bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stochastic Inversion Method for Concrete Dams on the Basis of Bayesian Back Analysis Theory
Authors: Gu Chongshi , Cao Xin , Xu Bo
Published: September 2019

Inverse analysis is necessary for concrete dams in normal operation to overcome the discrepancy between the true mechanical parameters and test results. In view of the uncertain characteristics of concrete dams, a stochastic inverse model is proposed in this study to solve the undetermined mechanical parameters with sequential and spatial randomness using measured displacement data and Bayesian back analysis theory. An inversion method for the mechanical parameters of concrete dams is proposed. Fast Fourier transform algorithm is introduced to generate random fields for SFEM analysis. The case study shows that the proposed inversion method can reflect the random characteristics of concrete dams, the mechanical parameters obtained are reasonable, and the inverse model is feasible.
Formation Control for Multiple Quadrotor Aircraft via Fixed‐time Consensus Algorithm
Authors: Zhang Xiaohua , Gao Junli , Zhang Wenfeng , Zeng Tao , Ye Liping
Published: September 2019

This paper mainly studies the formation control problem of multiple quadrotor aircraft via fixed‐time control theory. First, based on the bilimit homogeneous theory and the framework of multiagent theory, for multiaircraft, a fixed‐time formation control strategy is proposed. Considering the external disturbance existing on the attitude loop of the aircraft, the corresponding fixed‐time disturbance observer is designed with the observer technology. Then, a fixed‐time attitude controller is designed based on the accurate observation and fast compensation from the disturbance observer. Finally, some simulations are performed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed theoretical method.
Wearable Technology for Detecting Significant Moments in Individuals with Dementia
Authors: Lai Kwan Chelsey , Mahdid Yacine , Motta Ochoa Rossio , Lee Keven , Park Melissa , Blain-Moraes Stefanie
Published: September 2019

The detection of significant moments can support the care of individuals with dementia by making visible what is most meaningful to them and maintaining a sense of interpersonal connection. We present a novel intelligent assistive technology (IAT) for the detection of significant moments based on patterns of physiological signal changes in individuals with dementia and their caregivers. The parameters of the IAT are tailored to each individual’s idiosyncratic physiological response patterns through an iterative process of incorporating subjective feedback on videos extracted from candidate significant moments identified through the IAT algorithm. The IAT was tested on three dyads (individual with dementia and their primary caregiver) during an eight-week movement program. Upon completion of the program, the IAT identified distinct, personal characteristics of physiological responsiveness in each participant. Tailored algorithms could detect moments of significance experienced by either member of the dyad with an agreement with subjective reports of 70%. These moments were constituted by both physical and emotional significances (e.g., experiences of pain or anxiety) and interpersonal significance (e.g., moments of heighted connection). We provide a freely available MATLAB toolbox with the IAT software in hopes that the assistive technology community can benefit from and contribute to these tools for understanding the subjective experiences of individuals with dementia.
Reliability Assessment for Very Few Failure Data and Weibull Distribution
Authors: Zhang Lulu , Jin Guang , You Yang
Published: September 2019

Only very few failure data can be obtained for the time censored test of high‐reliability and long‐life products. For very few failure data, the current methods fail to obtain both the point estimation and confidence interval of reliability parameters. If the point estimation and confidence interval of reliability parameters are obtained based on different methods, the results tend to be unreliable. In this study, based on the existing research, a Bayesian reliability evaluation method for very few failure data under the Weibull distribution was proposed. First, the range of failure probability was limited based on the convexity and self‐features of the Weibull distribution function. Second, based on the background of the sample with very few failure data, the pretest distribution function and parameters were set and solved. The point estimation and confidence interval model of failure probability based on the Bayesian formula was established. The improved match distribution curve method was used to compute both the point estimation and confidence interval of reliability parameters. Furthermore, by comparing the results of numerical examples, the calculation results obtained by the proposed method were verified as being very reasonable. Finally, taking wet friction plates as an example, the results showed the effectiveness of this method in engineering practice.
Comparisons of Two Typical Specialized Finite Element Programs for Mechanical Analysis of Cement Concrete Pavement
Authors: Gu Hanyan , Jiang Xin , Li Zhenkun , Yao Kang , Qiu Yanjun
Published: September 2019

The structural mechanics analysis of the Portland cement concrete pavement (PCCP) is considerably complicated and distinctive. From the application viewpoint, the capabilities and characteristics of two typical professional finite element software products, named KENSLABS and EverFE, are analyzed. The similarities and differences between these two programs are compared. The comparisons focus on some key factors of modeling and solution strategies, such as element type, meshing, traffic load and temperature curling, boundary conditions, and contact conditions. Based on one specific case example, the two software products were conducted to demonstrate their main functions. The research results clarify the performance of the two software products for structural analysis of cement concrete pavement and indicate each application conditions from their respective features, which can provide valuable references for software users and program developers.
Post Genome-Wide Gene–Environment Interaction Study Using Random Survival Forest: Insulin Resistance, Lifestyle Factors, and Colorectal Cancer Risk
Authors: Jung Su Yon , Papp Jeanette C. , Sobel Eric M. , Zhang Zuo-Feng
Published: September 2019

