bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors Associated With the Ultrasound Characteristics of the Lumbar Multifidus: A Systematic Review
Authors: Rummens Sofie , Robben Elise , De Groef An , Van Wambeke Peter , Janssens Lotte , Brumagne Simon , Desloovere Kaat , Peers Koen
Published: July 2019

Objective

The first aim of this review was to investigate the association between age, sex, height, weight, physical activity level, posture, lumbar level and body side, and structural characteristics (cross‐sectional area [CSA], thickness, linear dimensions, and echo intensity) of the lumbar multifidus (LM) measured by ultrasound. Second, differences between healthy individuals and patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) were investigated.

Type

Systematic review.

Literature Survey

PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were searched until September 2018.

Methodology

Studies were included if (a) full text was available in English, Dutch, or French; (b) participants were older than 18 years of age and were asymptomatic or had nonspecific CLBP; and (c) the relation between structural characteristics of the LM, measured by ultrasound, and at least one of the above‐mentioned factors was described, and/or a comparison between a CLBP and control group was made. Data were extracted independently by two reviewers. Quality of studies was assessed using an adapted version of the Downs and Black checklist.

Synthesis

Twenty‐seven studies were included. Thickness and CSA of the LM do not correlate with age. Males have a larger LM size than females. Thickness and CSA of left and right LM are highly correlated in healthy subjects. More significant side‐to‐side differences are present in subjects with CLBP than in those without. Muscle size increases from proximal to caudal lumbar levels. The presence of CLBP is associated with muscle size and function.

Conclusions

The association between the factors age, sex, height, weight, physical activity level, posture, lumbar level, body side, and presence of CLBP, and the ultrasound characteristics of the LM is discussed. These factors should be taken into account in future research on structural muscle characteristics, or when correlating with functional behavior or investigating the effect of a targeted intervention.

Level of Evidence

I.
Tuning the optical clarity of glass fiber‐reinforced polycarbonates by reactive blending with alternatives from biorenewable isosorbide
Authors: Lai Wenqin , Su Lili , Zhang Ming , Yan Jin , Wu Guozhang
Published: July 2019

Optically transparent and mechanically strong glass fiber (GF)‐reinforced polycarbonate (PC) composites were fabricated via reacting with biorenewable isosorbide (ISB) moiety. While direct copolymerization of ISB and bisphenol A (BPA) by melt transesterification with diphenyl carbonate remained difficult due to the large discrepancy of reactivity and low thermal stability of ISB, we demonstrated in this work that ISB and BPA copolycarbonates with high molecular weight, low discoloration, and excellent optical transparency can be fabricated at 250 °C within 2.5 min by reactive blending of commercially available ISB‐based PC and BPA‐PC. A systematic study of synthesis, thermal degradation, and reactive blending of ISB‐containing PCs was performed to distinguish the reactivity between ISB and BPA, elucidate the effect of catalyst on chain scission, and testify the reaction mechanism of the unexpected asymmetrical inner–inner carbonate exchange. We clarified that the hydroxyl group on BPA exhibited a low reactivity and Lewis acid‐catalytic transesterification played a key role in preventing from the chain scission during the asymmetrical inner–inner exchange. Another unexpected factor that effectively suppressed the further chain scission was the miscibility of the ISB‐based PC with BPA‐PC once each chain on average was carbonate exchanged with its counterpart to form a “biblock” PC. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 1670–1681
Psychological correlates of sleep quality in lung cancer patients under chemotherapy: A single‐center cross‐sectional study
Authors: Papadopoulos Dimitrios , Kiagia Maria , Charpidou Andriani , Gkiozos Ioannis , Syrigos Konstantinos
Published: July 2019

Objectives

Disturbed sleep is a common complaint of lung cancer patients undergoing active oncologic treatment. We aimed to clarify the extent to which psychological symptoms, coping strategies, and social support interfere with sleep quality and whether they mediate the relationship between sleep quality and fatigue or functional capacity in a sample of chemotherapy treated lung cancer patients.

Methods

Lung cancer patients attending an oncology unit for scheduled chemotherapy cycles completed questionnaires assessing their sleep quality, fatigue, depression, anxiety, stress, coping, social support, symptoms of pain, dyspnea, and cough, and sleep hygiene practices. Demographic and disease‐related characteristics were obtained from patients' medical records and treating physicians rated their functional status. Multivariate regression and mediation analyses were applied to test the study's hypotheses.

Results

One hundred nineteen patients were enrolled, 58.2% of whom were identified as poor sleepers. After adjusting for age, gender, comorbidities, concomitant medications, cancer stage, prior and ongoing treatment, sleep hygiene, and symptoms, there was a statistically significant association between poor sleep quality and anxiety (odd`s ratio [OR] 1.17 [95% CI, 1.01‐1.35]), stress (OR 1.14 [95% CI, 1.04‐1.25]), and positive coping (OR 1.15 [95% CI, 1.02‐1.31]). Poor sleep quality was an independent correlate of fatigue (B 1.56 [95% CI, 0.61‐2.50]) and low performance status (OR 5.17 [95% CI, 1.60‐16.72]); stress symptoms partially mediated the relationship between sleep quality and fatigue (P = .030).

