bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thermosetting polymers in cold sintering: The fabrication of ZnO‐polydimethylsiloxane composites
Authors: Ndayishimiye Arnaud , Grady Zane A. , Tsuji Kosuke , Wang Ke , Bang Sun Hwi , Randall Clive A.
Published: January 2020

This study reports the fabrication of the first ceramics‐thermosetting polymer composites by the cold sintering process, for high ceramic volume fractions (v/v >95%). The (1 − x) ZnO − x polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composites, with 0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.05, were cold sintered at 250°C, 320 MPa for 60 minutes. In situ densification studies conducted with the help of a semi‐automated press revealed that the mechanisms driving the densification of the material changes with the polymer content. Relative densities of the (1 − x) ZnO − x PDMS composites (0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.05) were above 90%. Impedance spectroscopy of the composites yields insight into the ceramic‐polymer interfaces within the sintered ZnO bulk and suggests long‐range conduction governed by ZnO‐PDMS interface properties for x = 0.03 and x = 0.05. The study also emphasizes on the complexities and opportunities of such ceramic‐dominated ceramic‐polymer composites.
SPS‐assisted synthesis of InGaO3(ZnO)m ceramics, and influence of m on the band gap and the thermal conductivity
Authors: Préaud Sébastien , Byl Céline , Brisset François , Berardan David
Published: January 2020

In this study, we report on the use of a two‐stage annealing treatment at 1100°C coupled to reactive Spark Plasma Sintering to reduce the synthesis temperature of InGaO3(ZnO)m (m = 1 to 9) dense polycrystalline pellets below 1200°C, in order to suppress the volatilization of ZnO and get a better control of the crystalline quality of the pellets. We show that using this treatment, dense single‐phase pellets can be prepared with randomly oriented grains. Besides, we evidence a monotonic evolution of the band gap in the series from 3.27 eV in InGaO3(ZnO) to 3.02 eV in InGaO3(ZnO)9, as well as a non‐monotonic evolution of the lattice thermal conductivity that reaches a minimum for InGaO3(ZnO)3, lower than 2 W m−1 K−1 above 350°C. Last, we propose a procedure for the high‐temperature measurement of the thermal diffusivity of oxides by the laser flash method to avoid possible reactions between the measured material and the graphite spray.
Estimation of litter size variability phenotypes in Large White sows
Authors: Dobrzański Jan , Mulder Han A. , Knol Egbert F. , Szwaczkowski Tomasz , Sell‐Kubiak Ewa
Published: January 2020

The objective of this study was to obtain new phenotypes of phenotypic variability for the total number born (TNB) in pigs using the residual variance of TNB. The analysis was based on 246,799 Large White litter observations provided by Topigs Norsvin. Three animal models were used to obtain estimates of residual variance for TNB: the basic model (BM) containing fixed effects of farm–year and season and random effects of animal and permanent environmental sow, the basic model with an additional fixed effect of parity (BMP) and a random regression model (RRM). The within‐individual variance of the residuals was calculated and log‐transformed to obtain three new variability traits: LnVarBM, LnVarBMP and LnVarRRM. Then, (co)variance components, heritability, the genetic coefficient of variation at the standard deviation level (GCVSDe) and genetic correlations between the three LnVar's and between the LnVar's and mean total number born (mTNB) were estimated with uni‐, bi‐ and trivariate models. Results indicated that genetically LnVar's are the same trait and are positively correlated with the mTNB (~0.60). Thus, both traits should be included in breeding programmes to avoid an increase in TNB variability while selecting for increased TNB. Heritability of the LnVar's was estimated at 0.021. The GCVSDe for LnVar's showed that a change of 8% in residual standard deviation of TNB could be obtained per generation. Those results indicate that phenotypic variability of litter size is under genetic control, thus it may be improved by selection.
Infant domestic adoption: outcomes at mid‐life
Authors: Sehmi Rukmen , Rushton Alan , Pickles Andrew , Grant Margaret , Maughan Barbara
Published: January 2020

Background

Adoption studies can cast light on environmental influences on development, but heterogeneity in preplacement experiences often complicates interpretation of findings.

Methods

We studied infant‐adopted samples drawn from the 1958 and 1970 British birth cohorts and examined mental health, well‐being, physical health and externalizing outcomes at mid‐life. Outcomes for adopted cohort members were compared with those of (a) individuals raised in two biological parent families (‘general population’ comparisons) and (b) birth comparison groups of other nonadopted children from similar circumstances at birth.

Results

In both cohorts, to‐be‐adopted children shared early characteristics in common with birth comparison children, but were placed in more socially advantaged adoptive homes. Followed to mid‐life, there were few group differences on indicators of physical health or psychological well‐being. Levels of psychological distress were comparable in the adopted and general population samples in both cohorts, and more favourable than in the birth comparison groups among women in the 1958 cohort; more beneficial childhood family circumstances contributed to these differences. Rates of adult externalizing outcomes were comparable in the adopted and birth comparison groups in both cohorts, and higher than in the general population samples; indicators of maternal and prenatal exposures contributed to these differences.

