bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Three Models of Political Membership: Delineating ‘The People in Question’
Authors: Green Alex
Published: September 2020

In her timely monograph, The People in Question, Jo Shaw provides a much-needed critical comparative review of the complex interactions between citizenship and constitutional law. I argue that, despite its emphasis upon citizenship’s essentially contested nature, Shaw’s latest work contains rich moral commitments and an important caution against uncritically eliding ‘full citizenship’ with ‘political membership’ more broadly construed. To establish these claims, I present a tripartite taxonomy of approaches to defining ‘the people’ based, respectively, upon the concepts of status, subjugation and duty. I claim that Shaw’s incisive analysis demonstrates perfectly why we should avoid placing undue reliance upon ‘status-based’ models of community membership and conclude by advancing an original, alternative and hybridised model of ‘the people in question’.
Prevalence and predictors of early COVID-19 behavioral intentions in the United States
Authors: Berg Michael B , Lin Linda
Published: September 2020

Despite early warnings and calls for action, COVID-19 infection rates continue to climb in many areas of the United States. The current study examined participants’ reported likelihood of engaging in eight behaviors designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as critical for the prevention of COVID-19 at the outset of the epidemic. Self-efficacy, perceived threat, and internal and external health locus of control were explored as potential predictors of those behaviors. In addition, demographic and contextual factors, such as age, gender, political identity, and whether or not participants were currently living under a quarantine advisory, were recorded for analysis. Overall, participants reported high engagement with the prevention behaviors. Higher levels of self-efficacy, perceived severity of the illness, and external locus of control in regard to medical professionals were all positively associated with plans to take the recommended precautions. Based on the results, it appears that messaging regarding COVID-19 prevention may be particularly effective when it focuses on the high risk of the illness, the ease with which the prevention behaviors can be taken, and a reassurance that the medical establishment has individuals’ best health in mind when it makes its specific recommendations.

While numerous countries have succeeded in reducing the spread of COVID-19, the number of new cases in the United States remains high, even relative to other populations also heavily impacted by the disease [1]. Although it would be difficult to pinpoint a single cause or explanation for the epidemic’s course in the USA, at the heart of its spread, like the spread of all infectious diseases, is noncompliance with preventative measures. The current research served as a preliminary exploration of the prevalence and predictors of eight COVID-19 prevention behaviors. A brief survey was sent out at the end of March 2020 to 350 U.S. residents in order to assess the likelihood of their engaging in various prevention behaviors recommended at that time and several related psychosocial factors. The psychological factors assessed included health locus of control (HLOC) beliefs, self-efficacy, and perceived threat. In addition, a handful of demographic and contextual factors, such as age, gender, political identity, and whether or not they were working outside the home or were currently living under a quarantine advisory, were recorded for examination.
Group A Streptococcal Pharyngitis Testing Appropriateness in Pediatric Acute Care Settings
Authors: Linafelter Alaina , Burns Alaina , Lee Brian R. , Myers Angela , Burris Allison , Jones Heather , Dusin Jarrod , El Feghaly Rana E.
Published: September 2020

Objective

Acute pharyngitis is one of the most common causes of ambulatory clinic visits; however, group A Streptococcus accounts for less than a third. National guidelines recommend against streptococcal testing in patients with viral features. This study aims to assess the rate of inappropriate streptococcal rapid antigen detection tests (RADT)s in children evaluated in urgent care clinics (UCC)s and emergency department (ED)s at a children's hospital.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed charts of 10% of children 3 years or older with RADTs ordered between April and September 2018 at EDs and UCCs. The test was determined to be inappropriate if the patient had no sore throat and/or had 2 or more viral symptoms: rhinorrhea/congestion, cough, diarrhea, hoarseness, conjunctivitis, or viral exanthem.

Results

Over the study period, 7678 RADTs were performed, of which 7024 (91.2%) were in children 3 years or older. We evaluated 708 charts and found 44% of RADTs were inappropriate. The predicted probability of inappropriate RADT was highest among patients with a triaged reason for visit for respiratory complaints (70.5%), viral upper respiratory tract infection (69.7%), and rash (61.3%). Of the inappropriate RADTs, 20.1% were positive, whereas 32.2% of the appropriate RADTs were positive.

Conclusion

Quality improvement initiatives are needed to decrease the rate of inappropriate RADTs in pediatric UCC and ED settings.
Myroides albus sp. nov., isolated from the gut of plastic-eating larvae of the coleopteran insect Zophobas atratus
Authors: Xia Mengli , Hu Lin , Huo Yi-Xin , Yang Yu
Published: September 2020

A bacterial strain, BIT-d1T, was isolated from the gut of plastic-eating larvae of the coleopteran insect Zophobas atratus. Its taxonomic position was analysed using a polyphasic approach. Cells were white-pigmented, Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, long rods without flagella. The 16S rRNA gene sequence (1401 bp) of strain BIT-d1T showed highest similarity (98.0%) to

