bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of clinical manifestation among Australian Indigenous and non‐indigenous patients presenting with pleural effusion
Authors: Heraganahally Subash S. , Silva Sampathawaduge A. M. S. , Howarth Timothy P. , Kangaharan Nadarajah , Majoni Sandawana W.
Published: April 2021

Background

There is sparse evidence in the literature in relation to the nature and causes of pleural effusion among Australian Indigenous population.

Aim

To investigate the clinical and demographic characteristics of adult indigenous patients presenting with pleural effusion in the Northern Territory of Australia.

Methods

In this retrospective study, indigenous and non‐indigenous adults diagnosed to have pleural effusion over a 2‐year study period were included for comparative analysis.

Results

Of the 314 patients, 205 (65%) were non‐indigenous and 52% were male. In comparison with non‐indigenous patients, the indigenous patients were younger (50 years (interquartile range (IQR) 39–60) vs 63 years (IQR 52–72); P < 0.001), female (61% vs 41%; P = 0.001), had a higher prevalence of renal and cardiovascular disease and tended to have exudative effusion (93% vs 76%; P = 0.032). Infections were judged to be the most common cause of effusion in both groups, more so among the indigenous cohort. Effusion secondary to renal disease was higher (13% vs 1%; P < 0.001) among Australian Indigenous patients, but in contrast, malignant effusions were higher (13% vs 4%; P = 0.004) among non‐indigenous patients. Length of hospital stay was longer for indigenous patients (P = 0.001), and a greater proportion received renal dialysis (13% vs 1%; P < 0.001). Intensive care unit admission rates were higher with infective aetiology of pleural effusion (82% vs 53% indigenous and 44% vs 39% non‐indigenous respectively). Re‐presentations to hospital were higher among indigenous patients (46% vs 33%; P = 0.046) and were associated with renal and cardiac disease and malignancy in non‐indigenous patients.

Conclusion

There are significant differences in the way pleural effusion manifests among Australian Indigenous patients. Understanding these differences might facilitate approaches to management and to implementation of strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality in this population.
Absconding: A qualitative perspective of patients leaving inpatient psychiatric care
Authors: Muir‐Cochrane Eimear , Muller Amanda , Oster Candice
Published: April 2021

Absconding from inpatient psychiatric care is a complex problem with significant and broad ranging effects for patients, staff, family/carers, and the broader community. Absconding includes leaving the ward without permission and failing to return from leave at an agreed time. This study is a retrospective chart audit of a data set of absconding events from 11 psychiatric wards in a metropolitan Australian city. The data set included both quantitative and qualitative data. The focus of this study is analysis of the qualitative data documenting what happened during events, with quantitative data provided to contextualize the qualitative analysis. A total of 995 absconding events by 488 patients were reported between January 2016 and June 2018, representing a rate of 1.6 per 100 admissions. Two themes were identified in the qualitative analysis. ‘Having things to do’ encompassed opportunistic absconding and volitional absconding. ‘Something changed’ represented predisposing events that affected the absconding behaviour, such as being stepped down in care (moving from a more acute to a less acute psychiatric unit), receiving bad news, or interpersonal conflict either between patients or between nursing staff and patients. Results highlight the importance of harm minimization strategies to reduce the incidence of absconding.
A low‐permittivity microwave dielectric ceramic BaZnP2O7 and its performance modification
Authors: Chen Xiaoqing , Li Hao , Zhang Pengcheng , Hu Houlin , Chen Gongtian , Li Gaosheng
Published: April 2021

Complex pyrophosphates compounds have attracted much attention as promising candidates for substrate applications. In the work, a low‐permittivity BaZnP2O7 ceramic was synthesized through solid‐state reaction. The pure phase BaZnP2O7 was crystallized in the triclinic P−1 space group. Excellent microwave dielectric properties of the BaZnP2O7 ceramic with εr = 8.23, Qf = 56170 GHz, and τf = −28.7 ppm/°C were obtained at 870°C for 4 h. The substitution of Mg2+ for Zn2+ was found to have positive effects on grain morphology and dielectric properties. Optimized performance of εr = 8.21, Qf = 84760 GHz, and τf = −21.9 ppm/°C was yielded at 900°C for the BaZn0.98Mg0.02P2O7 ceramic. Intrinsic dielectric properties of BaZn1‐xMgxP2O7 ceramics were studied via Clausius–Mossotti equation and complex chemical bond theory.
Future outcomes and health needs of chronic hepatitis C patients after receiving antiviral therapy
Authors: Hsiao Yu‐Hsuan , Chen Wei‐Ming , Chang Chia‐Hao , Chen Mei‐Yen
Published: April 2021

Aims

To study the future outcomes and health needs of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients after receiving direct‐acting antiviral (DAA) therapy based on the health promotion perspectives and cardiometabolic risks in a rural setting.

Design

This cross‐sectional study was conducted from May to December 2019 in coastal western and southern Taiwan.

Methods

We included CHC patients who were diagnosed and transferred by the gastroenterologist and hepatologist in outpatient clinics and completed DAA treatments. Data on demographic characteristics, health‐related behaviours and physiological biomarkers were collected through one‐on‐one interview using a questionnaire and from medical records obtained from a teaching hospital.

