bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mass of Bodies, Body as a Mass: The Other of the Other in Jean-Luc Nancy
Authors: Jakešová Markéta
Published: May 2020

This paper aims to explore and expand Jean-Luc Nancy’s notion of the body as a mass as he drafted it in his “On the Soul” lecture. He conceptualizes the soul as the (however minimal) reflection of the fact that we have (or we are) a body, thus the conception of the body as a mass may offer possibilities to think the body outside or prior to this reflection. In the article, I expand on three types of bodies. The first of these possibilities is an abstracted body Nancy ascribed to St. Augustine, a body which has been criticized by feminist scholars like Judith Butler. The second one is a hypothetical pre-body proposed by the object-oriented philosopher Graham Harman that may have existed before the actual body emerges. The last one is the disintegrated rotting body in two different contexts: European baroque imagery and asubha kammaṭṭhāna, a Thai meditational practice. All three types of bodies-as-a-mass are legitimate conceptualizations of what Nancy indicates. However, the mass quality is the very nonconceptuality, which is therefore the ultimate outcome that I had to reach.
A Report on the Special Executive Committee Meeting of the International Association for the History of Religions in Delphi
Authors: Wiebe Don
Published: May 2020

This essay is a report on the IAHR’s Extended Executive Committee meeting in Delphi (13-15 September 2019), and a critical account of its decision, formulated prior to that meeting, to reject the IAHR’s long-standing remit to support a scientific study of religion and religions. It is also a warning that insisting the IAHR be open to considering moral, social, political, spiritual or other cultural ideals will dismantle the only academic association committed to a scientific study of religions, transforming the IAHR into a weak, international version of the American Academy of Religion.
Xiqu in the Philippines: From Church Suppression to MegaMall Shows
Authors: Stenberg (石峻山) Josh
Published: May 2020

Evidence of xiqu (“Chinese opera”) in the Philippines begins in the early 16th century, when the Catholic church sought to suppress it. Despite its longevity, Philippine xiqu has not featured much in the multidisciplinary study of ethnic Chinese in the Philippines, nor as part of the global turn in xiqu research. This article, attending to the history and contemporary practice of xiqu, situates the Philippines and especially Manila firmly in the Hokkien network of Chinese theatre, especially in the period between the late nineteenth century and World War II. The Philippines were, and remain today, an important node in xiqu dissemination, transfer, and transnational evolution, as well as an integral part of the culture of the Chinese in the Philippines. The Philippine case helps break down fundamental linguistic, ethnic, and religious equations surrounding xiqu, given the genre’s syncretism, ethnic ambiguity, and non-Chinese language environment.
Land Transaction and Its Impact on Society and Economy in Imperial China: An Exchange with “Dian and the System of Land-Rights Transaction under the Qing” by Long Denggao et al.
Authors: Lin Gang
Published: May 2020

This article challenges the view that land transactions in China from the Song to the late Qing periods became increasingly marketized and effective in resource allocation. In traditional China, the land was never a commodity in the ordinary sense; it served as the very basic means of survival and production for peasants while functioning as the most critical determinant shaping the sustainability of the environment for the survival of humankind. Neither market transactions nor any means external or internal to the state were effective enough in regulating either the total demand or the total supply of the land in China and alleviating the tension in man-to-land relations. Land transactions in imperial China were very different by nature and in terms of their social and economic impact from the received wisdom in Western economic theories, which assumes the decisive roles of supply and demand in shaping market prices and the patterns of production in the commodity economy.
The Evolution and Dynamics of Managerial Economic Activities of Peasant Families: Ding County since the Republican Era
Authors: Zheng Qingpo
Published: May 2020

While the overall pattern of peasant economic activities in Ding county has remained largely unchanged since the Republican years, in which farming as the major source of income was supplemented with sidelines, this article finds constant changes in the ways in which this pattern continues and in the nature of supplementary sidelines. Specifically, there have been four types of peasant households: completely farming; farming combined with sidelines; non-farming combined with sidelines; completely non-farming, with the “combined households” being the dominant type and undergoing a transition from the farming-based to the non-farming-based. The farming household-based managerial pattern currently remains and will continue to be an optimal choice in the long run.
The State, Village Communities, and Peasants: The “Third Realm” in Socialist China
Authors: Gui Hua
Published: May 2020

Unlike past studies that have focused on the economic issues about rural collectives, this article reexamines the economic management of rural collectives by paying attention to both their economic and political attributes. Because of the land reform and the rebuilding of grassroots social structures under the leadership of the CCP, the intermediary organization connecting the state and the rural population underwent a transition from village/lineage communities (“the enlarged private”) to rural collectives (“the enlarged public”), hence the transformation of the “third realm” from the private to the public spheres at the grassroots level. The reform era since the 1980s, however, has witnessed the dual weakening of both the “enlarged private” and the “reduced public” in the third realm because of reforms in rural management and land systems. The “two-in-one” formation of state-society relations will be maintained in rural governance in the next two or three decades, which necessitates the reconstruction of the rural governance system through the rebuilding of the collective economy.
Collective Autonomy and the Politicization of the Land: The Practices of the Land System under Rural Collective Ownership
Authors: Du Peng
Published: May 2020

