bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A review of building integrated photovoltaic: case study of tropical climatic regions
Authors: Abdullahi Mu’azu Mohammed , Abubakar Mas’ud Abdullahi , Abubakar Mas’ud Ibrahim , Ardila-Rey Jorge Alfredo , Muhammad-Sukki Firdaus , Karim Ridoan , Mohd Saudi Ahmad Shakir , Bani Nurul Aini , Wirba Asan Vernyuy
Published: March 2021

The building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system have recently drawn interest and have demonstrated high potential to assist building owners supply both thermal and electrical loads. In this paper, the BIPV technology has been reviewed, in terms of its performance, efficiency and power generation capacity. Specifically, the applications of the BIPV in tropical climate regions have been discussed, together with its prospects and challenges. For these schemes to be implemented in a tropical climatic region, the following issues must be considered: 1) Certain studies must be done relating to electrical load demand, predicted PV output, location of the buildings and its integration and constraints associated with roof design; 2) For the highest energy production from solar PV, the solar collectors need to be with the right tilt depending on the location; 3) Design criteria such as safety, efficiency, durability, flexibility and constructive issues need to be considered; 4) The government of such countries must train electricians and carpenters on PV installations; 5) The BIPV roofing must perform same function as normal roofing materials, such as noise protection, water tightness, insulation and climate protection, and 6) As practiced around the world, these countries must establish design standards for the BIPV.
Hardware in the loop simulative setup for testing the combined heat power generating wind turbine
Authors: Shchur Ihor , Shchur Vsevolod , Bilyakovskyy Ihor , Khai Mykhailo
Published: March 2021

This paper describes the design and implementation of hardware in the loop (HIL) system based on induction motor wind turbine emulator for the study of the operation of a combined heat-power (CHP) generating wind energy conversion system (WECS). The energy generation part of the WECS consists of two specially designed generators that are placed on a common vertical axis, which is connected to the induction motor through a gearbox. The first generator is an electric two-armature axial PMSG and the second one is a thermal electromagnetic retarder. The software part of the HIL setup simulates the interaction of the wind flow with a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) and is implemented in a programmable logic controller based on the model developed in the MATLAB/Simulink. The results of experimental studies of the CHP WECS with the created HIL simulative setup at both constant and turbulent wind speeds have shown good agreement with the corresponding results of computer simulation. The created HIL simulative setup will be used for the development of an energy management system for CHP WECS.
Super-twisting SMC for MPPT and grid-connected WECS based on SCIG
Authors: Amina Bouhenna , Mohammed Khodja , Houari Merabet Boulouiha
Published: March 2021

This paper proposes a high-order sliding mode control (HO-SMC) with the super-twisting (ST) algorithm for maximum power point tracking (MPPT) and grid-connected wind energy conversion system (WECS), based on squirrel-cage induction generator (SCIG). The main features of this control strategy are attenuation of the chattering phenomenon inherent in first-order sliding mode control and its robustness against external and internal disturbances encountered by the wind power system. The simulation is carried out under SimPowerSystems of MATLAB/Simulink to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of the proposed control compared with conventional and fuzzy logic proportional-integral (PI) controllers for three different scenarios of disturbances, a fluctuating wind speed, a grid voltage drop, and parametric variations.
In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of a Small-Molecule APJ (Apelin Receptor) Agonist, BMS-986224, as a Potential Treatment for Heart Failure
Authors: Gargalovic Peter , Wong Pancras , Onorato Joelle , Finlay Heather , Wang Tao , Yan Mujing , Crain Earl , St-Onge Stéphane , Héroux Madeleine , Bouvier Michel , Xu Carrie , Chen Xue-Qing , Generaux Claudia , Lawrence Michael , Wexler Ruth , Gordon David
Published: March 2021

Background:

New heart failure therapies that safely augment cardiac contractility and output are needed. Previous apelin peptide studies have highlighted the potential for APJ (apelin receptor) agonism to enhance cardiac function in heart failure. However, apelin’s short half-life limits its therapeutic utility. Here, we describe the preclinical characterization of a novel, orally bioavailable APJ agonist, BMS-986224.

Methods:

BMS-986224 pharmacology was compared with (Pyr
1
) apelin-13 using radio ligand binding and signaling pathway assays downstream of APJ (cAMP, phosphorylated ERK [extracellular signal-regulated kinase], bioluminescence resonance energy transfer–based G-protein assays, β-arrestin recruitment, and receptor internalization). Acute effects on cardiac function were studied in anesthetized instrumented rats. Chronic effects of BMS-986224 were assessed echocardiographically in the RHR (renal hypertensive rat) model of cardiac hypertrophy and decreased cardiac output.

