bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adult Workers in Theory or Practice?
Authors: Zabel Cordula
Published: July 2018

This paper examines lone mothers’ participation in active labour market programmes in Germany. Since the 2005 Hartz IV employment and welfare policy reforms, expectations that non-em- ployed parents receiving means-tested benefits should be ready for employment or labour market programme participation have grown stronger. However, discretion for programme assignments is left to individual caseworkers. As a consequence, it is not clear to what extent the formal policy orientation towards an adult worker model of the family is reflected in practical policy implemen- tations. Thus, lone mothers’ participation in active labour market programmes is studied empiri- cally here on the basis of large-scale administrative data, using event-history analysis. Findings are that lone mothers are treated as adult workers with respect to workfare and training pro- grammes even when their children are still quite young. As soon as their youngest child is 3 - 5 years old, lone mothers’ transition rates into these programmes are as high as for childless single women. In the case of programmes that provide more direct pathways into regular employment, like job subsidies and in-firm training programmes, however, participation rates for lone mothers of young children are substantially lower than for childless single women.
USE OF ZEOLITE IS ACTIVATED AS SUBSTITUTION OF CEMENT FOR PRICE AND COST
Authors: Alwi Ahmad Nurfiki , Setiaji Arif Rahman , Agung Abdurrohim Kurnia , Halim Abdul
Published: July 2018

The number of economic needs is one of the fundamental aspects to support the survival of every individual in an area.  If seen in general, the cost of building the building and residential community still use building materials and installation costs are relatively higher.  With the advancement of technology has found a lightweight brick that has better strength, lighter, faster installation and environmentally friendly, so many people began to switch to using lightweight bricks.  For now the price of lightweight brick is still expensive, but this deficiency is covered with the speed of mounting and light weight so overall lightweight brick usage on certain patterns is very profitable.  The use of cement on lightweight bricks leads to high production costs.  With the above problems we have a breakthrough to replace the cement by using zeozolites containing silica compounds that resemble one of the cement compounds.  In this research, cement replacement with Zeolite is 20%, 40% and 60%.  Before use Zeolite was first activated using Fly Ash ratio of 65% Zeolite: 35% Fly Ash and 50% Zeolite: 50% Fly Ash, also activated using Ca (OH) 2 ratio 65% Zeolite: 35% Ca (OH) 2  And 50% Zeolite: 50% Ca (OH) 2.  Thus, there are 15 compositions including the control composition, each composition will be made up of 10 specimens.  Hypothesis testing using two way anova, tested is the effect of cement change treatment with Zeolite and comparison of Zeolite composition with Fly Ash and Ca (OH) 2 to compressive strength, absorption and cost. Keywords: Zeolite, Cement, compressive strength, Cost
ANALYSIS TOOL OVERHANG IN THE MACHINE CNC ET-242 ON SURFACE ROUGHNESS WITH VARIATION OF FEEDING
Authors: Rahmadianto Febi , Hermawan Dadang
Published: July 2018

Lathe is a process to get the shape of the cylindrical workpiece by rotating the workpiece on the spindle and moving the chisel towards the workpiece. To be able to screw the workpiece of the chisel should hang and extend from the turret. The length of the hanging chisel is called the tool overhang (Zelinski, 2005: 1). There is no definite hint of setting the tool overhang and only adjusted between the position of the turret and workpiece. In order to achieve a good surface roughness, usually the overhang tool is arranged to a minimum.In this study the independent variables used are the tool overhang 14 mm, 21 mm, 28 mm, 35mm and feeding 0.15 mm rotation-1, 0.25 mm rotation -1, 0.35 mm. rotation -1. The measured dependent variable is the surface roughness of the workpiece.From the results of testing and data analysis can be concluded that the tool overhang effect on the roughness of the workpiece surface results of the process of lathe in various variations of feeding (feeding). The longer the tool overhang and the greater the feeding motion will result in greater surface roughness. The lowest surface roughness was obtained from a 14 mm long overhang tool and feeding 0.15 mm rotation-1.Keywords :  Machine CNC ET-242, Surface Roughness, Feeding Variation.
Association between preoperative activity level and functional outcome at 12 months following surgical decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis
Authors: Elsayed Galal , Erwood Matthew S. , Davis Matthew C. , Dupépé Esther C. , McClugage Samuel G. , Szerlip Paul , Walters Beverly C. , Hadley Mark N.
Published: July 2018

OBJECTIVE

This study defines the association of preoperative physical activity level with functional outcomes at 3 and 12 months following surgical decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis.

METHODS

Data were collected as a prospective observational registry at a single institution from 2012 through 2015, and then analyzed with a retrospective cohort design. Patients who were able to participate in activities outside the home preoperatively were compared to patients who did not participate in such activities, with respect to 3-month and 12-month functional outcomes postintervention, adjusted for relevant confounders.

