bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chronological Change of Vascular Reactivity to cGMP Generators in the Balloon-Injured Rat Carotid Artery
Authors: Tawa Masashi , Shimosato Takashi , Sakonjo Hiroshi , Masuoka Takayoshi , Nishio Matomo , Ishibashi Takaharu , Okamura Tomio
Published: May 2019

Background/Aims: Soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) exists as reduced, oxidized, and heme-free forms. Currently, it is unclear whether endovascular mechanical stenosis has an impact on vascular tone control by drugs targeting sGC, namely cGMP generators. Methods: Pharmacological responses to acidified sodium nitrite (reduced sGC stimulant) and BAY 60-2770 (oxidized/heme-free sGC stimulant) were studied in balloon-injured rat carotid arteries at several time points. In addition, sGC expression was detected by immunohistochemistry. Results: At 1 day after injury, acidified sodium nitrite-induced relaxation was attenuated in the injured artery, whereas BAY 60-2770-induced relaxation was augmented. Similar attenuation of response to acidified sodium nitrite was seen at 7 and 14 days after injury. On the other hand, the augmentation of response to BAY 60-2770 disappeared at 7 and 14 days after injury. At 1 day after injury, the immunohistochemical expression pattern of sGC in the smooth muscle layer of the injured artery was not different from that of the uninjured artery. However, in the injured artery, the intensity of sGC staining was weak at 7 and 14 days after injury. Conclusion: Balloon injury alters vascular responsiveness to cGMP generators, which seems to be associated with the form and/or expression of sGC.
Digoxin Attenuates Receptor Activation of NF-κB Ligand-Induced Osteoclastogenesis in Macrophages
Authors: Igari Kimihiro , Kelly Matthew J. , Yamanouchi Dai
Published: May 2019

Background: Even though hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is among the transcriptional factors demonstrated to contribute to the formation of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), the precise mechanism has been unclear. Digoxin is known as an inhibitor of HIF-1α, and shows a protective effect against the progression of AAAs. Objectives: We tested the effect of digoxin on osteoclastogenesis (OCG) and examined the pathway through which digoxin exerts inhibition of HIF-1α. Materials and Methods: RAW 264.7 macrophage cells were cultured and stimulated by soluble receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (sRANKL) with or without digoxin. First, we tested the effect of digoxin to attenuate macrophage activation, which led to OCG, characterized by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive macrophages (TPMs). Results: The activation of TPMs stimulated by sRANKL was attenuated by digoxin treatment. Furthermore, the receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK)/receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) complex signaling pathway, which is stimulated by HIF-1α, was downregulated by digoxin treatment. Conclusions: These results show that digoxin attenuates OCG. By inhibition of HIF-1α, digoxin decreases OCG through the downregulation of the RANK/RANKL signaling pathway. Therefore, digoxin is a potential candidate for medical treatment of AAAs.
The Anti-Helicobacter pylori Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. plantarum, and L. rhamnosus in Stomach Tissue of C57BL/6 Mice
Authors: Asgari Behnoush , Kermanian Fatemeh , Hedayat Yaghoobi Mojtaba , Vaezi Amirabass , Soleimanifar Fatemeh , Yaslianifard Somayeh
Published: May 2019

Background and Aim: Helicobacter pylori is one of the most common pathogenic bacteria in the human gut, and is also one of the most important factors that cause digestive disorders such as chronic inflammation, gastric ulcers, and even gastric cancer. Since the use of various antibiotics to treat H. pylori infection is associated with the development of resistance in this bacterium, the aim of this study was to determine the anti-H. pylori effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. plantarum, and L. rhamnosus in the stomach tissue of C57BL/6 mice. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 70 mice in ten groups were evaluated from July to September 2017 in the microbiology laboratory of the School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran. After induction of H. pylori infection in mice with the standard strain of H. pylori (ATCC 43504), the infected mice were treated with drug and Lactobacillus species in different groups. Then, the anti-H. pylori effects of lactobacilli were evaluated by stool antigen test and tissue staining. Results: Based on ELISA results and histological findings, a reduction of inflammation was observed. The group which was only exposed to L. rhamnosus and the one which was exposed to all three strains of Lactobacillus showed the highest antimicrobial effect on H. pylori. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, probiotic bacteria including L. acidophilus, L. plantarum, and L. rhamnosus could be useful in the reduction of H. pylori infection in the mouse model.
The Psalmic Oral Formula Revisited: A Cognitive-Performative Approach
Authors: Coleman Stephen
Published: May 2019

In the wake of Milman Parry’s and Alfred Lord’s groundbreaking discovery of oral composition in Homeric epics, biblical scholars analyzed the formulaic language of the biblical Psalms with a view toward establishing a similar compositional function. This approach met with little success. Among the many recent refinements to the Oral-Formulaic theory is the distinction between oral composition and oral conception, a distinction which allows for identifying oral features of a “text” which do not necessarily reflect composition in performance. The goal of this article is two-fold. First this article proposes a new model for identifying oral formulas based on the theory of prototypical categorization developed within the field of cognitive sciences, particularly cognitive linguistics. Second, this article argues that the psalmic oral formulas are best understood as linguistic registers which evoke a performance arena, a feature of orally derived literature described most extensively by John Miles Foley.
Making a Home for Refugees: Jürgen Moltmann’s Trinitarian Theology and Hospitality
Authors: Redick Caroline
Published: May 2019

