bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rotational Thromboelastometry and Its Use in Directing the Management of Coagulopathy in the Battle Injured Trauma Patient
Authors: Benson G
Published: December 2017

The military hospital at camp bastion Afghanistan is reputed to be the world's busiest trauma centre. Much has been learnt there in the field of managing massive haemorrhage, the protocols used by the military show a significantly higher survival rate than might be expected of such injuries. This article aims to explain the use of rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) monitoring and its role in reducing mortality in battle injured trauma patients.
A Safe Method to Prevent Visor Fogging and Allow Visual Aids
Authors: Bayne Duncan R
Published: December 2017

The cross infection risks from droplet contamination of conjunctiva and mucosa during interventional procedures (Davies 2007) sometimes with fatal potential is well recognised (Hosoglu 2003).
Strategies for the Management and Avoidance of Hypothermia in the Perioperative Environment
Authors: Singh A
Published: December 2017

This Open Learning Zone article outlines the necessity of monitoring temperature for patients undergoing surgical procedures with either general or local anaesthesia. An overview of the physiology of heat production and loss in the human body, and temperature as thermal measurement is given.
Spatial Awareness in Robotic Theatre
Authors: Ark Sandip , Williams Joanne
Published: December 2017

As surgical and anaesthetic procedures become more complex, operating theatres need to be larger and multi-purpose to accommodate specialist equipment such as the Da Vinci Robot. The Da Vinci theatre at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS trust (RWT) is a modern theatre equipped and designed specifically for robotic surgery. When we first began to perform robotic surgery at RWT we faced many challenges on how to maximise the space available to us, whilst striving to minimise the chance of de-sterilisation.
The Impact of Surgical Safety Checklists on Theatre Departments: A Critical Review of the Literature
Authors: Cadman V
Published: December 2017

The World Health Organisation's Safer Surgery Checklist has become an integral part of standard practice in operating theatres in the UK and other countries. However, some doubts still exist over how much of an effect the checklist actually has, with some staff feeling some resentment towards it. This review explores the literature regarding the impact of the checklist on theatre departments and how this can inform practice. The evidence found shows that use of the checklist reduces patient morbidity and mortality, improves communication and teamwork, reduces operating time and can reduce theatre costs. The negative perceptions that surround the checklist arise from misconceptions and lack of understanding and can result in poor compliance. Further research is required across all areas but with a focus on education and implementation of strategies that address existing barriers.
Perioperative Care: The Foundations of Quality Practice for the Child and Young Person
Authors: Clarke Sonya
Published: December 2017

More than a decade ago, Professor Sir Ian Kennedy (QC) the appointed investigator for the public enquiry into children's heart surgery at the Bristol Royal Infirmary stated,

“It seems so obvious it hardly needs to be said: just as children differ from adults in terms of their physiological, psychological, intellectual and emotional development, so they differ in their healthcare needs. They experience and see the world differently. Children are in a constant state of growth and development which creates particular needs and demands which are of a different order from those affecting adult patients. Their relative physical and emotional immaturity, in comparison with adults, has implications both for the treatment which they receive and the physical environment in which they are cared for'”’ (Kennedy 2001).
Come Clean for Surgery
Authors: Lo Queenie , Hunningher Annie
Published: December 2017

When patients are brought to the operating theatre a series of checks are performed to reduce harm or potential harm to our patients. One harm that can cause significant morbidity and mortality to our patients is surgical site infection (SSI). Reducing SSIs requires a multi-faceted approach prior to the incision. Prophylactic antibiotics are given, if indicated, along with glucose and temperature control as part of an SSI bundle. Meticulous attention is paid by the team to ensure that the surgical field is prepared with antiseptic solutions such as chlorhexidine or betadine. The airflow changes in theatres also help minimise the risk of infection. The surgeon and scrub team are trained to undertake strict asepsis when ‘scrubbing up’. The rest of the team are careful to ensure hand hygiene and appropriate glove use at all times.
Replacement of the Nose
Authors: Ellis Harold
Published: December 2017

Today's reconstructive surgeons may not be aware that replacement of the nose was carried out successfully as long ago as the 16th century by the surgeon Gaspar Taliacozzo of Bologna, Italy, who published a detailed and illustrated account of his operation in 1597. This procedure comprised raising a flap of skin from the upper arm to reconstruct the nose. The arm was kept in place, with the hand resting on the patient's head, using elaborate splinting until adherence had taken place; the flap was then detached from the donor arm. The operation was seldom used following this success, surgeons relying on replacement of the lost nose with an artificial organ fashioned from wood or silver and strapped over the defect.
Corneal Abrasion following Anaesthesia for Non-ocular Surgical Procedures: A Case-controlled Study
Authors: Carniciu AL , Fazzari MJ , Tabibian P , Batta P , Gentile RC , Grendell JH , Brathwaite CE , Barzideh N
Published: December 2017

