bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thermomechanical behavior and nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of poly(ε-caprolactone) and poly(ε- caprolactone)/poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) blends
Authors: Xing Zhimin , Zha Liusheng , Yang Guisheng
Published: July 2017

Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and PCL/Poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) blends are shown to have the potential to be used in a range of biomedical applications and can be processed with successive in-situ polymerization procedures. In this paper, the thermomechanical analysis of PCL and PCL/PVP blends was performed using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The storage and loss moduli as a function of temperature and frequency were recorded. The nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of PCL and PCL/PVP blends were analyzed using Ozawa model and Mo-Liu equation, a combination equation of Avrami and Ozawa formulas. The Ozawa analysis failed to describe the nonisothermal crystallization behavior of blends, whereas the Mo-Liu equation successfully described the nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of PCL and PCL/PVP blends. In addition, the value of crystallization rate coefficient under nonisothermal crystallization conditions was calculated. The PCL/PVP blends compared with the pure PCL and PVP had a restrain effect on the crystallization kinetics of PCL in the blends. Combining the results of DMA and DSC, PVP effectively decreased the crystallinity of PCL and enhanced its damping properties, which indicated that PCL/PVP blends could be more suitable than PCL in some biomedical applications, as it might help in the dissipation of the mechanical energy generated by the patient movements.
Aqueous chemical grafting of modified-PEG onto maghemite nanoparticles: Influence of grafting conditions
Authors: Brachais Claire-Hélène , Hu Ling , Hach Diana , Chaumont Denis , Percheron Aurélien , Couvercelle Jean-Pierre
Published: July 2017

The synthesis of maghemite nanoparticles coated with triethoxysilanemonomethylether- PEG (Si-mPEG), is presented in aqueous conditions, by the “grafting to” process. This procedure is performed in one step, starting from anchored polymer and native nanoparticles. The maghemite nanoparticles obtained were first identified by XRD and the average diameter is about 10 nm according to the Nitrogen adsorption, XRD and TEM techniques. The nature of the catalysts (acetic acid, triethylamine, NH4OH and dibutyl-tin-dilaurate) used for the establishment of the covalent bond between the γ-Fe2O3 particles and the SimPEG, as well as the influence of the temperature and the reaction time, were evaluated on the grafting rate of the particles in water by TGA and FTIR techniques. Using the size exclusion chromatography, SEC technique, we showed that the monomethoxy-PEG was resistant to mild acidic up to strong basic conditions. The best ratio “time/amount of polymer” for the highest grafting rate was the use of tinbased organometallic compound (DBTL) at 80 °C during 48 h. In these conditions, a grafting rate of 54 % is achieved.
Modification of PVDF properties by dielectric barrier discharge treatment
Authors: Pascu Mihaela , Duraccio Donatella , Cimmino Sossio , Vasile Cornelia
Published: July 2017

Films of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) were treated in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in helium, for different exposure times. Modification of PVDF properties was followed by: contact angle measurements, ATR-FTIR spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy. The applied treatment led to the obtainment of polar surfaces, with biocompatibility characteristics. These enhancements in PVDF properties after plasma exposure, associated with the possible increase of the polymer roughness, could lead to an enhanced adhesion with other materials, condition which has to be fulfilled for a series of applications (e.g.: biosensors).
Study of the rheological properties of polypropylene/talc/nanoclay ternary hybrid nano composites
Authors: Alavi M. , Esfandeh M. , Morshedian J. , Jahani Y.
Published: July 2017

Modification of polypropylene (PP) properties by the addition of particulate fillers has been of interest for several years. In the recent years, the simultaneous use of nanofillers and conventional reinforcing fillers and study of the effect of these hybrid systems on various properties of composite has gained the attention of many researchers. In this paper, nanocomposites based on PP/Talc/Nanoclay were prepared at various filler levels via melt compounding of the ingredients in a twin-screw extruder. Here, a polypropylene grafted maleic anhydride (PP-g-MA)/Nanoclay master batch was prepared at 140 oC. The masterbatch was then used to prepare ternary compounds through a simultaneous feeding system, in a ZSK extruder at 210 °C. The extrudate was granulated and then re-extruded through a slit die, to prepare the test specimens. SEM and XRD analysis were used to characterise the systems. Rheological behaviour of the specimens was studied using a parallel plate rheometer. In the ternary blend on comparing with the neat PP, the complex viscosity (η*) is increased with increasing overall filler content; however, at low frequencies this increase is governed by the content of nano filler while at high frequencies it is mainly determined by talc content. A similar trend was also observed for the variations of storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″) with frequency. The results showed that the simultaneous use of nano and micro size fillers considerably affects the melt elasticity. It is believed that the hybrid system increases the hydrodynamic effect of filler particles in the molecular motion of the polymer.
Correlation between solution and gel properties of copolymers of acrylamide and diallyldimethylammonium chloride
Authors: Marcelo Gema , Saiz Enrique , Tarazona M. Pilar
Published: July 2017

