bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental and Numerical Investigations on the Moment Capacity and Stability of Z‐shaped Steel Piles
Authors: Enders Alexander , Kuhlmann Ulrike
Published: September 2022

Harbour structures like quay walls or construction pit walls in civil engineering are often built up with steel sheet piles. Aside of U‐steel sheet piles also Z‐shaped piles with interlocks are widely used in such structures. The pressure on costs and efficiency and the competition in this field lead to the necessity of increased efficiency in design. To benefit from the potentials in the bending moment capacity of semi‐compact Z‐shaped steel sheet piles forming the infills of combined walls, four‐point‐bending tests were carried out by the Institute of Structural Design at the Materials Testing Institute in Stuttgart in 2019. A FE‐model was validated by back‐calculating the tests, followed by an extensive parametric study (GMNIA) with different Z‐piles. Among others the different geometries, which lead to different b/t‐ratios and the steel grade were varied leading to a different compression flange slenderness. In addition, the lock state was varied to investigate the impact on the bending moment capacity as: Free lock rotation, crimped interlocks with different crimping densities and fully welded over the entire length. Three resistance models were investigated and evaluated for further development of Eurocode 3 Part 5. The FE model was simplified and further developed for stability analyses. This was followed by a parametric study aimed to investigate the stability of Z‐shaped steel sheet piles under axial loads.
Experimental Studies on the Influence of Different Support Conditions and Structural Systems for the Lateral Torsional Buckling Behaviour of Steel Structures
Authors: Jörg Fabian , Bours Anna‐Lena , Winkler Rebekka , Kuhlmann Ulrike , Knobloch Markus
Published: September 2022

The use of slender steel members promotes the competitiveness of steel structures in structural engineering. However, it requires an efficient design, especially for the stability behaviour including lateral torsional buckling which is usually verified by the simplified design method with reduction factors. This method is based on the model of a simply supported member with ideal fork boundary conditions at the ends. However, commonly used joints in engineering practice, such as typical main and secondary beam joints, deviate from the idealisations of these ideal fork restraints. And at system level, there are only a few simply supported members, more common are structural systems such as continuous girders or frames. So far, there is a lack of knowledge on the influence of common joints used in engineering practice and structural system effects on the load‐bearing capacity. This paper deals with the results of experimental studies carried out within a German national (FOSTA) research project. The lateral torsional buckling behaviour of different support and boundary conditions as well as structural systems is investigated for hot‐rolled steel members with doubly and mono‐symmetric sections. In total, 14 tests on support conditions are carried out at the University of Stuttgart and 20 tests on two‐span members at the Ruhr‐Universität Bochum. The aim is to develop easy‐to‐use design rules that consider the effects of realistic conditions and structural system effects on the lateral torsional buckling resistance.
Contribution to Lateral Torsional Buckling of Girders with Rotational Restraints
Authors: Müller Andreas , Taras Andreas
Published: September 2022

The instability case of lateral torsional buckling (LTB) under bending load My is known to be of decisive importance in the design of beams with open cross‐sections. This instability case is expressed by a lateral displacement and simultaneous torsion (or twisting) of the member axis. The restraint of one or both of these deformation components represents an effective and practice oriented method to stabilize beams against LTB. In practice, therefore, use is made of regulations from the current version of EN 1993‐1‐1:2010, Annex BB, which allow for the consideration of the stabilizing effect of continuous and planar components directly connected to the compression chords of the beams. This paper presents the results of a study that investigated the effects of the innovations introduced in the draft standard for the 2nd generation of EN 1993‐1‐1 for the LTB verification of beams with I and H cross‐sections on the regulations for the calculation of the minimum stiffness of a rotational restraint to avoid LTB. In the first part of the paper, the background of the existing and new regulations is discussed together with previous proposals for adapting the definition of the minimum rotation restraint. In addition, a comparison is made with current specifications for the minimum rotational stiffness contained in the National Annex of DIN EN 1993‐1‐1. Subsequently, the regulations of the minimum rotational stiffness in prEN1993‐1‐1, Annex D are assessed.
Simple Structural Models to Compute the Fire Resistance of Restrained Steel Columns using Energy Principles
Authors: Simão Pedro Dias , Rodrigues João Paulo C.
Published: September 2022

A simple structural model to represent the behaviour of restrained steel columns in fire is presented. The heat transfer and the mechanical problems are split and the mechanical one is analysed in the temperature's domain, in order to allow the application of any appropriate fire curve. The structural model is composed by two rigid rods connected by plastic hinges. These respect the bending moments – axial forces interaction and degrade their resistance with heating. At the model's top cross section an axial spring is inserted, to represent the restraining of the surrounding frame to the column's axial elongation, and an axial load is applied in order to model the serviceability loading applied prior to the fire event. In the worst‐case scenario, fire occurs only in the neighbourhood of the analysed column while the surrounding frame remains unaffected. Therefore, both the serviceability load and the restraining spring stiffness remain constant throughout the fire event. Longitudinal temperatures gradients are accounted for. Both pinned‐pinned and clamped‐clamped boundary conditions are considered, to assess the influence of the column's statical indeterminacy on its fire resistance. Equilibrium is obtained by means of energy balance: when the temperature rises, the variation of the work produced by the serviceability load equals the variation of the internal strain energy stored at the restraining spring plus the variation of the energy dissipated at the plastic hinges. A set of illustrative examples closes the work.
The General Method for the Fire Design of I‐section Web‐tapered Members
Authors: Maia Élio , Couto Carlos , Real Paulo Vila , Lopes Nuno
Published: September 2022

