bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
N-Doped 3D Interconnected Carbon Bubbles as Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion and Sodium-Ion Storage with Excellent Performance
Authors: Wang Biwu , Li Zhuang , Zhang Jingjing , Xia Zhigang , Yang Hua , Fan Meiqiang , Yu Yang
Published: May 2019

In this paper, we develop a novel N-doped 3D interconnected carbon bubbles (NCBs) by a facile method of nitric acid extraction precursor at room temperature for the lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). The NCBs with hollow carbon bubbles having a size of ~100
nm interconnected to each other exhibits high specific surface area and abundant active sites, which ensures continuous diffusion paths for ions and electrons and keeps the electrode structure more stable, thus significantly enhancing the lithium-ion and sodium-ion storage capability. In lithium-ion
batteries, the NCBs electrode shows a high reversible capacity of 1180 mA h g−1 after 380 cycles at a current density of 1 C. As the current density increased from 1 to 10 C, the capacity still retains 407.1 mA h g−1. While in sodium-ion batteries, the NCBs
electrode provides a capacity of 222.5 mA h g−1 after 200 cycles at a current density of 50 mA g−1. And the capacity maintains at 107.5 mA h g−1 even the current density increased from 0.05 to 5 A g−1. The excellent cycling
performance and high-rate capability should be attributed to the synergistic effect of the 3D interconnected hollow structure and the incorporation of nitrogen atoms.
Electrochemical Oxidation of Azo Dye Wastewater Using Graphene-Based Electrode Materials
Authors: Li Jinyan , Guan Qingsong , Hong Junming , Chang Chang-Tang
Published: May 2019

Composite electrodes with different graphene (GN)/TiO2 ratios and nano-activated carbon electrodes were prepared for electrocatalytic performance comparison. The electrodes were loaded with platinum (Pt) by use of chloroplatinic acid to promote their performance. Reactive
Black 5 (RBk5) dye wastewater was treated as a challenging pollutant by use of advanced electrochemical oxidation technology. The composite materials were characterized by Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), and Energy Disperse Spectroscopy
(EDS). Results showed that the graphene electrode was prepared successfully and verified because all elements were uniformly loaded on the conductive carbon cloth. The effects of several operating parameters including material types, pH, initial concentration of RBk5, and current density on
the removal performance of RBk5 were also assessed. The supporting electrolyte was NaCl solution of 1 g L−1. The concentration of RBk5 was detected using an ultraviolet spectrophotometer with a detection wavelength of 600 nm. The optimum parameters of the experiment were GN/TiO2
ratio of 1:4 and pH of 6.6. The removal efficiency of RBk5 could be higher than 95% under an initial concentration of RBk5 of 5 ppm and a current density of 2.5 mA·cm-2 when reaction time was 30 min.
Preparation of Graphene Oxide Modified Rice Husk for Cr(VI) Removal
Authors: Ouyang Tong , Tang Jidan , Liu Fang , Chang Chang-Tang
Published: May 2019

The objective of this paper is to study the removal of Cr(VI) in aqueous solution by using a new graphene oxide-coated rice husk biochar composite (GO-RHB). GO-RHB is a synthetic material having a porous structure with lots of oxygen-containing functional groups and a large surface
area that provide effective adsorption sites. Experiments showed that GO-RHB had higher adsorption capacity under acidic than under alkaline conditions. At pH of 2, GO-RHB has the maximum adsorption capacity(48.8 mg g−1). Equilibrium data obtained by fitting with the Langmuir
and Freundlich models indicate that the reaction process was monolayer adsorption. The adsorption of Cr(VI) followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model that illustrates chemical adsorption. Intraparticlediffusion studies further revealed that film diffusion was taking place. Moreover, the
results of thermodynamics showed that the adsorption process was endothermic and spontaneous in nature. The removal mechanism of Cr(VI) was also explained in detail. The prepared adsorbent is highly efficient and might be useful than many other conventional adsorbent used for the removal of
Cr(VI) from wastewater.
New Nanoaggregates of Crosslinked Laccase for Reactive Red Bioremediation
Authors: Jamwal Shivani , Kumar Dharamender , Ranote Sunita , Chauhan Ghanshyam S.
Published: May 2019

Environmental concerns have led to an increased interest in developing green technologies for bioremediation of wastewater pollutants. In view of this, laccases have emerged as attractive green catalysts due to their applicability in oxidizing broad range of substrates. In the present
work laccase was extracted from Coriolus versicolor (MTCC 138) and stabilized by formation of new crosslinked laccase nanoaggregates (CLNAs) using two different crosslinkers-N,N-methylenebisacrylamide (N, N-MBAAm) and ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA). Evaluation of laccase
activity profile of the free as well as the well characterized CLNAs was carried out, and these were used in reactive red (RR) bioremediation. The CLNAs showed enriched catalytic activity at different temperatures and pH than the free laccase, good reusability when studied up to six cycles,
and thermal and storage stability. CLNAs exhibited good bioremediation ability, which was enhanced in the presence of 1-hydroxybenzo triazole (HBT), a laccase mediator.
Enhanced Photocatalytic Behavior of (GO/Cu2O) Composite with Cu2O Being Synthesized Through Green Route
Authors: Muthukumaran M. , Dhinagaran G. , Narayanan V. , Raju T. , Venkatachalam K. , Karthika P. C. , Vivekananthandan S. , Sagadevan Suresh , Roselin L. Selva , Selvin Rosilda
Published: May 2019