This article explores the process and mechanism of the politicization of the land in order to understand the operational logic of the collective land system and the deep structure of the rural political order. The actual process of land politics functions to facilitate the political integration of rural communities and reshape the mode of resource allocation between the state and the rural population. While the politicization of the land manifests the autonomy of rural collective organizations, the rights-based attributes of the land function to undermine the autonomy and disrupt the political links among the state, the collective, and rural residents, hence the depoliticization of the land. The effective governance of rural society entails more room for experiments in the rural collective land system.
Morphology of immature stages of Pyrearinus pumilus (Candèze, 1863 (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Pyrophorini): the click beetle responsible for the luminous canga caves in the state of Pará, Brazil
Authors: ROSA SIMONE POLICENA , MARIANO RAONE DOS REIS , VIVIANI VADIM R. , COSTA CLEIDE
Published: May 2020

The Pyrearinus pumilus species group from South America includes luminescent click beetles (Agrypninae: Pyrophorini) associated with the phenomena of “luminescent termite mounds” and “luminous canga caves”. The latter was recently reported in the state of Pará, Brazil. This group includes six species based on the morphology of adults, of which two have immature stages already described. In this work we present the morphology and biological aspects of mature larva and pupa of Pyrearinus pumilus (Candèze, 1863), from the canga caves. Moreover, we provide a key and illustrations for identification of male adults and the known larvae. Our study shows that: (1) morphological characters of immatures support the close relationship of P. pumilus with their allies in the P. pumilus species group; (2) the traits of the known larvae of the P. pumilus species group are reliable for species identification.
Two new species of Megarthrus (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Proteininae) from Mexican Cloud Forests
Authors: RODRÍGUEZ WILLIAM DAVID , NAVARRETE-HEREDIA JOSÉ L. , ARRIAGA-VARELA EMMANUEL , CUCCODORO GIULIO
Published: May 2020

Two new species of Megarthrus are described from cloud forests of the Mexican state of Veracruz: M. cavianae Rodríguez, Navarrete-Heredia & Arriaga-Varela sp. nov., and Chiapas:  M. chiapas Cuccodoro sp. nov. They differ from the two hitherto known Mexican species M. altivagans Bernhauer, 1929, and M. alatorreorum Rodríguez & Navarrete-Heredia, 2015, both from temperate forests of the Transmexican Volcanic Belt, by having synapomorphic features of the M. inaequalis-supergroup of species. This lineage includes all the Central and South American members of the genus, with the inclusion of these species, the distribution of the group is extend by more than 5 degree of latitude to the North. Within this lineage, the two new species share a very peculiar morphology of the male abdominal sternite VIII found elsewhere in the genus only in M. flavosignatus Bierig, 1940, and M. zunilensis Sharp, 1887, with which they form the M. zunilensis-group of species defined here.
Xenicola brauni sp. n., a new katydid species (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae:
Phaneropterinae) from the Atlantic Forest, southeastern Brazil
Authors: FIANCO MARCOS , ENGELKING PHILLIP WATZKE , FARIA LUIZ R. R.
Published: May 2020

A new species of Xenicola Uvarov, 1940 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae), X. brauni sp. n., is described from the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil. Morphological comparisons with all other known species of Xenicola are presented and discussed. This is the first record of Xenicola in southeastern Brazil, and is also the northernmost record of the genus within the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.
Verifying Operational Forecasts of Land–Sea-Breeze and Boundary Layer Mixing Processes
Authors: Short Ewan
Published: May 2020

Forecasters working for Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) produce a 7-day forecast in two key steps: first they choose a model guidance dataset to base the forecast on, and then they use graphical software to manually edit these data. Two types of edits are commonly made to the wind fields that aim to improve how the influences of boundary layer mixing and land–sea-breeze processes are represented in the forecast. In this study the diurnally varying component of the BoM’s official wind forecast is compared with that of station observations and unedited model guidance datasets. Coastal locations across Australia over June, July, and August 2018 are considered, with data aggregated over three spatial scales. The edited forecast produces a lower mean absolute error than model guidance at the coarsest spatial scale (over 50 000 km2), and achieves lower seasonal biases over all spatial scales. However, the edited forecast only reduces errors or biases at particular times and locations, and rarely produces lower errors or biases than all model guidance products simultaneously. To better understand physical reasons for biases in the mean diurnal wind cycles, modified ellipses are fitted to the seasonally averaged diurnal wind temporal hodographs. Biases in the official forecast diurnal cycle vary with location for multiple reasons, including biases in the directions that sea breezes approach coastlines, amplitude biases, and disagreement in the relative contribution of sea-breeze and boundary layer mixing processes to the mean diurnal cycle.
Implications of John Kavanaugh’s Philosophy of the Human Person as Embodied Reflexive Consciousness for Conscientious Decision-making in Brain Death
Authors: Eble Joseph
Published: May 2020