Molecular and genetic pathways of insulin resistance (IR) connecting colorectal cancer and obesity factors in postmenopausal women remain inconclusive. We examined the IR pathways on both genetic and phenotypic perspectives at the genome-wide level. We further constructed colorectal cancer risk profiles with the most predictive IR SNPs and lifestyle factors. In our earlier genome-wide association gene–environmental interaction study, we used data from a large cohort of postmenopausal women in the Women's Health Initiative Database for Genotypes and Phenotypes Study and identified 58 SNPs in relation to IR phenotypes. In this study, we evaluated the identified IR SNPs and selected 34 lifestyles for their association with colorectal cancer risk in a total of 11,078 women (including 736 women with colorectal cancer) using a 2-stage multimodal random survival forest analysis. In overall and subgroup (defined via body mass index, exercise, and dietary-fat intake) analyses, we identified 2 SNPs (LINC00460 rs1725459 and MTRR rs722025) and lifetime cumulative exposure to estrogen (oral contraceptive use) and cigarette smoking as the most common and strongest predictive markers for colorectal cancer risk across the analyses. The combinations of genetic and lifestyle factors had much greater impact on colorectal cancer risk than any individual risk factors, and a possible synergism existed to increase colorectal cancer risk in a gene-behavior dose-dependent manner. Our findings may inform research on the role of IR in the etiology of colorectal cancer and contribute to more accurate prediction of colorectal cancer risk, suggesting potential intervention strategies for women with specific genotypes and lifestyles to reduce their colorectal cancer risk.
Nutritional Complications and the Management of Patients with Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors
Authors: Laing Erin , Kiss Nicole , Michael Michael , Krishnasamy Meinir
Published: September 2019

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) have increased in incidence and prevalence over the past 2 decades and affect approximately 170,000 people in the United States alone. Gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) NETs (GEP NET) are a heterogeneous group of rare tumors that have distinct effects on the body due to their tumor location and potential to secrete hormones and peptides. Clinical practice guidelines and consensus guidelines for GEP NETs with regard to best practice for diagnosis, treatment, and medical management are available, but the supportive care needs and optimal nutritional management of patients affected by these unique tumors remain under-researched: evidence to guide clinical practice is lacking. The pathophysiology of the disease and its treatment can cause various symptoms that can have significant effects on vitamin synthesis and absorption, dietary habits, weight change, and appetite. Deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins and niacin exists amongst patients with GEP NET, particularly those on treatment with somatostatin analogs and with serotonin-secreting tumors, respectively. Malnutrition and dietary modification amongst patients with GEP NET is more prevalent than initially thought: up to 25% of inpatients with GEP NET are malnourished. Food intolerance is also reported in up to 40–90% of these patients, though its misdiagnosis is common. This review summarizes the evidence regarding the impact of GEP NET and its treatment on nutritional factors in these patients with emphasis on malnutrition, vitamin deficiencies, dietary intake, and quality of life. Recommendations for clinical practice and research approaches to address these nutritional issues are discussed.
Bone-inspired 3D printed structures for construction applications
Authors: Naboni Roberto , Kunic Anja
Published: September 2019

Overconsumption of resources is one of the greatest challenges of our century. The amount of material that is being extracted, harvested and consumed in the last decades is increasing tremendously. Building with new manufacturing technology, such as 3D Printing, is offering new perspectives in the way material is utilized sustainably within a construction. This paper describes a study on how to use Additive Manufacturing to support design logics inspired by the bone microstructure, in order to build materially efficient architecture. A process which entangles computational design methods, testing of 3D printed specimens, developments of prototypes is described. A cellular-based tectonic system with the capacity to vary and adapt to different loading conditions is presented as a viable approach to a material-efficient construction with Additive Manufacturing.
Claims of Equity and Expertise: Feminist Interventions in the Design of DIY Communities and Cultures
Authors: Foster Ellen K.
Published: September 2019

Using both interviews and participant observations, this article examines feminist design initiatives in hacker and maker cultures, unpacking their possible contribution to a world of more equitable digital technology development, use, and re(de)construction.
Mass Factory Housing: Design and Social Reform
Authors: Kostourou Fani
Published: September 2019

