bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Peri‐implant myelinated nerve fibers: Histological findings in dogs
Authors: Song Dandan , Liang Xin , Zheng Hui , Shujaat Sohaib , Van Dessel Jeroen , Zhong Weijian , Ma Guowu , Lambrichts Ivo , Jacobs Reinhilde
Published: March 2020

Background and Objective

While osseointegration following various dental implant placement protocols has been extensively investigated, the neurohistological integration has received little attention. The primary aim of this study was to compare the myelinated nerve fibers density in peri‐implant bone tissue following various implant placement protocols. The secondary aim assessed the effect of follow‐up on peri‐implant nerve fibers density.

Methods

Ten beagle dogs randomly received 68 commercially pure titanium implants in the mandibular premolar or molar region bilaterally following extraction utilizing one of the six treatment protocols: (a) immediate implant placement (IIP) and immediate loading (IL); (b) IIP and delayed loading (DL); (c) IIP and left unloaded (UL); (d) delayed implant placement (DIP) and IL; (e) DIP and DL; and (f) DIP and UL. Histomorphometric analysis of the peri‐implant myelinated nerve fibers was performed in a 300 μm peri‐implant zone at the cervical, middle, and apical level following implant placement. The follow‐up assessment involved longitudinal observation at 3 months following each implant treatment protocol and at 6 months for IIP+IL and IIP+DL protocols.

Results

The influence of different treatment protocols, including the fixed effects of implant groups (IIP+IL, IIP+DL, IIP+UL, DIP+IL, DIP+DL, DIP+UL) and regions (cervical, middle, apical), was examined via a linear mixed model. The IIP+IL group showed a significantly higher myelinated nerve density compared to the IIP+UL and DIP+UL group. Peri‐implant nerve re‐innervation was significantly higher (P = .002) in the apical region compared to the cervical region. After immediate implant placement, the IL group showed a significantly (P = .03) higher density of myelinated nerve fibers compared to DL. No significant (P = .19) effect of follow‐up on nerve density was observed.

Conclusion

The immediate implant placement and loading protocol showed most beneficial effect on peri‐implant innervation with highest myelinated nerve density in the apical region. A longer loading time had no influence on the peri‐implant nerve density.
The physiology of rapid ecological specialization: A look at the Midas cichlids
Authors: Gaither Michelle R. , Greaves Samuel , Amirthalingam Pavithiran
Published: March 2020

Understanding the process of speciation is a primary goal of evolutionary biology, yet the question of whether speciation can reach completion in the presence of gene flow remains controversial. For more than 50 years, the cichlids of Africa, and more recently those in South and Central America, have served as model systems for the study of speciation in nature. Cichlids are distinguished by their enormous species richness, their diversity of behavioural and trophic adaptations, and their rapid rate of divergence. In both Africa and South and Central America, the repeated interaction of geology, new founder events and adaptive evolution has created a series of natural experiments with speciation occurring both within and between waterbodies of differing ages. In the “From the Cover” paper in this issue of the Journal of Molecular Ecology, Raffini, Schneider, Franchini, Kautt and Meyer move beyond the question of which mechanisms drive speciation, and instead show that divergent morphologies and physiologies translate into adaptive traits. They investigate differences in physiology and gene expression profiles in a benthic/limnetic species pair of Midas cichlidsin a 24,000‐year‐old Nicaraguan crater lake. While recently diverged, these two species demonstrate significant ecological, but limited genetic differentiation. The authors find that the distinct morphotypes translate into relevant differences in swimming performance and metabolic rates that correspond to differential gene expression profiles. Hence, the authors take an integrative approach examining the impacts of morphological differences on performance and niche partitioning: an approach that can advance our understanding of the drivers of morphological and physiological divergence during speciation.
Appearances can be Deceptive: Political Polarization, Agrarian Policy, and Coalitional Presidentialism in Brazil
Authors: Zimerman Artur , Pinheiro Flávio
Published: March 2020

What can we infer about the effect of polarized politics on the Brazilian policy‐making process? We attempt to answer this question by analyzing the country's political landscape and focusing on one specific policy issue concerning agrarian policies, an area that is exposed to much ideological conflict for both the left and right wing. We show how the mechanism has worked in this case to mitigate the polarization effects. Two political groups monopolized national elections over the past two decades sharing very different positions concerning ideological preferences. In this article, we recognize polarization between the two leading parties, but argue that the Brazilian political system features the dynamics of coalitional presidentialism that mitigates party preferences. We analyze funding data for small farmers and rural settlements for the period 1995‐2016, arriving at the conclusion that the agrarian policy of the competing parties resembled one another, despite political polarization.

Related Articles

Ondetti, Gabriel. 2008. “Up and Down with the Agrarian Question: Issue Attention and Land Reform in Contemporary Brazil.” Politics & Policy 36 (4): 510‐541. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2008.00120.x

Segatto, Catarina Ianni, and Daniel Béland. 2018. “The Limits of Partisanship: Federalism, the Role of Bureaucrats, and the Path to Universal Health Care Coverage in Brazil.”