This article reviews the work of Fr. John F. Kavanaugh, SJ (1941–2012), on the human person as embodied reflexive consciousness (RC). It then analyzes the implications of his work for the subject of brain death. Case studies are reviewed which suggest that RC persists unchanged in the setting of substantial brain trauma. RC is posited as an immaterial endowment, rather than a material phenomenon, which is fully present so long as a person is alive and becomes absent when a person is truly dead. As the endowment which makes possible ethical action and is common to all human persons, RC becomes the foundation of human equality. Empirically ascertaining the presence or absence of RC may not be possible—its demonstration may be precluded by physical immaturity or damage. Therefore, until the human person (and not only the brain) has wholly and irreversibly died, RC should be assumed to be present. The current criteria for brain death are incapable of ensuring that the entire brain has permanently and irreversibly ceased to function. Therefore, RC may still be present in those whose organs are harvested after meeting the criteria for brain death. As such, a human person would still be present, albeit a wounded human person. Based on this, a healthcare provider could (and likely should) in good conscience oppose the use of brain death criteria for purposes of harvesting vital organs. On a societal level, utilizing brain death criteria to declare a person dead has the potential in any given case to violate the dead donor rule, and as such conflicts with the widely held moral consensus that organs should only be harvested from those who are dead. Healthcare providers should advocate for medicolegal frameworks consistent with their informed consciences.
‘Peasants are peasants’: Prejudice against displaced villagers in newly-built urban neighbourhoods in China
Authors: Du Huimin , Song Jing , Li Si-ming
Published: May 2020

This article explores contemporary prejudice against displaced villagers in urban China, drawing on a project on urban sprawl in Yinchuan where rural villages are absorbed into the urban area. The research demonstrates that media discourses about chaiqian baofahu and suzhi that stigmatise displaced villagers are being actively reproduced in everyday life in newly built urban neighbourhoods. Urbanites’ prejudice against displaced villagers can be viewed as, on the one hand, a result of the feelings of relative deprivation from unfavourable comparisons with displaced villagers, while on the other hand, a response to maintain a positive ingroup identity – in this case, an urban and ‘civilised’ way of life. The article then examines the effectiveness of contact as a means for reducing prejudice, and reveals that intergroup contact in urban neighbourhoods does not necessarily create mutual understanding and trust. The article highlights the structural causes of prejudice and concludes by arguing for social transformation to challenge and reduce prejudice.
‘Firing cannons to kill mosquitoes’: Controlling ‘virtual streets’ and the ‘image of the state’ in Bangladesh
Authors: Lacy Mark , Mookherjee Nayanika
Published: May 2020

This article examines the historical, social and political legacies of the Information and Communication Technology Act (ICT Act) (2006–2018, amended in 2013) and the Digital Security Act (DSA) (2018–) in the Bangladeshi state’s attempt to control the ‘virtual streets’ of Bangladesh. The application of ICT and DSA has become an increasingly visible and controversial means to provide the spectacle of a state that extends disciplinary power and governmentality into proliferating online spaces—akin to ‘firing cannons to kill mosquitoes’. We use the lens of Tim Mitchell’s structural-effect (1991, The American Political Science Review 85(1), 77–96) to understand the state beyond the frameworks of its salience or elusiveness, arguing that the criminalisation of online speech has enabled the creation of ‘digital vigilantes’ who are predominantly the powerful, the sycophants, and the multitude of attention seekers who are driven by their personal contestations and ambitions. The legal outcomes, however, have been more ambiguous and uncertain—but the effect is to produce fear as an ‘environment’ (Virilio 2012, The Administration of Fear. Cambridge, MA, The MIT Press) through frozen/suspended charges with the potential to be redeployed in different contexts.
Emphasize Aging: Teaching Lifespan Developmental Psychology From an Intersectional Perspective
Authors: Keener Emily
Published: May 2020

Instructors of lifespan developmental psychology courses are faced with the impossible task of covering the entire lifespan. As such, aging can get neglected. The current paper advocates for approaches that emphasize aging throughout the course. One way to emphasize aging in lifespan courses is to approach the course from an intersectional perspective. Intersectionality advocates for simultaneous consideration of multiply marginalized people. Encouraging intersectional discussions of developmental topics will enrich course discussions and students will develop the habit of critically evaluating the material. Indeed, intersectional perspectives are critical in nature. Simply examining the generalizability of concepts to intersecting subgroups leaves out examination of interlocking systems of oppression and topics of disadvantage and privilege. As such, the current paper provides suggestions for questioning whether developmental concepts and theories are complicit with forces of oppression and domination of older adults.
Atorvastatin protects against postoperative neurocognitive disorder via a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma signaling pathway in mice
Authors: Yang Yinan , Wei Changwei , Liu Jinhu , Ma Danxu , Xiong Chao , Lin Dandan , Wu Anshi
Published: May 2020

Objective

Postoperative neurocognitive disorder (PND) is a main complication that is commonly seen postoperatively in elderly patients. The underlying mechanism remains unclear, although neuroinflammation has been increasingly observed in PND. Atorvastatin is a pleiotropic agent with proven anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we investigated the effects of atorvastatin on a PND mouse model after peripheral surgery.

