , Li Wenhan , Luo Wenrong , Zhao Zhenzhen , Li Shuai , Gao Xiaoxia
Published: January 2019

Grazing exclosures and rotational grazing have been extensively applied to prevent grassland degradation and to restore grassland ecosystem function and services. The mechanisms associated with changes in alpine plant traits, and functional diversity under different grazing regimes have not been deeply explored. We examined the variations of plant leaf traits and functional diversity of an alpine meadow under different grazing regimes in a 3-year experiment. The results showed, after 3 years of yak grazing, that the coverage of Stipa capillata increased, whereas that of Kobresia pygmaea decreased under grazing exclosure. Stipa capillata had a lower ratio of leaf nitrogen content to phosphorus content (N:P) under grazing exclosure than under rotational grazing and continuous grazing, whereas Kobresia pygmaea showed no significant differences among grazing treatments. Among grazing regimes, the specific leaf area (SLA) of Stipa capillata was similar, whereas that of Kobresia pygmaea was higher under grazing exclosure. At the interspecific level, leaf area and weight were negatively correlated with SLA, whereas leaf carbon (C) content, leaf N content, leaf C:P and leaf N:P were negatively related to leaf P content and leaf C:N. These findings indicated that growth-defence trade-off strategies might lead to variations in plant traits and coverage. Large-leaved species, due to high maintenance costs, were less commonly distributed in the community, and they were better defended and unpalatable to yaks due to lower SLA, this formed the species coverage distribution pattern of the community. Various N and P utilisation efficiency of different species indicated diverse economic resources utilisation strategies might be due to niche differentiation in the community. Plots that had been excluded from grazing had the lowest functional richness, evenness, and divergence. Rotational and continuous grazing were equivalent in promoting alpine plant functional diversity.
The embedding challenge
Authors: Moore Tim , Ballantyne Glenda , McIntosh Craig
Published: January 2019

There is a consensus nowadays that the best way to develop students’ academic literacy abilities is within the context of their studies in the disciplines, an approach known as ‘curriculum embedding’. But despite the demonstrable value of this approach, surveys of the field in Australia suggest there has been only limited success over the years in integrating embedding pedagogies into university courses. In the light of this halting progress, there is a need to constantly document initiatives in this area, both to affirm the principles upon which embedding is founded, as well as to show how these principles can be given practical effect on programs. This paper provides an account of one such initiative – a collaborative project between Sociology academics and an academic literacy specialist. The key motif on the project was how the notions of ‘theory’ and ‘critique’ could be made comprehensible to students in the particular disciplinary context they were working in. We also show that an essential element of such programs is developing a common language by which pertinent issues can be explored, both among academics and with students.
Knowledge building
Authors: Drury Helen
Published: January 2019

Successful research and teaching of discipline genres is based on collaboration among language and learning specialists with expertise in applied linguistics, and subject area specialists with expertise in the knowledge and communication practices of their disciplines. These interdisciplinary collaborations involve experts coming together around an area of shared interest in a community of practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991), where members are committed to building relationships to learn from each other, and in this process build new knowledge (Scardamalia & Bereiter, 2006). This paper aims to identify the kinds of knowledge building negotiations involving a team of discipline staff, academic literacy specialists, and e-learning specialists as they collaborate in the design of online learning materials to support students in writing the laboratory report genre in the discipline of physiology. The data consist of recordings of team members’ spoken interactions, with or without other artefacts, such as storyboards, over a period of nine months as the design for the website evolved. Initial discourse analysis of transcripts, based on the metafunctions from Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) (Halliday, 1985a), is used to identify phases where the emphasis is on the negotiation of ideational, or content meanings, enabled by interpersonal and textual meanings. A sample of these phases is then analysed in detail using exchange structure (Martin, 1992) to identify possible genres which build new knowledge and embody it in the online resources.
Investigating the apology strategies of Saudi learners of English
Authors: El-Dakhs Dina Abdel Salam
Published: January 2019