The aim of this study was to identify risk factors associated with perioperative corneal abrasion at a single hospital in Mineola, New York (United States). A chart review was conducted of patients with perioperative corneal abrasion following non-ocular surgery and age-matched controls between June 2011 and November 2013. An age-stratified logistic regression model evaluated the association between corneal abrasion and potentially predisposing variables. The adjusted odds of a corneal abrasion occurring were 4.6 times greater for patients having surgery for ≥ 3 hours (p=0.001) and 3.6 times greater for patients with pre-existing ocular disease (p=0.02). Gender, diabetes status, surgical procedure or position were not found to be associated with the occurrence of a corneal abrasion. Corneal abrasions were associated with longer procedures and history of pre-existing ocular disease. No significant association between body positioning or surgical site and perioperative corneal abrasion was found. The study concludes that a longer duration of surgical procedure and pre-existing ocular disease are risk factors for perioperative corneal abrasion.
How Noisy are Total Knee and Hip Replacements?
Authors: Simpson JP , Hamer AJ
Published: December 2017

Orthopaedic theatre can be noisy. Fifty percent of orthopaedic theatre staff have features of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). In this study, decibel (dB) levels were recorded in 17 total knee replacements (TKRs) and 11 total hip replacements (THRs). Noise levels reached 105.6dB(A) using a hammer and 97.9dB(A) with an oscillating saw. Exposure to levels above 90dB (which occurred in every case) even for short time periods is proven to cause irreversible loss of hearing. Tools used in orthopaedic theatre produce impulse noises that can cause NIHL. Further investigation is required.
Enhancing perioperative nursing practice: Developing a course for the surgeon's assistant
Authors: Farrell Jane
Published: December 2017

This article describes the development of a new English National Board (ENB) course for nurses wishing to adopt the role of the surgeon's assistant. The original request for a course of this nature came from the clinicians working in hospitals in the Manchester area, including not only theatre nurses and managers but also surgeons and individuals already practising as surgeon's assistants. This course has been designed with the support of the nursing and medical staff in local trusts, who have been widely consulted. It was developed collaboratively with nurse educationalists, in order to standardise training and education for nurses in practice who wished to adopt this expanding role.
Organ Donation 2 Consent and Patient Rights
Authors: Bothamley Janet , Williams Marilyn , County Bernadette
Published: December 2017

In her first article, Janet Bothamley examined the literature on theatre nurses' perceptions of organ donation, in particular the emotional and stressful situations it may cause. This second article deals with the literature on consent and patients' rights. The author rightly points out that for ‘normal’ patients, theatre nurses take great care in ensuring that valid consent has been obtained in writing for surgical procedures. Consent for organ donation is often not given by the patient, and theatre nurses have no involvement with the family or relatives when these matters are discussed. There are many interesting and important issues here for theatre nurses.
Patient Assessment in Recovery
Authors: Starritt Trudi , Plowes Dina
Published: December 2017

For many of us, the developing intensity of recovery room care has been phenomenal. In this article, Trudi Starritt, Charge Nurse in Theatre Reception/Recovery at St John's Hospital at Howden, discusses the basic but vital elements for any perioperative practitioner to consider.
The Australian Twittersphere in 2016: Mapping the Follower/Followee Network
Authors: Bruns Axel , Moon Brenda , Münch Felix , Sadkowsky Troy
Published: December 2017

Twitter is now a key platform for public communication between a diverse range of participants, but the overall shape of the communication network it provides remains largely unknown. This article provides a detailed overview of the network structure of the Australian Twittersphere and identifies the thematic drivers of the key clusters within the network. We identify some 3.72 million Australian Twitter accounts and map the follower/followee connections between the 255,000 most connected accounts; we utilize community detection algorithms to identify the major clusters within this network and examine their account populations to identify their constitutive themes; we examine account creation dates and reconstruct a timeline for the Twitter adoption process among different communities; and we examine lifetime and recent tweeting patterns to determine the historically and currently most active clusters in the network. In combination, this offers the first rigorous and comprehensive study of the network structure of an entire national Twittersphere.
How an Artificially Intelligent Virtual Assistant Helps Students Navigate the Road to College
Authors: Page Lindsay C. , Gehlbach Hunter
Published: December 2017

Deep reinforcement learning using convolutional neural networks is the technology behind autonomous vehicles. Could this same technology facilitate the road to college? During the summer between high school and college, college-related tasks that students must navigate can hinder successful matriculation. We employ conversational artificial intelligence (AI) to efficiently support thousands of would-be college freshmen by providing personalized, text message–based outreach and guidance for each task where they needed support. We implemented and tested this system through a field experiment with Georgia State University (GSU). GSU-committed students assigned to treatment exhibited greater success with pre-enrollment requirements and were 3.3 percentage points more likely to enroll on time. Enrollment impacts are comparable to those in prior interventions but with substantially reduced burden on university staff. Given the capacity for AI to learn over time, this intervention has promise for scaling personalized college transition guidance.
Nature, genesis and industrial properties of the kaolin from Masirah Island, Oman
Authors: Pracejus Bernhard , Abbasi Iftikhar Ahmed , Al-Khirbash Salah , Al-Aamri Mohammad
Published: December 2017