Graphene oxide/Cuprous oxide (GO/Cu2O) composite is a visible light photocatalyst for the degradation of dyes. A simple and efficient approach for preparing GO/Cu2O composite adopted in this study involves reducing cuprous oxide precursors in the presence of graphene
oxide using an aqueous solution of pulp derived from banana fruit. The GO/Cu2O composite was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Diffused reflectance Ultraviolet visible spectroscopy (DRS UV-Vis), Raman spectroscopy and Field Emission Scanning electron
microscopy (FE-SEM). Cu2O particles were distributed randomly on the graphene oxide sheets due to the template effect of GO. The results showed higher photocatalytic activity for the composite (band gap 2.13 eV), for the degradation of the organic dyes (Methylene blue and Rhodamine-B).
The enhanced photocatalytic activity is due to effective charge transfer from GO to Cu2O, and high specific surface area which improves the effective separation of the generated electron–hole pairs. Our present study is inspired by a facile, low cost, green production of (GO/Cu2O)
composite whose photocatalytic activity can be extended to degradation of all other water-born textile dyes.
Construction of Carbon Dots Coated Magnetic Hollow Silica Spheres
Authors: Zhao Yue , Kang Shizhao , Yao Pingping , Zhao Yi , Liu Xiangnong , Yang Yuxiang , Ni Chaoying
Published: May 2019

Magnetic hollow silica spheres (MHSS) with uniform cavity size and shell thickness were prepared using functionalized SiO2 spheres as templates, on which the magnetic particles were uniformly deposited on their surface. The obtained MHSS exhibited a super-paramagnetic behavior
at room temperature. Due to large hollow cavity space and super-paramagnetic characteristics, the MHSS were coated with carbon dots with assistance of (3-Aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane (APS). Thus, the preparedMHSS were mixed with citric acid and APS, followed by hydrothermal reaction at 180
°C, to generate carbon quantum dots coated MHSS (MHSS@CDs). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder scattering (XRD), X-ray energy dispersive spectral analysis (EDS), Raman spectra and laser scattering particle analyzer were applied to characterize
the MHSS and MHSS@CDs.
Superior Form-Stable Phase Change Material Made with Graphene-Connected Carbon Nanofibers and Fatty Acid Eutectics
Authors: Song Xiaofei , Cai Yibing , Wu Yue , Wang Weiwei , Sun Xiaolu , Wei Qufu , Zhang Lifeng
Published: May 2019

A novel form-stable phase change material (FSPCM) with remarkable improvement in thermal properties was fabricated by incorporating ternary fatty acid eutectics with graphene sheetconnected electrospun carbon nanofibers (GCNFs). The GCNFs possessed three-dimensional (3D) porous architecture
and large specific surface area while provided mechanical support for FSPCM and effectively prevented flow/leakage of molten fatty acid. The GCNF based FSPCM exhibited desire structural morphology with lauric-myristic-stearic acid (LA-MA-SA) eutectic mixture being well dispersed in a 3D porous
architecture. This novel FSPCM demonstrated superior thermal storage/retrieval capability and temperature regulation ability as well as good shape stability and thermal cycling stability. The melting and crystallization enthalpies of the fabricated FSPCMs were up to 120.4 and 120.1 kJ/kg,
respectively. The thermal conductivity of the fabricated FSPCMs was 337% and 188% higher than that of LA-MA-SA eutectic mixture and a control sample without graphene, respectively, which ranked the top among the literature about LA-MA-SA eutectic mixture derived composite FSPCMs. Furthermore,
the heating/cooling efficiency of the prepared FSPCMs was 45.7/64.9% higher than that of LA-MA-SA eutectic mixture.
Reduced Graphene Oxide Obtained by Hummers and Marcano-Tour Methods: Comparison of Electrical Properties
Authors: Boychuk V. M. , Kotsyubynsky V. O. , Bandura Kh. V. , Yaremiy I. P. , Fedorchenko S. V.
Published: May 2019

The aim of this paper is the comparison of structural, morphological and electrical properties of graphene oxide synthesized by Hummers and Marcano-Tour approaches and reduced graphene oxide obtained by hydrothermal hydrazine-assisted route. Obtained materials were characterized by
XRD, scanning electron microscopy, low temperature nitrogen absorption and impedance spectroscopy. It was determined that reduced graphene oxide obtained by Hummers route is formed by plate-like agglomerates with respectively short distance between graphene layers that consist of plate-like
particles with smaller average diameter and larger average thickness. Reduced graphene oxide that was synthesized by Marcano-Tour method is mesoporous solid material and consists of randomly aggregated linear fragments of carbon packages. It was suggested that dominant charge transport mechanism
for both graphene oxide samples was proton conductivity. Both: charge migrating in graphene fragments and the morphologically sensitive charge hopping between them were observed for reduced graphene oxide.
Excellent Gas Sensing of CdS Nanowires Decorated with Ag Nanoparticles
Authors: Zhang Nan , Ma Xiaohui , Ruan Shengping , Yin Yanyang , Li Chuannan , Zhang Haifeng , Chen Yu
Published: May 2019