Results

In total, 124 participants were enrolled. Most participants (87.1%) had no side effects and 79.8% felt satisfied after treatment. However, 62.1% had metabolic syndrome, 48.4% had hypertension and 37.9% had diabetes. Furthermore, 71.8% patients were considered to have medium‐to‐high risk based on Framingham risk scores. In the multiple regression model, after adjusting for education level, other chronic diseases were negatively associated with health‐promoting behaviours in participants.

Conclusions

Although there were few side effects and most patients were satisfied after treatment, there was a high prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors and cardiometabolic diseases and less adoption of healthy behaviours in CHC patients. Despite the small sample size, the study suggests that clinicians can reduce the burden of the aforementioned comorbidities by providing adequate treatment and individualized lifestyle modification.

Impact

This study highlights that primary healthcare providers should consider the health needs of CHC patients after DAA treatment since many patients have high cardiometabolic risks, but only a few adopt a healthy lifestyle. Further studies are needed to initiate health‐promoting programs for these patients to reduce further injury to vital organs.
Cognitive tasks in the core content areas: Factors that influence students' technology use in high‐school classrooms
Authors: Hawk Nathan A. , Vongkulluksn Vanessa W. , Xie Kui , Bowman Margaret A.
Published: April 2021

Prior studies have focused on general technology use and technology use in domain‐general applications and quantity of technology use. Recent evidence suggests that investigations should consider how technology is used in more contextually specific ways, including how technology is used for various cognitive tasks in specific classrooms. The purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which classroom content area and student goal orientation have a coordinated influence for how students used technology to support learning. The sample included high school students in a Midwestern state who were surveyed on their motivation and how they used technology to support learning. The study employed hierarchical linear modelling to examine how goal orientation and classroom content area predicted various levels of Bloom's Digital Taxonomy. Students who adopted mastery‐oriented goals were more likely to use technology for various cognitive tasks, especially those at higher levels of complexity. Lastly, the association between mastery goal orientation and some aspects of technology use was conditioned on content area, although effect sizes were small. This study showed that, overall, technology is used differentially across four core content areas. Students in mathematics classrooms used technology less, however much of technology use was evident at lower cognitive levels. Second, students' goal orientation, and in particular their mastery goals influence how technology is used across content areas, and this is marginally conditioned on content area. Technology use should match the instructional context to maximize technology use and students' goal orientation.
Low basal serum testosterone level is detrimental to the embryo implantation in the patients with severe endometriosis
Authors: Huang Ling , Chen Minghui , Long Lingli , Tuo Ying , Wang Zengyan , Zhou Canquan , Li Yubin
Published: April 2021

Aim

Androgens have been reported to be associated with female fertility. The mean serum testosterone concentration in the patients with endometriosis was reported to be significantly lower than that without endometriosis. Our study was designed to investigate the influence of basal serum testosterone levels on the clinical outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the patients with III‐IV stage endometriosis.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study included 407 patients with III‐IV stage endometriosis diagnosed by laparoscopic surgery. We studied the association of the basal serum testosterone level and the reproductive outcome of IVF.

Results

The basal serum testosterone concentration was significantly higher in the pregnant group of patients with III‐IV stage endometriosis. The further analyses demonstrated that the implantation rate of the basal serum testosterone concentration < 0.305 ng/mL group was significantly lower than the testosterone ≥ 0.305 ng/mL group (24.1% vs. 32.7%, p = 0.007). The clinical pregnancy and live birth rate of the basal serum testosterone < 0.305 ng/mL group were also lower than that of the testosterone ≥ 0.305 ng/mL group. Both initial and total dose of gonadotropins in the testosterone <0.305 ng/mL group are significantly higher than that of the testosterone ≥0.305 ng/mL group.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated, for the first time, that the basal serum testosterone <0.305 ng/mL had an adverse impact on pregnancy outcomes of IVF‐embryo transfer in the patients with III‐IV stage endometriosis. Besides, the basal serum testosterone is also helpful in making individual stimulation protocol for the patients with advanced endometriosis before entering IVF cycles.
Psychophysical evaluations are important, usefulness and usability approaches to study the smell disorder related to COVID‐19
Authors: Saussez S. , Hans S. , Chiesa‐Estomba C. M. , Lechien J.R.
Published: April 2021

Click here to view the Letter to the Editor by B. Arana‐Fernández et al
Voxel‐based morphometry for the evaluation of patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy with apparently normal MRI
Authors: González‐Ortiz Sofía , Medrano Santiago , Capellades Jaume , Vilas Marta , Mestre Antoni , Serrano Laura , Conesa Gerardo , Pérez‐Enríquez Carmen , Arumi Montserrat , Bargalló Nuria , Delgado‐Martinez Ignacio , Rocamora Rodrigo
Published: April 2021

Background and purpose

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is essential in the diagnosis of pharmacoresistant epilepsy (PRE), because patients with lesions detected by MRI have a better prognosis after surgery. Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is one of the most frequent etiologies of PRE but can be difficult to identify by MRI. Voxel‐based morphometric analysis programs, like the Morphometric Analysis Program (MAP), have been developed to help improve MRI detection. Our objective was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of MAP in patients with PRE and an apparently normal MRI.

