bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of a single early high-dose vitamin D supplement on fracture union in patients with hypovitaminosis D
Authors: Haines N. , Kempton L. B. , Seymour R. B. , Bosse M. J. , Churchill C. , Hand K. , Hsu J. R. , Keil D. , Kellam J. , Rozario N. , Sims S. , Karunakar M. A.
Published: November 2017

Aims

To evaluate the effect of a single early high-dose vitamin D supplement on fracture union in patients with hypovitaminosis D and a long bone fracture.

Patients and Methods

Between July 2011 and August 2013, 113 adults with a long bone fracture were enrolled in a prospective randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Their serum vitamin D levels were measured and a total of 100 patients were found to be vitamin D deficient (< 20 ng/ml) or insufficient (< 30 ng/mL). These were then randomised to receive a single dose of vitamin D3 orally (100 000 IU) within two weeks of injury (treatment group, n = 50) or a placebo (control group, n = 50). We recorded patient demographics, fracture location and treatment, vitamin D level, time to fracture union and complications, including vitamin D toxicity. Outcomes included union, nonunion or complication requiring an early, unplanned secondary procedure. Patients without an outcome at 15 months and no scheduled follow-up were considered lost to follow-up. The t-test and cross tabulations verified the adequacy of randomisation. An intention-to-treat analysis was carried out.

Results

In all, 100 (89%) patients had hypovitaminosis D. Both treatment and control groups had similar demographics and injury characteristics. The initial median vitamin D levels were 16 ng/mL (interquartile range 5 to 28) in both groups (p = 0.885). A total of 14 patients were lost to follow-up (seven from each group), two had fixation failure (one in each group) and one control group patient developed an infection. Overall, the nonunion rate was 4% (two per group). No patient showed signs of clinical toxicity from their supplement.

Conclusions

Despite finding a high level of hypovitaminosis D, the rate of union was high and independent of supplementation with vitamin D3. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:1520–5.
An evolution in the management of fractures of the ankle
Authors: Bali N. , Aktselis I. , Ramasamy A. , Mitchell S. , Fenton P.
Published: November 2017

Aims

There has been an evolution recently in the management of unstable fractures of the ankle with a trend towards direct fixation of a posterior malleolar fragment. Within these fractures, Haraguchi type 2 fractures extend medially and often cannot be fixed using a standard posterolateral approach. Our aim was to describe the posteromedial approach to address these fractures and to assess its efficacy and safety.

Patients and Methods

We performed a review of 15 patients with a Haraguchi type 2 posterior malleolar fracture which was fixed using a posteromedial approach. Five patients underwent initial temporary spanning external fixation. The outcome was assessed at a median follow-up of 29 months (interquartile range (IQR) 17 to 36) using the Olerud and Molander score and radiographs were assessed for the quality of the reduction.

Results

The median Olerud and Molander score was 72 (IQR 70 to 75), representing a good functional outcome. The reduction was anatomical in ten, with a median step of 1.2 mm (IQR 0.9 to 1.85) in the remaining five patients. One patient had parasthaesiae affecting the medial forefoot, which resolved within three months.

Conclusion

We found that the posteromedial approach to the ankle for the surgical treatment of Haraguchi type 2 posterior malleolar fractures is a safe technique that enables good visualisation and reduction of the individual fracture fragments with promising early outcomes. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:1496–1501.
Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound for treatment of tibial fractures
Authors: Tarride J. E. , Hopkins R. B. , Blackhouse G. , Burke N. , Bhandari M. , Johal H. , Guyatt G. H. , Busse J. W.
Published: November 2017

Aims

This 501-patient, multi-centre, randomised controlled trial sought to establish the effect of low-intensity, pulsed, ultrasound (LIPUS) on tibial shaft fractures managed with intramedullary nailing. We conducted an economic evaluation as part of this trial.

Patients and Methods

Data for patients’ use of post-operative healthcare resources and time taken to return to work were collected and costed using publicly available sources. Health-related quality of life, assessed using the Health Utilities Index Mark-3 (HUI-3), was used to derive quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Costs and QALYs were compared between LIPUS and control (a placebo device) from a payer and societal perspective using non-parametric bootstrapping. All costs are reported in 2015 Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated.

Results

With a cost per device of $3,995, the mean cost was significantly higher for patients treated with LIPUS versus placebo from a payer (mean increase = $3647, 95% confidence interval (CI) $3244 to $4070; p < 0.001) or a societal perspective (mean increase = $3425, 95% CI $1568 to $5283; p < 0.001). LIPUS did not provide a significant benefit in terms of QALYs gained (mean difference = 0.023 QALYs, 95% CI -0.035 to 0.069; p = 0.474). Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of LIPUS compared with placebo were $155 433/QALY from a payer perspective and $146 006/QALY from a societal perspective.