Conclusions

Rearing in adoptive homes may provide protective effects in relation to internalizing problems but may not be as protective in relation to externalizing outcomes.
Comparative transcriptome analysis of Locusta migratoria tibetensis Chen (Orthoptera: Oedipodidae) under high‐ and low‐temperature stress
Authors: Ran Lu‐yao , Jiang Chun‐xian , Yang Qun‐fang , Wang Hai‐jian , Bai ma Tun‐zhu , Chen Li , Kuang Jian‐kang , Huang Ting‐ting , Li Qing
Published: January 2020

The endemic locust species on the Tibetan plateau, Locusta migratoria tibetensis Chen can grow and breed successfully under the plateau temperature environment. This study explored the molecular response process of Tibetan locusts to high and low temperatures by comparing its transcriptome under different temperature conditions. A total of 66,256 unigenes were obtained through RNA‐Seq, among which 30,051 were successfully annotated. In detail, there were 778 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at high temperatures and 1,787 DEGs at low temperatures. Under high temperatures, the metabolic pathways of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids and amino acids were up‐regulated, producing a significant amount of fatty acids and amino acids. However, under low temperatures, the chitinase activity was enhanced, causing chitin to decompose into small sugar molecules. Meanwhile, various sugar metabolism pathways were up‐regulated when a significant amount of small sugar molecules were produced. Then, large quantities of alpha‐linolenic acid and arachidonic acid were accumulated to maintain the normal physiological functions of cells. The analysis of annotated genes revealed that heat shock proteins (Hsp) were associated with the response to temperature stress, and mainly involved in the synthesis and transportation of proteins, preventing protein damage and the decomposition of damaged proteins. These results provide a basis for the further understanding of the adaptation mechanism of Tibetan locusts to high and low temperatures, laying a foundation for further understanding the adaptability of Tibetan locusts on Tibetan plateaus.
Influence of cecotrophy on fat metabolism mediated by caecal microorganisms in New Zealand white rabbits
Authors: Li Ruiting , Li Xiuling , Huang Tao , Wang Yadong , Xue Mingming , Sun Shuaijie , Yan Duo , Song Guohua , Sun Guirong , Li Ming
Published: January 2020

Cecotrophy is a special behaviour of rabbits. Eating soft faeces can improve feed efficiency and maintain gut flora in rabbits. In our previous study, we found that fasting from soft faeces significantly reduced growth rate and total cholesterol (TC) in New Zealand white rabbits (NZW rabbits), thereby resulting in lower values for body weight and fat deposition in the soft faeces fasting group than in the control group. However, it has not been demonstrated whether cecotrophy by NZW rabbits can regulate lipid metabolism by changing the diversity of caecal microorganisms. In this study, thirty‐six 28‐day‐old weaned NZW female rabbits were randomly divided into two groups (the soft faeces fasting group and the control group) and fed to 90 days. Rabbits in the experimental group were treated with an Elizabeth circle to prevent them from eating their soft faeces. Then, the caecal contents of three rabbits from the soft faeces fasting group and three rabbits from the control group were collected for metagenomic sequencing. We found that the abundance of Bacteroides increased, while Ruminococcus decreased, compared with the control group after fasting from soft faeces. Relative abundance was depressed for genes related to metabolic pathways such as ascorbate and aldarate metabolism, riboflavin metabolism and bile secretion. Moreover, there was a general correlation between variation in microbial diversity and fat deposition. Bacteroides affects body weight and TC by participating in the riboflavin metabolism pathway. By investigating the effect of cecotrophy on caecal microorganisms of rabbits, we identified the key microorganisms that regulate the rapid growth performance of NZW rabbits, which may provide useful reference for the future research and development of microecological preparations for NZW rabbits.
Aortic sinus aneurysm communicating with the main pulmonary artery, and a concurrent patent ductus arteriosus, in a dog
Authors: Love B. A. , Thierry F. , Schwarz T. , Martinez‐Pereira Y. , Culshaw G. J.
Published: January 2020

This is the first report of an aortic sinus aneurysm with a communication to the main pulmonary artery, resulting in left‐to‐right shunting, diagnosed in vivo in a dog. There was also a second left‐to‐right shunt through a patent ductus arteriosus. Computed tomography (CT) angiography was used to confirm both congenital anomalies and assess the relative contributions of the two left‐to‐right shunts to left‐sided volume overload.
Ecological health assessment of the Ousteri wetland in India through synthesizing remote sensing and inventory data
Authors: Irfan Zareena Begum , Ling Venkatachalam , Shan Jayakumar
Published: January 2020