In the past, housing and homeownership have been used as media for social reform. This article looks at the socio-political agenda behind the birth of company towns and the role of architecture and urban design in shaping the social life of the inhabitants. The study examines Cité Ouvrière, a nineteenth-century mass factory settlement in Mulhouse (France), which provided workers with access to property. Through literature, archival, and design research, this article traces the incremental transformation of a uniform working-class housing scheme into an ethnically diverse and formally heterogeneous city quarter.
Neoplatonic Providence and Descent: a Test-Case from Proclus’ Alcibiades Commentary
Authors: Vasilakis D.A.
Published: September 2019

This article deals with the complex relation between providence and descent in Neoplatonism, with particular reference to Proclus and especially his Commentary on the First Alcibiades. At least according to this work, descent is only a species of providence, because there can be providence without any descent. Whereas the gods (for instance the Henads) provide for our cosmos without descending to it, a large group of souls provide for our cosmos by descending to it. The former kind of providence is better than the latter, even if it is necessary that souls descend in order to give existence to the beautiful cosmos. The following study deals with providence as descent, looking at it from two angles. In the first section I show that Proclus designates this form of providence in two rather surprising ways. One term he uses for it, which will be well known to readers of Plotinus, is τόλµα (audacity)—this despite the word’s negative connotations due to its Neopythagorean and Gnostic origin. A second name for descended providence is ἐπιστροφή (‘reversion’ or better ‘turning one’s attention’). Again, this may be surprising, since we usually expect this term to express the ‘turning back’ of a lower effect to its cause. In Proclus, the word ἐπιστροφή too can have negative connotations, but he also uses it in a positive way when applying it to providence. In the second part of the paper, I explain how Socrates’ providence for Alcibiades (as seen in the Alcibiades I) can be undefiled (i.e. unmixed), even if Socrates necessarily descends as he offers providential guidance. Proclus’ comparison of Socrates with Hercules, who went to the Underworld in order to save Theseus, serves as a positive illustration of Socrates’ divinelike providence, and marks the deficiency of Socrates (or Hercules as a ‘semi-god’) compared to the transcendent and undefiled providence of Neoplatonic divinities.
Improvement of fracture toughness and thermo-mechanical properties of carbon fiber/epoxy composites using polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane
Authors: Mishra Kunal , Babu Libin K , Vaidyanathan Ranji
Published: September 2019

The influence of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes–polyvinylpyrrolidone on the interlaminar fracture toughness of carbon fiber-reinforced composites (CFRPs) is investigated in this study. Baseline composite material is fabricated using novolac epoxy-infused carbon fiber prepreg. Glycidyl isobutyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (GI) is introduced in the CFRP at loading of 1, 3, 5, and 10 wt.% with respect to polyvinylpyrrolidone used as a compatibilizer. Results of the double cantilever beam test indicate an increase of 70% in interlaminar fracture toughness for 5 wt.% GI-POSS loading compared to the baseline composite. Scanning electron microscopy shows polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes enhanced the adhesion between fiber and the resin that leads to the fiber pull-out. Dynamic mechanical analysis result captures the reduction in the storage modulus with addition of polyvinylpyrrolidone due to the plasticization effect. Nonetheless, the introduction of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes increases the storage modulus for the GI/PVP composite. Additionally, an increase in the glass transition temperature with the reinforcement of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes is observed.
Physical properties and the ability to disperse into different polar solvents of the new polyurethane–cellulose composites
Authors: Oprea Stefan , Potolinca Violeta Otilia , Oprea Veronica
Published: September 2019

Novel castor oil (CO)-based polyurethane composites which include polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a polyol and cellulose fillers were prepared. The purpose of this article was to render polyurethane composites that can be dispersed in polar solvents (ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, and water) using bio-based feedstocks such as CO and cellulose. The chemical structures of the polyurethanes and their cellulose composites were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance of protons. The atomic force microscopy results showed the surface topography of the cellulose–polyurethane composites matrix. The inclusion of cellulose has been found to improve the thermal stability of the materials and their ability to disperse into the studied polar solvents. Cellulose along with PEG plays an important role in increasing the degree of moisture within the polyurethane composite matrix. Thus, we obtained solutions in polar solvents of polyurethane–cellulose composites without the use of waterborne polyurethanes.
The affective dynamics of reassurance-seeking in real-time interactions
Authors: Lord Kayla A. , Harkness Kate L. , Suvak Michael K. , Stewart Jeremy G.
Published: September 2019