Conclusion

At the current price, LIPUS is not cost-effective for fresh tibial fractures managed with intramedullary nailing. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:1526–32.
Socio-demographic, socio-economic and health need differences between types of care use in community-dwelling older adults
Authors: Fret Bram , Lambotte Deborah , Regenmortel Sofie Van , Dury Sarah , Witte Nico De , Dierckx Eva , Donder Liesbeth De , Verté Dominique , _ _
Published: November 2017

This article aims to identify relations between socio-demographic/socio-economic characteristics and the use of informal and formal care. All analyses were performed on data from the Belgian Ageing Studies, a survey among community-dwelling older people (60+) in Belgium. Latent class analyses were used to identify types of care use and bivariate analyses were used to assess differences within these types. Eight different types were identified. Results demonstrate that the use of formal care increases with age and is not related to socio-economic status. The conclusion highlights how the complexity of different types of care use might be a challenge for our ageing society.
Westernization and the consistent popularity of the Republican qipao
Authors: Liu Yu
Published: November 2017

This article is focused on the ways in which the qipao in mainland China kept pace with western fashion from the 1920s to the 1940s. Using historical garments, pictures and documents, the research makes comparisons between qipao styles and western female fashions, including tailoring, accessories, make-up and hairstyling. The qipao inherited some traditional Chinese details and absorbed western mainstream fashion elements at the same time. Its selective westernizations enabled it to be at the forefront of fashion during the Republican period (1911–49). The emergence and development of the qipao is a successful example of a national costume that survived through mainstream fashion trends.
Socialism and the fashion business: The case of China and Hong Xiang
Authors: Tsui Christine
Published: November 2017

This article explores how fashion businesses were transformed from capitalist fashion firms to socialist fashion firms after the Communist Party established the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. By exploring the case of the first Chinese fashion company, Hong Xiang, through business records stored in the Shanghai Municipal Archive Center, I argue that during the Mao era (1950s–1970s) the Chinese government socialized fashion businesses in five key areas. It first took over ownership of private businesses in the name of a ‘merger’, while imposing a particular ideology in which working attitudes and clothing represented people’s political attitudes towards the nation. In clothing design, a set of dichotomies defined what was socialist dress and what was capitalist dress: socialist design was simple, economic and practical; capitalist design was complicated, luxurious and over-decorated. In business management, the government encouraged the Chinese to believe that socialist systems were better than anything under capitalism by manipulating business information and offering different interpretations of bourgeois business strategies. At a micro-level, the socialist country meticulously manipulated particular vocabularies to reflect the change of the system from capitalism to socialism. This article re-examines this rich history to offer new insights into the tensions and translations between capitalism and socialism that occurred in the Chinese fashion business between the 1950s and the 1970s.
Fashioning tradition in contemporary Korean fashion
Authors: Lee Yunah
Published: November 2017

This article reconsiders the debate of ‘self-orientalization’ in Asian fashion within the context of contemporary Korean fashion and its place in the promotion of the national economy and culture. Case studies of Korean fashion labels such as Tchai Kim and Isae reveal that they have challenged the typical images of hanbok, the traditional Korean dress, and provided styles and brands that resonate with local Korean characteristics as well as global fashion concerns. By reinterpreting traditional shapes and purposes of hanbok, employing traditional dressmaking methods and craft skills, and cleverly presenting and promoting their products and brands, these fashion companies have created a hybrid design and style. This has been built from the development of complex and mutually reinforcing interactions between local and global fashion knowledge and practice. This article argues that these new movements in contemporary Korean fashion provide further understanding of the complex and multifaceted dialectics of Korean fashion, beyond the dichotomy of tradition versus modernity.
The role of madoguchi in transnational fashion
Authors: Glover Catherine
Published: November 2017

This article uses the Japanese concept of madoguchi, literally ‘window opening’, and applies it in the context of a transnational fashion landscape. Here, a madoguchi acts as an essential go-between person, operating as a mediator between two cultures as well as functioning as a scout, fashion hunter and interpreter. The author’s personal experience as a fashion journalist reporting on notable British creative talent for Hanatsubaki, Shiseido’s Japanese in-house fashion magazine, provides a relational perspective on the role, value and skills of a transcultural madoguchi, as well as consideration of the challenges that arose from this exchange. Reflections on the peculiarities of translation when communicating cultural content to a foreign readership reveal the ‘traffic in things’ involved in global flows and the impact of evolving technology on professional fashion transmission.
Book Reviews
Authors: Guth Christine M.E. , Peters Lauren Downing , Kutesko Elizabeth , Boyer Axelle
Published: November 2017

The Stories Clothes Tell: Voices of Working-Class Japan, Tatsuichi Horikiri (2016), translated and introduced by Reiko Wagoner Lanham, Boulder, New York and London: Rowman and Littlefield, 206 pp., ISBN: 9781442265103, Paperback, $29.00, ISBN: 9781442265110, Hardback, $79.00

Dress History: New Directions in Theory and Practice, Charlotte Nicklas and Annabella Pollen (eds) (2015, First edition) London: Bloomsbury, 215 pp., ISBN: 9780857855411, Hardback, £85.00