Several copolymers formed by acrylamide and diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride containing different fractions of charged diallyl residues, x, were synthesized. Solution properties of linear samples of these copolymers were studied by size exclusion chromatography coupled to differential refractive index and light scattering detectors, which allowed the determination of molecular weight averages, molecular dimensions, scaling law coefficients, and unperturbed dimensions. The results were compared with those of the corresponding homopolymers i.e., polyacrylamide and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride). On the other hand, crosslinked samples of the copolymers were prepared and their swelling in water was studied. The correlation between the solution properties of the linear samples and the swelling behaviour of their crosslinked counterparts can be illustrated through the relationship between the characteristic ratio of the unperturbed dimensions and the equilibrium degree of swelling since both magnitudes exhibit a similar dependence on x. Moreover, this dependence is not linear and it passes through a maximum at ca. x ≈ 0.5.
Kinetics and thermodynamics of indanthrene textile dye adsorption onto chitosan
Authors: Chaves José Alberto P. , Bezerra Cícero Wellington B. , Santana Sirlane Aparecida A. , Schultz Mário S. , Silva Hildo Antônio S. , Penha Rosiane S. , Vieira Adriana P. , G. de Souza Antônio
Published: July 2017

The kinetics and equilibrium of Indanthrene Olive Green (IOG) adsorption on chitosan, from aqueous solutions, have been investigated. The chitosan was characterized by XRD, average degree of deacetylation (DD), TGA/DTG, IR, SEM and specific BET surface area. Batch adsorptions experiments were carried out in different pH and dye concentration. An acidic pH condition (4.0 to 6.0) was favorable to the adsorption process. The adsorption followed secondorder rate kinetics and the experimental equilibrium data followed Langmuir isotherm, suggesting that chemisorption might be the major adsorption mode. The adsorptions also occurred on chitosan fibers, being significantly lower than that of crushed chitosan. Thermodynamic parameters ( ΔG°, ΔH°, and S°) were calculated. The positive values of ΔH° (161.7 kJ mol-1) and S° (559.9 J mol-1 K-1) suggest that the adsorption is endothermic and that during this adsorption process the randomness of the system increases. A simplified adsorption model is also proposed.
Preparation and characterization of 1,2,4,5-benzenetetra carboxylic-chitosan
Authors: Julkapli Nurhidayatullaili Muhd , Ahmad Zulkifli , Akil Hazizan Md
Published: July 2017

Chemically cross-linked chitosan (MC) containing 1,2,4,5- benzenetetracarboxylic acid (BCA) as the cross-linking agent was prepared to improve the metal ions absorption capacity of native chitosan (NC) and limit its biodegradability. The Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) and proton neutron magnetic resonance (1H NMR) results showed that BCA was successfully linked onto N-position of NC. The crystalline nature of NC was reduced significantly after cross-linking as examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Therefore, the glass transition temperature (Tg) of MC was higher than NC as reported by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Moreover, thermogravimetric (TGA) analysis showed that, MC had better thermal stability than NC. Morphology changes on the surface of NC and MC were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and showed that MC had more porous surface than NC. In pH medium of 3 to 6, MC had excellent Cu (II) ions absorption capacity with a maximum 16 % higher than NC.
Comparison of Different Approaches for Measuring Tibial Cartilage Thickness
Authors: Maier Jennifer , Black Marianne , Bonaretti Serena , Bier Bastian , Eskofier Bjoern , Choi Jang-Hwan , Levenston Marc , Gold Garry , Fahrig Rebecca , Maier Andreas
Published: July 2017

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease affecting bones and cartilage especially in the human knee. In this context, cartilage thickness is an indicator for knee cartilage health. Thickness measurements are performed on medical images acquired in-vivo. Currently, there is no standard method agreed upon that defines a distance measure in articular cartilage. In this work, we present a comparison of different methods commonly used in literature. These methods are based on nearest neighbors, surface normal vectors, local thickness and potential field lines. All approaches were applied to manual segmentations of tibia and lateral and medial tibial cartilage performed by experienced raters. The underlying data were contrast agent-enhanced cone-beam C-arm CT reconstructions of one healthy subject’s knee. The subject was scanned three times, once in supine position and two times in a standing weight-bearing position. A comparison of the resulting thickness maps shows similar distributions and high correlation coefficients between the approaches above 0.90. The nearest neighbor method results on average in the lowest cartilage thickness values, while the local thickness approach assigns the highest values. We showed that the different methods agree in their thickness distribution. The results will be used for a future evaluation of cartilage change under weight-bearing conditions.
MRI in medium-chain acyl-coenzyme a dehydrogenase deficiency: neuroimaging during the first month
Authors: Talamanca Lorenzo Figà , Pasquini Luca , Napolitano Antonio , Longo Daniela
Published: July 2017

Background:

Medium-chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase (MCAD) is the most common genetic disorder of fatty acid oxidation, which presents before the age of 2 with the onset of acute hypoketotic hypoglycemia, and is typically precipitated by stress.

Case presentation:

We report serial brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) changes, including MR spectroscopy (MRS) and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), in a patient with a classical MCAD presentation, compared with five healthy controls.

Conclusions:

Through this unique case we analyze the evolution of radiological findings during the first month of illness and we highlight the pivotal role of MRI, especially DWI, in the early diagnosis of the decompensated state of the disease.
Adjuvant administration of 17-α-hydroxy-progesterone caproate in women with three or more second trimester pregnancy losses undergoing cervical cerclage is no more effective than cerclage alone
Authors: Samson Fernand D. , Merriman Amanda L. , Tate Danielle L. , Apostolakis-Kyrus Katherine , Gomez Luis M.
Published: July 2017

Objective:

To investigate the role of adjuvant 17-α-hydroxy-progesterone caproate (17OHP-C) in reducing the risk of preterm delivery <34 weeks and adverse perinatal outcomes in women with ≥3 second trimester pregnancy losses attributed to cervical insufficiency undergoing prophylactic cerclage.

