bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of grafted poly [2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC)] on tribological properties of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)
Authors: Ye T. T. , Deng Q. Y. , Ma D. L. , Li P. C. , Huang B. , Leng Y. X. , Zhao Y. C.
Published: January 2019

2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymers have good biocompatibility and hydrophilicity because the function of the phospholipid polar groups of MPC side-chain is similar to the natural articular cartilage. MPC has a potential application on surface modification of artificial joints. In this research, MPC was grafted on ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) by the photo-induced graft polymerization to form poly 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (PMPC) layer. The microstructure of PMPC layer was studied by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy with attenuated total reflection (ATR) equipment, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The surface wettability of PMPC layer was evaluated by the contact angle test. The wear resistance of MPC modified UHMWPE was evaluated by the wear test. The results show that the PMPC layer has a good lubricating effect and it can reduce the friction coefficient effectively. The benzophenone pretreatment time is an important factor in the graft stability of MPC.
Wear behavior of fluorinated diamond-like carbon (DLC) film in bull serum albumin (BSA) solutions
Authors: Zhang T. F. , Huang W. J. , Su Y. Y. , Wang J. J. , Liu C. L. , Tian Z. Q. , Leng Y. X.
Published: January 2019

Fluorinated diamond-like carbon (DLC) films have good biocompatibility and bloodcompatibility. When they are used in cardiac valve prosthesis, the wear resistance has to be investigated in more detail. In this paper, the tribological behavior of fluorinated DLC films under different loads and sliding speeds in bull serum albumin (BSA) solutions were investigated by ball-on-disc friction tests. The results show that the proteins in BSA solutions promoted the DLC film adhesion failure because of the increased friction coefficients and accelerated corrosion rate. The fluorine doping can lower the corrosion rate of DLC film, thereby improving the adhesion stability and wear resistance of DLC in BSA solutions.
Hints of modified gravity in cosmos and in the lab?
Authors: Perivolaropoulos Leandros , Kazantzidis Lavrentios
Published: January 2019

General Relativity (GR) is consistent with a wide range of experiments/observations from millimeter scales up to galactic scales and beyond. However, there are reasons to believe that GR may need to be modified because it includes singularities (it is an incomplete theory) and also it requires fine-tuning to explain the accelerating expansion of the universe through the cosmological constant. Therefore, it is important to check various experiments and observations beyond the above range of scales for possible hints of deviations from the predictions of GR. If such hints are found it is important to understand which classes of modified gravity theories are consistent with them. The goal of this review is to summarize recent progress on these issues. On sub-millimeter scales, we show an analysis of the data of the Washington experiment [D. J. Kapner, T. S. Cook, E. G. Adelberger, J. H. Gundlach, B. R. Heckel, C. D. Hoyle and H. E. Swanson, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98 (2007) 021101, arXiv:hep-ph/0611184 [hep-ph]] searching for modifications of Newton’s Law on sub-millimeter scales and demonstrate that a spatially oscillating signal is hidden in this dataset. We demonstrate that even though this signal cannot be explained in the context of standard modified theories (viable scalar tensor and [Formula: see text] theories), it is a rather generic prediction of nonlocal gravity theories. On cosmological scales we review recent analyses of Redshift Space Distortion (RSD) data which measure the growth rate of cosmological perturbations at various redshifts and show that these data are in some tension with the [Formula: see text]CDM parameter values indicated by Planck/2015 CMB data at about [Formula: see text] level. This tension can be reduced by allowing for an evolution of the effective Newton constant that determines the growth rate of cosmological perturbations. We conclude that even though this tension between the data and the predictions of GR could be due to systematic/statistical uncertainties of the data, it could also constitute early hints pointing towards a new gravitational theory.
A primer on modified gravity
Authors: Gannouji Radouane
Published: January 2019

In this first chapter of the Special Issue on Modified Theories of Gravity and Constraints Imposed by Recent GW Observations, we review observational constraints on gravity and the possibility to construct an alternative model to general relativity. For that, we motivate the study of theories beyond Einstein’s gravity, some of their phenomenology and the various ingredients to build a consistent model.
XML Template Functional and Multivalued Dependencies Validation
Authors: Mok Wai Yin , Mok Jonathan R. , Li Xiaotong
Published: January 2019

In this paper, we present two types of XML semantic constraints, namely the XML Template Functional Dependencies (XTFDs) and the XML Template Multivalued Dependencies (XTMVDs), which are both defined over the finite XML files that have no mixed contents. Essentially they specify that if a pattern of nodes appears in a finite XML file that has no mixed contents, then another pattern of nodes must also appear. To implement these semantic constraints, we demonstrate an algorithm that transforms an XTFD or an XTMVD to an XQuery program such that the program returns a non-empty set of counter examples from such an XML file If [Formula: see text] if and only if [Formula: see text] does not satisfy the constraint.
Adaptive Confrontation? Strategies of Three Women’s Groups for Expanding Political Space in China
Authors: WU WEITING
Published: January 2019

An absence of overt contention has led scholars to question the existence of social movements in China and to agree with the “state corporatism” description of state–social group relations there. This article presents the idea of “adaptive confrontation” to demonstrate that there are women’s and lesbian groups in China that go beyond the idea of state corporatism, as well as to challenge current applications of social movement theories and better understand state–social group relationships in a repressive regime.