Results:

BMS-986224 was a potent (Kd=0.3 nmol/L) and selective APJ agonist, exhibiting similar receptor binding and signaling profile to (Pyr
1
) apelin-13. G-protein signaling assays in human embryonic kidney 293 cells and human cardiomyocytes confirmed this and demonstrated a lack of signaling bias relative to (Pyr
1
) apelin-13. In anesthetized instrumented rats, short-term BMS-986224 infusion increased cardiac output (10%–15%) without affecting heart rate, which was similar to (Pyr
1
) apelin-13 but differentiated from dobutamine. Subcutaneous and oral BMS-986224 administration in the RHR model increased stroke volume and cardiac output to levels seen in healthy animals but without preventing cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis, effects differentiated from enalapril.

Conclusions:

We identify a novel, potent, and orally bioavailable nonpeptidic APJ agonist that closely recapitulates the signaling properties of (Pyr
1
) apelin-13. We show that oral APJ agonist administration induces a sustained increase in cardiac output in the cardiac disease setting and exhibits a differentiated profile from the renin-angiotensin system inhibitor enalapril, supporting further clinical evaluation of BMS-986224 in heart failure.
LARP7 Protects Against Heart Failure by Enhancing Mitochondrial Biogenesis
Authors: Yu Huijing , Zhang Fang , Yan Pengyi , Zhang Shasha , Lou Yingmei , Geng Zilong , Li Zixuan , Zhang Yan , Xu Yuejuan , Lu Yanan , Chen Chen , Wang Daowen , Zhu Wei , Hu Xinyang , Wang Jian’an , Zhuang Tao , Zhang Yuzhen , Wu Gengze , Liu Junling , Zeng Chunyu , Pu William T. , Sun Kun , Zhang Bing
Published: March 2021

Background:

Heart failure (HF) is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, and its prevalence continues to rise. LARP7 (La ribonucleoprotein domain family member 7) is a master regulator that governs the DNA damage response and RNAPII (RNA polymerase II) pausing pathway, but its role in HF pathogenesis is incompletely understood.

Methods:

We assessed LARP7 expression in human HF and in nonhuman primate and mouse HF models. To study the function of LARP7 in heart, we generated global and cardiac-specific
LARP7
knockout mice. We acutely abolished LARP7 in mature cardiomyocytes by Cas9-mediated
LARP7
somatic knockout. We overexpressed LARP7 in cardiomyocytes using adeno-associated virus serotype 9 and ATM (ataxia telangiectasia mutated protein) inhibitor. The therapeutic potential of LARP7-regulated pathways in HF was tested in a mouse myocardial infarction model.

Results:

LARP7 was profoundly downregulated in failing human hearts and in nonhuman primate and murine hearts after myocardial infarction. Low LARP7 levels in failing hearts were linked to elevated reactive oxygen species, which activated the ATM-mediated DNA damage response pathway and promoted LARP7 ubiquitination and degradation. Constitutive
LARP7
knockout in mouse resulted in impaired mitochondrial biogenesis, myocardial hypoplasia, and midgestational lethality. Cardiac-specific inactivation resulted in defective mitochondrial biogenesis, impaired oxidative phosphorylation, elevated oxidative stress, and HF by 4 months of age. These abnormalities were accompanied by reduced SIRT1 (silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1) stability and deacetylase activity that impaired SIRT1-mediated transcription of genes for oxidative phosphorylation and energy metabolism and dampened cardiac function. Restoring LARP7 expression after myocardial infarction by either adeno-associated virus–mediated LARP7 expression or small molecule ATM inhibitor substantially improved the function of injured heart.

Conclusions:

LARP7 is essential for mitochondrial biogenesis, energy production, and cardiac function by modulating SIRT1 homeostasis and activity. Reduction of LARP7 in diseased hearts owing to activation of the ATM pathway contributes to HF pathogenesis and restoring LARP7 in the injured heart confers myocardial protection. These results identify the ATM-LARP7-SIRT1 pathway as a target for therapeutic intervention in HF.
Zhuangzi’s Word, Heidegger’s Word, and the Confucian Word
Authors: Møllgaard Eske J.
Published: March 2021

Traditional Chinese commentators rightly see that understanding Zhuangzi’s way with words is the presupposition for understanding Zhuangzi at all. They are not sure, however, if Zhuangzi’s words are super-effective or pure nonsense. I consider Zhuangzi’s experience with language, and then turn to Heidegger’s word of being to see if it may throw light on Zhuangzi’s way of saying. I argue that a conversation between Heidegger and Zhuangzi on language is possible, but only by expanding Heidegger’s notion of Gestell (enframing) and through a destruction of the dominant Confucian discourse that obscures Zhuangzi’s way of saying.
Water source and transmission in Haloxylon ammodendron in the desert margin of the Manas River Basin, China
Authors: Li Wanjing , Zhao Li , Yang Guang , Yan Ke , He Xinlin , Gao Yongli , Xue Lianqing , Li Fadong , Wu Yage
Published: March 2021