Material and methods:

Retrospective cohort study of women with prophylactic cerclage placed between 2006 and 2014 divided into a cohort of (i) those receiving adjuvant 17OHP-C (n=43), and (ii) controls with cerclage alone (n=59).

Results:

Demographic characteristics were comparable in both groups. There was no significant difference in gestational age at delivery between the cerclage-17OHP-C group (33.4±5.6 weeks) and the cerclage-alone group (34.4±4.6 weeks); P=0.33. We noted a non-significant increase for deliveries <34 weeks in the cerclage-17OHP-C group (44.2%) compared to controls (28.8%) which remained non-significant after adjusting for confounders; P=0.46. There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of delivery <37, 32, 28 and 24 weeks. Adverse neonatal outcomes were comparable in both groups (cerclage-17OHP-C 48.8% vs. cerclage-alone 39%); P=0.43.

Conclusion:

Intramuscular 17OHP-C in combination with prophylactic cerclage in women with cervical insufficiency and ≥3 second trimester pregnancy losses had no synergistic effect in reducing the rate of recurrent preterm birth or improving perinatal outcomes.
Causes of death among full term stillbirths and early neonatal deaths in the Region of Southern Denmark
Authors: Basu Millie Nguyen , Johnsen Iben Birgit Gade , Wehberg Sonja , Sørensen Rikke Guldberg , Barington Torben , Nørgård Bente Mertz
Published: July 2017

Objective:

We examined the causes of death amongst full term stillbirths and early neonatal deaths.

Methods:

Our cohort includes women in the Region of Southern Denmark, who gave birth at full term to a stillborn infant or a neonate who died within the first 7 days from 2010 through 2014. Demographic, biometric and clinical variables were analyzed to assess the causes of death using two classification systems: causes of death and associated conditions (CODAC) and a Danish system based on initial causes of fetal death (INCODE).

Results:

A total of 95 maternal-infant cases were included. Using the CODAC and INCODE classification systems, we found that the causes of death were unknown in 59/95 (62.1%). The second most common cause of death in CODAC was congenital anomalies in 10/95 (10.5%), similar to INCODE with fetal, genetic, structural and karyotypic anomalies in 11/95 (11.6%). The majority of the mothers were healthy, primiparous, non-smokers, aged 20–34 years and with a normal body mass index (BMI).

Conclusion:

Based on an unselected cohort from an entire region in Denmark, the cause of stillbirth and early neonatal deaths among full term infants remained unknown for the vast majority.
Impacts of Hyperbolic Discounting on Inventory Replenishment Policy Under Inflation
Authors: Zhou Yongwu , Lin Zhaozhan
Published: July 2017

Considering time inconsistency and inter-temporal preference of the decision maker who is facing inter-temporal choices, this paper employs hyperbolic discounting to reflect these characteristics in governing inventory replenishment policy under inflation. The authors take the subjective perception of the decision maker and the objective indicator from the capital market into consideration. The decision maker’s subjective perception includes confidence towards future value of money and anxiety to return the money, while the objective indicator is represented by the compounded discount rate. The results suggest that over the given planning horizon, with more confidence, inventory policy of larger order quantity and smaller order frequency should be adopted; with more anxiety within a threshold, inventory policy of smaller order quantity and larger order frequency should be adopted, and with more anxiety beyond this threshold, inventory policy keeps unchanged; with a larger discount rate, inventory policy of smaller order quantity and larger order frequency should be adopted.
New records of the rare bat Vampyressa melissa Thomas, 1926 (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae: Stenodermatinae) from the eastern slope of the Andes in the Colombian Orinoco basin
Authors: Rodríguez-Posada Miguel E. , Morales-Martínez Darwin M. , Gutiérrez-Sanabria Diego R. , Calderón-Capote María C. , Fernández-Rodríguez Camilo
Published: July 2017

Vampyressa melissa (Thomas, 1926) is a rare species listed as vulnerable by IUCN. Its distribution encompasses the eastern slope of the Andes from Peru to Colombia. However, the northern part of its distribution exhibits a gap of 1050 km. Here, we record two new localities for V. melissa in the eastern foothills of the Colombian Andes, filling the distribution gap 223 km to the south of the northern most known locality and 822 km to the north of the nearest locality in Ecuador. Finally, we propose hypotheses about the factors that could determine the rarity category of this species.
Excitability of high-energy ultraviolet radiation for Dy3+ in antimony phosphate glasses
Authors: Zhu Cailing , Zhang Jingjing , Wang Zhiqiang , Lin Hai
Published: July 2017

Dy3+ doped antimony phosphate (ZASP) glasses are synthesized and the specificity of the luminescence behavior is demonstrated. Different from the conventional long-wave ultraviolet (UVA) exciting cases, the excitable area of Dy3+ doped ZASP glasses is extended to high-energy ultraviolet radiation including medium-wave ultraviolet (UVB) and short-wave ultraviolet (UVC) spectral regions. The quantum efficiency for 4F9/2 level of Dy3+ in low- and medium-concentration Dy2O3 doping cases reaches 95.0 % and 66.7 %, respectively, confirming the emission effectiveness from Dy3+ in ZASP glasses. The values of energy-transfer probability (P) have obvious difference while using 340 nm and 540 nm as monitoring wavelengths, so asthe energy-transfer efficiencies (η), which are related to the energy-transfer processes from discrepant Sb3+ donors to Dy3+ acceptors, were in-equivalent. The effective excitability of high-energy ultraviolet radiation illustrates that Dy3+ doped ZASP glasses are a promising candidate in developing visible light sources, display devices and tunable visible lasers.
Gas-sensing properties and in-situ diffuse-reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy study of diethyl ether adsorption and reactions on SnO2 film
Authors: Wang Ning , Huang Kaijin , Song Jian
Published: July 2017