By applying different strategies, three gender groups have not only confronted a repressive state interference in their affairs that aims to dismiss them, but also have managed to expand their political space. This paper presents three pieces of evidence: the building of alliances, the empowerment of other grassroots groups to do advocacy work, and the building of a community.
Real-Time Implementation of MAD-Based RFI Excision on FPGA
Authors: Buch Kaushal D. , Naik Kishor , Nalawade Swapnil , Bhatporia Shruti , Gupta Yashwant , Ajithkumar B.
Published: January 2019

Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) excision in wideband radio telescope receivers is gaining significance due to increasing levels of manmade RFI and operation outside the protected radio astronomy bands. The effect of RFI on astronomical data can be significantly reduced through real-time excision. In this paper, Median Absolute Deviation (MAD) is used for excising signals corrupted by strong impulsive interference. MAD estimation requires recursive median calculation which is a computationally challenging problem for real-time excision. This challenge is addressed by implementation of a histogram-based technique for MAD computation. The architecture is developed and optimized for Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) implementation. The design of a more robust variant of MAD called Median-of-MAD (MoM) is described. The architecture of MAD and MoM techniques and subsequent optimization allows for four RFI excision blocks on a single Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA. These techniques have been tested on the GMRT wideband backend (GWB) processing a maximum of 400[Formula: see text]MHz bandwidth and the results show significant improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
Design and Characterization of a Ground-Based Absolute Polarization Calibrator for Use with Polarization Sensitive CMB Experiments
Authors: Navaroli M. F. , Teply G. P. , Crowley K. D. , Kaufman J. P. , Galitzki N. B. , Arnold K. S. , Keating B. G.
Published: January 2019

We present the design and characterization of a ground-based absolute polarization angle calibrator accurate to better than 0.1∘ for use with polarization sensitive cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiments. The calibrator’s accuracy requirement is driven by the need to reduce upper limits on cosmic polarization rotation (CPR), which is expected to be zero in a large class of cosmological models. Cosmic polarization effects such as cosmic birefringence and primordial magnetic fields can generate spurious [Formula: see text]-modes that result in non-zero CMB [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] power spectra that are degenerate with a misalignment of detector orientation. Common polarized astrophysical sources used for absolute polarization angle calibration have not been characterized to better than 0.5∘. Higher accuracy can be achieved through self-calibration methods; however, these are subject to astrophysical foreground contamination and inherently assume the absence of effects like CPR. The deficiencies in these two calibration methods highlight the need for a well-characterized, polarized source. The calibrator we present utilizes a 76-GHz Gunn oscillator coupled to a frequency doubler, pyramidal horn antenna, and co-rotating wire-grid polarizer. A blackened optics tube was built around the source in order to mitigate stray reflections, attached to a motor-driven rotation stage, then mounted in a blackened aluminum enclosure for further reflection mitigation and robust weatherproofing. We use an accurate bubble level in combination with four precision-grade aluminum planes located within the enclosure to calibrate the source’s linear polarization plane with respect to the local gravity vector to better than the 0.1∘ goal. In 2017, the calibrator was deployed for an engineering test run on the POLARBEAR CMB experiment located in Chile’s Atacama Desert and is being upgraded for calibration of the POLARBEAR-2b receiver in 2018. In the following work, we present a detailed overview of the calibrator design, systematic control, characterization, deployment, and plans for future CMB experiment absolute polarization calibration.
Focal Ratio Degradation for Fiber Positioner Operation in Astronomical Spectrographs
Authors: Belland Brent , Gunn James , Reiley Dan , Cohen Judith , Kirby Evan , Cesar de Oliveira Antonio , Souza de Oliveira Ligia , Roberts Mitsuko , Seiffert Michael
Published: January 2019

Focal ratio degradation (FRD), the decrease of light’s focal ratio between the input into an optical fiber and the output, is important to characterize for astronomical spectrographs due to its effects on throughput and the point spread function. However, while FRD is a function of many fiber properties such as stresses, microbending, and surface imperfections, angular misalignments between the incoming light and the face of the fiber also affect the light profile and complicate this measurement. A compact experimental setup and a model separating FRD from angular misalignment was applied to a fiber subjected to varying stresses or angular misalignments to determine the magnitude of these effects. The FRD was then determined for a fiber in a fiber positioner that will be used in the Subaru Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS). The analysis we carried out for the PFS positioner suggests that effects of angular misalignment dominate and no significant FRD increase due to stress should occur.
Quantifying vertical movements in fold and thrust belts: subsidence, uplift and erosion in Kurdistan, northern Iraq
Authors: Tozer Richard S. J. , Hertle Michael , Petersen Henrik I. , Zinck-Jørgensen Kim
Published: January 2019