This article seeks to offer a theological response for the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis (2011–19) by examining the doctrine of the Trinity in light of the contemporary landscape of displacement. In order to explore divine identity in relation to displacement and hospitality, the theology of Jürgen Moltmann will be utilized in order to interpret the current crisis through the lens of Trinitarian salvation. Moltmann’s understanding of Trinitarian persons as spaces will be explored to highlight the role of risk in love and to illustrate how salvific enfolding even embraces the possibility of harm. Finally, building from his theology, the article will argue that this understanding of Trinitarian salvation impacts a Christian ethic of hospitality during the refugee crisis.
‘Baptising Zambia’s Edgar Chagwa Lungu’: Critiquing the Utilization of the Declaration of Zambia during the Presidential Campaign of 2016
Authors: Kaunda Chammah J.
Published: May 2019

This article employs a public theology approach from the perspective of a decolonial theory. It analyses how the Declaration of Zambia as a Christian Nation functioned as a nationalist neo-colonial ideology during the presidential campaign of 2016. It did so in a way that was designed to legitimize President Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s political candidacy and moral authority within the Pentecostal-Charismatic religious sector. The analysis seeks to demonstrate how the Declaration and the photography of the social media presidential campaign intersected in order to represent the image of Lungu as an idea Christian President. Informed by a thematic analysis and a decolonial public theology, the article unmasks and exposes how ideology can become normalized as social practice within a particular historical context. The theological-ethnographic material within the analysis was collected during the period from January 2016 to February 2017.
Envision and Criticize: Doing Public Theology When Democracy Seems to Fail
Authors: Koopman Nico
Published: May 2019

This article discusses the development of a public theological response to the various challenges that have confronted South African democracy over the past twenty-five years. A public theology addresses three interdependent themes, namely the inherent public contents of faith, the public rationality of faith and the public significance of faith. The praxis of a Trinitarian theology and anthropology of vulnerability captures the emphasis liberation theology placed upon dignity, healing, justice, freedom and equality. The focus on human rights is a vehicle for justice while the call for unity—within the church and society at large—seeks a reconciliation that overcomes alienation. It seeks an end to oppression and dehumanization. In a context where the democratic vision of dignity, healing, justice, freedom and equality for all, especially for the most vulnerable, are not fulfilled, the prophetic modes of envisioning and criticism have to enjoy priority.
“How Great Is Peace”: Tannaitic Thinking on Shalom and the Pax Romana
Authors: Wilfand Yael
Published: May 2019

Tannaitic compositions include midrashim that focus on shalom (peace) and its significance. Since the word shalom appears in numerous contexts in the Tanak, the sages were able to develop various ideas, depending on their preferences, from an array of biblical verses. Despite having been composed under Roman rule, these shalom midrashim make no mention of Rome. Thus, scholars who have studied these sources have given scant attention to this broader framework. However, peace played a crucial role in Roman imperial ideology, where Rome is presented bringing peace to the empire. In this article, I analyze these midrashim and other Tannaitic passages and examine their relationship with Roman notions of peace. I show that this material conveys a latent dialogue with the ideology related to pax Romana and how the Roman conceptualization of peace appears to have influenced rabbinic approaches to shalom.
4Q148 (4QPhylactère U): Another Amulet from Qumran?
Authors: Feldman Ariel , Feldman Faina
Published: May 2019

This contribution is the first attempt at deciphering a miniature opistograph 4Q148 included in Józef T. Milik’s DJD 6 edition of tefillin and mezuzot from Qumran Cave 4. It proposes that the partially folded recto of this tiny fragment contains a non- scriptural text. A handful of legible words may suggest a prayer. Its verso, inscribed by a different hand, appears to be a legal text, evoking monetary amounts, perhaps related to inheritance. Folded and fastened similarly to tefillin, 4Q148 might have been a legal document re-used to produce an amulet.
Sociohistorical Self-Choreography: A Second Dance with Castoriadis
Authors: Hall Joshua M.
Published: May 2019

Twentieth-century Greco-French philosopher, economist, psychoanalyst and activist Cornelius Castoriadis offers a creative new conception of imagination that is uniquely promising for social justice. Though it has been argued that this conception has one fatal flaw, the latter has recently been resolved through a creative dialogue with dance. The present article fleshes out this philosophical-dancing dialogue further, revealing a deeper layer of creative dialogue therein, namely between Castoriadis’ account of time and choreography. To wit, he reconceives time as the self-choreography of the sociohistorical, in which performance the sociohistorical plays two dancing roles simultaneously, both choreographer and choreographed dancer. More precisely, as interpreted by Castoriadis in a late essay, the creation and emergence of forms in time consists of a poetic “scansion” or “scanning” of time. Thus, the sociohistorical is both choreographer and dancer, poet and reader, reinterpreting the poetic text of time as the music for its evolving dance.
Lineacoelotes, a new genus of Coelotinae from China (Araneae: Amaurobiidae)
Authors: XU XIANG , LI SHUQIANG , WANG XIN-PING
Published: May 2019