Ousteri Lake is one of the important wetlands in India, harbouring many different types of flora and providing a suitable habitat for many different fauna, being declared as a sanctuary in October 2008. The National Wetland Conservation Program of Ministry of Environment and Forests identified Ousteri Lake as a nationally important wetland, and the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) named it an Important Bird Area (IBA). The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) also has identified this lake as a heritage site. The present study examined the state of environment in and around the Ousteri wetland, assessing the probable threats to the lake and its ecological environs. Ousteri Lake supports diverse rich and rare flora and fauna. Because of its extreme hydrological fluctuations over the annual cycle, the lake exhibits interesting patterns of flora and fauna. The north‐east monsoons leave the lake flooded during the winter months, while the scorching summers leave it totally dry. Ousteri Lake had been primarily used as a tank for irrigation purposes, with ~2,000 acres being cultivated. The main crop is paddy, and the only subsidiary is sugar cane. The natural vegetation, significantly altered by human activities, consists of over 220 species belonging to 63 families. The vegetation study conducted earlier have reported a total of 472 plant species, with the herbs being 40% of this total, followed by trees (21%). Other life forms in the lake are represented by less than 100 species. Ousteri Lake and its environs also provide a wide variety of habitat for many floral species, with 190 species being listed as least concern, 23 species as near threatened and 24 species as vulnerable, according to the IUCN Red List. About 14 floral species are being categorized as endemic. Further, about 202 fauna are listed as least concern, 13 species as near threatened, two species as vulnerable, three species as endangered and one as critically endangered. Moreover, five species are in an endemic category.
Tracking pollution and its sources in the catchment‐lake system of major waterbodies in Kazakhstan
Authors: Krupa Elena , Barinova Sophia , Aubakirova Moldir
Published: January 2020

The objective of the present study was to identify the sources and routes of entry of heavy metals and nutrients into several large waterbodies in the arid zone of Kazakhstan, namely Lake Balkhash and Samarkan and Shardara reservoirs. A data visualization method was used for this purpose. Statistical mapping, based on referencing coordinates of the material selection points, was performed with the Statistics 12.0 program. Matching statistical maps with the waterbody contours was performed in Adobe Photoshop. Maps of the spatial distribution of heavy metals (cadmium, nickel, cobalt, lead, zinc and copper) and nutrients were constructed for all three study waterbodies. Data visualization clearly illustrated the relationship between the distribution of pollutants in the study waterbodies, as well as the sources of anthropogenic pollution. Based on the mapping exercise, it was established that Cu and Zn entered the waterbodies mainly in agricultural waste waters, while Cd, Ni, Co, Pb and partly Zn entered the waterbodies mainly in industrial and surface run‐off. Nutrients enter the waterbodies mainly in river and municipal waters. The constructed maps demonstrate the role of the constant flow in the distribution of pollutants in the waters of Lake Balkhash. The results also indicate that statistical mapping is an effective tool for identifying the sources and routes of pollutant entry into waterbodies. The imposition of statistical maps on the contours of waterbodies of concern provides a mapping method allowing for more visually compelling data and information for a wide circle of users and managers.
The effect of a combined intervention on exclusive breastfeeding in primiparas: A randomised controlled trial
Authors: Puharić Drita , Malički Mario , Borovac Josip Anđelo , Šparac Vladimir , Poljak Boris , Aračić Nađa , Marinović Nero , Luetić Nives , Zakarija‐Grković Irena
Published: January 2020

An antenatal/postnatal intervention involving proactive telephone support and written materials was conducted among primiparas. Four hundred women, from the Split‐Dalmatia County, Croatia, were randomized between November 2013 and December 2016 into three groups: intervention (IG), active control (ACG) and standard care (SCG). Primary outcome was exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) at 3 months. Secondary outcomes included breastfeeding difficulties, attitudes towards infant feeding, breastfeeding self‐efficacy and social support. Practice staff were blinded to group allocation. Of 400 women, 45 (11%) were lost to follow‐up, and final analyses were conducted on 129 (IG), 103 (ACG) and 123 (SCG) participants. EBF rates at 3 months were significantly higher for the IG (odds ratio [OR] 4.6, 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.7 to 8.1; EBF 81%) as well as at 6 months (OR 15.7, 95% CI, 9.1 to 27.1; EBF 64%) compared with SCG (EBF 47% at 3 months and 3% at 6 months). Higher rates were also observed for the ACG at 3 months (OR 2.2, 95% CI, 1.3 to 3.8, EBF 68%) and 6 months (OR 2.3, 95% CI, 1.4 to 3.9, EBF 16%). Participants in the IG had the highest increase in positive attitudes towards infant feeding, in comparison to baseline, and significantly higher breastfeeding self‐efficacy. Participants in SCG experienced significantly more breastfeeding difficulties, both at 3 and 6 months, in comparison to AC and IGs. Written breastfeeding materials and proactive telephone support among primiparas are an effective means of increasing breastfeeding rates, decreasing breastfeeding difficulties and improving self‐efficacy and attitudes towards infant feeding.
Health problems among breast cancer survivors after completing conventional treatments: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Chumdaeng Sureeporn , Soivong Pratum , Sethabouppha Hunsa , Chontawan Ratanawadee
Published: January 2020