According to several interpersonal theories of depression, excessive reassurance-seeking is one way depressed individuals may contribute to relationship deterioration, particularly in romantic relationships. The present study is the first behavioral investigation of the hypothesis that reassurance-seeking induces negative affect in interaction partners in real time. This study also investigates potential affective precursors to reassurance-seeking behaviors. A videotaped discussion task completed by 121 women and their male romantic partners was behaviorally coded to assess reassurance-seeking and affect in both members of the couple. Female depression was measured via self-report. Results indicated that the association between female reassurance-seeking and male partner’s subsequent anxiety approached statistical significance, but no other significant relations between reassurance-seeking and partner affect were found. Additionally, female anxious affect positively predicted subsequent reassurance-seeking, and depression symptoms moderated this relation. Unexpectedly, the relation between anxious affect and reassurance-seeking was stronger among women with less severe depression symptoms. Our findings support integrated and revised theories of reassurance-seeking and underscore the need to further investigate reassurance-seeking behavior in real-time interactions.
Chronic Inflammatory and Proliferative Lesions of the Gallbladder in Aged Pigs
Authors: Ushio Nanako , Chambers James K. , Watanabe Ken-ichi , Kishimoto Takuya E. , Shiga Takanori , Li Jun-You , Nakayama Hiroyuki , Uchida Kazuyuki
Published: September 2019

Primary epithelial tumors of the gallbladder are rarely reported in animals. In this study, 9 aged pigs (6–12 years old) were histopathologically examined for gallbladder proliferative lesions. At necropsy, a large gallstone occupied the lumen of the gallbladder of 3 pigs. Histopathological examination revealed chronic cholecystitis in all 9 pigs, mucosal hyperplasia in 2 pigs, adenoma in 1 pig, and adenocarcinoma in 2 pigs. Bacilli were detected in the gallbladder lumen of 6 pigs by Warthin-Starry stain. Mucosal hyperplasia, adenoma, and adenocarcinoma were characterized by papillary projections of the mucosa with occasional acinar structures. Tumor invasion of the surrounding tissue was observed in the cases of adenocarcinoma. On Alcian blue and periodic acid–Schiff double-stained sections, the acinar structure of gallbladder mucosa in chronic cholecystitis and mucosal hyperplasia was stained in a mosaic pattern, indicating pyloric gland metaplasia. The results of immunohistochemistry revealed a CD10-positive epithelial brush border and mucin (MUC) 2–positive goblet cells in chronic cholecystitis, adenoma, and adenocarcinomas, indicating intestinal metaplasia. Immunoreactivity of MUC5 AC and cytokeratin 19 was weaker in adenoma and adenocarcinomas compared with the normal and hyperplastic gallbladder mucosa. The number of p53-positive nuclei and the Ki-67 index were higher in adenocarcinomas compared with benign lesions. These results suggest that chronic cholecystitis associated with gallstones and/or bacterial infections may contribute to metaplastic changes and development of gallbladder tumors in aged pigs. Alteration of mucin, cytokeratin, and p53 profiles in gallbladder proliferative lesions in pigs were similar to that in humans, suggesting a common pathogenesis in tumor development.
History Presents to Our Clinic: One of the First Nipple Sparing Mastectomy Patients and One of the First Silicone Breast Reconstructions
Authors: Scarlett William L. , DuPree Beth B.
Published: September 2019

Nipple sparing mastectomies had almost no recorded relevance in the literature, until the early 1990s, regarding aesthetic surgical outcomes. Silicone-based breast implant surgery began to take place in the early 1960s as these prosthetics were developed by 2 plastic surgeons from Texas: Frank Gerow and Thomas Cronin. Dow Corning began large-scale manufacturing and the first reported case took place in 1962. Our patient, an 85-year-old woman, was seemingly a pioneer for both of these surgical treatments, as she underwent a prophylactic nipple-sparing mastectomy in 1959, followed by silicone implant placement in 1974. Almost 50 years later, her unusual presentation caused concern for breast cancer, however was implant rupture with silicone granuloma formation.
A novel engagement-pixel image edge tracking method for extracting gear tooth profile edge
Authors: Lu Jie , Cai Zhiqin , Yao Bin , Chen Binqiang
Published: September 2019

Accurate gear profile plays an important role in determining the transmission performance of gear-drive equipment. In this paper, a novel method for extracting gear tooth profile edge is presented. The presented method is based on engagement-pixel image edge tracking (EPIET) technique, and does not rely on the traditional meshing theory. An algorithm for the proposed method is put forward. Firstly, instantaneous contact images between the envelope curves of the gear profile and the instantaneous locus of the cutting tool are acquired. Secondly, pixels on the boundary of the envelope curves are lighted and the instantaneous locus coordinates of the cutting tool are calibrated. Lastly, the pixel coordinates of instantaneous meshing points are extracted, based on the fact that there is exactly one contact point per instant, and major error sources of the presented method are discussed. To verify the effectiveness of the presented method, a case study is conducted on a face gear, which is a type of complex conjugate gear, to extract its tooth profile edge. In the study, the tooth profile error and the contact line error are investigated. The results demonstrate that the presented method, without knowing complicated meshing equations, can acquire feasible accuracy and stability, compared with traditional meshing equations. It is shown that the novel method can be extended to applications of digital design of complex conjugate curved surfaces, in a simple and fast manner.
Safety and efficacy of human papillomavirus vaccination for people living with HIV: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhan Yongle , Liu Xuan , Feng Yahui , Wu Sansan , Jiang Yu
Published: September 2019