Analysis of water source and moisture transfer characteristics of desert plants is of great significance for ecological restoration in arid areas. In this study, the water source utilized by the desert plant, Haloxylon ammodendron, was analysed using the stable isotope technique, and the water transportation characteristics were obtained based on the proportional heat balance method under different weather conditions. The results showed that (1) before raining, the moisture of H. ammodendron mainly relied on groundwater (the average contribution rate was 34.14%) and on soil water located at a depth of 120–180 cm (the average contribution rate was 29.87%). After the rain, H. ammodendron mainly absorbed soil water from a depth of 60–120 cm (the average contribution rate was 33.19%) and groundwater (the average contribution rate was 30.67%); (2) the stem flow of H. ammodendron showed an obvious diurnal variation, showing a “midday rest” phenomenon. The stem flow showed a peak value, and in sunny days, it was ~2 fold higher than that in cloudy days. (3) The stem flow rate of H. ammodendron varied regularly overtime as follows: August > July > September > June > May, and the meteorological factors affecting its stem flow were solar radiation (0.826) > atmospheric temperature (0.598) > humidity (-0.573). The results provide basic support for the ecological conservation of the desert plant H. ammodendron, while also having important implications for ecological restoration in arid regions.
Two New Species of Diploderma Hallowell, 1861 (Reptilia: Squamata: Agamidae) from the Hengduan Mountain Region in China and Rediscovery of D. brevicaudum (Manthey, Wolfgang, Hou, Wang, 2012)
Authors: WANG KAI , GAO WEI , WU JIAWEI , DONG WENJIE , FENG XIAOGANG , SHEN WENJING , JIN JIEQIONG , SHI XIUDONG , QI YIN , SILER CAMERON D. , CHE JING
Published: March 2021

Recent studies have highlighted the underestimated diversity of the genus Diploderma Hallowell, 1861 in the Hengduan Mountain Region in Southwest China, but much of the region remains poorly surveyed for reptile diversity. In this study we describe two new species of Diploderma from the upper Jinsha and middle Yalong River Valley, based on evaluations of morphological, genetic, and distribution data. The two new species are morphologically most similar to D. angustelinea and D. vela, but they can be diagnosed from both recognized taxa and all remaining congeners by a suite of morphological features, particularly the distinct coloration of gular spots. Additionally, both new species either render other recognized species paraphyletic or are allopatric with respect to their morphologically similar congeners. Furthermore, we rediscover D. brevicaudum in the wild for the first time, which was known from historical museum specimens only. We estimate the phylogenetic position of D. brevicaudum within the genus Diploderma based on mitochondrial genealogy, and we provide an expanded diagnosis and comparisons against closely related congeners and provide a detailed description of coloration in life based on newly collected specimens. Our discoveries of the new Diploderma species further highlight the urgent conservation needs of the currently neglected hot-dry valley ecosystems in the Hengduan Mountain Region of China.
Innovation Outposts in Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: How to Make Them More Successful
Authors: Decreton Benoit , Monteiro Felipe , Frangos Jean-Marc , Friedman Lisa
Published: March 2021

Startups in entrepreneurial ecosystems such as Silicon Valley constantly generate potentially disruptive technologies and business models. Consequently, multinational companies are finding it essential to be connected to the ecosystems where these opportunities are emerging, and many have opened “innovation outposts” in these locations. However, not many outposts succeed in effectively connecting their companies with these ecosystems. This article details why outposts often fail to become “effective brokers” and what companies should do for their outposts to deliver their full potential.
An appropriate and reactive response to the repeated waves of the COVID-19 pandemic by the national medico-psychological network (CUMP) in France
Authors: Prieto Nathalie , Vignaud Philippe , Darbon Remy , Cheucle Eric , Philippe Jean-Marc
Published: March 2021

Introduction:

France has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Anxiety, depression, burn out and the high proportion of post-traumatic stress disorder proved to be the most expected troubles caused by this pandemic and the confinement. Medico-psychological emergency units (CUMP) have been solicited at the very early stage of the pandemic because CUMP units are very well known by the French government and systematically associated to emergency plans.

Methods:

In this article we describe the process which has been developed to cope with the psychological needs in the general population. At a first level, platforms of volunteers specialised into listening were available. Then those platforms could directly mobilise the CUMP in case of psychiatric disorders. It ran over the whole first wave and it has been reactivated because of the second confinement in France.

Results:

During the first wave, approximately 1% of all the calls made on the national Covid number required to be redirected to the listening platforms. Of this group, 4% were related to reactive pathology or a psychiatric decompensating that required adapted and specialised care.

Conclusion:

The high rates of psychological distress detected in the general population in recent scientific literature seem discrepant with our findings of relatively low reorientation towards the CUMP. Nevertheless, our study highlights that the response of the CUMP network in France during the first wave was supportive. The second wave displays its adaptability to the public health policies.
Preparing public health at the front lines: effectiveness of training received by environmental health inspectors in the Caribbean
Authors: Shah Kalim U.
Published: March 2021