Myroides pelagicus

SM1T and 96.6~92.6 % similarity to the other species of the genus

Myroides

. The results of phylogenetic analyses, based on the 16S rRNA gene, concatenated sequences of six housekeeping genes (gyrB, dnaK, tuf, murG, atpA and glyA) and genome sequences, placed strain BIT-d1T in a separate lineage among the genus

Myroides

, family

Flavobacteriaceae

. The major isoprenoid quinone was menaquinone-6 (MK-6) and the major fatty acids were C15 : 0 iso, C17 : 0 iso 3-OH and summed feature 9 (comprising iso-C17 : 1 
ω9c and/or C16 : 0 10-methyl), which were similar to other members in the genus Myroides. In silico DNA–DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity calculations plus physiological and biochemical tests exhibited the genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of strain BIT-d1T from the other members of the genus

Myroides

. Therefore, strain BIT-d1T is considered to represent a novel species within the genus

Myroides

, for which the name Myroides albus sp. nov is proposed. The type strain is BIT-d1T (=CGMCC 1.17043T=KCTC 72447T).
Emergence of the D614A mutation in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2: Imported cases to the South Korea
Authors: Park Ae Kyung , No Jin Sun , Shin Eunkyung , Chung Yoon-Seok , Kim Il-Hwan , Kang Byung-Hak , Rhie Gi-Eun , Kim Heui Man , Kim Jeong-Min , Park Ye Eun , Kim Min Joon , Park Jae Sun , Yoo Cheon-Kwon , Kim Junyoung
Published: September 2020

We identified imported cases of a novel D614A mutation in the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 in the South Korea. SARS-CoV-2 harboring the novel mutation was isolated from returning travelers from Uzbekistan. These results emphasized the possibility that new mutations have emerged in that area.
Genomic architecture and prediction of censored time-to-event phenotypes with a Bayesian genome-wide analysis
Authors: Ojavee Sven E. , Kousathanas Athanasios , Banos Daniel Trejo , Orliac Etienne J. , Patxot Marion , Läll Kristi , Mägi Reedik , Fischer Krista , Kutalik Zoltan , Robinson Matthew R.
Published: September 2020

Here, we develop a Bayesian approach (BayesW) that provides probabilistic inference of the genetic architecture of age-at-diagnosis of disease and time-to-event phenotypes. We show in extensive simulation work that our method provides insight into genetic effects underlying disease progression, achieving a greater number of discoveries, better model performance and improved genomic prediction as compared to other approaches. We develop a hybrid-parallel sampling scheme facilitating age-at-onset analyses in large-scale biobank data. In the UK Biobank, we find evidence for an infinitesimal contribution of many thousands of common genomic regions to variation in the onset of common complex disorders of high blood pressure (HBP), cardiac disease (CAD), and type-2 diabetes (T2D), and for the genetic basis of age-at-onset reflecting the underlying genetic liability to disease. In contrast, while age-at-menopause and age-at-menarche are highly polygenic, we find higher variance contributed by low frequency variants. We find 291 LD-independent regions for age-at-menarche with ≥ 95% posterior inclusion probability of contributing 0.001% to the genetic variance, 176 regions for age-at-menopause, 441 regions for age-at-diagnosis of HBP, 67 regions for CAD, and 108 regions for T2D. Genomic prediction into the Estonian Genome Centre data shows that BayesW gives higher prediction accuracy than other approaches.
The dichotomous and incomplete adaptive immunity in COVID-19
Authors: Gao Leiqiong , Zhou Jing , Yang Sen , Chen Xiangyu , Yang Yang , Li Ren , Pan Zhiwei , Zhao Jing , Li Zhirong , Huang Qizhao , Tang Jianfang , Hu Li , Liu Pinghuang , Zhang Guozhong , Chen Yaokai , Ye Lilin
Published: September 2020

The adaptive immunity that protects patients from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is not well characterized. In particular, the asymptomatic patients have been found to induce weak and transient SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown; meanwhile, the protective immunity that guide the recovery of these asymptomatic patients is also not well studied. Here, we characterized SARS-CoV-2-specific B-cell and T-cell responses in 10 asymptomatic patients and 49 patients with other disease severity (mild, n = 10, moderate, n = 32, severe, n = 7) and found that asymptomatic or mild symptomatic patients failed to mount virus-specific germinal center (GC) B cell responses that result in robust and long-term humoral immunity, assessed by GC response indicators including follicular helper T (TFH) cell and memory B cell responses as well as serum CXCL13 levels. Alternatively, these patients mounted potent virus-specific TH1 and CD8+ T cell responses. In sharp contrast, patients of moderate or severe disease induced vigorous virus-specific GC B cell responses and associated TFH responses; however, the virus-specific TH1 and CD8+ T cells were minimally induced in these patients. These results therefore uncovered the protective immunity in COVID-19 patients and revealed the strikingly dichotomous and incomplete adaptive immunity in COVID-19 patients with different disease severity, providing important insights into rational design of COVID-19 vaccines.
Long-term survival of salmon-attached SARS-CoV-2 at 4°C as a potential source of transmission in seafood markets
Authors: Dai Manman , Li Huanan , Yan Nan , Huang Jinyu , Zhao Li , Xu Siqi , Jiang Shibo , Pan Chungen , Liao Ming
Published: September 2020

Several outbreaks of COVID-19 were associated with seafood markets, raising concerns that fish-attached SARS-CoV-2 may exhibit prolonged survival in low-temperature environments. Here we showed that salmon-attached SARS-CoV-2 at 4°C could remain infectious for more than one week, suggesting that fish-attached SARS-CoV-2 may be a source of transmission.
A decade of teaching followership: retrospective and guide
Authors: Read III John Basil
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the benefits of incorporating the tenants of followership into leadership curriculums as a means of increasing employee engagement in the organization’s mission.

