bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta: Principles, Initial Clinical Experience, and Considerations for the Anesthesiologist
Authors: Sridhar Srikanth , Gumbert Sam D. , Stephens Christopher , Moore Laura J. , Pivalizza Evan G.
Published: June 2017

Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is an endovascular technique that allows for temporary occlusion of the aorta in patients with severe, life-threatening, trauma-induced noncompressible hemorrhage arising below the diaphragm. REBOA utilizes a transfemoral balloon catheter inserted in a retrograde fashion into the aorta to provide inflow control and support blood pressure until definitive hemostasis can be achieved. Initial retrospective and registry clinical data in the trauma surgical literature demonstrate improvement in systolic blood pressure with balloon inflation and improved survival compared to open aortic cross-clamping via resuscitative thoracotomy. However, there are no significant reports of anesthetic implications and perioperative management in this challenging cohort. In this narrative, we review the principles, technique, and logistics of REBOA deployment, as well as initial clinical outcome data from our level-1 American College of Surgeons–verified trauma center. For anesthesiologists who may not yet be familiar with REBOA, we make several suggestions and recommendations for intraoperative management based on extrapolation from these initial surgical-based reports, opinions from a team with increasing experience, and translated experience from emergency aortic vascular surgical procedures. Further prospective data will be necessary to conclusively guide anesthetic management, especially as potential complications and implications for global organ function, including cerebral and renal, are recognized and described.
Protective Lung Ventilation and Morbidity After Pulmonary Resection: A Propensity Score–Matched Analysis
Authors: Amar David , Zhang Hao , Pedoto Alessia , Desiderio Dawn P. , Shi Weiji , Tan Kay See
Published: June 2017

BACKGROUND:

Protective lung ventilation (PLV) during one-lung ventilation (OLV) for thoracic surgery is frequently recommended to reduce pulmonary complications. However, limited outcome data exist on whether PLV use during OLV is associated with less clinically relevant pulmonary morbidity after lung resection.

METHODS:

Intraoperative data were prospectively collected in 1080 patients undergoing pulmonary resection with OLV, intentional crystalloid restriction, and mechanical ventilation to maintain inspiratory peak airway pressure <30 cm H2O. Other ventilator settings and all aspects of anesthetic management were at the discretion of the anesthesia care team. We defined PLV and non-PLV as <8 or ≥8 mL/kg (predicted body weight) mean tidal volume. The primary outcome was the occurrence of pneumonia and/or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Propensity score matching was used to generate PLV and non-PLV groups with comparable characteristics. Associations between outcomes and PLV status were analyzed by exact logistic regression, with matching as cluster in the anatomic and nonanatomic lung resection cohorts.

RESULTS:

In the propensity score–matched analysis, the incidence of pneumonia and/or ARDS among patients who had an anatomic lung resection was 9/172 (5.2%) in the non-PLV compared to the PLV group 7/172 (4.1%; odds ratio, 1.29; 95% confidence interval, 0.48–3.45, P= .62). The incidence of pneumonia and/or ARDS in patients who underwent nonanatomic resection was 3/118 (2.5%) in the non-PLV compared to the PLV group, 1/118 (0.9%; odds ratio, 3.00; 95% confidence interval, 0.31–28.84, P= .34).

CONCLUSIONS:

In this prospective observational study, we found no differences in the incidence of pneumonia and/or ARDS between patients undergoing lung resection with tidal volumes <8 or ≥8 mL/kg. Our data suggest that when fluid restriction and peak airway pressures are limited, the clinical impact of PLV in this patient population is small. Future randomized trials are needed to better understand the benefits of a small tidal volume strategy during OLV on clinically important outcomes.
Xenon as an Adjuvant to Propofol Anesthesia in Patients Undergoing Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery: A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Al tmimi Layth , Devroe Sarah , Dewinter Geertrui , Van de Velde Marc , Poortmans Gert , Meyns Bart , Meuris Bart , Coburn Mark , Rex Steffen
Published: June 2017

BACKGROUND:

Xenon was shown to cause less hemodynamic instability and reduce vasopressor needs during off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery when compared with conventionally used anesthetics. As xenon exerts its organ protective properties even in subanesthetic concentrations, we hypothesized that in patients undergoing OPCAB surgery, 30% xenon added to general anesthesia with propofol results in superior hemodynamic stability when compared to anesthesia with propofol alone.

METHODS:

Fifty patients undergoing elective OPCAB surgery were randomized to receive general anesthesia with 30% xenon adjuvant to a target-controlled infusion of propofol or with propofol alone. The primary end point was the total intraoperative dose of norepinephrine required to maintain an intraoperative mean arterial pressure >70 mm Hg. Secondary outcomes included the perioperative cardiorespiratory profile and the incidence of adverse and serious adverse events.

