bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Elliptic cavity filled with hybrid nanomaterial under consideration of magnetic field
Authors: Shafee Ahmad , Firouzi Amin , Nam Nguyen Dang , Babazadeh Houman
Published: February 2020

CVFEM usage for modeling of nanomaterial flow style in a permeable elliptical tank including Lorentz effect was scrutinized in the current research. Hybrid material with use of homogeneous model was applied and radiation term has been involved in governing equations. Outputs have been depicted in contours and plots. In addition, a new formula for Nu was reported. Augment of Nu by considering greater permeability can be explained by stronger temperature gradient in cases with higher Da. Nanomaterial flow becomes suppressed with augment of Ha which results in lower Nu. As Ha was augmented from 0 to 20, 18% reduction was reported in Nu. Permeability has favorable influence on nanomaterial flow and the impact of Ha is the opposite of permeability.
The ’t Hooft–Polyakov monopole in the geometric theory of defects
Authors: Katanaev M. O.
Published: February 2020

The ’t Hooft–Polyakov monopole solution in Yang–Mills theory is given new physical interpretation in the geometric theory of defects. It describes solids with continuous distribution of dislocations and disclinations. The corresponding densities of Burgers and Frank vectors are computed. It means that the ’t Hooft–Polyakov monopole can be seen, probably, in solids.
A general model system related to affine stochastic differential equations
Authors: Bernardi Enrico , Chuni Vinayak , Lanconelli Alberto
Published: February 2020

We link a general method for modeling random phenomena using systems of stochastic differential equations (SDEs) to the class of affine SDEs. This general construction emphasizes the central role of the Duffie–Kan system [Duffie and Kan, A yield-factor model of interest rates, Math. Finance 6 (1996) 379–406] as a model for first-order approximations of a wide class of nonlinear systems perturbed by noise. We also specialize to a two-dimensional framework and propose a direct proof of the Duffie–Kan theorem which does not passes through the comparison with an auxiliary process. Our proof produces a scheme to obtain an explicit representation of the solution once the one-dimensional square root process is assigned.
SIMULATION OF A CLOSED LOOP MODEL EQUIVALENT ELECTRONIC OF NORMAL CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM AND VALVULAR AORTIC STENOSIS
Authors: HALAIMI AMINA , CHETTI BOUALEM , LARIBI BOUALEM , LABBADLIA OMAR
Published: February 2020

This work presents a developed zero-dimensional cardiovascular (CV) system model, based on an electrical analogy, with a detailed compartmental description of the heart and the main vascular circulation which is able to simulate normal and diseased conditions of CV system, especially the stenosis valvular aortic. To know the effect of each parameter on hemodynamics, the number of parameters is increased by adding more segments. The developed model consists of 14 compartments. The results show that the severity of aortic stenosis (AS) effect varies with the effective orifice area and the mean pressure gradient for the case of no AS; the effective orifice area is 4[Formula: see text]cm2and the mean pressure gradient is 0[Formula: see text]mmHg, while for the case of mild AS, the effective orifice area is 1.5[Formula: see text]cm2and the mean pressure gradient is 27.24[Formula: see text]mmHg. For the case of moderate AS, the effective orifice area is 1.0[Formula: see text]cm2and the mean pressure gradient is 44.68[Formula: see text]mmHg. For the case of the severe AS, the effective orifice area is 0.61[Formula: see text]cm2and the mean pressure gradient is 77.51[Formula: see text]mmHg. It is found that the developed model can estimate an accurate value of the effective orifice area for any value of mean pressure gradient in AS. The results obtained for the CV system under normal and diseased conditions show a good agreement compared to published results.
Equal-Order Polygonal Analysis for Fluid Computation in Curved Domain
Authors: Vu-Huu T. , Le-Thanh C. , Nguyen-Xuan H. , Wahab M. Abdel
Published: February 2020

Our research introduces a novel advanced method for fluid computation in complicated domain. It makes use of an advanced polygonal finite element applying equal-order scheme; within each element. Both velocity and pressure fields are represented by a polygonal basis shape function system. This technique is based on a combination of the equal-order mixed scheme method, the polygon finite element method (PFEM) and the adapted local projection method that is used to stabilize the pressure. In order to simulate the fluid flow, MATLAB is utilized for coding and programming. A numerical example of an incompressible fluid flow governed by Stokes system in curved domain is performed to demonstrate the applicability of our developed polygon element. Besides, through the numerical analysis, we show the high flexibility of PFEM for curved domains.
Rebalancing Global Climate Governance and China’s Endeavor
Authors: Hongyuan Yu
Published: February 2020