Design/methodology/approach

Five years ago, the author reported on the impact instruction in followership had in helping a government agency achieve a significant change in workplace culture. This paper provides an update on the agency’s followership instruction, insights on how development of followership skills can enhance organizational agility, collaboration and engagement and strategies for incorporating followership into a leadership development curriculum.

Findings

The literature suggests that followers can partner with the leader to advance organizational objectives and enhance outcomes through proactive participation. Evidence from three followership programs suggests that indoctrination in followership principles leads to better understanding of the impact follower contributions play in achieving mission-related goals.

Research limitations/implications

Much of today’s leadership instruction leverages industrial-age concepts on treatment of followers in the workplace. This type of instruction limits leader/manager thinking on how to best leverage the knowledge-age talents resident in the workforce. This paper suggests that followership instruction increases the potential for followers to make meaningful contributions that enhance organizational agility and competitiveness while simultaneously improving leader strategies for engaging followers.

Originality/value

Instruction in the principles of followership is gaining momentum in academia and in the public and private sectors. Yet, the number of resources for teaching the subject is limited. This paper provides insights into the impact of teaching followership, suggestions on structuring a followership curriculum and recommends resources for creating meaningful instruction.
Construction of followership identity among Kenyan teachers
Authors: Bett Harry Kipkemoi , Nguru Faith , Kiruhi Tim Mwangi
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a discussion on the construction of followership identity among teachers in Kenya which has had less attention. Further, as Kenya is currently implementing a new education curriculum (competency-based curriculum) which requires teachers to be more proactive in their work, an understanding of how they construct their followership identity in schools is paramount, as this is linked to the attainment of learning outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

Symbolic interactionism theory, which suggests that individuals respond to phenomena based on the meaning they give such phenomena and through interactions with others, has been used to support arguments in this paper. This theory is relevant to this paper, as it helps in understanding the meaning that teachers give to ‘followership’ through interactions with others in their schools.

Findings

The arguments in the current paper suggest that as Kenyan teachers interact with colleagues, their meaning of ‘followership’ is defined and refined. The resulting identity is important for these teachers, especially as they embrace the new curriculum in the country which requires them to be more proactive, unlike the previous one.

Research limitations/implications

As this is a conceptual paper, there is no empirical data to ground validate the arguments given.

Originality/value

The use of symbolic interactionism in the discussion of this paper adds another dimension to the followership and identity construction among followers. Much of the literature has focused on followership in general but not from the lens of symbolic interactionism.
Exploring Indigenous education leadership research in Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand
Authors: Fan Xiao , Liu Peng
Published: September 2020

Purpose

This literature systematically reviews articles published in “core” international journals on the topic of Indigenous education leadership over the period from 2000 to 2018 in four English-speaking countries, covering Canada, America, Australia and New Zealand, in which all of them have long colonial history and Indigenous population. These reviews provide insights into the nature of this emergent literature and generate many implications that required for further research in Indigenous education leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, a vote counting method was employed and a clearly delimited body of research on Indigenous education leadership was also identified. The vote counting method can enlarge the perspectives on the noticeable heterogeneity of Indigenous education leadership within the four English-speaking countries. This is the basic constitutive element for the development of a comparative literature in Indigenous education leadership. Moreover, this method can clearly calculate the annual number of articles about Indigenous education leadership, and the various methods used in the publications of Indigenous education leadership can be figured out as well, which helps to find out the different patterns of changes on Indigenous education leadership.

Findings

This study identifies the patterns of Indigenous educational leadership research across four English-speaking countries, which will contribute to the development of research in this regard.

Originality/value

This is one of the first studies about Indigenous educational leadership in the world. It will not only contribute to education practice but also leadership theory development.
Environmental commitment and firm financial performance: a moderated mediation study of environmental collaboration with suppliers and CEO gender
Authors: Vu Thinh Truong , Dang Wilson V.T.
Published: September 2020

Purpose

Prior studies have found a mixed result on the relationship between environmental commitment and firm performance. To shed a new light on this relationship, this study aims to draw on stakeholder theory, upper echelon theory and gender socialization theory to determine the mediating role of environmental collaboration with suppliers and the moderating role of chief executive officers (CEOs) gender into this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducts a questionnaire survey to collect sample data of 177 CEOs in manufacturing firms in China. Structural equation modeling is used to analyze data and test hypotheses.