The current evidence regarding the safety and immunogenicity of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations for people living with HIV (PLWH) is unclear. We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases from inception to 23 November 2018. The pooled proportion, relative risk (RR) and the standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Twenty-four studies consisting of 7507 participants were identified. The pooled proportion of adverse events in HIV-infected vaccinees was 60% and the antibody seroconversion rates in HPV-6, -11, -16, -18 subtypes were all above 90%. When compared with the placebo groups, the risk of adverse events was not different except for the injection site reactions (RR: 2.63, 95% CI: 1.72–4.01, p < 0.001), and the level of CD4 was relatively lower (SMD: −0.17, 95% CI: −0.29 to −0.04, p = 0.01) in the HIV-positive vaccinees groups. When compared with HIV-negative vaccinees, the risk of adverse events was not different, but the pooled RR and SMD indicated that antibody seroconversion and geometric mean titer for HPV-18 in HIV-positive groups was lower (RR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.87–0.95, p < 0.001; SMD: −0.43, 95% CI: −0.62 to −0.24, p < 0.001). The study proves that HPV vaccine is safe and efficacious for PLWH and has important implications for international guidelines and strategies for HPV vaccination.
Dynamic analysis of a hydraulic motor drive with variable inertia flywheel
Authors: Kushwaha Prabhakar , Ghoshal Sanjoy K , Dasgupta Kabir
Published: September 2019

A flywheel is presented in this article, which can adaptively generate variable inertia in response to the application requirements in a hydraulic drive. The said flywheel consists of four sliders in the guide track of a host flywheel frame which change its position as the rotational speed of the flywheel varies. The varying distance between the slider and the center of rotation leads to a variable inertial mass. This passive inertial mass has a potential to reduce the speed fluctuations of the drive. A comparative study has been made on the effects of the variable inertia flywheel on the hydraulic motor speed fluctuations with that of the fixed inertia flywheel. In this respect, a bond graph model of the hydraulic motor drive with the variable inertia flywheel and the fixed inertia flywheel is developed to analyze their performances. The variable inertia generated by the variable inertia flywheel reduces the hydraulic motor speed fluctuations in response to the changes in the excitation inputs. The tests were conducted to validate the model for step change in speed of the hydraulic motor. The test results of the hydraulic motor speed response are found in good agreement with the predicted response. The proposed design of the flywheel reduces the peak speed of the hydraulic motor that enhances the reliability and performance of the drive.
The 7.2 ka climate event: Evidence from high-resolution stable isotopes and trace element records of stalagmite in Shuiming Cave, Chongqing, China
Authors: Feng Xiangxiang , Yang Yan , Cheng Hai , Zhao Jingyao , Kong Xinggong , Zhang Ping , He Zhili , Shi Xiao , Edwards R Lawrence
Published: September 2019

Speleothem records have radically changed our understanding of the paleo Asian monsoon (AM), but explanations for Asian summer monsoon (ASM) variations in the Holocene period are usually based on single proxy records, such as oxygen isotope (δ18O). The application of multi-proxy records to the study of the forcing mechanism and internal structure of climate events is more comprehensive and accurate in the analysis of paleoclimates than using single proxy records. Therefore, a multi-proxy speleothem record of weak ASM events in 8.0–7.0 BP from Chongqing, which showed a dry southwestern China during weak ASM episodes, was reported. The analysis of multi-proxy records of SMY2 stalagmite indicated that the beginning of the ‘7.2 ka event’ was at 7.29 ± 0.03 ka BP, and its culmination was at 7.1 ± 0.04 ka BP. Thus, this event lasted nearly 200 a, and the main drought period lasted 50 a. Power spectrum analysis showed a significant 61 a cycle signal during the study period in the δ18O record of SMY2, which coincided with the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation activity (AMOC) cycle. This study demonstrates that the ASM during 8.0–7.0 ka BP is strongly correlated with the changes in solar activity and also sensitive to the southward shift of Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and AMOC cycle.
Restoring T-helper 17 cell/regulatory T-cell balance and decreasing disease activity by rapamycin and all-trans retinoic acid in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Chu Y , Zhao C , Zhang B , Wang X , Wang Y , An J , Chen J
Published: September 2019

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the effect of rapamycin (RAPA) alone or in combination with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on the T-helper 17 (Th17) cell/regulatory T-cell (Treg) balance in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to evaluate the clinical efficacy.

Methods

Seventy patients with SLE were enrolled. They were randomly and equally divided into RAPA and RAPA + ATRA groups. The number of Th17 and Treg cells was measured by flow cytometry before and after treatment for 6, 12 and 24 weeks. The SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) score and the prednisone dose before and after treatment were used to evaluate the efficacy between the two groups.