In December 2018, the 24th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was held in Katowice, Poland, and reached a package of agreements. It provided a new opportunity for the promotion of global climate negotiations and new momentum for the transformation of global climate governance as well. The Katowice conference continued the tradition of the previous conferences in enhancing policy coordination and contribution among various actors. The success of the conference depends on scientific reports of climate disasters, coordinated efforts by major countries, and the contribution of various non-state actors. However, as an ongoing process, global climate governance is still faced by many difficulties, such as weak synergy, staggering development of global environmental governance, daunting challenges to least developed countries (LDCs) in climate actions, and lack of fairness, which need to be tackled through joint endeavor by both developed and developing countries. As the second largest economy and biggest greenhouse gas emitter, China’s future engagement in global climate governance will be focused on promoting green competitiveness, enhancing its institutional power in the governance process, and strengthening pragmatic multi-stakeholder climate diplomacy, so as to promote common understanding among countries and help with their policy coordination for climate actions.
Digital Democracy
Authors: Gastil John , Davies Todd
Published: February 2020

Although successive generations of digital technology have become increasingly powerful in the past 20 years, digital democracy has yet to realize its potential for deliberative transformation. The undemocratic exploitation of massive social media systems continued this trend, but it only worsened an existing problem of modern democracies, which were already struggling to develop deliberative infrastructure independent of digital technologies. There have been many creative conceptions of civic tech, but implementation has lagged behind innovation. This article argues for implementing one such vision of digital democracy through the establishment of a public corporation. Modeled on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in the United States, this entity would foster the creation of new digital technology by providing a stable source of funding to nonprofit technologists, interest groups, civic organizations, government, researchers, private companies, and the public. Funded entities would produce and maintain software infrastructure for public benefit. The concluding sections identify what circumstances might create and sustain such an entity.
Quantitative Study on the Contact Force and Force Chain Characteristics of Ore Particle Systems during Ore Drawing from a Single Drawpoint under the Influence of a Flexible Barrier
Authors: Chen Qingfa , Qin Shikang , Wu Shiwei
Published: February 2020

It is of great significance to carry out quantitative research on the contact force chain characteristics of ore particle systems during ore drawing to reveal the microscopic and mesoscopic characteristics of ore particle systems during implementation of the synchronous filling shrinkage stoping method. Based on the particle discrete element method, combined with the relevant knowledge of contact mechanics and statistical mechanics, microscopic properties of the ore particle system were studied quantitatively. (1) The probability distributions of the normal and tangential contact forces during ore drawing from a single drawpoint under a flexible barrier are similar, and both show exponential decay. (2) In the regions on both sides of the model, the ore particles will not be released because they are far from the drawpoint; there, the coordination number is stable, and the density of contact network is large. In the upper part of the drawpoint, ore particles flow, the coordination number fluctuates violently, and the density of contact network is small. (3) In the initial stage, the stress distribution of the ore particle system is uniform, and the strong force chain does not show obvious directivity. After that, the directions of the strong force chains in the ore particle system are inclined to the vertical direction, and the strong force chains mainly bear the load in the vertical direction. (4) In the initial stage of drawing, the normal contact force is mainly concentrated in the vertical direction. With the progression of drawing, the normal contact force at an angle of 30° to the horizontal direction increases gradually, and the number of the main direction of the average contact force distribution changes from one to three (the vertical direction and the direction with a ±30° angle to the horizontal direction).
Effects of Moisture Content on the Minimum Explosible Concentration of Aluminum Powder and the Related Mechanism
Authors: Chen Haiyan , Yao Qingguo , Liu Qiqi , Liu Hao , Zhang Xinyan
Published: February 2020

Aluminum powder has been widely applied to various industries. However, its high activity and high burn rate can cause serious explosion risks. Many factors affecting the explosion of aluminum powder have been determined, yet moisture content has not been included. In the present work, the minimum explosible concentrations of aluminum powders with different moisture contents were measured with a 20-liter explosion test apparatus using the explosion accident in Kunshan, China, as a study case. The experimental results suggest that the minimum explosible concentration of aluminum powder dramatically increases with the increase of its moisture content first and the increasing trend becomes slower as the moisture content further increased. The oxidation time has no significant effects on the minimum explosible concentration of aluminum power in 8 hours at room temperature. Further investigation suggests that the moisture lowers the explosion risk of aluminum powder by altering its surface oxide film, ignition, and combustion process. The low contents of moisture in the range of 0%-8% increase the minimum explosible concentration of aluminum powder by inhibiting the reaction kinetics and particle agglomeration, while high contents of moistures in the range of 8%-20% affect the minimum explosible concentration by the endothermic effect and oxygen dilution effect.
Study on Behind Helmet Blunt Trauma Caused by High-Speed Bullet
Authors: Cai Zhihua , Huang Xingyuan , Xia Yun , Li Guibing , Fan Zhuangqing
Published: February 2020