Fashioning Identity: Status Ambivalence in Contemporary Fashion, Maria Mackinney-Valentin (2017, first edition) London: Bloomsbury, 186 pp., ISBN: 9781474249102, Hardback, £84.99

‘Black Fashion: Art. Pleasure. Politics’, Noliwe Rooks (ed.), special issue, Nka Journal of Contemporary African Art, 37 (2015) Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 132 pp., ISSN: 10757163, Paperback, $27.00 e-ISSN: 2152-7792
A diversidade e os media na obra de Godfrey Reggio
Authors: Gonçalves Pinto Alexandra Lima
Published: November 2017

Este texto aborda a obra audiovisual de Godfrey Reggio, realizador independente norte-americano que tem a Tecnologia como seu tema principal. Ao longo de sua obra, marcada por um olhar poético e filosófico, Reggio produziu uma crítica contundente do mundo tecnológico contemporâneo. Seus filmes expõem o conflito entre a Natureza e a Tecnologia, vista pelo realizador como uma nova natureza, artificial; mais do que algo que utilizamos, ele considera que a Tecnologia é o meio ambiente no qual vivemos hoje. Apesar do paradoxo de utilizar o audiovisual para criticar a Tecnologia, Reggio o faz de uma forma consciente e criativa. Um estudo mais profundo sobre seus filmes e as suas principais influências e referências teóricas nos leva a questionar a homogeinização tecnológica reinante e a perguntar se a diversidade é realmente possível nos media.
Integrating third-party telehealth records with the general practice electronic medical record system: a solution.
Authors: Paterson Mary , McAulay Alison , McKinstry Brian
Published: November 2017

Background: The implementation of telemonitoring at scale has been less successful than anticipated, often hindered by clinicians’ perceived increase in workload. One important factor has been the lack of integration of patient generated data (PGD) with the electronic medical record (EMR). Clinicians have had problems accessing PGD on telehealth systems especially in patient consultations in primary care.Objective: To design a method to produce a report of PGD that is available to clinicians through their routine EMR system.Method: We modelled a system with a use case approach using Unified Modelling Language to enable us to design a method of producing the required report. Anonymised PGD are downloaded from a third-party telehealth system to National Health Service (NHS) systems and linked to the patient record available in the hospital recording system using the patient NHS ID through an interface accessed by healthcare professionals. The telehealth data are then processed into a report using the patient record. This report summarises the readings in graphical and tabular form with an average calculated and with a recommended follow-up suggested if required. The report is then disseminated to general practitioner practices through routine document distribution pathways.Results: This addition to the telehealth system is viewed positively by clinicians. It has helped to greatly increase the number of general practices using telemonitoring to manage blood pressure in NHS Lothian.
Investigation of the achievement scores of the people learning Turkish as a foreign language according to linguistic distance
Authors: Çobanoğlu Aktan Derya , İnan Kayhan
Published: November 2017

In this study, predictor variables (age, gender, region and language family) affecting the scores of Turkish language learners are examined through multiple regression method. The study group consisted of 280 international students registered to Turkish Language Teaching Centers located at Gazi and Hacettepe Universities. The research data were obtained from the Turkish course completion exam papers and personal information forms. According to the results, the average scores of the students from the Afro-Asiatic, Indo-European, Bantu, Sino-Tibetan and Austronesian language families were lower than those from the Altai language family. Additionally, the writing scores of the students from the Afro-Asiatic and Austronesian language families; the speaking scores of the students from Afro-Asiatic, Indo-European language families; reading comprehension scores of the students from Afro-Asiatic, Indo-European, Bantu and Sino-Tibetan language families and grammar scores of the students from Sino-Tibetan and Austronesian language families were lower than the scores of the Altai language family. In addition, while the age variable was found to have a positive effect on speaking scores, it was observed that area and gender variables were not significant predicators of scores. Findings are discussed in the light of literature and suggestions for further research are provided.
A correlational study of children's externalizing and internalizing behavioral problems in relation to mother-child and teacher-child relationships
Authors: Yüksek Usta Semiha , Yılmaz Arif
Published: November 2017

The purpose of this research is to find out the connection between mother and teacher relationships and externalizing and internalizing behavioral problems of 48'60-month-old children. In this regard, a correlational study was conducted with teachers (n=59) and mothers (n=252) of 48'60-month-old pre-school children in a metropolitan city in Turkey. Data collected through Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scale (PKBS), Student' Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS), and Child'Parent Relationship Scale (CPRS). Study results showed that children's internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems have direct connection with their relationships with their mothers and teachers. When children's conflicts with their teachers and mothers increase, their intimacy decrease with them. It was also found that as the children's conflicts with their mothers increase, conflicts with their teachers also increase. According to findings of the study; there is a need to provide in service and pre-service trainings for teachers and pre-service teachers about the importance of quality relation with children, methods, problem solving skills and especially right approaches to problematic children. Also, as one of the pre-conditions of positive teacher-child relationship is a positive teacher-family relationship, both parents' and teachers' awareness should be raised about family involvement.
Constants in Discrete Poincaré and Friedrichs Inequalities and Discrete Quasi-Interpolation
Authors: Carstensen Carsten , Hellwig Friederike
Published: November 2017