Material and methods

The mice were randomized into five groups. The PND models were established, and an open field test and fear condition test were performed. Hippocampal inflammatory cytokine expression was determined using ELISA. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) expression in the hippocampus was tested using qRT-PCR and western blot analysis.

Results

On day 1 after surgery, inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6 showed a significant increase in the hippocampus, with prominent cognitive impairment. Atorvastatin treatment improved cognitive function in the mouse model, attenuated neuroinflammation, and increased PPARγ expression in the hippocampus. However, treatment with the PPARγ antagonist GW9662 partially reversed the protective effects of atorvastatin.

Conclusions

These results indicated that atorvastatin improves several hippocampal functions and alleviates inflammation in PND mice after surgery, probably through a PPARγ-involved signaling pathway.
Use of Long Term Pavement Performance-Seasonal Monitoring Program Data to Develop and Validate a Generalized Regression Model to Predict the In-Situ Resilient Modulus of Subgrade Soils for Pavement Design and Evaluation
Authors: Elshaer Mohamed , DeCarlo Christopher , Lein Wade , Pandya Harshdutta , Ali Ayman , Mehta Yusuf
Published: May 2020

Resilient modulus (Mr) is a critical input for pavement design as it is the main property used to evaluate the contribution of subgrade to the overall pavement structure. Considering this, practitioners need simple and accurate ways to determine the Mr of in-situ subgrade without the need for expensive and time-consuming testing. The objective of this study is to develop a generalized regression prediction model for in-situ Mr of subgrades, compare it with established prediction models, and assess the model’s predictions on pavement performance using the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (Pavement ME). The prediction model was built using field data from 30 pavement sections studied in the Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) Seasonal Monitoring Program where backcalculated modulus from falling weight deflectometer testing, in-situ moisture contents, and subgrade material properties were considered in the model. Based on the results, it was found that liquid limit, plasticity index, WPI (the product of percent passing #200 and plasticity index), percent coarse sand, percent fine sand, percent silt, percent clay, moisture content, and their respective interactions were significant predictors of in-situ Mr values. The findings showed that the generalized regression approach was able to predict Mr more accurately than predictions from the Witczak model. To assess the application of the predictive model on pavement performance, three LTPP sections located in New York, South Dakota, and Texas were analyzed to predict the rutting performance based on Mr values obtained from the developed generalized prediction model and those obtained from the current Pavement ME model and then compared with rut depths measured in the field. The findings showed that, for coarse-grained subgrades that have a low degree of plasticity, the generalized regression model predicted rutting performance similar to the embedded Pavement ME model. For fine-grained subgrades, the developed model tends to predict lower rut depths which were closer to the field measured rut depths. Overall, the generalized regression approach was successfully applied to create a simple, practical, cost-effective and accurate Mr prediction model that can be used to estimate the stiffness of subgrades when designing and evaluating pavements.
Contextual Bandit-Based Sequential Transit Route Design under Demand Uncertainty
Authors: Yoon Gyugeun , Chow Joseph Y. J.
Published: May 2020

While public transit network design has a wide literature, the study of line planning and route generation under uncertainty is not so well covered. Such uncertainty is present in planning for emerging transit technologies or operating models in which demand data is largely unavailable to make predictions on. In such circumstances, this paper proposes a sequential route generation process in which an operator periodically expands the route set and receives ridership feedback. Using this sensor loop, a reinforcement learning-based route generation methodology is proposed to support line planning for emerging technologies. The method makes use of contextual bandit problems to explore different routes to invest in while optimizing the operating cost or demand served. Two experiments are conducted. They (1) prove that the algorithm is better than random choice; and (2) show good performance with a gap of 3.7% relative to a heuristic solution to an oracle policy.
How a Social Network Profile Affects Employers’ Impressions of the Candidate: An Application of Norm Evaluation
Authors: Rui Jian Raymond
Published: May 2020

Employers have used social network sites (SNSs) to screen job candidates. However, the mechanism by which SNS posts shape employers’ impressions of the candidates is unclear in previous research. Two studies were conducted to examine how employers develop impressions of job candidates by evaluating their SNS profile against perceived organizational and societal injunctive norms (perceived organizational injunctive norms [POINs] and perceived societal injunctive norms [PSINs], respectively), through a 2 (SNS profile type: alcohol-free vs. alcohol-included) × 2 (industry: Catholic school vs. information technology [IT]) × 2 (gender-role perceptions based on candidate’s sex: male vs. female) between-subjects experiment design. Findings contribute to the scholarship on impression formation via SNSs by showing that individuals develop their impressions by evaluating how much the target SNS profile aligns with POINs. Specifically, an alcohol-included Facebook profile violated POINs and PSINs more than an alcohol-free profile. In addition, both studies found that the interaction effect between the profile and the industry on the extent to which the SNS profile aligned with POINs and PSINs was significantly different for the male and female candidate. This research offers practical implications about how to manage professional self-presentation on SNSs.
A unified relaxed approach easing the practical application of a paradox in curved beams
Authors: Abdalla HMA , Casagrande D , Strozzi A
Published: May 2020