The present study examines the apologetic behavior of Saudi learners of English in a foreign language learning context. The study also investigates the influence of language exposure, gender, distance and dominance on the learners’ apologies. To this end, a Discourse Completion Test was completed by (1) 411 Saudi learners of English, (2) 42 native speakers of Saudi Arabic and (3) 47 native speakers of English. The groups of native speakers provided the norms of apologetic behavior in the learners’ first (L1) and second (L2) languages. The results showed the Saudi participants’ preference for face-saving strategies to both the speaker and hearer, and a positive influence for increased L2 exposure on the learners’ pragmatic competence. The variables of gender, distance and dominance also proved influential but to varying degrees. The results are interpreted in light of the existing literature and theoretical models. Pedagogical implications and research directions are proposed.
Reinterpretation of the substrate specificity of the voltage-sensing phosphatase during dimerization
Authors: Kruse Martin , Kohout Susy C. , Hille Bertil
Published: January 2019

Voltage-sensing phosphatases (VSPs) cleave both 3- and 5-phosphates from inositol phospholipids in response to membrane depolarization. When low concentrations of Ciona intestinalis VSP are expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, the 5-phosphatase reaction can be observed during large membrane depolarizations. When higher concentrations are expressed, the 5-phosphatase activity is observed with smaller depolarizations, and the 3-phosphatase activity is revealed with strong depolarization. Here we ask whether this apparent induction of 3-phosphatase activity is attributable to the dimerization that has been reported when VSP is expressed at higher concentrations. Using a simple kinetic model, we show that these enzymatic phenomena can be understood as an emergent property of a voltage-dependent enzyme with invariant substrate selectivity operating in the context of endogenous lipid-metabolizing enzymes present in oocytes. Thus, a switch of substrate specificity with dimerization need not be invoked to explain the appearance of 3-phosphatase activity at high VSP concentrations.
Bilateral comparison of 10 V standards between the NSAI - NML (Ireland) and the BIPM (BIPM.EM-K11.b)
Authors: Solve Stephane , Chayramy Regis , Stock Michael , Power Oliver
Published: January 2019

As part of the ongoing BIPM key comparison BIPM.EM-K11.b, a comparison of the 10 V voltage reference standards of the BIPM and the National Standards Authority of Ireland - National Metrology Laboratory (NSAI - NML), Dublin, Ireland, was carried out in May and June 2018. Two BIPM Zener diode-based travelling standards (Fluke 732B), BIPM_E (ZE) and BIPM_F (ZF), were transported by freight to NSAI-NML. At NSAI-NML, the reference standard for DC voltage at the 10 V level consists of a group of characterized Zener diode-based electronic voltage standards. The output EMF (Electromotive Force) of each travelling standard was measured by direct comparison with the group standard.

At the BIPM the travelling standards were calibrated, before and after the measurements at NSAI-NML, with the Josephson Voltage Standard. Results of all measurements were corrected for the dependence of the output voltages of the Zener standards on internal temperature and ambient atmospheric pressure.

The final result of the comparison is presented as the difference between the value assigned to DC voltage standard by NSAI-NML, at the level of 10 V, at NSAI-NML, U
NML, and that assigned by the BIPM, at the BIPM, U
BIPM, at the reference dates of 20 May 2018.

U
NML - U
BIPM = - 1.21 μV, u
c = 1.38 μV, at 10 V

where u
c is the combined standard uncertainty associated with the measured difference, including the uncertainty of the representation of the volt at the BIPM, at NSAI-NML, and the uncertainty related to the comparison.

The comparison result is within the claimed uncertainties despite the fact that one of the NSAI NML results (for standard ZF) differed from the BIPM value by -1.66 μV.

The voltage standards maintained by NSAI-NML and the BIPM were equivalent, within their stated standard uncertainties, on the mean date of the comparison.

KEY WORDS FOR SEARCH

DC voltage, electronics secondary voltage standard, voltage reference

Main text

To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/.