In this study, CdS nanowires (NWs)/Ag nanoparticle materials (CdS@Ag) with Schottky junction were synthesized by a simple process. The Ag nanoparticles with a diameter of 3–10 nm were uniformly scattered on the surface of CdS NWs with an average diameter of 30 nm. The gas sensing
properties and the effect of Ag content and relative humidity on the ethanol sensing properties of CdS NWs were investigated in detail. When the relative humidity was below 60% RH, the sensor, especially the one based on CdS@Ag0.1, exhibited an enhanced ethanol sensing response and selectivity
compared with that of pristine CdS NWs, which was believed that Ag catalyzed the reaction between ionized oxygen species and ethanol. However, excessive Ag content does not mean a higher response and even decreased the response. Also, the stability of CdS NWs and CdS@Ag NWs was also investigated,
which were almost stable for four months.
Etching Anode Foil with Branch Tunnels for Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitors
Authors: Ban Chao-Lei , Chen Jian-Hai , Wang Fang-Ren , Zhu Shu-Qin , Liu Zhen-Qi
Published: May 2019

Al foil for high-voltage aluminum electrolytic capacitor was first D.C. etched in HCl–H2SO4 mixed acidic solution to form main tunnels and then D.C. etched in natural NaCl solution containing 0.1% H2C2O4 and different trace amounts of Zn(NO3)2.
Between the two etching processes, Zn nuclei were deposited on the interior surface of the main tunnels by the natural occluded corrosion cell effect to form micro Zn–Al galvanic local cells. The effects of Zn nuclei on the cross-section etching and electrochemical behavior of Al foil
were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, polarization curve measurement, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The sub-branch tunnels can form along the main tunnels owing to the formation of Zn–Al micro-batteries, in which Zn is the cathode and Al is the anode. Increasing
Zn(NO3)2 concentration increases the number of Zn nuclei that can serve as sites for branch tunnel initiation along the main tunnels, thereby enhancing the specific capacitance of etched Al foil.
Contributing Factors to Spatiotemporal Variations of Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) in the Tropics
Authors: Fajary Faiz R. , Hadi Tri W. , Yoden Shigeo
Published: May 2019

Factors governing spatiotemporal variations of the daily outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) are studied using 35-yr (1979–2013) data records by employing multiple linear regression, wavelet transforms, and bandpass filtering methods. From the regression coefficients of nine predictors and the explained variances, we found that the largest contributions to OLR variability are associated with the Madden–Julian oscillation and El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The ENSO signatures on OLR show dipole patterns over the Maritime Continent (MC) and Pacific regions with an extension to the Atlantic. Subsequently, the third significant contribution of the Indian Ocean dipole is confined to the Indian Ocean and Africa. Then, the solar cycle and stratospheric aerosols show mainly negative correlations, while a positive linear trend is observed mainly in the Northern Hemisphere. Lastly, factors associated with the stratospheric quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) are the least significant contributor to OLR. In terms of oscillatory signals, time–longitude variations of the annual cycle (AC) show pairs of contrasting phases that characterize monsoon systems, in which the MC and Pacific regions are found to be in the same phase group. The most consistent AC signals are found to correspond with North and South American monsoons that respectively exhibit weakening and strengthening trends. Wavelet spectra and filtered OLR signals in intraseasonal oscillation, QBO, and ENSO frequency bands show an interdependent relationship that largely varies with time scale and longitudes.
Blending quality of co-air-textured yarn: Optimization parameters of Kevlar/polypropylene applicable for thermoplastic composites
Authors: Hosseinalizadeh Mehrdad , Dolatabadi Mehdi K , Najar Saeed S , Farsani Reza E
Published: May 2019

Nowadays, hybrid yarns, which consist of at least one-component thermoplastic fibers, are used in thermoplastic textile composites. The uniformity of the fibers in hybrid yarns is a key factor that directly influences the composite properties. Accordingly, one of the main aims of the present research was to optimize the air texturing parameters to achieve the uniform blending of Kevlar/polypropylene fibers. To evaluate the blending uniformity of yarns, the radial, lateral and angular distribution of fibers, based on the position of the pixels of the constituent fibers, was evaluated using the image processing data of yarn cross sections. According to this method, the production parameters, namely, blend ratio, delivery speed, feed rate and air pressure, were optimized simultaneously via the response surface method to obtain the blending uniformity of the fibers. The uniform blending distribution could be achieved by a higher blend ratio of Kevlar/PP (1:6), a lower production speed (300 m/min), a higher feed rate (500 m/min), and a higher air pressure (10 bar). Eventually, it was confirmed that there was a good correlation between the blending quality of the real samples and the predicted quality of the response surface method model.
Neoliberalism, capitalist growth models, and the state: An agenda for industrial relations theory
Authors: Howell Chris
Published: May 2019