The General Method of EN 1993‐1‐1 covers the safety verification of non‐prismatic members, as the variable geometry precludes the use of the standard verification clauses. However, no specific guidelines are provided in the fire part of the Eurocode 3 (EN 1993‐1‐2) regarding its implementation at elevated temperatures, apart from adopting the reduction factors for steel material properties. Previous investigations by the authors have demonstrated that the methodology is unsafe for the verification of tapered columns and overly conservative for beams at elevated temperatures, leading to proposals for the calibration of the GM for these members in fire following the design philosophy of the Eurocode 3.

The present investigation will start by discussing the latest developments on the validation of the GM for the safety check of tapered members in fire, with particular emphasis on the recently proposed interaction factor for the flexural and lateral‐torsional interaction buckling of tapered beam‐columns. Then, based on the results from the numerical parametric studies, the practical implications of the upcoming revision of the EN 1993‐1‐1 on the safety check of these members with the General Method will be discussed.
The Annealing Effect of Welding on the Strength of Cold‐worked Stainless Steel
Authors: Walport Fiona , Zhang Ruizhi , Meng Xin , Gardner Leroy
Published: September 2022

Cold‐working can occur during the production of flat sheet products and the fabrication of structural cross‐sections. In both cases, when the material is cold‐worked, plastic deformations result in material strength enhancements. These strength enhancements are particularly significant for materials such as stainless steel, which exhibit rounded stress‐strain behaviour and pronounced strain hardening, and for hollow cross‐sections, where the strength increases arise in both the corner and flat regions of the cross‐section. Numerous studies have shown the importance of utilising this strength enhancement in design, and expressions to predict the strength enhancements have been established. However, if cold‐worked material is welded, some enhanced strength can be lost due to partial annealing in the heat affected zone (HAZ). The extent of this strength loss is investigated experimentally herein. The experimental programme comprised ten tensile coupon tests, with central welds parallel and transverse to the direction of cold‐rolling, as well as twelve full cross‐section tensile tests. Digital imaging correlation was utilised to determine the local constitutive properties of the base metal, the HAZ, and the weld metal. The microhardness and microstructure of the welded coupons, along with the widths of the weld and HAZ, were also characterised.
Dimensioning Aids for Stiffened and Unstiffened Plates According to Eurocode 3 Part 1‐5
Authors: Hulm Felix , Kreutz Johannes , Maier Nadine , Mensinger Martin , Ndogmo Joseph
Published: September 2022

In Germany stiffened plate in bridge construction must be verified using the method of reduced stresses (MRS) according to DIN EN 1993‐1‐5 [2, 3]. Unstiffened plates on the other hand may be verified either according to the effective widths method or according to the reduced stress method. In order to shorten the time‐consuming verification of the standardised verification formats for pre‐dimensioning which is particularly prevalent for stiffened plates diagrams are developed and presented in the present paper on the basis of the MRS by reformulating the buckling verification which enable a quick pre‐dimensioning. With the diagrams, the dimensioning of plate thicknesses and stiffener spacings can be carried out in a few simple and comprehensible steps. The diagrams are selected on the basis of the geometry parameters .a, b. and t or the applicable boundary conditions. For stiffened plate, the maximum permissible spacing of the longitudinal stiffeners or the required main plate thickness can be determined. Diagrams for the dimensioning of longitudinal stiffeners by determining minimum stiffnesses are also presented. The minimum stiffnesses are derived from the geometry of the linear buckling shapes of simply stiffened plate.
Imperfection Sensitivity of Cylindrical Shells Under Shear Loading
Authors: Azizi Esmaeil , Stranghöner Natalie
Published: September 2022

One of the basic load cases relevant for the design of shell structures is torsion, which can occur exemplary in silos and tanks under seismic actions or even under wind loading. To address the stability problem of cylindrical shells under this load case, the relevant design standard EN 1993‐1‐6 and the European Recommendation ECCS EDR5 provide simple approaches for the buckling design of cylindrical shells. In order to improve the current hand calculation rules given in the above documents, this numerical study attempts to include the imperfection sensitivity of cylindrical shells subjected to uniform torsion.