Kaolin deposits >10 m thick overlie unconformably a Mesozoic ophiolite sequence at Jabal Humr, Masirah Island, Oman. The clay's mineralogical and chemical composition, plasticity and moisture content were measured to determine its genesis and suitability for commercial usage. The clay-rich raw material contains 76–94% kaolinite and varying amounts of quartz (micro sheets coating kaolinite) and calcite as well as secondary sulfates. The mode of occurrence, an associated shallow-marine iron oolite/pisolite unit, various secondary minerals which can only form in a gossan environment (oxidation zone of a much older sulfide deposit), and minerals such as gypsum that are highly unstable within a laterite, have led to the conclusion that the Jabal Humr kaolinite deposit cannot have the lateritic origin that has been suggested previously. Rather, it must have formed in a coastal marine environment with a subsequent strong geochemical overprint from the underlying gossan environment, after being enveloped by Tertiary carbonates. A high plasticity and its light colour after firing indicate that this material is suitable for industrial use, especially in pottery. Occasional high contents of up to ∼25% extremely fine-grained quartz (sheet-like, <50 nm thick) reduce the need for quartz addition during the processing for ceramic materials; such natural kaolinite-quartz mixtures already produce a suitable blend of materials. The possible occurrence of spalling during or after firing, caused by the sporadic presence of accessory calcite, can be avoided by by further addition of quartz which leads to the formation of calcium silicate.
The small vesicular culprits: the investigation of extracellular vesicles as new targets for cancer treatment
Authors: Urabe Fumihiko , Kosaka Nobuyoshi , Yoshioka Yusuke , Egawa Shin , Ochiya Takahiro
Published: December 2017

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membranous vesicles released from almost all type of cells including cancer cells. EVs transfer their components, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), messenger RNAs, lipids and proteins, from one cell to another, affecting the target cells. Emerging evidence suggests that reciprocal interactions between cancer cells and the cells in their microenvironment via EVs drive disease progression and therapy resistance. Therefore, understanding the roles of EVs in cancer biology will provide us with new opportunities to treat patients. EVs are also useful for monitoring disease processes. EVs have been found in many kinds of biological fluids such as blood, urine, saliva and semen. Because of their accessibility, EVs offer ease of collection with minimal discomfort to patients and are preferred for serial collection. In addition, they reflect and carry dynamic changes in disease, allowing us to access crucial molecular information about the disease status. Therefore, EVs hold great possibility as clinically useful biomarkers to provide multiple non‐invasive snapshots of primary and metastatic tumors. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of miRNAs in EVs in cancer biology and as biomarkers. Furthermore, we discuss the potential of miRNAs in EVs for clinical application.
Videolaryngoscopy for Physician-Based, Prehospital Emergency Intubation: A Prospective, Randomized, Multicenter Comparison of Different Blade Types Using A.P. Advance, C-MAC System, and KingVision
Authors: Cavus Erol , Janssen Sebastian , Reifferscheid Florian , Caliebe Amke , Callies Andreas , von der Heyden Martin , Knacke Peer G. , Doerges Volker
Published: December 2017

BACKGROUND:

Videolaryngoscopy is a valuable technique for endotracheal intubation. When used in the perioperative period, different videolaryngoscopes vary both in terms of technical use and intubation success rates. However, in the prehospital environment, the relative performance of different videolaryngoscopic systems is less well studied.

METHODS:

We conducted this prospective, randomized, multicenter study at 4 German prehospital emergency medicine centers. One hundred sixty-eight adult patients requiring prehospital emergency intubation were treated by an emergency physician and randomized to 1 of 3 portable videolaryngoscopes (A.P. Advance, C-MAC PM, and channeled blade KingVision) with different blade types. The primary outcome variable was overall intubation success and secondary outcomes included first-attempt intubation success, glottis visualization, and difficulty with handling the devices. P values for pairwise comparisons are corrected by the Bonferroni method for 3 tests (P[BF]). All presented P values are adjusted for center.

RESULTS:

Glottis visualization was comparable with all 3 devices. Overall intubation success for A.P. Advance, C-MAC, and KingVision was 96%, 97%, and 61%, respectively (overall: P < .001, A.P. Advance versus C-MAC: odds ratio [OR], 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.13–7.42, P[BF] > 0.99; A.P. Advance versus KingVision: OR, 0.043, 95% CI, 0.0088–0.21, P[BF] < 0.001; C-MAC versus KingVision: OR, 0.043, 95% CI, 0.0088–0.21, P[BF] < 0.001). Intubation success on the first attempt with A.P. Advance, C-MAC, and KingVision was 86%, 85%, and 48%, respectively (overall: P < .001, A.P. Advance versus C-MAC: OR, 0.89, 95% CI, 0.31–2.53, P[BF] > 0.99; A.P. Advance versus KingVision: OR, 0.24, 95% CI, 0.055–0.38, P[BF] = 0.0054; C-MAC versus KingVision: OR, 0.21, 95% CI, 0.043–.34, P[BF] < 0.003). Direct laryngoscopy for successful intubation with the videolaryngoscopic device was necessary with the A.P. Advance in 5 patients, and with the C-MAC in 4 patients. In the KingVision group, 21 patients were intubated with an alternative device.