Findings

Empirical results show that environmental commitment has a positive influence on firm financial performance. Furthermore, the results show that environmental collaboration with suppliers mediates the link between environmental commitment and financial performance. In addition, CEO gender has a moderating effect on the relationship between environmental commitment and environmental collaboration with suppliers. Finally, CEO gender also moderates the indirect effect of environmental commitment on financial performance through environmental collaboration with suppliers.

Originality/value

Findings of this study helps to clarify the mediating and moderating mechanism in the relationship between environmental commitment and firm performance. That is this study helps to clarify the mixed relationship between environmental commitment and firm performance in prior literature. This study also provides new insight and knowledge for business managers to make better decision in dealing with the environmental issue to enhance firm performance.
Prediction of shear strength of concrete produced by using pozzolanic materials and partly replacing NFA by MS using ANN
Authors: Mane Kiran Mansingrao , Kulkarni D.K. , Prakash K.B.
Published: September 2020

Purpose

The use of huge quantity of natural fine aggregate (NFA) and cement in civil construction work which have given rise to various ecological problems. The industrial waste like blast furnace slag (GGBFS), fly ash, metakaolin and silica fume can be partly used as a replacement for cement and manufactured sand obtained from crusher and partly used as fine aggregate. The purpose of this paper is to predict the shear strength of concrete using artificial neural network (ANN) for concrete made by using different pozzolans and partly replacing NFA by manufactured sand (MS) which can reduce the time and experimental cost.

Design/methodology/approach

In this work, MATLAB software model is developed using neural network toolbox to predict the shear strength of concrete made by using pozzolanic materials and partly replacing NFA by manufactured sand (MS). Shear strength was experimentally calculated, and results obtained from experiment were used to develop the ANN model. A total of 131 results values were used to modeling formation, and from that 30% data record was used for testing purpose and 70% data record was used for training purpose. In total, 25 input materials properties were used to find the 28 days shear strength of concrete obtained from partly replacing cement with pozzolans and partly replacing NFA by manufactured sand (MS).

Findings

The results obtained from ANN model provide very strong accuracy to predict shear strength of concrete obtained from partly replacing cement with pozzolans and NFA by manufactured sand.

Originality/value

This research study is on determining shear strength of concrete using ANN. The use of this study is to predict the shear strength of concrete using ANN for concrete made by using different pozzolans and partly replacing NFA by manufactured sand (MS) which can reduce the time and experimental cost.
Supervisor monitoring and subordinate work attitudes: a need satisfaction and supervisory support perspective
Authors: Mishra Madhurima , Ghosh Koustab
Published: September 2020

Purpose

Drawing on self-determination theory and organizational support theory, the present study explored how two styles of supervisor monitoring, namely, interactional and observational, differently impact job satisfaction and affective organizational commitment of subordinates. In addition, the mediating roles of psychological need satisfaction from the supervisor and perceived supervisory support were also investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

Responses were collected from 183 full-time employees through a web-based survey, and data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

Findings

Results indicate that interactional monitoring positively influences psychological need satisfaction from the supervisor and perceived supervisory support, while observational monitoring negatively influences psychological need satisfaction from the supervisor and perceived supervisory support. Psychological need satisfaction from the supervisor fully mediates the relationship between interactional monitoring and affective organizational commitment, while perceptions of supervisory support partially mediate the relationship between the two monitoring styles and job satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of the study need to be interpreted with caution as causality could not be inferred due to the cross-sectional nature of the study.

Practical implications

Supervisors are advised to adopt an interactional style of monitoring, as it favorably influences the work attitudes of subordinates.

Originality/value

The present study is one of the few works that have examined the differential impact of supervisor monitoring styles on subordinates' work outcomes.
Reliability of a New Smartphone Accessory for Scoliosis Measurements
Authors: Harasymczuk Piotr , Głowacki Maciej , Wojtków Magdalena
Published: September 2020

Background: Idiopathic scoliosis is the most common pathology of the children's spine, identified as spine lateral curvature with Cobb angle greater than 10 deg. The rapid development of technology allows, even mobile devices, to perform a quick and cheap diagnosis ensuring an accuracy similar to the Bunnell scoliometer. Objective: The study aimed to validate the accuracy of a newly developed accessory for measuring the angle of trunk rotation (ATR) using mobile devices. Methods: ATR measurements were carried out on a group of 30 adults using three diagnostic tools: the Bunnell scoliometer, Scolioscreen, and mScolio designed by the authors. Scolioscreen and mScolio were used together with a smartphone and the Clinometer app. Three measurements were performed using each of the methods. Results: The greatest data discrepancy was obtained between the Bunnell scoliometer and Scolioscreen (–3.7 ÷ 4.4 deg) and was twice larger than between the Bunnell scoliometer and mScolio (–1.8 ÷ 2.1 deg). The excellent agreement was obtained for the mScolio device, where the concordance correlation coefficient was 0.9381 (95% CI of 0.9076 ÷ 0.9588) and the interclass correlation coefficient was 0.9501 (95% CI of 0.9242 ÷ 0.9671). Conclusions: Tests showed excellent reliability and validity of ATR using the mScolio solution. Obtained results show excellent consistency between mScolio and the Brunnell scoliometer measurements.
Brake Squeal: A Control Strategy Using Shunted Piezoelectric Pads
Authors: Abdullah Yaqoub , Baz Amr
Published: September 2020