In the present paper, theoretical, numerical, and experimental results from the literature are reviewed, and new systematic computational analyses and evaluations are introduced regarding the imperfection sensitivity of cylindrical shells under shear loading. For this purpose, a comprehensive computational study was performed using linear and nonlinear buckling analyses on perfect and imperfect shells. Since the influence of imperfections on the buckling strength of cylindrical shells is highly dependent on the imperfection pattern used in the numerical models, nonlinear buckling analyses were performed on imperfect cylindrical shells with three imperfection types: (i) eigenmode‐affine shape from torsion, (ii) longitudinal eigenmode‐affine pattern, and (iii) eigenmode‐affine shape from external pressure.
Austenitic Stainless Steel EBF Subjected to Low and Extremely Low Cycle Fatigue
Authors: Lázaro Lucy , Chacón Rolando
Published: September 2022

Dissipative zones buildings, in which plastic hinges or plastic strains occur during, for instance, seismic episodes, have been studied for many different types of steel fuse elements. Stainless steel (SS), has attracted attention in this regard due to its high ductility and further studies are needed to determine its performance and usefulness as fuses.

The use of SS in the construction industry has represented an advance due to its already known anticorrosive properties in addition to its strength and ductility. However, recent research on cyclic plasticity shows that SS has significant hardening properties, which can be exploited in the use of this material in structural elements to support cyclic loads, such as those occurring during earthquakes.

The cyclic plasticity models in SS have been studied with some applications (fatigue, low‐cycle fatigue and extremely low cycle fatigue). Several studies carried out cyclic tests to obtain experimental data, which have been used for numerical models with the utilisation of a combined numerical model of kinematic/isotropic hardening. These studies recommend models to simulate the behaviour of SS under a cyclic load.

This work presents an experimental study of the cyclic behaviour of SS when subject to low and extremely low cycle fatigue. Several protocols on tests such as companion, multiple step and arbitrary tests were carried out. The results inferred from the experimental program provide hardening parameters used to study one example of dissipative zones of eccentrically braced frames (EBFs).
Numerical Modelling of Single‐span Portal Frames
Authors: Ahmed Aya , Hu Tong , Walport Fiona , Gardner Leroy
Published: September 2022

Portal frames are a common form of structural system used to create efficient wide‐span enclosures. Over the past few decades, the design of portal frames has evolved in the direction of longer, lighter and taller structures, while cladding systems have become more substantial. Although this allows larger spaces, it can also result in heightened structural challenges, such as increased frame flexibility, a greater portion of the load being borne by the cladding and greater differential thermal movement. This has led to general concerns related to the effects of scale. To investigate these concerns, with a particular focus on the contribution of the cladding to the global strength and stiffness of the structure (also referred to as the stressed skin effect), and the resulting demands placed on secondary components, this study presents the development of a numerical model for the accurate representation of the structural response of full single‐span portal frames. The model is validated herein in two ways; (i) through validation of each individual frame component against relevant physical experiments, and (ii) through validation of the full model against full scale frame tests. Finally, a preliminary parametric investigation is presented.
The Beneficial Influence of the Roller‐straightening Process on the Bearing Capacity of Steel Columns
Authors: Saufnay Loris , Tibolt Mike , Jaspart Jean‐Pierre , Demonceau Jean‐François
Published: September 2022

The roller‐straightening process is a steel cold production technique which consists of passing a steel element through a series of rolls that bend the member, what leads progressively to a reduction of the initial geometrical imperfections along its weak axis. In addition, this post‐treatment process induces a continuous yielding of the steel member and thus may present a second interest which is the reduction of the compression residual stresses at flange tips. This modification of the residual stress pattern could lead to an increase of the carrying capacity of steel columns.

Indeed, the capacity of columns in compression is evaluated through the European buckling curves reported in EN1993‐1‐1 in which the compression resistances are highly affected by the initial bow imperfections and residual stresses resulting from the rolling process.

However, whilst all long products seem to be systematically straightened nowadays, EN1993‐1‐1 does not consider the potential beneficial effect of the roller‐straightening process. In other words, it means that the current recommendations of EN1993‐1‐1 neglect the potential benefit of this process on the buckling capacity.

In this context, a collaboration for a research study has been initiated between ArcelorMittal and the University of Liège to numerically estimate the residual stress patterns after the roller‐straightening process of three relevant heavy H‐shape profiles (HE 600 B, HE 500 M and HD 400 x 262) in HISTAR®460 and evaluate whether these new distributions could lead to a significant increase of the column bearing capacity.
Residual Stresses in Welded I‐section Members with Flame‐cut Flanges
Authors: Lebastard Maxime , Couchaux Maël , Bureau Alain , Hjiaj Mohammed
Published: September 2022

The residual stress distribution influences substantially the stability behavior of steel members. Its shape, directly impacted by the fabrication process, is very different in hot‐rolled and welded members. Among welded members, flame‐cut flanges and hot‐rolled flanges are commonly employed in practice. However, buckling curves of Eurocode 3 are based on experimental tests and numerical simulations performed on welded members having hot‐rolled flanges only and lead to conservative results comparatively to the previous French design standards but also to hot‐rolled members. Investigations are strongly needed to adapt the existing buckling curves to welded members using flame‐cut flanges and a first step is to estimate the residual stress distribution in such members.

