bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative Analysis of Different Surface Modification Processes on AA 7075 T651
Authors: Abeens M. , Muruganandhan R. , Thirumavalavan K.
Published: September 2019

Modern industries turn into light weight high strength materials. Aluminum alloys are having such a great property, in which, AA 7075 T651 provides good strength than other alloys. Hence, hardness of aluminum alloys are poor there by improvement of surface hardness of aluminum alloy is necessitate. Shot peening, severe surface mechanical treatment (SSMT) and laser shock peening (LSP) are the surface property enhancement processes, which are used to improve the surface hardness of AA 7075 T651. This article deals with study the effect of shot peening, Severe surface modification process and laser shock peening on AA 7075 T 651. Among these two processes, LSP reveals better improvement in surface hardness. The Vickers micro hardness test is contacted on the specimens. 15%, 18% and 29% of harness improvements are obtain than unpeened specimen in shot peened specimen, SSMT specimen and Laser shock peened specimen respectively. The deformed layer thickness is 500 µm found in the laser shock peened specimen and 300 µm in the shot peened and SSMT treated specimens.
An investigation on laser induced downward expanded vapour region in laser weld butt joint of AISI 316L stainless steel
Authors: Jayanthi A. , Venkatramanan K. , Suresh Kumar K.
Published: September 2019

The physics of laser - AISI 316 stainless steel interactions discussed stage-by-stage including the formation of plasma plume around the keyhole during the laser welding. This work reveals that the pulsed laser heat input is a highly successful tool to join 2 mm thick 316L stainless steel welding by a single pass, that too autogenously! However, inadequacy in laser input power leads to the incomplete penetration at weld joint and poor bead formation and whereas excess heat input causes root concavity (loss of material) at the bottom. It has observed a vapour region near bottom of the keyhole while the joint fully penetrated and it slightly expanded due to excess heat input, known as downward expanded vapour region. Consequently, downward expanded vapour region results in excess melting; it leads to loss of material by spatter during welding that causes root concavity at the bottom, which will affect the joint integrity. Therefore, it is important to identify and control the expansion of vapour region by optimizing the input power of the laser. To ensure optimization of the operating parameters and the integrity of weld joints are qualified through Vickers micro hardness test and X-ray radiography test.
Studies on High-Temperature Corrosion resistance of low carbon Steel in Actual boiler environment
Authors: Singh Navneetinder , Singh Supreet , Kumar Manoj , Kaur Manpreet , Singh Harprabhjot , Sarkar Sukanta
Published: September 2019

In coal based power generated plants, hot corrosion and erosion are identified as serious problems, resulting in deterioration of boiler tube. In this present study, the High-Temperature Corrosion behavior of bare SA 210 Gr. A1 steel and Friction stir processed Cr3C2-25(NiCr) inserted Gr. A1 steel samples were compared under cyclic condition of 1500 hours in actual both environments. The kinetics of hot corrosion was measured on the base of weight-change after each cycle. The tool rotation speed for three processed samples were recorded as 1600rpm, 2000rpm, 2400 rpm respectively with transverse speed of 30 mm/min processed by three number of passes. Microstructure evolution of base and FSPed was done by electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD). X-ray diffraction (XRD)and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) along with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were performed on the exposed sample to analyze the corrosion products. The base steel sample suffered extreme erosion-corrosion in actual boiler environment, where as processed samples exhibits better hot corrosion resistance (64%, 66%, 73%) respectively. The processed samples also showed 4 fold refined grains, as confirmed by (EBSD).
Reduction of NOx and HC emissions in Waste Cooking oil Biodiesel using Nanoparticles of CsTPA
Authors: Basheer Sahabdheen Abdul , Anitha Arivarasu
Published: September 2019