Diethyl ether is a common industrial reagent and medical anesthetic. It is necessary to carry out real-time monitoring of this molecule due to its harmful effects on human health. In this paper, a highly sensitive diethyl ether SnO2 gas-sensing material has been prepared by a sol-gel method. The gas sensitivity was tested by a home-made gas-sensing equipment. The surface adsorption and reaction processes between the SnO2 gas-sensing film and the diethyl ether have been studied by in situ diffuse-reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (DRFT-IR) at different temperatures. The results show that the SnO2 gas-sensing material has high sensitivity to diethyl ether, and the lowest detection limit can reach 1 ppm. Furthermore, ethyl (CH3CH2●), oxoethyl (CH3CH2O●), ethanol (CH3CH2OH), formaldehyde (HCHO), acetaldehyde (CH3CHO), ethylene (C2H4), H2O and CO2 surface species are formed during diethyl ether adsorption at different temperatures. A possible mechanism of the reaction process is discussed.
Kontrastive Untersuchung von Sprachhandlungsmustern
Authors: Gladrow Wolfgang , Kotorova Elizaveta
Published: July 2017

The increased interest in the analysis of human verbal behavior leads to the need to define a basic unit of communication sphere, which could serve as the basis of its analysis. The first part of the article provides an overview of different speech units proposed by various authors, such as aspeech act(J. Austin and J. Searle),speech genre(M. M. Bachtin),speech action pattern(K. Ehlich and J. Rehbein). As a conclusion to the overview, the authors propose their own interpretation of the basic unit of communication, which they call “speech behavior pattern” (SBP). The illocutionary content and general organization of SBP can be considered universal, while its realization in a language is culturally conditioned and therefore may vary significantly in different language communities. Utterances constituting a certain SBP are organized as a field, which includes a prototypical center and a gradually formed periphery. The second part of the article considers the major factors and components of the contrastive analysis of SBP including: definition of illocutionary goal, identifying communicative-pragmatic factors and the implementation of major structural forms of SBP, contrastive description of the structure and hierarchy of communicative-pragmatic fields in the languages under analysis. Finally, the article reveals differences between the notions of equivalence and adequacy and describes possible relations between them in contrastive linguistics.
On the Macedonian Perfect(s) in the Balkan Context
Authors: Makarova Anastasia
Published: July 2017

The article provides a comparative analysis of three different forms of perfect in the western Macedonian dialects which are further compared with analogous forms in the Albanian and the Aromanian languages. It is found out that each of the perfect forms has its own range of use: the perfect of sum došol type performs the majority of modal functions (admirative, renarrative, optative); the perfects of imam dojdeno and sum dojden types are used primarily in the resultative and experiential contexts.
Implementation of a Personalized, Cost-Effective Physical Therapy Approach (Coach2Move) for Older Adults: Barriers and Facilitators
Authors: van de Sant Arjan J. W. , de Vries Nienke M. , Hoogeboom Thomas J. , Nijhuis-van der Sanden Maria W. G.
Published: July 2017

Background and Purpose:

This article reports on a recent randomized clinical trial that showed a personalized approach to physical therapy (Coach2Move) by a physical therapist specialized in geriatrics (PTG) to be more cost-effective than usual physical therapy care in people with mobility problems (n = 130, mean age = 78 years).

Methods:

We used an explanatory mixed-methods sequential design alongside the randomized clinical trial to gain insight into (a) the contrast between the 2 interventions, (b) the fidelity of the Coach2Move delivery; (c) PTGs' experiences of Coach2Move; and (d) possible barriers and facilitators for future implementation. The study included 13 PTGs educated in the strategy and 13 physical therapists with expertise in geriatrics delivering the usual care. In total, 106 medical records were available for assessment: 57 (85%) Coach2Move, 49 (75%) usual care. Quantitative process indicators were used to analyze electronic medical records to determine contrasts in the phases of clinical reasoning. The fidelity of the delivery was tested using indicator scores focusing on 4 key elements of Coach2Move. In-depth interviews with Coach2Move therapists were thematically analyzed to explore experiences and facilitators/barriers related to implementation.

Results and Discussion:

Indicator scores showed significant and clinically relevant contrasts in all phases of clinical reasoning, with consistently higher scores among PTGs, except for the treatment plan. Moreover, the fidelity of Coach2Move delivery was more than 70% in all phases, except the evaluation phase (53%). Experiences of Coach2Move were positive. In particular, extended intake allowing motivational interviewing, physical examination and an in-depth problem analysis, and shared goal setting were considered valuable. Facilitators for implementation were the addition of a Coach2Move medical record, frequent coaching by the researcher, and readiness to change in the therapist. Barriers were (1) having to use 2 parallel electronic medical record systems, (2) having to clear the calendar to schedule an intake of 90 minutes, (3) fear of losing income, (4) the sense that patients do not want to change their lifestyle, and (5) not acknowledging that increasing physical activity is an important goal for older adults with mobility problems.