The results available in the literature dealing with residual stresses measurements in welded members with flame‐cut flanges investigate stocky profiles that can be far from common practice, welded members being preferably slender sections. This paper presents the results of an experimental campaign on residual stresses performed on eight slender welded members varying the flange width and thickness as well as the flange type : hot‐rolled or flame‐cut. The measurements were performed using the sectioning method. A new model for residual stress distribution in welded I‐section members with flame‐cut flanges is then proposed based on these tests results and existing data from the literature.
Resistance of Closely Spaced Back‐to‐back Connected Equal Leg Angle Sections
Authors: Beyer André , Delacourt Guillaume , Bureau Alain
Published: September 2022

In the framework of the European RFCS project ANGELHY, the resistance of built‐up members fabricated from angle sections is studied, amongst others. This paper focusses on the resistance of back‐to‐back connected angle sections. The studied built‐up members are connected through bolted packing plates. Due to the flexibility of this connection, the back‐to‐back connected members do not fully act as a single homogeneous member but the connection stiffness has to be accounted for. However, Eurocode 3 does not provide a clear and generally accepted method for the determination of the buckling resistance of back‐to‐back connected members that do not respect a limit distance of 15imin between the packing plates. This limit is very low and therefore there exists a need of a design method overcoming the limitations. Throughout this paper, a design method will be derived based on a comprehensive numerical study. The numerical model is based on solid finite elements and has been validated with physical tests. Owing to the use of solid elements, it is possible to model explicitly the bolts, the packing plates and all contact regions.
Classified generalized linear mixed model prediction incorporating pseudo‐prior information
Authors: Ma Haiqiang , Jiang Jiming
Published: September 2022

We develop a method of classified mixed model prediction based on generalized linear mixed models that incorporate pseudo‐prior information to improve prediction accuracy. We establish consistency of the proposed method both in terms of prediction of the true mixed effect of interest and in terms of correctly identifying the potential class corresponding to the new observations if such a class matching one of the training data classes exists. Empirical results, including simulation studies and real‐data validation, fully support the theoretical findings.
Ginger germplasm classification and identification of morphological markers related to rhizome yield
Authors: Chukwudi Uchechukwu Paschal
Published: September 2022

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is a rhizomatous plant with wide usage in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. The inclusion of ginger rhizomes in the home remedies for prophylaxis related to COVID‐19 infection may have caused a sharp rise in global ginger demand that has exceeded supply. To meet this demand, there is a need to identify high yielding genotypes with desirable attributes. The objectives of this study were to characterize and identify morphological markers that are associated with high rhizome yields. Ten ginger genotypes were assessed for 2 yr for their yield and phytochemical and mineral compositions under a randomized complete block design with three replications. A hierarchical cluster analysis was performed on the genotypes based on eight morphological attributes and 15 phytoconstituent contents. The results showed three clusters and two outliers. The dendrogram identified cluster A with genotypes KD‐2 and EN‐1 as the highest rhizome yielder. The pseudo‐stem diameter (.808), leaf width (.743), plant height (.722), and the number of leaves plant−1 (.641) showed the highest correlation coefficients with the ginger rhizome yield. The path coefficient analysis showed that 70.6% of the contribution of the pseudo‐stem diameter to the rhizome yield occurred through its indirect effect on the leaf width (47.2%) and plant height (23.4%). These markers should be considered in selecting high‐yielding ginger genotypes for production.
Botulinum toxin type E: A review
Authors: Lebowitz Emily , Berson Diane
Published: September 2022

Background

Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT‐A) and botulinum toxin type B are the only two serotypes of botulinum toxin currently available for therapeutic use. Recently, botulinum toxin type E (BoNT‐E) has been explored for clinical use due to its pharmacological properties. BoNT‐E has a faster onset of action and a shorter duration of effect compared to BoNT‐A.

Methods

A literature review of BoNT‐E in terms of its mechanism of action, efficacy, and treatment applications.

Results

BoNT‐E has thus far demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of glabellar frown lines. Additional potential applications include the treatment of focal muscle pain and the reduction of postoperative scars.

Conclusion

BoNT‐E products have the potential to fulfill an unmet need for patients considering first‐time use of botulinum toxin for esthetic purposes and for patients seeking rapid results.
Habitat‐specific responses of soil organic matter decomposition to Spartina alterniflora invasion along China's coast
Authors: Zhang Guangliang , Bai Junhong , Tebbe Christoph C. , Huang Laibin , Jia Jia , Wang Wei , Wang Xin , Zhao Qingqing , Wen Lixiang , Kong Fanlong , Xi Min , He Qiang
Published: September 2022