RESULTS

Ninety-nine patients were included. At baseline, sedentary/inactive patients (n = 55) reported greater back pain, lower quality of life, and higher disability than similarly treated patients who were active preoperatively. Both cohorts experienced significant improvement from baseline in back pain, leg pain, disability, and quality of life at both 3 and 12 months after lumbar decompression surgery. At 3 months postintervention, sedentary/inactive patients reported more leg pain and worse disability than patients who performed activities outside the home preoperatively. However, at 12 months postintervention, there were no statistically significant differences between the two cohorts in back pain, leg pain, quality of life, or disability. Multivariate analysis revealed that sedentary/inactive patients had improved disability and higher quality of life after surgery compared to baseline. Active patients experienced greater overall improvement in disability compared to inactive patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Sedentary/inactive patients have a more protracted recovery after lumbar decompression surgery for spinal stenosis, but at 12 months postintervention can expect to reach similar long-term outcomes as patients who are active/perform activities outside the home preoperatively.
Simple presurgical method of predicting C5 palsy after cervical laminoplasty using C5 nerve root ultrasonography
Authors: Takeuchi Mikinobu , Wakao Norimitsu , Kamiya Mitsuhiro , Hirasawa Atsuhiko , Murotani Kenta , Takayasu Masakazu
Published: July 2018

OBJECTIVE

The incidence of C5 palsy after cervical laminoplasty is approximately 5%. Because C5 palsy is related to cervical foraminal stenosis at the C4–5 level, the authors hypothesized that cervical foraminal stenosis can be diagnosed by examining the C5 nerve root (NR) using ultrasonography. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether postoperative C5 palsy could be predicted using ultrasonography.

METHODS

This study used a prospective diagnosis design. In total, 140 patients undergoing cervical laminoplasty were examined with ultrasound. The cross-sectional area (CSA) of the C5 NR was measured on both sides before surgery, and the incidence of postoperative C5 palsy was examined. The difference between the CSA of the patients with and without C5 palsy and the lateral differences in the C5 palsy group were determined.

RESULTS

The incidence of C5 palsy was 5% (7 cases). Symptoms manifested at a median of 5 days after surgery (range 1–29 days). The CSA of the C5 NR on the affected side was significantly enlarged in the C5 palsy group compared with that in the no–C5 palsy group (p = 0.001). In addition, in the patients who had C5 palsy, the CSA of the C5 NR was significantly enlarged on the affected side compared with that on the unaffected side (p = 0.02). Receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated that the best threshold value for the CSA of the C5 NR was 10.4 mm2, which provided 91% sensitivity and 71% specificity.

CONCLUSIONS

C5 palsy may be predicted preoperatively using ultrasound. The authors recommend the ultrasonographic measurement of the CSA of the C5 NR prior to cervical laminoplasty.
Музично-критична діяльність митців львова в умовах радянської ідеології (на прикладі щоденної львівської преси 1939-1941 рр.)
Authors: Pochapska Mar’yana
Published: July 2018

Мета дослідження полягає у представленні тенденцій та обґрунтуванні стилістичних змін в сфері музичної журналістики за умов ідеологічного тиску. Аналітична частина побудована на дослідженні музичної публіцистики – її стилю письма та естетики; виявленні та оцінці якостей музичного критика в умовах тоталітарного режиму. Методологія дослідження заснована на контент- та консенс-аналізі – найчастіше застосовуваних методів у журналістикознавстві. Наукова новизна. Публікації на музичну тематику періоду радянської окупації у Львові (1939-1941рр.) досі ще не отримали ґрунтовного осібного вивчення. Неопрацьованість цінного фактологічного матеріалу спонукає звернутися до цієї теми під новим кутом зору, з позицій сьогодення. Висновки. Розглянуто стан музично-критичної діяльності львівських митців в умовах тоталітарного режиму. Серед них – композитори В.Барвінський, В.Витвицький, та музикознавці Зоф’я Лісса і Стефанія Лобачевська. Проаналізовано вибрані музично-критичні публікації у львівській радянській пресі періоду 1939-1941 рр. – україномовних газетах «Вільна Україна», «Ленінська молодь» та польськомовній «Czerwony sztandar».Ключові слова: музична критика, музична публіцистика, радянська преса, ідеологія, В.Барвінський, Зоф’я Лісса, Стефанія Лобачевська
Неориторические критерии анализа музыкально-поэтического текста камерно-вокальных произведений С. Рахманинова
Authors: Yuthen Liu
Published: July 2018

Цель статьи заключается в определении и разграничении музыковедческого и вокально-исполнительского подходов к анализу камерно-вокального произведения как единства словесно-поэтического и музыкального текста. Методология работы обусловлена лексикологическим литературоведческим и жанрово-стилистическим музыковедческим подходами, ориентирована на выявление семантических констант – предметных художественных реалий камерно-вокальной музыки. Научная новизна статьи мотивирована выявлением неориторических установок камерно-вокального творчества С. Рахманинова, позволяющих характеризовать устойчивые для данного композитора «общие места» поэтического текста и музыкального содержания (музыкально-поэтические топосы), определяющие семантику как жанровой формы в целом, так и отдельного опуса. Выводы. Неориторические аспекты содержания камерно-вокальных произведений Рахманинова в равной степени существенны для композиторского и вокально-исполнительского творчества, являются решающим фактором интерпретации жанровой разновидности «стихотворения с музыкой», позволяют выделять общие топосы певческого содержания рахманиновских камерно-вокальных произведений.Ключевые слова:  неориторические аспекты, камерно-вокальные произведения, музыкально-поэтический текст, лексикологический анализ, топосы, «стихотворение с музыкой», музыкально-поэтическая образная антология.
Элементы гротеска в музыкальном языке мюзикла «Однажды в Одессе… или Сонька – Золотая ручка» Сияны Лосинской
Authors: Polyakovskaya Svetlana
Published: July 2018