Conclusions:

Physical therapy based on the Coach2Move strategy is substantially different from usual care. Future implementation should focus on increasing regular evaluation and feedback, taking into account individuals' contextual factors, and improving organizational facilities while mitigating income loss.
Relationship Between Morning Hypertension and T-Peak to T-End Interval in Patients with Suspected Coronary Heart Disease
Authors: Wei Lili , Qi Datun , Shi Yong’en , Gao Chuanyu , Liu Weili
Published: July 2017

Objective: To investigate the relationship between morning hypertension (MH) and T-peak to T-end interval (Tp-e interval) in patients with suspected coronary heart disease.

Methods: Patients with typical symptoms of coronary heart disease were examined by ambulatory blood monitoring, electrocardiogram, echocardiography, and coronary angiography, and were assigned to two groups on the basis of blood pressure: an MH group and a morning normotension (MN) group. The following data were collected and compared: basic characteristic, Tp-e interval, corrected QT (QTc) interval, echocardiography parameters, and Gensini score of the two groups.

Results: Three hundred fifty-eight patients, with a mean age of 64 years (54.1% men), were divided into the MH group (n=170) and the MN group (n=188). Tp-e interval (84.52±14.77 ms vs. 65.19±19.03 ms, P<0.001), QTc interval (416.21±29.59 ms vs. 401.70±36.10 ms, P<0.001), left ventricular mass index (121.42±10.97 g/m2 vs. 105.63±17.10 g/m2, P<0.001), and Gensini score (72.12±32.90 vs. 39.47±29.32, P<0.001) were significantly increased in the MH group compared with the MN group. Morning systolic blood pressure (r=0.678, P<0.001), morning diastolic blood pressure (r=0.404, P<0.001), Gensini score (r=0.513, P<0.001), and left ventricular mass index (r=0.646, P<0.001) were correlated with Tp-e interval.

Conclusion: Tp-e interval is correlated with morning systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in patients with coronary heart disease. More research on how the Tp-e interval changes after control of MH is necessary.
Effects of assistive force on the agonist and antagonist muscles in elbow flexion
Authors: Nasir Nursalbiah , Hayashi Keisuke , Loh Ping Yeap , Muraki Satoshi
Published: July 2017

This study investigated the responses of the agonist and antagonist muscles against assistive force during isometric muscle contraction. Participants performed isometric elbow flexion at 90º for 30 seconds under two workload conditions (20% and 40% of the maximal voluntary workload) with three levels of assistive force (0%, 50%, and 100% theoretical effectiveness) for 10 seconds. Electromyography (EMG) of the biceps (agonist muscle) and triceps (antagonist muscle) was measured during the task, and perceived exertion was obtained after the task. Assistive force significantly reduced EMG activity in the agonist muscle and the perceived exertion score only at 40% workload. However, the reduction of EMG activity and perceived exertion score were lower than that for the physical estimated effect. In addition, the EMG activity in the antagonist muscle was not influenced, irrespective of workload conditions and the level of assistive force. These results suggested that although the assistive force during isometric muscle contraction relieves exertion of the agonist muscle that accompanies the decrease in perceived exertion, their assistive effects are influenced by various human physiological and anatomical factors.
A randomized ‘just-in-time’ prompt to interrupt prolonged sitting at two international conferences held in two countries
Authors: Chia Michael , Che Muhamed Ahmad Munir , Pamela Suraddah LOW Li Choo , Masismadi Nur Adilah
Published: July 2017

Prolonged sitting has a detrimental effect on lipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity leading to increased risks of metabolic conditions. Attendees at conferences typically sit for long periods during oral presentations. The use of visual cues or ‘just-in-time’ prompts during oral presentations can inform audiences about the deleterious effects of prolonged sitting and encourage them to avoid sitting for long periods. It remains largely unclear whether these ‘just-prompts used in a conference setting are effective in reducing prolonged sitting. The ‘just-in-time’ prompts were used in two separate conference audiences- one focused on health and the other on language. Ten sessions were randomly assigned to the experimental group (EXPT, with the JIT prompt) and ten sessions to the control group (CON, without the JIT prompt). In both conferences, the proportion of the attendees who chose not to sit during the oral presentations in the EXPT conditions was less than 10%. The main finding was that the use of the JIT prompt to discourage sitting at the health conference where attendees were likely to be knowledgeable about the dangers of prolonged sitting was ineffective (EXPT vs CON conditions, p>0.05; ES=0.69) compared to conference attendees at a language conference (EXPT vs CON conditions, p<0.05, ES=1.14).
Effects of a 12-week strength training on hand function of type ii diabetes mellitus patients
Authors: Agbons Elvis , Hammed Adebisi
Published: July 2017

Study aim: The purpose of this study was to establish the effects of a 12-week strength training(ST) programme on hand function in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in a tertiaryhealth institution in Benin-City. The findings of this study would help clinicians/clinical staff totake ST into consideration in the management of patients with T2DM thereby enhancing clinicaloutcome.Material and methods: This study was a pre-test, post-test control group design. A total of 36T2DM patients participated in the study. Handgrip and pinch strength were measured usingelectronic hand dynamometer (in kg) and mechanical pinch gauge (in kg) respectively prior toand following a 12-week ST programme. The amount of handgrip and pinch strength of bothhands generated by each participant was used as a quantitative measurement of the developmentof hand function. Data generated were analyzed using inferential statistics of one way analysisof variance (ANOVA) and the statistical significance was accepted for p value of <0.05.Results: The findings of the study showed that ST programme had significant effects on handfunction of T2DM patients.Conclusion: It was concluded that ST programme can substantially enhance hand function ofpatients with T2DM. Therefore, ST programme should be considered a key element in themanagement of T2DM patients.
Persepsi atlet pelajar: tingkah laku kejurulatihan sukan balapan dan padang
Authors: Ling Jasmine Chiu Hung , Soh Kim Geok , Talib Othman , Yusof Aminuddin
Published: July 2017