Methods

We studied 70 patients with focal PRE and a nonlesional MRI. The 3DT1 sequence was processed with MAP, obtaining three z‐score maps. Patients were classified as MAP+ if one or more z‐score maps showed a suspicious area of brightness, and MAP– if the z‐score maps did not show any suspicious areas. For MAP+ cases, a second‐look MRI was performed with a dedicated inspection based on the MAP findings. The MAP results were correlated with the epileptogenic zone. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated.

Results

Thirty‐one percent of patients were classified as MAP+ and 69% were MAP–. Results showed a sensitivity of 0.57, specificity of 0.8, PPV of 0.91, and NPV of 0.35. In 19% of patients, an FCD was found in the second‐look MRI after MAP.

Conclusions

MAP was helpful in the detection of lesions in PRE patients with a nonlesional MRI, which could have important repercussions for the clinical management and postoperative prognosis of these patients.
Bone marrow metastasis/carcinomatosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: LK Wong Billy , Wei Chern Gan Richard , Adabavazeh Babak , Jose Jemy
Published: April 2021

Background

Literature on bone marrow carcinomatosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is sparse. This work aims to augment understanding on its characteristic features, clinical presentation, investigations, treatment and outcomes.

Methods

Comprehensive literature review of all published cases of metastasis of HNSCC to the bone marrow with regard to clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment and survival outcomes of this disease. Each of these factors is discussed forming an up‐to‐date review on the subject.

Results

Eight case reports were identified, seven males and one female with an age range of 35‒64 years. Primary sites were from the oral cavity (n = 4), oropharynx (n = 3) and supraglottis (n = 1). Six were stage four disease with nodal involvement, one case stage two and one case with unknown staging. Two of the oropharyngeal cancers were p16 positive, and one p16 status was not documented. Five patients presented with back pain, two patients had ecchymoses with bleeding, and one presented with sepsis and thrombocytopaenia. Three patients had proven disseminated intravascular coagulation. Four patients were treated with palliative chemoradiotherapy, one had palliative radiotherapy, one had radiotherapy and dendritic cell vaccine immunotherapy, and two died from the disease prior to any treatment. Various facets of presentation and management are discussed.

Conclusion

Bone marrow carcinomatosis from HNSCC is rare. It can present with a variety of non‐specific symptoms, and a high index of suspicion is required to be able to diagnose the condition promptly. Aggressive chemotherapy is the treatment of choice but prognosis remains poor.
Postmortem screening of opioids, benzodiazepines, and alcohol among rural and urban suicide decedents
Authors: Bensley Kara Marie Kubiak , Kerr William C. , Barnett Sarah Beth , Mulia Nina
Published: April 2021

Purpose

Fatal suicides involving opioids are increasingly common, particularly in rural areas. As co‐use of opioids with other substances contributes significantly to mortality risk, we examined whether positive screens for opioids with other substances is more prevalent among rural versus urban suicide deaths, as this could have implications for public health strategies to reduce overdose suicides.

Methods

Data from all states reporting opioid‐related overdose suicides in the National Violent Death Reporting System from 2012 to 2015 were used. Relative risk ratios were obtained using multinomial logistic regression, comparing opioid‐only to (1) opioid and alcohol, (2) opioid and benzodiazepines, and (3) opioid, alcohol, and benzodiazepines suicides across rurality. Models were fit using robust standard errors and fixed effects for year of death, adjusting for individual, county, and state‐level covariates.

Findings

There were 3,781 opioid‐overdose suicide decedents (42% female) tested for all 3 substances during the study period. Unadjusted prevalence of positive screens in decedents varied across rurality (P = .022). Urban decedents were more likely to test positive for opioids alone, while rural decedents were more to likely test positive for opioids and benzodiazepines.

Conclusions

Rural suicides are associated with increased opioid and benzodiazepine positive screens. These findings suggest the need for rural‐focused interventions to support appropriate co‐prescribing, better health education for providers about risks associated with drug mixing, and more linkages with mental health services.
Nebulized dexamethasone sodium phosphate in the treatment of horses with severe asthma
Authors: de Wasseige Selena , Picotte Khristine , Lavoie Jean‐Pierre
Published: April 2021

Background

A study reported low systemic availability of injectable dexamethasone nebulized to healthy horses using the Flexineb mask. When used in horses with severe asthma and a different nebulizer, lack of efficacy and cortisol suppression were observed.

Hypothesis

Nebulized dexamethasone is as effective as PO administration for the treatment of severe asthma in horses.

Animals

Twelve horses with severe asthma from a research herd.

Methods

Randomized clinical trial. Horses were divided into 2 groups and received 5 mg of dexamethasone sodium phosphate by nebulization using a Flexineb mask (NE, n = 6) or PO (OR, n = 6) q24h for 7 days. Lung function and serum cortisol concentrations were evaluated at baseline, after 4 days of treatment (D4) and 1 day after the last treatment (D8). Data were analyzed using linear mixed models with Benjamini‐Hochberg adjustments.