The mechanism of Behind Helmet Blunt Trauma (BHBT) caused by a high-speed bullet is difficult to understand. At present, there is still a lack of corresponding parameters and test methods to evaluate this damage effectively. The purpose of the current study is therefore to investigate the response of the human skull and brain tissue under the loading of a bullet impacting a bullet-proof helmet, with the effects of impact direction, impact speed, and impactor structure being considered. A human brain finite element model which can accurately reconstruct the anatomical structures of the scalp, skull, brain tissue, etc., and can realistically reflect the biomechanical response of the brain under high impact speed was employed in this study. The responses of Back Face Deformation (BFD), brain displacement, skull stress, and dura mater pressure were extracted from simulations as the parameters reflecting BHBT risk, and the relationships between BHBT and bullet-proof equipment structure and performance were also investigated. The simulation results show that the frontal impact of the skull produces the largest amount of BFD, and when the impact directions are from the side, the skull stress is about twice higher than other directions. As the impact velocity increases, BFD, brain displacement, skull stress, and dura mater pressure increase. The brain damage caused by different structural bullet bodies is different under the condition of the same kinetic energy. The skull stress caused by the handgun bullet is the largest. The findings indicate that when a bullet impacts on the bullet-proof helmet, it has a higher probability of causing brain displacement and intracranial high pressure. The research results can provide a reference value for helmet optimization design and antielasticity evaluation and provide the theoretical basis for protection and rescue.
Performance Improvement on Nonorthogonal Multiple Access without CSIT
Authors: Xia Wenlong , Zhou Yuanping , Meng Qingdang
Published: February 2020

In this paper, a downlink virtual-channel-optimization nonorthogonal multiple access (VNOMA) without channel state information at the transmitter (CSIT) is proposed. The novel idea is to construct multiple complex virtual channels by jointly adjusting the amplitudes and phases to maximize the minimum Euclidean distance (MED) among the superposed constellation points. The optimal solution is derived in the absence of CSIT. Considering practical communications with finite input constellations in which symbols are uniformly distributed, we resort to the sum constellation constrained capacity (CCC) to evaluate the performance. For MED criterion, the maximum likelihood (ML) decoder is expected at the receiver. To decrease the computational cost, we propose a reduced-complexity bitwise ML (RBML) decoder. Experimental results are presented to validate the superior of our proposed scheme.
Gut Microbiota Alterations from Three-Strain Yogurt Formulation Treatments in Slow-Transit Constipation
Authors: Li Xiao-Ran , Liu Chen-Jian , Tang Xiao-Dan , Zhang He-Ming , Luo Yi-Yong , Zhang Le , yang En
Published: February 2020

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a three-strain yogurt formulation in slow-transit constipation (STC) patients. Each individual in both treatment groups consumed 250 mL of the formulated yogurt daily for a week (7 days), and fecal samples were collected for gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) analyses. A significant increase in the defection frequency (p<0.001) and bacterial diversity (p=0.027) at the 100% sequence homology level and a decrease in the concentrations of acetic acid (p=0.014), propionic acid (p=0.019), and butanoic acid (p=0.005) were observed after the STC patients consumed three-strain yogurt formulation. In addition, the consumption of the three-strain yogurt formulation significantly altered the composition of the intestinal bacteria in the STC patients. The relative abundances of 23 genera in the top dominating genera were altered significantly after the STC patients consumed the yogurt. In summary, the consumption of 250 mL day− the three-strain yogurt formulation described in this study can play a role in improving the symptoms of STC.
Validation of Revised Chinese Version of PD-CRS in Parkinson’s Disease Patients
Authors: Tan Yuyan , Liu Weiguo , Du Juanjuan , Hou Miaomiao , Yu Cuiyu , Liu Yang , Cui Shishuang , Yan Lei , Lu Yizhou , Lv Hong , Han Lijun , Wang Xi , Zha Shengyu , Luo Xiaoguang , Tang Huidong , Chen Shengdi
Published: February 2020

There is a high prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients, but a Chinese version of cognitive rating scale that is specific and sensitive to PD patients is still lacking. The aims of this study are to test the reliability and validity of a Chinese version of Parkinson’s disease-cognitive rating scale (PD-CRS), establish cutoff scores for diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD) and PD with mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI), explore cognitive profiles of PD-MCI and PDD, and find cognitive deficits suggesting a transition from PD-MCI to PDD. PD-CRS was revised based on the culture background of Chinese people. Ninety-two PD patients were recruited in three PD centers and were classified into PD with normal cognitive function (PD-NC), PD-MCI, and PDD subgroups according to the cognitive rating scale (CDR). Those PD patients underwent PD-CRS blind assessment by a separate neurologist. The PD-CRS showed a high internal consistency (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.840). Intraclass Correlation coefficient (ICC) of test-retest reliability reached 0.906 (95% CI 0.860–0.935, p<0.001). ICC of inter-rater reliability was 0.899 (95% CI 0.848–0.933, p<0.001). PD-CRS had fair concurrent validity with MDRS (ICC = 0.731, 95% CI 0.602–0.816). All the frontal-subcortical items showed significant decrease in PD-MCI compared with the PD-NC group (p≤0.001), but the instrument cortical items did not (confrontation naming p=0.717, copying a clock p=0.620). All the frontal-subcortical and instrumental-cortical functions showed significant decline in PDD compared with the PD-NC group (p≤0.001). The cutoff value for diagnosis of PD-MCI is 80.5 with the sensitivity of 75.7% and the specificity of 75.0%, and for diagnosis of PDD is 73.5 with the sensitivity of 89.2% and the specificity of 98.9%. Revised Chinese version of PD-CRS is a reliable, acceptable, valid, and useful neuropsychological battery for assessing cognition in PD patients.
Parametrical Investigation of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting via Friction-Induced Vibration
Authors: Wang D. W. , Liu M. X. , Qian W. J. , Wu X. , Ma Q. , Wu Z. Q.
Published: February 2020

