bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does Adding Various Accelerators to Mineral Trioxide Aggregate Have a Negatively Effect on Push-Out Bond Strength?
Authors: İlker Alper , Sarıyılmaz Evren , Çakici Fatih
Published: September 2018

Objective: This study compares the effect of the white mineral trioxide aggregate (WMTA) accelerators, including disodium hydrogen orthophosphate (Na2HPO4; 2.5 wt%), calcium chloride (CaCl2; 5 and 10 wt%), and KY jelly, on the push-out bond strength of WMTA. The null hypothesis was that the WMTA accelerators would not affect the push-out bond strength of WMTA. Materials and Methods: Slices (2-mm-thick) were obtained from 75 human mandibular molar distal roots. The slices were enlarged up to size 6 Gates-Glidden burs to obtain a 1.5-mm canal diameter. The slices were randomly divided into 4 experimental groups and a control group (n = 15 in each group). Freshly prepared WMTA mixture was placed into the root slices and stored at 37°C in a 100% humidified atmosphere for 60 days. The force required to dislodge the WMTA cement from the root slice was determined using a universal testing machine. The push-out bond strength was calculated. Results: Push- out bond strength of 5- and 10-wt% CaCl2, and 2.5-wt% Na2HPO4 WMTA groups was significantly lower than in the KY-jelly and control groups (p < 0.05). The mean push-out bond strength of KY jelly was lower than in the control group but not statistically significant. Conclusion: The addition of KY jelly to WMTA did not have an adverse effect on the push-out bond strength of WMTA, in contrast to the other accelerators, including Na2HPO4 and CaCl2, which reduced the push-out bond strength.
Urban biodiversity: an insight into the terrestrial vertebrate diversity of Guwahati, India
Authors: Purkayastha Jayaditya
Published: September 2018

This study focuses on the assessment of the terrestrial vertebrate diversity of Guwahati.  Twenty-six species of amphibians, 57 species of reptiles, 214 species of birds, and 36 species of mammals were recorded during the study period.  Thirty-three species were found to be threatened with extinction and another 62 species need evaluation.  A single species of turtle was found to be categorized as Extinct in the Wild under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Delayed peracute capture myopathy in a Himalayan Ibex Capra sibirica (Mammalia: Cetartiodactyla: Bovidae)
Authors: Zahid Umar Nazir , Dar Latief Mohammad , Amin Umar , Shah Showkat , Naqash Rashid Yahya , Makhdoomi Dil Mohammad , Kamil Shoaib , Suhail Intesar
Published: September 2018

The present study focused on the capture myopathy as a fatal consequence of capture and rescue operation in an endangered Himalayan Ibex kid. The Ibex died 48 hours after being captured without showing specific clinical signs.  Post-mortem examination revealed renal cortical necrosis, degeneration of tubular cells and congestion as the main histopathological findings in kidneys. Myocardial lesions consisted of multifocal degenerative changes of myofibres, hyalinization and nuclear degeneration with pyknosis. Skeletal muscles that appeared grossly normal showed mild to moderate degeneration and fragmentation with intermittent loss of striation. The pathological findings were indicative of delayed peracute capture myopathy. This is believed to be the first report of capture myopathy in an endangered Himalayan ibex from India underlining the importance of understanding the causes of mortality in such endangered wild species as a prerequisite to successful conservation programme.
A new record of Kerivoula hardwickii (Horsefield, 1824) (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) after 23 years from a lowland rainforests of Sri Lanka
Authors: Gabadage Dinesh , Edirisinghe Gayan , Botejue Madhava , Perera Kalika , Surasinghe Thilina , Karunarathna Suranjan
Published: September 2018

Distribution of Kerivoula hardwickii, Hardwicke's woolly bat, in Sri Lanka is restricted to the central highlands and to northeastern region of the country, and so far, only recorded from four distinct locations. In Sri Lanka, this species was last documented in the year 1994, and no subsequent surveys recorded this species in Sri Lanka, thus considered rare in Sri Lanka. In contrast, within its southern Asian biogeography, K. hardwickii is widely distributed, particularly in Southeastern Asia. In this study, a single male of K. hardwickii was observed in lowland rainforest ecoregion of Sri Lanka near Labugama-Kalatuwana Forest Reserve where the bat was roosting on a curled live banana frond. The bat was roosting 1.8 m above the ground. This was the first instance K. hardwickii was recorded in the lowland rainforests of Sri Lanka, which extends this species’ biogeography of Sri Lanka into the lowland wet zone. Thus, distribution range of K. hardwickii in Sri Lanka could be broader than historically documented. However, intensive surveys, particularly in lowland rainforest region, are required to validate the true distribution of this bat in Sri Lanka.
Additional field records provide further resolution of the distribution of the Water Monitor Varanus salvator (Squamata: Varanidae) in northwestern Myanmar
Authors: Platt Steven G. , Win Myo Min , Rainwater Thomas R.
Published: September 2018

-
National Biodiversity Authority
Authors: NBA -
Published: September 2018

National Biodiversity Authority

Prior Approval of NBA for obtaining Intellectual Property Rights
Physical Activity and Hemostatic and Inflammatory Variables in Elderly Men
Authors: Wannamethee S. Goya , Lowe Gordon D.O. , Whincup Peter H. , Rumley Ann , Walker Mary , Lennon Lucy
Published: September 2018

Background
—

Physical activity is associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease, but the mechanisms are uncertain. Hemostatic and inflammatory markers have been linked with risk of cardiovascular disease. We therefore examined the relationship between physical activity and hemostatic and inflammatory variables.