Environmental health departments in the Caribbean continue to contend with environmental determinants of health related to an increasingly complex array of challenges, including climatic change, disasters, pollution, bioterrorism, and global pandemics. Building the human resource capacity to meet these challenges requires access to modernized, context-relevant training, especially for environmental health inspectors who interface with the public. This study focuses on the standardized Three-Step training program delivered by education institutions across the Caribbean, which is the primary training required by ministries of health for entry into the environmental health inspectorate. A total of 22 focus groups were completed in five countries—Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago—with 94 participants drawn from the education institutions delivering training and the inspectors who have received the training. Findings suggest: program strengths in core academic content; weaknesses in faculty experts to deliver advanced subjects; opportunities for enhancing field-training experiences in collaboration with ministries; and threats to program survival due to bottlenecks in public sector hiring that reduce the attractiveness of entering the profession. Interestingly, academic trainers and practitioners differ on the importance of certain knowledge sets, such as legal and court procedural skills and epidemiological data analysis. As ministries of health in these countries contemplate ways to modernize the inspectorates, these findings can guide how ministries and education institutions work together to modernize the Three-Step training program.

Points for practitioners

Environmental health inspectors interfacing with the public are well placed to contribute perspectives to the public health modernization discourse. Formal training programs must be periodically and frequently recalibrated to societal needs and the state of the art in subject area knowledge. Strengthening the local teaching institutions’ capacity to deliver relevant educational programs will translate into better-prepared frontline professionals. Formal training lags in integrating some emergent subject areas, such as climate change and environmental health determinants.
Decolonization and the aesthetics of disorder: Naipaul, Evaristo, Boland
Authors: Whittle Matthew
Published: March 2021

Decolonization is presented in dominant accounts as an orderly transition and not the culmination of anticolonial resistance movements. This in turn contributes to what Paul Gilroy terms an endemic “post-imperial melancholia” across contemporary European nations and the removal of empire and its demise from understandings of European history. Drawing on Bill Schwarz’s reconceptualization of a Fanonian commitment to disorder, this article focuses on Britain’s history of colonialism and post-imperial immigration and argues for the mapping of a disorderly aesthetics in works by V. S. Naipaul, Bernardine Evaristo, and Eavan Boland. The three formal features of non-linearity, polyvocality, and environmental imagery enable these writers to bear witness to the complex histories of empire, transatlantic slavery, decolonization, and immigration from the colonial “margins”. These “aesthetics of disorder” counter a dominant narrative of decolonial order and challenge conceptions of British exceptionalism that were reinforced at the moment of imperial decline.
Effects of Visual Flow Alterations on Psychophysiological Responses to Virtual Reality Exercise
Authors: Yasukawa Koki , Koike Yuta , Konno Taisei , Sudo Mizuki , Ohkawara Kazunori , Ando Soichi
Published: March 2021

Virtual reality (VR) technology combined with exercise, called VR exercise, is believed to have beneficial effects on mood; but VR factors contributing to improved mood remain ambiguous. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of visual flow speed on psychophysiological responses (i.e., physiological responses, ratings of perceived exertion or RPE, and mood) to immersive VR exercise in a simulated natural environment. Eighteen male participants ( Mage =23.1, SD = 1.9 years) cycled an ergometer at 80 watts for 5 minutes on three separate occasions while watching a first-person VR movie through VR goggles at three different speeds of visual flow, corresponding to 7.5 km.h−1, 15 km.h−1, and 22.5 km.h−1. The order of the three speeds was randomized in a counterbalanced design. We measured heart rate, oxygen uptake, minute ventilation, respiratory rate, and cadence during the exercise, and we recorded ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and mood immediately after the exercise. We evaluated mood states with the Two-Dimensional Mood Scale. One-way repeated measures analysis of variance or the Friedman test revealed no significant effects on any physiological variables, RPE or cadence as a result of altered visual flow speed during VR exercise ( p > .05). However, speed of visual flow significantly influenced participant ratings of Vitality ( p = 0.01) and Pleasure ( p = 0.02), with the faster speed resulting in a more positive mood state. As these findings showed that VR exercise with faster visual flow induced positive mood states, we recommend faster visual flow to induce better mood states in VR exercise.
Teaching (through) autoethnography
Authors: Szwabowski Oskar , Wężniejewska Paulina , Łozińska Monika
Published: March 2021

This text is about teaching evocative autoethnography in higher education. The main part entitled ‘On stage’ is a record of the presentation at the “Ideatorium” conference devoted to academic teaching. We decided to talk about the project “Autoethnography of Study” which Oskar conducted at the University of Szczecin. Instead of describing, we showed what had happened. Or maybe what seemed to us – me, the lecturer and Paulina, the student – what had happened. This is an example of performative autoethnography.
Quaternary ammonium salt–modified polyacrylonitrile/polycaprolactone electrospun nanofibers with enhanced antibacterial properties
Authors: Zhang Hongnan , Zhang Tingting , Qiu Qiaohua , Qin Xiaohong
Published: March 2021