The liberalization of industrial relations has become a generalized phenomenon in advanced capitalist societies. This raises at least three issues that are the subject of this review. First, what is the balance between continuity and change in industrial relations? Second, what is driving change, and in particular, what role is played by shifts in capitalist growth models that have taken place over the last three decades? Third, what does this tell us about the role of political regulation in industrial relations change? This review suggests that scholars need to rethink the role of industrial relations institutions, specifically their ability to shape and mitigate the impact of broad transformations in types of economic growth and the balance of class power. It argues that liberalization of industrial relations and the instability of emerging capitalist growth models highlight the centrality of political regulation and the role of the state in market-making and institution-building.
Women, work and industrial relations in Australia in 2018
Authors: Williamson Sue , Foley Meraiah , Cartwright Natalie
Published: May 2019

This year's annual review of women, work and industrial relations marks an important milestone. Nearly 10 years have elapsed since the introduction of the Fair Work Act 2009, which enshrined important new rights for the progression of gender equality. It is also 10 years since the Journal of Industrial Relations commenced this annual review. In addition to focusing on developments affecting women and work in 2018, this review provides a broad summary of key events over the past decade. We explore trends in women's workforce participation, union membership, economic security and pay equity, as well as major changes pertaining to work–family policy settings, workplace sexual harassment, and family and domestic violence leave. We conclude that although policy and employment frameworks have created a foundation on which to build gender equality, policy development has been sporadic and the context for women in Australian workplaces remains far from equal.
Industrial legislation in Australia in 2018
Authors: Rawling Michael , Schofield-Georgeson Eugene
Published: May 2019

It has been a quiet year like last year for the passing of federal industrial legislation (due to a number of factors, including the political turmoil of the federal coalition government and their lack of an overall labour law reform agenda). This article examines key federal industrial legislative developments including the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth). The article identifies that the federal Act contains much weaker compliance measures than the counterpart New South Wales legislation also passed in 2018 – the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (NSW). Also, although the Coalition government has attempted to continue to prosecute its case for further union governance measures, this agenda has been less successful than in previous years, with key government Bills not yet passed by the Parliament. The stagnation in the federal Parliament continues to motivate certain State Parliaments to address worker exploitation, and the article goes on to examine key State industrial legislation passed in 2018 including the Victorian labour hire licensing statute. In light of the continuing dominant position of the federal Labor opposition in opinion polls and an impending federal election in 2019, the article concludes by briefly considering the federal Labor opposition's agenda for industrial legislation.
Unions and collective bargaining in Australia in 2018
Authors: Bray Mark , Macneil Johanna , Spiess Leslee
Published: May 2019

There is a storm brewing over the roles of unions and collective bargaining in Australian employment relations. Unions, frustrated with what they see as practical and legislative restrictions on protection of workers’ rights, seek to ‘change the rules’. Employers, on the other hand, have been successful in restricting or rolling back bargaining rights, supported by their associations, the Coalition government and an assertive interpretation of the Fair Work Act. Add to this the impending federal election and the scene is set for a tempest that could bring industrial relations back to the centre of Australian politics in 2019. The review explores the various elements contributing to the coming storm, including trends in union membership, structure and strategy. It also surveys trends in the number and coverage of collective agreements, wage outcomes and industrial disputes. Two idiosyncractically Australian versions of collective agreement making are also discussed: cooperative bargaining facilitated by the Fair Work Commission and non-union collective agreement making.
Examining compliance with ethical standards for animal research: is there a need for refinement? A qualitative study from northern Europe
Authors: Brønstad Aurora , Sandøe Peter
Published: May 2019

Ethical guidelines for research on animals such as the 3Rs (Replacing, Reducing, Refining) and positive harm-benefit evaluations are anchored in EU Directive 2010/63. In this qualitative study we investigated how ethical guidelines interact and/or compete with other considerations when animal research is planned. Four focus groups consisting mainly of researchers involved in animal use were conducted in four Northern European countries and findings were analysed thematically with the support of NVIVO. Practical issues and the importance of doing good science were dominant topics. Practical issues could not easily be separated from the goal of good science. Participants expressed concerns which accord with the core-values of the 3Rs, but in one group they explicitly referred to the 3Rs as a concept. Conflicts between reductions in animal numbers and the risk of creating unreliable results were addressed. They also criticized the practice of using more animals to improve statistical figures to get results published in highly ranked journals – a finding we believe is new. The main conclusion of this study is that ethical values could not easily be separated from the goal of producing good science. Whereas policy makers seem to expect researchers to explicitly take ethical considerations into account, we found that their ethical thinking is mainly manifested as an implicit part of methodology and design. We don’t see this as a problem as long as the underlying core values are implicitly respected, or promoted, in the relevant experimental practice.
Issues in the Treatment of Children Who Have Lost a Family Member to Murder in the Arab Community in Israel
Authors: Shalev Ronit , Dargan Carola , Abdallah Faida
Published: May 2019

