bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Type I IFN expression is stimulated by cytosolic MtDNA released from pneumolysin‐damaged mitochondria via the STING signaling pathway in macrophages
Authors: Hu Xuexue , Peng Xiaoqiong , Lu Chang , Zhang Xuemei , Gan Lingling , Gao Yue , Yang Shenghui , Xu Wenchun , Wang Jian , Yin Yibing , Wang Hong
Published: July 2019

Pneumolysin (Ply), a major virulence factor of Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pn), affects the immunity of host cells during infection. It has been reported that Ply is involved in S. pn standard strain D39‐induced interferon‐β (IFN‐β) expression; however, other findings suggest that recombinant Ply protein is incapable of triggering IFN‐β expression. Here, we demonstrated that purified Ply was capable of initiating oxidative damage to mitochondria, resulting in the subsequent release of mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid (mtDNA), which mediated IFN‐β expression in macrophages. Importantly, we determined that IFN‐β expression was regulated by stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling in response to Ply. In conclusion, our study identified that IFN‐β production was triggered by Ply in macrophages and mtDNA released from Ply‐damaged mitochondria mediated this process, through the STING pathway. This is a novel mechanism by which S. pn modulates type I IFN response in macrophages.
A small, narrow‐beaked albatross from the Pliocene of New Zealand demonstrates a higher past diversity in the feeding ecology of the Diomedeidae
Authors: Mayr Gerald , Tennyson Alan J. D.
Published: July 2019

We describe a nearly complete, three‐dimensionally preserved skull of a new albatross species from the late Pliocene (3.0–3.4 million years ago) Tangahoe Formation of New Zealand.Aldiomedes angustirostris, n. gen. et sp. has only about 90% of the length of the skull of the smallest extant albatross and is the geologically youngest record of a small‐sized albatross known to date. The new species is characterized by a mediolaterally compressed beak, which is not found in any living albatross. The small size and some cranial features ofA. angustirostrisindicate that, in spite of its comparatively young geological age, the new species was not part of crown group Diomedeidae. We hypothesize thatA. angustirostriswas more piscivorous than extant albatrosses, which predominantly feed on squid. The reasons for the extinction of smaller‐sized albatrosses are elusive but may be related to changes in seabird fauna during the Pliocene epoch, which witnessed the radiation of various non‐procellariiform seabird groups.
Ceramics based on calcium phosphates substituted with magnesium ions for bone regeneration
Authors: Ghițulică Cristina‐Daniela , Cucuruz Andreia , Voicu Georgeta , Cucuruz Andrei T. , Dinescu Sorina , Selaru Aida , Costache Marieta
Published: July 2019

In this study, chemical precipitation methods were used to obtain ceramic materials doped with magnesium ions in order to improve the regeneration properties of materials used for tissue engineering. Two different ratios of magnesium oxide were used to dope the ceramic powder, more precisely 5% and 10%. The synthesized materials were characterized to determine the calcination temperature of the precursor powder by means of thermal analysis; to determine the mineralogical composition, X‐ray diffraction was employed and the scanning electron microscopy was used to determine the microstructure. To make use of these ceramics as biomaterials, viability and proliferation cell tests have been performed. Since synthetic materials have several limitations with regard to medical applications, the materials based on HAp substituted with Mg ions are a promising solution for the regeneration of bone defects because they have a similar bone structure. The presence of Mg in the material proves to be beneficial because this element plays an important role in bone cell regeneration, and more specifically, in stimulating osteoblast proliferation. The materials synthesized in this work present a suitable morphology for uses in bone regeneration because they offer to cells a friendly environment for growth and anchoring.
Adaptation of the dynamic mechanical analysis to determine the gel point during the setting of liquid alkali silicates
Authors: Hopp Vanessa , Sax Almuth , Helmus Dominic , Quirmbach Peter
Published: July 2019

The gel point is one of the relevant parameters for the characterization of materials that undergo a sol‐to‐gel‐transition during their setting. A test method for its determination could be the Dynamic Mechanical Analysis, currently used in the field of polymer science. For the first time this measuring principle has been adapted to the group of liquid alkali silicates, thus verifying the possibility to describe their setting process. Three analytical methods for the determination of the gel point were studied with regard to their applicability and consistency for a compound alkali silicate system used as chemical hardener.
Combined effects of natural substances and modified atmosphere packaging on reducing enzymatic browning and postharvest decay of longan fruit
Authors: Khan Muhammad Rafiullah , Chinsirikul Wannee , Sane Amporn , Chonhenchob Vanee
Published: July 2019

An integrated control strategy on preventing pericarp browning (BI) and decay incidence (DI) of longan fruit was investigated to replace sulphur dioxide (SO2) fumigation. Fruit was treated with 5% ascorbic acid (AA), citric acid (CA), oxalic acid (OA), thymol (TH) and 2% chitosan (CH) for 5 min; sealed under modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) using high permeable film; and stored at 5 °C. Fruit treated with distilled water and sealed under MAP condition (MAPC) and air condition (AIRC) was used as controls. Combined effects of chemical treatments and MAP maintained quality of longan for 56 and 49 days in CH and TH, respectively, as compared to 28 days in MAPC and 21 days in AIRC. AA, CA and OA prevented BI, restrained enzyme activities and maintained high phenols. AA, CA and OA were most potent BI inhibitors; however, DI was the limitation of these treatments, while CH and TH effectively inhibited DI.
Variations of volatile flavour compounds in Cordyceps militaris chicken soup after enzymolysis pretreatment by SPME combined with GC‐MS, GC × GC‐TOF MS and GC‐IMS
Authors: Zeng Xiaofang , Liu Jialing , Dong Hao , Bai Weidong , Yu Limei , Li Xiaomin
Published: July 2019