In this experiment, octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (STAC), a cationic antibacterial agent, was designed to modify hydrolyzed polyacrylonitrile (PAN) through tight electrostatic attraction. Then, the modified PAN was successfully electrospun with polycaprolactone (PCL) to obtain PCL/PAN-STAC nanofibrous membranes with enhanced mechanical properties. The modified PAN was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and elemental analysis. The morphological, mechanical and antibacterial properties of nanofibrous membranes were investigated. The blended nanofibrous membrane presented a uniform and stable structure with small pore size. Tensile tests indicated that the mechanical property of PCL/PAN-STAC nanofibrous membrane was obviously enhanced by blending. Disk diffusion tests showed that the inhibition zones of PCL/PAN-STAC against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were 7.56 ± 0.05 mm and 15.37 ± 0.34mm,, respectively. Shaking method indicated that the antibacterial activity against E. coli was as high as 96.20 ± 0.89% when the use of PCL/PAN-STAC reached 9 mg. Therefore, this antibacterial nanofibrous membrane is very favorable for applications such as protective filtration masks and wound dressing.
Evaluation of School Climate Behaviors in the School Context: CONVIVE Questionnaire
Authors: Ruiz-Hernández José Antonio , Ruiz-Fernández Carmen María , Pina López David , Llor-Zaragoza Laura , Pagán-Escribano María , Jiménez-Barbero José Antonio , Puente-López Esteban
Published: March 2021

School climate research has traditionally been carried out by separating its two main components, prosocial and antisocial behaviors. This is often a partial view of the school climate. Hence, the goal of this study is to develop an evaluation instrument (CONVIVE) that takes into account both perspectives of the school climate through a dual-strategy design, psychometric and non-experimental, cross-sectional, and descriptive-comparative. The sample includes 600 Primary and Secondary Education students from a southeastern region of Spain. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factorial Analysis fit indices were used for the psychometric study. The result is a 26-item instrument (CONVIVE) made up of four scales that evaluate antisocial and prosocial behaviors, both performed toward others and received by peers: Prosocial Behavior Actor, Prosocial Behavior Receiver, Antisocial Behavior Actor, and Antisocial Behavior Receiver. These behaviors differ as a function of sex and the educational stage.
Platform Governance Design in Platform Ecosystems: Implications for Complementors’ Multihoming Decision
Authors: Chen Liang , Yi Jingtao , Li Sali , Tong Tony W.
Published: March 2021

Extant platform research focuses on how platform owners’ governance behaviors directly affect complementors. This study explicates the multilateral interdependence among different groups of producers within a platform ecosystem. We theorize about how platform owners’ governance design may create frictions between platform providers and complementors. While open governance grants greater autonomy to platform providers, it also cultivates a more complex ecosystem for complementors. Since ecosystem complexity raises the cost of product customization, complementors will be less willing to port an existing complement to a more complex ecosystem, that is, less likely to multihome. The negative effect is weakened as the complementor has greater experience with the destination ecosystem or when the complement exhibits a greater level of modularity. Our analysis of newly launched apps in Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android smartphone ecosystems finds supportive evidence. We discuss implications for the burgeoning literature on platform ecosystems and complementors.
Volunteerism in Times of Crisis: An Unconventional Response to Processing Unemployment Insurance Claims
Authors: Hung ChiaKo , Johansen Morgen S. , Kagan Jennifer , Lee David , Yu Helen H.
Published: March 2021

This essay provides a reflective commentary outlining Hawai’i’s unconventional response for employing a volunteer workforce of public servants when faced with the task of processing an unprecedented backlog of unemployment insurance claims triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although efforts are still ongoing, this essay applies volunteerism and public service motivation as a framework to explain why public servants would serve in a voluntary capacity at another public agency. The intent of this essay is to spur conversation on how public servants are further stepping up to the frontlines during times of crisis, as well as expand knowledge on the relationship between volunteerism and public service motivation.
Examining Variation in Emotional Distress among Individuals with a Cancer Diagnosis
Authors: Hildenbrand Grace M. , Benedict Bailey C.
Published: March 2021

This study examined whether emotional distress among U.S. adults diagnosed with cancer was influenced by death rates, survival rates, and new cases based on cancer type and individual-level variables (health efficacy, perceived health, and use of information and communication technologies and social media for health-related reasons). Health Information National Trends Survey 5 data from cycle 1 and cycle 2 were used to examine emotional distress among individuals who had experienced 1 of 17 different types of cancer diagnoses. A multilevel model and follow-up one-way ANOVA indicated a small statistically significant difference in emotional distress across cancer types. To investigate the influence of individual-level variables on emotional distress, a hierarchical regression analysis indicated that, after controlling for perceived health and health efficacy, using social media in a greater number of health-related ways significantly predicted greater emotional distress, while using information and communication technologies in a greater number of health-related ways did not.
Connected to the spirit of the frog: An Internet-based survey on Kambô, the secretion of the Amazonian Giant Maki Frog (Phyllomedusa bicolor): Motivations for use, settings and subjective experiences
Authors: Majić Tomislav , Sauter Meike , Bermpohl Felix , Schmidt Timo T
Published: March 2021

Background/aim:

Kambô is a name for the secretion of the Giant Maki Frog ( Phyllomedusa bicolor), which has been used by indigenous cultures from the Amazonas basin and has recently become popular in alternative healing circles in Western countries, with a certain overlap with psychedelic self-exploration.