CONCLUSIONS:

During prehospital emergency endotracheal intubation performed by emergency physicians, success rates of 3 commercially available videolaryngoscopes A.P. Advance, C-MAC PM, and KingVision varied markedly. We also found that although any of the videolaryngoscopes provided an adequate view, actual intubation was more difficult with the channeled blade KingVision.
Aversive learning of odor-heat associations in ants
Authors: Desmedt Lucie , Baracchi David , Devaud Jean-Marc , Giurfa Martin , d'Ettorre Patrizia
Published: December 2017

Ants have recently emerged as useful models for the study of olfactory learning. In this framework, the development of a protocol for the appetitive conditioning of the maxilla-labium extension response (MaLER) provided the possibility of studying Pavlovian odor-food learning in a controlled environment. Here we extend these studies by introducing the first Pavlovian aversive learning protocol for harnessed ants in the laboratory. We worked with carpenter ants Camponotus aethiops and first determined the capacity of different temperatures applied to the body surface to elicit the typical aversive mandible opening response (MOR). We determined that 75°C is the optimal temperature to induce MOR and chose the hind legs as the stimulated body region due to their high sensitivity. We then studied the ability of ants to learn and remember odor-heat associations using 75°C as unconditioned stimulus. We studied learning and short-term retention after absolute (one odor paired with heat) and differential conditioning (a punished odor versus an unpunished odor). Our results show that ants successfully learn the odor-heat association under a differential-conditioning regime and thus exhibit conditioned MOR to the punished odor. Yet, their performance under an absolute-conditioning regime is poor. These results demonstrate that ants are capable of aversive learning and confirm previous findings about the different attentional resources solicited by differential and absolute conditioning in general.
A new method to characterize function of theDrosophilaheart by means of optical flow
Authors: Mönck Hauke , Toppe David , Michael Eva , Sigrist Stephan , Richter Vincent , Hilpert Diana , Raccuglia Davide , Efetova Marina , Schwärzel Martin
Published: December 2017

The minuteness of Drosophila poses a challenge to quantify performance of its tubular heart and computer-aided analysis of its beating heart has evolved as a resilient compromise between instrumental costs and data robustness. Here, we introduce an optical flow algorithm (OFA) that continuously registers coherent movement within videos of the beating Drosophila heart and uses this information to subscribe the time course of observation with characteristic phases of cardiac contraction or relaxation. We report that the OFA combines high discriminatory power with robustness to characterize the performance of the Drosophila tubular heart using indicators from human cardiology. We provide proof of this concept using the test bed of established cardiac conditions that include the effects of ageing, knockdown of the slow repolarizing potassium channel subunit KCNQ and ras-mediated hypertrophy of the heart tube. Together, this establishes the analysis of coherent movement as a suitable indicator of qualitative changes of the heart's beating characteristics, which improves the usefulness of Drosophila as a model of cardiac diseases.
Respiratory consequences of targeted losses ofHoxa5gene function in mice
Authors: Landry-Truchon Kim , Fournier Stéphanie , Houde Nicolas , Rousseau Jean-Philippe , Jeannotte Lucie , Kinkead Richard
Published: December 2017

Fetal development of the respiratory tract and diaphragm requires strict coordination between genetically controlled signals and mechanical forces produced by the neural network that generates breathing. Being expressed in the mesenchyme of trachea, lung and diaphragm, and in phrenic motoneurons HOXA5 is a key transcription factor regulating lung development and function. Consequently, most Hoxa5−/− mutants die at birth from respiratory failure. However, the extensive effect of the null mutation makes it difficult to identify the origins of respiratory dysfunction in newborns. To address the physiological impact of Hoxa5 tissue-specific roles, we used conditional gene targeting with the Dermo1Cre and Olig2Cre mouse lines to produce specific Hoxa5 deletions in mesenchyme and motoneurons, respectively. Hoxa5 expression in mesenchyme is critical for trachea development, whereas its expression in phrenic motoneurons is essential for diaphragm formation. Breathing measurements in adult mice with whole body plethysmography demonstrated that at rest, only the motoneuron deletion affects respiration due to higher breathing frequency and decreased tidal volume. But subsequent exposure to a moderate hypoxic challenge (FiO2=0.12; 10 min) revealed that both mutant mice hyperventilate more than controls. Hoxa5flox/flox;Dermo1+/cre mice showed augmented tidal volume while Hoxa5flox/flox;Olig2+/cre mice had the largest increase in breathing frequency. No significant differences were observed between medulla-spinal cord preparations from E18.5 control and Hoxa5flox/flox;Olig2+/Cre mouse embryos that could support a role for Hoxa5 in fetal inspiratory motor command. According to our data, Hoxa5 expression in mesenchyme and phrenic motor neurons controls distinct aspects of respiratory development.
Effects of food availability on metabolism, behaviour, growth and their relationships in a triploid carp
Authors: Liu Sheng , Fu Shi-Jian
Published: December 2017