Cordyceps militaris chicken soup has always been one of the most popular Chinese‐style soups due to its high nutritional value and special flavour. In the present work, C. militaris chicken soup was stewed after enzymolysis pretreatment. Several advanced techniques including GC‐MS, GC × GC‐TOF MS and GC‐IMS were utilised to investigate the volatiles of as‐prepared C. militaris chicken soup. GC‐MS and GC  ×GC‐TOF MS analysis indicated that contents and kinds of the main compounds especially aldehydes and esters which have fatty and sweet aroma in C. militaris chicken soup were increased after enzymolysis process. GC‐IMS results demonstrated that some volatile substances in chicken soup disappeared with the addition of C. militaris and concentrations of some volatile substances were increased after enzymolysis process. Enzymolysis pretreatment was confirmed to be an effective way to enhance the soluble protein dissolution rate and volatile flavour compounds of C. militaris chicken soup.
Effect of cold atmospheric plasma on the physicochemical and functional properties of myofibrillar protein from Alaska pollock (Theragra chalcogramma)
Authors: Miao Wenhua , Nyaisaba Bhoke Marwa , Koddy John Kilian , Chen Meiling , Hatab Shaimaa , Deng Shanggui
Published: July 2019

This study aimed to investigate the effect of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) on the physicochemical and functional properties of myofibrillar protein isolated from Alaska pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) muscle. Free sulfhydryl content, surface hydrophobicity, turbidity, differential scanning calorimetry, SDS‐PAGE, heat‐induced myofibrillar protein gel properties and water holding capacity were determined to evaluate the effect of CAP treatment on protein properties. CAP treatment from 10 to 60 kV for 10 min significantly (P < 0.05) increased the water holding capacity, textural properties and colour properties of heat‐induced myofibrillar protein gel. As treatment voltage increased, free sulfhydryl content decreased significantly, while the turbidity and surface hydrophobicity of myofibrillar protein were increased. DSC data showed enhancement of thermal stability of the treated samples; however, the electrophoretic profile displayed a significant reduction in the band's intensity of protein at a higher voltage. These results suggest that cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) treatment could be used as an alternative approach to enhance the gelling properties of myofibrillar protein from Alaska pollock.
The pathological role of Wnt5a in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis
Authors: Tian Faming , Mauro Theodora M. , Li Zhengxiao
Published: July 2019

Psoriasis (PsO) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with both local and systemic components. PsO‐associated arthritis, known as psoriatic arthritis (PsA), develops in approximately 13%‐25% of PsO patients. Various factors associated with both PsO and PsA indicate that these conditions are part of a single disease. Identification of novel targets for the development of drugs to treat both PsO and PsA is desirable to provide more patient‐friendly treatment regimens. Such targets will likely represent ‘common checkpoints’ of inflammation, for example key components or transduction cascades of the signalling pathways involved. Emerging evidence supports involvement of the non‐canonical Wnt signalling pathways in the development of both PsO and PsA, especially the Wnt5a‐activated signalling cascades. These, together with interlinked factors, are crucial in the interactions among keratinocytes, immune cells and inflammatory factors in PsO, as well as among chondrocytes, osteoblasts and osteoclasts that trigger both subchondral bone remodelling and cartilage catabolism in PsA. This review focuses on the pathological role of Wnt5a signalling and its interaction with other interlinked pathways in both PsO and PsA, and also on the main challenges for future research, particularly with respect to molecules targeting Wnt signalling pathways for the treatment of PsO and PsA.
Editorial: Improving children's mental health. What does that mean, actually?
Authors: Oldehinkel Albertine J.
Published: July 2019

The importance of promoting child and adolescent mental health seems self‐evident. However, child and adolescent psychologists and psychiatrists are not necessarily in agreement with each other about what promoting mental health means, the desirability of intervening to influence development, and whether improving mental health promotion justifies reducing young people's autonomy. If expressed and discussed openly, diverging views and opinions about these issues can be constructive and deepen insights. Philosophical discussions about the belief systems and their relation to theoretical models underlying specific research questions, methodological choices, and interpretations of findings raise awareness of the inherent subjectivity of mental health evidence and research, and stimulate ‘clear thinking’, arguably the most valuable implement in any scientist's toolbox.
The “pragmatic trial”: An essentially contested concept?
Authors: Pawson Ray
Published: July 2019