Traditional structural analysis in fold and thrust belts has focused on quantifying horizontal movements. In this paper, the importance of quantifying vertical movements is illustrated using a case study from Kurdistan, northern Iraq. The subsidence history of this area can be determined by analysis of the stratigraphic record from deep exploration wells. A phase of thermal subsidence from Middle Permian to Late Cretaceous (tectonic subsidence 1.8–1.9 km) was followed by flexural subsidence in the Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic (tectonic subsidence >0.6 km) in response to the closure of the Neo-Tethys Ocean. The main phase of continental collision during the Neogene resulted in the development of the Zagros fold and thrust belt; the amount of uplift at individual anticlines can be estimated from their amplitude (up to 3 km), but regional cross-sections indicate that approximately 1 km of additional basement-involved uplift is present NE of the Mountain Front. The timing of basement-involved uplift is interpreted to be coeval with the deposition of a Pliocene–Quaternary growth sequence adjacent to the Mountain Front. The amount of erosion resulting from the uplift can be estimated from vitrinite reflectance and cross-sections; these estimates show a similar pattern, with maximum erosion in the mountains NE of the Mountain Front (>1.5 km) and lesser erosion in the adjacent foreland basin (generally <0.8 km). The results provide a quantitative understanding of subsidence, uplift and erosion, and have been used to define prospective and high-risk areas for petroleum exploration.
Food Matrix Design for Effective Lactic Acid Bacteria Delivery
Authors: Gomand F. , Borges F. , Burgain J. , Guerin J. , Revol-Junelles A.-M. , Gaiani C.
Published: January 2019

The range of foods featuring lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with potential associated health benefits has expanded over the years from traditional dairy products to meat, cereals, vegetables and fruits, chocolate, etc. All these new carriers need to be compared for their efficacy to protect, carry, and deliver LAB, but because of their profusion and the diversity of methods this remains difficult. This review points out the advantages and disadvantages of the main food matrix types, and an additional distinction between dairy and nondairy foods is made. The food matrix impact on LAB viability during food manufacturing, storage, and digestion is also discussed. The authors propose an ideal hypothetical food matrix that includes structural and physicochemical characteristics such as pH, water activity, and buffering capacities, all of which need to be taken into account when performing LAB food matrix design. Guidelines are finally provided to optimize food matrix design in terms of effective LAB delivery.
Optimizing the Quality of Food Powder Products: The Challenges of Moisture-Mediated Phase Transformations
Authors: Mauer Lisa J. , Forny Laurent , Meunier Vincent D.M. , Taylor Lynne S.
Published: January 2019

Water is ubiquitous in the environment and is present to varying degrees even within dry powder products and most ingredients. Water migration between the environment and a solid, or between different components of a product, may lead to detrimental physical and chemical changes. In efforts to optimize the quality of dry products, as well as the efficiency of production practices, it is crucial to understand the cause–effect relationships of water interactions with different solids. Therefore, this review addresses the basis of moisture migration in dry products, and the modes of water vapor interactions with crystalline and amorphous solids (e.g., adsorption, capillary condensation, deliquescence, crystal hydrate formation, absorption into amorphous solids) and related moisture-induced phase and state changes, and provides examples of how these moisture-induced changes affect the quality of the dry products.
Role of matrix metalloproteinases and histone deacetylase in oxidative stress-induced degradation of the endothelial glycocalyx
Authors: Ali Mohamed M. , Mahmoud Abeer M. , Le Master Elizabeth , Levitan Irena , Phillips Shane A.
Published: January 2019

The glycocalyx is crucial for normal endothelial function. It also tethers extracellular superoxide dismutase (SOD3), which protects the endothelium against oxidative damage. Proteolytic enzymes [matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)] are capable of disrupting endothelial cell surface proteins, such as syndecans, resulting in derangements of the endothelial glycocalyx. We sought to test the role of MMPs in oxidative stress-mediated disruption of the endothelial glycocalyx and examine the effect of pharmacological inhibition of MMPs on mitigating this detrimental effect. We also examined the role of histone deacetylase (HDAC) in the oxidative stress-mediated MMP induction and glycocalyx remodeling. Oxidative stress was experimentally induced in human adipose microvascular endothelial cells using H2O2 and buthionine sulfoximine in the presence and absence of potent MMP and HDAC inhibitors. H2O2 and buthionine sulfoximine resulted in a notable loss of the endothelial glycocalyx; they also increased the expression and proteolytic activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 and subsequently increased the shedding of syndecan-1 and SOD3 from the endothelial cell surface. MMP upregulation was accompanied by a decline in mRNA and protein levels of their inhibitors, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMPs; TIMP-1 and TIMP-3). Furthermore, oxidative stress induced HDAC activity. Inhibition of MMPs and HDAC reversed syndecan-1 and SOD3 shedding and maintained endothelial glycocalyx integrity. HDAC inhibition increased TIMP expression and reduced MMP expression and activity in endothelial cells. Our findings shed light on MMPs and HDAC as therapeutically targetable mechanisms in oxidative stress-induced glycocalyx remodeling.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Oxidative stress, a hallmark of many diseases, damages the endothelial glycocalyx, resulting in vascular dysfunction. Studying the mechanistic link between oxidative stress and endothelial glycocalyx derangements might help discover new therapeutic targets to preserve vascular function. In this study, we investigated the involvement of matrix metalloproteinases and histone deacetylase in oxidative stress-induced endothelial glycocalyx degradation.
The Misclassification of Diffuse Gliomas: Rates and Outcomes
Authors: Iorgulescu J. Bryan , Torre Matthew , Harary Maya , Smith Timothy R. , Aizer Ayal A. , Reardon David A. , Barnholtz-Sloan Jill S. , Perry Arie
Published: January 2019

Purpose:

The integrated histopathologic and molecular diagnoses of the 2016 WHO classification of central nervous system tumors have revolutionized patient care by improving diagnostic accuracy and reproducibility; however, the frequency and consequences of misclassification of histologically diagnosed diffuse gliomas are unknown.