Conclusions

Higher psychological burden predict sleep disturbances and contribute to increased fatigue in lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Effective psychoeducational interventions may benefit these populations.
Lung ultrasound features of children with complicated and noncomplicated community acquired pneumonia: A prospective study
Authors: Musolino Anna Maria , Tomà Paolo , Supino Maria Chiara , Scialanga Barbara , Mesturino Alessia , Scateni Simona , Battaglia Massimo , Pirozzi Nicola , Bock Caterina , Buonsenso Danilo
Published: July 2019

Objective

The purpose of this study was to describe lung ultrasound (LUS) findings at baseline and 48 hours after the beginning of treatment and evaluate how they correlate with outcome

Design

We prospectively analyzed patients from 1 month to 17 years of age with community acquired pneumonia (CAP) evaluated at a tertiary level pediatric hospital. At baseline and 48 hours after the beginning of treatment, history, clinical examination, laboratory testing, chest X‐ray, and LUS were performed.

Results

One hundred one children were enrolled in the study (13 with complicated CAP). At baseline those who developed complications presented a larger size of the subpleural pulmonary parenchymal lesions (P = .001) often associated with a complex pleural effusion (63.6%, P = .013). Those with an uncomplicated CAP presented an air, arboriform, superficial and dynamic bronchogram, as opposed to complicated CAP which had an air and liquid bronchogram, deep, fixed (P = .001). At the 48‐hour control in the noncomplicated CAP group, bronchogram was more frequently superficial and dynamic (P = .050). Pleural effusion disappeared in half cases (P = .050). In all patients, neutrophilic leucocytosis with increased C‐reactive protein was detected and decreased at control (P = .001). The linear regression analyses showed the switch from a deep to a superficial bronchogram as the only explanatory variable (r = 0.97, R2 = 0.94, P = .001, t = 10.73).

Conclusions

Our study describe early LUS features of CAP that might be able to predict the development of complicated CAP.
Toll‐like receptors as novel therapeutic targets for herpes simplex virus infection
Authors: Jahanban‐Esfahlan Rana , Seidi Khaled , Majidinia Maryam , Karimian Ansar , Yousefi Bahman , Nabavi Seyed Mohammad , Astani Akram , Berindan‐Neagoe Ioana , Gulei Diana , Fallarino Francesca , Gargaro Marco , Manni Giorgia , Pirro Matteo , Xu Suowen , Sadeghi Mahmoud , Nabavi Seyed Fazel , Shirooie Samira
Published: July 2019

Seropositivity for HSV reaches more than 70% within the world population, and yet no approved vaccine exists. While HSV1 is responsible for keratitis, encephalitis, and labialis, HSV2 carriers have a high susceptibility to other STD infections, such as HIV. Induction of antiviral innate immune responses upon infection depends on a family of pattern recognition receptors called Toll‐like receptors (TLR). TLRs bridge innate and adaptive immunity by sensing virus infection and activating antiviral immune responses. HSV adopts smart tricks to evade innate immunity and can also manipulate TLR signaling to evade the immune system or even confer destructive effects in favor of virus replication. Here, we review mechanisms by which HSV can trick TLR signaling to impair innate immunity. Then, we analyze the role of HSV‐mediated molecular cues, in particular, NF‐κB signaling, in promoting protective versus destructive effects of TLRs. Finally, TLR‐based therapeutic opportunities with the goal of preventing or treating HSV infection will be discussed.
Robust output feedback control of polynomial growth nonlinear systems with measurement uncertainty
Authors: Zhang Xu , Lin Wei
Published: July 2019

Even in the presence of uncertainty in both state and output equations, we prove that global asymptotic stabilization is still possible by output feedback for a family of uncertain nonlinear systems dominated by a triangular system with a polynomial output‐dependent growth rate. In contrast to the linear growth requirement in the recent work the nonlinear perturbations in this paper are allowed to satisfy a linear growth condition with a polynomial output‐dependent rate. To handle simultaneously the polynomial nonlinearities and unknown parameter in the system output, we propose a high‐gain estimator with a dynamic gain that is updated online through a Riccati‐type dynamic equation. Then, an estimator‐based controller is designed by a recursive algorithm that makes it possible to assign the controller gains step by step. The globally stabilizing output‐feedback controller developed in this paper is robust with respect to uncertainties in the system dynamics and output equations.
Statistical inference of the relative concentration index for complex surveys
Authors: Yu Mandi , Li Yan , Qiu Meng
Published: July 2019