The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCEM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
Maternal Gestational Diabetes Is Associated With Offspring’s Hypertension
Authors: Lu Jun , Zhang Shuang , Li Weiqin , Leng Junhong , Wang Leishen , Liu Huikun , Li Wei , Zhang Cuiping , Qi Lu , Tuomilehto Jaakko , Chen Jinbo , Yang Xilin , Yu Zhijie , Hu Gang
Published: January 2019

OBJECTIVE

Several studies assessed maternal gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with the risk of childhood high blood pressure, and the results were inconsistent. We investigated the association between maternal GDM and hypertension risk in offspring during early childhood.

METHODS

We performed a large study in 1,156 mother–child pairs (578 GDM and 578 non-GDM matched by their offspring’s age and sex). Maternal GDM was diagnosed according to the World Health Organization criteria. Childhood height, weight, and blood pressure were measured using standardized methods. Age-, sex-, and height-specific blood pressure Z score, childhood hypertension, and high blood pressure were evaluated according to the reference range of the National High Blood Pressure Education Program Working Group on High Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents.

RESULTS

After adjustment for maternal and children’s characteristics, children born to mothers with GDM during pregnancy had higher mean values of systolic blood pressure Z score (0.09 vs. −0.17), and higher prevalence of hypertension (6.4% vs. 3.5%) and high blood pressure (15.6% vs. 9.3%) in comparison with their counterparts born to mothers without GDM during pregnancy (all P values <0.05). Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios among children of mothers with GDM compared with children of mothers without GDM were 2.32 (95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.16–4.62) for hypertension and 1.89 (95% CI 1.24–2.86) for high blood pressure, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal GDM was associated with an increased risk of hypertension in the offspring. Controlling maternal GDM may be important for preventing childhood hypertension in the affected offspring.
Delayed ischaemic contracture onset by empagliflozin associates with NHE1 inhibition and is dependent on insulin in isolated mouse hearts
Authors: Uthman Laween , Nederlof Rianne , Eerbeek Otto , Baartscheer Antonius , Schumacher Cees , Buchholtz Ninée , Hollmann Markus W , Coronel Ruben , Weber Nina C , Zuurbier Coert J
Published: January 2019

Aims

Sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have sodium–hydrogen exchanger (NHE) inhibition properties in isolated cardiomyocytes, but it is unknown whether these properties extend to the intact heart during ischaemia–reperfusion (IR) conditions. NHE inhibitors as Cariporide delay time to onset of contracture (TOC) during ischaemia and reduce IR injury. We hypothesized that, in the ex vivo heart, Empagliflozin (Empa) mimics Cariporide during IR by delaying TOC and reducing IR injury. To facilitate translation to in vivo conditions with insulin present, effects were examined in the absence and presence of insulin.

Methods and results

Isolated C57Bl/6NCrl mouse hearts were subjected to 25 min I and 120 min R without and with 50 mU/L insulin. Without insulin, Empa and Cari delayed TOC by 100 and 129 s, respectively, yet only Cariporide reduced IR injury [infarct size (mean ± SEM in %) from 51 ± 6 to 34 ± 5]. Empa did not delay TOC in the presence of the NHE1 inhibitor Eniporide. Insulin perfusion increased tissue glycogen content at baseline (from 2 ± 2 µmol to 42 ± 1 µmol glycosyl units/g heart dry weight), amplified G6P and lactate accumulation at end-ischaemia, thereby decreased mtHKII and exacerbated IR injury. Under these conditions, Empa (1 µM) and Cariporide (10 µM) were without effect on TOC and IR injury. Empa and Cariporide both inhibited NHE activity, in isolated cardiomyocytes, independent of insulin.