The paper deals with an arising paradox in curved beams subjected to bending moment and normal force. This paradox consists in the fact that by laterally removing material from section zones close to the neutral axis, not only an obvious reduction of the beam mass can be obtained, but also an unexpected, though technically negligible, reduction of the bending stress. It has recently been shown that the relaxation of the demanding achievement of a concurrent mass and stress reduction may practically lead to interesting results, yet solvable numerically. In this paper we show that, under some mild assumptions, a remarkable simplification of the intrados stress functional is obtained. Hence, a unified approximate mathematical approach based on linearization is developed for the derivation of analytical closed-form solutions for the lateral grooved zones. A practical example of the application of the relaxed paradox to optimize a crane hook subjected to bending and normal force is illustrated and compared to finite element forecasts.
Data Quality of Chinese Surveillance of COVID-19: Objective Analysis Based on WHO’s Situation Reports
Authors: Idrovo Alvaro Javier , Manrique-Hernández Edgar Fabián
Published: May 2020

Was there quality in the Chinese epidemiological surveillance system during the COVID-19 pandemic? Using data of World Health Organization’s situation reports (until situation report 55), an objective analysis was realized to answer this important question. Fulfillment of Benford’s law (first digit law) is a rapid tool to suggest good data quality. Results suggest that China had an acceptable quality in its epidemiological surveillance system. Furthermore, more detailed and complete analyses could complement the evaluation of the Chinese surveillance system.
Knowing Kids Makes a Huge Difference, Part I: Exploring the Principal–Student Relationship
Authors: Kudlats Jamie , Brown Kathleen M.
Published: May 2020

Teacher–student relationships (TSRs) have important implications for building trust, motivation, and engagement and improving both behavior and academic achievement. What about students’ relationships with principals? Given the scarcity of literature on the PSR, research on the TSR was used to buttress the findings from this empirical study of the PSR to describe more nuanced implications and deeper understandings of the influence and impact principals have on students and vice versa. This work resulted in a two-part series. Part I, included in this issue, focuses heavily on the literature review and detailed findings of the study. Part II, included in a forthcoming issue, embeds the study results more firmly within theoretical underpinnings and extends them toward establishing a new conceptual framework for the PSR and a new dimension of scholarship on effective school leadership. Qualitative narrative inquiry was chosen as the methodological approach. Interviews with four principals and three of their former students along with observations of each principal provided the data set. Findings from Part I, reveal nine dominant themes indicating that the PSR is a primary consideration for many principals not only for the personal satisfaction of interacting with students but also because of the belief that the relationships significantly contribute to principals’ ability to effectively meet their many responsibilities. Part I findings, which expose some of the challenges and complications in developing healthy PSRs, were then integrated with the synthesis of the existing literature in order to briefly propose a new framework for exploring the phenomenon.
Calculation of the critical delay for the double inverted pendulum
Authors: Molnar Csenge A , Balogh Tamas , Boussaada Islam , Insperger Tamas
Published: May 2020

Single and double inverted pendulum systems subjected to delayed state feedback are analyzed in terms of stabilizability. The maximum (critical) delay that allows a stable closed-loop system is determined via the multiplicity-induced-dominancy property of the characteristic roots, that is the dominant (rightmost) roots are associated with higher multiplicity under certain conditions of the system parameters. Other methods such as tracking the changes of the D-curves with increasing delay and the Walton–Marshall method are also demonstrated for the example of the single pendulum. For the double inverted pendulum subjected to full state feedback, the number of control gains is four, and application of numerical methods requires therefore high computational effort (i.e. optimization in a four-dimensional space). It is shown that, with the multiplicity-induced-dominancy–based approach, the critical delay and the associated control gains can be determined directly using the characteristic equation and its derivatives.
Differentiation and De-differentiation: The Evolving Power Dynamics Between News Industry and Tech Industry
Authors: Wang Qun
Published: May 2020

This essay proposes a new theoretical framework, the differentiation/de-differentiation framework, to help understand the evolving power dynamics between news industry and tech industry from institutional, relational, and dialectical perspectives. This study examines two waves of de-differentiation and two waves of differentiation between the two sectors and investigates the driving forces behind these changing trends. The proposed framework in this study makes contributions to a better understanding of the dynamics, complexities, and future trends in the changing media and tech environment.
The impact of teleneurologists on acute stroke care at an advanced primary stroke centre
Authors: Gutovitz Scott , Leggett Jonathan , Hart Leslie , Leaman Samuel M , James Heather , Stillinger Toni
Published: May 2020

Introduction

We evaluated the impact of teleneurologists on the time to initiating acute stroke care versus traditional bedside neurologists at an advanced stroke center.