Plant invasions cause a fundamental change in soil organic matter (SOM) turnover. Disentangling the biogeographic patterns and key drivers of SOM decomposition and its temperature sensitivity (Q10) under plant invasion is a prerequisite for making projections of global carbon feedback. We collected soil samples along China's coast across saltmarshes to mangrove ecosystems invaded by the smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora Loisel.). Microcosm experiments were carried out to determine the patterns of SOM decomposition and its thermal response. Soil microbial biomass and communities were also characterized accordingly. SOM decomposition constant dramatically decreased along the mean annual temperature gradient, whereas the cordgrass invasion retarded this change (significantly reduced slope, p < 0.05). The response of Q10 to invasion and the soil microbial quotient peaked at midlatitude saltmarshes, which can be explained by microbial metabolism strategies. Climatic variables showed strong negative controls on the Q10, whereas dissolved carbon fraction exerted a positive influence on its spatial variance. Higher microbial diversity appeared to weaken the temperature‐related response of SOM decomposition, with apparent benefits for carbon sequestration. Inconsistent responses to invasion were exhibited among habitat types, with SOM accumulation in saltmarshes but carbon loss in mangroves, which were explained, at least in part, by the SOM decomposition patterns under invasion. This study elucidates the geographic pattern of SOM decomposition and its temperature sensitivity in coastal ecosystems and underlines the importance of interactions between climate, soil, and microbiota for stabilizing SOM under plant invasion.
Assessing the combined effect of surface topography and substrate rigidity in human bone marrow stem cell cultures
Authors: Ribeiro Sofia , Pugliese Eugenia , Korntner Stefanie H. , Fernandes Emanuel M. , Gomes Manuela E. , Reis Rui L. , O'Riordan Alan , Bayon Yves , Zeugolis Dimitrios I.
Published: September 2022

The combined effect of surface topography and substrate rigidity in stem cell cultures is still under‐investigated, especially when biodegradable polymers are used. Herein, we assessed human bone marrow stem cell response on aliphatic polyester substrates as a function of anisotropic grooved topography and rigidity (7 and 12 kPa). Planar tissue culture plastic (TCP, 3 GPa) and aliphatic polyester substrates were used as controls. Cell morphology analysis revealed that grooved substrates caused nuclei orientation/alignment in the direction of the grooves. After 21 days in osteogenic and chondrogenic media, the 3 GPa TCP and the grooved 12 kPa substrate induced significantly higher calcium deposition and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) deposition, respectively, than the other groups. After 14 days in tenogenic media, the 3 GPa TCP upregulated four and downregulated four genes; the planar 7 kPa substrate upregulated seven genes and downregulated one gene; and the grooved 12 kPa substrate upregulated seven genes and downregulated one gene. After 21 days in adipogenic media, the softest (7 kPa) substrates induced significantly higher oil droplet deposition than the other substrates and the grooved substrate induced significantly higher droplet deposition than the planar. Our data pave the way for more rational design of bioinspired constructs.
Regression methods for the appearances of extremes in climate data
Authors: Yu Chang , Blaha Ondrej , Kane Michael , Wei Wei , Esserman Denise , Zelterman Daniel
Published: September 2022

For any given city, on any calendar day, there will be record high and low temperatures. Which record occurred earlier? If there is a trend towards warming then, intuitively, there should be a preponderance of record highs occurring more recently than the record lows for each of the 365 calendar days. We are interested in modeling the joint distribution of appearances of the extremes but not these values themselves. We develop a bivariate discrete distribution modeling the joint indices of maximum and minimum in a sequence of independent random variables sampled from different distributions. We assume these distributions share a proportional hazard rate and develop regression methods for these paired values. This approach has reasonable power to detect a small mean change over a decade. Using readily available public data, we examine the daily calendar extreme values of five US cities for the decade 2011–2020. We develop linear regression models for these data, describe models to account for calendar‐date dependence, and use diagnostic measures to detect remarkable observations.
Assessing Potential Perfluoroalkyl Substances Trophic Transfer to Crickets (Acheta domesticus)
Authors: McDermett Kaylin , Anderson Todd , Jackson W. Andrew , Guelfo Jennifer
Published: September 2022

Although many studies have assessed the bioaccumulation of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in plant tissues, to date there has been minimal research on the bioaccumulation of PFAS in soil invertebrates that results from consuming PFAS-contaminated media. The present study focused on two different consumption pathways in a population of crickets: individuals consuming PFAS-contaminated alfalfa and individuals consuming PFAS-spiked drinking water. Alfalfa was grown in a greenhouse and irrigated with PFAS-spiked water (∼1 ppm) containing seven unique PFAS. The alfalfa was then harvested and fed to crickets. Another population of crickets was supplied with PFAS-spiked drinking water at similar concentrations to irrigation water for direct consumption. Alfalfa accumulation of PFAS and subsequent consumption by the crickets resulted in overall similar tissue concentrations in the crickets who consumed PFAS-spiked water directly. This indicates that source concentration (water) may be an important factor in assessing the bioaccumulation of PFAS in organisms. To our knowledge, ours is the first study not only to assess the direct trophic transfer of PFAS from contaminated vegetation to invertebrates, but also to highlight the similarities in bioaccumulation regardless of ingestion pathway. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:2981–2992. © 2022 SETAC
From sharing voices to making decisions: The case for centring community ownership in evaluation of health programme planning and management
Authors: Chi Chunhuei , Núñez Alicia , Tuepker Anaïs
Published: September 2022

Background

Community participation in health programme planning has gained traction in public health in recent decades. When an idea enters the mainstream, it becomes vulnerable to overuse and dilution, and public health professionals claiming “community participation” may intentionally or unintentionally prevent more meaningful participatory action. The principle of community‐centred planning is seldom integrated into programme evaluation. We have previously argued that, to prevent ambiguity and abuse, a stronger and more explicit idea of community ownership is useful. Un‐like “participation”, “ownership” leaves little room for dilution.