RESULTS:

Adding xenon to propofol anesthesia resulted in a significant reduction of norepinephrine required to attain the predefined hemodynamic goals (cumulative intraoperative dose: median [interquartile range]: 370 [116–570] vs 840 [335–1710] µg, P = .001). In the xenon-propofol group, significantly less propofol was required to obtain a similar depth of anesthesia as judged by clinical signs and the bispectral index (propofol effect site concentration [mean ± SD]: 1.8 ± 0.5 vs 2.8 ± 0.3 mg, P≤ .0001). Moreover, the xenon-propofol group required significantly less norepinephrine during the first 24 hours on the intensive care unit (median [interquartile range]: 1.5 [0.1–7] vs 5 [2–8] mg, P = .048). Other outcomes and safety parameters were similar in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS:

Thirty percent xenon added to propofol anesthesia improves hemodynamic stability by decreasing norepinephrine requirements in patients undergoing OPCAB surgery.
Smooth muscle function and myosin polymerization
Authors: Chitano Pasquale , Wang Lu , Tin Gabrielle Y. Y. , Ikebe Mitsuo , Paré Peter D. , Seow Chun Y.
Published: June 2017

Smooth muscle is able to function over a much broader length range than striated muscle. The ability to maintain contractility after a large length change is thought to be due to an adaptive process involving restructuring of the contractile apparatus to maximize overlap between the contractile filaments. The molecular mechanism for the length-adaptive behavior is largely unknown. In smooth muscle adapted to different lengths we quantified myosin monomers, basal and activation-induced myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation, shortening velocity, power output and active force. The muscle was able to generate a constant maximal force over a two fold length range when it was allowed to go through isometric contraction/relaxation cycles after each length change (length adaptation). In the relaxed state, myosin monomer concentration and basal MLC phosphorylation decreased linearly, while in the activated state activation-induced MLC phosphorylation and shortening velocity/power output increased linearly with muscle length. The results suggest that recruitment of myosin monomers and oligomers into the actin filament lattice (where they form force-generating filaments) occurs during muscle adaptation to longer length, with the opposite occurring during adaptation to shorter length.
Electrophoresis of cell membrane heparan sulfate regulates galvanotaxis in glial cells
Authors: Huang Yu-Ja , Schiapparelli Paula , Kozielski Kristen , Green Jordan , Lavell Emily , Guerrero-Cazares Hugo , Quinones-Hinojosa Alfredo , Searson Peter
Published: June 2017

Endogenous electric fields modulate many physiological processes by promoting directional migration, a process known as galvanotaxis. Despite the importance of galvanotaxis in development and disease, the mechanism by which cells sense and migrate directionally in an electric field remains unknown. Here, we show that electrophoresis of cell surface heparan sulfate (HS) critically regulates this process. HS was found to be localized at the anode-facing side in fetal neural progenitor cells (fNPCs), fNPC-derived astrocytes and brain tumor-initiating cells (BTICs), regardless of their direction of galvanotaxis. Enzymatic removal of HS and other sulfated glycosaminoglycans significantly abolished or reversed the cathodic response seen in fNPCs and BTICs. Furthermore, Slit2, a chemorepulsive ligand, was identified to be colocalized with HS in forming a ligand gradient across cellular membranes. Using both imaging and genetic modification, we propose a novel mechanism for galvanotaxis in which electrophoretic localization of HS establishes cell polarity by functioning as a co-receptor and provides repulsive guidance through Slit-Robo signaling.
Control of mitochondrial homeostasis by endocytic regulatory proteins
Authors: Farmer Trey , Reinecke James B. , Xie Shuwei , Bahl Kriti , Naslavsky Naava , Caplan Steve
Published: June 2017

Mitochondria play essential roles in cellular energy processes, including ATP production, control of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis. While mitochondrial function is regulated by the dynamics of fusion and fission, mitochondrial homeostasis remains incompletely understood. Recent studies implicate dynamin-2 and dynamin-related protein-1 (Drp1, also known as DNM1L), as GTPases involved in mitochondrial fission. Here, we identify the ATPase and endocytic protein EHD1 as a novel regulator of mitochondrial fission. EHD1 depletion induces a static and elongated network of mitochondria in the cell. However, unlike dynamin-2 and Drp1, whose depletion protects cells from staurosporine-induced mitochondrial fragmentation, EHD1-depleted cells remain sensitive to staurosporine, suggesting a different mechanism for EHD1 function. Recent studies have demonstrated that VPS35 and the retromer complex influence mitochondrial homeostasis either by Mul1-mediated ubiquitylation and degradation of the fusion protein Mfn2, or by removal of inactive Drp1 from the mitochondrial membrane. We demonstrate that EHD1 and its interaction partner rabankyrin-5 interact with the retromer complex to influence mitochondrial dynamics, likely by inducing VPS35-mediated removal of inactive Drp1 from mitochondrial membranes. Our study sheds light on mitochondrial dynamics, expanding a new paradigm of endocytic protein regulation of mitochondrial homeostasis.
Secondary findings in duplex ultrasound of leg veins
Authors: Woitalla J. , Bruning G. , Devereux N.
Published: June 2017