For over 50 years, clinical research methodology has wrestled with the problem of the lack of correspondence between tests of treatments and applications of treatments. The former comprise of trials featuring scrupulous control of patient eligibility, treatment compliance, clinician expertise, follow‐up intensity, and so on. In applying a validated treatment, the practitioner has to confront considerable real‐world variation in potential patients and in implementation regimes. The remedy, going by the name of “pragmatic trials,” is to conduct clinical trials in conditions corresponding more closely to everyday practice. This solution has proved easier to utter than to execute, and the paper reviews the extensive literature on pragmatic trials, seeking to assess whether it has terminated in clarity or contestation.
Prevention of haze formation in shiro‐shoyu using silica gel
Authors: Kondo Tetsuya , Ishihara Nami , Itoh Tomoyuki , Terao Keigo
Published: July 2019

An adsorption technique was employed to remove the haze‐causing proteins from shiro‐shoyu, a type of soy sauce. Protein content in shiro‐shoyu was reduced by incubation with silica gel. The removal of protein was dependent on the incubation temperature. At the optimal temperature of 60°C, the protein removal exceeded 80% of the total protein content. SDS‐PAGE pattern analysis of shiro‐shoyu and western blotting analysis with anti‐α‐amylase antibody suggested that the thermal denaturation of proteins and proteolytic degradation by endogenous proteases in shiro‐shoyu facilitated efficient protein adsorption onto silica gel by increasing the hydrophobicity of protein molecules. Physical and chemical properties of the silica gel‐treated shiro‐shoyu were comparable to those of raw shiro‐shoyu except for the decrease in protein content. When stored at 50°C for 7 days, shiro‐shoyu heated for pasteurization after silica gel treatment kept its clarity, whereas shiro‐shoyu heated without silica gel and raw shiro‐shoyu contained sediment.

Practical Applications

Shoyu (soy sauce) is a traditional Japanese seasoning brewed from soybeans, wheat, shoyu‐koji mold, and salt water. When raw (unheated) shoyu is heated for pasteurization, it often becomes cloudy and produces sediment during storage. This haze phenomenon, derived from the aggregation of proteins, has led to customer complaints. It has been demonstrated that the haze arising from heating the raw shoyu can be clarified by removing sediments through the addition of flocculating agents such as silica sol. However, this conventional method is not suitable for clarifying heated shiro‐shoyu, which is a type of soy sauce (shoyu) made mainly from wheat. An adsorption technique using silica gel would be a very effective approach for manufacturing clarified shiro‐shoyu. The method would allow shiro‐shoyu to remain clear after pasteurization and prevent any haze or sediment formation during storage.
Effects of chitosan with vegetable oil on shelf life of brown trout (Salmo trutta fario) fillets fed on prebiotics
Authors: Yumuk Hurrem , Alak Gonca , Yanik Telat
Published: July 2019

In this research, effects of chitosan coating of brown trout (Salmo trutta fario) fillets containing inulin were determined. Chitosan enriched by vegetable oils (0% Chitosan‐control, 2% acetic acid +Chitosan, 2% sage oil+Chitosan, and 2% mint oil+Chitosan) on shelf life was investigated. In the experiment, fish fillets from the control and the experimental groups were subjected to chemical and microbiological analyses at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 days of cold storage at 4 ± 1°C.

Coating with chitosan enriched with different vegetable oils caused statistically significant effects on microbiological (total aerobic mesophilic, psychrotrophic, lactic acid, Enterobacteriaceae, and Pseudomonas) and chemical parameters (total volatile base–nitrogen and pH) (p < .05), but not on thiobarbituric acid reactive substance values (p > .05).

Considering all of the data determined from the present study, it was found that fish fillets coated with chitosan enriched with mint oil gave the best results with respect to shelf life.

Practical Application

To use chitosan as coating material in fish processing. To enrich chitosan with vegetable oils for longer shelf life of fillets of brown trout fed on prebiotic, inulin. To report use of mint oil with chitosan as coating substance for the best results in storage of aquatic products.
Crosstalk between Cdk5/p35 and ERK1/2 signalling mediates spinal astrocyte activity via the PPARγ pathway in a rat model of chronic constriction injury
Authors: Zhong Yu , Chen Jialin , Chen Jing , Chen Yanhua , Li Li , Xie Yubo
Published: July 2019

The specific mechanisms underlying cyclin‐dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5)‐mediated neuropathic pain at the spinal cord level remain elusive. The aim of the present study was to explore the role of crosstalk between Cdk5/p35 and extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) signalling in mediating spinal astrocyte activity via the PPARγ pathway in a rat model of chronic constriction injury (CCI). Here, we quantified pain behaviour after CCI; detected the localization of p35, Cdk5, phosphorylated ERK1/2 (pERK1/2), phosphorylated peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ (pPPARγ), neuronal nuclei (a neuronal marker), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP, an activated astrocyte marker) and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (a microglial marker) in the dorsal horn using immunofluorescence; measured the protein levels of Cdk5, p35, pERK1/2, pPPARγ and GFAP using western blot analysis; and gauged the enzyme activity of Cdk5/p35 kinase using a Cdk5/p35 kinase activity assay kit. Tumour necrosis factor‐α, interleukin (IL)‐1β and IL‐6 levels were measured using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Ligation of the right sciatic nerve induced mechanical allodynia; thermal hyperalgesia; and the time‐dependent upregulation of p35, pERK1/2 and GFAP and downregulation of pPPARγ. p35 colocalized with Cdk5, pERK1/2, pPPARγ, neurons and astrocytes but not microglia. Meanwhile, intrathecal injection of the Cdk5 inhibitor roscovitine, the mitogen‐activated ERK kinase (MEK) inhibitor U0126 and the PPARγ agonist pioglitazone prevented or reversed behavioural allodynia, increased pPPARγ expression, inhibited astrocyte activation and alleviated proinflammatory cytokine (tumour necrosis factor‐α, IL‐1β, and IL‐6) release from activated astrocytes. Furthermore, crosstalk between the Cdk5/p35 and ERK1/2 pathways was observed with CCI. Blockade of either Cdk5/p35 or ERK1/2 inhibited Cdk5 activity. These findings indicate that spinal crosstalk between the Cdk5/p35 and ERK1/2 pathways mediates astrocyte activity via the PPARγ pathway in CCI rats and that targeting this crosstalk could be an effective strategy to attenuate CCI and astrocyte‐derived neuroinflammation.