In this work, piezoelectric energy harvesting performance via friction-induced vibration is investigated numerically. A one-degree-of-freedom friction system with a piezoelectric element is proposed, to study the piezoelectric energy harvesting via friction-induced stick-slip vibration. Subsequently, a two-degree-of-freedom friction system with two piezoelectric elements is proposed, to investigate the piezoelectric energy harvesting via model coupling vibration. Results show that regardless of the friction systems, it is feasible to convert friction-induced vibration energy to electrical energy when the friction system is operating in the unstable vibration region. Parametrical analysis indicates that for the one-degree-of-freedom friction system, when the normal load increases from 5 N to 30 N, the stick-slip motion becomes more intense, and the friction system will generate more electric energy. While for the two-degree-of-freedom friction system, with the normal load increase from 20 N to 120 N, there is a critical normal load value for the generation of the strongest vibration and the highest voltage output. When the velocity of the belt increases from 0.5 m/s to 2 m/s, the amplitudes of vibration and output voltage become larger. While with the velocity further increasing, the stick-slip motion and generated electric energy disappear. For both friction systems, the external electric resistance has no effect on the dynamic behaviour of the friction system; however, it can modify the output voltage amplitudes within limits. It is also found that when the force factor of piezoelectric element increases from 3.1 × 10−5 N/V to 3.1 × 10−3 N/V, the vibration and harvested energy gradually increase. When the force factor further increases to 3.1 × 10−2 N/V, the vibration reduces drastically and the corresponding output voltages reduce significantly, which proves that a piezoelectric element with an appropriated force factor can give the highest harvested energy and conversion efficiency.
Carboxymethylated Sulfated Heteroexopolysaccharide from a Haloarchaeal Strain as Potential Biomolecule for Harmless Adjuvant Therapy in Cancer Treatment
Authors: Chouchane Habib , Najjari Afef , Cherif Hanene , Neifar Mohamed , Sghaier Haïtham , Ouzari Hadda Imene , Cherif Ameur
Published: February 2020

This study explored the possible use of a microbial carboxymethylated sulfated heteroexopolysaccharide (CS-hEPS) as a potential anticancer agent. The investigation was carried out through antioxidant, antifatigue, and antiproliferative activities. Antioxidant potential including scavenging DPPH and hydroxyl radical activities and reducing power was evaluated. Antifatigue activity was determined by assessing the endurance of mice using the forced swimming test. Following 30 days of CS-hEPS oral treatment at different doses, biochemical parameters related to fatigue such as lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), serum urea nitrogen (SUN), and hepatic glycogen (HG) contents were measured. Antitumor activities were investigated against human cancer liver and myelogenous leukemia cells. Results showed that CS-hEPS possesses notable antioxidant, antifatigue, and antitumor effects. CS-hEPS significantly inhibited the proliferation of leukemia (86.6 ± 0.32%) and cancer liver (58.6 ± 0.43%) cells. CS-hEPS are promising natural antioxidant, antifatigue, and antitumor harmless adjuvant materials that could be applied in human cancer therapy.
Resveratrol Mitigates Sevoflurane-Induced Neurotoxicity by the SIRT1-Dependent Regulation of BDNF Expression in Developing Mice
Authors: Tang Xiaole , Zhao Yilin , Zhou Zhiqiang , Yan Jing , Zhou Biyun , Chi Xiaohui , Luo Ailin , Li Shiyong
Published: February 2020

Various lines of evidence suggest that neonatal exposure to general anesthetics, especially repeatedly, results in neuropathological brain changes and long-term cognitive impairment. Although progress has been made in experimental models, the exact mechanism of GA-induced neurotoxicity in the developing brain remains to be clarified. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) plays an important role in synaptic plasticity and cognitive performance, and its abnormal reduction is associated with cognitive dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases. However, the role of SIRT1 in GA-induced neurotoxicity is unclear to date. In this study, we found that the protein level of SIRT1 was inhibited in the hippocampi of developing mice exposed to sevoflurane. Furthermore, the SIRT1 inhibition in hippocampi was associated with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) downregulation modulated by methyl-cytosine-phosphate-guanine–binding protein 2 (MeCP2) and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB). Pretreatment of neonatal mice with resveratrol nearly reversed the reduction in hippocampal SIRT1 expression, which increased the expression of BDNF in developing mice exposed to sevoflurane. Moreover, changes in the levels of CREB and MeCP2, which were considered to interact with BDNF promoter IV, were also rescued by resveratrol. Furthermore, resveratrol improved the cognitive performance in the Morris water maze test of the adult mice with exposure to sevoflurane in the neonatal stage, without changing motor function in the open field test. Taken together, our findings suggested that SIRT1 deficiency regulated BDNF signaling via regulation of the epigenetic activity of MeCP2 and CREB, and resveratrol might be a promising agent for mitigating sevoflurane-induced neurotoxicity in developing mice.
Fatty Acid Oxidation Controls CD8+ Tissue-Resident Memory T-cell Survival in Gastric Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Lin Run , Zhang Hui , Yuan Yujie , He Qiong , Zhou Jianwen , Li Shuhua , Sun Yu , Li Daniel Y. , Qiu Hai-Bo , Wang Wei , Zhuang Zhehong , Chen Bin , Huang Yonghui , Liu Chuwei , Wang Yingzhao , Cai Shirong , Ke Zunfu , He Weiling
Published: February 2020