This cross‐sectional design study aimed to explore health problems among breast cancer survivors after completing conventional treatments. Purposive sampling was adopted to recruit 160 breast cancer survivors from a regional tertiary care hospital and hospital with a specialist cancer center in southern Thailand. STROBE checklist of items for cross‐sectional studies is applied to report the study. Five most frequent, severe, and distressing symptoms faced in the first 3 years after cancer treatment were reported as numbness to the affected side, difficulty sleeping, fatigue, pain, and skin changes. Almost half of the participants reported symptoms indicating a definite diagnosis of anxiety, and nearly 70% of them rated themselves as borderline depressed or depressed. Approximately 50% of participants reported no change in their relationships with significant people, and about 60% of them reported a high‐level fear of recurrence. Symptom frequency, severity, and distress were positively associated with anxiety, depression, and menopausal symptoms, while relationship changes were negatively associated with menopausal symptoms, anxiety, and depression. Support and information for these women are required after active treatment has ceased to deal with ongoing symptoms.
Molecular oxygen as a signaling component in plant development
Authors: Weits Daan A. , van Dongen Joost T. , Licausi Francesco
Published: January 2020

While traditionally hypoxia has been studied as a detrimental component of flooding stress, the last decade has flourished with studies reporting the involvement of molecular oxygen availability in plant developmental processes. Moreover, proliferating and undifferentiated cells from different plant tissues were found to reside in endogenously generated hypoxic niches. Thus, stress‐associated acute hypoxia may be distinguished from constitutively generated chronic hypoxia. The Cys/Arg branch of the N‐degron pathway assumes a central role in integrating oxygen levels resulting in proteolysis of transcriptional regulators that control different aspects of plant growth and development. As a target of this pathway, group VII of the Ethylene Response Factor (ERF‐VII) family has emerged as a hub for the integration of oxygen dynamics in root development and during seedling establishment. Additionally, vegetative shoot meristem activity and reproductive transition were recently associated with oxygen availability via two novel substrates of the N‐degron pathways: VERNALISATION 2 (VRN2) and LITTLE ZIPPER 2 (ZPR2). Together, these observations support roles for molecular oxygen as a signalling molecule in plant development, as well as in essential metabolic reactions. Here, we review recent findings regarding oxygen‐regulated development, and discuss outstanding questions that spring from these discoveries.
A new look at the cognitive neuroscience of video game play
Authors: Dale Gillian , Joessel Augustin , Bavelier Daphne , Green C. Shawn
Published: January 2020

A growing body of literature has investigated the effects of playing video games on brain function and behavior. One key takeaway from this literature has been that not all entertainment video games are created equal with respect to their effects on cognitive functioning. The majority of the research to date has contrasted the cognitive impact of playing first‐ or third‐person shooter games (together dubbed “action video games”) against the effects of playing other game types. Indeed, when the research began in the late 1990s, action video games placed a load upon the perceptual, attentional, and cognitive systems in a manner not seen in other video games. However, the video game industry has shifted dramatically over the intervening years. In particular, first‐ and third‐person shooter games are no longer unique in the extent to which they load upon cognitive abilities. Instead, a host of other game genres appear to place similar degrees of load upon these systems. This state of affairs calls for a paradigm shift in the way that the cognitive neuroscience field examines the impact of video game play on cognitive skills and their neural mediators—a shift that is only just now slowly occurring.
Integrating naloxone education into an undergraduate nursing course: Developing partnerships with a local department of health
Authors: Carter Gregory , Caudill Penny
Published: January 2020

Background

Substance misuse continues to be a significant concern in the United States, with over 700,000 lives lost from a drug overdose between 1999 and 2017. However, nursing curricula have failed to keep pace with the epidemic.

Methods

The current study used a pre‐post study design and involved a convenience sample of undergraduate nursing students (n = 37) enrolled in a community health nursing course. Students completed an 11‐item online survey examining naloxone stigma, naloxone self‐efficacy, and naloxone knowledge. A paired sample t test was conducted to evaluate the impact of the in‐person training and education event.

Results

There was a statistically significant increase in post‐intervention naloxone knowledge scores from the pre‐survey (M = 3.57, SD = 0.959) to the post‐survey (M = 4.70, SD = 0.520). Stigma toward naloxone demonstrated a statistically significant increase in the post‐intervention stigma survey (M = 9.00, SD = 1.312) compared with the pre‐intervention stigma survey (M = 7.78, SD = 2.228). Naloxone self‐efficacy also demonstrated a statistically significant increase in the post‐intervention naloxone efficacy survey (M = 10.08, SD = 1.064) compared with the pre‐intervention naloxone efficacy scores (M = 7.38, SD = 2.22).

Conclusions

The students’ scores demonstrated a significant increase in naloxone knowledge, self‐efficacy, and stigma. Future research is needed to explore the impact of integrating naloxone education in the undergraduate nursing curriculum.
A broad diversity survey of Rhizoctonia species from the Brazilian Amazon reveals the prevalence of R. solani AG‐1 IA on signal grass and the new record of AG‐1 IF on cowpea and soybeans
Authors: Chavarro‐Mesa Edisson , Ceresini Paulo , Pereira Danilo , Vicentini Samara , Silva Tatiane , Ramos‐Molina Lina , Negrisoli Matheus , Schurt Daniel , Vieira Júnior José R.
Published: January 2020