Experimental Design:

Patients with newly diagnosed ICD-O-3 (International Classification of Diseases) histologically encoded diffuse gliomas from 2010–2015 were identified from the National Cancer Database, the misclassification rates and overall survival (OS) of which were assessed by WHO grade and 1p/19q status. In addition, misclassification rates by isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), ATRX, and p53 statuses were examined in an analogous multi-institutional cohort of registry-encoded diffuse gliomas.

Results:

Of 74,718 patients with diffuse glioma, only 74.4% and 78.8% of molecularly characterized WHO grade II and III oligodendrogliomas were in fact 1p/19q-codeleted. In addition, 28.9% and 36.8% of histologically encoded grade II and III “oligoastrocytomas”, and 6.3% and 8.8% of grade II and III astrocytomas had 1p/19q-codeletion, thus molecularly representing oligodendrogliomas if also IDH mutant. OS significantly depended on accurate WHO grading and 1p/19q status.

Conclusions:

On the basis of 1p/19q, IDH, ATRX, and p53, the misclassification rates of histologically encoded oligodendrogliomas, astrocytomas, and glioblastomas are approximately 21%–35%, 6%–9%, and 9%, respectively; with significant clinical implications. Our findings suggest that when compared with historical histology-only classified data, in national registry, as well as, institutional databases, there is the potential for false-positive results in contemporary trials of molecularly classified diffuse gliomas, which could contribute to a seemingly positive phase II trial (based on historical comparison) failing at the phase III stage. Critically, findings from diffuse glioma clinical trials and historical cohorts using prior histology-only WHO schemes must be cautiously reinterpreted.
Association of Tumor Microenvironment T-cell Repertoire and Mutational Load with Clinical Outcome after Sequential Checkpoint Blockade in Melanoma
Authors: Yusko Erik , Vignali Marissa , Wilson Richard K. , Mardis Elaine R. , Hodi F. Stephen , Horak Christine , Chang Han , Woods David M. , Robins Harlan , Weber Jeffrey
Published: January 2019

To understand prognostic factors for outcome between differentially sequenced nivolumab and ipilimumab in a randomized phase II trial, we measured T-cell infiltration and PD-L1 by IHC, T-cell repertoire metrics, and mutational load within the tumor. We used next-generation sequencing (NGS) and assessed the association of those parameters with response and overall survival. Immunosequencing of the T-cell receptor β-chain locus (TCRβ) from DNA of 91 pretreatment tumor samples and an additional 22 pairs of matched pre- and posttreatment samples from patients who received nivolumab followed by ipilimumab (nivo/ipi), or the reverse (ipi/nivo), was performed to measure T-cell clonality and fraction. Mutational and neoantigen load were also assessed by NGS in 82 of the 91 patients. Tumors were stained using IHC for PD-L1+ and CD8+ T cells. Pretreatment tumor TCR clonality and neoantigen load were marginally associated with best response with nivo/ipi (P = 0.04 and 0.05, respectively), but not with ipi/nivo. Amalgamated pretreatment mutational load and tumor T-cell fraction were significantly associated with best response with nivo/ipi (P = 0.002). Pretreatment PD-L1 staining intensity and CD8+ T-cell counts were correlated with T-cell fraction and clonality, but not mutational or neoantigen load. Patients with increased T-cell fraction posttreatment at week 13 had a 30-fold increased likelihood of survival (P = 0.002). Mutational and neoantigen load, and T-cell infiltrate within the tumor, were associated with outcome of sequential checkpoint inhibition using nivolumab then ipilimumab, but not when ipilimumab was administered before nivolumab.
Meningitis Caused by Streptococcus agalactiae after Professional Tooth Cleaning: First Case
Authors: Hollasch Heiko , Niesen Wolf-Dirk , Bardutzky Jürgen
Published: January 2019

We report the first case of meningitis caused by Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus; GBS) after professional tooth cleaning in a previously healthy patient. GBS is a common commensal of the human gastrointestinal and vaginal flora. Although occurrence in the oral flora is unusual, oral transmission and thus occurrence can be assumed.
Entre a conquista e a tragédia: metáforas reunidas em Iracema e Simá na compreensão da construção da identidade brasileira
Authors: Almeida Claudimar Paes de , Barzotto Leoné Astride
Published: January 2019