Method

This perspective piece explores a framework to support evaluating community ownership in planning, by emphasising decision‐making power in health planning and management as a necessary element for evaluation alongside other outcomes. After defining the concept of community ownership, we identify and discuss challenges and research gaps related to implementing community ownership in health programme planning, management, and evaluation. Such issues include considering which communities have claims to programme ownership, alternative approaches to representation and participation that support ownership, gathering community values and preferences, and incorporating them into ongoing programme planning, management and evaluation. We consider methodological issues likely to arise when transitioning from gathering community voices ‐ which is valuable but incomplete work ‐ towards community decision making power in planning and evaluation.

Results

We use cases from recent policy and research in Chile as examples to consider through the lens of this framework. Finally, we discuss some current constraints in implementing community ownership in healthcare planning and evaluation.

Conclusion

We encourage exploring how to practice evaluation in ways that will further our ability to be helpful professional supporters of community self‐determination in finding their paths to health.
Silver–ethylene glycol and copper–ethylene glycol based thermally radiative nanofluid characteristics between two rotating stretchable disks with modified Fourier heat flux
Authors: Nazia S. , Seshaiah B. , Sudarsana Reddy Patakota , Sreedevi Paluru
Published: September 2022

In the present analysis, our aim is to investigate the mass and heat transport of silver (Ag)–ethylene glycol (EG) and copper (Cu)–EG‐based nanofluids between two rotating stretchable disks under the convective boundary conditions. We have also incorporated Cattaneo–Christov heat flux, thermal radiation, and chemical reaction in the fluid flow. The system of coupled partial differential equations is transformed into ordinary differential equations by using similarity transformations. The finite element method has been accomplished to find numerical solutions to transformed equations. The behavior of radial and tangential velocity, temperature fields, and concentration fields influenced by the various parameters are sketched through graphs. The local skin friction coefficient, Nusselt number, and Sherwood number are also calculated for the pertinent parameters and displayed the results through tables. It is perceived that velocity sketches of both nanoliquids degenerate with larger values of thermal relaxation parameters. Also, the values local Nusselt number of both Ag–EG, and Cu–EG based Cattaneo–Christov nanofluid intensifies with improving values of stretching parameter at the lower disk, whereas, it impedes at the upper disk.
White blood cell detection using saliency detection and CenterNet: A two‐stage approach
Authors: Zheng Xin , Tang Pan , Ai Liefu , Liu Deyang , Zhang Youzhi , Wang Boyang
Published: September 2022

White blood cell (WBC) detection plays a vital role in peripheral blood smear analysis. However, cell detection remains a challenging task due to multi‐cell adhesion, different staining and imaging conditions. Owing to the powerful feature extraction capability of deep learning, object detection methods based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been widely applied in medical image analysis. Nevertheless, the CNN training is time‐consuming and inaccuracy, especially for large‐scale blood smear images, where most of the images are background. To address the problem, we propose a two‐stage approach that treats WBC detection as a small salient object detection task. In the first saliency detection stage, we use the Itti's visual attention model to locate the regions of interest (ROIs), based on the proposed adaptive center‐surround difference (ACSD) operator. In the second WBC detection stage, the modified CenterNet model is performed on ROI sub‐images to obtain a more accurate localization and classification result of each WBC. Experimental results showed that our method exceeds the performance of several existing methods on two different data sets, and achieves a state‐of‐the‐artmAPof over 98.8%.
Characterization of optical clearing mechanisms in muscle during treatment with glycerol and gadobutrol solutions
Authors: Silva Hugo F. , Martins Inês S. , Bogdanov Alexei A. , Tuchin Valery V. , Oliveira Luís M.
Published: September 2022

The recent increasing interest in the application of radiology contrasting agents to create transparency in biological tissues implies that the diffusion properties of those agents need evaluation. The comparison of those properties with the ones obtained for other optical clearing agents allows to perform an optimized agent selection to create optimized transparency in clinical applications. In this study, the evaluation and comparison of the diffusion properties of gadobutrol and glycerol in skeletal muscle was made, showing that although gadobutrol has a higher molar mass than glycerol, its low viscosity allows for a faster diffusion in the muscle. The characterization of the tissue dehydration and refractive index matching mechanisms of optical clearing was made in skeletal muscle, namely by the estimation of the diffusion coefficients for water, glycerol and gadobutrol. The estimated tortuosity values of glycerol (2.2) and of gadobutrol (1.7) showed a longer path‐length for glycerol in the muscle.
Therapeutic plasma exchange: A potential therapeutic modality for critically ill adults with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection
Authors: Al‐Hashami Sabria , Khamis Faryal , Al‐Yahyay Maha , Al‐Dowaiki Samata , Al‐Mashaykhi Louza , Al‐Khalili Huda , Chandwani Juhi , Al‐Salmi Issa , Al‐Zakwani Ibrahim
Published: September 2022

Background

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection can be severe and fatal due to cytokine storm. Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) potentially mitigates the harmful effects of such cytokines. We investigated the use of TPE, as rescue therapy, in patients with severe Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) infection.