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A Critical Review of Anti‐Bullying Programs in North American Elementary Schools
Authors: Rawlings Jared R. , Stoddard Sarah A.
Published: July 2019

BACKGROUND

Bullying behavior is a concern among school‐aged youth and anti‐bullying programs have been implemented in schools throughout North America. Most anti‐bullying programs are delivered to adolescent youth because antisocial‐aggressive behaviors are typically associated with this developmental stage. This paper is a review of empirically evaluated school‐based bullying prevention and intervention programs in North American elementary schools.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic, critical review of bullying prevention programming. Data were analyzed to determine the study method, intervention components, measurement of bullying, aggression, or peer victimization, outcomes measured, and results.

RESULTS

Our review resulted in the identification of 10 interventions aimed at youth in grades K‐6 enrolled in North American elementary schools. Effective intervention strategies targeted a variety of bullying behaviors using diverse mechanisms and included a school—and community‐wide approach. Direct outcomes of the reviewed evaluations were centered on bullying, aggression, and victimization. Indirect outcomes of review evaluations included strategies for bystanders, school achievement, perceived school safety, and knowledge or attitudes about bullying.

CONCLUSIONS

Recommendations for promising practices in effective bullying intervention programming are offered. The review concludes with suggestions for supporting school health staff and in‐service teachers drawn from the body of research, and offers direction for future study.
Longitudinal sleep efficiency in the elderly and its association with health
Authors: Didikoglu Altug , Maharani Asri , Tampubolon Gindo , Canal Maria Mercè , Payton Antony , Pendleton Neil
Published: July 2019

The relationships between older age and sleep efficiency have traditionally been assessed using cross‐sectional studies that ignore changes within individuals as they age. This research examines the determinants of sleep efficiency, the heterogeneity in an individual's sleep efficiency trajectory across a period of up to 27 years in later life and its associations with health. The University of Manchester Longitudinal Study of Cognition in Normal Healthy Old Age cohort (n = 6,375; age 42–94 years) was used in this study. Depression and health data were collected using self‐report validated instruments (Cornell Medical Index, Beck Depression Inventory and Geriatric Depression Scale). Longitudinal sleep and sociodemographic data were collected using a study‐specific self‐report questionnaire. A mixed‐effect model was performed for sleep efficiency with adjustments for time‐invariant and time‐variant predictors. Latent class analysis was used to demonstrate subgroups of sleep efficiency trajectories and associations between sleep efficiency clusters and health history of the participants were investigated. Older adults have decreased sleep efficiency over time, with 18.6% decline between 40 and 100 years of age. Three sleep efficiency trajectory clusters were identified: high (32%), medium (50%) and low sleep efficiency (18%). Belonging to the high sleep efficiency cluster was associated with having lower prevalence of hypertension, circulatory problems, general arthritis, breathing problems and recurrent episodes of depression compared to the low efficiency cluster. Overall, ageing decreases sleep efficiency. However, there are detectable subgroups of sleep efficiency that are related to prevalence of different diseases.
Cytomegalovirus hepatitis after bone marrow transplantation: An autopsy study with clinical, histologic and laboratory correlates
Authors: McDonald George B. , Sarmiento Juan I. , Rees‐Lui Georgia , Myerson David
Published: July 2019

Mortality from cytomegalovirus disease after marrow transplantation can be reduced by treatment with antiviral drugs based on the detection of viremia and organ involvement. We examined autopsy liver specimens to determine the frequency, extent and outcome of cytomegalovirus hepatitis and whether cytomegalovirus hepatitis occurred in the absence of cytomegalovirus disease elsewhere. Autopsy specimens from 50 transplant patients were evaluated for cytomegalovirus‐infected cells, in five groups of 10, according to extent of CMV during life and at autopsy. Liver sections were examined by routine light microscopy, immunohistochemistry and in situ DNA hybridization. Clinical and laboratory data collected during the last 30 days of life were analysed as markers of liver cytomegalovirus infection. Cytomegalovirus‐infected cells were detected in the livers of 10/10 patients with cytomegalovirus infection during life and widespread cytomegalovirus at autopsy; in 3/20 livers from patients with cytomegalovirus infection during life but negative liver cultures at autopsy; and in 1/10 livers from cytomegalovirus‐seropositive patients who had been without other evidence of cytomegalovirus infection. Histology detected a lower density of cytomegalovirus‐bearing cells per unit area of liver, compared to immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. No cytomegalovirus‐infected cells were detected in livers from cytomegalovirus‐seronegative controls. No distinctive clinical or laboratory findings correlated with liver cytomegalovirus detection. CMV liver disease is common in allografted patients with disseminated CMV but may rarely be isolated to the liver, best demonstrated with IHC and ISH. Massive hepatic necrosis from CMV was not seen in any autopsy liver in this study.
Clinical effect of probiotics in prevention or treatment of gastrointestinal disease in dogs: A systematic review
Authors: Jensen Anders P. , Bjørnvad Charlotte R.
Published: July 2019