Methods

This observational study evaluated time to treatment for acute stroke patients at a single hospital, certified as an advanced primary stroke centre, with thrombectomy capabilities. Consecutive stroke alert patients between 1 March, 2016 and 31 March, 2018 were divided into two groups based on their neurology consultation service (bedside neurology: 1 March, 2016–28 February, 2017; teleneurology: 1 April, 2017–31 March, 2018). Door-to-tPA time and door-to-IR time for mechanical thrombectomy were compared between the two groups.

Results

Nine hundred and fifty-nine stroke patients met the inclusion criteria (436 bedside neurology, 523 teleneurology patients). There were no significant differences in sex, age, or stroke final diagnosis between groups ( p > 0.05). 85 bedside neurology patients received tPA and 35 had mechanical thrombectomy, 84 and 44 for the teleneurology group respectively. Door-to-tPA time (median (IQR)) was significantly higher among teleneurology (64 min (51.5–83.5)) than bedside neurology patients (45 min (34–69); p < 0.0001). There was no difference in door-to-IR times (mean ± SD) between bedside neurology (87.2 ± 33.3 min) and teleneurology (90.4 ± 33.4 min; p = 0.67).

Discussion

At this facility, our teleneurology services vendor was associated with a statistically significant delay in tPA administration compared with bedside neurologists. There was no difference in door-to-IR times. Delays in tPA administration make it harder to meet acute stroke care guidelines and could worsen patient outcomes.
Time delay stability analysis for vibration suppression of a smart cantilever beam with hysteresis property
Authors: Zhang Ting , Li Hong Guang , Cai Guo Ping
Published: May 2020

A stability analysis for a smart beam with an adaptive controller is presented in the paper when considering the time delay phenomenon. With the Lagrange equation and the assumed modes method, a dynamical model is constructed to describe the hysteresis nonlinearity of the smart beam. By simulation and experiment, the nonlinear model is proved effectively using the strain response near the root of the beam when the piezoelectric actuator is applied on with a chirp voltage. Based on the dynamical model, a stability analysis method is proposed with an eigenmatrix in the discrete control system. Through some simulation verifications, it is concluded that a proper time delay will be useful to improve the stability of the smart beam with an adaptive controller. Furthermore, it is verified by the experiments that the free vibration amplitude of the smart beam with an artificial time delay 0.05 s is smaller compared with that at no time delay.
Dynamic brake characteristics of disc brake during emergency braking of the kilometer deep coal mine hoist
Authors: Wang Dagang , Wang Ruixin , Zhang Jun
Published: May 2020

Dynamic brake characteristics of disc brake during emergency braking of the kilometer deep coal mine hoist were investigated in the present study. The theoretical model of dynamic brake torque of disc brake during emergency braking was given to explore dynamic brake torque properties of disc brake. The three-dimensional thermo-mechanical coupled finite element model of brake disc–brake shoe was established to explore thermo-mechanical characteristics of disc brake during emergency braking. Effects of effective mass, hoisting acceleration and deceleration, and maximum hoisting speed on dynamic brake torques, equivalent von Mises stress, and temperature fields of disc brake during emergency braking were presented. The results show that the evolutions of brake torque, equivalent stress, and temperature of disc brake present fluctuating characteristics. The dynamic brake torque shows the largest change amplitude during emergency braking in the hoisting stage of constant speed. The largest equivalent stress and temperature are both located near the third brake shoe along the rotational direction at each side. An increase in effective mass causes overall decreases in the peak values of brake torque, equivalent stress, and temperature during emergency braking. Increases in hoisting acceleration/deceleration and maximum hoisting speed cause the increases in the maximum equivalent stress and temperature during emergency braking as compared to the slight decrease in the maximum brake torque.
Early and late outcomes of endovascular aneurysm repair to treat abdominal aortic aneurysm compared between severe and non-severe infrarenal neck angulation
Authors: Chinsakchai Khamin , Suksusilp Pichawat , Wongwanit Chumpol , Hongku Kiattisak , Hahtapornsawan Suteekhanit , Puangpunngam Nattawut , Moll Frans L , Sermsathanasawadi Nuttawut , Ruangsetakit Chanean , Mutirangura Pramook
Published: May 2020

Background

Abdominal aortic aneurysm with severe infrarenal neck angle (>60°) has long been thought to be an obstacle to endovascular aneurysm repair. However, some previous studies reported endovascular aneurysm repair to be safe and efficacious for treating abdominal aortic aneurysm in patients with severe neck angulation. The aim of this study was to investigate the early and late outcomes of endovascular aneurysm repair to treat abdominal aortic aneurysm compared between patients with severe and non-severe infrarenal neck angulation.

Methods

Fifty-four severe and 144 non-severe neck angulation patients who were treated at Siriraj Hospital (Bangkok, Thailand) during January 2010–October 2013 were recruited. The primary endpoints were intraoperative neck complications (e.g., type 1A endoleak or proximal graft migration) and immediate adjunct aortic neck procedures. The secondary endpoints included perioperative mortality, overall survival, and the proportion of patients that were reintervention-free at five years compared between the severe and non-severe groups.