The relative concentration index is a widely used measure for assessing relative differences in health across all socioeconomic population groups. We extend its usage to individual‐level data collected through complex surveys by deriving its variance using the Taylor linearization (TL) method. Two existing plug‐in variance estimators that only require grouped data are also compared. We discuss sources of uncertainty that each variance estimator considers and present simulation studies to compare the performance of the three estimators under various sampling designs. The proposed TL variance estimator consistently produces valid results; however, it requires the access to individual‐level data. Both plug‐in variance estimators are biased because of failure to account for certain error sources. However, when only grouped data is available, one of the plug‐in estimators can be valid as long as the socioeconomic groups are treated equally sized, a commonly used analytic strategy to emphasize group's instead of individual's burden of disease in health disparity assessment. We illustrate the three variance estimators by applying them to assessing socioeconomic disparities in child and adolescent obesity using complex survey sampled drawn from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
A variational approach to optimal two‐stage designs
Authors: Pilz Maximilian , Kunzmann Kevin , Herrmann Carolin , Rauch Geraldine , Kieser Meinhard
Published: July 2019

Recalculating the sample size in adaptive two‐stage designs is a well‐established method to gain flexibility in a clinical trial. Jennison and Turnbull (2015) proposed an “optimal” adaptive two‐stage design based on the inverse normal combination test, which minimizes a mixed criterion of expected sample size under the alternative and conditional power. We demonstrate that the use of a combination test is not necessary to control the type one error rate and use variational techniques to develop a general adaptive design that is globally optimal under predefined optimality criteria. This approach yields to more efficient designs and furthermore allows to investigate the efficiency of the inverse normal method and the relation between local (interim‐based) recalculation rules and global (unconditional) optimality of adaptive two‐stage designs.
One‐Step Transformation from Cu2S Nanocrystal to CuS Nanocrystal with Photocatalytic Properties
Authors: Wan Mengli , Zhang Yingying , Wei Wutao , Cui Shizhong , Hou Hongwei , Chen Weihua , Mi Liwei
Published: July 2019

Herein, we have realized the transformation from Cu2S to CuS phase by a facile secondary vulcanization. The CuS completely inherited the special morphology of the precursor nanocrystal, and the feature excludes the structural and dimensional influence in the study of the effects of Cu(I) and Cu(II) on photocatalytic properties. Under visible light irradiation, the photocatalytic performances of Cu2S@CT (CT, biomass carbon tube) and CuS@CT composites were examined on organic dye (methylene blue, MB) degradation and Cr (VI) reduction at different original solution pH. Both photocatalysts exhibit good photocatalytic activity under favourable conditions, which should be attributed to the high specific surface area and luxuriant active sites of the materials with special nanostructures. Moreover, the Cu2S@CT and CuS@CT show distinct‐different oxidability and reducibility due to the compositional difference, Cu2S@CT composites have better reduction properties of Cr(VI) at pH=2, while the CuS@CT composites exhibit better degradation activity of MB at pH=10.
Micro‐Blooming: Hierarchically Porous Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Flowers Derived from Metal‐Organic Mesocrystals
Authors: Hwang Jongkook , Walczak Ralf , Oschatz Martin , Tarakina Nadezda V. , Schmidt Bernhard V. K. J.
Published: July 2019

Synthesis of 3D flower‐like zinc‐nitrilotriacetic acid (ZnNTA) mesocrystals and their conformal transformation to hierarchically porous N‐doped carbon superstructures is reported. During the solvothermal reaction, 2D nanosheet primary building blocks undergo oriented attachment and mesoscale assembly forming stacked layers. The secondary nucleation and growth preferentially occurs at the edges and defects of the layers, leading to formation of 3D flower‐like mesocrystals comprised of interconnected 2D micropetals. By simply varying the pyrolysis temperature (550–1000 °C) and the removal method of in the situ‐generated Zn species, nonporous parent mesocrystals are transformed to hierarchically porous carbon flowers with controllable surface area (970–1605 m2 g−1), nitrogen content (3.4–14.1 at%), pore volume (0.95–2.19 cm3 g−1), as well as pore diameter and structures. The carbon flowers prepared at 550 °C show high CO2/N2 selectivity due to the high nitrogen content and the large fraction of (ultra)micropores, which can greatly increase the CO2 affinity. The results show that the physicochemical properties of carbons are highly dependent on the thermal transformation and associated pore formation process, rather than directly inherited from parent precursors. The present strategy demonstrates metal‐organic mesocrystals as a facile and versatile means toward 3D hierarchical carbon superstructures that are attractive for a number of potential applications.
Empirical Model for Predicting Process Parameters during Electric Arc Furnace Refining Stage Based on Real Measurements
Authors: Elkoumy Mohamed Mahmoud , Fathy Ayman Mohamed , Megahed Gamal Mohamed , El-Mahallawi Iman , Ahmed Hafiz , El-Anwar Mohamed
Published: July 2019