Politics & Policy 46 (3): 416‐441. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12252

Wolff, Michael Jerome. 2019. “Sharing Authority: The Politics and Practice of Community Policing in the Brazilian Slum.” Politics & Policy 47 (4): 748‐774. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12322
High fever after sublingual administration of misoprostol for treatment of post‐partum haemorrhage: a hospital‐based, prospective observational study in Argentina
Authors: Durocher Jill , Aguirre Jesus Daniel , Dzuba Ilana G. , Mirta Morales Elba , Carroli Guillermo , Esquivel Jesica , Martin Roxanne , Berecoechea Cecilia , Winikoff Beverly
Published: March 2020

Objective

To characterise the occurrence of fever (≥38.0°C) after treatment for post‐partum haemorrhage (PPH) with sublingual misoprostol 800 mcg in Latin America, where elevated rates of misoprostol’s thermoregulatory effects and recipients’ increased susceptibility to high fever have been documented.

Methods

A prospective observational study in hospitals in Argentina enrolled consenting women with atonic PPH after vaginal delivery, eligible to receive misoprostol. Corporal temperature was assessed at 30, 60, 90 and 120 min post‐treatment; other effects were recorded. The incidence of high fever ≥ 40.0°C (primary outcome) was compared to the rate observed previously in Ecuador. Logistic regressions were performed to identify clinical and population‐based predictors of misoprostol‐induced fever.

Results

Transient shivering and fever were experienced by 75.5% (37/49) of treated participants and described as acceptable by three‐quarters of women interviewed (35/47). The high fever rate was 12.2% (6/49), [95% Confidence Interval (CI) 4.6, 24.8], compared to Ecuador’s rate following misoprostol treatment (35.6% (58/163) [95% CI 28.3, 43.5], P = 0.002). Significant predictors of misoprostol‐induced fever (model dependent) were as follows: pre‐delivery haemoglobin < 11.0g/dl, rapid placental expulsion, and higher age of the woman. No serious outcomes were reported prior to discharge.

Conclusions

Misoprostol to treat PPH in Argentina resulted in a significantly lower rate of high fever than in Ecuador, although both are notably higher than rates seen elsewhere. A greater understanding of misoprostol’s side effects and factors involved in their occurrence, including genetics, will help alleviate concerns. The onset of shivering may be the simplest way to know if fever can also be expected.
Equity dimensions of the decline in under‐five mortality in Ghana: a joinpoint regression analysis
Authors: Alhassan Jacob Albin Korem , Adeyinka Daniel A. , Olakunde Babayemi O.
Published: March 2020

Background

There has been a global rise in interest and efforts to improve under‐five mortality rates, especially in low‐ and middle‐income countries. Ghana has made some progress in improving this outcome; however, the extent of such progress and its equity implications remains understudied.

Methods

This study used a joinpoint regression analysis to assess the significance of changes in trends of under‐five mortality rates in Ghana between 1988 and 2017 using data from seven rounds of the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. Annual percentage change (APC) was estimated. The APCs of different dimensions of equity (residence, administrative region, maternal education and wealth quintile) were compared by coincidence test – to determine similarity in joinpoint regression functions via 10 000 Monte Carlo resampling.

Results

There has been progress in reduction of under‐five mortality in Ghana between 1988 and 2017 with an annual percentage change of −3.49%. Disaggregation of the trends showed that the most rapid improvement in under‐five mortality rates occurred in the Upper East Region (APC = −5.0%). The closing of under‐five mortality equity gaps in the study period has been uneven in the country. The gap between rural and urban rates has closed the most, followed by regional gaps (between Upper East and Ashanti Region), while the most persistent gaps remain in maternal education and wealth quintile.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that programmatic interventions have been more successful in reducing geographic (rural‐urban and by administrative region) than non‐geographic (maternal education and wealth quintile) inequities in under‐five mortality in Ghana. To accelerate reduction and bridge the inequities in under‐five mortality, Ghana may need to pursue more social policies aimed at redistribution.
Inviscid, Incompressible, Axisymmetric, Annular Jet Impingement
Authors: Chilukuri R.
Published: March 2020

An analytical Bessel-sine series solution is presented for inviscid, incompressible, axisymmetric, annular impinging jets. The inflow velocity profile is relatable to an aircraft engine thrust reverser, and has a velocity deficit as well as nonzero vorticity function at the inner radius. As a consequence, inviscid recirculation appears at the impingement corner, the strength of which is made determinate by assuming a local patch of constant vorticity function. Results are first compared against prior round jet solutions, with rigorous convergence and accuracy assessment, before extension to annular impinging jets. Finally, while the Bessel-sine series are consistent with the governing equations and boundary conditions, computational issues arise with steep near wall gradients of a composite parameter that is inherent to the methodology, necessitating extremely fine mesh resolution. A hybrid of finite differences and Bessel series is proposed to address these numerical issues.
Comparison of Human Surrogate Responses in Underbody Blast Loading Conditions
Authors: Ott K. , Drewry D. , Luongo M. , Andrist J. , Armiger R. , Titus J. , Demetropoulos C.
Published: March 2020