Conclusions

In the absence of insulin, Empa and Cariporide strongly delayed the time to onset of contracture during ischaemia. In the presence of insulin, both Empa and Cari were without effect on IR, possibly because of severe ischaemic acidification. Insulin exacerbates IR injury through increased glycogen depletion during ischaemia and consequently mtHKII dissociation. The data suggest that also in the ex vivo intact heart Empa exerts direct cardiac effects by inhibiting NHE during ischaemia, but not during reperfusion.
Novel Leucocyte/Thrombocyte Apheresis for Induction of Steroid-Free Remission in Ulcerative Colitis: A Controlled Randomized Pilot Study
Authors: Kruis Wolfgang , Nguyen Phuong , Morgenstern Julia , Ramlow Wolfgang , Dignaß Axel , Stallmach Andreas , Drebber Uta
Published: January 2019

Background and Aims

In active ulcerative colitis [UC] refractory to mesalazine, escalation to either steroids or immunosuppression is common practice. The efficacy and safety of alternative escalation therapy with a novel leukocyte apheresis device were studied.

Methods

This was a prospective, randomized, controlled multicentre pilot study comparing leukocyte apheresis with prednisolone in refractory UC (disease activity index [DAI] ≥ 4 and ≤8). Group A received weekly apheresis over five consecutive weeks. Group P received oral prednisolone 40 mg/day tapered to 0 mg at week 6. The primary end point was steroid-free clinical remission [DAI ≤ 2] at week 12. Clinical response was also analysed.

Results

Twenty-four patients were enrolled, 13 of whom were randomized into group A and 11 into group P. Clinical remission off steroids at week 12 was achieved in 3/12 patients [25.0%] with apheresis and 2/10 [20.0%] with prednisolone [p = 1.0]. The response rate after 12 weeks was 75.0% in group A and 50.0% in group P. Mean DAI scores improved in both treatment groups [p = 0.008]. C-reactive protein decreased from 6.0 ± 5.3 to 3.8 ± 3.7 mg/L at 12 weeks in group A and increased from 5.2 ± 6.0 to 6.3 ± 7.9 mg/mL in group P. Both treatments were well tolerated. No unexpected serious adverse events were seen in group A. In group P one symptomatic infection with Clostridium difficile occurred.

Conclusions

In patients with active UC refractory to mesalazine a novel leukocyte apheresis showed promising results. A comparison with prednisolone revealed similar therapeutic effectivity and excellent safety, providing the chance to escalate without systemic steroids.
Symptom profile of patients receiving antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections in general practice: an observational study using smartphone technology
Authors: Jiwa Moyez , Krejany Catherine J , Kanjo Epi , Leeb Alan , Peters Ian J
Published: January 2019

Background

Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are a common presentation in general practice and are linked to high rates of inappropriate antibiotic prescription. There is limited information about the trajectory of patients with this condition who have been prescribed antibiotics.

Objective

To document the symptom profile of patients receiving antibiotics for URTIs in Australian general practice using smartphone technology and online surveys.

Methods

In total, 8218 patients received antibiotics after attending one of the 32 general practice clinics in Australia from June to October 2017: 4089 were identified as URTI presentations and were the cohort studied. Patients completed the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey (WURSS-24) 3 and 7 days after visiting their general practitioner (GP).

Results

Six hundred fourteen URTI-specific patients responded to at least one symptom survey (RR 15%). The majority of patients reported moderate to mild symptoms at 72 hours [median global symptom severity score 37 (IQR 19, 59)] post-GP visit which reduced to very mild symptoms or not sick by day 7 [11 (IQR 4, 27)]. Patients receiving antibiotics for URTI reported the same level of symptom severity as patients in previous studies receiving no treatment.