Results

Lung resistance significantly improved at D4 (mean decrease ± SD, −1.5 ± 0.45 cm H₂O/L/s; 95% confidence interval [CI], −2; −0.6) and D8 (−1.4 ± 0.45 cm H₂O/L/s; 95% CI, −2.4; −0.5) compared to baseline in the OR group only (P = .004 and .01, respectively). Serum cortisol concentration was significantly decreased at D4 and D8 for both groups (maximum decrease, −1.2 ± 0.3 μg/dL; 95% CI, −1.9; −0.6 at D4 for NE group and −2.2 ± 0.3 μg/dL; 95% CI, −2.8; −1.6 at D8 for OR group; P < .001).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Oral, but not nebulized dexamethasone is an effective therapy for horses with severe asthma and both treatment modalities inhibit the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis.
The Alpha‐Heston stochastic volatility model
Authors: Jiao Ying , Ma Chunhua , Scotti Simone , Zhou Chao
Published: April 2021

We introduce an affine extension of the Heston model, called the ‐Heston model, where the instantaneous variance process contains a jump part driven by ‐stable processes with . In this framework, we examine the implied volatility and its asymptotic behavior for both asset and VIX options. Furthermore, we study the jump clustering phenomenon observed on the market. We provide a jump cluster decomposition for the variance process where each cluster is induced by a “mother jump” representing a triggering shock followed by “secondary jumps” characterizing the contagion impact.
The Influence of Creative Expertise on the Sensitivity and Selectivity of Analogical Reasoning
Authors: Dumas Denis , Dong Yixiao , Doherty Michael
Published: April 2021

This study compared the analogical reasoning of three groups that differed in their creative expertise: professional actors, undergraduate acting majors, and nonactors. Using an Analogy Finding Task, in which participants identified valid and nonvalid verbal analogies, three aspects of participants' analogical reasoning were measured: the number of analogies participants selected as valid (Quantity), the rate of true‐positive analogical identification (Sensitivity), and the rate of true‐negative identification of nonvalid analogies (Selectivity). The Analogy Finding Task was administered under both a baseline and a “think creatively” prompt. Results showed that actors (professional or student) were significantly more Sensitive to valid analogies than nonactors, and these creative experts were significantly more influenced by the “think creatively” prompt, which increased the Quantity, and decreased the Selectivity, of actors' analogical reasoning. To explain these results, we forward the general hypothesis that creative experts may be more flexible in response to creativity‐relevant contextual cues than nonexperts.
Influence of age and individual identity in the use of breeding colony habitat by male Weddell seals in Erebus Bay, Antarctica
Authors: Brusa Jamie L. , Rotella Jay J. , Garrott Robert A.
Published: April 2021

Male–male contest behavior can contribute to spatial distributions of male pinnipeds during breeding seasons. To maximize breeding opportunities, the most competitive males would be expected to be surrounded by the highest numbers of reproductive‐age females. As information regarding fine‐scale spatial ecology of Weddell seals is lacking, we performed an exploratory study using kernel density analyses to evaluate age‐specific habitat use of male Weddell seals in Erebus Bay, Antarctica. Additionally, we investigated the relationship between age and number of surrounding reproductive‐age females using a competing set of regression models in a Bayesian framework that considered different functional forms of age while incorporating individual heterogeneity. As male adult Weddell seals aged, to at least 20 years, they were more likely to be found in areas associated with the greatest densities of reproductive‐age females, but individual heterogeneity also influenced the number of reproductive‐age female neighbors. The youngest males tended to haul out in offshore areas associated with better hunting, and older males tended to settle in more nearshore areas associated with more pup production. Our findings from this preliminary investigation indicate that male Weddell seal spatial behavior during the breeding season varies with age and individual and might be related to reproductive activity.
Pilocarpine improves submandibular gland dysfunction in irradiated rats by downregulating the tight junction protein claudin‐4
Authors: Yao Qing‐Ting , Wu Yan‐Hui , Liu Shao‐Hua , Song Xiao‐Bin , Xu Hui , Li Jun , Shi Liang
Published: April 2021

Objectives

To investigate the effects of radiation on paracellular pathway of rat submandibular glands (SMGs) and the mechanism of increasing secretion following treatment with pilocarpine.

Materials and Methods

In situ irradiation models of SMGs in Wistar rats were conducted, and the glands were exposed to X‐radiation at a single dose of 20 Gy. Pilocarpine was intraperitoneally injected 60 min prior to radiation and continuous 6 days postirradiation for a total of 7 days. Salivary secretion, histological changes, pro‐inflammatory cytokines, alterations in tight junctions (TJs), and functional membrane proteins aquaporin‐5 (AQP5) and claudin‐4 mediated by the muscarinic acetylcholine M3 subtype receptor were determined at 1 and 12 weeks after irradiation.

Results

Salivary secretion of the irradiated glands was reduced at 1 and 12 weeks. As well, acinar cell numbers, TJ width, and the levels of M3 receptor and AQP5 were decreased. In contrast, tumor necrosis factor‐α, interleukin 6, interleukin 1α, and the expression of the TJ protein claudin‐4 were significantly increased in irradiated SMGs. Notably, all the alterations were attenuated by pilocarpine treatment.