Metabolism, behaviour and growth are highly flexible in fish species, and inter-individual variation in these traits is evolutionarily and ecologically significant. It has long been suggested that these traits co-vary, although their relationships are debated. In the present study, we investigated whether metabolism, behaviour, growth and the potential relationships among them vary with food availability in sterile triploid carp. In this experimental animal model, we investigated the standard metabolic rate (SMR), growth performance and personality traits (i.e., activity, exploration and boldness) of juvenile individuals before and after 25 days of rearing in which fish were fed either once or twice a day to satiation. Inter-individual differences in SMR in each group showed high repeatability across the experimental period, and twice-fed fish showed higher SMRs than did once-fed fish after 25 days of rearing. Compared with the once-fed group, the twice-fed group showed higher feeding rates (FRs) and lower feeding efficiencies (FEs) but similar specific growth rates (SGRs). None of the personality traits were affected by food availability. Furthermore, both boldness and exploration were highly repeatable throughout the experiment in the group fed twice a day, whereas only exploration showed repeatability in the group fed once a day. In the once-fed group, SMR and the personality traits were positively correlated with FR and negatively correlated with FE and (or) SGR; however, these relationships did not exist in the twice-fed group due to the surplus of food. These results suggest that food availability significantly affects physiological, behavioural and ecological processes in these fish by altering the trade-off between metabolism and growth.
Whipple disease without joint involvement in a patient with chronic diarrhea and HIV seropositive partner: case report
Authors: Farias Luis Arthur Brasil Gadelha , Lira Mateus Lavor , Rocha Matheus Dias Girão , Dos Santos Alessandra Marques , Silva Leitão Terezinha do Menino Jesus , Girão Evelyne Santana , Rodrigues Jorge Luiz Nobre
Published: December 2017

Introduction: Whipple’s disease is a rare, infectious disease caused by the bacterium Tropheryma whipplei that affects multiple organs and systems. It is difficult to identifyand frequently presents as a diagnosis of exclusion due existence of conditions causing most prevalent chronic diarrhea, as AIDS and Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Case report: Herein we report the clinical findings of a 38-year-old male patient, married with a HIV seropositive woman, with a four-year course of chronic diarrhea until he received a definitive diagnosis. Treatment was started with a 15-day penicillin G regimen, followed by continued trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole 80/400mg after hospital discharge up to current days. Conclusion: Currently, the patient remains asymptomatic and has completed clinical remission after two years of treatment.
QUALITY ASSURANCE OF MACHINE REPAIR IN PRODUCTION PLANTS
Authors: Jaworski Jan , Trzepiecinski Tomasz
Published: December 2017

The paper considers the problem of the assurance of the quality of machine repair in production plants. The primary quality repair index has been described analytically with the help of the arithmetic matrix in which the relationship between the production capacity and the structural and organizational factors of the quality of repair is taken into account. Ratios of input variables and the output relationship with the primary factors of the quality of machine repair were determined using matrix equations that reflect the relationship between design, process and organizational factors, and the basic quality ratios. It has been concluded that the quality of machine repair depends on proper diagnosis, the wear and tear of individual connections of elements, and the technological processes leading to the restoration of the damaged parts and reassembling the machine.
Soybean Yield Variability of Drainage and Subirrigation Systems in a Claypan Soil
Authors: Nelson Kelly A.
Published: December 2017

Abstract. Claypan soils with less than 1% slope are poorly drained because of an argillic claypan layer 45 to 60 cm below the soil surface. Field research was conducted near Bethel, Missouri, to evaluate soybean ( [L.] Merr.) grain yields and plant populations above subsurface drain tile lines and 3.1 m distances from the tile lines of laterals installed at 6.1 and 12.2 m wide spacings for drainage (DO) or drainage plus subirrigation (DSI). The site was arranged as a split-plot design with four replications. In some years, sub-sub-plots included multiple cultivars or fungicide/insecticide management systems. This resulted in 30 year-cultivar-management (YCM) treatments from 2002 to 2015. Averaged over all of the 30 YCM systems, the highest yields (4,050 kg/ha) were observed above the 6.1 m DSI drainage tile line. Subsurface drainage tile spacings (6.1 and 12.2 m) and distances from the tile lines for DO or DSI yielded 11% to 21% greater than the ND control. Due to extreme weather events among YCM systems, data were separated into low (LYE, <3,360 kg/ha) and high (HYE, >3,360 kg/ha) yield environments. In LYEs, yields were more variable above the tile line and generally decreased as the distance from the subsurface tile lines increased for DSI, but yields were greater and more variable between the tile lines for DO. In HYEs, yields were greatest and more variable between the 6.1 or 12.2 m spaced DO treatments, while yields were greatest above the drain tiles with lower variability compared to between the tile lines with DSI. A narrower drain tile spacing may be needed to reduce yield variability in LYEs, but this was less evident in HYEs. Keywords: Claypan, Drain tile spacing, Drainage, Subirrigation, Water management.
Effect of Ground Corn Fractionation on Flowability
Authors: Kalivoda Julie R , Jones Cassandra K , Stark Charles R
Published: December 2017

Abstract.