Conclusions

The recovery of most patients within days of receiving antibiotics for URTI mimics the trajectory of patients with viral URTIs without treatment. Antibiotics did not appear to hasten recovery. Monitoring of patients in this context using smart phone technology is feasible but limited by modest response rates.
Long-term Cross-reactivity Against Nonvaccine Human Papillomavirus Types 31 and 45 After 2- or 3-Dose Schedules of the AS04-Adjuvanted Human HPV-16/18 Vaccine
Authors: Folschweiller Nicolas , Behre Ulrich , Dionne Marc , Durando Paolo , Esposito Susanna , Ferguson Linda , Ferguson Murdo , Hillemanns Peter , McNeil Shelly A , Peters Klaus , Ramjattan Brian , Schwarz Tino F , Supparatpinyo Khuanchai , Suryakirian Pemmaraju V , Janssens Michel , Moris Philippe , Decreux Annabelle , Poncelet Sylviane , Struyf Frank
Published: January 2019

This analysis focused on long-term cross-reactive immunogenicity against nonvaccine human papillomavirus (HPV) types 31 and 45 following 2 doses of AS04-adjuvanted HPV-16/18 vaccine in girls aged 9–14 years or following 3 doses in women aged 15–25 years, for up to 3 years (HPV-070 study) and up to 5 years (HPV-048 study) after the first vaccination. Both schedules elicited antibodies against HPV-31 and HPV-45 up to 5 years after first dose. The antibody concentration was similar in young girls as compared to women. Specific CD4+ T-cell and B-cell responses to HPV-31 and HPV-45 at month 36 were similar across groups. Clinical trials registration: NCT01381575 and NCT00541970.
An Overview of Ethics Issues for Public Health in Particular Populations
Authors: Bernheim Ruth Gaare , Fenton Elizabeth
Published: January 2019

Improving the health of populations is a fundamental goal of public health. An essential step to achieve this goal is addressing the varying health needs and stressors experienced by different populations and subgroups within a population, along with the significant ethical issues of health equity raised by disparities in health among these groups. This chapter provides an overview of the section of The Oxford Handbook of Public Health Ethics dedicated to examining the public health needs and related ethical issues of a number of subpopulations that generally experience or are exposed to health stressors. Those stressors may include historic injustices, discrimination and stigmatization, and unique social or physical needs, limitations, or vulnerabilities. The chapters in this section consider aging populations, children and adolescents, persons with mental illness, persons with disabilities, sexual and gender minorities, and immigrants and refugees. Examining public health practices and strategies through the lens of each of these particular populations helps to illustrate the ethical challenges of improving population health equitably.
Sexual and Gender Minorities, Public Health, and Ethics
Authors: Littlejohn Tonya , Poteat Tonia , Beyrer Chris
Published: January 2019

Sexual and gender minorities (LGBT persons) are more visible and mobilized than ever. In some countries, that visibility and activism have contributed to the advancement of sexual and gender rights. Nevertheless, and despite those gains, stigma, discrimination, and criminalization of these populations persist and have impeded efforts to address their public health needs. As a result, sexual and gender minorities continue to experience a range of health disparities, and overall face a disproportionately high burden of mental health issues, HIV/AIDS, and other illnesses. This chapter explores core ethical challenges and debates that impact health promotion and prevention efforts with sexual and gender minorities, with a focus on issues arising in public health surveillance and interventions, and on understanding the social and political context that impacts the lived reality of sexual and gender minorities.
Policy and Practice of Assessment in Music Education: The Case of Singapore
Authors: Leong Wei-Shin , Tan Julie
Published: January 2019

This chapter describes and accentuates critical perspectives of how public and private music assessment policies in Singapore interweave, showing the interrelatedness and disjuncture of assessment practices. This is situated within the unique confluences of educational contexts, such as an ascendency of arts education and an emphasis on holistic education after fifty years of Singapore’s nation-building. Through the interweaving of these contexts, as well as the particulars of policies and practices, this chapter attempts to present the textural nuances and dynamics both within and between the two ensembles of policies. The chapter also suggests directions for the orchestration of the “next piece” in the evolution of Singaporean music assessment policies and practices: assessment supporting equity and wide access to musical practices, and driving meaningful curricular and pedagogical practices.
Music Assessment Policy and Practice in the United States
Authors: Smith Bret P.
Published: January 2019