The success of checkpoint inhibitors in cancer treatment is associated with the infiltration of tissue-resident memory T (Trm) cells. In this study, we found that about 30% of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) in the tumor microenvironment of gastric adenocarcinoma were CD69+CD103+ Trm cells. Trm cells were low in patients with metastasis, and the presence of Trm cells was associated with better prognosis in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. Trm cells expressed high PD-1, TIGIT, and CD39 and represented tumor-reactive TILs. Instead of utilizing glucose, Trm cells relied on fatty acid oxidation for cell survival. Deprivation of fatty acid resulted in Trm cell death. In a tumor cell–T-cell coculture system, gastric adenocarcinoma cells outcompeted Trm cells for lipid uptake and induced Trm cell death. Targeting PD-L1 decreased fatty acid binding protein (Fabp) 4 and Fabp5 expression in tumor cells of gastric adenocarcinoma. In contrast, the blockade of PD-L1 increased Fabp4/5 expression in Trm cells, promoting lipid uptake by Trm cells and resulting in better survival of Trm cells in vitro and in vivo. PD-L1 blockade unleashed Trm cells specifically in the patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mice. PDX mice that did not respond to PD-L1 blockade had less Trm cells than responders. Together, these data demonstrated that Trm cells represent a subset of TILs in the antitumor immune response and that metabolic reprogramming could be a promising way to prolong the longevity of Trm cells and enhance antitumor immunity in gastric adenocarcinoma.
Cognitive Remediation Therapy Does Not Enhance Treatment Effect in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Anorexia Nervosa: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: van Passel Boris , Danner Unna N. , Dingemans Alexandra E. , Aarts Emmeke , Sternheim Lot C. , Becker Eni S. , van Elburg Annemarie A. , van Furth Eric F. , Hendriks Gert-Jan , Cath Daniëlle C.
Published: February 2020

Background: Guideline-recommended therapies are moderately successful in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anorexia nervosa (AN), leaving room for improvement. Cognitive inflexibility, a common trait in both disorders, is likely to prevent patients from engaging in treatment and from fully benefiting from existing therapies. Cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) is a practical augmentation intervention aimed at ameliorating this impairing cognitive style prior to disorder-specific therapy. Objective: To compare the effectiveness of CRT and a control treatment that was not aimed at enhancing flexibility, named specialized attention therapy (SAT), as add-ons to treatment as usual (TAU). Methods: In a randomized controlled multicenter clinical trial, 71 adult patients with OCD and 61 with AN were randomized to ten twice-weekly sessions with either CRT or SAT, followed by TAU. Patients were evaluated at baseline, post-CRT/SAT, and after 6 and 12 months, with outcomes being quantified using the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale for OCD and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire for AN. Results: Across study groups, most importantly CRT+TAU was not superior to control treatment (SAT)+TAU in reducing OCD and AN pathology. Contrary to expectations, SAT+TAU may have been more effective than CRT+TAU in patients being treated for OCD. Conclusions: CRT did not enhance the effect of TAU for OCD and AN more than SAT. Unexpectedly, SAT, the control condition, may have had an augmentation effect on TAU in OCD patients. Although this latter finding may have been due to chance, the effect of SAT delivered as a pretreatment add-on intervention for adults with OCD and AN merits future efforts at replication.
Effects of Different Doses of Pralidoxime Administered During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and the Role of α‐Adrenergic Receptors in Its Pressor Action
Authors: Jung Yong Hun , Mamadjonov Najmiddin , Lee Hyoung Youn , Jeung Kyung Woon , Lee Byung Kook , Youn Chun Song , Heo Tag , Min Yong Il
Published: February 2020

Background

We previously reported that pralidoxime facilitated restoration of spontaneous circulation by potentiating the pressor effect of epinephrine. We determined the optimal dose of pralidoxime during cardiopulmonary resuscitation and evaluated the involvement of α‐adrenoceptors in its pressor action.