Dalam konteks mendalami pengetahuan kejurulatihan dalam sukan di Malaysia khususnya di Sarawak, kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji persepsi atlet pelajar terhadap tingkah laku kejurulatihan, di samping mengenal pasti tingkah laku kejurulatihan yang diingini oleh atlet pelajar serta tingkah laku yang sedia ada pada kejurulatihan sukan balapan dan padang negeri Sarawak.  Kajian ini merupakan kajian deskriptif yang menggunakan kaedah persampelan rawak berstrata mengikut saiz kumpulan sama (equal-size groups in stratified sampling).  Responden kajian terdiri daripada 252 orang atlet pelajar sekolah menengah (lelaki, n = 162; perempuan, n = 162) yang berumur 13 hingga 18 tahun dan pernah mewakili bahagian masing-masing dalam pertandingan.  Soal selidik Skala Kepimpinan untuk Sukan (LSS) yang dibangunkan oleh Chelladurai dan Saleh (1980) telah diadaptasikan dan digunakan sebagai intrumen kajian untuk mengukur 5 tingkah laku kejurulatihan. Daripada persepsi atlet pelajar sukan balapan dan padang Sarawak terhadap tingkah laku kejurulatihan, didapati bahawa tingkah laku yang dingini oleh atlet pelajar adalah sama dengan tingkah laku kejurulatihan yang sedia ada pada jurulatih.  Kajian mendapati bahawa tingkah laku yang diingini oleh atlet pelajar mengikut keutamaan adalah tingkah laku Arahan dan Latihan (M = 4.33, SP = 0.67), diikuti oleh tingkah laku Maklum Balas Positif (M = 4.14, SP = 0.74).  Dapatan persepsi atlet pelajar terhadap tingkah laku yang kerap sedia ada pada jurulatih pula adalah tingkah laku arahan dan latihan (M = 4.13, SP = 0.68), diikuti tingkah laku maklum balas positif (M = 3.89, SP = 0.75). Secara kesimpulannya, didapati bahawa persepsi atlet terhadap tingkah laku kejurulatihan adalah tidak berbeza dari segi jantina, kedua-dua atlet lelaki dan perempuan menyatakan pandangan yang serupa dalam tingkah laku kejurulatihan yang diingini dan tingkah laku kejurulatihan yang sedia ada pada jurulatih, iaitu tingkah laku Arahan dan Latihan.
Defective sperm head decondensation undermines the success of ICSI in the bovine
Authors: Águila Luis , Felmer Ricardo , Arias María Elena , Navarrete Felipe , Martin-Hidalgo David , Lee Hoi Chang , Visconti Pablo , Fissore Rafael
Published: July 2017

The efficiency of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in the bovine is low compared to other species. It is unknown whether defective oocyte activation and/or sperm head decondensation limit the success of this technique in this species. To elucidate where the main obstacle lies, we used homologous and heterologous ICSI and parthenogenetic activation procedures. We also evaluated whetherin vitromaturation negatively impacted the early stages of activation after ICSI. Here we showed that injected bovine sperm are resistant to nuclear decondensation by bovine oocytes and this is only partly overcome by exogenous activation. Remarkably, when we used heterologous ICSI,in vivo-matured mouse eggs were capable of mounting calcium oscillations and displaying normal PN formation following injection of bovine sperm, althoughin vitro-matured mouse oocytes were unable to do so. Together, our data demonstrate that bovine sperm are especially resistant to nuclear decondensation byin vitro-matured oocytes and this deficiency cannot be simply overcome by exogenous activation protocols, even by inducing physiological calcium oscillations. Therefore, the inability of a suboptimal ooplasmic environment to induce sperm head decondensation limits the success of ICSI in the bovine. Studies aimed to improve the cytoplasmic milieu ofin vitro-matured oocytes and to replicate the molecular changes associated within vivocapacitation and acrosome reaction will deepen our understanding of the mechanism of fertilization and improve the success of ICSI in this species.
The Douglas-Fir Genome Sequence Reveals Specialization of the Photosynthetic Apparatus in Pinaceae
Authors: Neale David B , McGuire Patrick E , Wheeler Nicholas C , Stevens Kristian A , Crepeau Marc W , Cardeno Charis , Zimin Aleksey V , Puiu Daniela , Pertea Geo M , Sezen U Uzay , Casola Claudio , Koralewski Tomasz E , Paul Robin , Gonzalez-Ibeas Daniel , Zaman Sumaira , Cronn Richard , Yandell Mark , Holt Carson , Langley Charles H , Yorke James A , Salzberg Steven L , Wegrzyn Jill L
Published: July 2017