Brake squeal has been a challenging issue to overcome for the automotive sector. The phenomenon often underpins more serious mechanical issues leading to poor user satisfaction, compromised safety, and a negative impact on the market. Automotive manufacturers are highly motivated to solve the squealing problem to prevent sudden failure of the brake system, which can be catastrophic. This article provides an approach to mitigate the squealing of brakes through the application of piezoelectric patches shunted by appropriately tuned electrical networks. The designated piezoelectric patches used with the brake pads can provide a unique characteristic, namely, being able to convert the mechanical energy of squealing brakes into electrical energy. This energy can be dispersed throughout an electrical network, fostering greater stability and damping risk factors of the brake system. This technique is envisioned as empowering the disc brake systems to perform across a range of operating parameters in a robust fashion, without experiencing brake squealing. The model proposed in this article is a multifield finite element model that includes two degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) disc brake system model as well as 2DOFs for the shunted piezoelectric network to independently control the brake modes of oscillation and hence to enable the mitigation of the squealing threshold. The brake system establishes the stability limits as a function of the design parameters of the shunted piezoelectric network. The effectiveness of the developed system is also provided in a numerical examples that shows the effectiveness of the shunted piezoelectric networks in controlling brake squeal phenomenon. The method proposed in this article can be applied to distributed disc brakes as an extension of the current work.
A Novel Taxon of Monosegmented Double-Stranded RNA Viruses Endemic to Triclad Flatworms
Authors: Burrows Jeffrey T. A. , Depierreux Delphine , Nibert Max L. , Pearson Bret J.
Published: September 2020

Planarians are freshwater flatworms, related more distantly to tapeworms and flukes, and have been developed as models to study the molecular mechanisms of stem cell biology and tissue regeneration. These worms live in aquatic environments, where they are likely to encounter a variety of viruses, bacteria, and eukaryotic organisms with pathogenic potential. How the planarian immune system has evolved to cope with these potential pathogens is not well understood, and only two types of planarian viruses have been described to date. Here, we report discovery and inaugural studies of a novel taxon of dsRNA viruses in five different planarian species. The virus in the best-characterized model species,
Schmidtea mediterranea
, appears to persist long term in that host while avoiding endogenous antiviral or RNAi mechanisms. The
S. mediterranea
virus-host system thus seems to offer opportunity for gaining new insights into host defenses and their evolution in an important lab model.
Prebiotics and Community Composition Influence Gas Production of the Human Gut Microbiota
Authors: Yu Xiaoqian , Gurry Thomas , Nguyen Le Thanh Tu , Richardson Hunter S. , Alm Eric J.
Published: September 2020

Prebiotic fermentation in the gut often leads to the coproduction of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and gases. While excess gas production can be a potential problem for those with functional gut disorders, gas production is rarely considered during prebiotic design. In this study, we combined the use of theoretical models and an
ex vivo
experimental platform to illustrate that both the chemical composition of the prebiotic and the community composition of the human gut microbiota can affect the volume and content of gas production during prebiotic fermentation. Specifically, more prevalent metabolic processes such as hydrogen production were strongly affected by the oxidation state of the probiotic, while rare metabolisms such as methane production were less affected by the chemical nature of the substrate and entirely dependent on the presence of
Methanobacteria
in the microbiota.
Regularity properties of nonlinear abstract Schrödinger equations and applications
Authors: Shakhmurov Veli
Published: September 2020

In this paper, regularity properties, Strichartz type estimates for solution of integral problem for linear and nonlinear abstract Schrödinger equations in vector-valued function spaces are obtained. The equation includes a linear operator [Formula: see text] defined in a Banach space [Formula: see text], in which by choosing [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] we can obtain numerous classis of initial value problems for Schrödinger equations which occur in a wide variety of physical systems.
Amphicheirality of ribbon 2-knots
Authors: Yasuda Tomoyuki
Published: September 2020

For any classical knot [Formula: see text], we can construct a ribbon [Formula: see text]-knot [Formula: see text] by spinning an arc removed a small segment from [Formula: see text] about [Formula: see text] in [Formula: see text]. A ribbon [Formula: see text]-knot is an embedded [Formula: see text]-sphere in [Formula: see text]. If [Formula: see text] has an [Formula: see text]-crossing presentation, by spinning this, we can naturally construct a ribbon presentation with [Formula: see text] ribbon crossings for [Formula: see text]. Thus, we can define naturally a notion on ribbon [Formula: see text]-knots corresponding to the crossing number on classical knots. It is called the ribbon crossing number. On classical knots, it was a long-standing conjecture that any odd crossing classical knot is not amphicheiral. In this paper, we show that for any odd integer [Formula: see text] there exists an amphicheiral ribbon [Formula: see text]-knot with the ribbon crossing number [Formula: see text].
Influence of Non-Homogeneous Foundations on the Dynamic Responses of Railway Sleepers
Authors: Tran Le-Hung , Hoang Tien , Duhamel Denis , Foret Gilles , Messad Samir , Loaëc Arnaud
Published: September 2020