The diagnosis of venous diseases and abnormalities has gained a new dimension with duplex ultrasound, which is now regarded as the gold standard for leg vein examination. The combination of B scan, doppler and colour-coding of the blood flow in duplex ultra-sound offers a simple, highly predictive, noninvasive diagnosis of venous disease. It provides important information not only on the haemodynamic function but also on the patient‘s anatomy, allowing a diagnostic look left, look right“. As a result, secondary findings frequently crop up during systematic duplex ultrasound examination of the superficial and deep leg veins. This Advanced Learning in Pictures presents the most common secondary findings in vein surgery consultations.
Non-thermal endovenous treatment: acrylate adhesion of varicose saphenous veins
Authors: Hirsch T.
Published: June 2017

Endovenous treatment of varicose veins, especially thermal procedures using laser and radio frequencies, has become established as an effective alternative to surgery by stripping and high ligation. Although these methods are very sparing and patient-friendly, they also entail risks and side effects. The risk of damage to peripheral and motor nerves is certainly lower than with open surgery, however it still exists as a result of heat application and tumescent anaesthesia.

Several non-thermal procedures which do not require the use of tumescent anaesthesia are coming onto the market. They carry a significantly lower risk of nerve lesions while remaining highly effective. The present work analyses the current state of knowledge on the latest to be developed, cyanoacrylate adhesion of incompetent saphenous veins.
Radiofrequency ablation of varicose veins
Authors: Tesmann J.
Published: June 2017

Background: In the search of alternative techniques to high ligation and stripping (HL/S) in the treatment of varicose veins, catheter-ablation methods have been implemented since 1998. Besides endovenous laser techniques (ELT) radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a successful device in treating insufficiency of the Great (GSV) and Small saphenous vein (SSV). Methods: This review article sums up publications on Closure Plus™, ClosureFAST™, RFITT® (Celon Method), and EVRF®. It discusses the actually favorized treatment protocols and study results. Results of meta-analysis are presented, too.

Results: The Closure Plus™ catheter was the first radiofrequency technique to be licensed in Europe in 1998. Trials and meta-analyzes show occlusion rates of 81–89 % after 5 years. The consecutive technique was the ClosureFAST™ (CLF) catheter that was introduced in 2007 and offered more standardization in treatment. Published data show occlusion rates of 98 % after 5 years and low profile on complications. Also in 2007 a bipolar radiofrequency technique called RFITT was presented. Due to lack of standards in treatment protocol it could not get accepted as well as CLF despite of good treatment results (92–98 % occlusion rates after 12 months) and low complications. A new RFA device called EVRF® shows weak evidence so far.

Conclusion: Radiofrequency ablation of varicose veins has become a well-established treatment alternative to HL/S mostly represented by CLF.
Molecular and phenotypic biomarkers of aging
Authors: Xia Xian , Chen Weiyang , McDermott Joseph , Han Jing-Dong Jackie
Published: June 2017

Individuals of the same age may not age at the same rate. Quantitative biomarkers of aging are valuable tools to measure physiological age, assess the extent of ‘healthy aging’, and potentially predict health span and life span for an individual. Given the complex nature of the aging process, the biomarkers of aging are multilayered and multifaceted. Here, we review the phenotypic and molecular biomarkers of aging. Identifying and using biomarkers of aging to improve human health, prevent age-associated diseases, and extend healthy life span are now facilitated by the fast-growing capacity of multilevel cross-sectional and longitudinal data acquisition, storage, and analysis, particularly for data related to general human populations. Combined with artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques, reliable panels of biomarkers of aging will have tremendous potential to improve human health in aging societies.
Draft genome sequencing of the sugarcane hybrid SP80-3280
Authors: Riaño-Pachón Diego Mauricio , Mattiello Lucia
Published: June 2017

Sugarcane commercial cultivar SP80-3280 has been used as a model for genomic analyses in Brazil. Here we present a draft genome sequence employing Illumina TruSeq Synthetic Long reads. The dataset is available from NCBI BioProject with accession PRJNA272769.
Psychology and sociology in advertizing
Authors: Музыкант Валерий , Muzykant Valyeriy
Published: June 2017

The edition is continuation of the series of books "Alphabet of Advertising" prepared according to the State educational standard of higher education in "Advertising", one of which authors-developers is professor V. L. Muzykant. The book is devoted to one of the most important aspects of advertizing activity — to studying of psychology of target audience of advertizing, formation of "thin control" of goods, the prices and marketing programs for needs of consumers. It will be useful to students, graduate students, workers of the advertizing industry, and also all that who wants to become a professional in the most interesting advertizing.
Applied Problems of Marine Mechanical Systems Technical Condition Estimation
Authors: Неменко  , Nemenko Aleksandra , Никитин  , Nikitin Mihail
Published: June 2017

We consider the problems of technical diagnostics of marine mechanical systems such as machinery and other mechanisms.
We propose effective techniques of mathematical modeling concerning physical processes during operation of these systems, machines and mechanisms.
We describe algorithms of time series far forecast for operational parameters, ways of time series composition with minimum loss of accuracy and application of all of this for the prevention of breakdowns and other accidents.
Organization risk management
Authors: Антонов  , Antonov Gyennadiy , Иванова  , Ivanova Olga , Тумин  , Tumin Valyeriy
Published: June 2017