Цель исследования – выявить проявления гротеска в музыкальном языке мюзикла «Однажды в Одессе… Или Сонька – Золотая Ручка» Сияны Лосинской. Методология исследования опирается на сформированную М.М. Бахтиным в рамках литературоведения теорию гротеска, изложенную в работе «Творчество Франсуа Рабле и народная культура средневековья и Ренессанса». Научная новизна исследования. Данное исследование открывает направление определения специфики воплощения гротескной образной сферы в жанре мюзикла, для которого гротеск как художественный приём является имманентно свойственным. Впервые предпринимается попытка исследования специфики музыкального гротеска на материале музыки современного одесского композитора С. Лосинской. Выводы. Для воплощения гротескной образной сферы, в мюзикле использованы такие музыкально-стилистические приёмы как стилизация, цитирование, соединение разножанровых элементов. Это и определяет специфику музыкального материала мюзикла, цементирующим элементом для которого становится «словарь одесских музыкальных интонаций». Тонкая стилизация музыкального материала создаёт у слушателя иллюзию узнавания.Ключевые слова: музыкальная комедия, гротескная образная сфера, стилистика музыкального языка.
Образы «Божественной комедии» Данте в историко-культурном контексте
Authors: Fanyuan Le
Published: July 2018

Целью статьи становится рассмотрение избранных произведений искусства, связанных с творческим воспроизведением образов «Божественной комедии» А. Данте. Методология работы состоит в использовании аналитического, фактологического и исторического методов исследования. Указанный методологический подход позволил выявить имена целого ряда создателей, обратившихся в своем творчестве к сюжетам и образам «Божественной комедии» Данте. Научная новизна. Актуализируется проблема отражения «Божественной комедии» Алигьери Данте в различных видах искусств: к произведению Данте обращались поэты и писатели, скульпторы и художники, а также композиторы. Выводы. Поэты и писатели (О. Шпенглер, О. Мандельштам и др.), скульпторы и художники (Микеланджело, Г. Доре, С. Боттичелли, С. Дали, О. Роден и др.) обычно старались целостно рассматривать произведение Данте. Композиторы – среди них Ф.Лист, П.Чайковский, С.Рахманинов и другие – чаще всего воспроизводили содержание одного и того же фрагмента. Речь идет об интерпретации пятой песни «Ада», когда Данте, сопровождаемый тенью Вергилия, спускается во второй круг Ада.Ключевые слова: Данте, «Божественная Комедия», виды искусства, творческое восприятие, воплощение в поэзии, в литературе, в скульптуре, в живописи, в музыке.
Истоки жанра сюиты: Иоганн Якоб Фробергер
Authors: Manny Jiang
Published: July 2018

Цель статьи – проследить основные этапы в развитии жанра клавирной танцевальной сюиты с выявлением особенностей, которые привели к ее широкому жанровому и стилевому разнообразию, наблюдаемому в ХХ – ХХI веках. Опора делается на роль немецкого композитора И. Я. Фробергера, сделавшего важный вклад в создание жанра сюиты, в формирование его основных закономерностей. Методология: материал данного исследования регулируется аналитическим, историографическим, источниковедческим и компаративными подходами.. Научная новизна заключается отслеживании пути возникновения и формирования жанра клавирной танцевальной сюиты в европейской музыке добаховской эпохи а также выявление роли Фробергера в формировании жанра старинной танцевальной сюиты. Выводы. Музыкальный язык клавирных сюит Фробергера характеризуется ритмической свободой, сложностью метроритмических трансформаций в пределах одной сюиты, что было значительным шагом вперед для его времени. Для клавирных сюит Фробергера характерным является богатство гармонических красок, а также важность драматургической организации цикла.Ключевые слова: клавирная сюита, жанр, формирование жанра, основоположник жанра, Фробергер, предшественники Баха; характеристика танцев, входящих в сюиту.
Understanding Courts in Context:
Authors: Grimmel Andreas
Published: July 2018

Are the numerous judicial bodies that we tend to very generally subsume under “international courts” or “international adjudicative bodies” really like-units, or are they rather highly diverse institutions that call for a more careful, not only typological, but also theoretical differentiation? The aim of this article is to make a theoretically grounded contribution to the questions of (a) in what ways international judicial institutions are dependent on the functionally differentiated settings they are embedded in, and (b) in what ways they are influenced and altered by the organisational frameworks of their operation. The starting point of the inquiry will be a critical discussion of systems theory and rationalist approaches, as these approaches involve opposite positions with regards to the embeddedness and interaction of judicial bodies in a functionally differentiated world society: while the former entails an exclusive logic, the latter is essentially based on an inclusive model. The claim is that both models enable us to better understand rather ideal-type cases of how judicial institutions (inter)act in practice. It will be argued that the modus operandi of diverse courts, (arbitral) tribunals, and quasi-judicial institutions is typically subtler and more complex and can be most likely understood – due to their entanglement with other functional settings – as being transclusive or substitutive in nature. Both concepts will be introduced and applied here as parts of a contextualist approach towards understanding international judicial institutions.
Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Studies Evaluating Apaziquone (E09, Qapzola™) Intravesical Instillation Post Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumors for the Treatment of Low-risk Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer
Authors: Karsh Lawrence , Shore Neal , Soloway Mark , Bhat Gajanan , Reddy Guru , Leu Szu-Yun , Witjes J. Alfred
Published: July 2018

Background:

Guidelines recommend a single postoperative instillation of intravesical chemotherapy within 24 hours of transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBT) in patients with low- and intermediate-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) to reduce recurrence risk.