Conclusions

Pilocarpine could improve the secretory function of irradiated rat SMGs via reducing inflammation, ameliorating the structural injury of TJs, and attenuating the up‐regulation of claudin‐4 expression.
Unexplained syncope during pacemaker interrogation: Wand, AutoCapture, or lead—Which one is the elusive culprit?
Authors: Bera Debabrata , Majumder Suchit , Ghose Subir , Kar Ayan , Sarkar Rakesh , Mukherjee Sanjeev S.
Published: April 2021

A 65‐year‐old gentleman underwent dual chamber pacemaker implantation (DDDR, St Jude Medical) 7 years back for infra‐hisian complete heart block. He was completely asymptomatic and came for his annual routine check‐up. After undergoing ECG with and without magnet, he was prepared for device evaluation. After placing the programmer wand over the chest as soon as the “;interrogate” button on the programmer screen was pressed, the patient immediately experienced pre‐syncope but recovered instantly as the wand was promptly withdrawn. After taking him to the casualty room with all resuscitation measures in hand, a repeat attempt of interrogation was made after connecting ECG, which revealed reproducible loss of capture (LOC), exclusively during wand placement. A differential diagnosis of lead failure, battery depletion, or wand related issues were considered. However, serial ECGs recorded without wand raised the possibility of AutoCapture malfunction. With all precautions, the device was programmed to fixed ventricular output mode after which interrogation could be performed safely. There was a remaining battery longevity of 2 years with acceptable lead parameters and stable threshold. He continues to be asymptomatic at 10 months of follow up.
When an American Pacifist Became an Alien in Her own Homeland (and Had to be Ready to Kill to Reclaim Her Citizenship)
Authors: Stoltzfus Duane
Published: April 2021

Mabel Boe was born in Iowa but lost her U.S. citizenship when she married a Norwegian. Federal law at the time required that she relinquish her own citizenship to share her husband’s. When she sought to regain her American standing, she found her way blocked by a hypothetical question that the Bureau of Naturalization had introduced after World War I as a test of loyalty: “If necessary, are you willing to take up arms in defense of this country?” Boe, a member of the Church of the Brethren, said she could not kill another person. She became one of scores of conscientious objectors in the 1920s and 1930s who were denied citizenship over the question. In one of the oddest cases in the history of naturalization, Boe spent decades waiting to reclaim her U.S. citizenship, long after her husband, who shared her pacifist beliefs, had himself become an American.
Optical Switching Between Long‐lived States of Opsin Transmembrane Voltage Sensors
Authors: Mei Gaoxiang , Cavini Cesar M. , Mamaeva Natalia , Wang Peng , DeGrip Willem J. , Rothschild Kenneth J.
Published: April 2021

Opsin‐based transmembrane voltage sensors (OTVSs) are membrane proteins increasingly used in optogenetic applications to measure voltage changes across cellular membranes. In order to better understand the photophysical properties of OTVSs, we used a combination of UV‐Vis absorption, fluorescence and FT‐Raman spectroscopy to characterize QuasAr2 and NovArch, two closely related mutants derived from the proton pump archaerhodopsin‐3 (AR3). We find both QuasAr2 and NovArch can be optically cycled repeatedly between O‐like and M‐like states using 5‐min exposure to red (660 nm) and near‐UV (405 nm) light. Longer red‐light exposure resulted in the formation of a long‐lived photoproduct similar to pink membrane, previously found to be a photoproduct of the BR O intermediate with a 9‐cis retinylidene chromophore configuration. However, unlike QuasAr2 whose O‐like state is stable in the dark, NovArch exhibits an O‐like state which slowly partially decays in the dark to a stable M‐like form with a deprotonated Schiff base and a 13‐cis,15‐anti retinylidene chromophore configuration. These results reveal a previously unknown complexity in the photochemistry of OTVSs including the ability to optically switch between different long‐lived states. The possible molecular basis of these newly discovered properties along with potential optogenetic and biotechnological applications are discussed.
Applying systematic conservation planning to improve the allocation of restoration actions at multiple spatial scales
Authors: Gilby Ben L. , Olds Andrew D. , Brown Christopher J. , Connolly Rod M. , Henderson Christopher J. , Maxwell Paul S. , Schlacher Thomas A.
Published: April 2021

Ecological restoration is increasingly being upscaled to larger spatial scales of tens to hundreds of kilometers. Yet the complex logistics and high costs of ecological restoration mean that actions must be placed strategically at local scales of tens of meters to maximize ecological benefits and reduce socioeconomic costs. Despite the purported use of systematic planning tools for allocating restoration effort, the uptake and implementation of data‐driven restoration planning and ecological goal setting remains poor in many restoration programs. Here we demonstrate how the sequential workflows of systematic conservation planning can be translated to restoration at two spatial scales to enhance estuarine fisheries in eastern Australia. We select estuaries where restoration is feasible and recommended based on quantitative regional ecological goals (i.e. regional‐scale prioritization), and then identify potential restoration sites at smaller spatial scales within estuaries based on the principles of spatial ecology to ensure that the success and benefits of restoration are maximized (i.e. local‐scale prioritization). At the regional scale, we identified four levels of restoration priorities (very high, high, intermediate, and low) using quantitative ecological goals and the current ecological understanding of each system. At the local scale, we used spatially explicit Bayesian belief networks to identify sites that maximize restoration outcomes based on the environmental niche of habitat‐forming species and the spatial configuration of habitats that maximizes their use by fish. We show that using systematic frameworks can become an essential tool to optimize restoration investments at multiple scales as efforts upscale globally.
Action Levels for SARS‐CoV‐2 in Air: Preliminary Approach
Authors: Haas Charles N.
Published: April 2021