Background

Gastrointestinal diseases are prevalent in dogs, and probiotics could provide safe alternatives to conventional treatments.

Objective

To evaluate the clinical effects of probiotics when used in the prevention or treatment of gastrointestinal disease in dogs compared with no treatment, only symptomatic treatment, or conventional treatment.

Methods

A systematic review was preformed searching AGRICOLA, AGRIS, CAB Abstracts, Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, and Web of Science to identify articles published before April 1, 2017. Selection criteria were original research report, those published in peer reviewed journal, and study investigating in vivo use of probiotic for prevention or treatment of gastrointestinal disease in dogs. Studies were rated based on the level of evidence, and methodological quality was evaluated by the following variables: similarities between groups at baseline, risk of bias, and study group size.

Results

One hundred sixty‐five studies were identified, of which 17 met the inclusion criteria—12 concerned acute gastrointestinal disease and 5 concerned chronic gastrointestinal disease. The level of evidence ranged between randomized controlled studies and crossover uncontrolled trials; estimated risk of bias was generally moderate to high; and sample sizes were small. Feces consistency was the most frequently evaluated clinical variable.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

The current data point toward a very limited and possibly clinically unimportant effect for prevention or treatment of acute gastrointestinal disease. For chronic gastrointestinal disease, dietary intervention remains the major key in treatment, whereas probiotic supplement seems not to add significant improvement. However, studies were often underpowered, underscoring the need for future larger, preferably multicenter studies.
Concrete crack detection using context‐aware deep semantic segmentation network
Authors: Zhang Xinxiang , Rajan Dinesh , Story Brett
Published: July 2019

Computer‐vision and deep‐learning techniques are being increasingly applied to inspect, monitor, and assess infrastructure conditions including detection of cracks. Traditional vision‐based methods to detect cracks lack accuracy and generalization to work on complicated infrastructural conditions. This paper presents a novel context‐aware deep convolutional semantic segmentation network to effectively detect cracks in structural infrastructure under various conditions. The proposed method applies a pixel‐wise deep semantic segmentation network to segment the cracks on images with arbitrary sizes without retraining the prediction network. Meanwhile, a context‐aware fusion algorithm that leverages local cross‐state and cross‐space constraints is proposed to fuse the predictions of image patches. This method is evaluated on three datasets: CrackForest Dataset (CFD) and Tomorrows Road Infrastructure Monitoring, Management Dataset (TRIMMD) and a Customized Field Test Dataset (CFTD) and achieves Boundary F1 (BF) score of 0.8234, 0.8252, and 0.7937 under 2‐pixel error tolerance margin in CFD, TRIMMD, and CFTD, respectively. The proposed method advances the state‐of‐the‐art performance of BF score by approximately 2.71% in CFD, 1.47% in TRIMMD, and 4.14% in CFTD. Moreover, the averaged processing time of the proposed system is 0.7 s on a typical desktop with Intel® Quad‐Core™ i7‐7700 CPU@3.6 GHz Processor, 16GB RAM and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB GPU for an image of size 256 × 256 pixels.
Big data in nephrology: Are we ready for the change?
Authors: Yang Chao , Kong Guilan , Wang Liwei , Zhang Luxia , Zhao Ming‐Hui
Published: July 2019

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health issue worldwide. However, the status of kidney health care needs to be strengthened globally and research evidence in nephrology is relatively limited. The unmet needs in nephrology leave ample space for imagination regarding leveraging big data and artificial intelligence (AI). Big data has potential to drive medical innovation, reduce medical costs and improve health care quality. Compared with other specialties such as cardiology, the scopes of utilizing big data in nephrology need to be enhanced. We reviewed the studies on the application of big data in nephrology, such as disease surveillance, risk prediction and clinical decision support systems (CDSS), and proposed several potential directions of utilizing big data and AI. The efforts including building a CKD surveillance system and collaborative network, implementing a real‐world cohort in a cost‐effective manner, strengthening the application and transformation of AI and CDSS, and stimulating the activeness of medical imaging in nephrology, could be considered. In the era of big data, a nephrologist would be stronger and smarter if he or she could get intelligent assistance from knowledge or big data‐driven CDSS.
Research paradigms and the politics of nursing knowledge: A reflective discussion
Authors: Nairn Stuart
Published: July 2019