A reference genome sequence for Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirb.) Franco (Coastal Douglas-fir) is reported, thus providing a reference sequence for a third genus of the family Pinaceae. The contiguity and quality of the genome assembly far exceeds that of other conifer reference genome sequences (contig N50 = 44,136 bp and scaffold N50 = 340,704 bp). Incremental improvements in sequencing and assembly technologies are in part responsible for the higher quality reference genome, but it may also be due to a slightly lower exact repeat content in Douglas-fir vs. pine and spruce. Comparative genome annotation with angiosperm species reveals gene-family expansion and contraction in Douglas-fir and other conifers which may account for some of the major morphological and physiological differences between the two major plant groups. Notable differences in the size of the NDH-complex gene family and genes underlying the functional basis of shade tolerance/intolerance were observed. This reference genome sequence not only provides an important resource for Douglas-fir breeders and geneticists but also sheds additional light on the evolutionary processes that have led to the divergence of modern angiosperms from the more ancient gymnosperms.
The Integrated Genomic Architecture and Evolution of Dental Divergence in East African Cichlid Fishes (Haplochromis chilotes x H. nyererei)
Authors: Hulsey C Darrin , Machado-Schiaffino Gonzalo , Keicher Lara , Ellis-Soto Diego , Henning Frederico , Meyer Axel
Published: July 2017

The independent evolution of the two toothed jaws of cichlid fishes is thought to have promoted their unparalleled ecological divergence and species richness. However, dental divergence in cichlids could exhibit substantial genetic covariance and this could dictate how traits like tooth numbers evolve in different African Lakes and on their two jaws. To test this hypothesis, we used a hybrid mapping cross of two trophically divergent Lake Victoria species (Haplochromis chilotes × Haplochromis nyererei) to examine genomic regions associated with cichlid tooth diversity. Surprisingly, a similar genomic region was found to be associated with oral jaw tooth numbers in cichlids from both Lake Malawi and Lake Victoria. Likewise, this same genomic location was associated with variation in pharyngeal jaw tooth numbers. Similar relationships between tooth numbers on the two jaws in both our Victoria hybrid population and across the phylogenetic diversity of Malawi cichlids additionally suggests that tooth numbers on the two jaws of haplochromine cichlids might generally coevolve owing to shared genetic underpinnings. Integrated, rather than independent, genomic architectures could be key to the incomparable evolutionary divergence and convergence in cichlid tooth numbers.
The Recombination Landscape in Wild House Mice Inferred Using Population Genomic Data
Authors: Booker Tom R , Ness Rob W , Keightley Peter D
Published: July 2017

Characterizing variation in the rate of recombination across the genome is important for understanding several evolutionary processes. Previous analysis of the recombination landscape in laboratory mice has revealed that the different subspecies have different suites of recombination hotspots. It is unknown, however, whether hotspots identified in laboratory strains reflect the hotspot diversity of natural populations or whether broad-scale variation in the rate of recombination is conserved between subspecies. In this study, we constructed fine-scale recombination rate maps for a natural population of the Eastern house mouse, Mus musculus castaneus. We performed simulations to assess the accuracy of recombination rate inference in the presence of phase errors, and we used a novel approach to quantify phase error. The spatial distribution of recombination events is strongly positively correlated between our castaneus map, and a map constructed using inbred lines derived predominantly from M. m. domesticus. Recombination hotspots in wild castaneus show little overlap, however, with the locations of double-strand breaks in wild-derived house mouse strains. Finally, we also find that genetic diversity in M. m. castaneus is positively correlated with the rate of recombination, consistent with pervasive natural selection operating in the genome. Our study suggests that recombination rate variation is conserved at broad scales between house mouse subspecies, but it is not strongly conserved at fine scales.
Espondilolistesis traumática lumbosacra. Reporte de 4 casos y revisión de la literatura.
Authors: Guyot Juan Pablo , Zaragoza Emanuel , Lloyd Ruy , Furmento Raúl , Gelosi Federico
Published: July 2017

En 1976, Wiltse y cols. clasificaron a las espondilolistesis en cinco tipos, según su etiología: displásica, ístmica, degenerativa, tumoral y traumática. Esta última es una de las más infrecuentes; hasta la fecha, se han publicado muy pocos casos.

Las espondilolistesis traumáticas son lesiones poco frecuentes. Su causa suele estar relacionada con traumas de alta energía y es frecuente su asociación con lesiones de órganos abdominales, craneoencefálicos y tórax. La gran mayoría de estas lesiones son habitualmente de resolución quirúrgica por su alta inestabilidad.

Se presentan cuatro pacientes operados en el último tiempo, con un seguimiento mínimo de 4 años, y una revisión actualizada de la literatura.
Mal de Pott en la Provincia del Chaco. [Pott's disease in the Chaco Province.]
Authors: Manzone Patricio , Quiroz Leonardo Javier , Vallejos Arce María Selva , Mariño Ávalos Eduardo , Laluf Alejandro Francisco , Cardozo Iñiguez María Lorena , Gemetro José Felipe
Published: July 2017

Introducción

La tuberculosis (TB) es la séptima causa de muerte mundial. Compromete al raquis en menos del 1 % de los casos.

Objetivo

Investigar la frecuencia provincial del Mal de Pott, caracterizar su perfil e identificar pautas para regiones similares.

Material y Métodos

Rastreo de internados por TB del período 1996 – 2014 (19 años) en Hospitales provinciales de cabecera.  Revisión de Historias de casos raquídeos. Clasificaciones de Frankel y de GATA. Datos de últimos censos nacionales. Revisión bibliográfica.

Resultados

14 casos: 8 varones/6 mujeres. Edad promedio: 35.4 años (3.8 - 63). Seguimiento: 2.8 años (1 mes – 15 años); un óbito postoperatorio inmediato. Siete pacientes provenían de departamentos con baja carga de morbilidad de TB. Síntomas de presentación: déficit neurológico 9, dolor axial y/o radicular puros 4 y deformidad vertebral pura 1 paciente.  Frankel ingreso: E 5 casos, D2, C 2 y A 5 pacientes. Localizaciones: Torácica, 5; Tóraco-lumbar, 6; Lumbar, 1; Múltiple 2 pacientes.