The issues of risk management that can arise systematically in the economic and financial activities of the organization are considered. The understanding of the essence and content of risks, the process of risk management is presented. The types of risks, methods of risk assessment and risk management are considered.
For students studying in the areas of "Economics" and "Management", as well as engineering and technology directions of universities that study the disciplines of the economic and organizational cycle; For graduate students, students of business schools and the system of advanced training and retraining of personnel. It can be useful for teachers of universities, employees of research and consulting firms, business structures, managers and specialists of enterprises.
Management of Fournier's gangrene non-healing wounds by autologous skin micrograft biotechnology: a new technique
Authors: Bocchiotti M. A. , Bogetti P. , Parisi A. , Rivarossa F. , Frenello A. , Baglioni E. A.
Published: June 2017

Fournier's gangrene is an acute bacterial infection producing necrosis of the perineum and external genitalia that generally affects elderly men. Although skin grafts and flaps are the standard procedure for reconstruction, sometimes wounds can become chronic. Rigenera Protocol is a new technique based on autologous skin micrografts that reactivates and supports wound healing. A 40-year-old male with Fournier's gangrene, due to a rectal microperforation following diarrhoea, was treated with surgical debridement, negative pressure wound therapy and subsequently coverage with skin grafts. He developed non-healing wounds treated by Rigenera protocol after two months of advanced wound dressings. This technique is based on skin micrografts obtained by mechanical dermal disgregation to provide mesenchymal stem cells and extracellular matrix to the wound. The suspension injected into the wound triggers reactivation of healing without significant residual scarring on both donor site and treated area. Non-healing wounds were reduced by 15% at day 7 and by 50% after 30 days. Wounds completely healed after seventy days. The regenerated tissue appeared closer to skin graft than to scar tissue. This report shows how the use of skin micrografts through Rigenera protocol can be a useful method to reactivate wound healing resulting from Fournier's gangrene, with no discomfort for patient in a practical, safe and easy way.
Use of an epidermal growth factor-infused foam dressing in a complicated case of Adams-Oliver syndrome
Authors: Sezgin B. , Sibar S. , Findikcioglu K. , Sencan A. , Emmez H. , Baykaner K. , Ozmen S.
Published: June 2017

Adams-Oliver syndrome is a rare disorder with varying degrees of scalp and cranial bone defects as well as limb anomalies, which can range from mild to more pronounced manifestations. In mild cases, closure of these defects can be achieved with a conservative approach. However, surgical closure is recommended in cases where the defect is extensive and includes cranial involvement. Several complicated cases of Adams-Oliver syndrome have been reported, in which flap failures were encountered and other alternatives had to be used to close critical scalp defects. Here, the case of a 4-year-old child with Adams-Oliver syndrome and a complex cranial defect with exposed titanium mesh is described. The patient was successfully treated with epidermal growth factor (EGF) infused foam dressings and subsequent split-thickness skin grafting. The EGF has been highlighted for its essential role in dermal wound repair through the stimulation of the proliferation and migration of keratinocytes, and showed accelerated wound healing when used in partial or full-thickness skin wounds.
Exudates absorption and proteases trapping in venous leg ulcers
Authors: Humbert P. , Courderot-Masuyer C. , Robin S. , Oster D. , Pegahi R.
Published: June 2017

Objective:

In venous leg ulcer (VLU), the impaired healing has been shown to be associated with excessive levels of protease activities such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and elastases found in exudates. The present study focused on exudates absorption and proteases trapping capacity of a new generation of polyacrylate superabsorbent, Tegaderm superabsorber (TS), compared with a traditional dressing such as Zetuvit.

Method:

We studied the proteases implicated in VLU (MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-9 and PMN elastase). Absorption was tested using an artificial exudate like fluid, over 30 minutes. The protein trapping ability was obtained using ELISA assays (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) to determine the amount retained by the dressings from spiked fluid samples.

Results:

TS had a higher exudate absorption capacity (72.8±1.7%) compared with the standard dressing (36.5±1.6%), and was also able to trap and retain proteases while the standard dressing released them. The difference was shown to be much larger for MMP-2 and PMN elastase.

Conclusion:

In our knowledge, this is the first comparative in vitro study evaluating absorption capacity as well as protease trapping capacity of a polyacrylate dressing for the four most implicated proteases in VLU. TS could be an appropriate alternative to improve the management of VLU by trapping MMPs and PMN elastse with a particularly high affinity for MMP-2 and PMN elastase.
Future of digital technology in paramedic practice: blue light of discernment in responsive care for patients?
Authors: Hayes Catherine , Graham Yitka NH
Published: June 2017

This discussion explores the significance of digital technology to responsive patient care in applied paramedic practice. The authors' previous research identified the relative ambiguity of the role of digital technology in facilitating and supporting patients in practice, and the findings revealed the relative transferability of this finding to wider allied healthcare clinical and professional practice. The discussion encompasses two key debates, namely a) How best the quality of the digital technology patients engage with can be discerned with regard to the vast availability of information and b) what the fundamental pedagogical implications to the way paramedic education in the UK is currently delivered might be in relation to equipping the future paramedic workforce to empower patients and their families and carers in emergency situations. The discussion paper concludes with an overview of the tensions that unregulated apps pose in practice and how engaging with the public about the use of digital technology could be a key aspect for review in UK undergraduate curricula and staff development.
Methamphetamine use and emergency services in Australia: a scoping review
Authors: Ross Linda , Adams Tristan , Beovich Bronwyn
Published: June 2017

Methamphetamine use in Australia has been the topic of considerable attention by the media, political parties and the general public in recent years. This occurrence, along with the need for ambulance services and personnel to be adequately prepared, warrant further research in this area. This scoping review aims to determine who is currently using methamphetamines, whether prevalence has changed over time, and the impact is this having on emergency ambulance services in Australia.