Study Design and Methods

A retrospective analysis on COVID‐19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit and treated with TPE from April 17, 2020 to July 2, 2020. This group was compared with COVID‐19 patients who received standard therapy without TPE. The following outcomes were analyzed: changes in laboratory parameters, length of hospital stay (LOS), days on mechanical ventilation, mortality at days 14 and overall mortality.

Results

A total of 95 patients were included, among whom 47% (n = 45) received TPE. Patients who received TPE had reductions in C‐reactive protein (P = .002), ferritin (P < .001) and interleukin‐6 (P = .013). After employing entropy‐balancing matching method, those on TPE were also more likely to discontinue inotropes (72% vs 21%; P < .001). However, they were more likely to be associated with longer LOS (23 vs 14 days; P = .002) and longer days on ventilatory support (14 vs 8 days; P < .001). Despite marginal mortality benefit at 14‐days (7.9% vs 24%; P = .071), there was no significant differences in overall mortality (21% vs 31%; P = .315) between the groups.

Conclusions

TPE was effective in reducing inflammatory markers in patients with severe COVID‐19 infection, however, further research is warranted.
Is monkeypox a new, emerging sexually transmitted disease? A rapid review of the literature
Authors: Bragazzi Nicola Luigi , Kong Jude Dzevela , Wu Jianhong
Published: September 2022

Monkeypox, a milder disease compared to smallpox, is caused by a virus initially discovered and described in 1958 by the prominent Danish virologist von Magnus, who was investigating an infectious outbreak affecting monkey colonies. Currently, officially starting from May 2022, an outbreak of monkeypox is ongoing, with 51 000 cases being notified as of September 1, 2022—51 408 confirmed, 28 suspected, and 12 fatalities, for a grand total of 51 448 cases. More than 100 countries and territories are affected, from all the six World Health Organization regions. There are some striking features, that make this outbreak rather unusual when compared with previous outbreaks, including a shift on average age and the most affected age group, affected sex/gender, risk factors, clinical course, presentation, and the transmission route. Initially predominantly zoonotic, with an animal‐to‐human transmission, throughout the last decades, human‐to‐human transmission has become more and more sustained and effective. In particular, clusters of monkeypox have been described among men having sex with men, some of which have been epidemiologically linked to international travel to nonendemic countries and participation in mass gathering events/festivals, like the “Maspalomas (Gran Canaria) 2022 pride.” This review will specifically focus on the “emerging” transmission route of the monkeypox virus, that is to say, the sexual transmission route, which, although not confirmed yet, seems highly likely in the diffusion of the infectious agent.
Influence of the North Atlantic sea surface temperature on decadal variability of the July precipitation in north China
Authors: Xie Tiejun , Wang Ji , Zhang Peiqun , Zhang Yingjuan , Na Ying , Zheng Fei
Published: September 2022

The north China July precipitation (NCJP) accounts for the largest proportion of annual total precipitation in north China and displays a significant decadal variability of a cycle about 20‐year at least from the past 40 years. There is a significant negative correlation between the July northern North Atlantic sea surface temperature (NNASST) and NCJP on decadal scale. When the detrended July NNASST anomaly is in negative phase, the NCJP anomaly is in positive phase, and vice versa. We present the coupled oceanic–atmospheric bridge (COAB) mechanism of the July NNASST influences on NCJP decadal variability via the Eurasian decadal teleconnection (EAT) pattern: the NNASST stimulates the EAT pattern which regulates circulation anomalies in north China and its surrounding regions, and finally regulates precipitation anomalies in north China by influencing the local water vapour transport. In addition, a preliminary analysis about the causes of the super‐abnormal NCJP in 2021 indicates that the super‐abnormal NCJP in 2021 is not just the decadal role of the NNASST on NCJP, may be the combined influence of the WPSH in the northeastern of north China, the abnormal high pressure in the northwest and the low‐pressure cyclone in the south in the rainy decadal background.
Serum Raman spectroscopy in experimental carcinogenesis hamster buccal pouch model: Exploring early diagnostic capability
Authors: Jadhav Priyanka A. , Pansare Kshama , Hole Arti , Ingle Arvind , Govekar Rukmini , Murali Krishna C.
Published: September 2022