In a railway track, the sleeper’s responses on a non-homogeneous foundation have been investigated by researchers focusing on the foundation behavior along the rails. However, the foundation can also vary along the sleeper length, particularly when the track is newly tamped. The foundation at the sleeper center is often weaker than those under the rails and this non-homogeneity directly affects the sleeper responses. This paper presents a new model to calculate the influence of such foundations on the dynamic responses of the railway sleepers. This model is developed by combining a finite element model for the sleepers and foundation and a model of periodically supported beams subjected to moving loads for the rails. In this paper, the foundation contains three parts with different mechanical behaviors. The sleeper’s responses can be calculated by transforming the finite-element dynamic stiffness matrix to the one considering the boundary conditions and the relation between the rail seat forces and rail displacements governed by the beam model. This method reduces all the degrees of freedom of the railway track to its one period which gives a substantial reduction in computational time. The numerical applications show that the more homogeneous (so-called consolidated) the foundation is, the larger the sleeper strain is at its center. This result shows the potential application of the sleeper responses to estimating the consolidation level of the foundation.
Dynamic Performance of the LMS Maglev Train–Track–Bridge System Under Uneven Settlement for Two Typical Bridges
Authors: Wang Dangxiong , Li Xiaozhen , Wu Ziyan
Published: September 2020

To investigate the dynamic performance of the low-to-medium-speed (LMS) maglev train and bridge system under uneven ground settlement, a refined vertical dynamic interaction model of the LMS maglev train–track–bridge system with uneven settlement is proposed. Firstly, the numerical model is verified based on the field test. Secondly, the dynamic performances of the system induced by uneven settlements are numerically analyzed. Furthermore, numerical studies are carried out to investigate the effect of various uneven settlement types, to compare the performances of the two typical bridges, and to assess the contribution of the F-rail in the presence of uneven settlement. The results show that uneven settlement has a significant enlargement effect on the dynamic responses of the car body and levitation module, but a very weak influence on the bridge. Both the patterns of uneven settlement and bridge types significantly affect the dynamic response of the maglev train to various levels. The numerical model excluding the track structure will overestimate the dynamic responses of the levitation module. It is suggested that the dynamic interaction model for the maglev train–track–bridge system be selected to simulate the influence of uneven settlement for better accuracy.
The algebra of crystallographic groups in dimension two
Authors: Moreira Manuel R. F.
Published: September 2020

Starting with the two semi-direct products of two copies of the group of integers, a description of all possible semi-direct products of these two groups with finite groups, under a faithful action, is obtained. The results are groups that are isomorphic to 16 crystallographic groups in dimension two. An extra effort gives us a group isomorphic to the 17th crystallographic group. Four of the crystallographic groups are shown to be the only solutions to a natural generalization of the semi-direct product of two copies of the group of integers. Finally, we verify that the two additional groups, that are solution to the generalization of the semi-direct product of two copies of the integers, preserve stability in the sense that their semi-direct products with finite groups under a faithful action give rise only to crystallographic groups, if we disregard some trivial outcomes.
ICAPM and the Accruals Anomaly
Authors: Guo Hui , Maio Paulo
Published: September 2020

We propose new multifactor models to explain the accruals anomaly. Our baseline model represents an application of Merton’s ICAPM in which the key factors represent (innovations on) the term and small-value spreads. The model shows large explanatory power for cross-sectional risking premia associated with three accruals portfolio groups. A scaled version of the model shows better performance, suggesting that accruals risk premia are related with the business cycle. Both models compare favorably with popular multifactor models used in the literature, and also perform well in pricing other important anomalies. The risk price estimates of the hedging factors are consistent with the ICAPM framework.
The emerging role of lactate as a mediator of exercise-induced appetite suppression
Authors: McCarthy Seth F. , Islam Hashim , Hazell Tom J.
Published: September 2020