Particle size reduction is an important component of feed manufacturing that impacts pellet quality, feed flowability, and animal performance. However, reducing particle size too fine often results in reduced flowability of the ground corn and finished feed, which creates potential handling and storage concerns at the feed mill and farm. The objective of this experiment was to determine how fractionation affected flowability of ground corn. Whole corn was received from a single source and ground to achieve 3 target particle sizes, 400, 500, and 600 µm with actual results of 469, 560, and 614 µm. Each target particle size was fractionated into three segments: fine (< 282 µm), medium (> 282 µm and < 630 µm), and coarse (> 630 µm) particles using a vibratory separator (model LS18SP3, SWECO, Florence, Ky.). Within particle size treatment, the percentage of sample obtained for each fraction was: 400 µm: 4.9%, 34.2%, and 60.9% for fine, medium, and coarse, respectively; 500 µm: 1.9%, 31.3%, and 66.9% for fine, medium, and coarse, respectively; and 600 µm: 1.0%, 24.4%, and 74.7% for fine, medium, and coarse, respectively. When the fractions were separated, their particle sizes were: 400 µm: 94, 269, and 744 µm for fine, medium, and coarse, respectively; 500 µm: 96, 253, and 815 µm for fine, medium, and coarse, respectively; and 600 µm: 99, 220, and 898 µm for fine, medium, and coarse, respectively. Fractionated samples were analyzed for multiple flowability characteristics, including: angle of repose, critical orifice diameter, composite flow index (CFI), bulk density, and compressibility. Treatments were arranged in a nested model with three replicates per treatment. Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS. When fraction was nested within particle size for each treatment, the fine fraction (< 282 µm) of the 400 µm corn had the poorest CFI (P < 0.05). Whereas the coarse fraction (> 630 µm) of the 600 µm corn had the best CFI. The nutrient content of the fractions was greatest in the medium fraction (> 282 µm and < 630 µm) for crude protein, fat, and acid detergent fiber (ADF). In conclusion, reducing particle size resulted in the ground corn having poorer flowability characteristics, caused predominantly by particles that passed through a 282 µm screen. Based on this data, producers may potentially grind corn to a lower particle size while maintaining flowability if fine particles (< 282 µm) are removed. Keywords: Corn, Flowability, Particle size analysis
Blame and fear: Roma in the UK in a changing Europe
Authors: Richardson Joanna , Codona Janie
Published: December 2017

Anti-Gypsyism is not a new phenomenon. For centuries Roma have been blamed and feared; their social identities constructed to fulfil a function to be the visible ‘other’. The Brexit debate offered fertile, but well-trodden, ground for negative discourse. Gypsies, Travellers and Roma (GTR) embodied three key gripping anti-EU arguments: sovereignty of policy making, immigration control and potential cost savings of withdrawing from the EU. The research shows the felt hostility by GTR and suggests that the successful performance of the social construction of Roma in the debate was vital to the hegemonic, anti-EU, fear and blame discourse of Brexit.
An Experimental Study on Transforming Montmorillonite to Glauconite: Implications for the Process of Glauconitization
Authors: Zhang Xiaoke , Cai Yuanfeng , Jiang Dongmei , Zhang Yang , Pan Yuguan , Bai Lijuan
Published: December 2017

The objective of this study was to explore the geological origin of glauconite, which is believed to precipitate and mature very slowly (~1 Myr) in neritic environments (shallow water, oceanic coastal zones, at water depths of 100–200 m) with very low sedimentation rates. A series of simulation experiments was designed and carried out in sealed tubes placed in an oven and heated to a constant temperature of 50°C (±2°C) for 60 or 150 d. The parent materials used for these experiments were two low-Fe montmorillonites with different crystallinities. The montmorillonites were introduced to solutions with concentrations of 0.02–0.1 mol/L Fe3+ and 0.05–0.2 mol/L K+ with various values of pH and Eh. The products were analyzed using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry, electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The morphological changes from parent material to product were observed under SEM, which revealed the formation of a flaky mineral (e.g. a product formed in the interstitial spaces between montmorillonite crystals). The formation of a flaky mineral indicates that the product is a layer silicate. Qualitative analysis of XRD patterns revealed that the main product phase was a mica group mineral and the d060 value was consistent with the presence of glauconite (0.152 nm) and/or Fe-illite (0.150 nm). A glauconite and Fe-illite mineral assemblage formed in a weakly acidic solution, while Fe-illite, mixed-layer Fe-illite, and montmorillonite formed in neutral and alkaline solutions. Stretching vibrations of Fe(III)Fe(III)OH-AlFe(II)OH and/or MgFe(III)OH were observed in FTIR spectra (3550–3562 cm−1) of the products formed in acidic solutions, which along with the g = 1.978 ESR signal indicated that Fe(III) entered octahedral positions in the tetrahedral/octahedral/tetrahedral layer (TOT) platelets. The AlFe(II)OH-MgFe(III)OH (3550–3562 cm−1) and AlFe(III)OH (870 cm−1) vibrations were only observed in products formed in neutral and alkaline solutions. Analysis of the Mössbauer spectra showed that Fe(III) substituted for Al and Mg in the cis octahedral sites of montmorillonite. The simulation experiments demonstrated that the pH and redox conditions (Eh) of the environment controlled the nature of the product mineral species. Results of the present study revealed that glauconitization and illitization occurred under different conditions, where glauconitization preferentially occurred in an acidic environment and illitization preferentially occurred in a nearly neutral to alkaline environment.
‘The problem seems to be an American with no sense of timing or fashion’: Costume and national identity in Torchwood
Authors: Beattie Melissa
Published: December 2017