Quantitative microbial risk assessment has been used to develop criteria for exposure to many microorganisms. In this article, the dose–response curve for Coronavirus 229E is used to develop preliminary risk‐based exposure criteria for SARS‐CoV‐2 via the respiratory portals of entry.
Prior Sample Size Extensions for Assessing Prior Impact and Prior-Likelihood Discordance
Authors: Reimherr Matthew , Meng Xiao-Li , Nicolae Dan L.
Published: April 2021

This paper outlines a framework for quantifying the prior’s contribution to posterior inference in the presence of prior-likelihood discordance, a broader concept than the usual notion of prior-likelihood conflict. We achieve this dual purpose by extending the classic notion of prior sample size, M, in three directions: (I) estimating M beyond conjugate families; (II) formulating M as a relative notion that is as a function of the likelihood sample size k, M(k), which also leads naturally to a graphical diagnosis; and (III) permitting negative M, as a measure of prior-likelihood conflict, that is, harmful discordance. Our asymptotic regime permits the prior sample size to grow with the likelihood data size, hence making asymptotic arguments meaningful for investigating the impact of the prior relative to that of likelihood. It leads to a simple asymptotic formula for quantifying the impact of a proper prior that only involves computing a centrality and a spread measure of the prior and the posterior. We use simulated and real data to illustrate the potential of the proposed framework, including quantifying how weak is a ‘weakly informative’ prior adopted in a study of lupus nephritis. Whereas we take a pragmatic perspective in assessing the impact of a prior on a given inference problem under a specific evaluative metric, we also touch upon conceptual and theoretical issues such as using improper priors and permitting priors with asymptotically non-vanishing influence.
Continuous renal replacement therapy principles
Authors: Claure‐Del Granado Rolando , Clark William R.
Published: April 2021

Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is an extracorporeal blood purification therapy that aims to support kidney function over an extended period of time. One of the main objectives of CRRT is the removal of excess fluid and solutes retained as a consequence of acute kidney injury. Because prescription of CRRT requires goals to be set with regard to the rate and extent of solute and fluid removal, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanism by which solute and fluid removal occurs during CRRT is essential. Basic mechanisms of fluid transport and solute removal (ultrafiltration, diffusion, convection, and adsorption) and the factors influencing these processes in CRRT are described. From the combination of the different transport mechanisms, a number of CRRT modalities are identified and described. Finally, these principles are applied to provide a brief overview of the concept of effluent‐based CRRT dose.
Understating South Asia interculturally and communicatively: What the contemporary scholarship tells us
Authors: Dutta Uttaran
Published: April 2021

This article reviews contemporary intercultural scholarship by examining published papers in 16 communication journals (5 of them were dedicated intercultural journals) between 2007 and 2018. The analysis found that the number of manuscripts published in 12 years (n = 191, or approximately 2.5% of 7452 published papers) on South Asian issues and populations is meager. Based on the reading of the intercultural manuscripts, this article identified eight key areas of scholarly attention, including acculturation and cultural adaptation, intercultural transitions, language and verbal communication, communication for social change, negotiation of identities, technology‐based communication, media and mediated communication, and new dynamics in the contemporary era. Later, this article talked about “silent zones” of contemporary intercultural scholarship—topics or areas that are under‐researched and then described potential pathways of future scholarship in imagining a more tolerant, just and equal South Asia.
Inflated Kumaraswamy regressions with application to water supply and sanitation in Brazil
Authors: Bayer Fábio M. , Cribari‐Neto Francisco , Santos Jéssica
Published: April 2021

Models based on the Kumaraswamy law are used with variables that assume values in (0, 1). In some cases, however, the data contain zeros and/or ones, that is, there is data inflation. We introduce a class of regression models that can be used with such inflated data, namely: the class of inflated Kumaraswamy regression models. We consider inflation at zero, at one, and at both zero and one. We introduce the model and provide closed‐form expressions for its score vector and Fisher's information matrix. The proposed model is used to evaluate the impacts of different conditioning variables on the proportion of people who live in households with inadequate water supply and sewage in Brazilian municipalities. Our results reveal that policies directed to increasing the population share with college education in places where it is low are particularly effective in reducing the prevalence of people who live under inadequate sanitation conditions.
LncRNA MIR503HG promotes hypertrophic scar progression via miR‐143‐3p‐mediated Smad3 expression
Authors: Wei Jun , Wang Zhiyong , Zhong Chaoyi , Ding Huarong , Wang Xiqiao , Lu Shuliang
Published: April 2021