Objective:

To evaluate the 2-year recurrence rate (2-YRR) of bladder cancer in randomized patients with Ta, G1-G2 histology who receive TURBT plus apaziquone versus TURBT plus placebo.

Methods:

Two nearly identical Phase 3, multinational, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials were conducted in patients with histologically confirmed Ta, G1-G2 NMIBC (Target Population) to evaluate the efficacy/safety of a single instillation of apaziquone post-TURBT. A single intravesical instillation of apaziquone (4 mg/40 mL) or placebo was administered within 6 hours post-TURBT. The primary and secondary efficacy endpoints were 2-YRR and time to recurrence (TTR) respectively.

Results:

Overall, 1614 patients were enrolled, including 1146 patients in the Target Population. Individually, the two studies did not meet statistical significance for 2-YRR (38.0% vs 44.6% ; 39.7% vs. 46.3%). Because apaziquone is rapidly metabolized in blood, a post hoc subgroup analysis was performed by time window of drug instillation post-TURBT. Patients who had drug instilled in the time window 60±30 minutes post-TURBT demonstrated 20.3% and 20.8% reduction in 2-YRR and 56% (HR = 0.44) and 45% (HR = 0.55) reduction in hazards for TTR in two studies respectively. Apaziquone was well tolerated with minimal toxicity.

Conclusions:

Two identical Phase 3 studies supported the safety of apaziquone (4 mg/40 mL) administered as a single intravesical instillation post-TURBT and identified efficacy when instilled within 60±30-minutes time interval which requires further study.
Virtual Reality Computer Gaming with Dynamic Arm Support in Boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Authors: Heutinck Lotte , Jansen Merel , van den Elzen Yolanda , van der Pijl Dick , de Groot Imelda J.M.
Published: July 2018

Background:

In boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), loss of upper limb function becomes more evident after the onset of wheelchair-dependency, because of the inability to lift the arms against gravity. With an increasing population of older wheelchair-dependent boys with DMD it is worthwhile to know whether training can delay the loss of upper limb functions. Dynamic arm supports may enable boys with impaired arm function to train their muscles without becoming exhausted by providing external mechanical compensation for muscle weakness.

Objective:

This study investigated the effect of gravity-compensated 3D-training for the arms on the functional abilities in boys with DMD.

Methods:

An explorative RCT was conducted among boys with DMD with impaired arm function ( n = 16). Boys in the intervention group ( n = 7) trained their arms by playing virtual reality games while using dynamic arm support during 20 weeks. The primary endpoint was the difference in change in Performance of the Upper Limb (PUL) score between the intervention and control group ( n = 9) after 20 weeks. Secondary outcome measures were at the different ICF-CY levels.

Results:

No significant group differences were found for the PUL. Elbow range of motion ( p = 0.018) and extension strength ( p = 0.038) improved in the intervention group and worsened in the control group.

Conclusions:

Although this study did not show a significant effect of training on the primary outcome measure, there are indications that training may decline the loss of range of motion and strength. This may prolong the functional abilities on long-term.

Trial registration:

Netherlands Trial Register 3857.
Evaluation of Neck Mass by Multidetector Computed Tomography and Histopathological Comparison.
Authors: Siddiqua Umme Iffat , Halder Bibek Ananda , Hossain Rued , Roy Shyamal Kumar , Al-Amin Abdullah , Sultana Sohely
Published: July 2018

Diagnostic usefulness of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) scan in the evaluation of neck mass was assessed in this study in terms of sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value and accuracy in respect to characterise the lesion as benign and malignant, based on different parameters by comparing computed tomography and histopathological findings. This cross sectional study was carried out on 57 patients in the Department of Radiology and Imaging, Sir Salimullah Medical College and Mitford Hospital, Dhaka from January 2014 to December 2015, with a 16 slice multidetector CT scanner and the reports were compared to histopathological diagnosis. Out of 57 patients, 37 (64.9%) and 20 (35.1%) were diagnosed as malignant and benign lesions respectively, with a sensitivity of 94.6%, specificity 95%, positive predictive value 97.2%, negative predictive value 90.5% and diagnostic accuracy of 94.7%. As an imaging modality, thus, MDCT proved to be a useful tool for assessing and characterization of neck mass as benign and malignant, especially in this part of the continent, and is essential in planning surgical approach and predicting prognosis.
Kawasaki Disease Hospitalization: Outcomes in Two Tertiary Care Hospitals in Bangladesh
Authors: Fatema Begum Nurun Nahar , Mia Abdul Ali , Mostafi Mamun , Akhter Khaleda , Sultana Mahbuba , Sarker Ferdousur Rahman
Published: July 2018