Methods:

We carried out an online-based survey in English (54.92%) and German investigating motivations for using Kambô, settings in which rituals take place, and subjective experiences during and after the application.

Results:

Participants ( n = 386, mean age: 38.08 years, (standard deviation = 9.95)) were well-educated individuals with an increased lifetime prevalence of the use of ayahuasca (67.88%). A plethora of motivations for using Kambô was reported, including general healing, detoxification and spiritual growth. Acute effects included severe physical reactions and mild psychoactive effects, most surprisingly, the feeling of being connected to the frog’s spirit (41.97%), whereas predominantly positive persisting psychological effects were reported. Few participants reported long-lasting physical (2.85%) or mental (1.81%) health problems which they attributed to Kambô. Of the participants, 87.31% reported an increase in personal well-being or life satisfaction, and 64.26% considered Kambô to have been at least of ‘very much’ spiritual significance for their lives.

Conclusions:

The majority of users claimed beneficial effects including more health-orientated behaviors, whereas only very few participants complained about new health problems which they ascribed to Kambô. In retrospect, Kambô was given a high personal and spiritual significance by many participants. Additional research is needed to determine in how far reported effects are modulated by setting and subjective expectations.
An alliterative-typographical device in Psalm 37: Divine destruction of the wicked, enacted in real time
Authors: Lehmann Michael H. , Levine Nachman
Published: March 2021

Addressing the problem of the prospering of the wicked, Psalm 37 uses a poetic device to enact their destruction symbolically and concretely for the reader/listener in visible and audible correspondence and semantic affinity. A pivotal alliterative word series, chiastic in sound and sense, serves as an organizing pattern to subsume a system of literary devices and imagery.
Deuteronomy 14.3–21: An Early Exemplar of Rewritten Scripture?
Authors: Friedberg A. , Hoppe Juni
Published: March 2021

The almost verbatim parallels of the dietary laws in Lev. 11 and Deut. 14 have baffled scholars for a long time. We reexamine the evidence, offer a novel approach to determining the direction of dependency, and point out the notable similarities the borrowing bears to Second Temple editorial and redactional practices, drawing on recent Qumran scholarship. We conclude that Deut. 14.3–21 may be one of the earliest specimens of Rewritten Scripture.
Recycling of polypropylene and curaua fiber-based ecocomposites: Effect of reprocessing on mechanical properties
Authors: Bispo Sistanley Jones Lima , Freire Júnior Raimundo Carlos Silverio , Barbosa Joelton Fonseca , Silva Camila Cruz da , Cöuras Ford Elmo Thiago Lins
Published: March 2021

The polypropylene with load of reinforcement of curauá fiber (PP-curauá) is a compound developed to be applied in the process of injection of automotive plastic parts. Polypropylene composites reinforced with mineral fillers (talc) or glass fibers have been widely applied in this segment. However, natural fibers are an important alternative considering the aspects of sustainability, recyclability, abundance and low cost, when compared with glass fibers, and industrial talc. This study was prompted by the growing need for materials that meet the constant cycles of use, disposal and reuse, and avoid the harmful effects on the environment. The mechanical properties of a curaua fiber and polypropylene-based ecocomposite reprocessed one, three and five times were assessed, since reprocessing is known to change the strength of these materials. Pure polypropylene (0%) and ecocomposites with 10 and 30 wt% of fiber were submitted to tensile and three-point bending tests. The results showed that polypropylene ecocomposites with 30% curaua fibers exhibited a higher modulus of elasticity. Moreover, reprocessing did not significantly affect the ecocomposite properties, demonstrating their viability for reuse.
Structural Performance of Sections Treated with Thin Overlays for Pavement Preservation
Authors: Rahman Md , Vargas-Nordcbeck Adriana
Published: March 2021

Over the last decades, increased efforts have been made to identify cost-effective alternatives to achieve a longer pavement life by applying preservation treatments. The application of thin overlays to restore the surface condition of the pavement is widely practiced across the United States. Benefits include a long service life, a better riding surface, reduced noise, grade and slope geometry preservation, recyclability, and fewer maintenance regimes. Although thin overlays can provide significant improvements in both the immediate and long-term functional performance of the pavement, there is little information on how these treatments affect the structural performance of pavements. Although not expected to significantly improve structural capacity, thin overlays may be able to maintain a structurally sound pavement in good condition for longer. The objective of this study was to evaluate the structural performance of pavements treated with thin overlays as a preservation technique. To accomplish this objective, falling weight deflectometer and field performance data from six full-scale thin overlay test sections and a control section with high cracking were collected and analyzed over a period of nearly 8 years. The results indicated that, based on deflection basin parameters (DBPs), the treated sections had better performance and were projected to reach the “warning” zone much later than the untreated sections. The observed surface condition correlated well with these parameters as, in general, sections with higher DBPs also exhibited more cracking and rutting. The test sections continue to be monitored to fully quantify the extent of the structural benefit obtained from the treatments.
Bender Element Field Sensor for the Measurement of Pavement Base and Subbase Stiffness Characteristics
Authors: Kang Mingu , Qamhia Issam I. A. , Tutumluer Erol , Hong Won-Taek , Tingle Jeb S.
Published: March 2021