Methods and Results
—

In 1998 to 2000, 20 years after the initial screening of 7735 men 40 to 59 years old from general practices in 24 British towns, 4252 subjects (77% of available survivors, now 60 to 79 old) attended for reexamination. A fasting blood sample was available in 4088 men. All men on warfarin (n=134) and men with incomplete data on physical activity (n=144) were excluded, leaving 3810 men for analysis. Physical activity showed a significant and inverse dose-response relationship with fibrinogen, plasma and blood viscosity, platelet count, coagulation factors VIII and IX, von Willebrand factor, fibrin
d
-dimer, tissue plasminogen activator antigen, C-reactive protein, and white cell count, even after adjustment for possible confounders. The effects were similar in men with and without prevalent cardiovascular disease. No relationship was seen with activated partial thromboplastin time, activated protein C resistance, hematocrit, or factor VII. An examination of changes in physical activity between baseline and 20 years later showed that inactive men who took up at least light physical activity had levels of blood variables approaching those who remained at least lightly active. Those who became inactive showed levels more similar to those who remained inactive.

Conclusions
—

These data suggest that the benefit of physical activity on cardiovascular disease may be at least partly a result of effects on hemostasis and inflammation.
Athletic Cardiac Adaptation in Males Is a Consequence of Elevated Myocyte Mass
Authors: McDiarmid Adam K. , Swoboda Peter P. , Erhayiem Bara , Lancaster Rosalind E. , Lyall Gemma K. , Broadbent David A. , Dobson Laura E. , Musa Tarique A. , Ripley David P. , Garg Pankaj , Greenwood John P. , Ferguson Carrie , Plein Sven
Published: September 2018

Background—

Cardiac remodeling occurs in response to regular athletic training, and the degree of remodeling is associated with fitness. Understanding the myocardial structural changes in athlete’s heart is important to develop tools that differentiate athletic from cardiomyopathic change. We hypothesized that athletic left ventricular hypertrophy is a consequence of increased myocardial cellular rather than extracellular mass as measured by cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

Methods and Results—

Forty-five males (30 athletes and 15 sedentary age-matched healthy controls) underwent comprehensive cardiovascular magnetic resonance studies, including native and postcontrast T1 mapping for extracellular volume calculation. In addition, the 30 athletes performed a maximal exercise test to assess aerobic capacity and anaerobic threshold. Participants were grouped by athleticism: untrained, low performance, and high performance (

O
2max
<60 or>60 mL/kg per min, respectively). In athletes, indexed cellular mass was greater in high- than low-performance athletes 60.7±7.5 versus 48.6±6.3 g/m
2
;
P
<0.001), whereas extracellular mass was constant (16.3±2.2 versus 15.3±2.2 g/m
2
;
P
=0.20). Indexed left ventricular end-diastolic volume and mass correlated with

O
2max
(
r
=0.45,
P
=0.01;
r
=0.55,
P
=0.002) and differed significantly by group (
P
=0.01;
P
<0.001, respectively). Extracellular volume had an inverse correlation with

O
2max
(
r
=−0.53,
P
=0.003 and left ventricular mass index (r=-0.44,
P
=0.02).

Conclusions—

Increasing left ventricular mass in athlete’s heart occurs because of an expansion of the cellular compartment while the extracellular volume becomes relatively smaller: a difference which becomes more marked as left ventricular mass increases. Athletic remodeling, both on a macroscopic and cellular level, is associated with the degree of an individual’s fitness. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance ECV quantification may have a future role in differentiating athlete’s heart from change secondary to cardiomyopathy.
Stress Perfusion Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Effectively Risk Stratifies Diabetic Patients With Suspected Myocardial Ischemia
Authors: Heydari Bobak , Juan Yu-Hsiang , Liu Hui , Abbasi Siddique , Shah Ravi , Blankstein Ron , Steigner Michael , Jerosch-Herold Michael , Kwong Raymond Y.
Published: September 2018

Background—

Diabetics remain at high risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality despite advancements in medical therapy. Noninvasive cardiac risk profiling is often more difficult in diabetics owing to the prevalence of silent ischemia with unrecognized myocardial infarction, reduced exercise capacity, nondiagnostic electrocardiographic changes, and balanced ischemia from diffuse epicardial coronary atherosclerosis and microvascular dysfunction.