Leaf blight, sheath blight, and web blight are major diseases caused by Rhizoctonia species on both Fabaceae and Poaceae plant hosts in the Brazilian Amazon agroecosystem. To determine the diversity of Rhizoctonia species associated with foliar diseases on fabaceous (cowpea and soybean) and poaceous (rice and signal grass [Urochloa brizantha]) hosts, a broad survey was conducted in Pará, Rondônia, Roraima, and Mato Grosso, in the Amazon, from 2012 to 2013. We extended our survey to Cerrado areas of Mato Grosso, and the lowlands of Paraíba Valley, in São Paulo, where these Rhizoctonia foliar diseases have not been reported so far. Our findings revealed that these diseases are caused by a diversity of Rhizoctonia solani AG‐1 complex. We detected that R. solani AG‐1 IA (sexual phase Thanatephorus cucumeris) was the predominant pathogen associated with signal grass leaf blight and collar rot diseases in the Amazon, especially in Rondônia and northern Mato Grosso. In addition, a subgroup of R. solani (AG‐1 IF), not previously reported in Brazil, was associated with leaf blight on cowpea and soybean, in Roraima. Another subgroup (AG‐1 ID) was also detected in Roraima. In Mato Grosso Cerrados we did not find any of the major Rhizoctonia foliar pathogens. Instead, R. oryzae (Waitea circinata) was the predominant species associated with a collar rot on U. brizantha. In the lowlands of São Paulo, R. oryzae‐sativae (Ceratobasidium oryzae‐sativae) was the predominant pathogen detected causing the rice sheath spot disease.
Inside Lobbying on the Regulation of New Plant Breeding Techniques in the European Union: Determinants of Venue Choices
Authors: Hartung Ulrich
Published: January 2020

In July 2018, the Court of Justice of the European Union decided that new plant breeding techniques (NPBTs) fall within the scope of the restrictive provisions on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Previously, various actors had lobbied in order to influence the European Union’s (EU’s) regulatory decision on NPBTs. This study examines the venue choices taken by Cibus, a biotech company that promoted NPBT deregulation. It shows that the firm bypassed the EU level and that it lobbied competent authorities (CAs) in certain member states to gain support for the deregulation of NPBTs. Cibus chose the CAs because their institutional “closedness” reduced the risk of the debate over the deregulation of NPBTs becoming public. However, the CA’s specific competences and their influence on EU decision making were of likewise importance. The firm lobbied CAs based in Finland, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Two factors appear to have influenced Cibus’ choices for these countries: high‐level political support for agribiotech and the high relevance of biotech sectors. In contrast, public support for GMOs turned out to have hardly any influence, and virtually no association could be observed for the agricultural application of biotechnology in the past nor for the weakness of domestic anti‐GMO lobby groups. Finally, the in‐depth study on Germany affirms that “closedness” was important for Cibus’ choices and reveals that technical information served as a venue‐internal factor that influenced the firm’s choices.
A historical perspective of how public policy shaped dialysis care delivery in the United States
Authors: Anumudu Samaya J. , Eknoyan Garabed
Published: January 2020

Broadly defined public policy has been said to be whatever “governments choose to do or not to do” As applied to healthcare, public policy can be traced back to the 4000‐year‐old Code of Hammurabi. As it applies to dialysis care its history is barely 50 years old since national coverage for end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) was legislated as Public Law 92‐603 in 1972. As with most healthcare policy changes, it was a result of medical progress which had changed renal function replacement by dialysis from its rudimentary beginnings during the Second World War into an experimental acute life‐saving procedure in the 1950s and to an established life‐sustaining treatment for the otherwise fatal disease of uremia in the 1960s that was limited by its costs. Since 1973, the Medicare ESRD Program has saved the lives of thousands of individuals, a compassionate achievement that has come at increasing costs which have exceeded all estimates and evaded containment. Apart from cost containment, policy changes in dialysis care have been directed at improving its safety and adequacy. Some of the results of these changes are evident as one compares the outcomes and complications of dialysis encountered in the 1970s to those in the present; others, particularly those related to vascular access and hospitalization rates have improved modestly. This article recounts the historical background in which national coverage for dialysis care was developed, legislated and has evolved over the past 50 years.
Pushing boundaries and blurring categories in digital media and religion research
Authors: Peterson Kristin M.
Published: January 2020

As religious identity and spiritual practices transform and expand in the digital media moment, this article advocates for more critical scholarship on media and religion that examines the complex ways that individuals make meaning in the digital age. First, I present an overview of foundational media and religion theories that analyze the interactions between these ever‐changing fields, such as the culturalist tradition, mediatization theory, and the social shaping of technology approach. Furthermore, this essay highlights insightful research trends that blur distinctions between media spaces and complicate definitions of religion. Finally, a discussion of gaps in the scholarship will justify an argument for more theories centered in international contexts, as well as analysis of the relationships between media technologies, aesthetics, affect, identity and religious expression. These emerging approaches provide more in‐depth discussions of how the fast‐changing and ever‐complex digital culture is deeply connected to the evolving nature of religion and human existence.
Social citizenship and social psychology
Authors: Anderson Emma , Gibson Stephen
Published: January 2020