Results

Severe angulation patients were significantly older than non-severe angulation patients (77 ± 6.3 vs. 74 ± 7.9 years; p =  0.021). The median proximal angle was significantly greater in the severe group (82° vs. 13.5°; p <  0.001). Intraoperative proximal neck complications developed in 29.6% of patients in the severe angulation group compared with 9.0% in the non-severe group ( p <  0.001). Significantly more patients in the severe group required intraoperative adjunct procedures (29.6% vs. 7.6%; p <  0.001). There was no significant difference in perioperative mortality between groups. At the five-year follow-up, there was no significant difference between groups for overall survival or the proportion of patients that remained reintervention-free.

Conclusions

Endovascular aneurysm repair to treat abdominal aortic aneurysm in patients with severe proximal neck angulation is technically feasible and safe Although the severe angulation group had a higher rate of intraoperative neck complications and immediate adjunct neck procedures than the non-severe group, there was no significant difference between groups for 30-day mortality, overall survival or the proportion of patients who remained reintervention-free at five years.
Propulsive efficiency of alternative underwater flykick techniques for swimmers
Authors: Phillips Christopher WG , Forrester Alexander IJ , Hudson Dominic A , Turnock Stephen R
Published: May 2020

Analysis of video and speed data is used to evaluate the efficiency of human underwater flykick. The authors show that by coupling Lighthill’s theory of fish locomotion with human musculoskeletal modelling, it is possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the mechanical and hydrodynamic propulsive components of human underwater flykick. This allows the effect of subtle variances in technique to be assessed by measurement of athlete motion alone. This is demonstrated in an experimental case study of an elite athlete performing two different techniques; one more knee-based or thunniform, and the second more undulatory or carangiform/anguilliform. In finding the mean kinematics of each technique, it is first shown that maintaining stroke-by-stroke consistency of technique leads to an increase in propulsive efficiency. It is further demonstrated that in changing technique, an athlete may swim at the same kick rate but have different propulsive efficiency. This demonstrates the need to determine the energy cost in order to evaluate differing techniques. For the sprint athlete in this case study, it was shown to be more effective to swim with a thunniform technique when at higher velocities and a more anguilliform at lower velocities.
Ongoing Trust and Tourism O2O Platform Continuance: A Two-Trustee Involved Model With Moderating Variable
Authors: Zhang Xinxiang
Published: May 2020

Continuous use is critical for the survival and success of any tourism online-to-offline (O2O) platforms. Much prior research has focused on initial trust on initial adoption of e-commerce websites but pays less attention to the effect of ongoing trust on continuous use. This study presents an integrated model, including two categories of ongoing trust to test their contributions on tourism O2O platform continuance. It also examines their different antecedents, impacts, and the interactions between them. Drawn from a web-based survey with 418 responses, empirical results show that ongoing trust in O2O platforms positively influence platform continuance, whereas ongoing trust in offline destinations positively influence ongoing trust in platforms. Confirmations of expected product and service quality are significant to ongoing trust in destinations, but confirmation of expected convenience is not. Confirmations of expected platform quality, specific guarantees, and loyalty program benefits are significant to ongoing trust in platforms. In addition, the antecedents and effects of ongoing trust in platforms are different between experienced and less-experienced customers. These findings have useful implications on how academics and practitioners work together to ensure the sustainable development of their tourism O2O businesses.
Evaluation of the Efficacy of Different Remineralizing Agents on Artificial Early Enamel Lesions of Primary Teeth: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Gümüş Hüsniye , Aydınbelge Mustafa , Sönmez Hayriye
Published: May 2020

Aim:

To analyze the remineralization efficacy of casein phosphopeptide–amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP–ACP) and 8% arginine on artificial early enamel lesions on primary teeth enamel samples.

Materials and Methods:

In this in vitro study, artificial enamel lesions were created in 120 primary teeth. Teeth were randomly divided into 5 groups: group C: CPP–ACP paste; group CF: CPP–ACPF paste with 900 ppm flour; group A: paste with 8% arginine; group K+: 500 ppm NaF as a positive control; and group K–: deionized water as a negative control. After 4 weeks of the remineralization process, the effect of remineralization on samples of agents used the microhardness, atomic force microscope, and scanning electron microscope analyses. Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 20.0, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). ANOVA and Tukey Post-Hoc multiple comparison test were applied ( p < .05).

Results:

Increasing percentage values of the microhardness at groups C, CF, and A were significantly better than group K– ( p < .05), whereas there is no statistically significant difference with group K+ ( p > .05). The average surface roughness values of groups C and CF were similar with group K+ in AFM analysis, whereas average surface roughness values of group A were significantly higher than K+ group.