Layer modulus values are important input parameters in mechanistic pavement design and evaluation methods. Direct measurement of the stiffness characteristics of pavement base/subbase has been a challenging task. Nondestructive testing methods that are commonly used based on surface deflection measurements not only require a backcalculation process, but also have limitations on measuring local stiffness within the layer. This paper presents the result of a recent research effort at the University of Illinois aimed to develop a new sensor for the direct measurement of the in-situ moduli of constructed unbound pavement layers. The new sensor employs bender element (BE) shear wave transducers embedded in a granular base/subbase to evaluate the layer modulus from shear wave velocity measured at any depth and any orientation. To provide appropriate protection for the BE sensor and its cable connections, a stainless-steel cable guide, a sensor protection module, and a protection cover for the sensor were designed and optimized. A laboratory calibration box containing sand-sized crushed aggregates was used in the development stage of the BE sensor design. The BE sensor results were also studied for a typical dense-graded base course aggregate commonly used in Illinois. Finally, the BE sensor was installed in a field trial in newly constructed airport pavement test sections, and its layer modulus measurements were compared with results estimated from Dynamic Cone Penetrometer testing. The new BE field sensor has proven to be a viable direct measurement technique in transportation geotechnics applications to monitor stiffness characteristics of pavement granular base/subbase layers.
Hierarchically Demineralized Cortical Bone Combined With Stem Cell–Derived Extracellular Matrix for Regeneration of the Tendon-Bone Interface
Authors: He Shu-Kun , Ning Liang-Ju , Yao Xuan , Hu Ruo-Nan , Cui Jing , Zhang Yi , Ding Wei , Luo Jing-Cong , Qin Ting-Wu
Published: March 2021

Background:

Poor healing of the tendon-bone interface after rotator cuff repair is one of the main causes of surgical failure. Previous studies demonstrated that demineralized cortical bone (DCB) could improve healing of the enthesis.

Purpose:

To evaluate the outcomes of hierarchically demineralized cortical bone (hDCB) coated with stem cell–derived extracellular matrix (hDCB-ECM) in the repair of the rotator cuff in a rabbit model.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Tendon-derived stem cells (TDSCs) were isolated, cultured, and identified. Then, hDCB was prepared by the graded demineralization procedure. Finally, hDCB-ECM was fabricated via 2-week cell culture and decellularization, and the morphologic features and biochemical compositions of the hDCB-ECM were evaluated. A total of 24 rabbits (48 samples) were randomly divided into 4 groups: control, DCB, hDCB, and hDCB-ECM. All rabbits underwent bilateral detachment of the infraspinatus tendon, and the tendon-bone interface was repaired with or without scaffolds. After surgery, 8 rabbits were assessed by immunofluorescence staining at 2 weeks, and the others were assessed by micro–computed tomography (CT) examination, immunohistochemical staining, histological staining, and biomechanical testing at 12 weeks.

Results:

TDSCs were identified to have universal stem cell characteristics including cell markers, clonogenicity, and multilineage differentiation. The hDCB-ECM contained 3 components (bone, partial DCB, and DCB coated with ECM) with a gradient of calcium and phosphorus elements, and the ECM had stromal cell-derived factor 1, biglycan, and fibromodulin. Macroscopic observations demonstrated the absence of infection and rupture around the enthesis. The results of immunofluorescence staining showed that hDCB-ECM promoted stromal cell recruitment. Results of micro-CT analysis, immunohistochemical staining, and histological staining showed that hDCB-ECM enhanced bone and fibrocartilage formation at the tendon-bone interface. Biomechanical analysis showed that the hDCB-ECM group had higher ultimate tensile stress and Young modulus than the DCB group.

Conclusion:

The administration of hDCB-ECM promoted healing of the tendon-bone interface.

Clinical Relevance:

hDCB-ECM could provide useful information for the design of scaffolds to repair the tendon-bone interface, and further studies are needed to determine its effectiveness.
Dysregulation of murine immune functions on inhalational exposure to ammonia, dimethyl disulfide, 3-methylindole, or propionic acid
Authors: Kim HyeonJi , Song EunSeob , Lee JaeHee , Gautam Ravi , Shin SoJung , Cho AhRang , Kim YeonGyeong , Yang SuJeong , Jo JiHun , Acharya Manju , Maharjan Anju , Kim ChangYul , Heo Yong , Kim HyoungAh
Published: March 2021