Impact biomechanics research in occupant safety predominantly focuses on the effects of loads applied to human subjects during automotive collisions. Characterization of the biomechanical response under such loading conditions is an active and important area of investigation. However, critical knowledge gaps remain in our understanding of human biomechanical response and injury tolerance under vertically accelerated loading conditions experienced due to underbody blast (UBB) events. This knowledge gap is reflected in anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) used to assess occupant safety. Experiments are needed to characterize biomechanical response under UBB relevant loading conditions. Matched pair experiments in which an existing ATD is evaluated in the same conditions as a post mortem human subject (PMHS) may be utilized to evaluate biofidelity and injury prediction capabilities, as well as ATD durability, under vertical loading. To characterize whole body response in the vertical direction, six whole body PMHS tests were completed under two vertical loading conditions. A series of 50th percentile hybrid III ATD tests were completed under the same conditions. Ability of the hybrid III to represent the PMHS response was evaluated using a standard evaluation metric. Tibial accelerations were comparable in both response shape and magnitude, while other sensor locations had large variations in response. Posttest inspection of the hybrid III revealed damage to the pelvis foam and skin, which resulted in large variations in pelvis response. This work provides an initial characterization of the response of the seated hybrid III ATD and PMHS under high rate vertical accelerative loading.
A Unified Treatment for Local Thermal Nonequilibrium Free, Forced, and Mixed Convective Boundary Layer Flows Over an Arbitrarily Shaped Nonisothermal Body in a Fluid Saturated Porous Medium
Authors: Bai Xiaohui , Yi Yuan , Kuwahara Fujio , Nakayama Akira
Published: March 2020

A unified integral solution procedure has been proposed to analyze all possible Darcian local thermal nonequilibrium (LTNE) free, forced, and mixed convective boundary layer flows, commonly encountered in porous media engineering applications. The heated body may be arbitrarily shaped, and its temperature may vary over the surface. The integral energy equation for the solid phase yields an algebraic equation between the dimensionless fluid thermal boundary layer thickness and its ratio to the solid-phase counterpart, while the integral energy equation for the fluid phase reduces to a first order ordinary differential equation in terms of the dimensionless fluid thermal boundary layer thickness. This set of the equations for determining the local Nusselt number of our primary interest proved to be valid for all possible Darcian cases of LTNE free, forced, and mixed convective boundary layer flows over an arbitrarily shaped nonisothermal body in a fluid saturated porous medium. Asymptotic expressions for the cases of arbitrary shapes were also obtained analytically for both leading edge and far downstream regions. The results are found to agree well with available direct numerical integration results. Furthermore, the regime map has been constructed to show the boundary layer transition point from the LTNE to equilibrium. The proposed unified method is found quite useful when designing thermal engineering systems associated with fluid saturated porous media.
Frequency Distributions for Hourly and Daily Clearness Indices
Authors: Ibañez Manuel , Beckman William A. , Klein Sanford A.
Published: March 2020

The clearness index for hourly and daily radiation is an important parameter in describing solar radiation. Liu and Jordan demonstrated that the monthly average daily clearness index could be used to predict the long-term distribution of daily solar radiation in a month. This paper reviews recent literature on the prediction of hourly and daily frequency distributions and cumulative frequency distributions of clearness indices. Ten years of measured weather data for six cities in the US are used to investigate the nature of the hourly and daily frequency distributions. A second set of ten years of data for six cities is used to verify the predictions. A bi-exponential probability density function is proposed that fits the observed bimodal nature of the data better than existing models. A case is made for the function being universal.
The DISS Project: Direct Steam Generation in Parabolic Troughs — Operation and Maintenance Experience — Update on Project Status
Authors: Zarza Eduardo , Valenzuela Loreto , León Javier , Weyers H.-Dieter , Eickhoff Martin , Eck Markus , Hennecke Klaus
Published: March 2020

The DISS (DIrect Solar Steam) project is a complete R+TD program aimed at developing a new generation of solar thermal power plants with direct steam generation (DSG) in the absorber tubes of parabolic trough collectors. During the first phase of the project (1996–1998), a life-size test facility was implemented at the Plataforma Solar de Almería (PSA) to investigate under real solar conditions the basic DSG processes and evaluate the open technical questions concerning this new technology. This paper updates DISS project status and explains O&M-related experience (e.g. main problems faced and solutions applied) with the PSA DISS test facility since January 1999.
Solar Production of Aluminum by Direct Reduction: Preliminary Results for Two Processes
Authors: Murray Jean P.
Published: March 2020