Conclusion:

The CPP–ACP, CPP–ACPF, and arginine are effective agents for remineralization of early childhood caries lesions.
Uremia Preventing Osmotic Demyelination Syndrome Despite Rapid Hyponatremia Correction
Authors: Annangi Srinadh , Nutalapati Snigdha , Naramala Srikanth , Yarra Pradeep , Bashir Khalid
Published: May 2020

Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte abnormality encountered both in the inpatient and outpatient clinical settings in the United States. Rapid correction leads to a deranged cerebral osmotic gradient causing osmotic demyelination syndrome. Coexisting azotemia is considered to be protective against osmotic demyelination syndrome owing to its counteractive effect on osmolarity change that occurs with rapid hyponatremia correction. In this article, we report the case of a 37-year-old male who presented with altered mentation, acute azotemia, and severe electrolyte derangements, with serum blood urea nitrogen 160 mg/dL, creatinine 8.4 mg/dL, sodium 107 mEq/L, potassium 6.1 mEq/L, bicarbonate 7 mEq/L, and anion gap of 33. Given refractory hyperkalemia with electrocardiogram changes, emergent dialysis was performed. Despite our efforts to avoid rapid correction, serum sodium was corrected to 124 mEq/L and blood urea nitrogen decreased to 87 mg/dL at the end of the 5-hour dialysis session. Fortunately, hospital course and 4-week post-discharge clinic follow-ups were uncomplicated with no neurological sequela confirmed by neurological examination and magnetic resonance imaging.
A Faculty Development Graduate Medical Education Retreat to Teach and Address Social Determinants of Health
Authors: Martinez Johanna , Fornari Alice , VanHuse Venice , Fried Ethan , Uwemedimo Omolara T , Kim Eun Ji , Conigliaro Joseph , Yacht Andrew C
Published: May 2020

Background:

Social determinants of health (SDH) account for a large percentage of health outcomes. Therefore, ensuring providers can address SDH is paramount yet curricula in this area is limited.

Aim:

The authors aimed to raise awareness, identify learning opportunities, foster positive attitudes, and equip educators to implement SDH curriculum.

Setting and participants:

This retreat occurred at a large academic institution and had over 130 participants who represented 56 distinct training programs and over 20 disciplines.

Program description:

The retreat was titled “Social Determinants of Health: Walking in Your Patients’ Shoes.” The retreat was holistic and used a multidimensional approach that included traditional learning, team-based learning, reflective practice, and prompted action.

Program evaluation:

The evaluation of this retreat included electronic surveys and both qualitative and quantitative data. The retreat’s quality and effectiveness at improving participants’ knowledge and skill in addressing SDH was highly rated and resulted in numerous programs, including surgical and subspecialty programs reporting adopting SDH curricular and clinical workflow changes.

Discussion:

The retreat was successful and reached a wide and diverse set of faculty educators and can serve as an education model to the graduate medical education community on how to start to develop “physician-citizens.”
Actin/microtubule crosstalk during platelet biogenesis in mice is critically regulated by Twinfilin1 and Cofilin1
Authors: Becker Isabelle C. , Scheller Inga , Wackerbarth Lou M. , Beck Sarah , Heib Tobias , Aurbach Katja , Manukjan Georgi , Gross Carina , Spindler Markus , Nagy Zoltan , Witke Walter , Lappalainen Pekka , Bender Markus , Schulze Harald , Pleines Irina , Nieswandt Bernhard
Published: May 2020

Rearrangements of the microtubule (MT) and actin cytoskeleton are pivotal for platelet biogenesis. Hence, defects in actin- or MT-regulatory proteins are associated with platelet disorders in humans and mice. Previous studies in mice revealed that loss of the actin-depolymerizing factor homology (ADF-H) protein Cofilin1 (Cof1) in megakaryocytes (MKs) results in a moderate macrothrombocytopenia but normal MK numbers, whereas deficiency in another ADF-H protein, Twinfilin1 (Twf1), does not affect platelet production or function. However, recent studies in yeast have indicated a critical synergism between Twf1 and Cof1 in the regulation of actin dynamics. We therefore investigated platelet biogenesis and function in mice lacking both Twf1 and Cof1 in the MK lineage. In contrast to single deficiency in either protein, Twf1/Cof1 double deficiency (DKO) resulted in a severe macrothrombocytopenia and dramatically increased MK numbers in bone marrow and spleen. DKO MKs exhibited defective proplatelet formation in vitro and in vivo as well as impaired spreading and altered assembly of podosome-like structures on collagen and fibrinogen in vitro. These defects were associated with aberrant F-actin accumulation and, remarkably, the formation of hyperstable MT, which appears to be caused by dysregulation of the actin- and MT-binding proteins mDia1 and adenomatous polyposis coli. Surprisingly, the mild functional defects described for Cof1-deficient platelets were only slightly aggravated in DKO platelets suggesting that both proteins are largely dispensable for platelet function in the peripheral blood. In summary, these findings reveal critical redundant functions of Cof1 and Twf1 in ensuring balanced actin/microtubule crosstalk during thrombopoiesis in mice and possibly humans.