Results

In both groups, at different time points after treatment, the number of Th17 cells ( p = 0.003) and Th17/Treg ratio ( p = 0.044) reduced, while the number of Treg cells ( p = 0.574) tended to increase. The SLEDAI score and the dose of prednisone decreased significantly ( p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the number of Th17 cells ( p = 0.089), Treg cells ( p = 0.059), Th17/Treg ratio ( p = 0.580), SLEDAI score ( p = 0.127) and the dose of prednisone ( p = 0.329) between the two groups.

Conclusion

Disease activity in SLE patients reduced with RAPA alone or in conjunction with ATRA, reducing glucocorticoid requirement. One of its mechanisms of action may be regulating the Th17/Treg cell balance, which provides a new model for the pathogenesis and potential treatment of SLE.
Klinefelter’s syndrome with systemic lupus erythematosus and atrial fibrillation
Authors: Lv J , Feng Y , Qian Y , Chen J J
Published: September 2019

We describe a 65-year-old man who presented with arthralgia, reduced body hair and gynecomastia. He showed severe pancytopaenia. Laboratory examination revealed high follicle-stimulating hormone, low testosterone and oestradiol, elevated antinuclear antibodies, anti-dsDNA and ESR levels, as well as low complement levels. An electrocardiogram showed atrial fibrillation. Computed tomography and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry showed pleural effusion and osteoporosis. Chromosome analysis revealed 47, XXY karyotype. The unifying diagnosis was therefore Klinefelter’s syndrome (KS) with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), with manifestations of pancytopaenia, atrial fibrillation, serositis and osteoporosis. After immunosuppressive therapy, his physical condition and pancytopaenia improved. Sex hormones and gene escape from X chromosome inactivation may contribute to the pathogenesis of SLE. Clinicians should consider autoimmune processes when patients with KS present with pancytopaenia or additional features of a systemic autoimmune disorder.
Good survival rates in systemic lupus erythematosus in southern Sweden, while the mortality rate remains increased compared with the population
Authors: Ingvarsson R F , Landgren A J , Bengtsson A A , Jönsen A
Published: September 2019

Objective

To ascertain the mortality rate and causes of death in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) within a defined region in southern Sweden during the time period 1981–2014 and determine whether these have changed over time.

Methods

In 1981, a prospective observation study of patients with SLE was initiated in southern Sweden. All incident SLE patients within a defined geographic area were identified using previously validated methods including diagnosis and immunology registers. Patients with a confirmed SLE diagnosis were then followed prospectively at the Department of Rheumatology in Lund. Clinical data was collected at regular visits. Patients were recruited from 1981 to 2006 and followed until 2014. The patient cohort was split into two groups based on the year of diagnosis to determine secular trends. Causes of death were retrieved from medical records and from the cause of death registry at The National Board of Health and Welfare in Sweden.

Results

In all, 175 patients were diagnosed with SLE during the study period. A total of 60 deaths occurred during a total of 3053 years of follow-up. In the first half of the study inclusion period 46 patients died, compared with 14 in the latter. The majority of patients (51.7%) died of cardiovascular disease. Infections caused 15% of the deaths and malignancy was the cause of death in 13.3% of patients. SLE was the main cause of death for 6.7% of the patients and a contributing factor for half of the patients. Standardized mortality ratio was increased in patients by a factor of 2.5 compared with the general population. Deaths occurred at an even rate throughout the whole observation period. No significant difference in standardized mortality ratio was observed between genders but was increased in older female patients. Furthermore, secular mortality trends were not identified.

Conclusions

In this long-term epidemiologic follow-up study of incident SLE, we report a substantially raised mortality rate amongst SLE patients compared with the general population. The mortality rates have not changed significantly during the observation period that spanned three decades. The main cause of death was cardiovascular disease and this finding was consistent over time.
Predicting Sexual Offenders’ Specialization/Versatility: The Role of Impulsivity and Moral Reasoning
Authors: Saramago Mariana A. , Cardoso Jorge , Leal Isabel
Published: September 2019

The main purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the predictive ability of impulsivity and moral reasoning on offending specialization/versatility. The latter was measured using the diversity index which calculates the amount of variation within an individual’s criminal history. The sample consisted of 88 individuals convicted of sexual offenses incarcerated in a Portuguese prison. Group comparisons and multiple linear regression analyses on untransformed and corrected versions of the diversity index were conducted. Overall, the different versions of the diversity index presented disparate results. Individuals were found to be generally alike, but those convicted of rape tended to be more versatile than those who molested extrafamilial children. Moral reasoning was the strongest predictor of offending specialization/versatility, while impulsivity was mostly not statistically significant. A better understanding of these predictors’ roles on offending specialization/versatility, as it relates to recidivism, is important to tailor successful interventions.
Respiratory Health Status of Rural Women Exposed to Liquefied Petroleum Gas and Solid Biomass Fuel Emissions
Authors: Kaur-Sidhu Maninder , Ravindra Khaiwal , Mor Suman , John Siby , Aggarwal Ashutosh N
Published: September 2019