A new genus of Coelotinae, Lineacoelotes gen. nov., is described. Lineacoelotes includes five species from central and western China. The females of L. bicultratus (Chen, Zhao & Wang, 1991) comb. nov. from Hubei (transferred from Coelotes), the males and females of L. funiushanensis (Hu, Wang & Wang, 1991) comb. nov. from Henan (transferred from Draconarius), the females of L. nitidus (Li & Zhang, 2002) comb. nov. from Hubei (transferred from Coelotes) are redescribed, the males of L. nitidus are described for the first time. Two new species from both males and females, L. longicephalus sp. nov. from Sichuan and L. strenuus sp. nov. from Hubei, are described. The females of this new genus have distinct, unusually long spermathecal heads, and the males have a broad, long patellar apophysis and a strongly modified conductor but lack a lateral tibial apophysis and a conductor dorsal apophysis. Comparison of male palps of Lineacoelotes gen. nov. suggests that none of the modified apophyses on the dorsal edge of the conductor is homologous to the conductor dorsal apophysis found in many other Coelotinae, but this assumption should be tested in a future phylogenetic analysis. As in other Coelotinae, spinnerets of representatives of Lineacoelotes gen. nov. have PMS with 2 cylindrical spigots on the lateral sides and 2 minor ampullate spigots on the middle, and PLS long with 1–2 cylindrical spigots on its base, and the trichobothrium has a transversely striped large hood and a smooth small hood.
Descriptions of a new genus and three new species of Phasmatodea from Southwest China (Insecta: Phasmatodea)
Authors: HENNEMANN FRANK H. , CONLE OSKAR V. , ZHANG WEIWEI , LIU YE
Published: May 2019

The genus Parastheneboea Redtenbacher, 1908 is recorded for the first time from the Yunnan Province and Chongqing municipality, China. Two new species are described and illustrated: P. foliculata n. sp. from Yunnan based on the female and eggs, and P. simianshanensis n. sp. from Chongqing based on the male alone. The systematics of Parastheneboea Brunner v. Wattenwyl are briefly discussed with a list of species provided. Andropromachus Carl, 1913 is represented in China by only one species, A. guangxiense (Chen & He, 2000). The genus is briefly discussed and shown to be closely related to Neohirasea Rehn, 1904. An English translation of the original Chinese description of A. guangxiense (Chen & He) is provided. A re-description, a brief review, comments and a key to the species of Pericentrus Redtenbacher, 1908 are provided. The genus is shown to belong in the subfamily Lonchodinae Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1893 and to be related to Menexenus Stål, 1875. Pericentrus appendiculatus Redtenbacher, 1908 is transferred to the genus Trychopeplus Shelford, 1919 (n. comb.) and the type-locality “Central-Java” shown to be wrong. Pericentrus Redtenbacher has so far not been recorded from China but is very likely to be present in South Xizang (= Tibet). The new genus Cnipsomorpha n. gen. is described for three highly mountainous species from Yunnan Province, Cnipsus apteris Liu & Cai, 1992, Cnipsus colorantis Chen & He, 1996 and Cnipsomorpha erinacea n. sp., of which the latter is designated as the type-species. All three species are only known from the females. The egg of C. erinacea n. sp. is the only one known from the genus and briefly described and illustrated. The new genus is related to Parapachymorpha Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1893, and hence provisionally attributed to Phasmatidae: Pachymorphinae: Gratidiini. A key is provided to distinguish between the species of Cnipsomorpha n. gen.. English translations of the original Chinese descriptions of Cnipsus apteris Liu & Cai, 1992 and Cnipsus colorantis Chen & He, 1996 are presented. Type-specimens of new taxa are deposited in IZCAS, INCA and the collections of the authors.
First record of males of Encentrum mucronatum Wulfert, 1936 and Encentrum martes Wulfert, 1939 (Rotifera: Dicranophoridae) including notes on males across Rotifera Monogononta
Authors: RIEMANN OLE , KIENEKE ALEXANDER
Published: May 2019

A detailed description is given of the males of Encentrum mucronatum Wulfert, 1936 and Encentrum martes Wulfert, 1939. The degree of miniaturisation relative to the corresponding females is assessed and compared to males in selected planktonic rotifers. Different degrees of miniaturisation are related to differences in population dynamics.
Paroster baylyi sp. n., P. ursulae sp. n. (Col. Dytiscidae, Hydroporinae) and the water beetle diversity of pan-gnammas on isolated granite outcrops in the Mallee of south-western Australia
Authors: HENDRICH LARS , FERY HANS
Published: May 2019

Paroster baylyi sp. n. and P. ursulae sp. n. are described from south-western Australia, and compared with the similar P. michaelseni Régimbart, 1908. Their median lobes, parameres, gonocoxae, gonocoxosterna and habitus are illustrated, and details about their unique habitats and water beetle coenoses are given. The two new species are the first dytiscids to be known breeding solely in temporarily water filled rock-holes—so-called “pan-gnammas”—in the Mallee zone of south-western Australia. The total number of described species in the genus Paroster Sharp, 1882 is now 11. Eight aquatic Coleoptera of the families Dytiscidae and Hydrophilidae are recorded from 13 pan-gnammas on four granite outcrops in south-western Australia.
New and little known species of the subgenus Aegialia (Silluvia) (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) from the Sino-Tibetan mountains
Authors: FROLOV ANDREY V.
Published: May 2019