O trabalho tem como objetivo tecer considerações acerca do projeto literário brasileiro por meio da obra Iracema, de José de Alencar (1865), e o romance histórico contextualizado na região do Alto Amazonas, de autoria do escritor baiano Lourenço da Silva Araújo Amazonas, publicado no ano de 1857, sob o título de Simá – como suporte para compreensão e representação metafórica da construção da identidade brasileira.
Não somos “portugueses de segunda”: o estabelecimento de identidades mediadas pela memória e pelo esquecimento da colônia
Authors: Madeira Viviane Souza
Published: January 2019

Este artigo visa discutir a questão da libertação das colônias portuguesas em África e na Índia a partir de dois romances de perspectiva portuguesa: A casa-comboio (2010), de Raquel Ochoa, e O retorno (2011), de Dulce Maria Cardoso. Aqui, observaremos, especialmente, como a memória e o esquecimento da metrópole e da colônia, bem como o que é dito e o que não é dito pelas personagens, contribuem para a construção de identidades específicas.
Noninvasive Quantification of Pressure-Volume Loops From Brachial Pressure and Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance
Authors: Seemann Felicia , Arvidsson Per , Nordlund David , Kopic Sascha , Carlsson Marcus , Arheden Håkan , Heiberg Einar
Published: January 2019

Background:

Pressure-volume (PV) loops provide a wealth of information on cardiac function but are not readily available in clinical routine or in clinical trials. This study aimed to develop and validate a noninvasive method to compute individualized left ventricular PV loops.

Methods:

The proposed method is based on time-varying elastance, with experimentally optimized model parameters from a training set (n=5 pigs), yielding individualized PV loops. Model inputs are left ventricular volume curves from cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging and brachial pressure. The method was experimentally validated in a separate set (n=9 pig experiments) using invasive pressure measurements and cardiovascular magnetic resonance images and subsequently applied to human healthy controls (n=13) and patients with heart failure (n=28).

Results:

There was a moderate-to-excellent agreement between in vivo-measured and model-calculated stroke work (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.93; bias, −0.02±0.03 J), mechanical potential energy (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.57; bias, −0.04±0.03 J), and ventricular efficiency (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.84; bias, 3.5±2.1%). The model yielded lower ventricular efficiency (
P
<0.0001) and contractility (
P
<0.0001) in patients with heart failure compared with controls, as well as a higher potential energy (
P
<0.0001) and energy per ejected volume (
P
<0.0001). Furthermore, the model produced realistic values of stroke work and physiologically representative PV loops.

Conclusions:

We have developed the first experimentally validated, noninvasive method to compute left ventricular PV loops and associated quantitative measures. The proposed method shows significant agreement with in vivo-derived measurements and could support clinical decision-making and provide surrogate end points in clinical heart failure trials.
One-Year Outcomes of a European Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Cohort According to Surgical Risk
Authors: Tarantini Giuseppe , Lefèvre Thierry , Terkelsen Christian Juhl , Frerker Christian , Ohlmann Patrick , Mojoli Marco , Eltchaninoff Hélène , Pinaud Frédéric , Redwood Simon , Windecker Stephan
Published: January 2019

Background:

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation is increasingly being used in patients at lower risk for surgery. We aimed to assess the distribution of surgical risk score categories in current clinical practice and their relationship with clinical outcomes and the calibration and discrimination power of both the logistic EuroSCORE (logES) and EuroSCORE II. The SOURCE 3 study is a European prospective registry of patients with severe aortic stenosis treated with the commercially available SAPIEN 3 transcatheter heart valve.

Methods and Results:

Out of 1785 patients, 518 patients (low-surgical risk) had a baseline logES <10%, 691 (intermediate-surgical risk) had a logES 10% to 20%, and only 576 patients (high-surgical risk) had a logES ≥20%. Even if low-risk patients were younger compared with the other groups, the mean age was about 80 years old in each risk category. At 1 year, all-cause mortality was 10.3%, 11.4%, and 17.1% in low-, intermediate-, or high-surgical risk patients, respectively, while cardiac mortality was 5.3%, 7.7%, and 11.4%, respectively. Observed mortality rates were substantially lower than that predicted with logES. The observed/predicted mortality ratio was 0.26 in low-surgical risk patients, 0.08 in intermediate-surgical risk patients, and 0.12 in high-surgical risk patients. Similar observations were obtained with EuroSCORE II.

Conclusions:

In this real-world setting, two-thirds of SAPIEN 3 transcatheter heart valve treated transcatheter aortic valve implantation patients had a logES <20 but were still considered appropriate transcatheter aortic valve implantation candidates by the heart team, mainly because of older age and less frequently because of conditions not captured by risk scores. logES and EuroSCORE II had poor discrimination and calibration power in this transcatheter aortic valve implantation cohort.

Clinical Trial Registration:

URL:
https://clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT02698956.
Medication Discontinuation in the IMPROVE-IT Trial
Authors: Navar Ann Marie , Roe Matthew T. , White Jennifer A. , Cannon Christopher P. , Lokhnygina Yuliya , Newby L. Kristin , Giugliano Robert P. , Tershakovec Andrew M. , Braunwald Eugene , Califf Robert M. , Blazing Michael A.
Published: January 2019

Background:

Although cholesterol-lowering medications can reduce the risk of recurrent cardiovascular events, premature discontinuation limits effectiveness. Discontinuation rates have not been systematically reported for lipid-lowering trials.