Combustion of solid biomass fuel (SBF) releases a high concentration of airborne pollutants, resulting in household air pollution (HAP). HAP is considered as a leading risk factor for the development of various respiratory diseases. The increased exposure to HAP significantly affects the health of the vulnerable population, including the women, elderly, and children who stay indoors for most of the time. Considering this, self-reported respiratory health symptoms were assessed using a standard American Thoracic Society (ATS) questionnaire, whereas lung function capacity of women using SBF, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and mix fuels were assessed using a cross-sectional study design. Lung function capacity was examined with help of spirometry. Results suggest that compared with LPG users, SBF and mix fuel users had a relatively high prevalence of phlegm (25.7%), cough (54%), and eye irritation (74.3%). Use of SBF was found to be associated significantly with lower forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration (FEV1) values ( P < .01). The study concludes that women cooking with SBF and mix fuels have an impact on lung function and increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms. The findings suggest that women who cook using LPG have improved lung function and respiratory health status. Hence, it is suggested to increase the scope of clean fuel programmes such as Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) by identifying the barriers for the choice of clean fuel uses for household energy.
Towards a ‘pluralist’ world order: creative agency and legitimacy in global institutions
Authors: Macdonald Terry , Macdonald Kate
Published: September 2019

This article addresses the question of how we should understand the normative grounds of legitimacy in global governance institutions, given the social and organizational pluralism of the contemporary global political order. We argue that established normative accounts of legitimacy, underpinning both internationalist and cosmopolitan institutional models, are incompatible with real-world global social and organizational pluralism, insofar as they are articulated within the parameters of a ‘statist’ world order imaginary: this sees legitimacy as grounded in rational forms of political agency, exercised within ‘closed’ communities constituted by settled common interests and identities. To advance beyond these statist ideational constraints, we elaborate an alternative ‘pluralist’ world order imaginary: this sees legitimacy as partially grounded in creative forms of political agency, exercised in the constitution and ongoing transformation of a plurality of ‘open’ communities, with diverse and fluid interests and identities. Drawing on a case study analysis of political controversies surrounding the global governance of business and human rights, we argue that the pluralist imaginary illuminates how normative legitimacy in world politics can be strengthened by opening institutional mandates to contestation by multiple distinct collectives, even though doing so is incompatible with achieving a fully rationalized global institutional scheme.
Law as discursive resource: the politics of the nuclear/non-nuclear distinction in the Non-Proliferation Treaty
Authors: Hamidi Sidra
Published: September 2019

Realist approaches to international law conceptualize the law as epiphenomenal to state interest, whereas liberal institutionalist approaches theorize the ability of law to curb state power. Through the example of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, this article challenges these approaches by arguing that law’s power comes from its productive and constitutive effects. Despite perennial conflict, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons endures because it has ordered nuclear politics by constituting a legal distinction between “nuclear weapon states” and “non-nuclear weapon states.” Instead of assuming that this distinction reflects self-evident material differences, this article shows how states actively construct nuclear status through international law. The dynamics of this construction reflect significant actions on the behalf of conventionally disempowered states and not merely great powers. An analysis of the meeting documents of the Eighteen Nation Disarmament Committee finds that the participants used the forum to perform a burgeoning “non-nuclear” identity. The politics of this distinction also generated the discourse of “nuclear apartheid,” which was subsequently used by states outside the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons regime to justify their pursuit of nuclear weapons. Taken together, the role of non-nuclear diplomacy and the discourse of nuclear apartheid demonstrate that the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons does not simply endure because the powerful have sanctioned it, but because it created a space for the disempowered to expand their influence from below. Though the article builds on existing sociological approaches to the law, it also moves beyond conflicts over legal and textual interpretation to demonstrate the diplomatic practices around the constitution of legal categories.
Have you been exercising lately? Testing the role of past behavior on exercise adherence
Authors: Rodrigues Filipe , Teixeira Diogo S , Cid Luís , Monteiro Diogo
Published: September 2019

The purpose of this study was to test the effect of past behavior on future behavior, considering the motivational sequence proposed by the self-determination theory. The total sample was formed by 293 exercisers aged between 18 and 65 ( M = 36.57 ±  SD = 11.25) years. Participants completed a multi-section survey of motivational, emotional and cognitive-related variables, and exercise adherence was measured using computer records. Past behavior was found to offset the direct effect of intention on future behavior and the indirect effect of all other variables under analysis on intention, acting as a “buffer” variable for experienced gym members.
‘What a skewed sense of values’: Discussing PreP in the British press
Authors: Mowlabocus Sharif
Published: September 2019