Hypertrophic scars (HSs) form due to unchecked proliferation of fibrous tissue after an injury to the skin. Recently, lncRNA MIR503HG was shown to be involved in HS. However, the mechanism by which MIR503HG affects the formation and progression of HS still needs further study. qRT‐PCR was applied to examine the levels of MIR503HG and miR‐143‐3p in HS tissues and human hypertrophic scar fibroblasts (hHSFs). The relationships of MIR503HG, miR‐143‐3p and Smad3 were explored with a dual‐luciferase reporter assay. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, and invasion were measured by CCK‐8 assay, flow cytometry and transwell assay, respectively. The protein level of Smad3 was tested via Western blotting. MIR503HG was upregulated and miR‐143‐3p was downregulated in HS versus normal skin tissues. The knockdown of MIR503HG and the overexpression of miR‐143‐3p suppressed the proliferation and invasion of hHSF, and promoted cell apoptosis. MIR503HG bound to miR‐143‐3p while miR‐143‐3p directly targeted Smad3 to inhibit its expression. Suppression of miR‐143‐3p and overexpression of Smad3, respectively, reversed these effects of knockdown of MIR503HG and overexpression of miR‐143‐3p on hHSFs. Our research supports a model in which the MIR503HG/miR‐143‐3p/Smad3 axis serves as a critical regulator of HS, highlighting a promising therapeutic option for HS.
Investigation of the Variation of Point Unit Heat-Transfer Coefficients for Laminar Flow Over an Inclined Flat Plate
Authors: Drake R. M.
Published: April 2021

Many applications of heat-transfer phenomena by forced convection require a knowledge of heat transfer from simple geometric bodies like the flat plate. Investigations of the flat plate have been limited, in general, to studies of isothermal plates of 0-deg angle of incidence and in laminar flow. The amount of data concerning investigations on turbulent flow, nonisothermal plates or inclined plates is quite small. It is the intent of this paper to provide information on the heat transfer from a nonisothermal inclined flat plate in laminar flow. It is shown herein that forced-convection heat-transfer data for an inclined nonisothermal flat plate with a constant specific rate of heat flow can be correlated and represented by an equation of the type (1) Nu x Re L = C ( x L ) n for laminar flow. It is further shown that this equation is similar in slope to the theoretical equation of the type (2) Nu x Re L = C 2 ( x L ) m + 1 2 for an isothermal plate in laminar flow, but is larger by 30 per cent in absolute value. This variance can be partly explained by an analysis of the behavior of a nonisothermal plate as opposed to an isothermal one, but this analysis leaves much to be desired, so that the full explanation is at present unknown.
On the Design of Large Elevator Platforms
Authors: Hymans F.
Published: April 2021

Large elevator platforms are, in effect, complex systems of a comparatively few main framing members, coupled by a large number of stringers which support the flooring. As set forth in the paper, and as is qualitatively well known, a load placed on one of the main members is not carried by that member alone. Deflections, impressed by the loaded member on the stringers, induce forces which cause neighboring members to share in the support of the load. However, means to evaluate the distribution of the load with reasonable accuracy, important as it is for a rational design of the platform with the lightest structural shapes, hitherto have not been available. To furnish these is the purpose of the paper. With the aid of two assumptions, and the introduction of certain auxiliary forces, the problem is quickly reduced to the case of a beam, subject to a force at an arbitrary point, supported at its ends, and resting on a flexible foundation.
Polygonal Approximation Method in the Hodograph Plane
Authors: Poritsky H.
Published: April 2021

This paper extends the discussion of the approximate method of integrating the equations of compressible fluid flow in the hodograph plane first presented by the author before the Sixth International Congress of Applied Mechanics, Paris, France, September, 1948. As an introduction to the discussion of the polygonal approximation method, fundamental fluid-flow equations are reviewed briefly. Determination of the flow function ψ by the “Method of Reflections” is described and an application of the method illustrated. How flow in the physical plane can be determined by superposition of solutions discussed is shown for the simpler incompressible case.
A Strain-Energy Expression for Thin Elastic Shells
Authors: Langhaar H. L.
Published: April 2021

A derivation is given for the strain energy of an isotropic elastic shell whose radii of curvature are sufficiently large that strains may be assumed to vary linearly throughout the thickness. The work of Love (1) has been the only previous general investigation which expresses the strain energy in terms of the displacements of the middle surface. The effects of the tangential displacements upon the energy due to bending are found to differ appreciably from Love’s results in the first-order terms. As in the classical large-deflection theory of flat plates, quadratic terms in the derivatives of the normal deflection are retained in the strain tensor, but quadratic terms which involve the tangential displacements are neglected. Special forms of the general energy expression derived in this paper are given for shells in the shapes of flat plates, circular cylinders, elliptical cylinders, ellipsoids of revolution, and spheres. These applications, as well as certain intuitive observations, provide checks on the theory.
Vibration of Slender Bars With Discontinuities in Stiffness
Authors: Thomson W. T.
Published: April 2021

Vibrational characteristics of elastic bodies are altered by discontinuities in stiffness resulting from narrow grooves or cracks. This paper presents a theoretical method for determining the effect of such discontinuities on the flexural, longitudinal, and torsional vibration of slender bars.
Correlation of Tension Creep Tests With Relaxation Tests
Authors: Roberts Irving
Published: April 2021