Three new species of the subgenus Aegialia (Silluvia) Landin, 1949, are described from China: A. (S.) gansuensis, sp. n., A. (S.) igori, sp. n., and A. (S.) yunnanica, sp. n. Notes on the distribution and variability of A. (S.) kabaki Frolov, 2002, are given.
Mites of the genus Typhlodromus (Acari: Phytoseiidae) from Southern France: combined morphological and molecular approaches for species identification
Authors: TIXIER MARIE-STÉPHANE , DENNJ PRINCIPATO , DOUIN MARTIAL , KREITER SERGE , HARALABOS TSOLAKIS
Published: May 2019

Mites of the family Phytoseiidae are important predators for biological control applications. They occur naturally in ecosystems but their overall distribution is not completely known. This study presents results of surveys carried out in the south of France. It proposes the use of a combination of morphological and molecular approaches for species diagnosis. Eighteen species of the genus Typhlodromus are reported from southern France, of which nine belong to Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) and nine to Typhlodromus (Typhlodromus). Eight of these species are new to the French fauna. The mitochondrial DNA CytB gene from 85 specimens (18 species) and the 12S rRNA gene from 30 specimens (9 species) were partially sequenced and analysed. Based on molecular and morphological comparisons, the synonymy between Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) ilicis and T. (A.) creticus is discussed. High genetic distances between specimens morphologically assigned to T. (A.) rhenanoides suggests the existence of cryptic species. The reliability of integrative approaches for species identification is discussed.
Image, Knife, and Gluepot
Authors: Rudy Kathryn M.
Published: May 2019

In this ingenious study, Kathryn Rudy takes the reader on a journey to trace the birth, life and afterlife of a Netherlandish book of hours made in 1500. Image, Knife, and Gluepot painstakingly reconstructs the process by which this manuscript was created and discusses its significance as a text at the forefront of fifteenth-century book production, when the invention of mechanically-produced images led to the creation of new multimedia objects. Rudy then travels to the nineteenth century to examine the phenomenon of manuscript books being pillaged for their prints and drawings: she has diligently tracked down the dismembered parts of this book of hours for the first time. Image, Knife, and Gluepot also documents Rudy’s twenty-first-century research process, as she hunts through archives while grappling with the logistics and occasionally the limits of academic research.

This is a timely volume, focusing on questions of materiality at the forefront of medieval and literary studies. Beautifully illustrated throughout, its use of original material and its striking interdisciplinary approach, combining book and art history, make it a significant academic achievement.

Image, Knife, and Gluepot is a valuable text for any scholar in the fields of medieval studies, the history of early books and publishing, cultural history or material culture. Written in Rudy’s inimitable style, it will also be rewarding for any student enrolled in a course on manuscript production, as well as non-specialists interested in the afterlives of manuscripts and prints.
Evaluation of post-consumer cellulosic textile waste for chemical recycling based on cellulose degree of polymerization and molar mass distribution
Authors: Wedin Helena , Lopes Marta , Sixta Herbert , Hummel Michael
Published: May 2019

The aim of this study is to improve the understanding of which end-of-life cellulosic textiles can be used for chemical recycling according to their composition, wear life and laundering—domestic versus service sector. For that purpose, end-of-life textiles were generated through laboratorial laundering of virgin fabrics under domestic and industrial conditions, and the cellulose content and its intrinsic viscosity and molar mass distribution were measured in all samples after two, 10, 20, and 50 laundering cycles. Results presented herein also address the knowledge gap concerning polymer properties of end-of-life man-made cellulosic fabrics—viscose and Lyocell. The results show that post-consumer textiles from the home consumer sector, using domestic laundering, can be assumed to have a similar, or only slightly lower, degree of polymerization than the virgin textiles (−15%). Post-consumer textiles from the service sector, using industrial laundering, can be assumed to have a substantially lower degree of polymerization. An approximate decrease of up to 80% of the original degree of polymerization can be expected when they are worn out. A higher relative decrease for cotton than man-made cellulosic textiles is expected. Furthermore, in these laboratorial laundering trials, no evidence evolved that the cellulose content in blended polyester fabrics would be significantly affected by domestic or industrial laundering. With respect to molar mass distribution, domestic post-consumer cotton waste seems to be the most suitable feedstock for chemical textile recycling using Lyocell-type processes, although a pre-treatment step might be required to remove contaminants and lower the intrinsic viscosity to 400–500 ml/g.
A facile preparation of cotton fabric containing hybrid poly(sodium methacrylate)/silver nanoparticles for oil removal and water disinfection
Authors: Ding Yajie , Zhang Chong , Cai Guoqiang , Xu Ke , Wu Jindan , Zheng Jinhuan , Wang Jiping
Published: May 2019