This paper provides a discrete Poincaré inequality in n space
dimensions on a simplex K with explicit constants. This inequality bounds the norm of the piecewise derivative of
functions with integral mean zero on K and all integrals of jumps zero
along all interior sides by its Lebesgue norm times

C
⁢

(
n
)

⁢

diam
⁡

(
K
)

{C(n)\operatorname{diam}(K)}

.
The explicit constant

C
⁢

(
n
)

{C(n)}

depends only on the dimension

n
=

2
,
3

{n=2,3}

in case of an adaptive triangulation with the newest vertex bisection.
The second part of this paper proves the stability of an enrichment
operator, which leads to the stability and approximation of a (discrete)
quasi-interpolator applied in the proofs of the discrete Friedrichs
inequality and discrete reliability estimate with explicit bounds on the
constants in terms of the minimal angle

ω
0

{\omega_{0}}

in the triangulation.
The analysis allows the bound of two constants

Λ
1

{\Lambda_{1}}

and

Λ
3

{\Lambda_{3}}

in the axioms of adaptivity for the practical choice of the
bulk parameter with guaranteed optimal convergence rates.
Brick-by-Brick: Rebuilding the Language-Games
Authors: Gorlée Dinda L.
Published: November 2017

Wittgenstein gave no real definition of the strategy of language, so that clear definitions of thelanguage-gameand the underlyingforms of lifeare explained in tentative hypotheses. The study of the language-game is an empirical idea of inquiry: Its possible definition can be extrapolated from the source of Wittgenstein’s own writings, tracing out the meaning from the examples. Here viewed from a semiotic standpoint, Wittgenstein is boosted as a semiotic philosopher of language, moving in the conceptual development from Saussure’s interpreted-signs to Peirce’s interpretant-signs. The history of Wittgenstein’s language-game and forms of life generate linguistic-and-cultural (linguïcultural) forms ofplay-acts. Wittgenstein liked “engineering” examples of practical language-games, such as the carpenter’s toolbox and the building blocks. The “bricks” of the reconstruction of Wittgenstein’s language-games are shown by the interjective keywords to announce the building blocks. This cognitive and creative game of language can be applied to solve and understand the “building” messages of Wittgenstein’s language-games.
The trolley rumbled through the tunnel: On the history of the English Intransitive Motion Construction
Authors: Fanego Teresa
Published: November 2017

This article examines the history, from Old English times to the first quarter of the twentieth century, of the Intransitive Motion Construction. It compares the development of its result subschema (The trolley rumbled through the tunnel), where the verb is one of sound emission, with the development of other subschemas of the construction, in particular the manner subschema (The man walked in), where the verb denotes manner of motion. As shown by earlier research, the manner subschema and the manner of motion lexicon have greatly expanded since the Old English period, especially in Modern English. The result subschema, by contrast, although attested as far back as Old English, remains marginal until the nineteenth century, when it finally gains in importance, thus making the Intransitive Motion Construction more versatile. This expansion in the conceptual range of the construction, from predominantly coding manner of motion to describing other highly specific details of motion, such as the sound resulting from it, is linked to the addition to the English lexicon, in relatively recent times, of a great number of new sound verbs whose frequency of use has been constantly on the increase. Furthermore, the paper argues that these changes in the English sound verb inventory are also responsible for some of the developments undergone by the so-calledWay-construction (The steamer plashed its way forward) in the Late Modern English period.
On causativedarand its alternatives in the history of Spanish
Authors: García Salido Marcos
Published: November 2017

This paper studies the linguistic change whereby Spanishdarprevailed as the default verb to express causation when taking a state noun as its object, displacing alternatives such ashacer vergüenza‘to cause embarrassment’ orponer miedo‘to frighten’. In spite of the seeming regularity of thedar-plus-state-noun pattern, it is argued that this collocational pattern has an idiosyncratic character, since not all combinations of lexical units conveying an equivalent meaning are acceptable in present day Spanish, whilst some alternatives that are currently possible in related languages and were commonly found in previous stages of this language’s history (hacer miedolit. ‘to make fear’) are no longer available. The study tries to show that the idiosyncratic character of these combinations in present-day Spanish can be explained in diachronic terms and that they are the result of two frequency effects that have been observed in other instances of linguistic change: on the one hand, the prevalence as productive patterns of linguistic structures with a high type frequency and, on the other, the resilience of structures with a high token frequency.
A reconstruction of Proto-Kiranti verb roots
Authors: Jacques Guillaume
Published: November 2017