This article focuses upon the telefantasy series Torchwood, which has existed as both a sole BBC Wales production and twice as an international co-production with first the CBC (Series 1) and then the American cable broadcaster Starz (Series 4). The series, a spin-off of British telefantasy series par excellence, Doctor Who, includes highly stylized costume for some lead characters, especially the males, which both function as metonyms for the characters themselves (much like comic iconography) as well as complicating simple readings of national identity of both character and series. These complications include the fact that a programme that was paratextually positioned as being Welsh had an American-accented, pseudo-RAF-uniformed man from the future as its lead and metonym, as well as how the costuming (amongst other aesthetic elements) changed and the change in how they were interpreted when the series moved production to the United States. Drawn from my Ph.D. research and including empirical audience data, textual analysis and interviews with both costumers associated with the series, this article will both use the series as a case study for how national identity can be discursively constructed, reinforced and analysed via costume as well as looking at the specifics of how a globalized (and glocalized) genre series uses costume.
The network as niche
Authors: Prior David
Published: December 2017

As telematic music emerges as a medium distinct from that of live performance, broadcast or recorded music, we are in a privileged position to experience it in its naïve form. This article investigates where these distinctions reside and starts by considering the ways in which telematic music systems mediate the music made with them. It then turns to Anthony Chemero’s rendering of William Gibson’s theory of affordances, imagining Online Orchestra as an ‘environment’, or musical habitat. Rather than focusing on spurious notions of the fixed properties of the media that comprise this environment, attention is given to the relations between the various mediating forms within the system, whether they be performers, audiences or technical media.
Immersive dance and virtual realities
Authors: Birringer Johannes
Published: December 2017

This article offers a reflection on the mixed reality experience and a layered approach, devised for the theatrical environment of kimosphere no. 4/Horlà, viewed as an expanded, multi-sensorial sense of playful immersion. This research on new choreographic architectures was conducted with colleagues in the DAP-Lab, developing further our investigations of dance and wearable design. I question the role of the virtual and of wearable virtual reality (VR) headsets within the metakimosphere series and the physical theatre/dance/VR installations that I have created. I also briefly discuss the critical importance and historical context of the ritual-communal aspect of immersion and participatory art.
Avatar life-review: Virtual bodies in a dramatic paradox
Authors: Ryu Semi
Published: December 2017

This article will examine ongoing avatar life-review projects, in the light of drama therapy concepts and methods, exploring a hybrid model of avatar/drama therapy in a virtually mediated environment. The avatar life-review platform will incorporate techniques/methods of drama therapy and psychodrama such as role playing, role-reversal, doubling and mirroring as a hybrid therapeutic model between VR and theatre. It will address multiple states of self in dramatic paradox, especially for people with traumatic memories, disabilities, memory loss or mental health complications.
Translational Spaces: Virtual narratives of being and belonging
Authors: Tavera Santiago
Published: December 2017

The concept of translation implies a dynamic motion of subjects and objects to perceive, remember and experience physical and digital elements across geographical, linguistic, physical, psychological and virtual borders. Translational Spaces is a project that consists of a series of 2D and 3D animations combined with written fictions of virtual narratives of dislocation. This project investigates processes of self-identification, social interaction and physical perception through multimedia works that emerge from digital and textual components. Through interactive and immersive gallery installations, along with participatory workshops, this project questions the notion of a homogeneous self within multiple physical and virtual realms. Dislocation, familiar to those who have experienced cultural migration, has become more apparent as subjects now live as virtual immigrants within the realm of the digital. In cyberspace, subjects and objects exist as images that are constantly moving from one screen to the next, a virtual dislocation similar to the one of a migrant body. The sense of being present and belonging to a specific place is constantly affected by today’s digital culture. As augmented digital elements merge with the physical world, a mixed reality emerges in which subjects and objects become re-presentations of themselves. Digital technologies have become an extension of both the body and its consciousness. This allows for the body to experience itself, others and the places around it as multiple and infinite entities. Translational Spaces presents a suspended state of mixed realities in which digital environments are used to trigger a sense of the immediate and the already-lived. This allows the individuals who experience it to construct their own virtual narratives through a sense of (dis)embodiment and dislocation.
Prevention of macular oedema after cataract surgery in patients with diabetes mellitus
Authors: Bashina Irina A. , Frolov Michael A. , Lipatov Dmitriy V.
Published: December 2017

Nowadays, diabetes mellitus is an important public health problem. Together, population growth, prevalence of obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle has led to an increased number of individuals with diabetes mellitus. Globally, cataracts remain the leading cause of blindness and the second cause of visual impairment among patients with diabetes mellitus.
Phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation is the standardised surgical technique to treat cataracts. Advances in cataract surgical techniques have significantly decreased the incidence of complications. However, surgery may not be safe, as the risk of complications increases in patients with diabetes mellitus with pre-existing bloodocular barrier pathology. Cystoid macular oedema is one of the most severe postoperative complications after cataract surgery. It is considered the most important cause of suboptimal visual acuity and strongly affects early recovery.
The optimal pharmacological therapy for prevention of CME following cataract surgery in patients with diabetes mellitus continues to be debated and needs further investigation.
Las costas de la Nueva España en la cartografía náutica inglesa: del viaje de Basil Ringrose al atlas de William Hack (1680-1698)
Authors: Pinzón Ríos Guadalupe
Published: December 2017