Key Findings:

users of methamphetamine in Australia are mostly male, aged late twenties to early thirties and born in Australia. They generally have low levels of education and high levels of unemployment, homelessness, and rates of dependence. Overall rates of methamphetamine usage has not changed, however the proportion of users taking stronger forms of the substance has increased dramatically leading to adverse health consequences and emergency service intervention.

Implications:

Methamphetamine use is a societal issue which has far reaching consequences impacting on individuals, families, communities and healthcare personnel.

Conclusion:

the related health issues and aggression associated with methamphetamine affected patients, coupled with the increasing hospital and ambulance utilisation by this population warrants more research being undertaken on this issue.
Paramedic management of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest secondary to hyperkalaemia
Authors: Metcalf Matthew
Published: June 2017

Hyperkalaemia is a potentially life-threatening metabolic emergency and is the most common electrolyte disorder associated with death. The author attended an incident where a patient suffered asystolic cardiac arrest from hyperkalaemia and was subsequently resuscitated successfully to hospital discharge with good neurological outcome. This piece intends to review all relevant available literature with the aim of developing recommendations to aid paramedics in managing cardiac arrest secondary to Hyperkalaemia. Despite the lack of current good-quality evidence for pharmacological interventions, systematic reviews available have led to the development of clear guidelines. The use of calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate is recommended, and these are both carried by Critical Care Paramedics (CCPs). Salbutamol therapy has the strongest evidence base of any intervention available out of hospital. It should be considered after the use of the aforementioned medications if the patient achieves ROSC. Consideration must also be taken as to whether the patient would benefit from being moved to hospital to reach vital interventions such as insulin/dextrose therapy and dialysis.
Sexual Orientation Disparities in Mistimed and Unwanted Pregnancy Among Adult Women
Authors: Everett Bethany G. , McCabe Katharine F. , Hughes Tonda L.
Published: June 2017

CONTEXT

Many sexual minority women, regardless of sexual identity, engage in heterosexual behavior across the life course, which provides them opportunities to experience an unintended pregnancy. In addition, sexual minority women are more likely than others to report characteristics that may make them vulnerable to unintended pregnancy. Little research, however, has examined whether the risk of unintended pregnancy is elevated among these women.

METHODS

Using data from the 2006–2010 National Survey of Family Growth, logistic regression models were fitted to examine sexual orientation disparities in mistimed and unwanted pregnancies among 9,807 women aged 20–45; mixed‐effects hazard models assessed disparities in the intention status of 5,238 pregnancies among these women by maternal sexual orientation.

RESULTS

Compared with heterosexual women reporting only male partners, heterosexual women who have sex with women had higher odds of reporting a mistimed pregnancy (odds ratio, 1.4), and bisexual women had higher odds of reporting an unwanted pregnancy (1.8). When compared with pregnancies reported by heterosexual women with only male partners, those reported by heterosexual women who have sex with women were more likely to be mistimed (hazard ratio, 1.7), and those reported by bisexual and lesbian women were more likely to be unwanted (1.7–4.4).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with heterosexuals who have sex with men only, adult sexual minority women are at equal or greater risk of reporting an unintended pregnancy. More research addressing the reproductive health care needs of sexual minority women is needed to develop strategies to improve family planning for this population.
(Not) losing out from Brexit
*

*
Professor of European integration at the Amsterdam Centre for European Law and Governance, Law Faculty, University of Amsterdam. Email: A.A.M.Schrauwen@uva.nl. This article builds on my previous article published in Dutch, AAM Schrauwen, ‘Burgers en Brexit’ (March 2007) SEW Tijdschrift voor Europees en economisch recht 101–7.
Authors: Schrauwen Annette
Published: June 2017

Brexit is a personal concern for EU citizens living in the UK and UK citizens living in the EU. They fear their rights will become bargaining chips in the negotiations. This article makes an inventory of what would happen without withdrawal agreement, and looks at the possibilities for securing residence and social security rights post Brexit based on current EU, international and national law. It takes into account how actors other than the negotiating parties might press for guarantees outside the negotiating framework. The article concludes that personal concerns are justified. However, Brexit also inspires non-state actors to secure rights and their activities go beyond the occasional lobbying for a particular outcome in the negotiation process.
Turbidimetric Assay of Nisin in Tender Coconut Water
Authors: Chauhan Sulaxana Kumari , Kumar R. , Nadanasabapathi S.
Published: June 2017