Methods and Results

Forty‐four pigs randomly received 1 of 3 doses of pralidoxime (40, 80, or 120 mg/kg) or saline placebo during cardiopulmonary resuscitation, including epinephrine administration. Pralidoxime at 40 mg/kg produced the highest coronary perfusion pressure, whereas 120 mg/kg of pralidoxime produced the lowest coronary perfusion pressure. Restoration of spontaneous circulation was attained in 4 (36.4%), 11 (100%), 9 (81.8%), and 3 (27.3%) animals in the saline, 40, 80, and 120 mg/kg groups, respectively (
P
<0.001). In 49 rats, arterial pressure response to 40 mg/kg of pralidoxime was determined after saline, guanethidine, phenoxybenzamine, or phentolamine pretreatment, and the response to 200 mg/kg pf pralidoxime was determined after saline, propranolol, or phentolamine pretreatment. Pralidoxime at 40 mg/kg elicited a pressor response. Phenoxybenzamine completely inhibited the pressor response, but guanethidine and phentolamine did not. The pressor response of pralidoxime was even greater after guanethidine or phentolamine pretreatment. Pralidoxime at 200 mg/kg produced an initial vasodepressor response followed by a delayed pressor response. Unlike propranolol, phentolamine eliminated the initial vasodepressor response.

Conclusions

Pralidoxime at 40 mg/kg administered with epinephrine improved restoration of spontaneous circulation rate by increasing coronary perfusion pressure in a pig model of cardiac arrest, whereas 120 mg/kg did not improve coronary perfusion pressure or restoration of spontaneous circulation rate. The pressor effect of pralidoxime was unrelated to α‐adrenoceptors and buffered by its vasodepressor action mediated by sympathoinhibition.
“I Am Afraid Americans Cannot Understand”: The Congress for Cultural Freedom in France and Italy, 1950–1957
Authors: Scionti Andrea
Published: February 2020

This article examines the nature and significance of the activities carried out in France and Italy by the Congress for Cultural Freedom (CCF), an international organization that was secretly funded by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency to support anti-Communist intellectuals, including those on the left end of the political spectrum. These two West European countries, with their large and politically influential Communist parties, were central to the CCF's work in Europe. The organization's task was complicated by domestic concerns and traditions that forced local intellectuals to stress their autonomy from the CCF International Secretariat and its U.S. patrons. The article uses the cultural Cold War and the competing interpretations of anti-Communism and cultural freedom within the CCF as a lens to explore the limits of U.S. influence and persuasion among the intellectual classes of Europe. By repeatedly asserting their independence and agency, the French and Italian members of the CCF helped redefine the character and limits of U.S. cultural diplomacy.
Child Abuse Taking Its Toll on the Emotional Well-Being of Pediatricians
Authors: O’Hara Mandy A. , McCann Teresa A. , Fan Weijia , Lane Mariellen M. , Kernie Steven G. , Rosenthal Susan L.
Published: February 2020

Pediatricians caring for patients with child abuse or neglect (CABN) may experience secondary traumatic stress (STS) from traumatized patients, or burnout (BO) from workplace stress. This may be buffered by compassion satisfaction (CS), positive meaning from one’s work. For this study, STS, BO, and CS specific to a pediatrician’s care of CABN were assessed for residents, hospitalists, intensivists, and outpatient physicians. Using the Professional Quality of Life Scale modified for CABN experiences, participants (n = 62) had a mean STS score at the 84th percentile, a mean BO score at the 66th percentile, and a mean CS score at the 17th percentile. Reporting one CABN patient as most emotionally impactful predicted STS, caring for all types of CABN predicted BO, and perceived knowledge no longer predicted CS when adjusting for the experience of mandated reporting or CABN fatality. These results highlight the need to support pediatricians involved with CABN.
Performing statehood in Northern Kosovo: Discursive struggle over contested space
Authors: Vulović Marina
Published: February 2020

Since Serbia and Kosovo began their political and technical dialogue mediated by the European Union in 2011, numerous agreements were signed, but few of them implemented. In addition, since 2018 the idea of partitioning Kosovo along ethnic lines has entered public debates. This article asks why that is the case and argues that Northern Kosovo – specifically, who has the right to claim statehood over this area – lies at the heart of why partition was suggested as a viable option and why so few agreements have been implemented. In order to demonstrate this, the article adopts a performative view of statehood, particularly suitable for states ‘in-becoming’, such as Kosovo. As only externally performed statehood has been examined so far, that is, efforts for international recognition, this article extends performativity to internally negotiated statehood, against the background of two political systems competing for legitimacy in the long run. This is the case with Northern Kosovo, conceptualized as an area of overlapping limited statehood. The developed analytical framework can be extended to other cases of territorial disputes, such as Crimea or Palestine. The framework can also be expanded to explore performativity of statehood in areas where statehood is not institutionally disputed, but rather symbolically.
Differences in secondary adjustments among monks and nuns
Authors: Sundberg Mikaela
Published: February 2020