The production of aluminum or silicon by reduction of their oxides with carbon is a technical challenge. The temperature required, in the range 2100–2300 °C, is too high for practical process heat addition from a combustion source alone. When an electrothermal process is used, only about a third of the energy contained in the fuel used to generate electricity enters the process. Thus, for materials produced electrolytically or in an electric furnace, the energy cost dominates the cost of the final product. By contrast, highly-concentrated solar energy is capable of supplying large amounts of process heat at very high temperatures, and may have real advantages for metals reduction processes. An arc introduces too much energy to the reaction zone. In the case of aluminum, the metal floats and it short circuits the arc. Ideally, the heat would enter at the bottom or side of a reactor, which could be achieved with solar process heat. Among industries, the primary aluminum industry is a major consumer of electricity. It uses about 10% of the electricity generated globally for industrial purposes, and about half comes from coal-fired generation stations. This represents about 5% of the electricity generated for all sectors. A solar-thermal process would drastically reduce the emission of climate-altering gases, reduce the reliance on electricity, and might be a critical factor in making a direct thermal route from the ore to metal possible. Two industrially-developed processes appear to be attractive candidates for a solar process. Preliminary tests have been performed using a black-body cavity receiver placed at the focus of the Paul Scherrer Institute’s 70kW tracking parabolic concentrator, and though the experiment had to be ended earlier than planned, a small amount of 61/37 weight percent Al/Si alloy was formed, and the partially reacted pellets showed conversion to Al4C3 and SiC. Further qualitative tests have been performed using the facilities at Odeillo in a 2 kW solar furnace, where the onset of production of both aluminum by direct carbothermal reduction, and Al-Si alloy via carbothermal reduction of a mixture of alumina, silica and carbon could be directly observed.
Facilitators and barriers to the self-management of COPD: a qualitative study from rural Nepal
Authors: Yadav Uday Narayan , Lloyd Jane , Hosseinzadeh Hassan , Baral Kedar Prasad , Dahal Sagar , Bhatta Narendra , Harris Mark Fort
Published: March 2020

Objective

To understand the facilitators and barriers to the self-management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in rural Nepal.

Settings

Community and primary care centres in rural Nepal.

Participants

A total of 14 participants (10 people with COPD and 4 health care providers) were interviewed.

Primary and secondary outcome measure(s)

People with COPD and healthcare provider’s experience of COPD self-management in rural Nepal.

Results

Facilitators and barriers affecting COPD self-management in Nepal operated at the patient-family, community and service provider levels. People with COPD were found to have a limited understanding of COPD and medications. Some participants reported receiving inadequate family support and described poor emotional health. At the community level, widespread use of complementary and alternative treatment was found to be driven by social networks and was used instead of western medicine. There were limited quality controls in place to monitor the safe use of alternative treatment. While a number of service level factors were identified by all participants, the pertinent concerns were the levels of trust and respect between doctors and their patients. Service level factors included patients’ demands for doctor time and attention, limited confidence of people with COPD in communicating confidently and openly with their doctor, limited skills and expertise of the doctors in promoting behavioural change, frustration with doctors prescribing too many medicines and the length of time to diagnose the disease. These service level factors were underpinned by resource constraints operating in rural areas. These included inadequate infrastructure and resources, limited skills of primary level providers and lack of educational materials for COPD.

Conclusions

The study findings suggest the need for a more integrated model of care with multiple strategies targeting all three levels in order to improve the self-management practices among people with COPD.
Psychometric properties of the Breast Cancer Awareness Measurement among Chinese women: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Liu Na , Li Ping , Wang Jie , Chen Dan-dan , Sun Wei-jia , Guo Ping-ping , Zhang Xue-hui , Zhang Wei
Published: March 2020

Objectives

To perform the cross-cultural adaption of the Breast Cancer Awareness Measurement (BCAM) and to test its psychometric properties among Chinese women.

Design

This is a cross-sectional study.

Settings

This study was conducted in communities, schools and institutions in Changchun, Jilin Province, China.

Participants

A total of 328 women voluntarily participated in and completed the Chinese version of the BCAM (C-BCAM), resulting in an effective response rate of 91.1%.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Psychometric properties, including item analysis (the extreme group comparison and item-total correlations), content validity (item-level content validity index (I-CVI) and scale-level content validity index (S-CVI)), construct validity (exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA)) and internal consistency (Cronbach’s α and test–retest reliability), were measured.

Results

The C-BCAM has excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α=0.90), with alpha coefficients of 0.88, 0.84 and 0.94 for its three domains. The test–retest reliability coefficient was 0.72. The I-CVI ranged from 0.86 to 1.00, and the S-CVI was 0.92. CFA showed that the three-factor model explained 51.56% of the total variance, with a good model fit (likelihood ratio χ2/df=1.86, incremental fit index=0.94, comparative fit index=0.94, goodness-of-fit index=0.84, adjusted goodness-of-fit index=0.80, standardised root mean square error of approximation=0.06 and root mean square residual=0.05).

Conclusions

The C-BCAM has satisfactory validity and reliability and is a culturally appropriate and reliable tool for evaluating breast cancer awareness among Chinese women. This reliable instrument can help researchers and health professionals evaluate women’s knowledge about the symptoms and risk factors of breast cancer and identify their barriers to seeking medical help. It also helps healthcare providers identify women with poor breast cancer awareness and encourage them to perform screening practice.
Relationship between rock physical properties and spectral mineralogy applied to exploration for an unconformity-related uranium deposit (Saskatchewan, Canada)
Authors: Menier Arthur , Roy Régis , Harrison Grant , Zerff Ryan W. , Kinar Dwayne
Published: March 2020