Nisin activity in tender coconut water using Lactococcus lactis subspecies cremoris as test microorganism was estimated using turbidimetry by measuring optical density at 600nm after 6 h. of incubation at 370C. The test microorganism was cultivated in nutrient broth with different concentration of nisin along with tender coconut water. A standard curve was drawn between optical density and known concentration of nisin. The nisin concentration of the test samples was measured by curve fitting method using the optical density values. The results thus obtained by this method were reproducible, rapid and more accurate in tender coconut water and hence it may be employed for the determination of nisin activity in tender coconut water on regular basis for quality control purposes.
Effect of Psoralea corylifolia extract on physically induced depression in mice.
Authors: D. Bhawya , Anilakumar K. R. , Khanum Farhath
Published: June 2017

The mouse forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) are widely used to predict anti-depressant efficacy indicated by immobility time to be reduced by several different classes of anti-depressant drugs. PCE feeding at the dose of 75,150 and 300 mg/kg reduced the immobility duration at 14-days and 21-days, however the decrease was significant in mice treated with PCE for 21-days also, extract had no effect on spontaneous motor activity in mice, indicating that extract had no excitatory or inhibitory action on central nervous system in effective dose range, which eliminated the probability of false-positive results in forced swimming test and tail suspension test. Interestingly, the dose-response effect of PCE on reduction of serum CRF levels was concomitance with that on increase of brain 5-HT contents, as well as on swimming increase, indicating that the serotonergic system and the HPA axis responds with the production of 5-HT and CRF profiles that is characteristic for PCE applied in the mouse FST. Our results demonstrate that the oral administration of PCE possesses an anti-depressant-like activity, as evidenced by behavioural studies. Detailed investigations are needed to fully elucidate the mechanism of action at cellular level for the bioactive constituents present in the extract. 
Health Food for Soldiers
Authors: Khanum Farhath , Anand T. , Ilaiyaraja N. , Patil M. M. , Singsit D. , Shiromani Shikha , Sharma R. K.
Published: June 2017

One of the biggest challenges the Indian army has been confronting is maintaining its troops at tough high altitude battle field of more than 18,000 feet.  At such high altitude, troops are exposed to inclement weather, perilous altitude, difficult terrain and psychological problems arising out of being isolated from the main land miles away from their near and dear ones.  Under such circumstances if an army has to keep its soldiers physically fit and in high morale to fight against the enemy and protect the integrity of the nation, it has to be provided with palatable, healthy and adequate nutritious food.  Hence, it is essential to formulate health foods keeping in aid the real need of the soliders to alleviate such situations also. There are hundreds of phytochemicals reported to possess therapeutic effects. The health foods containing these phytochemicals can be classified in to six categories, viz. health promotion - to improve health on a regular basis, sickness prevention - to prevent seasonal climate related problems, disease control - to fight early symptoms of health problems, supporting - to complement the primary treatment and to combat adverse side effects of harsh drugs during sickness, recuperating - to revive and regain vitality after sickness, rejuvenating - to repair damages and body malfunctions to restore health
Brahmi herbal drink mitigates aluminium chloride induced cognitive impairments
Authors: Anand T. , Pandareesh M. D. , Manu T. Mohan , Khanum Farhath , Roopa N. , Madhukar N. , Nagaraju N.
Published: June 2017

Aluminium chloride (AlCl3) is neurotoxic and has been proposed to be one of the environmental factors responsible for neurodegenerative disease like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disorders. It also causes learning and memory deficit. Bacopa monniera is well known for its memory enhancing property in traditional Indian system of medicine. In the present investigation we aim to evaluate cognitive-enhancing and neuromodulatory property of brahmi herbal drink (BHD), a nutraceutical product from Bacopa monniera extract. BHD was evaluated for physicochemical, sensory attributes and stability studies. Overall acceptability of BHD was good according to hedonic scale/ratings. Stability of the drink is for 6 months without losing its activity. Further, cognitive enhancing and neuromodulatory propensity of BHD was evaluated against AlCl3 treatment in rats. Administration of AlCl3 (100 mg/kg) daily for 23 days significantly increased cognitive impairment as evaluated in elevated plus maze (EPM) and Morris water maze (MWM) tests. BHD supplementation improved cognitive ability by decreasing the transfer and escape latency of EPM and MWM tests respectively. Our results further elucidate that BHD supplementation decreased acetylcholine esterase activity and nitric oxide levels by down-regulating AChE and iNOS expression respectively. BHD supplementation showed it neuroprotective efficacy by up-regulating BDNF expression. AlCl3 induced lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species generation was significantly alleviated by BHD and restored antioxidant status levels. All these results demonstrated the cognitive-enhancing and neuromodulatory potential of BHD in counteracting the damage inflicted by AlCl3 on rat brain.
Effect of packaging materials and storage on quality attributes of freeze dried pineapple lassi powder for defence applications
Authors: Shiby V. K. , Jayashree V. , Sanchita S. , Pandey M. C.
Published: June 2017