In Kiranti languages, rich alternations in verbal paradigms make internal reconstruction possible, and allow a better understanding of the vowels and codas of the proto-language than is possible for other parts of speech. This paper, using data from four representative languages (Wambule, Khaling, Bantawa, Limbu), proposes a new approach to Proto- Kiranti historical linguistics combining the comparative method and internal reconstruction, and taking morphological alternations and analogy into account. It presents a comprehensive account of the sound correspondences between the four target languages and reconstructs more than 280 proto-Kiranti verb roots.
Secretary letter-shapes in County Durham
Authors: Thaisen Jacob
Published: November 2017

This paper applies quantitative methods in palaeography. It develops tree-structured regression models of the palaeographical variation found in a synchronic corpus of texts written in orthographically less standardised late Middle English and establishes their accuracy. There are sixteen models, each one relating to a letter-shape known to distinguish the Gothic cursive scripts Anglicana and Secretary. The models predict the presence of the individual letter-shape from one or more of the following variables, in no particular order: (1) localisation of texts’ orthographic variation; (2) text-type; and (3) in-word position. The discussion asks why several Secretary letter-shapes cluster in documents localisable to County Durham and the area further north, given the script’s association with (a) institutions of national administration in the London-Westminster area and (b) orthographic standardisation. It concludes that the linguistics and the palaeography do not co-vary during this period in the history of the English language and suggests that it may illuminate studies of the gradient between Anglicana and Secretary to pay attention to provincial centres, not least Durham.
Proto-Germanicaiin North and West Germanic
Authors: Versloot Arjen P.
Published: November 2017

Proto-Germanic (PGmc.)aiin stressed syllables shows varied outcomes in Germanic languages (ā, ē, ei), with many of these developments being conditioned by different phonological contexts. This article presents a reconstruction that unifies this variation by assuming that the monophthongisation spread over ‘Germania’ in two waves with different scopes and directions. The first wave expanded from north to south and was primarily limited to the contexts before -hand -r. A second wave, affecting the remaining instances of PGmc.ai, did not reach Old High German and Old West Nordic. The whole process covered the time between 400 and 900. The monophthongisation of PGmc.aidoes not reflect any structural contrast among the Germanic languages, but the results had a differentiating impact on their vowel systems. The presented reconstruction is consistent with the information from runic inscriptions. It supposes a geographical configuration of tribes in a post-Migration setting.
A conceptual perspective of the evolution of Spanishfrentefrom body part to locative/spatial concept and beyond
Authors: Waltermire Mark
Published: November 2017

The Spanish wordfrente(O.Sp.fruente<Lat.frōns), meaning ‘forehead’, has changed gradually over time to be incorporated into a wide variety of modern forms that convey locative meanings and spatial relations as well as personal qualities. The purpose of the current study is to determine approximately when these new forms incorporatingfrentedeveloped, the mechanisms for these various changes, and the cognitive ramifications of such developments. A total of 725 tokens offrentefrom works of fiction spanning three time periods (1200–1450; 1451–1750; 1751–2000) are analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively according to collocation, meaning, and syntactic phrase. Each of these analyses, when viewed holistically, shows that the original source lexeme has largely decategorialized as a noun and has been abstracted of its locative/spatial characteristics to be gradually incorporated into prepositional and adverbial forms. It is shown that, conceptually, prepositions profile spatial relations between a trajector and a landmark whereas adverbs profile the location of a trajector alone. These grammatical uses offrenteas well as other even more abstract uses denoting personal qualities have developed over time due to cognitive processes such as abstraction, synecdoche, metaphor, and inference. Cases such as the evolution offrentefrom concrete noun to uses in locative/spatial forms as well as forms with even more abstract meanings give further justification for the need of a linguistic model that is cognitive-based.
The role of microRNAs in chronic respiratory disease: recent insights
Authors: Stolzenburg Lindsay R. , Harris Ann
Published: November 2017

Chronic respiratory diseases encompass a group of diverse conditions affecting the airways, which all impair lung function over time. They include cystic fibrosis (CF), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, which together affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs involved in post-transcriptional gene repression, are now recognized as major regulators in the development and progression of chronic lung disease. Alterations in miRNA abundance occur in lung tissue, inflammatory cells, and freely circulating in blood and are thought to function both as drivers and modifiers of disease. Their importance in lung pathology has prompted the development of miRNA-based therapies and biomarker tools. Here, we review the current literature on miRNA expression and function in chronic respiratory disease and highlight further research that is needed to propel miRNA treatments for lung disorders towards the clinic.
Unripe Banana Flour Produced by Air-Drying Assisted with Ultrasound – Description of the Mechanisms Involved to Enhance the Mass Transfer in Two Approaches
Authors: La Fuente Carla I.A. , Tadini Carmen C.
Published: November 2017

