bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chitosan and its Derivatives for Agriculture Applications: A Review
Authors: Sreelakshmi P. , Gladis R. , Rani B. , Shajan V.R. , Aparna B. , R Swaroop.
Published: November 2024

Chitosan is a semi-synthetic natural polysaccharide derived from the deacetylation of chitin, which is found in the exoskeletons of crustaceans and the cell walls of fungi. The primary attributes that characterize the chitosan biopolymer are its molecular weight and degree of deacetylation. It also has certain unique properties such as biocompatibility, nontoxicity, biodegradability and antimicrobial activity, making it a promising material for various applications, particularly in agriculture. These characteristics can be tuned and optimized depending on the intended application of the chitosan biopolymer. The conjugation of primarily three reactive functional groups in chitosan has led to the development of its many derivatives. The article discusses about the properties, derivatives and applications of chitosan by highlighting its use as a chelating agent, controlled-release fertilizer, plant biostimulant, antimicrobial agent and in post-harvest storage of fruits and vegetables. It is an active molecule that finds many possible applications in agriculture with the aim of reducing or replacing more environmentally damaging chemical substances. Chitosan hydrogels serve as effective soil amendments by facilitating the manufacture of controlled-release fertilizers through both physical coating and chemical encapsulation, which improve the chemical kinetics of the fertilizers and their water absorption capacity. It also increases the nitrogen and calcium nutritional levels in the soil. The cationic characteristics of chitosan render it as an excellent medium for delivering supplementary vital nutrients. The paper highlights the promising feature of chitosan-based materials in sustainable agriculture, which safeguard crops from numerous biotic and abiotic stress factors, hence enhancing crop productivity and reducing reliance on synthetic non-degradable polymers.
Constraints Faced by the Members of Women Milk Producers' Cooperative Societies in Shivamogga District of Karnataka, India
Authors: Suresh.N.Sajjan  , G.T Gopala, , Harisha,M  , B Channappagouda, , Manju,G.U  , B.H Rudresh,
Published: November 2024

Women Milk Producers' Co-operative Societies (WMPCS) have emerged as an important source of rural employment and income in the country. The development of the WMPCS is very impressive in recent past. Shivamogga district is a good contributor to milk in Karnataka state. Keeping this in view, an ex-post facto research design was adopted to assess the constraints faced by the WMPCS members in dairy farming in the Shivamogga district of Karnataka. A total of 120 members were randomly selected from six WMPCS in two taluks of Shivamogga district and the data was collected with a semi-structured interview schedule. The collected data were subjected to suitable statistical tools and inferences were drawn. The study revealed that the majority of the women members had experienced the constraints in dairy farming like high cost of cattle feed and mineral mixture, low price of milk, high cost of crossbred cows, inadequate provision of loans in society or government for purchasing animals, lack of timely technical guidance, poor conception rate in dairy animals through artificial insemination, poor knowledge about feeding and health care, an increasing gap between farmers' prices and consumers' prices/increasing cost of handling charges by the union, Nonexistence of a price-fixing policy based on changing cost of production, decreasing animal sales and availability in the local livestock market, lack of training facilities or capacity-building activities and the non-availability of veterinary staff during needy hours as the constraints. Strategies should be developed for capacity building of women farmers related to scientific dairy managemental practices. Thrust should be given to development of policies and programmes for credit facilities.
Osmanlı Devleti’nin Sınırlarının Tespiti ve Tespit Edenler (Muhaddidler / Hudûdcûlar) Üzerine Düşünceler
Authors: Doğan Güner
Published: November 2024

Osmanlı Devleti’nin sınırları kurulduğu günden itibaren sürekli olarak değişmiştir. Zaman içinde güçlenen devletin başarılı fetihleri ile birlikte sınır çizgisi de farklılaşmıştır. Bu noktada sınırların en fazla değişkenlik gösterdiği yer, devletin Batı tarafı olacaktır. Özellikle İstanbul’un fethi ile birlikte Balkanlarda gerek Adriyatik yönünde gerekse de Viyana’ya doğru fetihler artacak ve iki komşu Venedik ve Avusturya ile sınır sorunları baş gösterecektir. Zaman içinde bir üçüncü ülke Rusya’da sınır sorunları hususunda Osmanlı Devleti ile türlü ihtilaflara ve türlü diplomatik temaslara girecektir. İşte bu makale hem Osmanlı Devleti’nin sınırlarının tespiti hususuna kısmen odaklanmakta hem de asıl önemlisi bu sınırları kimlerin çizdiği hususunda verileri ortaya çıkarmaya çalışmaktadır. Her iki girişimin de diplomasi tarihi hususunda yeni birtakım görüşleri/iddiaları ortaya çıkarması amaçlanmaktadır.
Osmanlı Devleti’nin Finans Tarihinde Gümüş Arayıcılığı ve Gümüş Arayıcıları (1550-1750 )
Authors: Karademir Zafer
Published: November 2024