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy has been used to characterize clay and clay-sized minerals present in drill cores that are associated with unconformity-related uranium deposits. Physical properties have been measured on samples to gain empirical data about the rock types and associated relationships with geophysical survey data. These data can be used to build three-dimensional geological models and constrain geophysical inversions. The objective of this study is to verify whether a relationship exists between rock physical properties and IR spectral mineralogy. Physical properties were measured on 427 core samples collected from the Martin Lake project, which is located in the southeastern Athabasca Basin (Saskatchewan, Canada). Results indicate that resistivity, density, and porosity are correlated to each other, especially within basement units. A comparison of their distribution with the IR spectral mineralogy demonstrates a relationship for each altered and unaltered samples. The samples with low resistivity and density, and high porosity are characterized by the presence of a di-trioctahedral (Al–Mg) chlorite (sudoite) due to the hydrothermal alteration processes. The unaltered samples with higher resistivity and density, and low porosity contain a tri-octahedral (Fe–Mg) chlorite as a result of metamorphic processes. Eleven mineralogical classes can be established based on IR spectroscopy. A percentile-based approach has been proposed and tested to define physical property ranges for each of the classes to predict resistivity and density values downhole.
Repair and cryogenic mechanical properties with resin film infused (RFI) GFRP in out-of-autoclave processing
Authors: Kim Yun-Hae , Lee Kyo-Moon , Park Seong-Jae , Jo Kyung-In , Park Soo-Jeong
Published: March 2020

Prepreg technology generates air pockets at the interface of laminates under heating and pressurization. The air pockets cause defects in the through-thickness direction. This includes poor adhesion between layers, which degrades material properties. Therefore, in this study, cryogenic mechanical properties were compared to obtain uniform properties by using prepreg laminated and resin film infused glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) composites (“PP-only” and “RF-only”, respectively) while maintaining the constituent contents of the fiber and polymer. Moreover, stepped repair was applied to extend the life of composites. The results demonstrated that the stiffness of the composites improved, and the brittleness increased in cryogenic environments. In the case of PP-only, numerous voids were observed inside the polymer, which showed higher bending strength than RF-only; however, it exhibited significantly lower interfacial bonding strength. When applied to secondary bonding of stepped repair, RF-only as repair layers showed high strength recovery rate in homogeneous materials, and not in heterogeneous materials. In contrast, the high strength PP-only as a parent material and RF-only as repair layers showed relatively good interfacial bonding strength due to primary damage in the PP of a parent material. Hence, the RF-only can be considered useful as a repair material.
Influence of welding residual stress on cryogenic materials applied to LNG fuel tanks for coastal vessels
Authors: Kim Tae-Yeob , Cho Je-Hyoung , Yoon Sung-Won , Kim Myung-Hyun
Published: March 2020

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of welding residual stress (WRS) of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel tank. In general, WRS and distortions are caused by non-uniform temperature distribution by the welding heat source. This will not only cause a brittle fracture, local buckling and corrosion damage, but also adversely affect the fatigue strength of the welded structures. Since LNG is treated at cryogenic temperatures of −162[Formula: see text]C, leakage of LNG from the fuel tank to the outside may cause cracks in the hull and tank support system and cause severe damage. Therefore, it is necessary to predict the thermal behavior and WRS before welding is carried out. In this study, the WRS is calculated by thermal stress analysis based on the temperature distributions over time obtained from the transient thermal analysis. The results of this study can be used as a fundamental research for WRS analysis of plasma arc welding applied to LNG fuel tanks for coastal vessels.
Optically tunable terahertz-band interference fringe shift based on indium oxide
Authors: Liu Jingyu , Liu Bin , Liu Dandan , Ji Hongyu , Shen Jingling , Zhang Bo
Published: March 2020

An optically tunable terahertz (THz)-band shift in interference fringes based on an indium oxide structure was investigated. An interference phenomenon formed by the combination of partial-through measurements with a shift in the periodic peaks in a THz time-domain spectroscopy system was reported. When the THz beam passes through the edge of the material sample, equally spaced interference fringes are obtained in the frequency domain and these interference fringes can be varied using a 450 nm external continuous-wave laser. The peak of the THz interference fringe shifts by almost half a period. This work offers the ability to observe THz-band interference fringes in the frequency domain and shows that these interference fringes change with variations in the intensity of the applied excitation light.
A New Category of Three-Dimensional Chaotic Flows with Identical Eigenvalues
Authors: Faghani Zahra , Nazarimehr Fahimeh , Jafari Sajad , Sprott Julien C.
Published: March 2020

In this paper, some new three-dimensional chaotic systems are proposed. The special property of these autonomous systems is their identical eigenvalues. The systems are designed based on the general form of quadratic jerk systems with 10 terms, and some systems with stable equilibria. Using a systematic computer search, 12 simple chaotic systems with identical eigenvalues were found. We believe that systems with identical eigenvalues are described here for the first time. These simple systems are listed in this paper, and their dynamical properties are investigated.
Normal Forms for Partial Neutral Functional Differential Equations with Applications to Diffusive Lossless Transmission Line
Authors: Wang Chuncheng
Published: March 2020

A class of partial neutral functional differential equations are considered. For the linearized equation, the semigroup properties and formal adjoint theory are established. Based on these results, we develop two algorithms of normal form computation for the nonlinear equation, and then use them to study Hopf bifurcation problems of such equations. In particular, it is shown that the normal forms, derived from these two different approaches, for the Hopf bifurcation are exactly the same. As an illustration, the diffusive lossless transmission line equation where a Hopf singularity occurs is studied.
Exponential Stabilization of Delayed Chaotic Memristive Neural Networks Via Aperiodically Intermittent Control
Authors: Li Yuxia , Wang Li , Huang Xia
Published: March 2020