Methods and Results:

We evaluated medication discontinuation in IMPROVE-IT (Improved Reduction of Outcomes: Vytorin Efficacy International Trial), which evaluated placebo+simvastatin versus ezetimibe+simvastatin in patients hospitalized with the acute coronary syndrome and followed longitudinally postdischarge. Reasons for discontinuation were evaluated from randomization through study end (median 71.9 [interquartile range 51.8–85.8] months). Kaplan-Meier (KM) discontinuation rates were evaluated at 30 days, 1 year, and through year 7, and compared by treatment arm and region, with Cox proportional hazards modeling used to evaluate predictors of discontinuation. Overall, 46.7% of subjects discontinued study medication (KM rate by study end 50.9% [95% CI, 50.1%–51.7%]). The risk of discontinuation was highest early in the trial but decreased with increasing time, with a terminal KM rate per 100 person-years of 8.4 (8.2–8.6) from years 1 to 7. Discontinuation was higher in the placebo+simvastatin versus ezetimibe+simvastatin arm (KM rate 52.0% versus 49.8%,
P
=0.049) and was highest in the United States (7-year KM rate 57.4%). In multivariable modeling, smoking, prior revascularization, hypertension, unstable angina, female sex, nonwhite race, and US location were associated with higher discontinuation rates.

Conclusions:

Although discontinuation was highest early and stabilized to 8% per year, because of prolonged follow-up, most discontinuation occurred after year 1. Adding ezetimibe to statin therapy did not increase discontinuation risk. Geographic differences and patient-level factors should be considered in trial design and analysis.

Clinical Trial Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00202878.
Asian Megaloptera in the Upper Silesian Museum Collection, Poland, with description of a new species of Protohermes van der Weele (Corydalidae: Corydalinae) from Vietnam
Authors: LIU XINGYUE , DOBOSZ ROLAND
Published: January 2019

A list of Asian species of Megaloptera deposited in the Upper Silesian Museum which includes 35 species of Corydalidae and four species of Sialidae. A new species of the dobsonfly genus Protohermes van der Weele, 1907, P. stangei sp. nov. from central Vietnam is described. Protohermes weelei Navás, 1925 and Protohermes yangi Liu, Hayashi & Yang, 2007 are newly recorded from Laos and Sialis longidens Klingsted, 1932 is newly recorded from North Korea.
On the Spatial Scales to be Resolved by the Surface Water and Ocean Topography Ka-Band Radar Interferometer
Authors: Wang Jinbo , Fu Lee-Lueng , Torres Hector S. , Chen Shuiming , Qiu Bo , Menemenlis Dimitris
Published: January 2019

The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission aims to measure the sea surface height (SSH) at a high spatial resolution using a Ka-band radar interferometer (KaRIn). The primary oceanographic objective is to characterize the ocean eddies at a spatial resolution of 15 km for 68% of the ocean surface. This resolution is derived from the ratio between the wavenumber spectrum of the conventional altimeter (projected to submesoscale) and the SWOT SSH errors. While the 15-km threshold is useful as a global approximation of the spatial scales resolved by SWOT (SWOT scale), it can be misleading for regional studies. Here we revisit the problem using a high-resolution (~2-km horizontal grid spacing) tide-resolving global ocean simulation and map the SWOT scale as a function of location and season. The results show that the SWOT scale increases, in general, from about 15 km at low latitudes to ~30–45 km at mid- and high latitudes but with a large geographical dependence. A SWOT scale smaller than 30 km is expected in the high-latitude energetic regions. The SWOT scale varies seasonally as a result of the seasonality in both the noise and ocean signals. The seasonality also has a geographical dependence. Both eddies and internal gravity waves/tides contribute significantly to the SWOT scale variation. Our analysis provides model predictions for interpreting the anticipated observations from SWOT and guidance for the development of analysis methodologies.
Explicit Filtering and Reconstruction to Reduce Grid Dependence in Convective Boundary Layer Simulations Using WRF-LES
Authors: Simon Jason S. , Zhou Bowen , Mirocha Jeffrey D. , Chow Fotini Katopodes
Published: January 2019

As model grid resolutions move from the mesoscale to the microscale, turbulent structures represented in atmospheric boundary layer simulations change dramatically. At intermediate resolutions, the so-called gray zone, turbulent motions are not resolved accurately, posing a challenge to numerical simulations. The representation of turbulence is also highly sensitive to the choice of closure model. Here, we examine explicit filtering and reconstruction in the gray zone as a technique to better represent atmospheric turbulence. The convective boundary layer is simulated using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model with horizontal resolutions ranging from 25 m to 1 km. Four large-eddy simulation (LES) turbulence models are considered: the Smagorinsky model, the TKE-1.5 model, and two versions of the dynamic reconstruction model (DRM). The models are evaluated by their ability to produce consistent mean potential temperature profiles, heat and momentum fluxes, velocity fields, and turbulent kinetic energy spectra as the grids become coarser. The DRM, a mixed model that uses an explicit filtering and reconstruction technique to account for resolvable subfilter-scale (RSFS) stresses, performs very well at resolutions of 500 m and 1 km without any special tuning, whereas the Smagorinsky and TKE-1.5 models produce heavily grid-dependent results.
Feeling Race: Theorizing the Racial Economy of Emotions
Authors: Bonilla-Silva Eduardo
Published: January 2019