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute self-limiting inflammatory disease associated with vasculities, affecting predominantly medium sized vessels and encountered these cases infrequently in clinical practice. The most concerning complication is coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) leading to myocardial infarction or sudden death. Fever is the essential feature. Kawasaki disease is invariably associated with an inflammatory process with elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and white blood cell count. Early recognition and treatment with IVIG (Intravenous venous immunoglobulin), and Aspirin showed highest protection against development of coronary artery disease. Incidence of KD is more in East Asia or in Asian ancestry living in other countries. The reason for high incidence in developing country is still unknown. Recently a significant number of cases attended in day to day practice which led conducting this study to assess the pattern of presentation, management and outcome after treatment and to aware the health care providers about the nature of the disease. This observational study conducted during September 2014 to March 2016. All the cases reported to the department of paediatric echocardiography for coronary artery analysis and suspected as KD were included in the study. History, clinical examination and investigation reports were analyzed from records. Age, gender, clinical feature, management, follow-up, echocardiography findings and outcome were analyzed. Data were collected from records of Echocardiography Department and Paediatric Cardiology Department of Lab Aid Cardiac Hospital and Combined Military Hospital, Dhaka. Among 27 cases, 16 were male (49.25%) and 11 were female (40.75%). Age distribution showed 8 (29.63%) were under one year of age, 13(48.14%) were in 1-5 years age group, 6 (22.23%) were in more than 5 years age group. All 27 cases were presented with fever, strawberry tongue, conjunctivitis, skin rash with peeling. Raised ESR, CRP and neutrophilic leukocytosis were found in all 27 cases. Cervical lymphadenopathy was found in 15 (55.52%) cases. Coronary artery changes were observed in 24 cases (88.89%). IVIG was given in 25 (92.60%) cases and Aspirin was given in 27 cases. Complete cure was achieved in 25 (92.59%) cases and one case died from thrombo-embolic event of radial artery and amputation of hand. The outcome of KD depends on the severity of coronary artery involvement. Patients with aneurysm larger than 08 mm are at highest risk of myocardial infarction. Less than 08 mm aneurismal dilatation regress with time. In this series outcome was excellent due to timely diagnosis and proper intervention.
The ‘Faithful Deacon’ and the ‘Good Layman’: The First Converts of the UMCA and Their Responses to Mission Christianity
Authors: Ott Alice T.
Published: July 2018

The first African converts of the Universities' Mission to Central Africa were five freed slaves, who had been given to the mission by the Sultan of Zanzibar in 1864. Their stories provide a microcosm of varying responses to mission Christianity by both clerical and lay Christians. One convert, Arthur Songolo, quickly rejected mission Christianity outright. Three converts embraced the UMCA's primary goal and were trained to serve as missionaries on the African mainland. One of them, subdeacon George Farajallah, died during the cholera epidemic of 1870, before he could be assigned to a mission post. Francis Mabruki served as a missionary, but ultimately left the UMCA, in part due to paternalism in the mission. John Swedi served faithfully his entire life as a deacon on the African mainland and in Zanzibar. Robert Feruzi appropriated the UMCA's goal for lay Christians. He was a reliable employee and consistent Christian throughout his secular career, which included participation in two of Henry Morton Stanley's African expeditions.
Estimation of the Longitudinal Elasticity Modulus of Braided Synthetic Fiber Rope Utilizing Classical Laminate Theory with the Unit N/tex
Authors: Sry Vannei , Mizutani Yoshihiro , Endo Gen , Suzuki Yoshiro , Todoroki Akira
Published: July 2018

This paper uses classical laminate theory (CLT) and experimental methods to predict the longitudinal specific modulus of braided high modulus polyethylene (HMPE) rope without a matrix. When applying conventional CLT, the modulus, braided angle of strand, and packing factor (PF), i.e., the cross-sectional area ratio of the strand to the rope, are required. Because the void (space between strands) and PF of braided rope without a matrix readily change during the application of load, and given the difficulty measuring PF experimentally, it is difficult to predict the modulus by conventional CLT. This paper proposes the use of the unit of N/tex in place of conventional MPa for CLT. This study demonstrates that changes in PF due to void changes can be neglected when using the N/tex unit. The predicted longitudinal specific modulus of the rope using N/tex unit was found to be in qualitatively agreement with the longitudinal modulus measured experimentally.
Geriatric Assessment in Older Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Loh Kah Poh , Klepin Heidi D.
Published: July 2018

The incidence of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) increases with age, but the outcomes for older adults with AML are poor due to underlying tumor biology, poor tolerance to aggressive treatment, and the physiologic changes of aging. Because of the underlying heterogeneity in health status, treatment decisions are difficult in this population. A geriatric assessment (GA) refers to the use of various validated tools to assess domains that are important in older adults including physical function, cognition, comorbidities, polypharmacy, social support, and nutritional status. In older patients with cancer, a GA can guide treatment decision-making, predict treatment toxicity, and guide supportive care interventions. Compared to solids tumors, there is a relative lack of studies evaluating the use of a GA in older patients with AML. In this review, we will discuss the principles, common domains, feasibility, and benefits of GA, with a focus on older patients with AML that includes practical applications for clinical management.
Quantitative and Localization Fault Diagnosis Method of Rolling Bearing Based on Quantitative Mapping Model
Authors: Wang Jialong , Cui Lingli , Xu Yonggang
Published: July 2018