The study evaluates the effect of two different packaging materials on storage stabililty of and instant fruit-dairy functional beverage mix.  Freeze dried Pineapple lassi (PL) powder was packaged in Aluminium Laminated Polyethylene (ALP) and Metallised Polyester (MP). Quality changes at elevated temperature conditions (38±1°C, 33 % relative humidity) were evaluated.  Shelf life was calculated to be 44 and 62 days in MP and ALP pouches, respectively. Moisture, water activity, Vitamin C, Lactococci, TBA, colour change and Browning Index were studied in both packaging materials. ALP was found to be better than MP as samples kept in ALP preserved most of the antioxidant properties. The kinetics of Vitamin C degradation was of first order (K=-0.017 , R2= 0.99). Moisture content increased and  lactococci  count decreased during storage
Rapid production of therapeutic proteins using plant system
Authors: Ramalingam Sathish Kumar , Iyappan G. , Priya S. Hari , Kadirvelu K. , Kingston J. , Gopalan Natarajan , Sharma R. K.
Published: June 2017

Plant molecular farming is simply defined as the production of proteins therapeutics (PT) in plants, which involves transient gene expression in plants and purification of expressed protein to a great scale for diagnosis, treatment and other applications.  This is therapid,economical, safe and reproducible approach for the production of PTas compared to bacterial and mammalian systems. Protein yield and post-translational modifications are the major roadblocks that can be overcome byhigh expression strategies includes over expression constructs, suitable plant host systems and glycoengineering of proteins. The inherent ability of ideally producing safe, functional protein is the most striking phenomenon recognized by the pharmaceutical industries and developed many therapeutic products within few weeks to meet escalating demands during pandemic/epidemic outbreaks recently
Moisture Sorption Characteristics of Ready-to-eat Chicken Wheat Crisps Prepared Using Resistant Starch and Chicken Powder with Wheat Flour
Authors: Bhardwaj Shefali , Shiby V. K. , Pandey M. C. , Gopalan Natarajan
Published: June 2017

Fibre and protein enriched chicken wheat crisps were evaluated for their adsorption behaviour at a temperature range of 5 °C - 40 °C and a water activity range of 0.1-0.9. Sigmoid type II isotherm was obtained for the product and the sorption data was fitted to 3 models namely BET, GAB, and Peleg model. Each model was statistically evaluated by means of root mean square (%) and coefficient of determination (R2). Peleg and GAB gave the best fits for the moisture sorption data evaluated on the basis of regression analyses and goodness of fit. Surface area of adsorption was evaluated using parameter values obtained from the BET model and the surface area decreased with increase in temperature. Equilibrium moisture content at a particular water activity and isosteric heat of sorption were seen to decrease with increasing temperature. We conclude that the chicken wheat crisps can be stored at 25 °C for a better shelf life.
Micro-fibre based Porous Composite Propellants with High Regression Rates
Authors: Chandru R.A. , Chappa S. , Bharath R.S. , Oommen C. , Raghunandan B.N.
Published: June 2017

Harnessing energy at micro-scale from high energy sources has gained significance in recent times for space propulsion and other applications. Conventional solid rocket propellants have advantages in terms of being efficient, compact and safe to handle, though with much lower regression rates as compared to solid explosives. An approach to high regression rates in composite propellants is demonstrated in the present work by the enhancement of fuel-oxidiser interaction, and by the incorporation of micro-scale porosity into the propellant grain. The porous polystyrene-ammonium perchlorate grain designed in this work, based on electrospun micro-fibres and aqueous impregnation, exhibits burning rates more than 25 times as compared to the non-porous grain. Such high regression rates using insensitive propellant compositions have practical implications in the development of micro-thrusters, and in gas generating devices such as MAV launch systems and turbine starters. Detailed preparatory procedure, characterisation techniques, and flame regression studies are included in this paper.
Numerical Investigation of Rotating Lid-driven Cubical Cavity Flow
Authors: Kumar Jitendra , Panchapakesan N.R.
Published: June 2017

The present work numerically investigates the flow field in a cubical cavity driven by a lid rotating about an axis passing through its geometric center. Behaviour of core flow and secondary vortical structures are presented. Grid-free critical Reynolds number at which flow turns oscillatory is estimated to be 1606. This differs significantly from the linear lid-driven cubical cavity as well as circular lid-driven cylindrical cavity flows which have been reported to attain unsteadiness at higher Reynolds numbers. A stationary vortex bubble similar to rotating lid-driven cylindrical cavity flow has been observed to be present in the flow.
An Adaptive Spectrum-Sensing Algorithm for Cognitive Radio Networks based on the Sample Covariance Matrix
Authors: Charan Chhagan , Pandey Rajoo
Published: June 2017

A novel adaptive threshold spectrum sensing technique based on the covariance matrix of received signal samples is proposed. The adaptive threshold in terms of signal to noise ratio (SNR) and spectrum utilisation ratio of primary user is derived. It considers both the probability of detection and the probability false alarm to minimise the overall decision error probability. The energy- based spectrum sensing scheme shows high vulnerability under noise uncertainty and low SNR. The existing covariance-based spectrum sensing technique overcomes the noise uncertainty problem but its performance deteriorates under low SNR. The proposed covariance-based scheme effectively addresses the low SNR problem. The superior performance of this scheme over the existing covariance-based detection method is confirmed by the simulation results in terms of probability of detection, probability of error, and requirement of samples for reliable detection of spectrum.
Effect of Ceramic Properties and Depth-of-penetration Test Parameters on the Ballistic Performance of Armour Ceramics
Authors: Cui Fengdan , Wu Guoqing , Ma Tian , Li Weiping
Published: June 2017