This paper investigates the exponential stabilization of delayed chaotic memristive neural networks (MNNs) via aperiodically intermittent control. The issue is proposed for two reasons: (1) The control signal may not always exist in practical applications; (2) How to enlarge the maximum allowable failure interval (MAFI) for sensors is a challenging problem. To surmount these difficulties, an index called the largest proportion of the rest width (LPRW) in the control period is proposed to measure the MAFI in the sense of guaranteeing the closed-loop system performance with the least control cost. Then, by constructing suitable Lyapunov functional in combination with interval matrix method and Halanay inequality, a stabilization criterion is established to determine the relationship between the feedback gain and the LPRW. Meanwhile, an algorithm is proposed to qualitatively analyze the relationship between the feedback gain and the LPRW. In contrast with the previous works, our results can increase the value of LPRW while still maintaining the stability of the closed-loop MNNs. Finally, some comparisons of simulation results demonstrate that the obtained stabilization criterion has some advantages over the existing ones.
Chaos in a Periodically Perturbed Second-Order Equation with Signum Nonlinearity
Authors: Burra Lakshmi , Zanolin Fabio
Published: March 2020

We study the periodically perturbed Duffing-type equation [Formula: see text] and its damped counterpart [Formula: see text] The main feature of our model is the presence of a “signum term” in [Formula: see text] We prove the existence of infinitely many subharmonic solutions as well as the presence of chaotic dynamics for some [Formula: see text]-periodic forcing terms.
Dynamics in a Plankton Model with Toxic Substances and Phytoplankton Harvesting
Authors: Zhang Hua , Niu Ben
Published: March 2020

In this paper, a phytoplankton–zooplankton model incorporating toxic substances and nonlinear phytoplankton harvesting is established. The existence and stability of the equilibrium of this model are first investigated. The occurrence of transcritical, saddle-node, Hopf and Bautin bifurcations at different equilibria is then verified. In addition, the properties of Hopf bifurcation and Bautin bifurcation are discussed by using normal form method. These results demonstrate that phytoplankton and zooplankton populations will oscillate periodically when the harvesting level is high. More interestingly, it is found that the oscillations are always unstable for small phytoplankton carrying capacity, while the dynamics have close relations with the initial population densities for a large environmental capacity. The existence of Bautin bifurcation theoretically indicates that toxic phytoplankton can cause extinction once there exist harmful algal blooms for some time. These results are numerically illustrated for the model with spatial diffusion, which shows that local phytoplankton blooms will lead to global populations extinction.
Calibration methodology for microscopic traffic simulation models of land ports of entry along the US–Mexico border
Authors: Salgado David , Martin Peter T. , Mudgal Abhisek , Aldrete Rafael M.
Published: March 2020

Non-commercial Land Ports of Entry (LPOEs) are unique transportation facilities controlling the ingress and egress of passenger vehicles from Mexico to the United States and vice versa. The calibration of microscopic traffic simulation models of non-commercial LPOEs requires a deep understanding of operational processes and driving behavior at these facilities. This paper provides a methodology to guide modelers in calibrating microscopic traffic simulation models of non-commercial LPOEs. The methodology establishes a common framework for modeling operational processes and traffic operations. Moreover, the methodology includes the value of four state variables that characterizes operations of passenger vehicles at non-commercial LPOEs. These variables are speed, acceleration, deceleration, and headway. The authors evaluated this methodology using the Otay Mesa non-commercial LPOE as a case study. Results showed that this methodology could be potentially used to model non-commercial LPOEs along the US–Mexico border and other border regions worldwide.
Electrochemistry of Single-Vesicle Events
Authors: Keighron Jacqueline D. , Wang Yuanmo , Cans Ann-Sofie
Published: March 2020

Neuronal transmission relies on electrical signals and the transfer of chemical signals from one neuron to another. Chemical messages are transmitted from presynaptic neurons to neighboring neurons through the triggered fusion of neurotransmitter-filled vesicles with the cell plasma membrane. This process, known as exocytosis, involves the rapid release of neurotransmitter solutions that are detected with high affinity by the postsynaptic neuron. The type and number of neurotransmitters released and the frequency of vesicular events govern brain functions such as cognition, decision making, learning, and memory. Therefore, to understand neurotransmitters and neuronal function, analytical tools capable of quantitative and chemically selective detection of neurotransmitters with high spatiotemporal resolution are needed. Electrochemistry offers powerful techniques that are sufficiently rapid to allow for the detection of exocytosis activity and provides quantitative measurements of vesicle neurotransmitter content and neurotransmitter release from individual vesicle events. In this review, we provide an overview of the most commonly used electrochemical methods for monitoring single-vesicle events, including recent developments and what is needed for future research.
Boundedness of Singular Integral Operators with Operator-Valued Kernels and Maximal Regularity of Sectorial Operators in Variable Lebesgue Spaces
Authors: Zhang Qinghua , Zhu Yueping , Wang Feng
Published: March 2020