A standard view would suggest that research is a neutral apolitical activity. It neutralizes external pressures by its fidelity to robust scientific methods. However, politics is an inevitable part of human knowledge. Our knowledge of the world is always mediated by human priorities. What matters is therefore a contested and political debate rather a neutral accumulation of factual data. How researchers manage this varies. Research paradigms are one way in which research engages with knowledge. They frame knowledge within epistemological and ontological philosophies. In this paper, I will explore this view in relation to neo‐positivism, qualitative research, Foucault and critical realism. I will argue that if nursing knowledge is to be effective it needs to acknowledge the political, particularly in the context of neoliberalism. Healthcare systems are having to cope with a social world increasingly dominated by market fundamentalism, extreme levels of inequality and a rise in xenophobia. These forces are undermining the provision of ethically sound health care, misdirecting research practice and contributing to a discourse of dehumanization. These forces need to be challenged politically and I will argue that epistemologically diverse approaches, alongside a realist ontology can provide a way forward for nursing research.
The peu‐miR160a−PeARF17.1/PeARF17.2 module participates in the adventitious root development of poplar
Authors: Liu Sian , Yang Chunxia , Wu Ling , Cai Heng , Li Huogen , Xu Meng
Published: July 2019

Deep roots give rise to flourishing leaves, and the two complement each other. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying adventitious rooting for forest trees have remained elusive. In this study, we verified that peu‐miR160a targets six poplar genes AUXIN RESPONSE FACTORS (ARFs), PeARF10.1, PeARF16.1, PeARF16.2, PeARF16.3, PeARF17.1 and PeARF17.2, using 5’RLM‐RACE. Interaction experiments with peu‐miR160a and PeARFs in poplar protoplasts further confirmed that peu‐miR160a targets and negatively regulates the six PeARFs. Peu‐miR160a and its target genes exhibited obvious temporal expression in different stages of adventitious root development, and they could also be induced by IAA and abscisic acid. Peu‐miR160a‐overexpressing lines exhibited a significant shortening of adventitious root length, an increase in the number of lateral roots, severe dwarfing and shortened internodes. In addition, the overexpression of PeARF17.1 or mPeARF17.2 (peu‐miR160a‐resistant version of PeARF17.2) significantly increased the number of adventitious roots. Furthermore, PeARF17.1‐overexpressing lines had multiple branches with no visible trunk, although the adventitious root length of the PeARF17.1‐overexpressing lines was significantly increased. Our findings reveal that the peu‐miR160a − PeARF17.1/PeARF17.2 module is an important regulator involved in the development of the adventitious roots of poplar.
Evaluation of a three‐session biliary dilation protocol following transplant‐related biliary stricture in pediatric patients
Authors: Reis Stephen P. , Bruestle Karina , Brejt Sidney , Tulin‐Silver Sheryl , Frenkel Joseph , Mobley David G. , England Ryan W. , Sobolevsky Sergei , Griesemer Adam D. , Sperling David , Schlossberg Peter , Susman Jonathan , Weintraub Joshua L.
Published: July 2019

To evaluate whether a serial biliary dilation protocol improves outcomes and decreases total biliary drainage time for biliary strictures following pediatric liver transplantation. From 2006 to 2016, 213 orthotopic deceased and living related liver transplants were performed in 199 patients with a median patient age of 3.1 years at a single pediatric hospital. Patients with biliary strictures were managed by IR or surgically by the transplant team. Patients managed by IR were divided into two groups. The first group was managed with a standardized three‐session protocol consisting of dilation every two weeks for three dilations. The second group was managed clinically with varying number and interval of dilations as determined by a multidisciplinary team. The location of biliary stricture, duration of drainage, number of balloon dilations, balloon diameter, time interval between dilations, and success of percutaneous treatment were recorded. Thirty‐four patients developed biliary strictures. Thirty‐one patients were managed with percutaneous intervention. Three strictures could not be crossed and were converted to operative management. Ten patients were managed in the three‐session protocol, and 18 patients were managed in the clinically treated group. There was no significant difference in clinical success rates between groups, 80% and 61%, respectively. The three‐session protocol group trended toward a lower total biliary drain indwell time (median 49 days) compared with the clinically treated group (median 89 days), P = .089. Our study suggests that a three‐session dilation protocol following transplant‐related biliary stricture may decrease total biliary drainage time for some patients.
Sharing Authority: The Politics and Practice of Community Policing in the Brazilian Slum
Authors: Wolff Michael Jerome
Published: July 2019

Over the last decade, Community Policing (CP) secured a central place in Brazilian public security policy, challenging traditional policing modalities known more for their lethal violence than their efficacy. But as the CP model moved from wealthy societies to the Brazilian favela (urban slum), it faced far greater challenges. Tasked with displacing the deeply rooted authority of drug gangs, it sought to extend state authority territorially, as well as to curb criminal violence. Paradoxically, it succeeded at the latter without achieving the former. Drawing on evidence from the Rio de Janeiro's Pacifying Police Units and Bahia's Community Security Bases, this study asks how Brazil's CP programs achieved their goals of reducing violence without displacing criminal authority. I argue that a common interest among police and locally embedded drug gangs in limiting violence led to tacit arrangements between them to share authority as a condition of peace.