In this research the application of ultrasound, prior to air-drying, describing the phenomena in two approaches: unripe banana slices immersed in water (hydrated) and vacuum packaged (non-hydrated) were investigated. The results showed two falling rate periods during the air-drying. For the second rate period, an increase of water effective diffusivity due to the “sponge effect” (direct effect of ultrasound) and the microscopic channels formation (indirect effect) was observed. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that untreated dried slices were less porous, characterized by small cavities and high density, while ultrasound pretreated slices resulted in a porous structure with more free volume between cells. An increase in porosity decreased the resistance for diffusion, influencing positively the water effective diffusivity. Moreover, ultrasound produced partial disorder of the crystalline structure within the starch granules, reducing the amount of energy required for gelatinization. Moreover, reduction of resistant starch content was not observed.
Preparation of Melatonin-Loaded Zein Nanoparticles using Supercritical CO2 Antisolvent and in vitro Release Evaluation
Authors: Li Sining , Zhao Yaping
Published: November 2017

In this work, we reported preparation of melatonin-loaded zein nanoparticles using the technique of solution-enhanced dispersion by supercritical CO2 (SEDS) for prolonging the release of melatonin. The influence of pressure, temperature and the ratio of melatonin and zein on the morphology, the particle size and drug loading was investigated. The release profiles of the melatonin-loaded nanoparticles were evaluated. The sizes of the most particles were less than 100 nm at most conditions examined, and the morphology had three types: rod-like, globule, and filament. The maximum drug loading of 6.9% and encapsulation efficiencies of 80.2% were obtained, respectively, under different conditions. The release speed of the melatonin in the nanoparticles is lower than both the pure one and that in the physical mixture. It displayed a near zero-order release which implied that it could be applied as a potential controlled-release drug.
Walnut leaf extract acts as a fertility agent in male Wistar albino rats – A search for herbal male fertility enhancer
Authors: Akomolafe Seun F. , Oboh Ganiyu
Published: November 2017

Background

Walnut leaf is one of the many medicinal plants used in folklore as male fertility enhancers. The present work was therefore undertaken with an aim to scientifically validate this claim. As such, we evaluated the effect of the aqueous extract from walnut leaves on biomolecules related to fertility in adult male rats and its mode of action as fertility-enhancing agent.

Methods

Twenty-five rats were randomly divided into five groups of five animals each; Group 1 served as control and received normal (0.9%) saline only; Groups II, III, IV received 50, 500, 1,000 mg/kg body weight (BW) of T. conophorum leaf extract orally, while Group V served as standard and was given suspension of clomiphene citrate orally at the dose of 1.04 mg/kg/ml BW. The extract and drug were given daily and the experiment lasted for 21 consecutive days.

Results

The testicular biochemical parameters in treated groups showed significant (p<0.05) increase in lactate dehydrogenase activity activity, Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6PDH) activity, glycogen content, 3β and 17β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activities and testicular and epididymal Zn and Se contents with a significant decrease in cholesterol content. A significant increase in testis weight and epididymis weight were also observed. Also, a significant (p<0.05) increase in the level of serum testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone, sperm count, motility, viability and a decrease in sperm abnormality were observed in the various treated groups when compared with the control group. This increment was concentration dependent, while the extract at the highest concentration showed a more pronounced effect than the standard drug. Also, no sperm DNA fragmentation index was found in all the treatment groups. Photomicrographs from light and scanning electron microscopy showed large fenestrae of interstitial tissue, large fluid space and intact seminiferous epithelium layers fully packed with spermatogenic cells in treated groups than the control group.

Conclusions

The present study has demonstrated that Tetracarpidium conophorum leaf possesses fertility-enhancing property and have useful effects on spermatogenesis and sperm parameters in rats.
Legitimate Expectations and Land
Authors: Moore Margaret
Published: November 2017

This paper focuses on land as a domain in which legitimate expectations can give rise to entitlements. The central argument is that people are connected to other people and to projects, which are symbolically and materially rooted in particular places. This gives rise to an interest – an interest that is sufficiently weighty that it imposes obligations on other people – to protect stability of place. There are two ways in which legitimate expectations structure argument about land. It justifies liberty rights to remain in a place, and not be removed or expelled from it, independently of the coercion that often accompanies forcible expulsion, and argue for rights of return as a second-order right when this right has been violated. I also argue that passage of time in a changed context can affect people’s legitimate expectations, and so their entitlements.
Membrane processes
Authors: Staszak Katarzyna
Published: November 2017

The membrane processes have played important role in the industrial separation process. These technologies can be found in all industrial areas such as food, beverages, metallurgy, pulp and paper, textile, pharmaceutical, automotive, biotechnology and chemical industry, as well as in water treatment for domestic and industrial application. Although these processes are known since twentieth century, there are still many studies that focus on the testing of new membranes’ materials and determining of conditions for optimal selectivity, i. e. the optimum transmembrane pressure (TMP) or permeate flux to minimize fouling. Moreover the researchers proposed some calculation methods to predict the membrane processes properties. In this article, the laboratory scale experiments of membrane separation techniques, as well their validation by calculation methods are presented. Because membrane is the “heart” of the process, experimental and computational methods for its characterization are also described.
Rheological Behavior and Effective Thermal Conductivity of Non-Newtonian Nanofluids
Authors: Anil Kumar Naik B. , Vinod A. V.
Published: November 2017