This paper outlines the concept of social citizenship, which was first theorized in the late 1940s alongside the creation of the UK welfare state and concerns citizens' rights to a basic income and standard of living. It suggests that social citizenship—particularly welfare provision—is a useful and important topic for social psychological research, albeit one that has been largely overlooked. We provide an overview of key developments in social citizenship and consider the impact of 30‐plus years of neoliberal governance in Western democracies, which has resulted in ongoing changes to how welfare rights and responsibilities are configured, such as policies that make social citizenship rights contingent on conduct. We outline social scientific work that examines these shifting ideas of citizenship, personhood, welfare, and conditionality and make the case for a critical discursive psychological approach, which we illustrate with a brief empirical example. We suggest that critical discursive social psychology is particularly well‐placed to examine how psychological assumptions are built into both policy and lay discourse and how these can legitimate interventions designed to work on the conduct of the unemployed, such as therapeutic and behavior change initiatives. Finally, we argue that psychology is faced with a choice; while there are opportunities for the discipline to contribute to the design and implementation of such initiatives, to do so requires accepting the basic values of the underpinning neoliberal agenda. Instead, it is vital to place these assumptions under the critical microscope and explore how they work to obscure structural disadvantage.
Objective measurement and comparison of human facial skin color in East Asian females
Authors: Wu Yue , Yi Fan , Akimoto Makio , Tanaka Toshiyuki , Meng Hong , Dong Yinmao
Published: January 2020

Background

Skin color is an important physiological index of human skin that has essential significance in cosmetology and dermatological diagnoses and aesthetics, especially in East Asian culture, where the beauty standard is the whiter the skin, the more beautiful a person is. However, there has been a lack of objective comparisons of facial skin color in East Asian females.

Materials and Methods

Skin color at the cheek site was measured in 445 healthy females, including 362 Chinese women in Beijing and 83 Japanese women in Tokyo, all aged 18‐50 years. The parameters consisted of L*, a*, b*, individual typology angle (ITA°), and hue angle and were determined using noninvasive skin measurement instruments.

Results

The skin color categories in East Asians ranged from very light (I) to brown (V), and the dark (VI) category was not observed; the main categories were light (II), intermediate (III), and tan (IV). The facial skin color of Chinese individuals was brighter, more reddish, and less yellowish than that of Japanese individuals. With age, L* values decreased, and a* values and hue angle increased in East Asians with significant differences. Chinese women showed the same differences as Japanese women for all parameters in all age groups.

Conclusions

This study provides objective skin color measurements and examines significant differences with respect to geographic location and age.
Identification of a novel allele, HLA‐DPB1*18:01:01:04, in an African American renal transplant candidate
Authors: Kuchipudi Padma , Turner Thomas R. , Forney Susan C. , Gerlach John A. , Ho Chak‐Sum
Published: January 2020

HLA‐DPB1*18:01:01:04 differs from HLA‐DPB1*18:01:01:01 by four substitutions within intron 1.
Do ‘virtual postcards’ enhance blended learning?
Authors: Harris Dylan , Rawlinson Fiona
Published: January 2020

Background

In the traditional ‘postcard’ educational technique, learners write learning points on a postcard at the end of a face‐to‐face teaching session. The teacher subsequently posts them back to the learners in order to remind and reinforce learning. Cardiff University's Palliative Care Masters programme adapted the traditional postcard technique to suit a modern blended learning course, introducing the concept of ‘virtual postcards’.

Methods

Students were asked to complete a postcard for face‐to‐face teaching sessions on ‘symptom control’ and were free to use their postcard as they wished, e.g. to draw pictures, to list key bullet points, etc. A selection of postcards were subsequently scanned and uploaded into the corresponding online module. These were visible to all students so that they could learn from each other's virtual postcards.

Results

Most students felt that the virtual postcards were a useful learning material (12% did not). Around half of the students felt that having a selection of the virtual postcards was preferable to all of them being uploaded (52%; 28% expressed no preference). Students were divided as to whether this would have become too monotonous to repeat for all topics in face‐to‐face teaching (40% felt that these should just be used for some topics, 18% had no preference, and 42% felt that these would be useful for all topics).

Discussion

In general, the students found virtual postcards useful as part of blended learning, and liked learning from other people's virtual postcards as well as from their own. There needs to be a balance between how often the technique is employed, and how many postcards are uploaded, to avoid information overload and losing value.
An untargeted liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry‐based workflow for the structural characterization of plant polyesters
Authors: Thiombiano Benjamin , Gontier Eric , Molinié Roland , Marcelo Paulo , Mesnard François , Dauwe Rebecca
Published: January 2020