The present study aims at building a road map‐model for the steel melt compositional variations during the electric arc furnace (EAF) refining stage. The model is based on real measurements and compared to thermodynamic predictions. The studied parameters are steel melt carbon content and temperature. Herein, high‐temperature investigations (1550–1700 °C) with different chemistry ranges (mainly carbon content, 0.02–0.20% C) are carried out during the refining stage operation. The work develops a detailed empirical model to simulate the industrial EAF refining stage, which can be used to implement different optimization and control strategies for the EAF refining process. Furthermore, the study investigates the refining stage metallurgical phenomenon and the different operating conditions used to produce different steel grades over a wide range of carbon content; from ultra‐low carbon steel “0.02% C” till medium carbon steel grades “0.20% C.” Moreover, the work controls the steel melt tapping parameters for best cost achievement of steel melt yield and electrical energy consumption using simple measurements. These measurements are fitted into simple regression equations and contour plots for best refining stage control of the desired steel grade to be produced.
Study on the asynchronous performance of changing‐poles BDFM with the field‐circuit coupled based on the time‐stepping finite element analysis
Authors: Kan Chaohao , Chu Chenglong , Hu Yang , Zhao Wei
Published: July 2019

The changing‐poles brushless doubly fed motor (the changing‐poles motor) has a special stator and rotor structure and two different operating states, so the finite element model of a conventional alternating current motor is not suitable. To establish a suitable model, this article first analyzes the coupling circuit, T‐shape equivalent circuit, and the phase diagram of the motor in the starting state, and the basic equivalent circuit of the motor in the running state is analyzed as well. Then, the design example of the prototype is introduced and the principle of the composite coil is explained by using the rotor‐winding extension diagram. Based on the above analyses, a two‐dimensional finite element model of field circuit coupling for the changing‐poles motor is established. In the calculation process of the direct presence of the model, the core saturation problem is considered and the coupling and constraint equations are adopted to deal with the rotor rotation problem, without the need to replan the placement of the rotor. Therefore, the calculation results are more accurate. Finally, by comparing the simulation results of a conventional finite element model, the simulation results of the time‐stepping finite element model, and the prototype test results, it is found that the time‐stepping finite element model is accurate and the simulation results fit well with the experimental results. © 2019 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Review of tropical cyclones in the Australian region: Climatology, variability, predictability, and trends
Authors: Chand Savin S. , Dowdy Andrew J. , Ramsay Hamish A. , Walsh Kevin J. E. , Tory Kevin J. , Power Scott B. , Bell Samuel S. , Lavender Sally L. , Ye Hua , Kuleshov Yuri
Published: July 2019

Tropical cyclones (TCs) can have severe impacts on Australia. These include extreme rainfall and winds, and coastal hazards such as destructive waves, storm surges, estuarine flooding, and coastal erosion. Various aspects of TCs in the Australian region have been documented over the past several decades. In recent years, increasing emphasis has been placed on human‐induced climate change effects on TCs in the Australian region and elsewhere around the globe. However, large natural variability and the lack of consistent long‐term TC observations have often complicated the detection and attribution of TC trends. Efforts have been made to improve TC records for Australia over the past decades, but it is still unclear whether such records are sufficient to provide better understanding of the impacts of natural climate variability and climate change. It is important to note that the damage costs associated with tropical cyclones in Australia have increased in recent decades and will continue to increase due to growing coastal settlement and infrastructure development. Therefore, it is critical that any coastal infrastructure planning and engineering decisions, as well as disaster management decisions, strongly consider future risks from tropical cyclones. A better understanding of tropical cyclones in a changing climate will provide key insights that can help mitigate impacts of tropical cyclones on vulnerable communities. An objective assessment of the Australian TCs at regional scale and its link with climate variability and change using improved and up‐to‐date data records is more imperative now than before.

This article is categorized under:

Paleoclimates and Current Trends > Modern Climate Change
No Free Lunch Theorem for concept drift detection in streaming data classification: A review
Authors: Hu Hanqing , Kantardzic Mehmed , Sethi Tegjyot S.
Published: July 2019

Many real‐world data mining applications have to deal with unlabeled streaming data. They are unlabeled because the sheer volume of the stream makes it impractical to label a significant portion of the data. The data streams can evolve over time and these changes are called concept drifts. Concept drifts have different characteristics, which can be used to categorize them into different types. A trade‐off between performance and cost exists among many concept drift detection approaches. On the one hand, high accuracy detection approach usually requires labeled data, possibly involving high cost for labeling. On the other hand, a variety of methods have been devoted to the topic of concept drift detection with unlabeled data, but these approaches often are most suited for only a subset of the concept drift types. The objective of this survey is to present these methods, categorize them and give recommendations of usage based on their behaviors under different types of concept drift.

This article is categorized under:

Fundamental Concepts of Data and Knowledge > Data Concepts

Fundamental Concepts of Data and Knowledge > Key Design Issues in Data Mining

Explainable AI > Classification
Prevalence and Determinants of Problematic Online Pornography Use in a Sample of German Women
Authors: Baranowski Andreas M. , Vogl Romina , Stark Rudolf
Published: July 2019

Aim

To investigate problematic online pornography use in women, an issue that has rarely been tackled to date.

Methods

We used the data from a comprehensive, cross-sectional survey of a self-referred sample of 485 German women to examine the relationships between problematic online pornography consumption and a range of sexual behaviors, trait sexual motivation, and motives for pornography use.