Methods and Results—

A consecutive cohort of 173 patients with diabetes mellitus (mean age, 61.7±11.9 years; 37% women) with suspected myocardial ischemia underwent stress perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Patients were evaluated for adverse cardiac events after cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with mean follow-up time of 2.9±2.5 years. Mean hemoglobin A1c for the population was 7.9±1.8%. Primary end point was a composite of cardiac death and nonfatal myocardial infarction. Diabetics with no inducible ischemia (n=94) experienced an annualized event rate of 1.4% compared with 8.2% (
P
=0.0003) in those with inducible ischemia (n=79). Diabetics without late gadolinium enhancement or inducible ischemia had a low annual cardiac event rate (0.5% per year). The presence of inducible ischemia was the strongest unadjusted predictor (hazard ratio, 4.86;
P
<0.01) for cardiac death and nonfatal myocardial infarction. This association remained robust in adjusted stepwise multivariable Cox regression analysis (hazard ratio, 4.28;
P
=0.02). In addition, categorical net reclassification index using 5-year risk cutoffs of 5% and 10% resulted in reclassification of 43.4% of the diabetic cohort with net reclassification index of 0.38 (95% confidence interval, 0.20–0.56;
P
<0.0001).

Conclusions—

Stress perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance imaging provided independent prognostic utility and effectively reclassified risk in patients with diabetes mellitus referred for ischemic assessment. Further evaluation is required to determine whether a noninvasive imaging strategy with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging can favorably affect downstream outcomes and improve cost-effectiveness of care in diabetics.
Optical Coherence Tomography–Guided Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in ST-Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Sheth Tej N. , Kajander Olli A. , Lavi Shahar , Bhindi Ravinay , Cantor Warren J. , Cheema Asim N. , Stankovic Goran , Niemelä Kari , Natarajan Madhu K. , Shestakovska Olga , Tittarelli Rachel , Meeks Brandi , Jolly Sanjit S.
Published: September 2018

Background—

Patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction are at increased risk for adverse events. It is unclear if image guidance by optical coherence tomography (OCT) can improve outcomes in these patients. We compared OCT-guided versus angiography-guided primary PCI for ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction among patients in the Thrombectomy Versus PCI Alone (TOTAL) trial.

Methods and Results—

Among 10 732 patients enrolled in the TOTAL trial, OCT was used for PCI guidance as a part of a prospective substudy in 214 patients. Using 2:1 propensity matching, we identified 428 patients in the trial who had PCI performed with angiography guidance alone. The primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, and target-vessel revascularization at 1 year. Secondary outcomes included final in-stent angiographic minimum lumen diameter, procedure time, and contrast dose. The final in-stent angiographic minimum lumen diameter was 2.99±0.48 mm in the OCT-guided group versus 2.79±0.47 mm in the angiography-guided group (
P
<0.0001). OCT- and angiography-guided PCI had a median (interquartile range) procedure time of 58 (47, 71) minute versus 38 (28, 52) minute (
P
<0.0001) and total contrast dose of 239.7±81.1 mL versus 193.3±78.6 mL (
P
<0.0001). The primary outcome was observed in 7.5% of the OCT-guided group versus 9.8% of the angiography-guided group (hazard ratio, 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.43–1.34;
P
=0.34).

Conclusions—

OCT-guided primary PCI for ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction was associated with a larger final in-stent minimum lumen diameter. There was no significant difference in clinical outcomes at 1 year; however, the study was underpowered to detect a treatment effect.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT01149044.
Cardiovascular Risk Factors Track From Mother to Child
Authors: Benschop Laura , Schalekamp‐Timmermans Sarah , Roeters van Lennep Jeanine E. , Jaddoe Vincent W.V. , Steegers Eric A.P. , Ikram M. Kamran
Published: September 2018

Background

Cardiovascular risk factors can track from mother to child by several pathways: pregnancy complications, genetic inheritance, and shared environmental risk factors after pregnancy. The degree of tracking, and to which extent this is influenced by these pathways, is unknown. We hypothesized that cardiovascular risk factors track from mother to child regardless of pregnancy complications and environmental risk factors. We determined the degree of tracking between maternal and offspring micro‐ and macrovascular cardiovascular risk factors after pregnancy and the extent to which this is influenced by pregnancy complications and shared environmental risk factors.

Methods and Results

We included 5624 mother‐offspring pairs from The Generation R Study, an ongoing prospective, population‐based birth cohort. Information on pregnancy complications (preeclampsia, small for gestational age, and preterm birth) was obtained through hospital charts. Mother‐offspring associations were assessed 6 years after pregnancy (central retinal arteriolar and venular calibers, body mass index, blood pressure, left atrial diameter, aortic root diameter, left ventricular mass, fractional shortening, and pulse wave velocity) and 9 years after pregnancy (body mass index and blood pressure). We observed that worse cardiovascular parameters in mothers were associated with worse cardiovascular parameters in their offspring 6 and 9 years after pregnancy (
P
<0.001). Results were similar when mother‐offspring pairs with a previous pregnancy complication were excluded.