Animal husbandry workers are exposed to various malodorous compounds in the workplace. Although these compounds cause severe nuisance, no systemic investigation of their effects on the immune system has been conducted. To address this issue, we evaluated the effects of inhalational exposure to ammonia, dimethyl disulfide, 3-methylindole (3-MI), and propionic acid (PA), representing four major groups of malodorous compounds, on humoral and cellular immunity in mice. Mice were exposed to the substances (low dose: 10 µL and high dose: 200 µL) for 10 min/day for 4 weeks in a modified standard mouse cage. Neutrophil% and splenic cytotoxic T cell% were significantly lower in the high-dose ammonia group than in the vehicle control. Exposure to ammonia and 3-MI increased immature thymic T lymphocyte% relative to control and concomitantly decreased both mature helper and cytotoxic T-cell populations in the thymus. In the ammonia exposure group, levels of serum immunoglobulin E and immunoglobulin A were elevated, and the IgG2a:IgG1 ratio in the serum was reduced in a dose-dependent manner. Splenic natural killer cell activity was significantly less in the PA exposure group than in the control. Overall, our findings suggest that inhalational exposure to these malodorous substances disturbs immune homeostasis in vivo.
The Role of Magnetoencephalography and Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography in Evaluation of Children With Drug-Resistant Epilepsy
Authors: Edmonds Benjamin D. , Welch William , Sogawa Yoshimi , Mountz James , Bagić Anto , Patterson Christina
Published: March 2021

Surgery holds the best outcomes for drug-resistant epilepsy in children, making localization of a seizure focus essential. However, there is limited research on the contribution of magnetoencephalography and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to the presurgical evaluation of lesional and nonlesional pediatric patients. This study proposed to evaluate the concordance of SPECT and magnetoencephalography (MEG) to scalp electroencephalography (EEG) to determine their effective contribution to the presurgical evaluation. On review, MEG and SPECT studies for 28 drug-resistant epilepsy cases were completed at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh from May 2012 to August 2018. Although not reaching statistical significance, MEG had increased lobar concordance with EEG compared with SPECT (68% vs 46%). MEG or SPECT results effectively provided localization data leading to 6 surgical evaluations and 3 resections with outcomes of Engel class I or II at 12 months. This study suggests MEG and SPECT provide valuable localizing information for presurgical epilepsy evaluation of children with drug-resistant epilepsy.
“Mtoto Wa Nyoka Ni Nyoka,” The Child of a Snake is a Snake: A Narrative Analysis of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Perpetration of Interpersonal Violence Among Men in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Authors: Zietz Susannah , Kajula Lusajo , Martin Sandra , Moracco Beth , Shanahan Meghan , Maman Suzanne
Published: March 2021

Childhood exposure to adversity, including abuse and neglect, is consistently found to be a predictor of intimate partner violence (IPV) and peer violence (PV) perpetration in adulthood. The purpose of this study is to qualitatively examine factors that may facilitate or impede the use of violence among those who have been exposed to adversity early in life. We are particularly interested in protective experiences or environments for these participants. The qualitative data were analyzed through thematic coding and narrative analysis of participant life histories.

We found three salient themes: (a) parental acceptance and early attachment is protective for coping with stress with intimate partners in adulthood; (b) certain key life turning points can provide a protective context against violent behavior in adulthood; and (c) poverty in adulthood compromises one’s ability to cope with stress and anger in adulthood.

Our findings contextualize the different factors that may affect the behavior of perpetration of interpersonal violence among high-risk men in Dar es Salaam who have been exposed to adversity in childhood. These findings provide important information on the risk and protective factors for interpersonal violence spanning from childhood to adulthood. This study highlights the importance of child development interventions in this situation, both for the primary prevention of child adversity and for promoting resilience and mitigating the effects of childhood adversity that put men at risk for perpetration of interpersonal violence in adulthood.
Experiences of Violence and Mental Health Outcomes among Colombian Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) and Transgender Women
Authors: Zea Maria Cecilia , Barnett Andrew P. , Río-González Ana María del , Parchem Benjamin , Pinho Veronica , Le Huynh-Nhu , Poppen Paul J.
Published: March 2021

Colombia endured 70 years of internal conflict, but despite a peace agreement, violence continues to be significant in the post-conflict era. Violence degrades the health and well-being of affected populations and it engenders psychological distress. Little is known about the impact of violence on the mental health of sexual and gender minority populations in Colombia. This study aimed to examine the frequency and sources of violence among cisgender men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women and their association with depressive symptoms and substance use. We administered a survey to 942 MSM and 58 transgender women recruited using respondent-driven sampling. We estimated the relationship between mental health indicators and experiences of violence using stepwise logistic and linear regressions, controlling for income, education, age, race, and mistreatment for being effeminate when younger. Respondent-driven sampling adjusted prevalence of any type of violence was 60.9% for the total sample, 59.8% for MSM, and 75.1% for transgender women. Experiences of violence were significantly related to depressive symptoms, binge drinking and drug use for the MSM sample. Violence perpetrated by family members or acquaintances was associated with greater depressive symptoms, and violence perpetrated by partners and strangers was associated with increased binge drinking and drug use. These results provide significant evidence of the negative association of experiences of violence and the mental health of sexual and gender minority people, a vulnerable population in Colombia. This study addresses issues of diversity regarding sexual orientation and gender identity in a Latin American middle-income country.