Losing a loved one as a result of murder is a profoundly traumatic experience. This is even more precise with regard to children who have lost an immediate family member, such as a parent or a sibling. This experience may severely impact the children’s social and emotional lives, their functioning, adaptability, and psychological and physical development. In the last few years, public and therapeutic awareness in Israel has been raised with regard to the effect of murder cases on the families of the victims. In 2009, the Israeli government approved an assistance program for families bereaved by homicide in Israel. This article focuses on the treatment of grieving children in the Arab community, which touches upon the violent nature of the murder, requires awareness, and broadens the knowledge of children’s grieving processes, as well as religious, cultural, and social perceptions regarding death and treatment-seeking.
Explaining Upper or Lower Extremity Crossover Effects of Visuomotor Choice Reaction Time Training
Authors: Engeroff Tobias , Giesche Florian , Niederer Daniel , Gerten Sina , Wilke Jan , Vogt Lutz , Banzer Winfried
Published: May 2019

Current evidence indicates a strong relation between improved visuomotor choice reaction time (VMRT) and a reduced risk of lower extremity injury, making both lower- and upper extremity VMRT training paradigms valuable to athletes. This investigation studied as yet unconfirmed crossover effects of upper extremity training on lower extremity performance; and we evaluated underlying relevant perceptual and cognitive adaptations. In this three-armed, randomized, controlled intervention, we used a computerized training device to compare participants receiving four weeks of upper ( n = 12) and lower ( n = 12) extremity VMRT training with a control group ( n = 13) of healthy participants. Collectively, our participants had a mean age of 24.6 years ( SD = 2.2), a mean height of 173 cm ( SD = 10), and a mean weight of 69.6 kg ( SD = 12.1); 57% ( n = 21) were female and 43% ( n = 16) were male. We assessed participants’ upper and lower extremity VMRT performance and domain-specific perceptual and cognitive abilities before and after intervention and analyzed differences between their before and after performances. Lower extremity training enhanced VMRT performances for both lower extremity and crossover upper extremity. Upper extremity training improved VMRT for upper extremity and increased cognitive choice reaction performance but yielded no crossover effects to lower extremity. We found no effects of VMRT training on other domain-specific cognitive performance markers (attention, executive function, memory, or working memory). VMRT training modulated only task-specific cognitive performance and induced crossover effects from lower extremity training to upper extremity performance but not vice versa.
Realities and Perceptions of Methodological Teaching and Debates in Post-War British Sociology: New Evidence from Peel (1968) and Wakeford (1979)
Authors: Panayotova Plamena
Published: May 2019

This article contains the first systematic analysis of the undergraduate sociology methods course syllabuses collected by John Peel in the late 1960s and John Wakeford in the late 1970s. It outlines the major trends in methods teaching in the late 1960s and 1970s, highlighting the teaching of quantitative methods in this period. But the broader aim of the analysis is to explain how the debates surrounding the rise of feminist sociology and the critiques of ‘positivism’ in the 1960s and 1970s affected methods teaching in British sociology. The article argues that despite their limited influence on the contents of the methods curriculum, these debates had another, more subtle but pervasive, impact on how methods were perceived in the sociology community and which methods could be justifiably seen as important and which as irrelevant.
Two-stage wicking of yarns at the fiber scale investigated by synchrotron X-ray phase-contrast fast tomography
Authors: Yoiti Ito Parada Marcelo , Matthias Schlepütz Christian , Michel Rossi René , Derome Dominique , Carmeliet Jan
Published: May 2019

With synchrotron X-ray phase-contrast computed tomography, we document the wicking process at the fiber scale in cotton, polyethylene terephthalate and polypropylene yarns. A new segmentation procedure is developed, allowing a clear separation of the water and the fiber in the reconstructed images. From the water configurations, we obtain moisture content profiles over the height of the yarn and time-resolved three-dimensional visualization of the wicking process. The water filling over the height of the yarn is highly non-uniform, since the available pore space varies strongly along the yarn due to the twisting of the yarn. For the first time, a wicking in two stages is observed: an initial fast unsaturated wetting along the fiber direction followed by a main saturated flow characterized by large jumps in moisture content at discrete time steps. These jumps occur when large pore segments become filled suddenly from multiple entry points through small size throats connecting different pore segments.
The influence of various measures of health on different types of political participation
Authors: Stockemer Daniel , Rapp Carolin
Published: May 2019

Recent research in political behaviour suggests that poor health can be an impediment for individuals to vote. At the same time, researchers argue that health may both hinder and reinforce other forms of political participation. With respect to these ambiguous expectations, our study asks: does the relationship between health and political involvement depend on how we measure health? We answer this question for two of the most widely used health indicators, self-reported health and being hampered by illness in daily activities. We use the European Social Survey (ESS) (N = 35,000) covering 20 European countries and find that the measurement of health indeed matters: our results illustrate that bad self-reported health is an impediment to voting, but not to other forms of political activity. When it comes to our second indicator, being hampered in daily activities, we also find a negative relationship with voting. Yet, our results also indicate that most individuals, who are hampered by illness in their daily lives, have a tendency to participate more regularly in most other forms of political activity, including boycotting, contacting a politician, or signing a petition. Robustness checks including waves 1–6 of the ESS support these findings.
City as borderland: Gentrification and the policing of Black and Latinx geographies in Oakland
Authors: Ramírez Margaret M
Published: May 2019