How do monks and nuns manage expectations regarding how to ‘open their hearts’? What alternatives do they have and what are the consequences? Based on a multi-sited case study of Cistercian monasteries in France, this article compares the different situation of nuns and monks. The analysis shows how monks are free to choose who they will ‘open their heart’ to, whereas nuns are expected to rely on the abbess. While certain ways that nuns circumvent these expectations are illegitimate, some ways of distancing from the abbess align with, rather than diverge from, other central tenets of monastic life. Compared to monks, nuns face a double-penalty, being less free and facing more ambivalent expectations within this restricted space.
Capitalising on ‘local knowledge’: The labour practices behind successful aid projects – the case of Jordan
Authors: Ward Patricia
Published: February 2020

Humanitarian aid stakeholders increasingly call for localisation: to ensure aid projects utilise, and are informed by, local actors and their ‘local knowledge’. This article explores what this means in practice. Drawing upon the case of Jordan, a major global aid hub, the author shows how national aid workers’ local knowledge is critical for their employers’ projects in at least two ways: they work as ‘vulnerability finders’ to reach communities in need; and as ‘narrative negotiators’ to ensure projects’ designs and evaluations are based on local expertise. However, it was found that workers tailor the ways in which they mobilise their ‘local knowledge’ given their positions and interactions within their workplaces. To make sense of these calculated articulations, the author draws upon Bourdieu’s concept of cultural capital to argue that localisation is commodifying and transforming the power workers derive from their local status: from something that relates to their networks and knowledge within the local context to their ability to produce desirable project results. How workers labour in response highlights how localisation and the sector’s prevalent audit culture intertwine, and reproduce inequalities through particular constructions of local workers and their value to aid projects.
Leveraging Python to Process Cross-Cultural Temperament Interviews: A Novel Platform for Text Analysis
Authors: Underwood Joshua J. , Kirchhoff Cornelia , Warwick Haven , Gartstein Maria A.
Published: February 2020

During childhood, parents represent the most commonly used source of their child’s temperament information and, typically, do so by responding to questionnaires. Despite their wide-ranging applications, interviews present notorious data reduction challenges, as quantification of narratives has proven to be a labor-intensive process. However, for the purposes of this study, the labor-intensive nature may have conferred distinct advantages. The present study represents a demonstration project aimed at leveraging emerging technologies for this purpose. Specifically, we used Python natural language processing capabilities to analyze semistructured temperament interviews conducted with U.S. and German mothers of toddlers, expecting to identify differences between these two samples in the frequency of words used to describe individual differences, along with some similarities. Two different word lists were used: (a) a set of German personality words and (b) temperament-related words extracted from the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire (ECBQ). Analyses using the German trait word demonstrated that mothers from Germany described their toddlers as significantly more “cheerful” and “careful” compared with U.S. caregivers. According to U.S. mothers, their children were more “independent,” “emotional,” and “timid.” For the ECBQ analysis, German mothers described their children as “calm” and “careful” more often than U.S. mothers. U.S. mothers, however, referred to their children as “upset,” “happy,” and “frustrated” more frequently than German caregivers. The Python code developed herein illustrates this software as a viable research tool for cross-cultural investigations.
The Evolving Landscape: Funerals, Cemeteries, Memorialization, and Bereavement Support
Authors: Rumbold Bruce , Lowe Jennifer , Aoun Samar M.
Published: February 2020

The aim of this study was to provide a better understanding of current memorialization practices and their influence on grief due to bereavement and to explore ways of improving bereavement outcomes. The qualitative research design incorporated two phases, a scoping literature review, followed by in-depth interviews with eight service providers from the funeral, cemetery, and crematorium industries across Australia. The trend toward informal memorialization practices blurs the roles of community members and formal industry service providers. A public health approach to bereavement support that encompasses both groups is recommended as the most appropriate response to the evolving landscape. This approach focuses on building partnerships between industry service providers and other community organizations involved in end-of-life issues. We propose that reframing the role of formal industry service providers as educators and facilitators partnered within compassionate communities will support improved outcomes for the bereaved.
Human rights amidst despair in the Levant and the West
Authors: Ishay Micheline
Published: February 2020

In 2019, protests in the streets of Algeria and Sudan, Lebanon and Iraq brought back the fragrance of the Jasmine revolution. Can the pendulum swing back towards democracy and human rights in the Middle East and North Africa region – and in Europe? What will it take to endure? I argue three points. First, I maintain that the human rights aspirations of the Arab Spring rippled across the West in 2011 as disenfranchised groups reacted to increasing social and economic grievances. Second, I contend that the failure to counter these problems has fed a vicious cycle of religious radicalism and right-wing nationalism. Third, I argue that despite widespread Western exhaustion and an inclination to disengage from turmoil in the Middle East, current circumstances make possible new international human rights initiatives, drawn from history, to advance civil liberties, economic progress, security and gender equality in the Middle East, the West and beyond.
Estimating the Distribution of Treatment Effects From Random Design Experiments
Authors: Rhodes William , Gaes Gerald
Published: February 2020

Background:

Random design experiments are a powerful device for estimating average treatment effects, but evaluators sometimes seek to estimate the distribution of treatment effects. For example, an evaluator might seek to learn the proportion of treated units who benefit from treatment, the proportion who receive no benefit, and the proportion who are harmed by treatment.