This paper is devoted to the maximal regularity of sectorial operators in Lebesgue spaces Lp⋅ with a variable exponent. By extending the boundedness of singular integral operators in variable Lebesgue spaces from scalar type to abstract-valued type, the maximal Lp⋅−regularity of sectorial operators is established. This paper also investigates the trace of the maximal regularity space E01,p⋅I, together with the imbedding property of E01,p⋅I into the range-varying function space C−I,X1−1/p⋅,p⋅. Finally, a type of semilinear evolution equations with domain-varying nonlinearities is taken into account.
Minimizing Key Materials: The Even–Mansour Cipher Revisited and Its Application to Lightweight Authenticated Encryption
Authors: Zhang Ping , Yuan Qian
Published: March 2020

The Even–Mansour cipher has been widely used in block ciphers and lightweight symmetric-key ciphers because of its simple structure and strict provable security. Its research has been a hot topic in cryptography. This paper focuses on the problem to minimize the key material of the Even–Mansour cipher while its security bound remains essentially the same. We introduce four structures of the Even–Mansour cipher with a short key and derive their security by Patarin’s H-coefficients technique. These four structures are proven secure up to O˜2k/μ adversarial queries, where k is the bit length of the key material and μ is the maximal multiplicity. Then, we apply them to lightweight authenticated encryption modes and prove their security up to about minb/2,c,k−log μ-bit adversarial queries, where b is the size of the permutation and c is the capacity of the permutation. Finally, we leave it as an open problem to settle the security of the t-round iterated Even–Mansour cipher with short keys.
The Beneficial Effects of Alpha Lipoic Acid Supplementation on Lp-PLA2 Mass and Its Distribution between HDL and apoB-Containing Lipoproteins in Type 2 Diabetic Patients: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Baziar Nima , Nasli-Esfahani Ensieh , Djafarian Kurosh , Qorbani Mostafa , Hedayati Mehdi , Mishani Mahshid Abd , Faghfoori Zeinab , Ahmaripour Najva , Hosseini Saeed
Published: March 2020

Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2(Lp-PLA2) is a new specific vascular inflammation biomarker that is carried by the lipoproteins in the blood and plays a prominent role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Increased Lp-PLA2 levels and impaired Lp-PLA2 distribution across high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and non-HDL lipoproteins have been reported in diabetic patients, which is associated with the increase in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. This study is aimed at investigating the effect of alpha lipoic acid (ALA), as an antioxidant with potential cardioprotective properties, on the Lp-PLA2 mass and its distribution in diabetic patients. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial, seventy diabetic patients were randomly allocated to ALA (1200 mg ALA as two 600 mg capsules/day) and placebo (two maltodextrin capsules/day) groups. The serum levels of total Lp-PLA2 mass, HDL-Lp-PLA2, oxidized low-density lipoproteins (ox-LDL), apolipoprotein A1 (apo A1), lipid profiles, fasting blood sugar (FBS), and insulin were measured, and apolipoprotein B- (apoB-) associated Lp-PLA2 and homeostasis model of assessment index (HOMA-IR) were calculated at the baseline and after 8 weeks of intervention. ALA significantly decreased the ox-LDL, total Lp-PLA2 mass, apoB-associated Lp-PLA2, and percent of apoB-associated Lp-PLA2 and triglyceride and increased the percent of HDL-Lp-PLA2 compared with the placebo group but had no significant effect on HDL-Lp-PLA2 mass, apo A1, lipid profiles, and glycemic indices. There was a positive correlation between the reduction in the ox-LDL level and total Lp-PLA2 mass in the ALA group. In conclusion, ALA may decrease the CVD risk by reducing the ox-LDL and Lp-PLA2 mass and improving the Lp-PLA2 distribution among lipoproteins in type 2 diabetic patients.
Antistarvation Strategies of E. Sinensis: Regulatory Networks under Hepatopancreas Consumption
Authors: Huang Xiaoli , Feng Yang , Duan Jing , Xiong Guanqing , Fan Wei , Liu Sha , Zhong Liang , Wang Kaiyu , Geng Yi , Ouyang Ping , Chen Defang , Yang Shiyong , Yin Lizi
Published: March 2020

Crustaceans have a more persistent starvation tolerance than mammals, birds, reptiles, and even fish. This study is aimed at assessing the survival strategy and regulatory mechanism of crustaceans in response to starvation through an animal model using Eriocheir sinensis. In the 42-day starvation experiment, the hepatopancreas was found to become the target organ, which was characterized by atrophy of the thin wall in the hepatic tubules and expansion of the lumen. During short-term starvation, E. sinensis activates lipid and glycogen metabolism in the hepatopancreas with lipid metabolism dominating. In lipid metabolism, there was a significant decline in triglyceride, whereas cholesterol did not change significantly. Meanwhile, the fatty acid metabolism pathway was inhibited, but autophagy increased in the hepatopancreas, which may be the selective pathway for the decomposition of intracellular substances. However, under long-term starvation, the stored energy in the hepatopancreas was depleted, and E. sinensis selects to consume hepatopancreatic cells and maintain energy metabolism through apoptosis, which was triggered by both the death receptor pathway and the mitochondrial pathway. In addition, cell proliferation was blocked to reduce unnecessary energy consumption.
Heat Capacities and Thermodynamic Properties of Pinnoite and Inderite
Authors: Zheng Hanyu , Sun Kangrui , Li Long , Guo Yafei , Deng Tianlong
Published: March 2020