Distribución étnica: 5 caucásicos, 5 aborígenes, 3 criollos, 1 mestizo. Según la Clasificación GATA: 1 lesión Tipo IB; 4 Tipo II; 8 Tipo III; 1 caso Inclasificable. Los pacientes de etnia originaria tuvieron cuadros neurológicos y lesiones GATA más severas.

Doce pacientes fueron operados. Hubo 10 instrumentaciones. Al seguimiento: 8 asintomáticos, 4 fallecidos y 2 pacientes con síntomas moderados. Cinco mejoraron su estado neurológico; no hubo deterioros. De 11 operados sobrevivientes 5 presentaban deformidad secuelar. No hubo diferencia entre doble instrumentación, instrumentación posterior aislada o sin instrumentación.

Conclusiones

Las etnias originarias muestran mayor frecuencia, formas más severas, presentaciones avanzadas y de tratamiento quirúrgico habitual. La mortalidad es alta.  
Towards Classroom Affective Analytics. Validating an Affective State Self-reporting tool for the medical classroom
Authors: Antoniou Panagiotis E. , Spachos Dimitris , Kartsidis Panagiotis , Konstantinidis Evdokimos I. , Bamidis Panagiotis D.
Published: July 2017

This article was migrated. The article was not marked as recommended. Background: Emotion and cognition are closely interconnected. Specifically in learning engagement and motivation are crucial pillars of effectively absorbing the educational material and being able to utilize it. For this reason, one of the key challenges in the classroom, especially in pre-clinical medical education, is the assessment of the audience's mood in order to apply effective engagement strategies in it. This work presents the first efficacy and robustness results of a subjective classroom affective state measurement instrument. Methods: Students recorded affective states using a range of positive to negative smileys in lightweight web based and mobile applications. A total of 225 pre lecture, 220 post lecture and 20 mid lecture recordings were taken throughout 5 lectures. In one of these (lecture 2), as an intervention, the mood of the students was positively altered using an impressive demonstration. Results: Kolmogorov Smirnov tests revealed samples not following normal distributions. Independent samples Mann-Wittney U Tests presented statistically significant variation between pre and post recordings only for lecture 2 at significance p<0.01 (U=1416, p=0.006). Kruskal-Walis one-way ANOVA for post lecture data revealed statistically significant difference lecture 2 at p<0.01 (p =0.000) with no variations presented in other post and all pre-lecture recordings, further establishing the robustness of the tool. Post-hoc pairwise test of post lecture tests revealed that the detected difference in lecture 2 was strongly positive (z between 4.495 and 2.039 between lecture 2 and all others). Conclusions: Demonstrated efficacy of such a simple and readily available tool for affective measurements opens new classroom strategies through easily accessible web based and mobile technologies. Self- reported affective classroom analytics can readily be aggregated from such instruments and used for even real time improvement of audience engagement.
Briefing: Glasgow motorway system – geometric design and outcome
Authors: Cullen John M. , Baird Stuart J. M.
Published: July 2017

In 1963, the corporation of the city of Glasgow approved plans for 96 km of motorways. To date, 2017, 48 km have been constructed. These are on a grand scale, with 5 km of dual five-lane, 2 km of dual four-lane and over 25 km of dual three-lane motorways. Traffic flows as high as 198 000 vehicles/d have been recorded. Savings of time, accidents and fuel have been realised as a result. The main focus of this briefing paper is the geometric design of the motorways. Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick and Partners, consulting engineers, were responsible for this work. Much emphasis is placed on motorway traffic volumes. This is because road user benefits are directly related to the amount of traffic diverted to the motorways. Also, predicted traffic was a primary factor in the outline design of the motorways.
PGC-1α Protects from Notch-Induced Kidney Fibrosis Development
Authors: Han Seung Hyeok , Wu Mei-yan , Nam Bo Young , Park Jung Tak , Yoo Tae-Hyun , Kang Shin-Wook , Park Jihwan , Chinga Frank , Li Szu-Yuan , Susztak Katalin
Published: July 2017

Kidney fibrosis is the histologic manifestation of CKD. Sustained activation of developmental pathways, such as Notch, in tubule epithelial cells has been shown to have a key role in fibrosis development. The molecular mechanism of Notch-induced fibrosis, however, remains poorly understood. Here, we show that, that expression of peroxisomal proliferation g-coactivator (PGC-1α) and fatty acid oxidation-related genes are lower in mice expressing active Notch1 in tubular epithelial cells (Pax8-rtTA/ICN1) compared to littermate controls. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that the Notch target gene Hes1 directly binds to the regulatory region of PGC-1α. Compared with Pax8-rtTA/ICN1 transgenic animals, Pax8-rtTA/ICN1/Ppargc1a transgenic mice showed improvement of renal structural alterations (on histology) and molecular defect (expression of profibrotic genes). Overexpression of PGC-1α restored mitochondrial content and reversed the fatty acid oxidation defect induced by Notch overexpression in vitro in tubule cells. Furthermore, compared with Pax8-rtTA/ICN1 mice, Pax8-rtTA/ICN1/Ppargc1a mice exhibited improvement in renal fatty acid oxidation gene expression and apoptosis. Our results show that metabolic dysregulation has a key role in kidney fibrosis induced by sustained activation of the Notch developmental pathway and can be ameliorated by PGC-1α.