Water scarcity and pollution has become one of the most serious problems in the world. Generally, both oils and microorganisms exist in polluted water, hence multi-functional materials for the removal of diverse substances from water are desired. We reported a facile method for preparing cotton fabric possessing hybrid poly(sodium methacrylate) (pNaMAA)/silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for oil/water separation and water disinfection. A crosslinked pNaMAA layer was generated on the cotton surface by ultraviolet-initiated polymerization. By replacing Na+ in pNaMAA molecules, Ag+ was incorporated into the fabric and then was reduced to AgNPs in situ by photo-thermal reduction. Due to the high underwater oleophobicity and bactericidal effect of the pNaMAA/AgNP hybrid layer, the gravity-driven oil/water separation efficiency of the prepared fabric was higher than 99% and the bacteria killing ratio achieved nearly 100%. Furthermore, AgNPs exhibited relatively good fastness during application. Combining their excellent oil removal and water disinfection effectiveness, these textile-based materials provide a promising future in the field of point-of-use water purification.
Factors Influencing Residents’ Willingness to Contract With General Practitioners in Guangzhou, China, During the GP Policy Trial Phase: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Services Use
Authors: Liu Zhongqi , Tan Yawen , Liang Haiqing , Gu Yijun , Wang Xiaowen , Hao Yuantao , Gu Jing , Hao Chun
Published: May 2019

This study aimed to investigate the current contract rate and residents’ willingness to contract with general practitioner (GP) services in Guangzhou, China, during the policy trial phase, and also to explore the association of behavior contract and contract willingness with variables based on Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Services Use (ABM). In total, 160 residents from community health centers (CHCs) and 202 residents from hospitals were recruited in this study. The outcome variables were behavior contract and contract willingness. Based on the framework of ABM, independent variables were categorized as predisposing factors, enabling factors, need factors, and CHC service utilization experiences. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis models were applied to explore the associated factors. Out of 362 participants, 14.4% had contracted with GP services. For those who had not contracted with GP services, only 16.4% (51 out of 310) claimed they were willing to do so. The contract rate for community-based participants was significantly higher than that for hospital-based participants. Major reasons for not choosing to contract were perceiving no benefit from the service and concerns about the quality of CHCs. Community health center experiences and satisfaction were significantly associated with contracting among hospital-based participants. A need factor (diagnosed with hypertension or diabetes) and CHC service utilization experiences (have gotten services from the same doctor in CHCs) were significantly associated with contract willingness among CHC-based participants. Intervention to improve awareness of GP services may help to promote this service. Different intervention strategies should be used for varying resident populations.
Shortage of Commercial Vehicle Parking and Truck-Related Interstate Ramp Crashes in Tennessee
Authors: Boggs Alexandra M. , Hezaveh Amin Mohamadi , Cherry Christopher R.
Published: May 2019

Interstate ramps are the location of more crashes per mile than any other segment of interstate, yet commercial vehicle (CMV) drivers are often left with the last option of parking along these segments for off-duty rest to meet federal hours-of-service regulations. Past literature has evaluated the shortage of CMV parking facilities and examined characteristics of freeway ramp crashes. However, relatively little research has studied the influence of CMV parking deficiency on crash frequency involving parked CMVs along the ramps. This study examined 179 police-reported illegally parked CMV-involved crashes on 1,221 rural and urban ramps in the State of Tennessee, United States. Three Bayesian binary logit models using varying prior distributions were used to analyze the odds of a CMV crash occurring based on CMV parking shortage and ramp attributes. The results illustrated the higher frequency crashes (N = 4 or 5) occurred on entrance ramps of shorter length and often were adjacent to public parking facilities. Approximately one-third of the collisions on interchange ramps had a parking facility utilization rate of 90% or higher, and 23 ramps (15.8%) were adjacent to parking facilities that were at or over-capacity. Several ramp characteristics were significantly associated with an increase in the occurrence of an illegally parked CMV-involved crash and include the presence of a parking facility on exit, ramps with illegally parked CMVs, diamond-shaped ramp configurations, larger ramp shoulder widths, and exit ramps. This study illustrates the impact of the CMV parking shortage on the safety of ramps and highlights the need for more parking facilities.
Autologous Matrix-Induced Chondrogenesis for Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus: A Clinical and Radiological 2- to 8-Year Follow-up Study
Authors: Weigelt Lizzy , Hartmann Rebecca , Pfirrmann Christian , Espinosa Norman , Wirth Stephan H.
Published: May 2019

Background:

Autologous matrix-induced chondrogenesis (AMIC) has become an interesting treatment option for osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLTs) with promising clinical short- to midterm results.

Purpose:

To investigate the clinical and radiological outcome of the AMIC procedure for OLTs, extending the follow-up to 8 years.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

Thirty-three patients (mean age, 35.1 years; body mass index, 26.8) with osteochondral lesions of the medial talar dome were retrospectively evaluated after open AMIC repair at a mean follow-up of 4.7 years (range, 2.3-8.0 years). Patients requiring additional surgical procedures were excluded. All OLTs (mean size, 0.9 cm2; range, 0.4-2.3 cm2) were approached through a medial malleolar osteotomy, and 28 patients received subchondral autologous bone grafting. Data analysis included the visual analog scale for pain, the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score for ankle function, the Tegner score for sports activity, and the MOCART (magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue) scoring system for repair cartilage and subchondral bone evaluation.