Con este trabajo se pretende estudiar  el diario de Basil Ringrose y el atlas de William Hack como ejemplo de las formas en las que el Pacífico fue cada vez más representado en la cartografía inglesa de la segunda parte del siglo XVII, lo cual llevó a su inclusión en obras compuestas por mapas (o atlas), en el marco de la expansión marítima por el que la Gran Bretaña transitó en esa centuria. Si bien los ingleses en principio dependieron de la cartografía neerlandesa, la necesidad de conocer con más detalle las regiones a las que se dirigían sus travesías los obligaron a elaborar nuevos mapas en los que se incluyeron las informaciones obtenidas por sus propios navegantes. Ese fue el caso de los trabajos de Ringrose y Hack, los cuales se elaboraron a partir de un libro de mapas español capturado en las costas de Guayaquil donde se mostraban con detalle las costas del Pacífico americano y cuya información pronto fue copiada y reinterpretada para que sirviera a los navegantes ingleses. La relevancia de esos trabajos se debe a que, como explica James Akerman, los atlas cuentan con esquemas geográficos que representan una narrativa de los territorios expuestos a partir de una estructura que tiene una intencionalidad planteada por los autores o editores de esos trabajos (Akerman, 2012:3-4). En el caso de Ringrose y Hack, los textos de ambos se estructuraron en función de los mapas contenidos en ellos y tuvieron la intención de sintetizar la información geográfica que se obtenía de un espacio marítimo en construcción, como en ese momento era el Pacífico, además de dar cuenta de los alcances de las navegaciones inglesas y servir de propaganda para generar mayor interés en dichas aventuras.
Glanz und Blendung
Authors: Willis Jakob
Published: December 2017

Im Frankreich des 17. Jahrhunderts findet ein grundlegender Wandel von Heldentum statt, der auch den Bereich der Dramenliteratur entscheidend geprägt hat. Wenngleich sich keine endgültige »démolition du héros« (Bénichou) beobachten lässt, geraten im Zuge von Moralistik und Frühaufklärung insbesondere militärisch geprägte Konzepte des Heroischen in eine Krise, während neue Helden wie der grand homme und das génie die Bühne betreten. Jakob Willis analysiert die Ästhetik des Heroischen im Drama und zeigt, dass sich bei allem Wandel ein regelrechter Heroisierungscode herausarbeiten lässt: Von Corneilles Cid bis zu Molières Don Juan und Racines Phèdre wird der Held im Modus von Glanz und Blendung visualisiert.
Palästina erzählen
Authors: El-Qasem Kawthar
Published: December 2017

Auf welche Strategien und Ressourcen greifen Menschen zurück, die von Benachteiligung, Ausgrenzung und Marginalisierung betroffen sind? »Palästina erzählen« geht dieser Frage nach und gewährt wertvolle Einblicke in die Praxis der palästinensischen mündlichen Überlieferung. Mit methodischer Gründlichkeit, kenntnisreicher Sensibilität und Kreativität arbeitet Kawthar El-Qasem das Phänomen der Inversion als Modus Operandi der Überlieferung heraus: Inversion bedeutet eine Vertauschbarkeit, mit der das Eigene (wieder-)hergestellt und weitergegeben werden kann. Mit der Erzählung wird ein Kippbild erzeugt, dem Umkehrbarkeit, Kontingenz und Transformation eingeschrieben sind. Das, was zwischen verschiedenen Deutungen liegt, wird dabei zur Ressource.
Melting Pots & Mosaics: Children of Immigrants in US-American Literature
Authors: Heinze Rüdiger
Published: December 2017

In the past decades, children of immigrants have drawn increased attention not only in press and media, but also in a number of academic fields, among them sociology, history, or ethnology. Surprisingly, literary and cultural studies have been somewhat more reluctant to approach the topic. While there is work on individual authors or, at the very most, particular ethnic groups, comparative approaches are rare. This monograph aims to amend this. It provides an extensive discussion of US-American literature about children of immigrants, comparing different authors, different ethnic groups and different literary and historical contexts.
Specific duality and stability of positive electrical circuits
Authors: Kaczorek Tadeusz
Published: December 2017

The specific duality and asymptotic stability of the positive linear electrical circuits are addressed. The specific duality of positive linear electrical circuits composed of resistances, inductances, capacitances and source voltages is established. 1) The linear electrical circuits are positive if and only if the common branches between meshes with resistances and inductances and meshes with resistances and capacitances contain only source voltages; 2) In linear electrical circuits the interchanges of the inductances by the capacitances and the capacitances by inductances do not change the asymptotic stability of the electrical circuits. The asymptotic stability of the positive and nonpositive electrical circuits is analyzed.