Gümüş madeni tarih boyunca insanoğlunun ilgisini çekmiş, süs eşyası hammaddesi olmaktan öteye geçerek madeni paraların içeriğini belirleyen temel malzemelerden olmuştur. Osmanlı tarihi açısından da bu hususlar geçerlidir. Ancak bu kadar geniş kullanım alanına rağmen literatürde gümüşe dair çok fazla özel çalışma yapıldığı söylenemez. Bu kapsamda imparatorluğun darphanelerinde çalışan emekçiler arasında yer alan, ancak daha çok kurum dışında görev yapan gümüş arayıcılar hakkında ayrıntılı incelemeler yapılmamıştır. Tedavüldeki gümüş paraların değerinde yaşanan beklenmedik değişimlere engel olmaya çalışan; gümüş içerikli metaların nakliyesi, ticareti ya da kaçırılması üzerinde kontrol edici rolleri olan gümüş arayıcıları bu bakımdan mühim sorumluluklar üstlenmişlerdi. Osmanlı bürokrasisinin taşradaki bu etkin temsilcilerinin kimlikleri, görev alanları ve para politikalarına etkileri bu çalışmanın ilgilendiği konulardır. Doğrudan arşiv malzemeleri ile desteklenen ve zaman zaman Avrupa tarihi ile karşılaştırmalar içeren makalede, Yeni Çağ sürecinde gümüş arayıcılarının bilhassa kalpazanlarla ve sahte paralarla olan mücadelede taşrada adeta devletin eli ayağı olarak görev yaptıkları açık bir şekilde görülmektedir.
Supply Chain Disruptions and Firm Performance: Proffering Feasible and Sustainable Solutions to Mitigating Futuristic Disruptions in the COVID-19 Pandemic Era
Authors: Ochonogor KenechukwuNwuka , Osho G. Solomon , Anoka Cyril O.
Published: November 2024

Recently, the two significant causes of supply chain disruptions globally are the Ukraine-Russia conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic. Concentrating on the Ukraine-Russia conflict, the crisis is said to substantially impact supply chains in five vital sectors: agriculture, chemicals, manufacturing, metals, and oil and gas. It is highly worrisome that there is a recorded significant reduction in the production rate for agriculture & chemicals and a correspondingly significant reduction in demand for metals, oil & gas. On the other hand, manufacturing has also witnessed a moderate decrease in production and demand. This research study is highly motivated by the historical record of extreme supply chain disruptions, which often translate to untold hardships for the government, firms, employees, and consumers. Furthermore, the current level of supply chain shortages has been termed worse off compared to historical levels during the Nixon administration in the early 70s. The broader objective of the research studies is to proffer feasible solutions to never-ending supply chain disruptions. The landscape is changing, negating the proponents and believers in certain pitfalls, especially unavailable data, few relevant talents and skills, and low adoption rate. The occurrence of significant events such as COVID-19, extreme weather-related events, other natural disasters, logistic failures, and tariff disputes have available and reliable data organizations can utilize in a range of analytical fact-finding projects.
Investigation, Determination, and Analysis of Dominant Vegetation in Mining Areas
Authors: Qian Zhang , Jian Xiong
Published: November 2024

During the mining process, a large amount of untreated and unusable land, namely mining wastelands, is generated. Ecological remediation in mining areas aims to rehabilitate polluted mining wasteland, thus enabling the reuse of land resources. Phytoremediation technology can effectively restore pollution in mining areas, with the prerequisite of identifying suitable tolerant or dominant plant species, which are typically found in the vicinity of mining sites with a long history of exploitation. This study conducted field surveys and collected samples, followed by laboratory analyses to explore the dominant plant species in the vanadium-titanium mining area of Zhujiabaobao, Panzhihua. Field surveys revealed a low coverage of wild vegetation due to the fragile ecological environment, primarily consisting of low, medium, and high-coverage vegetation types. Based on a comprehensive analysis of 13 dominant plant species in terms of their quantity, quality, morphological characteristics, and potential value, Eriophorum vaginatum, Rumex hastatus, and Dodonaea viscosa were identified as the three most suitable species for ecological remediation in this mining area.
Programmed Nanoparticle‐Loaded Nanoparticles for Deep‐Penetrating 3D Cancer Therapy
Authors: Kim Jinhwan , Jo Changshin , Lim Won‐Gwang , Jung Sungjin , Lee Yeong Mi , Lim Jun , Lee Haeshin , Lee Jinwoo , Kim Won Jong
Published: May 2018

Tumors are 3D, composed of cellular agglomerations and blood vessels. Therapies involving nanoparticles utilize specific accumulations due to the leaky vascular structures. However, systemically injected nanoparticles are mostly uptaken by cells located on the surfaces of cancer tissues, lacking deep penetration into the core cancer regions. Herein, an unprecedented strategy, described as injecting “nanoparticle‐loaded nanoparticles” to address the long‐lasting problem is reported for effective surface‐to‐core drug delivery in entire 3D tumors. The “nanoparticle‐loaded nanoparticle” is a silica nanoparticle (≈150 nm) with well‐developed, interconnected channels (diameter of ≈30 nm), in which small gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) (≈15 nm) with programmable DNA are located. The nanoparticle (AuNPs)‐loaded nanoparticles (silica): (1) can accumulate in tumors through leaky vascular structures by protecting the inner therapeutic AuNPs during blood circulation, and then (2) allow diffusion of the AuNPs for penetration into the entire surface‐to‐core tumor tissues, and finally (3) release a drug triggered by cancer‐characteristic pH gradients. The hierarchical “nanoparticle‐loaded nanoparticle” can be a rational design for cancer therapies because the outer large nanoparticles are effective in blood circulation and in protection of the therapeutic nanoparticles inside, allowing the loaded small nanoparticles to penetrate deeply into 3D tumors with anticancer drugs.
Mortality in sepsis: Comparison of outcomes between patients with demand ischemia, acute myocardial infarction, and neither demand ischemia nor acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Shah Mahek , Patnaik Soumya , Maludum Obiora , Patel Brijesh , Tripathi Byomesh , Agarwal Manyoo , Garg Lohit , Agrawal Sahil , Jorde Ulrich P. , Martinez Matthew W.
Published: May 2018

Introduction

Elevation in cardiac troponins is common with sepsis despite unclear impact.