Results

Approximately 3% of our sample had problematic pornography use. In multivariate analysis, problematic use was significantly associated with the overall time spent viewing online pornography, greater sexual motivation, and greater emotional avoidance. Our data also indicate that the influence of sexual motivation on problematic pornography use is mediated by the amount of time spent watching online pornography.

Clinical Translation

Identifying these predictors for problematic use is important for specific prevention programs for women at risk of pathological use.

Strengths & Limitations

This study is one of the first to show that women also experience problematic online pornography use and identifies risk factors for problematic behavior. The weakness of this study is that as in all studies on sexuality, people who are interested in the topic and are comfortable talking about it are more likely to participate, thus rendering the sample nonrepresentative.

Conclusion

Based on our findings, approximately 3% of women experience problems associated with engaging in online pornography consumption.
Does Chronic Hyperglycemia Affect Female Rat Sexual Behavior? Differences in Paced and Non-Paced Mating
Authors: Hernández-Munive Abigail K. , Rebolledo-Solleiro Daniela , Fernández-Guasti Alonso
Published: July 2019

Introduction

Diabetes mellitus has been associated with sexual dysfunction; however, in women this relationship is controversial. A study using a model of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) failed to find a reduced receptivity in the non-paced mating (NPM), but the appetitive aspects of female sexual behavior have not been evaluated, for example, in the paced mating (PM) paradigm.

Aim

To evaluate all components of female sexual behavior (in NPM and PM) in a model of DM2 using ovariectomized (OVX) (treated with steroids) or intact female rats (non-OVX) in natural proestrus.

Methods

Neonatal females (3–4 days) were administered streptozotocin (STZ, 70 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) or citrate buffer. At week 8, a glucose tolerance test was performed. At week 10, half of the females were OVX, and in the other half (non-OVX) the estrous cycle was monitored. At the twelfth week, the sexual behavior tests were conducted; OVX females were treated with estradiol benzoate (10 μg, −24 hours) and progesterone (3 mg, −4 hours), whereas the non-OVX were evaluated on vaginal proestrus.

Main Outcome Measures

We registered in NPM and PM receptivity (lordosis quotient and intensity), as well as the number of proceptive and aggressive behaviors. Additionally, in PM we calculated the percentage of exits and the return latencies after receiving stimulation and the time the female remained in the male's compartment.

Results

The STZ-treated females presented glucose intolerance and were hyperglycemic. Neonatal STZ treatment provoked changes in the females' sexual behavior depending on the paradigm and the hormonal condition. In the NPM, STZ-OVX females had decreased lordosis quotient and intensity and increased aggression, whereas, in the STZ-non-OVX females, there was a decrease in proceptivity; such changes were not observed in PM. Regardless of whether the STZ-treated females were OVX, they failed to perform the pacing behavior.

Clinical Implication

These data support the idea that chronic mild hyperglycemia, like that observed in DM2 (which represents 90% of the clinical cases), provokes marginal changes in most aspects of female sexual behavior.

Strengths & Limitations

The main strength of this work is the evaluation of consummatory and motivational aspects of female sexual behavior in a model of DM2. The main limitation is the duration of the experimental design that does not resemble the course of the disease in humans. No histologic or biochemical analyses were performed.

Conclusion

These results suggest that chronic hyperglycemia produces decreases in sexual behavior.
Activity-Based Training Alters Penile Reflex Responses in a Rat Model of Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Steadman Casey J. , Hoey Robert F. , Montgomery Lynnette R. , Hubscher Charles H.
Published: July 2019

Introduction

Multisystem functional gains have been reported in males with spinal cord injury (SCI) after undergoing activity-based training (ABT), including increases in scoring of sexual function and reports of improved erectile function.

Aim

This study aims to examine the effect of daily 60-minute locomotor training and exercise in general on sexual function in a rat SCI contusion model.

Methods

Male Wistar rats received a T9 contusion SCI. Animals were randomized into 4 groups: a quadrupedal stepping group (SCI + QT), a forelimb-only exercise group (SCI + FT), a non-trained harnessed group (SCI + NT), and a home cage non-trained group (SCI + HC). The 2 non-trained groups were combined (SCI) post hoc. Daily training sessions were 60 minutes in duration for 8 weeks. Urine samples were collected during bi-weekly 24-hour metabolic cage behavioral testing. Latency, numbers of penile dorsiflexion, and glans cupping were recorded during bi-weekly penile dorsiflexion reflex (PDFR) testing. Terminal electromyography (EMG) recordings of the bulbospongiosus muscle (BSM) were recorded in response to stimulation of the dorsal nerve of the penis (DNP).

Outcomes

ABT after SCI had a significant effect on PDFR, as well as BSM EMG latency and burst duration.