Results:

Mean ± SD visual analog scale score improved significantly from 6.4 ± 1.9 preoperatively to 1.4 ± 2.0 at latest follow-up ( P < .001). The mean American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score was 93.0 ± 7.5 (range, 75-100). The Tegner score improved significantly from 3.5 ± 1.8 preoperatively to 5.2 ± 1.7 at latest follow-up ( P < .001), and 79% returned to their previous sports levels. The MOCART score averaged 60.6 ± 21.2 (range, 0-100). Complete filling of the defect was seen in 88% of cases, but 52% showed hypertrophy of the cartilage layer. All but 1 patient showed persistent subchondral bone edema. The patient’s age and body mass index, the size of the osteochondral lesion, and the MOCART score did not show significant correlation with the clinical outcome. There were no cases of revision surgery for failed AMIC. Fifty-eight percent underwent reoperation, mainly for symptomatic hardware after malleolar osteotomy.

Conclusion:

AMIC for osteochondral talar lesions led to significant pain reduction, recovery of ankle function, and successful return to sport. The MOCART score did not correlate with the good clinical results; the interpretation of postoperative imaging remains therefore challenging.
Playing Performance After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Among Australian Football League Players From 1999 to 2013
Authors: Lai Courtney C.H. , Feller Julian A. , Webster Kate E.
Published: May 2019

Background:

Achieving preinjury levels of athletic performance has been challenging for elite athletes after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Although a recent study found that 77% of Australian Football League (AFL) players who underwent ACL reconstruction from 1999 to 2013 returned to play at the highest level, the study did not indicate how consistently or well they were able to play.

Purpose:

To identify the number of AFL players who returned to play consistently over 2 seasons after ACL reconstruction, compare their playing performance in these seasons with preinjury performance, and evaluate factors associated with returning to preinjury levels of performance.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

Analysis included 104 AFL players who underwent ACL reconstruction between 1999 and 2013. All had played at least 10 AFL matches in 1 season before ACL injury. Ranking points, as devised by AFL statisticians, were used to measure individual playing performance.

Results:

Of the 104 players who played at least 10 matches in 1 season before ACL injury, 53 (51%) returned to play at least 10 matches in 2 seasons after surgery. Of these 53 players, 36 (68%) returned to their preinjury levels of performance. The 17 remaining players who did not return to their preinjury performance still performed comparably to the AFL average level after surgery. Players <25 years old (odds ratio = 2.9, P = .01) or <90 kg (odds ratio = 2.7, P = .03) had greater odds of returning to their preinjury levels of performance.

Conclusion:

Returning to play on a consistent basis was a substantial challenge for AFL players after ACL reconstruction. However, among players who did return to play consistently over 2 seasons, their postsurgery average performance was comparable with the AFL average level of performance, and two-thirds returned to their preinjury levels of performance. Younger and lighter players were more likely to return to their preinjury levels of performance, possibly given the nature of AFL club playing list management decisions.
Is it Too Late for Growth?
Authors: Schor Juliet B. , Jorgenson Andrew K.
Published: May 2019

The planet is on a path to catastrophic warming which calls for structural changes in the operation of Global North economies, not merely a transformation of energy sources, the core of “green growth” approaches. Our research on inequality and working time shows that these are powerful drivers of carbon emissions that can be the center of a progressive agenda supplementing energy transition. Our work also shows that disproportionality in emissions sources presents a policy opportunity. We challenge Pollin’s view that only growth-centric approaches are politically viable, and argue that progressive politics has moved from growth-centricity to needs- and people-centered policies. In our response, we argue that the recent rise of the Green New Deal is a strong piece of evidence for our position.

JEL Classification: Q5, Q54, Q56
pH-responsive hyaluronic acid nanoparticles coloaded with sorafenib and cisplatin for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Wei , Cai Jinzhen , Wu Bin , Shen Zhongyang
Published: May 2019

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the severest malignant tumors with high mortality in patients. Sorafenib, a first-line drug, is extensively used for treating hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the efficacy of this chemotherapy treatment is limited in clinically due to the obstacles including rapid drug clearance from blood circulation, tumor drug resistance, and obvious adverse effects. To address those problems mentioned above, pH-sensitive hyaluronic acid nanoparticles were synthesized by crosslinking hyaluronic acid with cisplatin and encapsulating with sorafenib. The obtained HA@cis-Pt@SF showed prolonged circulation time and high accumulation rate. Besides, the pH-sensitive property of HA@cis-Pt@SF owing to chelation interactions between cisplatin and hyaluronic acid guaranteed the major release of loaded drugs in tumor sites, avoiding untimely release. Moreover, sorafenib and cisplatin, two chemotherapeutic drugs based on different antitumor mechanisms, exerted synergistic tumor-killing effects after valid tumor accumulation and pH-responsive release in cancer cells. Above all, the enhanced antitumor efficacy and reduced cytotoxicity of HA@cis-Pt@SF make it a desirable candidate for chemotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Conducting Online Surveys
Authors: Ball Helen L.
Published: May 2019