In this presidential address, I advance a theoretical sketch on racialized emotions—the emotions specific to racialized societies. These emotions are central to the racial edifice of societies, thus, analysts and policymakers should understand their collective nature, be aware of how they function, and appreciate the existence of variability among emoting racial subjects. Clarity on these matters is key for developing an effective affective politics to challenge any racial order. After the sketch, I offer potential strategies to retool our racial emotive order as well as our racial selves. I end my address urging White sociologists to acknowledge the significance of racism in sociology and the emotions it engenders and to work to advance new personal and organizational anti-racist practices.
Effect of online courses on US college students’ knowledge about health disparities
Authors: Njoku Anuli
Published: January 2019

Objective:

To describe faculty efforts to deliver and evaluate health disparities–related education in US online undergraduate and graduate public health courses.

Design:

A pre- and post-survey was given to a cohort of 46 US college students in three public health courses taught asynchronously online over an 8-week period in 2017. This study took place at a mid-sized, public, rural, midwestern US university.

Method:

Faculty received professional development and online training and were assigned to develop courses for a new public health programme. Following the receipt of ethical approval, students completed anonymous, online pre- and post-surveys to assess effect of intentional instructional approaches on their knowledge and attitudes about health disparities. Curricula incorporated various assessment methods and teaching strategies. Descriptive statistics were used to compare pre- and post-survey scores and analyse demographic data. Paired t-tests and one-way analysis of variance were used to analyse pre- and post-survey test scores.

Results:

At post-survey, students demonstrated a positive change in mean scores for several items, including for ability to discuss the role of theory in understanding health behaviour and disparities in health status (3.20 vs 4.06; p < .001) and ability to discuss strategies health promotion programmes can use to reduce health disparities (3.47 vs 4.40; p < .001). Post-survey response rate was 87%.

Conclusion:

Results suggest an effective way to increase health disparities knowledge among online college students. Additional research is encouraged to expand upon these findings.
More Is Not Always Better: The Case of Counterterrorism Security
Authors: Dev Pritha , Grabiszewski Konrad
Published: January 2019

Can counterterrorism security be counterproductive? We argue that it can be when the at-risk population acts strategically. We model a two-stage game where the government first chooses the defensive security level for a public place. The second stage is a simultaneous-move game with terrorist choosing terror effort and members of the population deciding whether or not to attend the public place. Our key measure of the efficiency of the counterterrorism security is the expected number of casualties. Under very standard and general assumptions, we show that it is possible that more security leads to an increase in that number. This is because increasing security both discourages and encourages the terrorist. On the one hand, more security makes a successful terror attack less likely (discouragement). On the other hand, more security motivates more people to attend the public place which makes the attack more valuable to the terrorist (encouragement).
Changing constructions of religious visibility: The case of an African American Muslim community in South Central LA
Authors: Prickett Pamela
Published: January 2019

Through a case study of a mosque in Los Angeles, I examine how changing constructions of space affect the ways a religious community comes together to engage faith. I show how as the neighborhood was undergoing dramatic change, so too were the ways believers at the mosque interpreted Islam. I divide my analyses into three parts, following the major chronological shifts of religious praxis in this African American Muslim community: (1) early days as members of the Nation of Islam (1950–1975); (2) ‘transition’ from the Nation to Sunni Islam in the mid 1970s; (3) and the post-transition period of rebuilding that continues into the present day. Together they produce a historical interaction effect of economic, demographic (immigration) and internal religious changes that lead to current dilemmas mosque members must address.
Understanding the role of acculturative stress on refugee youth mental health: A systematic review and ecological approach to assessment and intervention
Authors: d’Abreu Ana , Castro-Olivo Sara , Ura Sarah K.
Published: January 2019

In this article, we conduct a systematic review of the extant literature on the risk and protective factors that impact the healthy resettlement of refugee children around the world. We identify acculturative stress as a main risk factor to consider for assessment and intervention given that is often overlooked in the literature for refugee children, but has been found to strongly impact their socio-emotional development. In addition, we discuss ecologically framed/culturally responsive interventions and assessment practices that could aid in the successful resettlement of refugee children. We also discuss the limitations of the extant research on refugee children and make recommendations for future research directions.
From first email to first date: Strategies for initiating relationships in online dating
Authors: Sharabi Liesel L. , Dykstra-DeVette Tiffany A.
Published: January 2019