Results

SCI causes a significant decrease in the latency to onset of PDFR. After 8 weeks of ABT, SCI + QT animals had a significantly increased latency relative to the post-SCI baseline. BSM EMG response to DNP stimulation had a significantly decreased latency and increase in average and maximum amplitude in SCI + QT animals. SCI animals had a significantly longer burst duration than trained animals. Time between PDFR events, penile dorsiflexion, glans cupping, and urine testosterone were not affected by ABT.

Clinical Implications

ABT has a positive influence on sexual function and provides a potential therapy to enhance the efficacy of current sexual dysfunction therapies in the male SCI population.

Strengths and Limitations

Several significant small improvements in sexual function were found in a clinically relevant rat model of SCI using a readily available rehabilitative therapy. The limited findings could reflect insensitivity of the PDFR as a measure of erectile function.

Conclusions

These results indicate that task-specific stepping and/or loading provide sensory input to the spinal cord impacting the neural circuitry responsible for sexual function.
Modalities of the Fiscal State in Imperial China
Authors: von Glahn Richard
Published: July 2019

In the past two decades, increasing attention has been paid to the significance of the fiscal capacity of the premodern state to promote or retard economic growth. In particular, scholarship on economic history has stressed the positive impact the emergence of the “fiscal state” had in enhancing economic growth in early modern Europe. Comparative studies have contrasted the administrative efficiency of the emerging European fiscal state with contemporary Asian empires (the Ottomans, Mughals, and the Ming and Qing empires in China). But the Ming-Qing state represents only one version of Chinese state formation under the Chinese empire. This article identifies four basic types of fiscal state that appeared between the Qin unification and the Ming-Qing era, analyzes their ideological foundations, and assesses their implications for economic growth.
“The World Will Have a New Face”: Germans and the Post-World War I Global Economic Order
Authors: Hamlin David
Published: July 2019

World War I reshaped the international economy. This was, in part, the consequence of British mobilization of resources for its own war effort, which aligned producer interests around the world with those of the United Kingdom. But it was also a consequence of Western policy aimed at excluding German businessmen from global markets. German planners noted during World War I that Great Britain, in particular, was expressing an interest in continuing such exclusion after the war, with potentially enormous economic consequences for Germany. Combatting or preventing such an economic “war after the war” prompted German businessmen and politicians to support a series of policies that would have profoundly changed the institutions and norms of the prewar international economy. These policies ranged from imposing one-sided trade agreements, expanding the mark zone, and establishing German control over Eastern European industries and infrastructure, to creating shipping cartels and imposing compulsory raw material delivery agreements on the Western powers. The result of German efforts to direct trade and investment in ways preferable to the German state would have been a deeply politicized postwar international economy. The article argues that economic questions were thus a central component of German war aims, but that these were not fixed: they evolved over the course of the war in response to changes in the international economy, and they focused not on short-term emergencies but rather on longer-term structural changes.
Demonstrating the Natural Order: The Physiocratic Trials in Baden, 1770–1802
Authors: Bowler Richard
Published: July 2019

This article examines attempts to demonstrate the truth of physiocratic principles in eighteenth-century Baden. Emphasizing the importance of the so-called net yield (produit net), a surplus product understood to be created primarily in agriculture, the physiocrats advanced a new science of material prosperity and moral welfare. Despite its alleged “self-evidence,” physiocracy invited strong criticism from those who denied the force of its abstractions. Ultimately regarded as ill-fated and unconvincing, these trials were significant for their attempt to offer an experiential demonstration aimed at persuading doubters and silencing critics. The apparent failure notwithstanding, the episode illustrates how the idiom and practice of experiment served as a powerful resource for generating conviction in the eighteenth century, even in matters extending beyond the emerging natural sciences.
Driven into Suicide by the East German Regime? Reflections on the Persistence of a Misleading Perception
Authors: Grashoff Udo
Published: July 2019

The assumption that the communist dictatorship in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) drove many people to suicide has persisted for decades, and it is still evident in academic and public discourse. Yet, high suicide rates in eastern Germany, which can be traced back to the nineteenth century, cannot be a result of a particular political system. Be it monarchy, democracy, fascism, or socialism, the frequency of suicide there did not change significantly. In fact, the share of politically motivated suicides in the GDR amounts to only 1–2 percent of the total. Political, economic, or sociocultural factors did not have a significant impact on suicide rates. An analysis of two subsets of GDR society that were more likely to be affected by repression—prisoners and army recruits—further corroborates this: there is no evidence of a higher suicide rate in either case. Complimentary to a quantitative approach “from above,” a qualitative analysis “from below” not only underlines the limited importance of repression, but also points to a regional pattern of behavior linked to cultural influences and to the role of religion—specifically, to Protestantism. Several factors nevertheless fostered the persistence of an overly politicized interpretation of suicide in the GDR: the bereaved in the East, the media in the West, and a few victims of suicide themselves blamed the regime and downplayed important individual and pathological aspects. Moreover, state and party officials in the GDR unintentionally reinforced the politicization of suicide by imposing a taboo on the subject, which only fueled the flames of speculation about its root causes.
Framing Black Communist Labour Union Activism in the Atlantic World: James W. Ford and the Establishment of the International Trade Union Committee of Negro Workers, 1928–1931
Authors: Weiss Holger
Published: July 2019