From the foreclosure crisis of 2008, to the tech boom-provoked housing crisis currently engulfing the San Francisco Bay Area, low-income residents of Oakland, California have been displaced from their homes at an alarming rate over the past decade. In this piece I draw from Gloria Anzaldúa’s Borderlands and engage with Black geographic thought, urban and sound studies to build a borderlands analytic. I consider how the “tension, ambivalence and unrest” of the borderlands provides a lens to understand the volatility of cities gripped by rapid gentrification. Using a borderlands analytic to make sense of the borders that are produced and policed in gentrifying cities, I consider how Black and Latinx life has been criminalized spatially and sonically so as to be displaced by forces of racial capitalist extraction. To do this, I look to the implementation of gang injunction zones in Oakland in 2010, and then to two moments in 2015 when the city’s soundscapes were policed and criminalized. This piece centers the Black and Latinx geographies experiencing dispossession in Oakland, and considers how residents are imagining and fighting for their city’s future.
Recurrent moderate hypoglycemia exacerbates oxidative damage and neuronal death leading to cognitive dysfunction after the hypoglycemic coma
Authors: Languren Gabriela , Montiel Teresa , Ramírez-Lugo Leticia , Balderas Israela , Sánchez-Chávez Gustavo , Sotres-Bayón Francisco , Bermúdez-Rattoni Federico , Massieu Lourdes
Published: May 2019

Moderate recurrent hypoglycemia (RH) is frequent in Type 1 diabetes mellitus (TIDM) patients who are under intensive insulin therapy increasing the risk for severe hypoglycemia (SH). The consequences of RH are not well understood and its repercussions on neuronal damage and cognitive function after a subsequent episode of SH have been poorly investigated. In the current study, we have addressed this question and observed that previous RH during seven consecutive days exacerbated oxidative damage and neuronal death induced by a subsequent episode of SH accompanied by a short period of coma, in the parietal cortex, the striatum and mainly in the hippocampus. These changes correlated with a severe decrease in reduced glutathione content (GSH), and a significant spatial and contextual memory deficit. Administration of the antioxidant, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, (NAC) reduced neuronal death and prevented cognitive impairment. These results demonstrate that previous RH enhances brain vulnerability to acute hypoglycemia and suggests that this effect is mediated by the decline in the antioxidant defense and oxidative damage. The present results highlight the importance of an adequate control of moderate hypoglycemic episodes in TIDM.
The most mentioned neuroimaging articles in online media: a bibliometric analysis of the top 100 articles with the highest Altmetric Attention Scores
Authors: Kim Eun Soo , Yoon Dae Young , Kim Hye Jeong , Lee Kwanseop , Kim Yerim , Bae Jong Seok , Lee Ju-Hun
Published: May 2019

Background

Alternative metrics (Altmetrics) based on mentions in online media is a new tool that can help identify articles that have the most influence on diverse public audiences.

Purpose

To determine the 100 most mentioned articles in the field of neuroimaging and to analyze their characteristics.

Material and Methods

We selected the 668 journals that were considered to potentially publish neuroimaging articles. Using the Altmetric.com search tool, we identified the 100 most mentioned neuroimaging articles based on the highest Altmetric Attention Scores (AAS) within selected journals. Each article was evaluated for several characteristics including AAS, number of citations, journal title, impact factor of journal, year of publication, authorship, country, type of document, disease entity, and imaging technique.

Results

The AAS for the top 100 articles were in the range of 145–1467. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience published the largest number of articles (n = 9), followed by Radiology (n = 8) and Neurology (n = 8). All articles were published during 2006–2018, with 56% of articles being published in 2016–2018. The majority of articles originated from the United States (n = 56), were original articles (n = 81), covered normal population (n = 67), and used functional magnetic resonance imaging (n = 56). Sasaki was the most prolific, authoring three of the most mentioned neuroimaging articles.

Conclusion

This study presents a detailed list of the 100 most mentioned neuroimaging articles in online media, thus providing useful information on the dissemination of neuroimaging research to the general public.
Are low-dose CT scans a satisfactory substitute for stereoradiographs for migration studies? A preclinical test of low-dose CT scanning protocols and their application in a pilot patient
Authors: Eriksson Thomas , Maguire Gerald Q , Noz Marilyn E , Zeleznik Michael P , Olivecrona Henrik , Shalabi Adel , Hänni Mari
Published: May 2019

Background

Computed tomography (CT) has the potential to acquire the data needed for migration studies of orthopedic joint implants of patients who have had tantalum beads implanted at the time of joint replacement surgery. This can be accomplished with the same precision as radiostereometric analysis (RSA). Switching to CT would increase availability without the need for the specific facilities required for RSA. However, higher effective dose is a concern.