There is an established methodology for conducting survey research that aims to ensure rigorous research and robust outputs. With the advent of easy-to-use online survey platforms, however, the quality of survey studies has declined. This article summarizes the pros and cons of online surveys and emphasizes the key principles of survey research, for example questionnaire validation and sample selection. Numerous texts are available to guide researchers in conducting robust survey research online, however this is neither a quick nor easy undertaking. While online survey websites and software are useful for assisting in questionnaire design and delivery, they can also introduce sources of bias. Researchers considering conducting online surveys are encouraged to read carefully about how the principles of survey research can be applied to online formats in order to reduce bias and enhance rigor. In addition to alerting researchers to the pitfalls of online surveys this article also aims to equip readers of this journal with the knowledge of how to critically appraise publications based on online surveys.
Deadly force: Contract, killing, sacrifice
Authors: Bradley Arthur
Published: May 2019

This article proposes a political prehistory of drone theory that traces its juridico-political evolution from the 17th century to the present day. To outline my argument, I construct a constellation between Hobbes’s theory of sovereign punishment in Leviathan and Chamayou’s critique of drone warfare in Drone Theory to illuminate the political origins of drone violence. First, I argue that Hobbes’s social contract theory lays the conceptual groundwork for Chamayou’s drone theory. Second, I contend that Hobbes’s theory of the sovereign punishment of domestic citizens preempts Chamayou’s critique of drone warfare against foreign enemies. Finally, I speculate that Hobbes’s theory of punishment is founded upon a sacrificial paradigm that returns in the phenomenon of domestic drone strikes. In summary, I argue that Hobbes might be something close to the first drone theorist insofar as his political theory systematically produces the state of exception between citizen and enemy in which the drone operates today. What, then, are the theoretical origins of drone warfare? How does the punishment of citizens prefigure drone warfare against foreign enemies? To what extent might even citizens themselves be a species of drone who may be activated by the sovereign at any point?
Theorizing the advent of weaponized drones as techniques of domestic paramilitary policing
Authors: Davis Oliver
Published: May 2019

The killing of Micah Johnson by Dallas police using a teleguided exploding robot on 8 July 2016 is the first known example of the use of a killer drone by US law enforcement in the domestic arena. This repatriation of the drone, under conditions of racialized urban unrest designated as exceptional, was predicted by Didier Bigo and follows a familiar pattern whereby coercive security technologies are tested abroad before finding their way ‘home’ to arm police forces that are becoming increasingly paramilitary in style and conduct. I use the Dallas incident to probe the cogency and limits of ‘drone theory’ and to consider its application in domestic policing contexts. I work through three broadly delineated areas of scepticism about drone theory as it intersects with policing and, in so doing, develop my own account of the weaponized policing drone as a defining techno-cultural element within the emergent form of neoliberal political rationality I call ‘governance’.
Nudging and rationality: What is there to worry?
Authors: Engelen Bart
Published: May 2019

The literature on nudging has rekindled normative and conceptual debates surrounding the extent to which and the direction in which people can legitimately influence each other’s actions. An oft-heard objection to nudging is that it exploits psychological mechanisms, manipulates people and thereby insufficiently respects their rational decision-making capacities. Bypassing and/or perverting people’s rational capacities, nudges are said to undermine agency. In this paper, I analyze and deflate these criticisms. After disentangling the different conceptions of rationality that pervade the arguments of both nudging enthusiasts and critics, I critically assess how and under which circumstances nudging can be said to undermine, pervert, bypass but also strengthen people’s rationality. Only in a limited set of cases, I argue, does it make sense to object to nudges for making people less rational than they are, can be or should be. Crucial in this respect will be the distinction between outcome-oriented and process-oriented conceptions of rationality.
Vibration reduction for structures: distributed schemes over directed graphs
Authors: Zhang Xueji , Pipeleers Goele , Hengster-Movrić Kristian , Faria Cassio
Published: May 2019

This paper aims to bridge the gap between control engineering and vibration engineering. We developed three distributed schemes over directed communication graph topology, specifically for vibration reduction of flexible structures. Under the distributed schemes, vibrations are attenuated through agents consisting of distributed observers and controllers. Compared to traditional methods, the developed approaches can reduce the communication overhead and the computational complexity when a large number of actuators and sensors are deployed. Moreover, two of the developed schemes enjoy the flexibility in reconfiguration of communication graph topology and integration of redundant agents. Furthermore, numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed schemes in vibration reduction of flexible structures.
Stoneley and Rayleigh waves in thermoelastic materials with voids
Authors: Singh SS , Tochhawng Lalawmpuia
Published: May 2019