Conclusions

Six and 9 years after pregnancy, an adverse cardiovascular profile in mothers is strongly associated with an adverse cardiovascular profile in their offspring. Results were not attenuated by environmental exposures or a previous pregnancy complication. This supports the hypothesis that cardiovascular risk factors (micro‐ and macrovascular) track from mother to child, regardless of the course of pregnancy.
Matrix Metalloproteinases in Vascular Remodeling and Atherogenesis
Authors: Galis Zorina S. , Khatri Jaikirshan J.
Published: September 2018

Vascular remodeling, defined as any enduring change in the size and/or composition of an adult blood vessel, allows adaptation and repair. On the other hand, inappropriate remodeling, including its absence, underlies the pathogenesis of major cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis and restenosis. Since degradation of the extracellular matrix scaffold enables reshaping of tissue, participation of specialized enzymes called matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) has become the object of intense recent interest in relation to physiological (“good”) and pathological (“bad”) vascular remodeling. Experimental evidence acquired in vitro and in vivo suggests that the major drivers of vascular remodeling, hemodynamics, injury, inflammation, and oxidative stress, regulate MMP expression and activity. Alternatively, nonspecific MMP inhibition seems to oppose remodeling, as suggested by the inhibition of intimal thickening and outward arterial remodeling. An emerging concept is that MMP-related genetic variations may contribute to heterogeneity in the presentation and natural history of atherosclerosis. The hypothesis that MMPs contribute to weakening of atherosclerotic plaques is especially attractive for the potential development of therapeutic interventions aimed at preventing plaque disruption (“the ugly”), a major cause of acute cardiovascular events. However, the current lack of appropriate experimental tools, including availability of specific MMP inhibitors and pertinent animal models, still limits our understanding of the many actions and relative contributions of specific MMPs. Our future potential ability to control vascular remodeling via regulation of MMPs will also depend on reaching a consensus of what is indeed “good” or “bad” vascular remodeling, concepts that have continued to evolve and change.
Entre Watt et Derrida
Authors: Martell James
Published: September 2018

La première partie de cet essai examine le tableau du cercle et du centre dans Watt, et ses résonances dans l’ œuvre beckettienne, en montrant qu’ il est un exemple particulier de ce qu’ on peut nommer la “pensée plastique” chez Beckett. La deuxième partie analyse ce tableau avec son cercle et son centre à côté d’ un tableau similaire dans L’ écriture et la différence de Jacques Derrida, pour montrer que cette “pensée plastique” est un événement commun à un certain modernisme, et à la déconstruction derridienne.
Gertrude Stein, Samuel Beckett and the Aesthetics of Inattention
Authors: Powell Josh
Published: September 2018

Drawing on the ideas of Jonathan Crary, this article positions Gertrude Stein and Beckett as part of a wider investigation of inattention in twentieth-century culture. Considering first the psychological experiments of Stein, and then Beckett’s theatre of the 1970s, the article argues for the importance to literary modernism of language that is not perceived, or only dimly perceived, and exists on the fringes and peripheries of a perceptual field.
Samuel Beckett and the Nobel Catastrophe
Authors: Simpson Hannah
Published: September 2018

Suzanne Beckett’s shocked response to the news of her husband’s Nobel Prize has gone down in history: it was, she declared, “a catastrophe.” This paper follows Suzanne’s lead and reads Beckett’s 1982 play Catastrophe as Beckett’s reaction to his receipt of the Nobel Prize. Catastrophe is not only Beckett’s meditation on his painful experience of media exposure and institutional manipulation; it is also his caustic response to the Swedish Academy labelling him an “idealistic” writer of “compassion” and “inner purification.”
Shared Watercourses and Water Security in South Asia: Challenges of Negotiating and Enforcing Treaties
Authors: Salman Salman M. A. , Uprety Kishor
Published: September 2018

Shared water resources have influenced South Asia’s geography and history, as well as riparians’ responses to the challenges of utilizing, managing, and protecting such resources. Because of scarcity, population growth, and climate change impacts on all the riparians, national calls for water security have become louder. Consequently, collaboration among the nations of South Asia for ensuring equitable sharing of such water resources has not been optimal. While most countries do not have reliable systems for data generation, those possessing some hydrological data consider them state secrets, restricting their exchange. Even when treaty obligations exist, data-sharing practices are ad hoc, and the range of information shared is limited. Thus, negotiating new transboundary water treaties amongst South Asia’s riparian countries has become a daunting task, and enforcing existing ones remains a real challenge.
Discovery of the genus Pseudepione Inoue, 1943 in Taiwan, with description of a new species (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae)
Authors: WU SHIPHER
Published: September 2018

The genus Pseudepione Inoue, 1943 is a small geometrid taxon comprising only two species, the typo species P. magnaria (Wileman, 1911) and P. shiraii Inoue, 1943. They are known to distribute in Japan (Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku), south and central Korea (Choi 2012; Choi & An 2010; Jung & Oh 2012), the former species was also reported in Jiangxi of China (Fang 2003). The genus seems to be univoltine since adults can only be found in the autumn season (Wileman 1911; Inoue 1943, 1982; Parsons et al. 1999; Kim & Beljaev 2001; Sato 2011; Choi 2012). The combination of the absence of forewing fovea, tuft of scales of third abdominal sternite, gnathos, socii and cormata is quite unique in Ennominae. So far, the phylogenetic affinity of Pseudepione is unclear since the closely related genus has never been proposed and still no morphological or molecular phylogenetic studies, i.e. Beljaev (2006a; 2006b; 2016), Sihvonen (2011), Yamamoto & Sota (2007), Jiang et al. (2017), considering the palaearctic subfamily or tribal levels sampled this genus. The dense fundamental surveys conducted in recent 7 years in the cloud forests of Taiwan acquire the opportunity to collect this genus new to Taiwan. After comparing the Taiwanese specimens with the known two species in both sexes, it’s clear the Taiwanese specimens are a distinct species needed to be described in the present study.
Zwicknia gattolliati, a new species of stonefly from Italy (Plecoptera: Capniidae)