This paper shows that analytical solutions to the bolt relaxation problem, based upon empirical creep-data equations may be obtained by direct substitution, rather than by differentiation and integration, as was done by Soderberg, Popov, and Housner.
Stresses and Displacements in a Semi-Infinite Elastic Body With Parabolic Cross Section Acted on by Its Own Weight Only
Authors: Hank R. J. , Scrivner F. H.
Published: April 2021

The earlier solution for the stress distribution in a semi-infinite elastic wedge is compared with the solution for a cross section of parabolic shape. Displacement diagrams for two extreme values of Poisson’s ratio are given for the parabolic section.
Analysis of a Single Stiffener on an Infinite Sheet
Authors: Benscoter S. U.
Published: April 2021

The use of stiffened-sheet construction in aircraft design has brought about the study of many problems in mechanics in which concentrated loads are introduced into stiffeners and transferred to the sheet. In the present paper a basic problem of this type is considered. A single stiffener of finite length is assumed to be attached to a sheet of infinite extent. A concentrated force is applied to the stiffener at each end. Any given problem may be divided into symmetrical and antisymmetrical parts. The physical condition that governs the problem is that the axial strain in the stiffener must be equal to the normal strain in the sheet at all points along the stiffener. In order to formulate the solution, it is necessary to employ an influence function for the strain in the sheet. This function is known from the classical theory of elasticity. The solution is found to be governed by an integral equation which has the same form as the equation which governs spanwise air-load distribution on an airplane wing. Hence a number of mathematical methods are known for solving the equation. A numerical example is presented.
Energy Method for Determining Dynamic Characteristics of Mechanisms
Authors: Quinn B. E.
Published: April 2021

Two types of problems are dealt with in the paper which are involved in the design of mechanisms required to have specified dynamic characteristics: (1) Determination of applied forces required to produce specified dynamic characteristics. (2) Determination of the dynamic characteristics which will result from the application of known forces. While graphical methods may be used in the solution of type (1) problems involving more or less complex mechanical systems, they do not afford a direct approach to type (2) problems. The energy method which will be outlined can be applied in either case, although this paper will be primarily concerned with the determination of the dynamic characteristics which result when a known force is applied to a given mechanism.
A Force Applied in the Median Plane at the Center of a Circular Insert in a Plate
Authors: Dokos S. J.
Published: April 2021

The problem to be considered in this paper is the determination of the state of stress in a plate containing a right, circular, cylindrical hole filled with a material of different elastic properties, subjected to a central concentrated force in the median plane of the plate. A special solution is also presented in which the modulus of rigidity of the insert is allowed to approach infinity such that no deformation occurs.
The Behavior of Long Beams Under Impact Loading
Authors: Duwez P. E. , Clark D. S. , Bohnenblust H. F.
Published: April 2021

This paper presents the results of a theoretical and experimental investigation of the plastic deformation of long beams which are subjected to a concentrated transverse impact of constant velocity. In the theoretical analysis, the beam is supposed to be of infinite length, and plane cross sections are assumed to remain plane. The bending moment is assumed to depend on the curvature according to a function that is obtained from the stress-strain curve of the material. The theory neglects both the lateral displacement of the cross sections against each other due to the shearing force and the rotary kinetic energy of the motion of the beam. The theory shows that a strain is not propagated along a beam at constant velocity, as in the case of longitudinal impact. The strain depends on the ratio between the square of the distance from the point of impact and the time. This is correct regardless of the shape of the moment - curvature curve. If certain approximations are applied to the bending moment - curvature curve, the theory provides a method of computing the deflection curve of a beam at any instant during impact. An experimental study has been made in which the deflection curves of long simply supported beams have been obtained during impact. The deflection characteristics of a cold-rolled steel and an annealed-copper beam have been computed by approximating the bending moment - curvature curves. It is shown that for materials such as cold-rolled low-carbon steel, for which plastic deflection is localized at the point of impact, the observed deflection curve is closely approximated by computing a curve based on the assumption that the beam remains elastic. For a soft material like annealed copper, plastic deformation extends over a relatively large distance from the point of impact and, taking plastic deformation into account, a satisfactory agreement is obtained between theory and experimental results.
Effect of Imperfections on Buckling of Thin Cylinders and Columns Under Axial Compression
Authors: Donnell L. H. , Wan C. C.
Published: April 2021

Von Kármán and Tsien have shown that under elastic conditions the resistance of perfect thin cylinders subjected to axial compression drops precipitously after buckling. It is considered that this indicates that this type of buckling is very sensitive to imperfections or disturbances. In this paper the effects of certain imperfections of shape (assumed to be equivalent to all the actual defects or disturbances combined) are studied by the large-deflection shell theory developed in a previous paper (2).

It is found that two types of buckling failure may occur. One is of a purely elastic type which occurs when the peak of the average stress versus average strain curve is reached, while the other type is precipitated by yielding, which for thicker cylinders or lower-yield material may occur before such a peak is reached. Curves are derived giving the dependence of each type of failure upon the dimensions and elastic and yield properties of the specimen and also upon an “unevenness factor” U which determines the magnitude of the initial imperfections and is assumed to depend on the method of fabrication. The relations derived are in line with test results, and similar studies of the buckling of struts indicate that the magnitude of the initial imperfections which have to be assumed to explain test strengths are reasonable.