Hypothesis

We investigated whether demand ischemia(DI) resulted in variable outcomes compared to acute myocardial infarction(AMI) and those with neither DI nor AMI in sepsis.

Methods

We analyzed data from the 2011‐2014 National Inpatient Sample among patients admitted for sepsis. We compared outcomes among patients with DI i) versus AMI and ii) versus neither DI nor AMI, respectively using propensity matching. Primary study end‐point was in‐hospital mortality.

Results

We studied 666,154 patients, with mean age 63.7 years and 50.8% female participants. Overall, 94.7% of the included patients had neither DI nor AMI, 4.4% had AMI and 0.83% had DI. Between 2011 and 2014, we observed an increasing trend for DI but decreasing trend for AMI in sepsis. Patients with DI experienced higher rates of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, had longer length of stay and higher cost of stay compared to patients with neither demand ischemia nor AMI. Despite higher hospital mortality at baseline with DI, post‐propensity matching revealed no difference in hospital mortality between patients with DI and those with neither (26.9% vs. 27.0%, adjusted odds ratio 0.99, 95% confidence intervals 0.92‐1.07;p=0.87). Patients with DI experienced lower hospital mortality compared to those with AMI pre (28.5% vs. 48.3%;p<0.001) and post‐propensity matching (41.1% vs. 29.1%, aOR 0.58, 95% CI 0.54‐0.63;p<0.001).

Conclusion

Among patients with sepsis, those with DI had similar adjusted in‐hospital mortality compared to those with neither DI nor AMI. Patients with AMI had the highest in‐hospital mortality among all groups.
Isolation and Enrichment of Bacteriophages by Membrane Filtration Immobilization Technique
Authors: Ghugare Gaurav S. , Nimkande Vijay D. , Khairnar Krishna
Published: May 2018

The method described here enables rapid bacteriophage isolation and enrichment of host‐specific bacteriophages from an environmental sample. This is achieved by using a simple 0.45‐µm Millipore membrane where a specific host is immobilized on the membrane and a sample suspected of containing bacteriophages is exposed to the immobilized cells with the help of a membrane filtration unit. This filtration step facilitates host‐specific interaction of bacteriophages with the host and maximization of this interaction using a classic membrane filtration method. Under the effect of vacuum from a vacuum pump, a filter assembly provides a chance for every bacteriophage in the sample to interact with the specific host on the membrane filter. Our technique allows retaining specific bacteriophages on the membrane along with its host cells via adsorption; these adsorbed bacteriophages (along with their hosts) on a filter disc are then enriched in regular nutritive broth, tryptone soya broth (TSB), by incubation. With help of a plaque assay method, host‐specific phages of various bacterial species can be isolated, segregated, and enriched. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Transcription Factor–Mediated Differentiation of Human iPSCs into Neurons
Authors: Fernandopulle Michael S. , Prestil Ryan , Grunseich Christopher , Wang Chao , Gan Li , Ward Michael E.
Published: May 2018

Accurate modeling of human neuronal cell biology has been a long‐standing challenge. However, methods to differentiate human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to neurons have recently provided experimentally tractable cell models. Numerous methods that use small molecules to direct iPSCs into neuronal lineages have arisen in recent years. Unfortunately, these methods entail numerous challenges, including poor efficiency, variable cell type heterogeneity, and lengthy, expensive differentiation procedures. We recently developed a new method to generate stable transgenic lines of human iPSCs with doxycycline‐inducible transcription factors at safe‐harbor loci. Using a simple two‐step protocol, these lines can be inducibly differentiated into either cortical (i3Neurons) or lower motor neurons (i3LMN) in a rapid, efficient, and scalable manner (Wang et al., 2017). In this manuscript, we describe a set of protocols to assist investigators in the culture and genetic engineering of iPSC lines to enable transcription factor–mediated differentiation of iPSCs into i3Neurons or i3LMNs, and we present neuronal culture conditions for various experimental applications. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Selecting Fully‐Modified XNA Aptamers Using Synthetic Genetics
Authors: Taylor Alexander I. , Holliger Philipp
Published: May 2018

This unit describes the application of “synthetic genetics,” i.e., the replication of xeno nucleic acids (XNAs), artificial analogs of DNA and RNA bearing alternative backbone or sugar congeners, to the directed evolution of synthetic oligonucleotide ligands (XNA aptamers) specific for target proteins or nucleic acid motifs, using a cross‐chemistry selective exponential enrichment (X‐SELEX) approach. Protocols are described for synthesis of diverse‐sequence XNA repertoires (typically 1014 molecules) using DNA templates, isolation and panning for functional XNA sequences using targets immobilized on solid phase or gel shift induced by target binding in solution, and XNA reverse transcription to allow cDNA amplification or sequencing. The method may be generally applied to select fully‐modified XNA aptamers specific for a wide range of target molecules. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Self‐Assembly of Antisite Defectless nano‐LiFePO4@C/Reduced Graphene Oxide Microspheres for High‐Performance Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Wang Hongbin , Liu Lijia , Wang Runwei , Yan Xiao , Wang Ziqi , Hu Jiangtao , Chen Haibiao , Jiang Shang , Ni Ling , Qiu Hailong , Tang Haitong , Wei Yingjin , Zhang Zongtao , Qiu Shilun , Pan Feng
Published: May 2018