Authors: VINÇON GILLES , REDING JEAN-PAUL G.
Published: September 2018

A new species of Zwicknia Murányi, Z. gattolliati, from northern Italy and from the Italian Abruzzo Region is described and illustrated on the basis of the morphology of male and female adults and previous molecular and drumming studies.
CHAT: The Colorado Hail Accumulation from Thunderstorms Project
Authors: Friedrich Katja , Wallace Robinson , Meier Bernard , Rydell Nezette , Deierling Wiebke , Kalina Evan , Motta Brian , Schlatter Paul , Schlatter Thomas , Doesken Nolan
Published: September 2018

In recent years, hail accumulations from thunderstorms have occurred frequently enough to catch the attention of the National Weather Service, the general public, and news agencies. Despite the extreme nature of these thunderstorms, no mechanism is currently in place to obtain adequate reports, measurements, or forecasts of accumulated hail depth. To better identify and forecast hail accumulations, the Colorado Hail Accumulation from Thunderstorms (CHAT) project was initiated in 2016 with the goals of collecting improved and more frequent hail depth reports on the ground as well as studying characteristics of storms that produce hail accumulations in Colorado. A desired outcome of this research is to identify predictors for hail-producing thunderstorms typically occurring along the Colorado Front Range that might be used as operational nowcast products in the future. During the 2016 convective season, we asked amateur meteorologists to send general information, photos, and videos on hail depth using social media. They submitted over 58 reports in Colorado with information on location, time, depth, and areal coverage of hail accumulations. We have analyzed dual-polarization radar and lightning mapping array data from 32 thunderstorms in Colorado, which produced between 0.5 and 50 cm of hail accumulation on the ground, to identify characteristics unique to storms with hail accumulations. This preliminary analysis shows how enhanced in-cloud hail presence and surface accumulation can be tracked throughout the lifetime of a thunderstorm using dual-polarization radar and lightning data, and how hail accumulation events are associated with large in-cloud ice water content, long hailfall duration, or a combination of these.
Fracture mechanics of hybrid composites with ductile matrix and brittle fibers: Influence of temperature and constraint effect
Authors: Vieille B , Gonzalez J-D , Bouvet C
Published: September 2018

The fracture behavior of hybrid carbon and glass fiber woven-ply reinforced polyether ether ketone thermoplastic quasi-isotropic laminates is investigated. Single-edge-notch bending and single-edge-notch tensile tests were conducted at room temperature and at a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature ( Tg) to study the influence of both the constraint effect and the temperature on the strain energy release rate in laminates with ductile polyether ether ketone matrix and brittle fibers. As failure is primarily driven by fibers breakage in tension (single-edge-notch tensile test) and in tension/compression (single-edge-notch bending), it turns out that a temperature increase has very little influence on the mode I critical translaminar fracture toughness KIc though the ductility of polyether ether ketone matrix is exacerbated at T >  Tg. It also appears that the constraint effect has very little influence on KIc as single-edge-notch tensile test and single-edge-notch bending specimens have virtually the same mean value (about 45MPa. [Formula: see text]). Single-edge-notch bending specimens being characterized by a gradual failure, the G-R curves were derived from the computation of the compliance loss and the corresponding gradual crack growth in agreement with the ASTM standard E1820. From the evolution of the G-R curves at high temperature, the highly ductile behavior of the polyether ether ketone matrix at T >  Tg provides a good intrinsic toughness to the material, and the bridging of translaminar crack by the glass fibers at the outer surfaces of laminates contribute to a moderate increase in its extrinsic toughness.
Effect of bending and padding on the electromagnetic performance of a laser-cut fabric patch antenna
Authors: Mukai Yusuke , Bharambe Vivek T , Adams Jacob J , Suh Minyoung
Published: September 2018

A fabrication and characterization procedure is detailed for a flexible planar antenna integrated into textiles by interfacing thin metal-coated fabric sheets on a polyester fabric substrate. From the full-wave electromagnetic simulations and measurements, it is observed that the low dielectric dissipation in the porous woven polyester enables the fabric antenna to achieve a high gain of 8.4 dBi. It is comparable to other antennas fabricated with engineered substrates of low-loss polymer composites. Using this antenna, the impact of cylindrical concave bending deformation is observed in terms of the impedance matching and radiation performance. The simulated and measured results agree reasonably well. A 1.2% frequency shift is observed when the antenna is bent concavely along its length, while bending along its width showed only a marginal impact. On the other hand, the gain is reduced by as much as 1.0 and 0.5 dB when the antenna is bent along its length and width, respectively. The impact of padding layers was also investigated when placed above the radiating patch and below the ground plane. Because the textile padding layers have complex permittivity closer to air due to their highly porous structure, it is expected to observe only small influence on the radiation performance. However, the simulations and measurements show that padding the radiating patch lowers both the operating frequency and the realized gain by up to 1.6% and by up to 0.9 dB, respectively, due to dielectric loading and dissipation.
Unbiased Population Size Estimation on Still Gigapixel Images
Authors: Cruz Marcos , González-Villa Javier
Published: September 2018