The rheological behavior and effective thermal conductivity of CMC-based non-Newtonian nanofluids were investigated. Non-Newtonian nanofluids of different concentrations were prepared by dispersing Fe2O3, γ-Al2O3 and CuOnanoparticles in three different concentrations of (0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 wt. %) aqueous carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) solution (base fluid). Experiments were carried out to examine the effect of concentration of nanofluid and temperature on rheological behavior and effective thermal conductivity of non-Newtonian nanofluid. Viscosity and thermal conductivity were measured by rheometer and transient hot wire technique, respectively. The rheological characterization and thermal conductivity measurements were done in the range 30°C–50°C. Flow behavior index and consistency index were determined. As the concentration of nanofluid and temperature were increased, the thermal conductivity of nanofluid was found to increase. A correlation for predicting the thermal conductivity of non-Newtonian nanofluid was developed. The correlation predicted the thermal conductivity of non-Newtonian nanofluids reported by other researchers very well. The results obtained were compared with the model predictions from literature.
“You Mean My Whole Fallacy Is Wrong”
Authors: Peters John Durham
Published: November 2017

This essay offers both a genealogy of the concept of technological determinism and a metacritique of the ways academic accusations of fallaciousness risk stopping difficult but essential kinds of inquiry. To call someone a technological determinist is to claim all the moral force on your side without answering the question of what we are to do with these devices that infest our lives.
Compositionism
Authors: McLane Maureen N.
Published: November 2017

Invoking Bruno Latour’s notion of “compositionism,” this essay proposes a “field theory” of poetry, exploring the use and abuse of plants as one crucial node for thinking about poiesis. Core cases include the traditionary ballads “The Three Ravens” and “Barbara Allen,” with nods to romantic and contemporary lyrics. The essay also considers en route the pathetic fallacy in light of ongoing debates about anthropomorphism and personification, and concludes with a meditation on “nighing” as a mode of composition.
MicroRNA Tissue Atlas of the Malaria Mosquito Anopheles gambiae
Authors: Lampe Lena , Levashina Elena A
Published: November 2017

Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes transmit the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, which causes the majority of fatal malaria cases worldwide. The hematophagous lifestyle defines mosquito reproductive biology and is exploited by P. falciparum for its own sexual reproduction and transmission. The two main phases of the mosquito reproductive cycle, previtellogenic (PV) and postblood meal (PBM), shape its capacity to transmit malaria. Transition between these phases is tightly coordinated to ensure homeostasis between mosquito tissues and successful reproduction. One layer of control is provided by microRNAs (miRNAs), well-known regulators of blood meal digestion and egg development in Aedes mosquitoes. Here, we report a global overview of tissue-specific miRNAs (miRNA) expression during the PV and PBM phases and identify miRNAs regulated during PV to PBM transition. The observed coordinated changes in the expression levels of a set of miRNAs in the energy-storing tissues suggest a role in the regulation of blood meal-induced metabolic changes.
Comparison of ChIP-Seq Data and a Reference Motif Set for Human KRAB C2H2 Zinc Finger Proteins
Authors: Barazandeh Marjan , Lambert Samuel A , Albu Mihai , Hughes Timothy R
Published: November 2017

KRAB C2H2 zinc finger proteins (KZNFs) are the largest and most diverse family of human transcription factors, likely due to diversifying selection driven by novel endogenous retroelements (EREs), but the vast majority lack binding motifs or functional data. Two recent studies analyzed a majority of the human KZNFs using either ChIP-seq (60 proteins) or ChIP-exo (221 proteins) in the same cell type (HEK293). The ChIP-exo paper did not describe binding motifs, however. Thirty-nine proteins are represented in both studies, enabling the systematic comparison of the data sets presented here. Typically, only a minority of peaks overlap, but the two studies nonetheless display significant similarity in ERE binding for 32/39, and yield highly similar DNA binding motifs for 23 and related motifs for 34 (MoSBAT similarity score >0.5 and >0.2, respectively). Thus, there is overall (albeit imperfect) agreement between the two studies. For the 242 proteins represented in at least one study, we selected a highest-confidence motif for each protein, utilizing several motif-derivation approaches, and evaluating motifs within and across data sets. Peaks for the majority (158) are enriched (96% with AUC >0.6 predicting peak vs. nonpeak) for a motif that is supported by the C2H2 “recognition code,” consistent with intrinsic sequence specificity driving DNA binding in cells. An additional 63 yield motifs enriched in peaks, but not supported by the recognition code, which could reflect indirect binding. Altogether, these analyses validate both data sets, and provide a reference motif set with associated quality metrics.
Ergonomic considerations for designing truck drivers’ seats: The case of Bangladesh
Authors: Halder Pobitra , Mahmud Tamanna , Sarker Eity , Karmaker ChitraLekha , Kundu Sazal , Patel Savankumar , Setiawan Adi , Shah Kalpit
Published: November 2017

Objectives

The purpose of this work was to investigate the fitness of the existing truck seats for Bangladeshi truck drivers and suggest a guideline for drivers’ seats based on their anthropometry.