The International Trade Union Committee of Negro Workers (ITUCNW) was a radical trans-Atlantic network for the propagation of black proletarian internationalism, established by the Red International of Labour Unions in 1928. Its key mastermind was James W. Ford, an African American communist labour union activist who was in charge of the organization and its operations until the autumn of 1931. This article critically highlights Ford's ambitions as well as the early phase of the organization. Both in terms of its agenda and objective as well as in its outreach among black workers in the Black Atlantic, the ITUCNW and its main propagators stressed the “class-before-race” argument of the Comintern rather than the pan-Africanist “race-before-class” approach. This is not surprising as the ITUCNW was one of the organizations that had been established when the Comintern and the RILU had started to apply the “class-against-class” doctrine, which left no room for cooperation between communists and radical pan-Africanists.
Canteens and the Politics of Working-class Diets in Industrial China, 1920–37
Authors: LEE SEUNG-JOON
Published: July 2019

This article explores how workers’ diets and meal services at factory canteens became the nucleus of labour politics in Republican Shanghai, China's industrial heartland. At the heart of Chinese labour politics was a demand for the improvement of workers’ diets, particularly for adequate meal service, which was to be provided by management at a reasonable price—if not for free—at the workplace. The purpose of this article is not only to draw attention to a lacuna in Chinese labour history, but also to shed new light on the agency of workers in their labour disputes from the perspective of food history. No other issue provided a better opportunity to unite workers, labour activists, and so-called scabs than the issue of food. In the wake of labour disputes, industrialists changed their perception of the relation between industrial health and work efficiency. With the promotion of factory canteens, the Guomidang Nationalists also began to exert unsparing efforts to garner the growing political potential of the labour force. Therefore, factory canteens evolved into a contested space in which workers, management, and the state offered different visions of workers’ diets and industrial productivity.
“Plant Yourselves on its Primal Granite”: Slavery, History and the Antebellum Roots of Originalism
Authors: Hall Aaron R.
Published: July 2019

This essay considers how the cultural authority of the constitutional Founding became legal authority in antebellum America. Examining a series of cases implicating the constitutional politics of slavery, it illustrates how legal professionals grasped the public power of constitutional origin stories. To produce meanings and legitimate rulings, lawyers and judges wrote and reproduced narratives about slavery at the Founding, converting ascriptions of original constitutional visions in formal constitutional law. This power derived from the ongoing popular construction of the Founding as a venerated and authoritative moment containing unwritten intentions, understandings, and promises binding upon subsequent generations. The essay argues that these developments belong to the deep history of originalism. By approaching originalism as a form of constitutional politics integrating public memory culture and legal reasoning, the essay locates the central public and juridical dynamics of originalism emerging in struggles over the constitutional identity of slavery.
The Cost of Doing Politics? Analyzing Violence and Harassment against Female Politicians
Authors: Krook Mona Lena , Restrepo Sanín Juliana
Published: July 2019

Violence against women in politics is increasingly recognized around the world as a significant barrier to women’s political participation, following a troubling rise in reports of assault, intimidation, and abuse directed at female politicians. Yet conceptual ambiguities remain as to the exact contours of this phenomenon. In this article, we seek to strengthen its theoretical, empirical, and methodological foundations. We propose that the presence of bias against women in political roles—originating in structural violence, employing cultural violence, and resulting in symbolic violence—distinguishes this phenomenon from other forms of political violence. We identify five types of violence against women in politics—physical, psychological, sexual, economic, and semiotic—and three methodological challenges related to underreporting, comparing men’s and women’s experiences, and intersectionality. Inspired by the literature on hate crimes, we develop an empirical approach for identifying cases of violence against women in politics, offering six criteria to ascertain whether an attack was potentially motivated by gender bias. We apply this framework to analyze three cases: the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, and the murder of Jo Cox. We conclude with the negative implications of violence against women in politics and point to emerging solutions around the globe.
Zinc deficiency is an independent risk factor for prehypertension in healthy subjects
Authors: Nevárez-López Sara C. , Simental-Mendía Luis E. , Guerrero-Romero Fernando , Burciaga-Nava Jorge A.
Published: July 2019