In this article I examine the public discussion of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in the UK and investigate how this treatment and its key beneficiaries were framed by the British press between 2012 and 2016. Drawing upon an archive of articles published in national newspapers, I identify the discursive transformation that PrEP underwent during this period, as it moved from being a ‘wonder drug’ that benefited the health of the general population, to a ‘promiscuity pill’ that threatened the lives of the most vulnerable. I illustrate how this transformation was accompanied by a shift in the representation of gay men – who were almost universally positioned as the future beneficiaries of PrEP in the UK. Utilizing critical discourse analysis methods, I explore how gay men went from being ‘upstanding citizens’ to ‘dangerous outsiders’, and how the British press mapped older stereotypes of the diseased gay male body onto newer homonormative representations of the ‘good gay’ and the ‘evil queer’. This analysis reveals the precarious status gay men occupy in ‘post-equalities’ Britain – a status that requires adherence to a particular code of sexual and moral conduct, and the disavowal of long-term health inequalities.
Making biased but better predictions: The trade-offs strategists face when they learn and use heuristics
Authors: Ehrig Timo , Schmidt Jens
Published: September 2019

The heuristics strategists use to make predictions about key decision variables are often learned from only a small sample of observations, which leads to a risk of inappropriate generalization when strategists misjudge regularities. Building on the statistical learning literature, we show how strategists can mitigate this risk. Strategies to learn heuristics that accept a bias, that is, a systematic deviation of predictions from actual outcomes, can outperform unbiased strategies because they can reduce the variance component of prediction error: the degree to which random fluctuations in observational data are inappropriately generalized. We demonstrate how strategists who are aware of the trade-off between bias and variance can learn heuristics more effectively if they are also aware of the relevant characteristics of their learning environment. We discuss the implications of our results for our understanding of heuristics, (dynamic) capabilities, and managerial cognitive capabilities, and we outline opportunities for empirical work.
Short Take: Story-mapping Experiences
Authors: Molden Olivia C.
Published: September 2019

This short take presents story-mapping as a research technique that incorporates multiple methods and data sources to build visual narratives of individual and collective experiences. The goals of story-mapping are the following: (1) iteratively synthesize the collection, analysis, and representation of spatial, visual, and textual information as a narrative; (2) enable meaningful participation of research participants; and (3) generate a visually compelling product that facilitates dissemination. This article details the motivation, methods, and procedures for story-mapping based on research from Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley, which investigated the water-related practices, feelings, and observations of people who secure water for their families.
A synergetic strategy of automobile intelligent cruise system based on fuzzy control adopting hierarchical structure
Authors: Chen Xue-Wen , Zhou Yue , Zhang Jin-guo , Wang Zhi-feng
Published: September 2019

To improve automobile travel safety and relieve the intension of driving fatigue, a synergetic strategy on the throttle and brake combined control of automobile cruise system is proposed based on fuzzy control theory. A hierarchical control structure, including the upper fuzzy controller and the lower model match controller, is designed for integrated control function. The upper controller consists of the two input variables, that is, the deviation of the theoretical safe distance and the relative distance and the relative velocity between the host car and the preceding vehicle, and the single output variable, that is, the excepted acceleration of host car. The lower controller has achieved the fast compensation of excepted acceleration by adopting parallel feedforward and feedback compensator to input into the inverse dynamics model of automobile cruise system. Using MATLAB/Simulink, the control function on the proposed synergetic strategy is validated for different working cases. The results show that the synergetic strategy possesses an integrated capability involved automated stop & go control, and following the preceding car to prevent rear-end collision, and the constant velocity cruise whether the driving conditions of the city road or expressway.
Operational risk modeling based on operational data fusion for multi-state manufacturing systems
Authors: Zhao Yixiao , He Yihai , Liu Fengdi , Han Xiao , Zhang Anqi , Zhou Di , Li Yao
Published: September 2019

Predictive health analysis and diagnostics are essential functional elements of “Smart Manufacturing,” but existing studies are mostly limited to discrete manufacturing equipment without a holistic analysis on the entire system health state. In consideration of the enhancement of risk control in production quality management advocated in ISO 9001:2015, modeling and monitoring the risk during operation are the core aspects and bottlenecks for achieving prognostics. Therefore, a novel holistic operational risk modeling approach for discrete manufacturing systems is proposed by fusing the operational data to quantify the risk-oriented operational performance systematically. First, the connotation of operational risk is expounded and associated with system operational mechanism and mission reliability connotation. Second, a modeling foundation is proposed on the basis of quantifying machine, task execution and work-in-process quality from mission reliability framework in accordance with the operational data characteristics and properties. Third, operational risk evaluation is conducted using the above indicators, where reasonable aggregation of three indicators is performed by fuzzy evidence theory and the risk levels are determined. Finally, a case study is conducted to illustrate the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed approach.