Purpose

To investigate if migration measurements can be done with CT with an accuracy and effective dose comparable to that of conventional RSA.

Material and Methods

Fourteen scanning protocols were tested in a hip phantom that incorporated tantalum beads and an uncemented femoral stem. The protocols were graded for clinical practice according to the three parameters of image quality, effective dose, and robustness of numerical data. After grading, the two protocols that graded best overall were applied to a pilot patient.

Results

All protocols produced scans in which the numerical data were sufficient for a migration analysis at least as precise as would be expected using RSA. A protocol with an effective dose of 0.70 mSv was shown to be applicable in a pilot patient.

Conclusion

Low-dose CT scans with an effective dose comparable to a set of routine plain radiographs can be used for precise migration measurements.
Computer-assisted prediction of atherosclerotic intimal thickness based on weight of adrenal gland, interleukin-6 concentration, and neural networks
Authors: Meng Ling-bing , Zou Yang-fan , Shan Meng-jie , Zhang Meng , Qi Ruo-mei , Yu Ze-mou , Guo Peng , Zheng Qian-wei , Gong Tao
Published: May 2019

Objective

Atherosclerosis (AS) is the main pathological basis of ischemic cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, and the intimal thickness (IT) of large arteries is regarded as a powerful evaluation indicator for AS. We established an effective neural network model for automatic prediction of the IT and analyzed the high-risk warning indicators of IT.

Methods

The weight of the left adrenal (WLA) was evaluated. The serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentration was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The statistical methods included neural network modeling, a cubic spline interpolation algorithm, Spearman’s rho test, and linear fit.

Results

Thirty-seven rabbits were classified into a control group (n = 11), high-fat diet group (n = 13), and high-fat diet plus chronic stress group (n = 13). The neural network model was successfully established and verified by comparing the predicted IT with the actual IT. The high-risk warning indicator of IT was identified as follows: 0.445 g < WLA < 0.610 g and 60 ng/L< IL-6 < 80 ng/L.

Conclusions

The neural network model based on WLA and IL-6 could predict the IT of AS. When 0.445 g < WLA < 0.610 g and 60 ng/L < IL-6 < 80 ng/L, the risk to developing AS is very high.
CHA2DS2-Vasc score and CHA2DS2-Vasc-HS score are poor predictors of in-stent restenosis among patients with coronary drug-eluting stents
Authors: Zhao Sheng Gang , Xu Jian Jiang , Tao Zhen Hao , Jin Lei , Liu Qin , Zheng Wen Yue , Jiang Li Qin , Wang Ning Fu
Published: May 2019

Objective

To evaluate the ability of two scoring systems (CHA2DS2-VASc score and CHA2DS2-VASc+hyperlipidaemia+smoking [CHA2DS2-VASc-HS score]) to predict in-stent restenosis (ISR) among patients undergoing drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation.

Methods

This retrospective study enrolled patients who underwent coronary angiography to assess coronary artery disease severity secondary to a diagnosis of stable angina or acute coronary syndrome that subsequently underwent DES implantations. Demographic, clinical, angiographic and biochemical parameters were compared between those patients that experienced ISR and those that did not during the study follow-up period. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate associations between the baseline parameters, the two scoring systems and ISR risk.

Results

A total of 358 patients (non-ISR group n = 316; ISR group n = 42) participated in the study. Compared with the non-ISR group, more patients in the ISR group had diabetes mellitus and received stents with smaller diameters but longer lengths. There were no significant differences with regard the predictive ability for ISR of either the CHA2DS2-Vasc or the CHA2DS2-Vasc-HS scores. Multivariate logistic regression analyses demonstrated that stent diameter, follow-up duration and glycosylated haemoglobin were independent risk factors for ISR.

Conclusions

The CHA2DS2-Vasc and CHA2DS2-Vasc-HS scores did not predict ISR in patients after coronary DES placement.
Tumor blood supply may predict neoadjuvant chemotherapy response and survival in patients with gastric cancer
Authors: Ji Xiang , Yang Qiaoyun , Qin Hui , Zhou Jie , Liu Wenming
Published: May 2019

Objectives

We investigated the prognostic value of tumor blood supply in patients with advanced gastric cancer (GC) receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 53 patients with advanced GC treated with FLEEOX chemotherapy. The tumor computed tomography (CT) enhancement value was measured before chemotherapy (CT1; arterial phase CT–plain phase CT). The liver parenchyma CT enhancement value (CT2) was also measured using the same method, to eliminate individual differences. Tumor blood supply was defined as good or poor based on the median CT1/CT2 values. We evaluated the relationships between tumor blood supply and response to chemotherapy, clinicopathologic characteristics, and overall survival (OS).

Results

A good blood supply (GBS) was associated with significantly better clinical and pathological responses to chemotherapy than a poor blood supply (PBS). The 3-year OS was 65.8% for the entire cohort. Patients with a GBS had a significantly higher OS (78.57%) than those with a PBS (54.44%). Additionally, patients with Bormann type III GC had a better blood supply than those with type II GC.