About two third of oral cancer cases present at advanced stages, emphasizing the need for screening tools for early diagnosis. Raman spectroscopy (RS) can prove an appropriate tool for early diagnosis as biochemical changes occur before morphological changes. Due to limitations with study of early oral cancer stages in human subjects, we performed a sequential carcinogenesis study in animal model. In the present study, we aim to probe early biochemical changes occurring during DMBA induced oral carcinogenesis in hamster buccal pouch model, using serum RS (SRS). Serum being systemic biofluid can reflect the true in vivo state, is minimally invasive and offers advantages of remote diagnosis and serial sampling. The female Syrian golden hamsters were treated with 0.5% DMBA and retro‐orbital blood collection was performed every week for a period of 14 weeks. An increase in classification efficiency as the DMBA treatment progressed, with distinct classification of >70% seen as early as week 5 (W5), appreciably early to development of visual changes (W8–W10) was observed. Furthermore, the early treatment weeks (W1–W4) and healthy condition (W0) show no misclassifications with weeks exhibiting frank tumours (W9–W14), demonstrating efficacy of SRS to stratify healthy versus carcinogen exposure. The findings suggest that as oral carcinogenesis progresses, biochemical alterations in serum such as increasing protein and loss of lipid content can be detected by RS, highlighting the feasibility and utility of SRS in early oral cancer diagnosis. To our knowledge, this is the first study exploring the ex vivo sequential approach to gain insights into oral cancer progression.
Examining multi‐level immune response to determine prevalence of COVID‐19 in pediatric tonsillectomy
Authors: Mudd Pamela , Romero Nahir , Behzadpour Hengameh , Xu Qin , Rana Md Sohel , Gitman Lyuba , Preciado Diego , Karkanitsa Maria , Spathies Jacquelyn , Sadtler Kaitlyn , Kalish Heather , Schwartzberg Pamela L. , Manthiram Kalpana
Published: September 2022

Objective

To determine the prevalence of COVID‐19 in a cohort of children undergoing tonsillectomy through assessment of B cell immune responses to SARS‐CoV‐2 in both peripheral blood and tonsil tissue.

Methods

In this cohort study at a tertiary pediatric hospital (Children's National Hospital) in Washington, DC, we recruited 100 children undergoing tonsillectomy from late September 2020 to January 2021. Serum, peripheral blood cells, and tonsil tissue were collected and examined for immune reactivity to SARS‐CoV‐2. Parent‐reported clinical histories were compared to antibody and B‐cell responses.

Results

Among 100 children undergoing tonsillectomy, 19% had evidence of immune responses to SARS‐CoV‐2 (CoV2+), indicating prior COVID‐19. In all seropositive participants, we detected SARS‐CoV‐2 specific B cells in both peripheral blood mononuclear cells and tonsils, providing evidence for tissue‐specific immunity in these children. Of the 19, 63% reported no known history of COVID‐19, and an additional 3 were asymptomatic or unaware of an acute infection when detected on pre‐surgery screen. Hispanic children represented 74% of CoV2+ subjects compared to 37% of the full cohort. 100% of CoV2+ children lived in a zip code with poverty level >10%.

Conclusions

Nearly one‐fifth of children undergoing tonsillectomy at an urban U.S. hospital had evidence of prior COVID‐19 during the early pandemic, with the majority unaware of prior infection. Our results underscore the ethnic and socio‐economic disparities of COVID‐19. We found concordant evidence of humoral immune responses in children in both blood and tonsil tissue, providing evidence of local immune responses in the upper respiratory tract.

Level of Evidence

3 Laryngoscope, 133:1993–1999, 2023
Quantifying the importance of different erosion processes and soil and water conservation measure collapses following an extreme rainstorm in the Chinese Loess Plateau
Authors: Chen Yixian , Vanmaercke Matthias , Jiao Juying , Bai Leichao , Tang Bingzhe , Wang Nan , Zhang Yifeng , Wang Haolin
Published: September 2022

Extreme rainfall events can make disproportionally larger contributions than common rainfalls to soil erosion rates. Yet assessing the importance of different soil erosion processes during such events remains a critical challenge, especially due to a lack of field observations. Based on detailed field surveys and remote‐sensing analyses, we therefore provide erosion budgets for three representative catchments in the Chinese Loess Plateau, following an exceptional rainstorm event (July 26, 2017; estimated return period: 200 years). Our results show that the associated catchment‐scale erosion intensities were 2815 ± 529 t km‐2 for rill erosion, 787 ± 486 t km‐2 for gully erosion, 4433 ± 657 t km‐2 for landsliding and 3927 ± 1009 t km‐2 for the collapse of implemented soil and water conservation measures (SWCMs, specifically terraces and check‐dams). Hence, landslides (37 ± 4%) and SWCMs collapses (33 ± 4%) were the most important sediment sources, followed by rill (24 ± 3%) and gully erosion (7 ± 4%). The lower contribution of gully erosion likely results from earlier vegetation restoration efforts. Overall, our results indicate that successful erosion control during extreme events strongly depends on integrative and robust catchment management strategies. Specifically, the spatial intersecting of forestland and grassland can play a large role, with reforestation on problematic slopes being an important strategy limiting rill and gully erosion. Sufficient consideration should be given to the planning and maintenance of terraces and check‐dams. The latter should be constructed with good flood‐release facilities, meanwhile many small‐scale dams likely work better than a few large ones. Likewise, (unpaved) roads should receive attention as they can also be a significant runoff and sediment source.