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Well‐being workshop: simple acts of care
Authors: Roy Susie , Close Lorraine , McCorkell Vicki , Skinner Janet
Published: July 2019

Background

Well‐being encompasses a constellation of multiple interdependent factors influenced by our personal and professional lives. It has a reciprocal relationship with burnout, a phenomenon detrimental to physicians, students and patients alike. Despite this, well‐being is not a topic routinely integrated into undergraduate medical and nursing curricula. Local demand and increased global attention provided an impetus to create and deliver an ‘Introduction to well‐being’ workshop. Our aim was to start the well‐being conversation early in the professional journeys of students, and to provide strategies to gain and maintain well‐being throughout their careers.

Methods

We developed a practical, interprofessional well‐being workshop for first‐year medical and nursing students. Over six afternoons, 251 students in groups of 12–15 rotated through our three session, interactive workshop focusing on the interrelated subjects of self care, empathy and communication. On completion of the workshop, written evaluation and take‐home messages were collected and thematically analysed.

Results

The interprofessional aspect of the workshop and the practical tools imparted were positively evaluated. Take‐home messages highlighted the need to integrate well‐being into the curricula, particularly the self‐care aspect. Students concluded that ‘simple acts of care’ to self and to others were essential for the maintenance and improvement of well‐being.

Conclusion

Interprofessional early year well‐being workshops, designed to promote open discussion around the significance of self care, empathy and communication, and to provide practical advice for well‐being, were felt to be beneficial by first‐year nursing and medical students. Recognising the importance of simple acts of care is likely to advantage not only individuals but also the culture that they shape.

Local demand and increased global attention provided impetus to create and deliver an ‘Introduction to well‐being’ workshop
Mechanical washing of pet food bowls is effective for Microsporum canis decontamination
Authors: Moriello Karen A.
Published: July 2019

Background

Dermatophyte lesions are common on the face of animals and pet food bowls can become contaminated by direct contact with the facial lesions. Owners are concerned about appropriate decontamination and yet worried about exposing pets to disinfectant residues.

Objective

To determine the efficacy of mechanical cleaning alone for decontamination of contaminated pet food dishes.

Methods and materials

An isolated infective spore suspension of Microsporum canis was used to experimentally contaminate metal (n = 4), plastic (n = 4) and glass (n = 4) pet food bowls. The experiment was repeated twice, first with just the spore suspension, and then with a mixture of spore suspension and canned pet food. The bowls were soaked in hot water (34°C) with a generic dish soap in a sink for two minutes, scrubbed using a dishwashing brush until visibly clean or for 2 min, rinsed, allowed to air‐dry and then cultured. Fungal culture samples were collected using disposable dust cloths. Environmental fungal cultures were obtained from the sink after routine mechanical cleaning with a sudsy detergent.

Results

No environmental contamination was detected. The results of both experiments were similar. All bowls (n = 24) were fungal culture positive for M. canis before washing and all were completely decontaminated with mechanical washing alone.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Mechanical washing alone can decontaminate pet food bowls exposed to naturally infective material. Dishes should be soaked in hot sudsy water to loosen organic debris, scrubbed until visibly clean and then rinsed. Owners should wear dishwashing gloves for personal protection.
La claridad como especificidad: una revisión del desiderātum de la claridad en la teoría de Lon L. Fuller
Authors: Urbina Molfino Francisco Javier , Contreras Santander Fernando
Published: July 2019

El artículo analiza las exigencias que implica uno de los desiderāta del Estado de Derecho teorizados por LON L. FULLER. Ese desiderātum es el de la claridad. Se sostiene que la claridad comprende dos exigencias diferentes: inteligibilidad y especificidad. Ambas aparecen en el tratamiento de FULLER, pero no están adecuadamente distinguidas. En particular, la idea de especificidad no está explicada ni justificada. El artículo tiene por objeto proveer esa explicación y justificación, y mostrar sus consecuencias. Se argumenta que esto es relevante por razones prácticas y teóricas. En términos prácticos, la claridad como especificidad permite observar deficiencias en las que la creación y la administración de reglas en un sistema jurídico pueden incurrir, distintas a las que implican los otros desiderāta: la vaguedad, generalidad e indiferenciación de las normas jurídicas. En términos teóricos, permite explicar por qué el derecho tiene la cualidad específica de ser un cuerpo normativo relativamente intrincado, articulado mediante una serie de reglas más o menos específicas, múltiples y diferenciadas. En este sentido, el desiderātum de la claridad como especificidad tiene un rol estratégico en el conjunto de los desiderāta de FULLER.
La cláusula de terminación unilateral del contrato
Authors: Oviedo Al bán Jorge
Published: July 2019

Este artículo tiene por objeto analizar el fundamento, valor y alcance de la cláusula de terminación unilateral del contrato en el Derecho privado colombiano, conforme a la cual se pacta entre los contratantes que cualquiera de ellos puede dar por terminado el contrato sin necesidad de alegar una justa causa. Luego de indagar por el fundamento y viabilidad jurídica de esta cláusula, sus límites, al igual que su posible configuración como abusiva y contraria a la buena fe, se concluye que si bien es posible admitir su viabilidad jurídica, esta cláusula encuentra límites y eventualmente puede ser declarada nula. Para la elaboración se ha empleado el método dogmático de investigación jurídica, que tiene en cuenta las disposiciones legales, la doctrina y la jurisprudencia, tanto sentencias de la Corte Suprema de Justicia, como del Consejo de Estado y laudos arbitrales.
Experimental Investigation on Flow Past Two and Three Side-by-Side Inclined Cylinders
Authors: Gao Yangyang , Liu Cai , Zhao Ming , Wang Lizhong , Zhu Ronghua
Published: July 2019