In this paper, in order to understand the thermodynamic properties of natural minerals of pinnoite (MgB2O4·3H2O, Pin) and inderite (Mg2B6O11·15H2O, Ind) deposited in salt lakes, heat capacities of two minerals were measured using a precision calorimeter at temperatures from 306.15 to 355.15 K after the high purity was synthesized. It was found that there are no phase transitions and thermal anomalies for the two minerals, and the molar heat capacities against temperature for Pin and Ind were fitted as Cp,m,pin = −2029.47058 + 16.94666T − 0.04396T2 + 3.89409×10−5T3 and Cp,m,Ind = −30814.43795 + 282.68108T − 0.85605T2 + 8.70708×10−4T 3, respectively. On the basis of molar heat capacities (Cp,m) of Pin and Ind, the thermodynamic functions of entropy, enthalpy, and Gibbs free energy at the temperature of 1 K interval for the two minerals were obtained for the first time.
Transient Thermal Analysis in an Intermittent Ceramic Kiln with Thermal Insulation: A Theoretical Approach
Authors: Gomez Ricardo S. , Porto Túlio R. N. , Magalhães Hortência L. F. , Guedes Clotildes A. L. , Lima Elisiane S. , Wanderley Dannyelle M. A. , Lima Antonio G. B.
Published: March 2020

Increasing the thermal efficiency of drying and firing processes of ceramic products plays an important role for industries that want to remain competitive in the market. Thus, this work aims to evaluate the influence of the type and thickness of thermal insulations, applied on the external sidewalls of an intermittent ceramic kiln, on heat transfer, temperature distribution in the insulating material, maximum external surface temperature, and energy gain, compared to the kiln without thermal insulation. All proposed mathematical formulations are based on the energy conservation, and mathematical procedures are implemented in Microsoft Excel software. Here, it was tested four types of thermal isolators: fiberglass, rockwool, calcium silicate, and ceramic fiber. Results indicate that the greater the thickness of the thermal insulation, the lower the maximum external surface temperature and the greater the energy gain when compared to the kiln without thermal insulation. In addition, fiberglass is the insulating material, among the four types analyzed, which provides greater energy gain and greater reduction in maximum external surface temperature.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus with Multiple Autoimmune Disease Presented with Extensive Peripheral Gangrene
Authors: Alzughayyar Tareq Z. , Zalloum Jihad Samer , Elqadi Mohammad N. , Abukhalaf Sadi A. , Abunejma Fawzy M. , Alkhanafsa Mohammed M. Y. , Haif Motasem H. M. , Alqarajeh Firas , Mesk Mo’min R. , Misk Rami A.
Published: March 2020

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease and can be associated with other autoimmune diseases. SLE usually presents with skin change and rarely presents with gangrene. SLE gangrene usually involves the digits of upper extremities. We report the first case of SLE associated with an extremely rare constellation of neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) and diabetes mellitus type 1, presented with a rare form of the SLE gangrene which involves bilateral lower extremities up to midlegs, a case that has not yet been reported in the literature. Although SLE gangrene may respond to immunosuppressants, it has a high risk of complications that can end up with amputations.
On the Controllability of Conformable Fractional Deterministic Control Systems in Finite Dimensional Spaces
Authors: Jneid Maher , Awadalla Muath
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we establish a set of convenient conditions of controllability for semilinear fractional finite dimensional control systems involving conformable fractional derivative. Indeed, sufficient conditions of controllability for a semilinear conformable fractional system are presented, assuming that the corresponding linear systems are controllable. The present method is based on conformable fractional exponential matrix, Gramian matrix, and the iterative technique. Two illustrated examples are carried out to establish the facility and efficiency of this technique.
Ends and Means: A Conversation with Geeta Kapur
Authors: Mathur Saloni
Published: March 2020

This interview with New Delhi–based critic and curator Geeta Kapur was conducted by Saloni Mathur, a professor of art history at UCLA. In their dialogue, Kapur reflects on her five-decade long career and speaks on a wide range of topics, including the rise of authoritarianism in India and around the world, the status of “third-world” and postcolonial criticism, the internationalism of Okwui Enwezor, and the challenges to the Euro-American canon presented by critical engagements with modern and contemporary art.
The Origins and Evolution of Sufi Communities in South Asia Revisited
Authors: Auer Blain
Published: March 2020

This article offers a reevaluation of studies on the origins of Sufism in South Asia. Generally, scholars have pointed to the thirteenth century as the genesis of Sufi orders in Northern India. However, this period supplies no textual evidence to support this claim. The vague picture of the thirteenth century is one of individual shaykhs unattached to specific Sufi orders or distinct religious teachings. By contrast, in the fourteenth century there is a wealth of Sufi textual sources available in the genres of malfūẓāt, letters and biographical texts that seek to institutionalize Sufi teachings and create genealogies of learning. Based on textual and archeological sources this author demonstrates that it was during the fourteenth century that we see the development of institutionalized forms of Sufism. Special attention is given to the origins and development of the Chishtiyya lineage of shaykhs during this critical period.