LiFePO4@C/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) hierarchical microspheres with superior electrochemical activity and a high tap density were first synthesized by using a Fe3+‐based single inorganic precursor (LiFePO4OH@RF/GO; RF=resorcinol–formaldehyde, GO=graphene oxide) obtained from a template‐free self‐assembly synthesis followed by direct calcination. The synthetic process requires no physical mixing step. The phase transformation pathway from tavorite LiFePO4OH to olivine LiFePO4 upon calcination was determined by means of the in situ high‐temperature XRD technique. Benefitting from the unique structure of the material, these microspheres can be densely packed together, giving a high tap density of 1.3 g cm−3, and simultaneously, defectless LiFePO4 primary nanocrystals modified with a highly conductive surface carbon layer and ultrathin rGO provide good electronic and ionic kinetics for fast electron/Li+ ion transport.
The relationship between differential stimulus relatedness and implicit measure effect sizes
Authors: Cummins Jamie , Roche Bryan , Tyndall Ian , Cartwright Aoife
Published: May 2018

Implicit measures have been hypothesized to allow researchers to ascertain the existence and strength of relations between stimuli, often in the context of research on attitudes. However, little controlled behavioral research has focused on whether stimulus relations, and the degree of relatedness within such relations, are indexed by implicit measures. The current study examined this issue using a behavior‐analytic implicit‐style stimulus relation indexing procedure known as the Function Acquisition Speed Test (FAST). Using a matching‐to‐sample (MTS) procedure to train stimulus equivalence relations between nonsense syllables, the number of iterations of the procedure was varied across groups of participants, hence controlling stimulus relatedness in the resulting equivalence relations. Following final exposure to the MTS procedure, participants completed a FAST. Another group of participants was exposed to a FAST procedure with word pairs of known relatedness. Results showed that increasing relatedness resulted in a linear increase in FAST effect size. These results provide the first direct empirical support for a key process‐level assumption of the implicit literature, and offer a behavior‐analytic paradigm within which to understand these effects. These results also suggest that the FAST may be a viable procedure for the quantification of emergent stimulus relations in stimulus equivalence training.
Long‐term impacts of shrub plantations in a desert–oasis ecotone: Accumulation of soil nutrients, salinity, and development of herbaceour layer
Authors: Yu Kailiang , Wang Guohua
Published: May 2018

This study used a 40‐year chronosequence of Haloxylon ammodendron plantations to evaluate its impacts on soil and vegetation conditions in a desert–oasis ecotone with extremely low annual precipitation (≈100 mm). We found that the fraction of silt and clay contents significantly increased from 6.4% and 5.1% in Year 0 to 22–23.3% and 15.8–18% in the 40‐year‐old plantation in the soil depths of 0–10 and 10–20 cm, respectively. Soil nutrients (i.e., soil organic matter, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus) were significantly improved after H. ammodendron plantations. However, there was a significant increase in soil salinity, which may negatively affect sustainability of ecosystem restorations in future (drier and warmer) climate. Planted H. ammodendron established and thrived in the first 25 years, but the percent vegetation cover started to decrease afterwards because of reduction in deep soil moisture and less access to groundwater. By comparison, herbaceous plants gradually developed after H. ammodendron plantations and finally dominated the ecosystems with high density (300–400 herbs·m−1), cover (25–30%), and biomass (50–60 × 10−3 kg·m−2) after 30–40 years. These results suggest that although introduced shrubs can act as nurse plants to improve vegetation and soil conditions, their dominance could be a transient state. Thus, evaluation of ecosystem restoration through plantations should use long‐term data, and the stable plant restorations for years or even decades could be a transient state and does not necessarily suggest a successful revegetation effort in the long run. Further, its environmental consequences (i.e., soil salinity) of shrub plantations need to be evaluated in ecosystem restorations especially in a changing and harsh environment.
A CRISPR‐Based Selective Gene Inhibition Method Reveals Dynamic Features of a Cell Nucleus Nanobody Related to the Disease Myotonic Dystrophy
Authors: Ma Hanhui , Reyes‐Gutierrez Pablo , Pederson Thoru
Published: May 2018

A major form of the severe pediatric muscle disease myotonic dystrophy is caused by a CTG repeat expansion in the gene (dmpk) for the enzyme DM protein kinase 1. As a consequence, this mutant allele produces aberrant transcripts that have elongated tracts of CUG repeats. These RNAs appear to stall within the cell nucleus, congressing in small, discrete bodies situated away from their site of gene transcription. Here, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)‐based approach is deployed that reveals that these nuclear nanobodies are not static structures. When the transcription of the dmpk gene is halted by a targeted CRISPR‐based inhibition method, the preexisting transcripts delocalize from the nuclear bodies, showing that they are continuously trafficking through and are not stalled there in an accretion mode. This report is an example of how a novel method can address a nanoscale dimension of molecular cell biology in the nucleus, one with direct medical relevance.
Titanic's mirage, part 1: The enigma of the Arctic High and a cold‐water tongue of the Labrador Current
Authors: Zinkova Mila
Published: May 2018