The present paper deals with the propagation of surface waves (Stoneley and Rayleigh waves) in thermoelastic materials with voids. The frequency equations of the Stoneley waves at the bonded and unbonded interfaces between two dissimilar half-spaces of thermoelastic materials with voids are obtained. The numerical values of the determinant for bonded and unbonded interface are calculated for a particular model. We also derived the frequency equation of the Rayleigh wave in thermoelastic materials with voids. The phase velocity and attenuation coefficients have shown that there are two modes of vibration. These two modes are computed and they are depicted graphically. The effect of thermal parameters in these surface waves is discussed.
Childhood Maltreatment Disrupts Brain-Mediated Pathways Between Adolescent Maternal Relationship Quality and Positive Adult Outcomes
Authors: Demers Lauren A. , Handley Elizabeth D. , Hunt Ruskin H. , Rogosch Fred A. , Toth Sheree L. , Thomas Kathleen M. , Cicchetti Dante
Published: May 2019

The quality of early caregiving may partially shape brain structure and circuits involved in regulating emotions, including the frontal cortex, affecting vulnerability to the development of psychopathology and maladaptation. Given the profound impact of child maltreatment (CM) on psychological and neural development, we tested whether CM alters the pathways linking mother–adolescent relationship, frontal cortex, and adult outcomes. We used structural equation modeling to investigate whether CM history affected the association between mother–child relationship quality during early adolescence, frontal lobe volume in adulthood, and adult internalizing and externalizing symptomatology and competence. Participants from a longitudinal high-risk, low-income sample included 48 adults with a history of CM and 40 adults without such history ( M = 30.0 years). Results showed that greater frontal lobe volume predicted higher levels of adult adaptive functioning and fewer adult internalizing symptoms but showed no relation to adult externalizing symptoms. Frontal lobe volume significantly mediated the effect of adolescent maternal relationship quality on both adult internalizing symptoms and adult adaptive functioning, but only for individuals with no maltreatment history. Given the observed relationship between frontal lobe volume and healthy adult functioning across the full sample, it will be important to identify protective factors in maltreated individuals that foster frontal lobe development.
Comparison of fecal analysis methods for the detection of Platynosomum fastosum in naturally infected cats
Authors: Eisenbraun Hilary , Alluwie Adnan , Connolly Samantha , Nair Rajeev , Verocai Guilherme G , Ketzis Jennifer K
Published: May 2019

Objectives

Diagnosis of Platynosomum fastosum Kossack 1910, a liver fluke of cats, can be challenging, with infections potentially not identified depending on the fecal analysis method used. The aim of this study was to compare three methods for identification of P fastosum eggs in feces.

Methods

Feces from 50 cats with unknown infection status from a location endemic for P fastosum were analyzed. The methods used included double centrifugation with Sheather’s sugar flotation solution (specific gravity 1.28); the Mini-Parasep (Apacor) flotation kit with ZnSO4 (specific gravity 1.20); and the Mini-Parasep sedimentation kit with Triton X/ethyl acetate solution.

Results

Thirty-four cats were identified as positive for P fastosum. Of these cats, 33 were identified with the double centrifugation method, 16 with the Mini-Parasep flotation kit and 11 with the Mini-Parasep sedimentation kit. Using the total number of samples identified as positive by at least one method as the true positive, the sensitivity of the methods was 97.1% for double centrifugation, 47.1% for the Mini-Parasep flotation kit and 32.4% for the Mini-Parasep sedimentation kit. Other parasite eggs (eg, Ancylostoma tubaeforme, Trichuris species and Toxocara cati) also were detected more frequently with the double centrifugation method.

Conclusions and relevance

Of the three methods tested, double centrifugation with Sheather’s sugar flotation solution was the most effective in identifying cats with P fastosum and other helminth eggs in their feces. The lower specific gravity of the flotation solution in the Mini-Parasep flotation kit likely influenced the results. A primary drawback of the Mini-Parasep sedimentation kit was the amount of sediment. While more sediment was examined than recommended in the manufacturer’s instructions, this was still only a small portion of the total sediment. In addition, reading the slides took longer than with the other methods.
Internet tradition and tourism development: A causality analysis on BRI listed economies
Authors: Rehman Obaid Ur , Liu Xiaoxing , Rauf Abdul , Slama Mayada Ben , Amin Waqas
Published: May 2019

The study aims to explain the economic impact of Internet implication in tourism sector by taking sample of mega project listed countries (which provide big pitch to boost tourism business). Our work find the volatility cause of tourism revenue at country i, by examining the inbound tourist expenditures as a factor of technological infrastructure. We deploy data ranging from 1990 to 2017 and uses error correction model as representative of Autoregressive-Distributed Lag (ARDL) model after addressing diagnostic tests (for data reliability concern). We found long- and short-run association between tourism expenditure and information and communication technology (ICT) proxies in case of developed economies, while only short-run association in underdeveloped countries. The startling scenario about underdeveloped economies are also confirmed by one-way causation in our analysis. After sensitive analysis at each slot, the study concludes that tourism revenue is streaming low across those boundaries where tourists are suffered by paying more due to technological inaccessibility and its underdeveloped infrastructure. The suffered economies are recommended to upgrade their ICT sector to facilitate inbound tourist.
The harmonic balance method for Yao–Cheng oscillator
Authors: Wu Yue
Published: May 2019

Recently Yao and Cheng suggested a nonlinear oscillator with a damping, and an analytical solution was obtained by the homotopy perturbation method. This paper shows that the oscillator can also be effectively solved by the harmonic balance method.