Abstract. Objective: To assess whether zinc deficiency is associated with prehypertension (preHTN) in apparently healthy subjects. Design: Apparently healthy women and men, aged 20 to 60 years were enrolled into a case-control study. Individuals with and without preHTN were allocated into the case and control groups, respectively. Hypertension, liver disease, renal disease, smoking, pregnancy, diabetes, malignancy, hypernatremia, hypomagnesemia, medical treatment, and use of supplements containing zinc were exclusion criteria. PreHTN was defined by systolic blood pressure (SBP) and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 120–139 mmHg and/or of 80–89 mmHg, respectively, and the zinc deficiency by serum zinc levels < 74 μg/dL in men and < 70 μg/dL in women. Results: In total, 142 subjects (90 women and 52 men) were enrolled and allocated in the case (n = 71) and control (n = 71) groups. In the overall population, the frequency of zinc deficiency was 11.1%; individuals in the case group showed significant higher frequency of zinc deficiency as compared with the control group (16.9% vs 5.5%, p = 0.04). The logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between zinc deficiency and preHTN (OR = 4.61; 95% CI: 1.24–17.12, p = 0.02). Conclusion: Our results suggest that zinc deficiency is associated with the presence of preHTN in apparently healthy subjects.
An Empirical Method to Predict Sediment Grain Size From Inorganic Geochemical Measurements
Authors: Liu Dawei , Bertrand Sébastien , Weltje Gert Jan
Published: July 2019

Grain size is one of the most fundamental properties of sediments. It is frequently used in paleoclimate, paleoceanographic, and paleoenvironmental research as a proxy for river discharge, current and wind strength, and to identify mass flow deposits. Measuring grain size is, however, time‐consuming and destructive. Given the strong influence of grain size on sediment inorganic geochemistry, single‐element variations measured by, for example, X‐ray fluorescence core scanning are increasingly used to estimate grain‐size variations at high resolution in sediment cores. This approach is however limited to a narrow grain‐size range since individual elements only monotonically relate to grain size over a narrow size range. Here, we present a simple, code‐free, multielement method based on partial least squares regression to predict sediment mean grain size from inorganic geochemical data over the range of sizes commonly encountered in sedimentary basins (clay to sand). The method was first tested using river sediment samples separated in 11 grain‐size fractions, and it was later successfully applied to two sediment cores from the Chilean fjords. Our method only requires measuring grain size on a limited number (around 10) of selected training samples, and it allows to predict mean grain size at X‐ray fluorescence core scanner resolution. This method has the potential to be applied to any lake or marine sediment core, provided sediment provenance, weathering, and diagenesis remain relatively stable through time, and we anticipate that it will result in a significant increase in the resolution of sediment proxy records of climate and environmental change.
Modeling Transient Soil Moisture Limitations on Microbial Carbon Respiration
Authors: Liu Yuchen , Lawrence Corey R. , Winnick Matthew J. , Hsu Hsiao‐Tieh , Maher Katharine , Druhan Jennifer L.
Published: July 2019

Soil microorganisms are known to survive periods of aridity and to recover rapidly after wetting events, with the ability to transition between a dormant state in dry conditions and an active state in wet conditions. Though this dynamic behavior has been previously incorporated into soil carbon respiration modeling frameworks, a direct comparison between this active‐dormant transition mechanism and a more simplified first‐order model has yet to be made. Here, we demonstrate the necessary extent of model complexity needed to reproduce transient carbon respiration rates obtained from a set of soil incubation experiments implemented over a range of soil depths and time intervals. Two approaches are tested, one uses simplified first‐order kinetics, whereas the other employs a transition between active and dormant biomass. The performance of each model is evaluated using an Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) based on the accuracy with which they reproduce an experimental dataset consisting of two sets of time series soil incubations collected across a range of time and depth resolutions. Based on the AIC evaluation and model‐data comparison, we conclude that a dormancy‐enabled model featuring two distinct microbial strategists performs best for the majority of the soil profile (above 108 cm) for both high and low depth resolution and sampling frequency, despite the added parameters required. In contrast, the first‐order model achieves better AIC scores when simulating our deepest soils (112–165 cm), where moisture fluctuations are expected to be less prevalent. These results guide how and where we choose to apply more cost intensive models.
An Urban Sociohydrologic Model for Exploration of Beijing's Water Sustainability Challenges and Solution Spaces
Authors: Li Bin , Sivapalan Murugesu , Xu Xinyi
Published: July 2019

The mismatch between water demand and water availability in many megacities poses vexing water management challenges. Managers are forced to take remedial efforts to address these challenges, often with a heavy focus on infrastructure solutions such as building reservoirs or interbasin transfers to meet demand, which may in fact exacerbate the problem through unintended consequences that arise from neglect of social, economic, and environmental factors. Such a situation awaits Beijing, China, which faces major water management challenges in spite of the addition of a large interbasin transfer to meet increasing demand. In this study, a sociohydrologic model is developed for investigating Beijing's future water sustainability from a holistic and dynamic perspective. Using the model, we first explore the sociohydrologic mechanisms that contributed to Beijing's worsening water situation during 1988–2014. We then use the model to assess possible future impacts of the South to North Water Diversion Project on Beijing's water supply prospects for the 2015–2035 period. Alternative futures are explored by combining three different sustainable management strategies. The model results show that the source of Beijing's dominant water pressure experienced a transformation from productive to domestic water use over the last 30 years. They also indicate that the transfer water via South to North Water Diversion Project cannot fundamentally reverse Beijing's water shortage in the long term and that demand‐oriented management measures will be required for alleviating the city's water stress. These findings provide guidance not only for Beijing's water management but also for other less developed cities around the world.