More than a century after the sinking of the Titanic, scientists and historians are still trying to understand what happened on that fateful night. New hypotheses, including the one that declares a Fata Morgana type mirage was involved in both the collision with the iceberg and the failed communications between the Titanic and the Californian, are being introduced on a regular basis. This article is the first in a four‐part series that examines the mirage theory of the Titanic disaster. In this part, a few ways in which a temperature inversion (which is required for a mirage to form) could have developed at the site of the disaster at the time of the collision and subsequent sinking are explored. A high‐pressure cell, an icy river of melt‐water and the Gulf Stream are all examined as factors that could have contributed to the formation of an inversion. It is demonstrated that the development of a steep temperature inversion at the wreck site, though rather unlikely, cannot be excluded completely.
The August 2015 mega‐heatwave in Poland in the context of past events
Authors: Krzyżewska Agnieszka , Dyer Jamie
Published: May 2018

This paper provides a meteorological overview of the 2015 mega‐heatwave (MHW) over Poland and compares the event with other MHWs in the region since World War II (up until 2015). A mega‐heatwave is defined as an event with at least 6 consecutive days with a maximum air temperature in excess of 30°C. These events are analysed here using observational meteorological data from ten major cities in Poland and neighbouring countries, along with 0.25° × 0.25° analysis fields from the Global Forecast System (GFS). Although the various events had different regional characteristics, in general they were caused by the inflow of a hot tropical air mass from the south, and were perpetuated by a high‐pressure system to the east of Poland and in some cases a low‐pressure system to the west. The 2015 MHW was the most extreme of the studied events, lasting from 9 days in Bialystok to 14 days in Warsaw and Poznan.
Loop induced single top partner production and decay at the LHC
Authors: Kim Jeong Han , Lewis Ian M.
Published: May 2018

Abstract

Most searches for top partners, T , are concerned with top partner pair production. However, as these bounds become increasingly stringent, the LHC energy will saturate and single top partner production will become more important. In this paper we study the novel signature of the top partner produced in association with the SM top,

$$ pp\to T\overline{t}+t\overline{T} $$

pp
→
T

t
¯

+
t

T
¯

, in a model where the Standard Model (SM) is extended by a vector-like SU(2)
L
singlet fermion top partner and a real, SM gauge singlet scalar, S. In this model,

$$ pp\to T\overline{t}+t\overline{T} $$

pp
→
T

t
¯

+
t

T
¯

production is possible through loops mediated by the scalar singlet. We find that, with reasonable coupling strengths, the production rate of this channel can dominate top partner pair production at top partner masses of m

T
≳ 1.5 TeV. In addition, this model allows for the exotic decay modes T → tg, T → tγ, and T → tS. In much of the parameter space the loop induced decay T → tg dominates and the top partner is quite long lived. New search strategies are necessary to cover these decay modes. We project the the sensitivity of the high luminosity LHC to

$$ pp\to T\overline{t}+t\overline{T} $$

pp
→
T

t
¯

+
t

T
¯

via a realistic collider study. We find with 3 ab−1, the LHC is sensitive to this process for masses m

T
≲ 2 TeV. In addition, we provide appendices detailing the renormalization of this model.
Motor Retraining (MoRe) for Functional Movement Disorders: Outcomes From a 1‐Week Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Program
Authors: Jacob Alexandra E. , Kaelin Darryl L. , Roach Abbey R. , Ziegler Craig H. , LaFaver Kathrin
Published: May 2018

Background

Functional movement disorders (FMDs) are conditions of abnormal motor control thought to be caused by psychological factors. These disorders are commonly seen in neurologic practice, and prognosis is often poor. No consensus treatment guidelines have been established; however, the role of physical therapy in addition to psychotherapy has increasingly been recognized. This study reports patient outcomes from a multidisciplinary FMD treatment program using motor retraining (MoRe) strategies.

Objective

To assess outcomes of FMD patients undergoing a multidisciplinary treatment program and determine factors predictive of treatment success.

Design

Retrospective chart review.

Setting

University‐affiliated rehabilitation institute.

Patients

Thirty‐two consecutive FMD patients admitted to the MoRe program from July 2014–July 2016.

Intervention

Patients participated in a 1‐week, multidisciplinary inpatient treatment program with daily physical, occupational, speech therapy, and psychotherapy interventions.

Main Outcome Measurements

Primary outcome measures were changes in the patient‐rated Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI) and the physician‐rated Psychogenic Movement Disorder Rating Scale (PMDRS) based on review of standardized patient videos. Measurements were taken as part of the clinical evaluation of the program.

Results

Twenty‐four of the 32 patients were female with a mean age of 49.1 (±14.2) years and mean symptom duration of 7.4 (±10.8) years. Most common movement phenomenologies were abnormal gait (31.2%), hyperkinetic movements (31.2%), and dystonia (31.2%). At discharge, 86.7% of patients reported symptom improvement on the CGI, and self‐reported improvement was maintained in 69.2% at the 6‐month follow‐up. PMDRS scores improved by 59.1% from baseline to discharge. Longer duration of symptoms, history of abuse, and comorbid psychiatric disorders were not significant predictors of treatment outcomes.