Lactate, a molecule originally considered metabolic waste, is now associated with a number of important physiological functions. Although the roles of lactate as a signaling molecule, fuel source, and gluconeogenic substrate have garnered significant attention in recent reviews, a relatively underexplored and emerging role of lactate is its control of energy intake (EI). To expand our understanding of the physiological roles of lactate, we present evidence from early infusion studies demonstrating the ability of lactate to suppress EI in both rodents and humans. We then discuss findings from recent human studies that have utilized exercise intensity and/or sodium bicarbonate supplementation to modulate endogenous lactate and examine its impact on appetite regulation. These studies consistently demonstrate that greater blood lactate accumulation is associated with greater suppression of the hunger hormone ghrelin and subjective appetite, thereby supporting a role of lactate in the control of EI. To stimulate future research investigating the role of lactate as an appetite-regulatory molecule, we also highlight potential underlying mechanisms explaining the appetite-suppressive effects of lactate using evidence from rodent and in vitro cellular models. Specifically, we discuss the ability of lactate to 1) inhibit the secretory function of ghrelin producing gastric cells, 2) modulate the signaling cascades that control hypothalamic neuropeptide expression/release, and 3) inhibit signaling through the ghrelin receptor in the hypothalamus. Unravelling the role of lactate as an appetite-regulatory molecule can shed important insight into the regulation of EI, thereby contributing to the development of interventions aimed at combatting overweight and obesity.
New insights into purine metabolism in metabolic diseases: role of xanthine oxidoreductase activity
Authors: Furuhashi Masato
Published: September 2020

Xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) consists of two different forms, xanthine dehydrogenase and xanthine oxidase (XO), and is a rate-limiting enzyme of uric acid production from hypoxanthine and xanthine. Uric acid is the end product of purine metabolism in humans and has a powerful antioxidant effect. The lack of ascorbic acid, known as vitamin C, in hominoids has been thought to cause a compensatory increase in uric acid as an antioxidant by unfunctional gene mutation of uricase to a pseudogene. Because XO is involved in an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) by generating superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, inadequate activation of XOR promotes oxidative stress-related tissue injury. Plasma XOR activity is associated with obesity, smoking, liver dysfunction, hyperuricemia, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and adipokines, indicating a novel biomarker of metabolic disorders. However, XOR activity in adipose tissue is low in humans unlike in rodents, and hypoxanthine is secreted from human adipose tissue. The concentration of hypoxanthine, but not xanthine, is independently associated with obesity in a general population, indicating differential regulation of hypoxanthine and xanthine. Treatment with an XOR inhibitor can decrease uric acid for preventing gout, reduce production of XO-related ROS, and promote reutilization of hypoxanthine and ATP production through the salvage pathway. It has recently been suggested that discontinuation of an XOR inhibitor causes adverse cardiovascular outcomes as XOR inhibitor withdrawal syndrome, possibly due to cardiac disturbance of conduction and contraction by reduced ATP production. New insights into purine metabolism, including the role of XOR activity in the past 5 yr, are mainly discussed in this review.
G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 as a novel regulator of blood pressure
Authors: Gohar Eman Y.
Published: September 2020

The mechanisms underlying hypertension are multifaceted and incompletely understood. New evidence suggests that G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1) mediates protective actions within the cardiovascular and renal systems. This mini-review focuses on recent advancements in our understanding of the vascular, renal, and cardiac GPER1-mediated mechanisms that influence blood pressure regulation. We emphasize clinical and basic evidence that suggests GPER1 as a novel target to aid therapeutic strategies for hypertension. Furthermore, we discuss current controversies and challenges facing GPER1-related research.
Microtransesophageal Echocardiographic Guidance during Percutaneous Interatrial Septal Closure without General Anaesthesia
Authors: Snijder Roel J. R. , Renes Laura E. , Swaans Martin J. , Suttorp Maarten Jan , Ten Berg Jurrien M. , Post Martijn C.
Published: September 2020

Objective. To study the safety and efficacy of microtransesophageal echocardiography (micro-TEE) and TEE during percutaneous atrial septal defect (ASD) and patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure. Background. TEE has proven to be safe during ASD and PFO closure under general anaesthesia. Micro-TEE makes it possible to perform these procedures under local anaesthesia. We are the first to describe the safety and efficacy of micro-TEE for percutaneous closure. Methods. All consecutive patients who underwent ASD and PFO closure between 2013 and 2018 were included. The periprocedural complications were registered. Residual shunts were diagnosed using transthoracic contrast echocardiography (TTCE). All data were compared between the use of TEE or micro-TEE within the ASD and PFO groups separately. Results. In total, 82 patients underwent ASD closure, 46 patients (49.1 ± 15.0 years) with TEE and 36 patients (47.8 ± 12.1 years) using micro-TEE guidance. Median device diameter was, respectively, 26 mm (range 10–40 mm) and 27 mm (range 10–35 mm). PFO closure was performed in 120 patients, 55 patients (48.6 ± 9.2 years, median device diameter 25 mm, range 23–35 mm) with TEE and 65 patients (mean age 51.0 ± 11.8 years, median device diameter 27 mm, range 23–35 mm) using micro-TEE. There were no major periprocedural complications, especially no device embolizations within all groups. Six months after closure, there was no significant difference in left-to-right shunt after ASD closure and no significant difference in right-to-left shunt after PFO closure using TEE or micro-TEE. Conclusion. Micro-TEE guidance without general anaesthesia during percutaneous ASD and PFO closure is as safe as TEE, without a significant difference in the residual shunt rate after closure.
A Prospective Noninterventional, Observational Study to Describe the Effectiveness and Safety of Trandolapril and Verapamil Single‐Pill Combination in the Management of Patients with Hypertension and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Harvest TR Study
Authors: Atalar Enver , Eskin Fatih , Tugtekin Haci Bayram , Karabulut Alpaslan , Kanyilmaz Suleyman , Kirbiyik Halil , Ozyildiz Ali Gokhan
Published: September 2020