Aiming to solve the problem of accurate diagnosis of the size and location of rolling bearing faults, a novel quantitative and localization fault diagnosis method of the rolling bearing is proposed based on the quantitative mapping model (QMM). The fault size and location of the rolling bearing affect the impulse type and the modulation degree of the vibration signal, which subsequently changes the complexity and randomness of the time-domain distribution of the vibration signal. According to the relationship between the multiscale permutation entropy (MPE) of the vibration signal and rolling bearing fault size, an average MPE (A-MPE) index is proposed to establish linear and nonlinear QMMs through the regression function. The proper QMM is selected through the error rate of fault size prediction to achieve a quantitative fault diagnosis of the rolling bearing. Due to the mathematical characteristics of the QMM, the localization fault diagnosis is realized. The multiscale morphological filtering (MMF) method is also introduced to extract the time-domain geometric feature of the fault bearing vibration signal and to improve the QMM accuracy of the fault size prediction. The results show that the QMM has a great effect on the quantitative fault size prediction and localization diagnosis of the rolling bearing.
Impact of Road-Block on Peak-Load of Coupled Traffic and Energy Transportation Networks
Authors: Yang Xian , Li Yong , Cai Ye , Cao Yijia , Lee Kwang Y. , Jia Zhijian
Published: July 2018

With electric vehicles (EVs) pouring into infrastructure systems, coupled traffic and energy transportation networks (CTETNs) can be applied to capture the interactions between the power grids and transportation networks. However, most research has focused solely on the impacts of EV penetration on power grids or transportation networks. Therefore, a simulation model was required for the interactions between the two critical infrastructures, as one had yet to be developed. In this paper, we build a framework with four domains and propose a new method to simulate the interactions and the feedback effects among CTETNs. Considered more accurately reflecting a realistic situation, an origin-destination (OD) pair strategy, a charging strategy, and an attack strategy are modeled based on the vehicle flow and power flow. The model is able to analyze the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of EVs, and measure the impacts on power grids and transportation networks with road-block. The IEEE 33-bus system with geographic information was used as a test system to verify the effectiveness of the model.
A Cascaded Multilevel Inverter Using Only One Battery with High-Frequency Link and Low-Rating-Voltage MOSFETs for Motor Drives in Electric Vehicles
Authors: Zhang Chao , Gao Zhigang
Published: July 2018

Cascaded H-bridge (CHB) multilevel inverters are widely used in industrial applications, such as medium-voltage conversion and motor drives. However, the DC bus voltage in the electric vehicles is limited and it might not meet the requirements of the inverters for conventional motor drives. This paper presents a solution to drive the conventional motor (3Φ/AC 220 V) with inadequate DC bus voltage (DC 144 V) in an electric vehicle without any extra step-up circuits. The solution consists of a CHB inverter as a motor drive and a high-frequency (HF) transformer to balance the voltage. The multilevel CHB inverter improves the voltage and the current waveforms. High-frequency link (HFL) is used to create several isolated DC sources for the system and it can improve the power density. Besides, it replaces bulky line-transformers in the conventional CHB inverters, and the volume is reduced. Also, the inverter has bidirectional power flow ability, which can improve the efficiency in motor drives. As a result, the reduction of the step-up circuits is achieved and the topology can be used in the electric vehicles that are powered by only one 144 V-battery. The details and the principles of the control algorithm is discussed and an experiment based on a four-level CHB inverter with one DC 30 V power source is carried out to validate the proposed characteristics.
Future Challenges and Mitigation Methods for High Photovoltaic Penetration: A Survey
Authors: Olowu Temitayo O. , Sundararajan Aditya , Moghaddami Masood , Sarwat Arif I.
Published: July 2018

Integration of high volume (high penetration) of photovoltaic (PV) generation with power grids consequently leads to some technical challenges that are mainly due to the intermittent nature of solar energy, the volume of data involved in the smart grid architecture, and the impact power electronic-based smart inverters. These challenges include reverse power flow, voltage fluctuations, power quality issues, dynamic stability, big data challenges and others. This paper investigates the existing challenges with the current level of PV penetration and looks into the challenges with high PV penetration in future scenarios such as smart cities, transactive energy, proliferation of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), possible eclipse events, big data issues and environmental impacts. Within the context of these future scenarios, this paper reviewed the existing solutions and provides insights to new and future solutions that could be explored to ultimately address these issues and improve the smart grid’s security, reliability and resiliency.
On the Reliability of International Forest Sector Statistics: Problems and Needs for Improvements
Authors: Kallio A. , Solberg Birger
Published: July 2018