Through an analysis on the relationship among ceramic properties, the depth of penetration (DOP) test parameters and the ballistic performance of armour ceramics based on literatures, the effects of ceramic type, tile thickness and projectile velocity on the ballistic performance of different kinds of ceramics were investigated systematically. The results show that the ballistic performance of different armour ceramics mainly depends on its density, and by using thin ceramic tiles or under high velocity impact, the ceramic composite armour could not provide effective ballistic protection. Furthermore, the differences in the ballistic performance of armour ceramic are found due to the different ballistic performance criteria and DOP test conditions. Additionally, the slope of the depth of penetration (not include tile thickness) (Pa) versus tile thickness has negative correlation with flexural strength of ceramics, indicating the flexural strength can be one of the criteria to evaluate the performance of armour ceramics.
DTTA - Distributed, Time-division Multiple Access based Task Allocation Framework for Swarm Robots
Authors: Shenoy Meetha V. , Anupama K.R.
Published: June 2017

Swarm robotic systems, unlike traditional multi-robotic systems, deploy number of cost effective robots which can co-operate, aggregate to form patterns/formations and accomplish missions beyond the capabilities of individual robot. In the event of fire, mine collapse or disasters like earthquake, swarm of robots can enter the area, conduct rescue operations, collect images and convey locations of interest to the rescue team and enable them to plan their approach in advance. Task allocation among members of the swarm is a critical and challenging problem to be addressed. DTTA- a distributed, Time-division multiple access (TDMA) based task allocation framework is proposed for swarm of robots which can be utilised to solve any of the 8 different types of task allocation problem identified by Gerkey and Mataric´. DTTA is reactive and supports task migration via extended task assignments to complete the mission in case of failure of the assigned robot to complete the task. DTTA can be utilised for any kind of robot in land or for co-operative systems comprising of land robots and air-borne drones. Dependencies with other layers of the protocol stack were identified and a quantitative analysis of communication and computational complexity is provided. To our knowledge this is the first work to be reported on task allocation for clustered scalable networks suitable for handling all 8 types of multi-robot task allocation problem. Effectiveness and feasibility of deploying DTTA in real world scenarios is demonstrated by testing the framework for two diverse application scenarios.
Enumeration of complex and real surfaces via tropical geometry
Authors: Markwig Hannah , Markwig Thomas , Shustin Eugenii
Published: June 2017

We prove a correspondence theorem for singular tropical surfaces in ℝ3, which recovers singular algebraic surfaces in an appropriate toric three-fold that tropicalize to a given singular tropical surface. Furthermore, we develop a three-dimensional version of Mikhalkin’s lattice path algorithm that enumerates singular tropical surfaces passing through an appropriate configuration of points in ℝ3. As application we show that there are pencils of real surfaces of degree d in ℙ3 containing at least (3/2)d
3 + O(d
2) singular surfaces, which is asymptotically comparable to the number 4(d − 1)3 of all complex singular surfaces in the pencil. Our result relies on the classification of singular tropical surfaces [12].
Defined wetting properties of optical surfaces
Authors: Felde Nadja , Coriand Luisa , Schröder Sven , Duparré Angela , Tünnermann Andreas
Published: June 2017

Optical surfaces equipped with specific functional properties have attracted increasing importance over the last decades. In the light of cost reduction, hydrophobic self-cleaning behavior is aspired. On the other side, hydrophilic properties are interesting due to their anti-fog effect. It has become well known that such wetting states are significantly affected by the surface morphology. For optical surfaces, however, this fact poses a problem, as surface roughness can induce light scattering. The generation of optical surfaces with specific wetting properties, hence, requires a profound understanding of the relation between the wetting and the structural surface properties. Thus, our work concentrates on a reliable acquisition of roughness data over a wide spatial frequency range as well as on the comprehensive description of the wetting states, which is needed for the establishment of such correlations. We will present our advanced wetting analysis for nanorough optical surfaces, extended by a vibration-based procedure, which is mainly for understanding and tailoring the wetting behavior of various solid-liquid systems in research and industry. Utilizing the relationships between surface roughness and wetting, it will be demonstrated how different wetting states for hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity can be realized on optical surfaces with minimized scatter losses.
A non-monotonic relationship between public debt and economic growth: the effect of financial monopsony
Authors: Roberts Mark A.
Published: June 2017

A small amount of fixed-interest public debt may raise economic growth, if the financial sector is monopsonistic. We show that there are also redistributive gains favouring financial outsiders, defined by their lack of access to a stock exchange. The requirements are that issuing public debt raises the monopsony interest rate, thus reduces the value of financial sector equity, which, like public debt, is another source of crowding-out.