Conclusions

The majority of FMD patients experienced improvement from a 1‐week multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation program. Treatment outcomes were not negatively correlated with longer disease duration or psychiatric comorbidities. The results from our study are encouraging, although further long‐term prospective randomized studies are needed.

Level of Evidence

III
The Stratosphere and Its Role in Tropical Teleconnections
Authors: Osprey Scott , Geller Marvin , Yoden Shigeo
Published: May 2018

Joint SPARC Dynamics and Observations Workshop; Kyoto, Japan, 9–14 October 2017
Senators Oppose Cutting Federal Funding for Space Station
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: May 2018

Senators Ted Cruz and Bill Nelson say a timetable to transition the station to commercial operations in 2025 is premature, arbitrary, and political.
Velocity estimation of moving targets for spaceborne multichannel synthetic aperture radar systems based on equivalent along‐track interferometry technique
Authors: Ding Chibiao , Jin Tingting , Qiu Xiaolan , Hu Donghui
Published: May 2018

Velocity estimation of a moving target is an important yet challenging issue facing the special mode of high‐resolution and wide‐swath (HRWS) synthetic aperture radar. HRWS imaging is achieved by splitting the antenna into multiple receive channels in azimuth with each channel working at low pulse repetition frequency sampling. In this study, the authors propose a novel approach to estimate the velocity of a moving target in HRWS mode, along with a complete moving target indication, estimation, and imaging scheme. The proposed radial velocity estimation algorithm is called the equivalent along‐track interferometry method, which is implemented by twice imaging after reconstructing the data of several leftmost and rightmost channels. Moreover, the along‐track velocity is also estimated for focused imaging of the moving target. The motion‐adapted reconstruction and imaging algorithm is applied to achieve unambiguous imaging of the moving target. Experimental results verify the performance of the algorithm and its superiority for a moving target with interference from clutter, noise, and channel mismatches. The proposed algorithm is free of search and iteration, and featured by high accuracy and low computational load.
The triple system HD 150136: From periastron passage to actual masses
Authors: Mahy L. , Gosset E. , Manfroid J. , Nitschelm C. , Hervé A. , Semaan T. , Sana H. , Le Bouquin J.-B. , Toonen S.
Published: May 2018

Context. The triple system HD 150136 is composed of an O3 V((f*))–O3.5 V((f+)) primary, of an O5.5–6 V((f)) secondary, and of a more distant O6.5–7 V((f)) tertiary. The latter component went through periastron in 2015–2016, an event that will not occur again within the next eight years.

Aims. We aim to analyse the tertiary periastron passage to determine the orbital properties of the outer system, to constrain its inclination and its eccentricity, and to determine the actual masses of the three components of the system.

Methods. We conducted an intensive spectroscopic monitoring of the periastron passage of the tertiary component and combined the outcoming data with new interferometric measurements. This allows us to derive the orbital solution of the outer orbit in three-dimensional space. We also obtained the light curve of the system to further constrain the inclination of the inner binary.

Results. We determine an orbital period of 8.61 ± 0.02 years, an eccentricity of 0.682 ± 0.002, and an inclination of 106.18 ± 0.14° for the outer orbit. The actual masses of the inner system and of the tertiary object are 72.32−8.49+8.45 M⊙ and 15.54−4.97+4.96 M⊙, respectively. From the mass of the inner system and accounting for the known mass ratio between the primary and the secondary, we determine actual masses of 42.81 M⊙ and 29.51 M⊙ for the primary and the secondary components, respectively. We infer, from the different mass ratios and the inclination of the outer orbit, an inclination of 62.4° for the inner system. This value is confirmed by photometry. Grazing eclipses and ellipsoidal variations are detected in the light curve of HD 150136. We also compute the distance of the system to 1.096 ± 0.274 kpc.

Conclusions. By combining spectroscopy, interferometry, and photometry, HD 150136 offers us a unique chance to compare theory and observations. The masses estimated through our analysis are smaller than those constrained by evolutionary models. The formation of this triple system suggests similar ages for the three components within the errorbars. Finally, we show that Lidov–Kozai cycles have no effect on the evolution of the inner binary, which suggests that the latter will experience mass transfer leading to a merger of the two stars.
Monitoring a photovoltaic system during the partial solar eclipse of August 2017
Authors: Kurinec Santosh K. , Kucer Michal , Schlein Bill
Published: May 2018

The power output of a 4.85 kW residential photovoltaic (PV) system located in Rochester, NY is monitored during the partial solar eclipse of August 21, 2017. The data is compared with the data on a day before and on the same day, a year ago. The area of exposed solar disk is measured using astrophotography every 16 s of the eclipse. Global solar irradiance is estimated using the eclipse shading, time of the day, location coordinates, atmospheric conditions and panel orientation. A sharp decline, as expected in the energy produced is observed at the time of the peak of the eclipse. The observed data of the PV energy produced is related with the model calculations taking into account solar eclipse coverage and cloudiness conditions. The paper provides a cohesive approach of irradiance calculations and obtaining anticipated PV performance.
Multi-Step Control of Chaos in the Application of Earth-Moon Orbit Transfer
Authors: Zheng Yue , Pan Binfeng , Tang Shuo , Wang Yang
Published: May 2018