Cell wall localized heterogeneous polyesters are widespread in land plants. The composition of these polyesters, such as cutin, suberin, or more plant‐specific forms such as the flax seed coat lignan macromolecule, can be determined after total hydrolysis of the ester linkages. The main bottleneck in the structural characterization of these macromolecules, however, resides in the determination of the higher order monomer sequences. Partial hydrolysates of the polyesters release a complex mixture of fragments of different lengths, each present in low abundance and therefore are challenging to structurally characterize. Here, a method is presented by which liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC‐MS) profiles of such partial hydrolysates are searched for pairs of related fragments. LC‐MS peaks that show a mass difference corresponding to the addition of one or more macromolecule monomers were connected in a network. Starting from the lowest molecular weight peaks in the network, the annotation of the connections as the addition of one or more polyester monomers allows the prediction of consecutive and increasingly complex adjacent peaks. Multi‐stage MS (MSn) experiments further helped to reject, corroborate, and sometimes refine the structures predicted by the network. As a proof of concept, this procedure was applied to partial hydrolysates of the flax seed coat lignan macromolecule, and allowed to characterize 120 distinct oligo‐esters, consisting of up to six monomers, and containing monomers and linkages for which incorporation in the lignan macromolecule had not been described before. These results showed the capacity of the approach to advance the structural elucidation of complex plant polyesters.
Sterility and concentration of liposomal bupivacaine single‐use vial when used in a multiple‐dose manner
Authors: Carlson Alexandra R. , Nixon Emma , Jacob Megan E. , Messenger Kristen M.
Published: January 2020

Objective

To evaluate the sterility of bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension (Nocita®) used in a multiple‐dose fashion for 5 days.

Study design

Triplicate liposomal bupivacaine vials were stored under two conditions, (1) room temperature (24°C) and (2) refrigerated temperature (5°C). A 3‐mL aliquot was withdrawn from each vial daily. Samples were inoculated in tryptic soy broth in triplicate and then incubated for 24 hours at 37°C and subcultured every 48 hours onto blood agar and Sabouraud dextrose agar, respectively. Separate 1.5‐mL aliquots of liposomal bupivacaine were centrifuged at 3500 g to separate liposome‐encapsulated bupivacaine from the solution. Concentration of unencapsulated bupivacaine was analyzed via high‐pressure liquid chromatography. Data were analyzed by using mixed effects procedure with multiple comparisons.

Sample population

Ten 20‐mL vials of bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension stored under two conditions, (1) room temperature (24°C) and (2) refrigerated temperature (5°C).

Results

Five days of repeated withdrawal from the single‐use vials yielded no bacterial growth. One control vial, which was opened and punctured once on the last day of the experiment, yielded fungal growth of an Aspergillus spp, likely an environmental contaminant. The concentration of free bupivacaine did not significantly differ until the fifth day of sampling.

Conclusion

When aseptic technique was used, liposomal bupivacaine remained sterile for 5 days. Concentrations of free bupivacaine were unchanged from baseline for 4 days in both refrigerated and room temperature conditions.

Clinical significance

Single‐use liposomal bupivacaine vials can be used extralabel in a multiple‐dose fashion for up to 4 days when stored either refrigerated or room temperature when sterile technique is used.
Regenerative and protective effects of calcium silicate on senescent fibroblasts induced by high glucose
Authors: Li Bingmin , Bian Xiaowei , Hu Wenzhi , Wang Xiaoya , Li Qiankun , Wang Fangfang , Sun Mengli , Ma Kui , Zhang Cuiping , Chang Jiang , Fu Xiaobing
Published: January 2020

Diabetic wounds are a common complication of diabetes and therefore a pressing issue for clinicians. High‐glucose (HG)‐induced fibroblast senescence is mainly responsible for delayed wound healing. Calcium silicate (CS), a kind of bioceramic, is thought to have regenerative properties. The aim of this study was to determine the regenerative and protective effects of CS on senescent fibroblasts induced by HG. Fibroblasts were passaged five times and treated with HG and CS. Compared with the normal glucose (NG) group, the proliferation, migration, and differentiation capacity of HG‐induced fibroblasts significantly decreased (P < .05). After treatment with CS, the functions of HG‐induced senescent fibroblasts were partly restored (P < .05). The mechanism of the regenerative and protective effects of CS may be related to the decreased reactive oxygen species generation, improved senescent state (SA‐β‐gal expression decreased), up‐regulated expression of Smad2 and phosphorylated Smad2, and down‐regulated expression of p16, p21, and p53. An in vivo experiment also demonstrated that CS had a therapeutic effect on diabetic wounds via differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts and enhanced collagen deposition. These results indicate that CS may be a promising candidate for diabetic wound therapy.
A Numerical Study Toward Harvesting Power From Train Slipstream Using Savonius Rotor
Authors: Laws Praveen , Kumar Ajit , Mitra Santanu
Published: January 2020

A novel and strategic green energy production method that utilizes relative wind generated from moving vehicles is presented. A speeding train generates an enormous wake of wind around it, which stocks a substantial amount of kinetic energy. In this study, this freely accessible wind power is harvested by installing a modified savonius wind turbine within the slipstream region of the train. A computer-oriented fluid-solid integrate simulation of wind turbine propelled by train-induced wind is performed by executing all physically realistic boundary conditions. The numerical study is based on open-source CFD toolbox openfoam, and the results were validated against benchmark experimental study. Parametric sensitivity analysis such as optimal turbine performance within the slipstream regime, torque prediction from express trains, two opposite crossing trains, tunnel condition, and turbine wind turbine clusters arrangement has been reported. This study enhances the understanding of the power generation by the turbine from the train slipstream which is not reported in any open literature as far as the authors’ present knowledge goes.
Reconfigurable Logic Gates Based on Programable Multistable Mechanisms
Authors: Zanaty Mohamed , Schneegans Hubert , Vardi Ilan , Henein Simon
Published: January 2020