Population sizing is essential in sociology and in various other real-life applications. Gigapixel cameras can provide high-resolution images of an entire population in many cases. However, exhaustive manual counting is tedious, slow, and difficult to verify, whereas current computer vision methods are biased and known to fail for large populations. A design unbiased method based on geometric sampling has recently been proposed. It typically requires only between 50 and 100 manual counts to achieve relative standard errors of 5–10 percent irrespective of population size. However, the large perspective effect introduced by gigapixel images may boost the relative standard error to 30–40 percent. Here, we show that projecting the sampling grid from a map onto the gigapixel image using the camera projection neutralizes the variance due to perspective effects and restores the relative standard errors back into the 5–10 percent range. The method is tested on six simulated images. A detailed step-by-step illustration is provided with a real image of a 30,000 people crowd.
Parents’ Education Is More Important Than Their Wealth in Shaping Their Children’s Intelligence: Results of 19 Samples in Seven Countries at Different Developmental Levels
Authors: Rindermann Heiner , Ceci Stephen J.
Published: September 2018

In 19 (sub)samples from seven countries (United States, Austria, Germany, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Vietnam, Brazil), we analyzed the impact of parental education compared with wealth on the cognitive ability of children (aged 4–22 years, total N = 15,297). The background of their families ranged from poor indigenous remote villagers to academic families in developed countries, including parents of the gifted. Children’s cognitive ability was measured with mental speed tests, Culture Fair Intelligence Test (CFT), the Raven’s, Wiener Entwicklungstest (WET), Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT), Piagetian tasks, Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT), Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), and Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Parental wealth was estimated by asking for income, indirectly by self-assessment of relative wealth, and by evaluating assets. The mean direct effect of parental education was greater than wealth. In path analyses, parental education ( βEd) also showed a stronger impact on children’s intelligence than familial economic status ( βIn, total effect averages: βEd = .30–.45, βIn = .09–.12; N = 15,125, k = 18). The effects on mental speed were smaller than for crystallized intelligence, but still larger for parental education than familial economic status ( βEd→MS = .25, βIn→MS = .00, βEd→CI = .36, βIn→CI = .09; N = 394, k = 3). Additional factors affecting children’s cognitive ability are number of books, marital status, educational behavior of parents, and behavior of children. If added, a general background (ethnicity, migration) factor shows strong effects ( βBg = .30–.36). These findings are discussed in terms of environmental versus hidden genetic effects.
Pain management strategies among persons with long-term shoulder pain after stroke – a qualitative study
Authors: Lindgren Ingrid , Brogårdh Christina , Gard Gunvor
Published: September 2018

Objective:

To explore strategies that persons with persistent shoulder pain after stroke use to manage their pain in daily life.

Design:

A qualitative study using semi-structured face-to-face interviews, analysed by content analysis.

Setting:

A university hospital.

Subjects:

Thirteen community-dwelling persons (six women; median age: 65 years; range 57–77) with shoulder pain after stroke were interviewed median two years after the pain onset.

Results:

An overall theme ‘Managing shoulder pain by adopting various practical and cognitive strategies’ emerged from the analysis. Three categories were identified: (1) practical modifications to solve daily life problems; (2) changed movement patterns and specific actions to mitigate the pain, by non-painful movements, avoidance of pain-provoking activities and various pain distracting activities and (3) learned how to deal with the pain mentally. Several strategies were used simultaneously and they were experienced successful to various degrees.

Conclusion:

The findings in the present study indicate that persons with persistent shoulder pain after stroke use both practical and cognitive strategies to manage their pain.
Differential α2A- and α2C-adrenoceptor protein expression in presynaptic and postsynaptic density fractions of postmortem human prefrontal cortex
Authors: Erdozain Amaia M , Brocos-Mosquera Iria , Gabilondo Ane M , Meana J Javier , Callado Luis F
Published: September 2018

Background:

Three different α2-adrenoceptor (α2-AR) subtypes have been described. The α2A-AR and α2C-AR subtypes are highly expressed in the human prefrontal cortex, where they modulate neurotransmission. However, due to the lack of subtype-selective ligands, the physiological relevance of both subtypes has not been fully resolved.

Aims:

In this context, the aim of the present study was to characterize the protein expression of both α2-AR subtypes, in different synaptic fractions of postmortem human prefrontal cortex.

Methods:

A subcellular fractionation of the samples was performed and the protein expression of α2A- and α2C-ARs was measured in presynaptic membranes and postsynaptic density fractions by Western blot.

Results:

The results revealed that the α2A-AR subtype is mainly located postsynaptically (95±3%) whereas the remaining 5±3% is in the presynapse. Conversely, the α2C-AR subtype showed a similar distribution between pre- and postsynaptic membranes, with a slightly higher percentage present in the presynapse (60±2% vs. 40±2%).