Conclusion

Patients with advanced GC and a GBS are more likely to benefit from neoadjuvant chemotherapy than those with a PBS. Blood supply may thus be a predictor for chemotherapy response.
Automated landlord: Digital technologies and post-crisis financial accumulation
Authors: Fields Desiree
Published: May 2019

This article centers the role of digital technologies in extending financial accumulation into new sectors of the US housing market in the wake of the global financial crisis. I argue that while post-crisis market conditions provided an opportunity for large investors to acquire foreclosed single-family homes, convert them to rental housing, and roll out an new asset class based on bundled rent checks, these conditions were insufficient on their own. Digital innovations coming to prominence since the 2008 crisis were required to automate core functions, such as rent collection and maintenance, in order to efficiently manage large, geographically dispersed property portfolios. New information technologies enabled investors to aggregate ownership of resources, extract income flows, and securely convey these flows to capital markets. Such advances have, therefore, given rise to the “automated landlord”, whereby the management of tenants and properties is increasingly not only mediated, but governed, by smartphones, digital platforms, and apps, and the data and analytics these devices and infrastructures gather and enable. This article shows how technological transformations actively participate in the ongoing, dynamic process of financial accumulation strategies, and contends that digital technologies, therefore, also comprise a crucial terrain of struggles over housing’s place in contemporary capitalism.
A web-based, branching logic questionnaire for the automated classification of migraine
Authors: Kaiser Eric A , Igdalova Aleksandra , Aguirre Geoffrey K , Cucchiara Brett
Published: May 2019

Objective

To identify migraineurs and headache-free individuals with an online questionnaire and automated analysis algorithm.

Methods

We created a branching-logic, web-based questionnaire – the Penn Online Evaluation of Migraine – to obtain standardized headache history from a previously studied cohort. Responses were analyzed with an automated algorithm to assign subjects to one of several categories based on ICHD-3 (beta) criteria. Following a pre-registered protocol, the primary outcome was sensitivity and specificity for assignment of headache-free, migraine without aura, and migraine with aura labels, as compared to a prior classification by neurologist interview.

Results

Of 118 subjects contacted, 90 (76%) completed the questionnaire; of these 31 were headache-free controls, 29 migraine without aura, and 30 migraine with aura. Mean age was 41 ± 6 years and 76% were female. There were no significant demographic differences between groups. The median time to complete the questionnaire was 2.5 minutes (IQR: 1.5–3.4 minutes). Sensitivity of the Penn Online Evaluation of Migraine tool was 42%, 59%, 70%, and 83%, and specificity was 100%, 84%, 93%, and 90% for headache-free controls, migraine without aura, migraine with aura, and migraine overall, respectively.

Conclusions

The Penn Online Evaluation of Migraine web-based questionnaire, and associated analysis routine, identifies headache-free and migraine subjects with good specificity. It may be useful for classifying subjects for large-scale research studies. Research study pre-registration: https://osf.io/sq9ef The following research study is a not a clinical trial.
The Effect of Ankle Bracing on Kinematics in Simulated Sprain and Drop Landings: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study
Authors: Agres Alison N. , Chrysanthou Marios , Raffalt Peter C.
Published: May 2019

Background:

The efficacy of external ankle braces to protect against sudden inversion sprain has yet to be determined while taking into account the possible placebo effect of brace application.

Purpose:

To assess the protective effect of an external ankle brace on ankle kinematics during simulated inversion sprain and single-legged drop landings among individuals with a history of unilateral lateral ankle sprain.

Hypothesis:

The primary hypothesis was that active and placebo external braces would reduce inversion angle during simulated inversion sprain.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Sixteen participants with ankle instability and previous sprain performed single-legged drop landings and sudden inversion tilt perturbations. Kinematics of the affected limb were assessed in 3 conditions (active bracing, passive placebo bracing, and unbraced) across 2 measurement days. Participators and investigators were blinded to the brace type tested. The effect of bracing on kinematics was assessed with repeated measures analysis of variance with statistical parametric mapping, with post hoc tests performed for significant interactions.

Results:

Only active bracing reduced inversion angles during a sudden ankle inversion when compared with the unbraced condition. This reduction was apparent between 65 and 140 milliseconds after the initial fall. No significant differences in inversion angle were found between the passive placebo brace and unbraced conditions during sudden ankle inversion. Furthermore, no significant differences were found among all tested conditions in the sagittal plane kinematics at the knee and ankle.

Conclusion:

During an inversion sprain, only the actively protecting ankle brace limited inversion angles among participants. These results do not indicate a placebo effect of external bracing for patients with ankle instability and a history of unilateral ankle sprain. Furthermore, sagittal plane knee kinematics appear to remain unaffected by bracing during single-legged landing, owing to the limited effects of bracing on sagittal ankle kinematics. These results highlight the role of brace design on biomechanical function during sports-related and injury-prone movements.

Clinical Relevance:

Athletes prone to reinjury after lateral ankle sprain may benefit from brace designs that allow for full sagittal range of motion but restrict only frontal plane motion.