Methodology

In this study, eight anthropometric measurements of 120 Bangladeshi truck drivers and seven seat dimensions of ninety trucks of three brands namely, TATA, ASHOK LEYLAND, and ISUZU were considered for investigating the considerable mismatch between seat dimensions and drivers’ anthropometry. The data were analyzed using two-sample t-tests to identify the relationship between existing seat dimensions and drivers’ anthropometry.

Results

The results showed a mismatch in seat dimensions and anthropometric measurements for nearly all truck brands and the existing seat dimensions were found to be inappropriate for Bangladeshi drivers. For all the truck brands, the percentage mismatch of seat height, seat depth, seat width, backrest height, and steering wheel clearance varied between 71% and 98%, 23% and 79%, 33% and 84%, 28% and 65%, and 53% and 100% respectively. Subsequently, an attempt was made to provide ergonomically correct seat dimensions for Bangladeshi truck drivers. Further, generalized equations to design the appropriate seat dimensions were developed using the least square regression technique. The recommended seat height, depth and width, backrest height, and steering wheel clearance were found to be appropriate for 82%, 79%, 76%, 98%, and 100% of drivers respectively.

Conclusion

The analysis and results of this study can be useful in developing guidelines for design and manufacture of truck driver seats in Bangladesh.
Prevalence and associated factors of foot and ankle pain among nurses at a university hospital in Japan: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Tojo Maki , Yamaguchi Satoshi , Amano Naoko , Ito Akemi , Futono Machiko , Sato Yasunori , Naka Takako , Kimura Seiji , Sadamasu Aya , Akagi Ryuichiro , Ohtori Seiji
Published: November 2017

Objectives

The purposes of this study were to clarify 1) the prevalence of foot and ankle pain and 2) the factors associated with foot and ankle pain among nurses.

Methods

Nurses working at a university hospital in Japan were recruited to participate in this crosssectional, questionnaire-based study. The occurrence of foot and ankle pain in the previous month was assessed by using the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire and the Manchester Foot Pain and Disability Index. Subjects also answered questions on footwear-related factors, including using the visual analog scale for shoe comfort. In addition, information on personal factors and psychosocial factors was collected using the Job Content Questionnaire. The relationships between the presence of foot and ankle pain and the associated factors were examined using multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results

Responses of 636 nurses (response rate, 67%) were included for analysis. The prevalence of foot and ankle pain was 23% and 51% when using the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire and the Manchester Foot Pain and Disability Index, respectively. The prevalence of pain that prevented the nurses from performing activities of daily living and work was 4% and 17%, respectively. A low level of shoe comfort, personal factors (age and body mass index), and psychosocial factors (low job control and high job strain) was independently associated with the presence of foot and ankle pain.

Conclusions

Foot and ankle pain occurred frequently in nurses. Shoe comfort, personal factors, and psychosocial factors were associated with foot and ankle pain.
Relação entre classe funcional e fração de ejeção do ventrículo esquerdo em pacientes com doença coronariana candidatos à reabilitação cardíaca
Authors: Albuquerque Isabella Martins de , Garlet Andrieli Barbieri , Cardoso Dannuey Machado , Santos Tamires Daros , Pereira Sérgio Nunes
Published: November 2017

***Relationship between functional class and left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with coronary heart disease who were candidates for cardiac rehabilitation***AIMS: To assess the potential relation between the New York Heart Association functional class and left ventricular ejection fraction in coronary heart disease patients who were candidates for cardiac rehabilitation.METHODS: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study based on the analysis of medical records of coronary heart disease patients who were candidates for the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program of Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Both male and female patients aged 50 to 65 were included, whereas patients with chronic renal failure, anemia, poor echocardiographic image quality, non-sinus rhythm, and also those individuals whose medical records lacked sufficient information were excluded. Data were collected from August 2015 to March 2016, and the information that made up the variables of interest was extracted from the medical records, such as: clinical and demographic data (sex, age, comorbidities, clinical diagnosis, surgical and drug treatment), left ventricular ejection fraction values obtained by echocardiography (conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiography), and functional class from the ergometric test. Statistical analysis was performed using Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn’s post-hoc test.  The significance level was set at p<0.05.RESULTS: A total of 131 medical records were consecutively evaluated, of which 102 met the inclusion criteria. Mean age was 59.23±7.95 years and 70 (68.63%) patients were male, with a predominance of functional class I. There was an inverse relation between functional class and ejection fraction: the more advanced the functional class, the more compromised the cardiac performance (p=0.036).CONCLUSIONS: In this sample of patients with coronary heart disease who were candidates for cardiac rehabilitation, there was an inverse relation between left ventricular ejection fraction and functional class. This finding provides information about the limitations imposed by the disease on patient’s exercise capacity and heart function and can contribute to the development of a physical training program.
Smart Start Japanese 1.01
Authors: Okuyama Yoshiko
Published: November 2017

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