Conclusions:

These findings could explain some contradictory effects reported for α2-AR agonists and antagonists in the human prefrontal cortex. Furthermore, the present data could contribute to elucidating the therapeutic potential of selectively targeting α2A- or α2C-AR subtypes.
Fast four-dimensional tensile test monitored via X-ray computed tomography: Single projection–based digital volume correlation dedicated to slender samples
Authors: Jailin Clément , Buljac Ante , Bouterf Amine , Hild François , Roux Stéphane
Published: September 2018

The measurement of four-dimensional (i.e. three-dimensional space and time) displacement fields of in situ tests within X-ray computed tomography scanners (i.e. lab-scale X-ray computed tomography) is considered herein using projection-based digital volume correlation. With a single projection per loading (i.e. time) step, the developed method allows the loading not to be interrupted and to vary continuously during the scan rotation. As a result, huge gains in acquisition time (i.e. more than two orders of magnitude) need to be reached. The kinematic analysis is carried out using predefined space and time bases combined with model reduction techniques (i.e. proper generalized decomposition with space–time decomposition). The accuracy of the measured kinematic basis is assessed via gray-level residual fields. An application to an in situ tensile test composed of 127 time steps is performed. Because of the slender geometry of the sample, a specific beam space regularization is used, which is composed of a stack of rigid sections. Large improvements on the residual, the signal-to-noise ratio of which evolves from 9.9 to 26.7 dB, validate the procedure.
Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy with inferior vena cava thrombectomy: A combined retroperitoneal and transperitoneal approach
Authors: Giannubilo Willy , Sortino Giuseppe , Diambrini Maurizio , Di Biase Manuel , Marconi Andrea , Ferrara Vincenzo
Published: September 2018

Renal cell carcinoma with inferior cava thrombus indicates biologically aggressive cancer, so the complete surgical resection remains standard of care with best long-term outcomes. Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy with vena cava thrombectomy represents nowadays a mini-invasive surgical alternative to the classic open nephrectomy. We present the case of a patient with incidental diagnosis of a right renal mass with level II inferior cava thrombus completely managed with both retroperitoneal and transperitoneal approaches. The use of a double access was planned to ensure a safe and complete vascular control. In our opinion, optimal patient selection, extensive laparoscopic experience, and knowledge of both transperitoneal and retroperitoneal approaches are critical elements for the safe application of this technique, although this procedure remains challenging and technically demanding.
Possibilities of Transformation: The Informal Sector in India
Authors: Bhattacharya Snehashish , Kesar Surbhi
Published: September 2018

We identify a basic dualism between capitalist and noncapitalist spaces within the vast informal sector in India, and show that this dualism has been reproduced and reinforced during the past decade of high economic growth. This calls into question the idea of capitalist transition that informs much of the discourse on economic development. We provide some preliminary arguments about the nature of this dualism and the process of reproduction of the noncapitalist economic space.

JEL Classifications: O14, O17, J46
Causal Stories in Vergara v. California
Authors: Gottlieb Jessica J. , Hutt Ethan L. , Superfine Benjamin M.
Published: September 2018

In 2012, families in California filed a lawsuit alleging that five state statutes governing teacher tenure, dismissal, and seniority together violate the state constitution’s requirements for equal protection. Central to the case were competing narratives about the relationship between these statutes, the work of teachers, and the achievement of students. This article analyzes those narratives utilizing the trial court transcripts and judicial opinions in Vergara v. California. We find that despite reaching divergent rulings, the trial and appellate courts provided highly typified accounts of the case—ones that emphasized individual agency and dismissed or deemphasized the importance of the social and political context of schooling. These findings are important for understanding how complex policy debates become transformed within legal proceedings and for understanding the capacity of courts to engage complex evidence and narratives—a major issue given that courts remain an important venue for school reform.
Atypical development of neurosyphilis mimicking limbic encephalitis
Authors: Beiruti Karine , Abu Awad Anan , Keigler Galina , Ryder Chen Hanna , Shahien Radi
Published: September 2018

A previously healthy 35-year-old man suffering from behavioral and mental deterioration for three months was referred to our facility. On admission, the patient was dysphasic and had tonic-clonic seizures. Neurological examination showed mental confusion, euphoric mood, mania, paranoia, and mild motor dysphasia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed twice but no abnormalities were revealed. His acute confusional state, elevated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein, epileptic seizure and electroencephalogram showing intermittent frontal slowness were all suggestive of encephalitis. The patient was treated with acyclovir without significant improvement in his condition. Testing for herpes simplex virus and human immunodeficiency virus was negative. Limbic encephalitis was suspected and the patient was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) for five days. Venereal disease research laboratory and Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay were both tested positive in serum and CSF. Neurosyphilis was diagnosed, and the patient received a 14-day course of penicillin G with gradual improvement. Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate-receptor (anti-NMDAR) antibodies were positive in serum, confirming the presence of encephalitis. The atypical clinical presentation of neurosyphilis with symptomatology mimicking encephalitis and no MRI abnormalities made the diagnosis challenging. Coexistence of neurosyphilis with anti-NMDAR encephalitis has been reported only in one recent study. Our case demonstrates the importance of testing for syphilis in patients with unexplained neurologic deficits and suspected encephalitis.
Does Commercial Banks Presence Enhance Profitability in Ghana?
Authors: Mireku Kwame , Sakyi Emmanuel Akomeah , Agana Joseph Akadeagre
Published: September 2018