Statistics on production and trade of forest products form a basis for the analyses of the economic and environmental performance of the forest sector and for projecting future developments in the sector and related markets. The forest product statistics FAOSTAT by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) are perhaps the most widely used data source for such analyses. This study aimed at systematically scrutinizing this important dataset and identifying regions and product categories where improved data on wood and forest industry production and trade would be needed in order to set the modeling and analyses employing these data on a more solid basis. The consistency of the data on production, imports, and export volumes of wood was examined with some simple tests and with the aid of linear programming. The results show that the data related to the supply of wood chips and particles are unreliable in many countries. Improving these data would be important in order to assess the cascading wood input–output flows, to evaluate resource potentials, and to specify more reliable coefficients for wood use in forest sector models. Moreover, the data show remarkable inconsistencies, even of the magnitude of millions of cubic meters, between the apparent supply of wood (harvests + net imports) and forest industry production in many regions. Errors and uncertainties of such magnitude have important consequences on the results of any analysis using the data and call for special attention by the data users.
Gene Regulatory Networks Reconstruction Using the Flooding-Pruning Hill-Climbing Algorithm
Authors: Xing Linlin , Guo Maozu , Liu Xiaoyan , Wang Chunyu , Zhang Lei
Published: July 2018

The explosion of genomic data provides new opportunities to improve the task of gene regulatory network reconstruction. Because of its inherent probability character, the Bayesian network is one of the most promising methods. However, excessive computation time and the requirements of a large number of biological samples reduce its effectiveness and application to gene regulatory network reconstruction. In this paper, Flooding-Pruning Hill-Climbing algorithm (FPHC) is proposed as a novel hybrid method based on Bayesian networks for gene regulatory networks reconstruction. On the basis of our previous work, we propose the concept of DPI Level based on data processing inequality (DPI) to better identify neighbors of each gene on the lack of enough biological samples. Then, we use the search-and-score approach to learn the final network structure in the restricted search space. We first analyze and validate the effectiveness of FPHC in theory. Then, extensive comparison experiments are carried out on known Bayesian networks and biological networks from the DREAM (Dialogue on Reverse Engineering Assessment and Methods) challenge. The results show that the FPHC algorithm, under recommended parameters, outperforms, on average, the original hill climbing and Max-Min Hill-Climbing (MMHC) methods with respect to the network structure and running time. In addition, our results show that FPHC is more suitable for gene regulatory network reconstruction with limited data.
An Insight into the Difficulties in the Discovery of Specific Biomarkers of Limbal Stem Cells
Authors: Guo Zhi Hou , Zhang Wei , Jia Yang Yan Sheng , Liu Qing Xiu , Li Zhao Fa , Lin Jun Sheng
Published: July 2018

Keeping the integrity and transparency of the cornea is the most important issue to ensure normal vision. There are more than 10 million patients going blind due to the cornea diseases worldwide. One of the effective ways to cure corneal diseases is corneal transplantation. Currently, donations are the main source of corneas for transplantation, but immune rejection and a shortage of donor corneas are still serious problems. Graft rejection could cause transplanted cornea opacity to fail. Therefore, bioengineer-based corneas become a new source for corneal transplantation. Limbal stem cells (LSCs) are located at the basal layer in the epithelial palisades of Vogt, which serve a homeostatic function for the cornea epithelium and repair the damaged cornea. LSC-based transplantation is one of the hot topics currently. Clinical data showed that the ratio of LSCs to total candidate cells for a transplantation has a significant impact on the effectiveness of the transplantation. It indicates that it is very important to accurately identify the LSCs. To date, several putative biomarkers of LSCs have been widely reported, whereas their specificity is controversial. As reported, the identification of LSCs is based on the characteristics of stem cells, such as a nuclear-to-cytoplasm ratio (N/C) ≥ 0.7, label-retaining, and side population (SP) phenotype. Here, we review recently published data to provide an insight into the circumstances in the study of LSC biomarkers. The particularities of limbus anatomy and histochemistry, the limits of the current technology level for LSC isolation, the heterogeneity of LSCs and the influence of enzyme digestion are discussed. Practical approaches are proposed in order to overcome the difficulties in basic and applied research for LSC-specific biomarkers.
Torsional Behavior of WaveOne Gold Endodontic File with the Dedicated Motor of the Original WaveOne File
Authors: Ha Jung-Hong , Sigurdsson Asgeir , De-Deus Gustavo , Versluis Antheunis , Kwak Sang Won , Kim Hyeon-Cheol
Published: July 2018

This study compares the safety limits and torsional resistances of WaveOne Gold (WOG) and WaveOne (WO) endodontic files while using the original motor. The safety limits for reciprocating angles were tested by measuring the torsional limit before plastic deformation (TLP) after repetitive torsional loading at gradually increasing load, and after single continuous rotation. Statistical analysis was performed by independent t-test at 95% confidence level. The tested specimens were observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Regardless of the test mode, the distortion angle at the TLP was higher for WOG than WO (p < 0.05), and all were greater than the 150-degree rotation of the original motor. The mean values of the distortion angle and torque from the single continuous rotation loading were significantly lower than those with repetitive loading movements. Comparing the two systems under SEM, WO showed a catastrophic change in comparison with WOG. Evaluation of the lateral aspects showed longitudinal micro-cracks after 270-degree repetitive movements. After 150-degree repetitive movements, no distorted machining grooves were found in either group, but WO showed evidence of longitudinal micro-cracks. Under the conditions of this study, the torsional loading from the pre-set mode of the dedicated motor for WO was safe for WOG as well.
Limited Benefit of Fish Consumption on Risk of Hip Fracture among Men in the Community-Based Hordaland Health Study
Authors: Rosendahl-Riise Hanne , Sulo Gerhard , Karlsson Therese , Drevon Christian , Dierkes Jutta , Tell Grethe
Published: July 2018