Method:

Imbens and Rubin (I&R) recommend a Bayesian approach to drawing inferences about the distribution of treatment effects. Drawing on the I&R recommendations, this article explains the approach; provides computing algorithms for continuous, binary, ordered and countable outcomes; and offers simulated and real-world illustrations.

Results:

This article shows how the I&R approach leads to bounded uncertainty intervals for summary measures of the distribution of treatment effects. It clarifies the nature of those bounds and shows that they are typically informative.

Conclusions:

Despite identification issues, bounded solutions provide useful insight into the distribution of treatment effects. We recommend that evaluators incorporate analyses of the distribution of treatment effects into new studies and that evaluators revisit completed studies to estimate the distribution of treatment effects.
Critical incidents in the development of (multi)ethnic-racial identity: Experiences of individuals with mixed ethnic-racial backgrounds in the U.S.
Authors: Cardwell Megan E. , Soliz Jordan , Crockett Lisa J. , Bergquist Gretchen L.
Published: February 2020

Secure ethnic-racial identity (ERI) is tied to well-being, especially for minority individuals; however, there is still little consensus on the key processes and optimal outcomes of various multiethnic-racial (ME-R; i.e., individuals with parents from different ethnic-racial groups) identity development models. In this study, we examine the critical incidents in personal and social relationships that are central to ME-R identity development. Twenty-nine ME-R individuals provided retrospective accounts of incidents and conversations they self-perceived to be critical to their ERI development. Four major themes emerged: incidents and conversations surrounding intergroup contact, confrontation, heritage, and appearance were all recalled as critical to ME-R identity development. These findings highlight the importance of studying the ways that ERI is constituted through interaction with others. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Impact of physiological noise in characterizing the functional MRI default-mode network in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Li Yi-Tien , Chang Chun-Yuan , Hsu Yi-Cheng , Fuh Jong-Ling , Kuo Wen-Jui , Yeh Jhy-Neng Tasso , Lin Fa-Hsuan
Published: February 2020

The functional connectivity of the default-mode network (DMN) monitored by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients has been found weaker than that in healthy participants. Since breathing and heart beating can cause fluctuations in the fMRI signal, these physiological activities may affect the fMRI data differently between AD patients and healthy participants. We collected resting-state fMRI data from AD patients and age-matched healthy participants. With concurrent cardiac and respiratory recordings, we estimated both physiological responses phase-locked and non-phase-locked to heart beating and breathing. We found that the cardiac and respiratory physiological responses in AD patients were 3.00 ± 0.51 s and 3.96 ± 0.52 s later (both p <  0.0001) than those in healthy participants, respectively. After correcting the physiological noise in the resting-state fMRI data by population-specific physiological response functions, the DMN estimated by seed-correlation was more localized to the seed region. The DMN difference between AD patients and healthy controls became insignificant after suppressing physiological noise. Our results indicate the importance of controlling physiological noise in the resting-state fMRI analysis to obtain clinically related characterizations in AD.
Sustained release of vancomycin from bacterial cellulose membrane as dural substitutes for anti-inflammatory wound closure in rabbits
Authors: Xu Chen , Zhao Jianwei , Gong Qiuyuan , Chen Shiwen
Published: February 2020

To reduce the incidence of infection after craniocerebral operation, a type of bacterial cellulose, which can be used as a promising vehicle for the sustained release of vancomycin bacterial cellulose, was implanted in the rabbit with a dural defect. We manufactured artificial dura mater using bacterial cellulose that was fermented and incubated in Acetobacter xylinum. After bacterial cellulose membrane and vancomycin were heated to boiling in anhydrous ethanol, the decompressive, antimicrobial nature, physical properties, drug release in vitro and bacteriostasis of sustained release of vancomycin were tested. Then, the inflammatory effects and histocompatibility of both materials were examined by immunohistochemistry, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot. It shows that the sustained release of vancomycin bacterial cellulose has good elasticity and pressure compliance. Sustained release of vancomycin bacterial cellulose can release vancomycin smoothly and slowly in normal saline from 12 to 203 h. The concentration increases at first for 131 h and then remains unchanged with another 72 h. Sustained release of vancomycin bacterial cellulose can inhibit the colon formation of Staphylococcus aureus for about 120 h. The antibacterial tests showed that sustained release of vancomycin bacterial cellulose can inhibit the colon formation of S. aureus for about 120 h, while control standard paper can inhibit the colon formation of S. aureus for only 72 h. The levels of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α along with cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase were higher in the normal bacterial cellulose group than the sustained release of vancomycin bacterial cellulose group seven days after implantation. These data indicated that the sustained release of vancomycin bacterial cellulose can improve the central system infection after implantation effectively.