The last few decades have witnessed an increasing drive for bank presence across Ghana due to commercial banks appetite for increased deposit mobilization. Although bank presence is crucial in savings mobilization for economic growth and development, its relationship with the financial performance of the banks is unknown within the context of a developing economy. The current study therefore investigates the implications of banks presence on the financial performance of the commercial banks in Ghana, using data from 2007 to 2013. Panel regression is used for the estimation. Our findings show that increasing banks presence does not necessarily translate into profitability of the commercial banks. A plausible deduction from the results indicate that growth in bank presence (bank branches) cannot improve alternate distribution channels of banks operations due to the strong competition in the financial sector, cost of operations and low savings culture in Ghana. The results also reveal that market concentration, cost management, capital adequacy and activity mix contribute positively to the financial performance of commercial banks in Ghana but not credit risk and management quality. We also document that the macroeconomic environment has positive effects on the financial performance of commercial banks. Following the above, we recommend that commercial banks should pay critical attention to bank specific factors such as cost management and capital adequacy ratios. Moreover, managers of the economy should strive to create a conducive and stable environment to increase their penetration in Ghana.
Water Supply, Sanitation, and Medical Waste Treatment and Disposal at Commune Health Centers in Vietnam
Authors: Huong Le Thi Thanh , Anh Le Thi Kim , Long Tran Khanh , Van Anh Tran Thi , Huong Nguyen Thi , Ha Nguyen Thanh , Tuyet-Hanh Tran Thi
Published: September 2018

Water hygiene, sanitation, and proper management of health care wastes at health care facilities are important in preventing infections and improving health and the environment. This article describes the access to safe water and sanitation facilities and the disposal of medical wastes at commune health centers (CHCs) in Vietnam. Data was extracted from the 2015 World Bank Vietnam District and Commune Health Facility Survey. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was applied to identify associations of CHCs’ access to improved water and sanitation and their medical waste management. Overall, 72.76% CHCs had access to both improved water and sanitation facilities, and better access was found in the richest communes. Rural CHCs had higher prevalence of appropriate wastewater treatment. The majority of CHCs combusted medical solid wastes by specialized incinerations, contracted out with sanitation companies, or transported them to district health centers. However, the data was insufficient to give in-depth analysis and conclusion on water and sanitation conditions and the management of medical wastes at CHCs. More information should be collected for further analysis and conclusion.
“I Haven’t Given Up and I’m Not Gonna”: A Phenomenographic Exploration of Resilience Among Individuals Experiencing Homelessness
Authors: Shankar Sneha , Gogosis Evie , Palepu Anita , Gadermann Anne M. , Hwang Stephen W.
Published: September 2018

Resilience is a factor related to positive health outcomes. Exploring this concept among adults experiencing homelessness can inform interventions while subsequently considering individuals’ strengths. A phenomenographic approach was applied to examine this concept among a sample of 22 individuals involved in qualitative interviews. The phenomenographic inquiry identified eight conceptions and found resilience is captured in both positive and negative ways. Conceptions are summarized by two categories, situated in an outcome space which describes the overall resilience experience and the different ways these conceptions are understood and experienced. Categories summarize conceptions as Staying Strong and Sustaining Positive Beliefs, which highlight the construct as being captured by a persistent positive aspect; however, the findings also uniquely describe the influence of negative conceptions toward the overall phenomenon. The findings suggest resilience is recognizable during adversity, and it is a phenomenon that has the potential to be strengthened.
Temporal experience from a 4E perspective
Authors: Gastelum Melina
Published: September 2018

Time perception has been typically investigated from cognitivism and internalist approaches. In this opinion, I sketch an outline to suggest how time experience is constituted on the subjective interactions with the sociomaterial environment. For this purpose, I suggest that a 4E approach can answer better such issues.
Nivolumab induces impressive responses in relapsed/refractory classic Hodgkin lymphoma: Single institutional experience
Authors: Dada Reyad , Zabani Yazeed
Published: September 2018

Objectives

Cancer can escape the immune system through different mechanisms. One such mechanism is the expression of program death ligand-1 which binds to PD-1 receptor on activated T cells, subsequently leading to inhibition of the immune response against cancer cells. Nivolumab is a novel antibody that binds to PD-1 and prevents such immune tolerance. Two recently published controlled clinical trials confirmed the clinical efficacy of single-agent nivolumab in pretreated patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

Patients and methods

We treated 10 heavily pretreated patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma with the new novel PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab. We report on the outcome and safety of this agent in these patients.

Results

After four cycles, the response rate was 80%. Seven of 10 gained complete metabolic remission. No serious adverse events were observed. The available literature is being reviewed.

Conclusions

Pretreated classical Hodgkin lymphoma is amenable to novel immunotherapy. Nivolumab induces clinically meaningful responses with excellent tolerability. The drug enriches our treatment options by reviving the response of the immune system against cancer. Further controlled studies are needed to determine the effectiveness on a large patient cohort.