Hip fractures have a high prevalence worldwide. Few studies have investigated whether fish consumption is associated with risk of hip fractures. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of fish intake on the subsequent risk of a hip fracture because of the low number of studies on this topic. A community-based prospective cohort study of 2865 men and women from Hordaland county in Norway, born between 1925–1927 and enrolled in the study in 1997–1999. Information on hip fracture cases was extracted from hospital records until 31 December 2009. Baseline information on the intake of fish was obtained from a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Cox proportional hazard regression models with death as a competing risk were used to evaluate the association of fish intake with risk of hip fracture. During a mean (SD) follow-up time of 9.6 (2.7) years, 226 hip fractures (72 in men, 154 in women) were observed. The mean (SD) fish intake was 48 (25) g/1000 kcal. The association between fish intake and risk of hip fracture was not linear and displayed a threshold, with low intake of fish being associated with an increased risk of hip fracture in men (HR (Hazard Ratio) = 1.84, 95% CI 1.10, 3.08). In this community-based prospective study of men and women, a low intake of fish was associated with the risk of a hip fracture in men.
Psychiatric Comorbidity in Children and Adults with Gluten-Related Disorders: A Narrative Review
Authors: Slim Mahmoud , Rico-Villademoros Fernando , Calandre Elena P.
Published: July 2018

Gluten-related disorders are characterized by both intestinal and extraintestinal manifestations. Previous studies have suggested an association between gluten-related disorder and psychiatric comorbidities. The objective of our current review is to provide a comprehensive review of this association in children and adults. A systematic literature search using MEDLINE, Embase and PsycINFO from inception to 2018 using terms of ‘celiac disease’ or ‘gluten-sensitivity-related disorders’ combined with terms of ‘mental disorders’ was conducted. A total of 47 articles were included in our review, of which 28 studies were conducted in adults, 11 studies in children and eight studies included both children and adults. The majority of studies were conducted in celiac disease, two studies in non-celiac gluten sensitivity and none in wheat allergy. Enough evidence is currently available supporting the association of celiac disease with depression and, to a lesser extent, with eating disorders. Further investigation is warranted to evaluate the association suggested with other psychiatric disorders. In conclusion, routine surveillance of potential psychiatric manifestations in children and adults with gluten-related disorders should be carried out by the attending physician.
New Insights about How to Make an Intervention in Children and Adolescents with Metabolic Syndrome: Diet, Exercise vs. Changes in Body Composition. A Systematic Review of RCT
Authors: Albert Pérez Enrique , Mateu Olivares Victoria , Martínez-Espinosa Rosa María , Molina Vila Mariola D , Reig García-Galbis Manuel
Published: July 2018

Objective: To record which interventions produce the greatest variations in body composition in patients ≤19 years old with metabolic syndrome (MS). Method: search dates between 2005 and 2017 in peer reviewed journals, following the PRISMA method (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses). The selection criteria were: diagnostic for MS or at least a criterion for diagnosis; randomized clinical trials, ≤19 years of age; intervention programs that use diet and/or exercise as a tool (interventions showing an interest in body composition). Results: 1781 clinical trials were identified under these criteria but only 0.51% were included. The most frequent characteristics of the selected clinical trials were that they used multidisciplinary interventions and were carried out in America. The most utilized parameters were BMI (body mass index) in kg/m2 and BW (body weight) in kg. Conclusions: Most of the clinical trials included had been diagnosed through at least 2 diagnostic criteria for MS. Multidisciplinary interventions obtained greater changes in body composition in patients with MS. This change was especially prevalent in the combinations of dietary interventions and physical exercise. It is proposed to follow the guidelines proposed for patients who are overweight, obese, or have diabetes type 2, and extrapolate these strategies as recommendations for future clinical trials designed for patients with MS.
Vapor-Assisted Crosslinking of a FK/PVA/PEO Nanofiber Membrane
Authors: Ding Jiao , Chen Man , Chen Wenjie , He Ming , Zhou Xiangyang , Yin Guoqiang
Published: July 2018

Herein, we demonstrate a three-component FK/PVA/PEO nanofiber membrane by electrospinning and vapor-assisted crosslinking. We have used feather-derived-keratin (FK), poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) as membrane components and citric acid/glyoxal as the crosslinker. The structural, thermal, hydrophobicity, and mechanical properties of the as-prepared and crosslinked FK/PVA/PEO nanofiber membranes have been systematically investigated. The results suggest that the nanofiber membrane’s vapor-assisted crosslinking by citric acid has shown better performances than that of glyoxal used as a crosslinker. These results exhibit that non-toxic citric acid can be used as a crosslinking agent to modify the performance of keratin-based membranes. This study opens up further avenues for post-synthesis modification of polymeric membranes for a wide range of applications.