A series of experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of the inclination angle of the cylinders on the wake flow characteristics for flow past two and three side-by-side inclined cylinders using the particle image velocimetry (PIV). Depending on the inclination angles, purely deflected gap flow, no-deflection gap flow, and flip-flop gap flow patterns are identified for both two and three cylinder cases. In both two and three cylinder cases, the flows through the gaps are found to be in purely deflected flow pattern at small inclination angles and flip-flop pattern at large inclination angles. For the three-cylinder case with flip-flop gap flow pattern, gap flows are predominantly in the outward deflection pattern (toward the two side cylinders) and are occasionally deflected inward (toward the middle cylinder). The gap flow deflection angles for all the tested inclination angles of the cylinders are quantified through statistical analysis, in addition to identifying the flow patterns. The deflection angle is found to decrease with increasing inclination angle for both two- and three-cylinder cases, and the outward deflection angle for the three cylinder cases is greater than the deflection angle of the two-cylinder case. The probability density distributions of the deflection angles approximately follow normal distribution. In the two-cylinder case, the mean flow field is asymmetrical about the x-axis when the possibility of the flow deflection toward one side of the gap is greater than that toward the other side.
A Computational Study on Deformed Bioprosthetic Valve Geometries: Clinically Relevant Valve Performance Metrics
Authors: Jafar Reza , Labrosse Michel R. , Weaver Jason D. , Retta Stephen M. , Wu Changfu , Duraiswamy Nandini
Published: July 2019

Transcatheter aortic valves (TAV) are symmetrically designed, but they are often not deployed inside cylindrical conduits with circular cross-sectional areas. Many TAV patients have heavily calcified aortic valves, which often result in deformed prosthesis geometries after deployment. We investigated the effects of deformed valve annulus configurations on a surgical bioprosthetic valve as a model for TAV. We studied valve leaflet motions, stresses and strains, and analog hydrodynamic measures (using geometric methods), via finite element (FE) modeling. Two categories of annular deformations were created to approximate clinical observations: (1) noncircular annulus with valve area conserved, and (2) under-expansion (reduced area) compared to circular annulus. We found that under-expansion had more impact on increasing stenosis (with geometric orifice area metrics) than noncircularity, and that noncircularity had more impact on increasing regurgitation (with regurgitation orifice area metrics) than under-expansion. We found durability predictors (stress/strain) to be the highest in the commissure regions of noncircular configurations such as EllipMajor (noncircular and under-expansion areas). Other clinically relevant performance aspects such as leaflet kinematics and coaptation were also investigated with the noncircular configurations. This study provides a framework for choosing the most challenging TAV deformations for acute and long-term valve performance in the design and testing phase of device development.
Impact of Fuel Composition on Gas Turbine Engine Performance
Authors: Burnes Dan , Camou Alejandro
Published: July 2019

An industrial gas turbine can run on a wide variety of fuels to produce power. Depending on the fuel composition and resulting properties, specifically the hydrogen–carbon ratio, the available output power, operability, and emissions of the engine can vary significantly. This study is an examination of how different fuels can affect the output characteristics of Solar Turbines Incorporated industrial engines and highlights the benefits of using fuels with higher hydrogen–carbon ratios including higher power, higher efficiency, and lower carbon emissions. This study also highlights critical combustion operability issues that need to be considered such as auto-ignition, flashback, blowout, and combustion instabilities that become more prominent when varying the hydrogen–carbon ratio significantly. Our intent is to provide a clear and concise reference to edify the reader examining attributes of fuels with different properties and how natural gas is superior to other fossil fuels with lower hydrogen carbon ratios in terms of carbon emissions, power, and efficiency.
Nonlinear Mechanics of Beams With Partial Piezoelectric Layers
Authors: Farokhi Hamed , Ghayesh Mergen H.
Published: July 2019

This paper investigates the nonlinear static response as well as nonlinear forced dynamics of a clamped–clamped beam actuated by piezoelectric patches partially covering the beam from both sides. This study is the first to develop a high-dimensional nonlinear model for such a piezoelectric-beam configuration. The nonlinear dynamical resonance characteristics of the electromechanical system are examined under simultaneous DC and AC piezoelectric actuations, while highlighting the effects of modal energy transfer and internal resonances. A multiphysics coupled model of the beam-piezoelectric system is proposed based on the nonlinear beam theory of Bernoulli–Euler and the piezoelectric constitutive equations. The discretized model of the system is obtained with the help of the Galerkin weighted residual technique while retaining 32 degrees-of-freedom. Three-dimensional finite element analysis is conducted as well in the static regime to validate the developed model and numerical simulation. It is shown that the response of the system in the nonlinear resonant region is strongly affected by a three-to-one internal resonance.