Since the beginning of the republic, educational policy in the United States has comprised a complex mixture of public and private interests. Music teachers in the United States occupy a curious spot in the nexus of these influences, enjoying considerable autonomy within a context of mandates and informal traditions. This chapter provides an overview of historical influences and contemporary trends pertaining to the assessment of music learning in US educational settings. The relationships between governmental policies at the national, state, and local level are outlined, and practices driven by nongovernmental entities, such as professional organizations, test developers, and publishers are considered.
Assessment in the Applied Studio in Higher Education
Authors: Parkes Kelly A.
Published: January 2019

This chapter outlines the various lines of inquiry and research about assessment in the applied studio and makes recommendations for further research. It comprises three sections: the first focused on briefly defining the applied setting, the second on assessment of musical learning in the applied studio, and the third section on the assessment of teaching in the applied studio. The chapter explores previous research literature and illustrates the need for further work. It will be relevant for musicians preparing to become applied studio teachers, current applied studio teachers, and administrators seeking to evaluate the work undertaken in applied studios.
Curriculum-Based Policy in Music Assessment
Authors: Chen Hsiao-Fen
Published: January 2019

The officially designated curriculum syllabus of each country, considered a reflection of national policies of education, is a valuable source for studying policies. As globalization continues to draw the world closer, curriculum syllabi in the Asian-Pacific region have been adapted to changing curricular demands. At the same time, the importance of music assessment in international circles finds itself increasingly reflected in the music curriculum guidelines/standards in countries of the region. This chapter explores assessment policies addressed in music curriculum syllabi in China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan. It begins with a brief introduction of the educational context and music curriculum of each country/district, followed by a review of its policy of music assessment. The chapter closes with a general discussion of commonalities, challenges, and trends and issues regarding music assessment from an Asian perspective.
The Texas Music Assessment
Authors: Henry Michele L.
Published: January 2019

Although music is a required subject and a part of the state-mandated curriculum for kindergarten through grade twelve in Texas public schools, it is not a part of the mandatory State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness. In 2004, the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), in conjunction with the Texas Music Administrators Conference (TMAC), identified the need for a music assessment tool that would allow music educators in the state to determine the extent to which their programs and students are meeting the state-mandated curricular requirements. This chapter traces the development of the Texas Music Assessment (TMA) from its inception, including the construction of a statewide curriculum, the creation of knowledge- and skill-based content, and the development of a suitable Web-based delivery system for all content, to its current form.
Assessment in Music Education
Authors: Hudson Mark , Gates Karol
Published: January 2019

This chapter provides the reader with a practical perspective and working knowledge of the process by which the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) and the Colorado Music Educators Association (CMEA) developed performance assessments sample resource options in response to the need to measure student learning in the music classroom. This process, along with the ongoing bank of performance tasks developed via the Colorado Content Collaboratives partnership, is reviewed and placed in perspective within the current Colorado educational landscape as well as the intersection with the CDE Sample Curriculum Project and the Assessment Literacy Program. In this manner, one method for developing reliable and valid measures of student learning is presented for consideration. Finally, the use of these assessments in measuring music teaching practices and teacher effectiveness is examined.
The South Carolina Arts Assessment Program
Authors: Lewis Ashlee , Burgess Yin , Fan Xumei
Published: January 2019

This chapter describes the music assessment for the South Carolina Arts Assessment Program (SCAAP) and the cycle of continual improvement used in the development and maintenance of the assessment. The SCAAP is a state-level arts assessment program that has been in operation for more than 10 years. The chapter describes the history and development of all aspects of the assessment. Then, the chapter reviews the analyses undertaken each year as part of the assessment cycle, including a review of the results from the most recent administration of the assessment. After discussing the development and technical characteristics of the assessment, the chapter reviews some of the investigations that the assessment developers have undertaken using the music assessment. Finally, the chapter describes lessons that will be beneficial to others interested in developing technically sound assessments in music.
Assessment and Orff Schulwerk Pedagogy
Authors: Johnson Daniel
Published: January 2019