The present study explores the relationship initiation process in online dating using participants’ ( N = 105) naturally occurring email messages to a prospective romantic partner. Data were collected online at time one, and participants were recontacted at time two (after meeting their partner offline) to assess the likelihood of continued interaction. A qualitative content analysis uncovered 7 broad categories and 18 subcategories of strategies for initiating relationships in online dating. The analysis indicated that participants’ relationships followed a trajectory that often began with the use of pickup lines to initiate contact and culminated with the transition offline. Along the way, they alternated between strategies for attracting and selecting a partner, constructing an authentic self-presentation, creating a shared context for interaction, revealing and seeking information, and adapting to the online dating environment. Additional quantitative analyses revealed differences in strategy use related to gender and the outcome of the first date. That is, men were generally more direct than women (e.g., by sending the first message), and those who discussed their mate preferences tended to report a higher likelihood of a second date than other participants. The results have implications for the hyperpersonal model, as well as for illuminating the evolution of online dating relationships from the first contact with a partner to meeting offline.
Risk factors associated with peripherally inserted central catheter-related venous thrombosis in hospitalized patients of advanced age
Authors: Song Yang , Liu Shuang , Lou Ting , Ma Yuxiu , Wang Na , Yong Qinge , Cong Lin , Xiao Zheng , Liu Gao
Published: January 2019

Objective

This study was performed to determine the risk factors associated with peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC)-related venous thrombosis in patients of advanced age (>65 years).

Methods

In total, 549 hospitalized patients aged 66 to 104 years who were undergoing PICC placement from January 2008 to December 2014 were enrolled. Symptomatic venous thrombosis was confirmed by B-mode or Doppler ultrasonography in the presence of clinical signs. Logistic regression analysis was performed on the variables of interest to identify the risk factors for thrombosis. Odds ratios (ORs) with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals were generated.

Results

Of the 549 patients with PICC placement, 106 (19.3%) developed PICC-associated venous thrombosis, 84 cases of which were symptomatic. The logistic regression results revealed that PICC-related venous thrombosis was associated with a history of venous thrombosis (OR, 6.745 [3.237–14.056]), number of lumens (OR, 1.934 [1.362–2.572] and OR, 3.762 [1.672–5.932] for dual and triple lumens, respectively), and PICC gauge (OR, 1.821 [1.256–2.537] and OR, 3.864 [1.367–8.251] for 5-Fr and 6-Fr, respectively).

Conclusions

A history of thrombosis, high number of lumens, and large-gauge catheters were strong risk factors for patients aged >65 years undergoing PICC placement.
Thermodynamic analysis of energy dissipation and unsteady flow characteristic in a centrifugal dredge pump under over-load conditions
Authors: Zhao Xiaoran , Wang Zhengwei , Xiao Yexiang , Luo Yongyao
Published: January 2019

The present paper aims to investigate the energy dissipation related to unsteady flow phenomena inside a three-bladed impeller of a centrifugal dredge pump under over-load operating conditions. Three-dimensional unsteady numerical simulations of the centrifugal pump are performed by adopting the SAS SST-curvature correction turbulence model with the total energy equation. The simulating results are verified by comparing the performance results and pressure fluctuation with available experimental data. The unsteady flow patterns and energy dissipation in the rotating impeller are analysed by entropy distribution and pressure fluctuation spectra. A high-entropy area appears in the impeller flow passage when the discharge increases. It is indicated in the unsteady simulation results that a vortex flow with high entropy generates and detaches periodically, which causes the hydraulic energy loss under over-load operating conditions. In numerical simulations, a frequency as 3.3 times of rotating frequency is found in the pressure spectral analysis at 1.45 Q0 operating condition, which is related to the unsteady flow structure. The secondary flow near the volute tongue is found at 1.45 Q0 operating condition due to the large angle of attack when discharge increases.
Effect of bed particle size and temperature variation on the minimum fluidisation velocity: A comparison with minimum fluidisation velocity correlations for bubbling fluidised bed designs
Authors: Downmore Musademba , Jambgwa Simbi David , Kusaziwa Kuipa Pardon
Published: January 2019

This work presents hydrodynamic studies on the effect of temperature and bed particle variation on minimum fluidisation velocity. A lab-scale bubbling fluidised bed made of stainless steel, with column height of 1 m and internal diameter of 0.15 m was used. Five Geldart-B-type alumina bed materials of mean particle sizes 75, 177, 250, 320 and 500 µm were used and the bed temperature was varied between 50 ℃ and 600 ℃. The hydrodynamic results showed that minimum fluidisation velocity varied directly with mean particle size and inversely with temperature. The pressure drop was found to increase with bed temperature for all the sizes of bed particles. The minimum fluidisation velocity is a key parameter in the design of fluidised bed systems and as such its prediction lies with good choice of correlation. The experimental values were compared with predicted minimum fluidisation velocity from six correlations, with the overall objective of verifying the most suitable correlation. Of the correlations used, the Hartman et al. correlation showed very good fitting with experimental data for beds of 75 and 177 µm particles, and the Mohanta et al. correlation showed good fitting with 250–500 µm bed particles. The models exhibited very good coefficient of multiple determination ( R2), very low fitting errors and low geometric standard deviations across the range of particle sizes and temperature variation. However, the lack of understanding of the parameters such as voidage, particle sphericity, density and viscosity would need more attention, particularly in view of the sensitivity of the minimum fluidisation velocity predictions to these parameters. Further studies are therefore recommended for the verification of the correlations in this regard.