Maintaining regular blood pressure control usually requires multidrug regimens rather than monotherapy. The objective of this study was to describe the effectiveness and safety of an angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor and a nondihydropyridine calcium channel blocker in a single‐tablet combination in patients with hypertension, a heart rate higher than 70 beats/min, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study was conducted in Turkey as a prospective, noninterventional, observational study. At 22 clinical sites, the data of 200 patients with hypertension were used for efficacy analysis; however, 262 patients received at least one dose of trandolapril/verapamil fixed‐dose combination at two dose strengths. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate, PR interval, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), and albumin/creatinine ratios were recorded during 8 weeks of treatment. With treatment, the mean (±SD) SBP that was recorded as 162.8 (±14.642) mm Hg at baseline was reduced to 131.7 ± 11.1 mm Hg at week 8 (p < 0.05). Similarly, the mean DBP was reduced from 93.76 ± 9.16 mm Hg to 77.6 ± 7.6 mm Hg (p < 0.001). Following 8 weeks of treatment, SBP and DBP values were reduced below 140 mm Hg and 90 mm Hg in most patients (81.5%), respectively. The mean heart rate as evaluated using electrocardiography measurements was reduced to 78.25 beats/min at week 8 as compared with baseline during trandolapril/verapamil single‐pill combination treatment (p < 0.001). Treatment with trandolapril and verapamil was well tolerated over 8 weeks with no unexpected safety signals. In conclusion, the single‐pill combination of trandolapril and verapamil was considered effective in reducing and controlling blood pressure in patients with hypertension and T2DM. There was a significant improvement in HbA1c and ACR levels in a smaller subgroup of the patient cohort. The trandolapril/verapamil combination was evaluated as being safe and well‐tolerated following a treatment period of 8 weeks. This trial was registered with NCT02298556.
Quality Parameters of Juice Obtained from Hydroponically Grown Tomato Processed with High Hydrostatic Pressure or Heat Pasteurization
Authors: Jeż Maja , Błaszczak Wioletta , Penkacik Kamila , Amarowicz Ryszard
Published: September 2020

The effect of processing such as high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) (400-600 MPa/15 min) or low pasteurization temperature (LPT) (74°C/2 min) or high pasteurization temperature (HPT) (90°C/1 min) on selected quality parameters of juice obtained from hydroponically cultivated beef tomatoes was investigated. The total polyphenols content (TPC), total phenolic index (TPI), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (ABTS) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were analysed in the fresh and processed juices stored for 0, 7 and 14 days. What is more, colour parameters (L∗,a∗,b∗,∆E), the activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) and microbial stability were also analyzed following the juices storage. Among all the tested samples, the juice exposed to 600 MPa for 15 min showed superior quality. Samples treated with 600 MPa for 15 min and stored for 0, 7 and 14 days had high TPC, TPI, ABTS, FRAP and a∗ values. As demonstrated, these tested samples at the end of the storage period retained 90% and 95% of their polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity, respectively. As in the case of pasteurization, juice processing at 600 MPa for 15 min clearly reduced the activity of food-spoiling enzymes (PPO, POD) as well as the microbial count. The obtained results showed that TPC was significantly and positively correlated with TPI, ABTS and FRAP parameters.
Assessment of the Learning Curve of Supercapsular Percutaneously Assisted Total Hip Arthroplasty in an Asian Population
Authors: Lei Pengfei , Liao Zhan , Peng Jiang , Li Guang , Zhou Qian , Xiao Xiao , Yang Chunhua
Published: September 2020

The supercapsular percutaneously assisted total hip (SuperPATH) approach is a microinvasive approach that was developed to minimize surgical disruption of soft tissue during routine total hip arthroplasty (THA). This study was aimed at assessing early outcomes and learning curves of the SuperPATH approach in one Chinese hospital’s experience. Early outcomes of the first consecutive 78 SuperPATH cases (80 hips) performed by the same surgeon were evaluated. The patients were divided into 4 groups according to the surgical order. The incision, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, Harris hip score, and complication occurrence in each group were evaluated. Learning curves were assessed using operative time and intraoperative blood loss as surrogates. The operation time and intraoperative blood loss of groups A and B were more than those of groups C and D, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05); however, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (group A vs. group B, P = 0.426; group A vs. group B, P = 0.426). There was no statistically significant difference in terms of incision length and hospital stay, and Harris hip score at the last follow‐up was increased with statistically significant difference when compared with that preoperatively among the 4 groups. One case of periprosthetic fracture occurred in group A. No other complication, such as joint dislocation, sciatic nerve injury, prosthesis loosening, periprosthetic infection, and deep vein thromboembolism, occurred in the 4 groups. In summary, for surgeons who are familiar with the standard posterolateral approach, they could achieve more familiarity with SuperPATH after 40 cases of surgery.