This chapter on assessing student learning and Orff Schulwerk examines the foundations of this approach, its focus on creativity, and practical applications of this pedagogy. By reviewing current research literature and international adoptions of the Schulwerk, the chapter focuses on three assessment-related challenges: a lack of clearly defined teaching practices, a de-emphasis of evaluation in the Orff process, and inherent challenges related to assessing creativity. An examination of professional resource documents and recent developments in national standards provides ways to address each of these assessment challenges in Orff-based instruction. A discussion of curricular levels offers more possibilities for enhancing authentic assessment strategies. Practical recommendations for Orff Schulwerk teachers to improve their assessment protocols and implications for teacher-educators conclude this chapter.
Analyzing Student Data to Inform Instruction and Increase Student Growth
Authors: Odegaard Denese
Published: January 2019

This practice-focused chapter describes analyzing student work (ASW), a process used by some music teachers in the United States to assess student work, analyze the results, and modify and improve instructions based on that analysis. Throughout the ASW process, specific qualities of student work are assessed using rubrics (markschemes). For teachers, the ASW process addresses the two questions “What do we do if a student is not proficient?” and “What do we do if a student is proficient and beyond?” The ASW process focuses on one aspect of student work at a time and provides data that enables teachers to modify instruction to improve student learning. Teachers can use data yielded from the ASW process in three ways: (1) to inform instruction and improve student proficiency; (2) to describe student work present and missing to construct a rubric; and (3) build consensus in scoring student work as a data team.
Assessment in Music Education
Authors: Brophy Timothy S.
Published: January 2019

The assessment of music learning in schools is an ongoing focus for music teachers, researchers, policymakers, leaders, and other interested constituents to varying degrees. The contexts within which the assessment of music learning take place are as varied as the historical, cultural, political, philosophical, and educational environments from which they arise. This chapter identifies common conditions that affect the assessment of music learning in schools across the world—opportunity to learn, standards, curriculum, philosophy, and accountability and high-stakes testing. From this arises a discussion of the qualities of well-designed music learning assessments, including reliability, validity and threats to validity, the application of reliability and validity to teacher-made assessments, and the application of consensual assessment and consensus moderation assessment approaches. Next, the chapter presents and rationalizes eight international principles for assessment in music education. The chapter closes with a discussion of the state of the art of assessment in music education, and the challenges encountered with the application of assessment models that are misaligned with the unique nature of music learning.
Sodium Channelopathies of the Central Nervous System
Authors: DeCaen Paul G. , George Alfred L. , Thompson Christopher H.
Published: January 2019

This chapter presents information about the structure, function, and molecular genetics of voltage-gated sodium channels expressed in the central nervous system. Sodium channels are essential for the generation and propagation of neuronal action potentials. Recent advances in structural biology have provided atomic-scale descriptions of sodium channel structure that can be related to specific functional properties. We further discuss cellular and subcellular localization, as well as the primary physiological functions mediated by sodium channels within the central nervous system. Finally, this chapter examines the association of various sodium channel isoforms with common brain disorders, including epilepsy, autism, and migraine, and explains the range of functional consequences of disease-associated mutations that are correlated with diverse human phenotypes.
The Global HIV/AIDS and LGBT Movements
Authors: Youde Jeremy
Published: January 2019

A reciprocal relationship exists between HIV/AIDS and LGBT organizing, both historically and in the current era. This chapter analyses the dynamics of the interconnection between these movements since the first description of the disease we now know as AIDS appeared in 1981. It begins by describing the emergence of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and how the first organizations dedicated to HIV/AIDS emerged out of and drew inspiration from LGBT groups. It then looks at the specific cases of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) and the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) and how both groups linked their activism strategies to previous LGBT organizing experiences in the United States and South Africa, respectively. The chapter then examines the reciprocal relationships between the domestic and international levels in HIV/AIDS and LGBT politics. Finally, it explores the tensions between the HIV/AIDS and LGBT movements and the lines of division within the HIV/AIDS movement itself.