A multi-step control of chaos method is proposed in this paper to reduce the flight time in the chaotic region of Earth-Moon low-energy orbit transfer. According to the motion regularity and the fact that the chaos orbit is highly sensitive to the initial conditions in the circular restricted three-body system, the optimal perturbation of chaos control at each step is calculated by the adaptive particle swarm optimization algorithm, and then the low-energy earth-moon orbit transfer trajectory is obtained. This proposed method can efficiently construct the Earth-Moon low-energy orbit transfer trajectory without the relying on the periodic orbits and the requirement of random search, and the corresponding flight time in chaotic motion can be significantly reduced. Finally, numerical simulations are provided to demonstrate the correctness and efficiency of this proposed method.
A Composite Bolted Joints Non-Linear Stiffness Model and its Application
Authors: Huang Heyuan , Zhao Meiying , Wan Xiaopeng , Hou Chi
Published: May 2018

The paper presents a nonlinear stiffness model on the bearing damage and bolt-load distribution rule of composite bolted joints. Based on the experimental stress-strain curves of composite single-bolted joints, the bearing damage process of structures can be divided into:linear non-damage stage; nonlinear damage propagation stage and linear degeneration stage. In this paper, the composite bolted joints are represented by a system of springs in which the static friction effects between laminates are considered in the linear stage, the non-linear interlaminate shear behavior and the nonlinear damage function for composite are defined and failure behavior based on the energy abortion principle is simulated in the linear degeneration stage. At last, the multi-fasters spring model is analyzed by importing the single-faster spring model.Comparing with the experimental data of multi-fasters shows the numerical result is in good agreement with experimental curves and has little error on the bolt-load distribution, which satisfies to the requirements in the engineering.
Method for Automatically Generating Test Cases for Web Services
Authors: Hou Jun , Zhou Hong , Ma Chunyan , Zheng Jiangbin
Published: May 2018

Because manual test case design is time-consuming and laborious and has certain blindness and inclination, Web service testing is based on WSDL document and formal model tree automatic generation. The theoretical research and Web service single operation test case generation method. Web service operation test case method, and to build test tools. The application results show that this method can greatly save the time of manually analyzing the complex data types in WSDL files and the time of generating the test cases according to the test cases of built-in data types. It simplifies the generation of test cases, and prepares test cases.
A Deviate-Based Prioritizing Technique for Regression Testing of Mobile Navigation Service
Authors: Cheng Jing , Zhang Tao , Zhang Jingbo , Wang Haipeng , Xu Qin
Published: May 2018

Mobile navigation service is an important and popular location-based services, which help to recommend routes for mobile users to their destinations. Modern mobile navigation service provides various navigation strategies and considers many complex situations, which make validation and verification of mobile navigation service becomes very difficult. In this paper, we present an approach to prioritize test cases for regression testing of mobile navigation Service. The approach is based on the assumption that there may be a failure if the user's actual route deviates from the navigation recommended route. In this paper, we analyze the mass mobile navigation logs, compare the recommended routes with the user travel routes, identify the deviation of the intersection point, and then priority regression test data by deviation. To evaluate our approach, we conduct a case study on a popular navigation software. By compare proposed prioritizing test approach with random test approach, the approach helps to improve test efficiency.
Equivalent Experiments Based Prediction Methods for Embedded Software Error due to Electrostatic Discharge
Authors: Qin Haichao
Published: May 2018

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) related embedded software error is a critical issue for electronic products and is hard to discover in the early stage of product development. This paper categorizes different embedded software errors at first, and then presents several detection methods to find precursors of these software errors. By discussing the methodology, the applicability of each method is given, in terms of application scenarios and limitations.
Convergence of a semi-discrete numerical method for a class of nonlocal nonlinear wave equations
Authors: Erbay H.A. , Erbay S. , Erkip A.
Published: May 2018

In this article, we prove the convergence of a semi-discrete numerical method applied to a general class of nonlocal nonlinear wave equations where the nonlocality is introduced through the convolution operator in space. The most important characteristic of the numerical method is that it is directly applied to the nonlocal equation by introducing the discrete convolution operator. Starting from the continuous Cauchy problem defined on the real line, we first construct the discrete Cauchy problem on a uniform grid of the real line. Thus the semi-discretization in space of the continuous problem gives rise to an infinite system of ordinary differential equations in time. We show that the initial-value problem for this system is well-posed. We prove that solutions of the discrete problem converge uniformly to those of the continuous one as the mesh size goes to zero and that they are second-order convergent in space. We then consider a truncation of the infinite domain to a finite one. We prove that the solution of the truncated problem approximates the solution of the continuous problem when the truncated domain is sufficiently large. Finally, we present some numerical experiments that confirm numerically both the expected convergence rate of the semi-discrete scheme and the ability of the method to capture finite-time blow-up of solutions for various convolution kernels.
Exécution etmindgamedans les jeux vidéo de combat : les deux facettes de la vidéomotricité dans l’e-sport
Authors: Besombes Nicolas
Published: May 2018