Binary logic gates are building blocks of computing machines, in particular, electronic computers. One variant is the programable logic gate, also known as the reconfigurable logic gate, in which the logical function implemented can be modified. In this paper, we construct a mechanism to implement a reconfigurable logic gate. This mechanism is based on the concept of programable multistable mechanisms which we introduced in previous work. The application of a programable multistable mechanism is superior to the different bistable mechanisms previously used to implement logic gates since a single mechanism can be used to implement several logic functions. Our reconfigurable logic gates use a novel geometric construction where the geometric data depend on the stability behavior of the mechanism. There are 16 binary logic gates and our construction can theoretically produce nine of these and our physical model produces six logical gates. Input and output of the mechanism are displacement and the mechanisms can be combined serially, i.e., output of a mechanism is an input for another. We show that we can implement nor and nand gates, so combinations of our mechanism can express any logical function. The mechanism is therefore theoretically universal, i.e., implement any computation. We give an analytic model of the mechanism based on Euler–Bernoulli beam theory to find the geometric data, then validate it using finite element analysis and experimental demonstration.
A Methodology for Determining Static Mode Shapes of a Compliant Mechanism Using the Pseudo-Rigid-Body Model Concept and the Degrees-Of-Freedom Analysis
Authors: Bagivalu Prasanna Pratheek , Bapat Sushrut G. , Midha Ashok , Lodagala Vamsi
Published: January 2020

Traditionally, the deflected configuration of compliant segments is determined through rigorous mathematical analysis using Newtonian mechanics. Application of this approach in evaluating the deformed configuration of compliant mechanisms, containing a variety of segment types, becomes cumbersome. This paper introduces a methodology to determine the possible deflected configuration(s) of a compliant mechanism, for a given set of load and/or displacement boundary conditions. The methodology utilizes the principle of minimum potential energy, in conjunction with the degrees-of-freedom analysis and the pseudo-rigid-body model concept. The static mode shape(s) of compliant segments are integrated in identifying the possible deflected configuration(s) of a given compliant mechanism. The methodology facilitates the in situ determination of the possible deformed configuration(s) of the compliant mechanism and its constituent segments. This, in turn, assists in the important task of identifying an appropriate pseudo-rigid-body model for the design and analysis of a compliant mechanism. The proposed methodology is illustrated with examples, and supported with experimental validation.
Understanding the role of rf-power on AlN film properties in hollow-cathode plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition
Authors: Ilhom Saidjafarzoda , Shukla Deepa , Mohammad Adnan , Grasso John , Willis Brian , Biyikli Necmi
Published: January 2020

In this study, the authors have carried out real-time process monitoring via in situ ellipsometry to understand the impact of rf-plasma power and plasma exposure time on self-limiting aluminum nitride (AlN) growth character and the corresponding film properties. AlN thin films were grown on Si(100) substrates with plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition using trimethyl-aluminum (TMA) as a metal precursor and Ar/N2/H2 plasma as a coreactant. Saturation experiments have been employed in the range of 25–200 W plasma power and 30–120 s plasma exposure time. In situ multiwavelength ellipsometry identified single chemical adsorption (chemisorption) and plasma-assisted ligand removal events, as well as changes in growth per cycle (GPC) with respect to plasma power. The real-time dynamic in situ monitoring study revealed that GPC and TMA chemisorption thickness gain exhibited plasma power dependent saturation behavior. The amount of chemisorption saturated at ∼2.3 Å for higher rf-power levels, while for 25 and 50 W it went below 1.0 Å, which is mainly attributed to incomplete ligand removal. Besides in situ characterization, ex situ measurements to identify optical, structural, and chemical properties were also carried out on 500-cycle AlN films as a function of plasma power. AlN samples displayed a single-phase hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure with (002) preferred orientation for 150 and 200 W, while the dominant orientation shifted toward (100) at 100 W. 50 W and lower rf-power levels resulted in amorphous material with no apparent crystal signature. Furthermore, it was found that when the plasma exposure time was increased from 30 to 120 s for 25 and 50 W, the amount of chemisorption exceeded the thickness gain values recorded for 150–200 W (∼2.4 Å). However, such a recovery in the chemisorption thickness gain did not restore the crystallinity as the AlN films grown at sub-50 W showed amorphous character independent of plasma exposure time.
Voice fundamental frequency differences and speech recognition with noise and speech maskers in cochlear implant recipients
Authors: Meister Hartmut , Walger Martin , Lang-Roth Ruth , Müller Verena
Published: January 2020

Cochlear implant (CI) recipients are limited in their perception of voice cues, such as the fundamental frequency (F0). This has important consequences for speech recognition when several talkers speak simultaneously. This examination considered the comparison of clear speech and noise-vocoded sentences as maskers. For the speech maskers it could be shown that good CI performers are able to benefit from F0 differences between target and masker. This was due to the fact that a F0 difference of 80 Hz significantly reduced target-masker confusions, an effect that was slightly more pronounced in bimodal than in bilateral users.