L’e-sport désigne la pratique compétitive du jeu vidéo. Ce phénomène connaît une popularité croissante et sa comparaison avec le sport fait régulièrement débat. De nombreux travaux universitaires ont apporté des éléments de réponses, que ce soit dans le domaine des sciences du sport ou de l’information et de la communication. Ces recherches révèlent que l’activité physique des joueurs est souvent perçue dans l’imaginaire populaire comme le talon d’Achille de l’e-sport lorsqu’il s’agit de le comparer au sport. L’objectif de cet article est de mettre en évidence l’engagement moteur des joueurs. À l’aide d’observations filmées ciblées sur la motricité des joueurs pendant huit rassemblements e-sportifs, et de quatre entretiens semi-directifs conduits avec des joueurs compétitifs de jeux vidéo de combat, nos résultats révèlent que la performance dans l’e-sport repose sur deux compétences indissociables. D’un côté, les joueurs doivent automatiser par répétition les différentes combinaisons précises et rythmées de touches sur leurs contrôleurs (l’exécution), et de l’autre, ils doivent décoder les intentions de l’adversaire à travers les animations virtuelles du personnage à l’écran (lemindgame). Cette capacité à détecter des indices sur les actions virtuelles du personnage adverse, et à choisir une réponse motrice réelle adaptée, présuppose alors l’incorporation de la dynamique du jeu vidéo.
Erfolgreich publizieren
Authors: Baschung Pfister Pierrette
Published: May 2018

Wer studiert, krönt sein Studium mit einer Abschlussarbeit zu einem spezifischen Thema. Damit von den Erkenntnissen nicht nur Betreuer und Gutachter erfahren,
kann der Studierende die Ergebnisse in einem Journal publizieren. Dafür muss eine wissenschaftliche Arbeit bestimmte Kriterien erfüllen.
Ulnarer neurodynamischer Nerventest: Untersuchung der normalen sensorischen Reaktion bei asymptomatischen Individuen
Authors: Mantovani Lisa
Published: May 2018

Martínez MD, Cubas CL, Girbés EL. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2014; 44: 450–456. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2014.5207
Superbands in der Physiotherapie – Der richtige Widerstand
Authors: Foerster Ole
Published: May 2018

Bei der Fußball-WM 2016 traten die Superbands in Deutschland ins Rampenlicht, als die deutsche Elf mit ihnen trainierte. Als Deuserband in der Physiotherapie schon lange im Einsatz, erleben sie seitdem einen neuen Boom. Die variantenreichen Bänder eignen sich beispielsweise, um Hüft- und Rumpfmuskeln zu kräftigen.
Comparison of the degradation behavior of PLGA scaffolds in micro-channel, shaking, and static conditions
Authors: Ma C. H. , Zhang H. B. , Yang S. M. , Yin R. X. , Yao X. J. , Zhang W. J.
Published: May 2018

Degradation of scaffolds is an important problem in tissue regeneration management. This paper reports a comparative study on degradation of the printed 3D poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) scaffold under three conditions, namely, micro-channel, incubator static, and incubator shaking in the phosphate buffer saline (PBS) solution. In the case of the micro-channel condition, the solution was circulated. The following attributes of the scaffold and the solution were measured, including the mass or weight loss, water uptake, morphological and structural changes, and porosity change of the scaffold and the pH value of the PBS solution. In addition, shear stress in the scaffold under the micro-channel condition at the initial time was calculated with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to see how the shear stress factor may affect the morphological change of the scaffold. The results showed that the aforementioned attributes in the condition of the micro-channel were significantly different from the other two conditions. The mechanisms that account for the results were proposed. The reasons behind the results were explored. The main contributions of the study were (1) new observations of the degradation behavior of the scaffold under the micro-channel condition compared with the conditions of incubator static and incubator shaking along with underlying reasons, (2) new understanding of the role of the shear stress in the scaffold under the condition of the micro-channel to the morphological change of the scaffold, and (3) new understanding of interactions among the attributes pertinent to scaffold degradation, such as weight loss, water uptake, pH value, porosity change, and morphological change. This study sheds important light on the scaffold degradation to be controlled more precisely.
Collimated gamma ray pulses generated by high intensity laser
Authors: Larter Raima
Published: May 2018

A new scheme to produce energetic gamma ray pulses irradiates a narrow tube target with a petawatt laser.
Cultural grammar and the cultural linguistics heritage from the pre-Millennials
Authors: Palmer Gary B.
Published: May 2018

While the newly arriving Millennial generation of cultural linguists was maturing, Boomers and Generation Xer’s were developing a theory of cognitive linguistics in an environment hostile to both induction and science. Two decades of mechanical deductive models from the intellectual (not political) right were followed by two more decades of linguistic subversion of science from the postmodernist left. In spite of these astringent intellectual currents, inductive linguistic science thrived in the last two decades of the 20th Century and attracted attention from other disciplines, including anthropology, philosophy, psychology, and ESL. The branch that we call cognitive linguistics did so largely by investigating imagery, usage, symbolic networks, and systems of metaphor. Some researchers from the social and linguistic sciences found it useful to shift the focus away from the universal imagistic attentional processes employed by cognitive linguists and over to culturally defined sources of imagery. This resulted in the retooling of linguistic relativism under the rubric ofcultural linguisticsjust as the first Millennials were entering grad schools at the advent of the 21st century. In addition to motivating cross-linguistic and cross-cultural studies of metaphors and cultural models, the shift has been productive in revealing links between culture, ideology, and grammar. It is argued that the single most pregnant and distinguishing concept in cultural linguistics is that of thescenario, and it is hoped that the Millennial generation will continue to develop and employ it in cross-linguistic studies. In this paper we demonstrate its application to cultural grammar.