Recyclable Nanoparticles of Cesium Tungstophosphoric acid (CsTPA) for reduced NOx emission in biodiesel using waste cooking oil of high acid value was investigated. The synthesized nano catalysts were characterized using FTIR, XRD, DLS, BET and SEM. The maximum yield of biodiesel reached 91% under optimized reaction conditions of 4% catalyst (w/w of oil), molar ratio of alcohol to oil of 10:1 for 4 hours at 65 °C. Engine performance and emission characteristics of fame acid methyl esters investigated in a four stroke diesel engine showed a decrease in the Brake Thermal efficiency and Mechanical efficiency with respect to diesel. The heteropolyacid successfully decreased the HC and NOx emissions in the biodiesel with an average reduction of 28 % and 10.3 % respectively. The nano catalyst also had excellent catalytic stability and reusability making it a promising catalyst for FAME production.
Evaluation of Mechanical Characterization of CFRP Reinforced Stainless Steel (SS304) Wire Mesh Polymer Composite
Authors: Naga Kiran S.D. , Jayakumar V. , Madhu S.
Published: September 2019

In recent days, fibre metal hybrid composites have been utilized for improve the stiffness, excellent corrosion resistance, low density and less weight. CFRP reinforced stainless steel (SS) wire mesh hybrid fibre metal laminate has been fabricated using hand layup process. Viscoelastic properties of fabricated composite samples have been studied by using Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) test. Mechanical characterization such as Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), Flexural test and tensile properties of the newly fabricated fibre metal laminated also investigated. The DMA parameters such as storage modulus (E’), loss modulus (E”) and damping factor (tan δ) has been investigated. Flexural test has been performed for evaluating the bending stress. DMA results revealed that storage modulus of E’ was maximum at 5 Hz. In this work tensile strength observed was 533.05 MPa at 16.19 KN. For Flexural strength obtained in the fabricated composite material was 1.03 KN.
Hypertension and Brachydactyly Syndrome Associated With Vertebral Artery Malformation Caused by a PDE3A Missense Mutation
Authors: Fan Peng , Zhang Di , Yang Kun-Qi , Zhang Qiong-Yu , Luo Fang , Lou Ying , Liu Ya-Xin , Zhang Hui-Min , Song Lei , Cai Jun , Wu Hai-Ying , Zhou Xian-Liang
Published: September 2019

BACKGROUND

Hypertension and brachydactyly syndrome (HTNB), also called Bilginturan syndrome, is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by severe salt-independent hypertension, a short stature, brachydactyly, and death from stroke before the age of 50 years when untreated. The purpose of the present study was to identify a PDE3A mutation leading to HTNB associated with vertebral artery malformation in a Chinese family.

METHODS

Peripheral blood samples were collected from all subjects for DNA extraction. Next-generation sequencing and Sanger sequencing were performed to identify the PDE3A mutation. A comparative overview was performed in the probands with HTNB caused by PDE3A mutations.

RESULTS

Genetic analysis identified a missense mutation in PDE3A, c.1346G>A, in the proband with HTNB. This mutation, resulting in p.Gly449Asp, was located in a highly conserved domain and predicted to be damaging by different bioinformatics tools. Cosegregation analyses showed that the proband inherited the identified mutation from her father. Antihypertensive therapy was effective for the proband. Comparative overview of HTNB probands with 9 different PDE3A mutations revealed phenotypic heterogeneity.

CONCLUSIONS

Genetic screening can significantly improve the diagnosis of HTNB patients at an early age. Our study not only adds to the spectrum of PDE3A mutations in the Chinese population and extends the phenotype of HTNB patients to include vertebral malformation but also improves the awareness of pathogenesis in HTNB patients. We emphasize the importance of antihypertensive treatment and long-term follow-up to prevent stroke and adverse cardiovascular events.
Subtype-specific transcriptional regulators in breast tumors subjected to genetic and epigenetic alterations
Authors: Zhu Qian , Tekpli Xavier , Troyanskaya Olga G , Kristensen Vessela N
Published: September 2019

Motivation

Breast cancer consists of multiple distinct tumor subtypes, and results from epigenetic and genetic aberrations that give rise to distinct transcriptional profiles. Despite previous efforts to understand transcriptional deregulation through transcription factor networks, the transcriptional mechanisms leading to subtypes of the disease remain poorly understood.

Results

We used a sophisticated computational search of thousands of expression datasets to define extended signatures of distinct breast cancer subtypes. Using ENCODE ChIP-seq data of surrogate cell lines and motif analysis we observed that these subtypes are determined by a distinct repertoire of lineage-specific transcription factors. Furthermore, specific pattern and abundance of copy number and DNA methylation changes at these TFs and targets, compared to other genes and to normal cells were observed. Overall, distinct transcriptional profiles are linked to genetic and epigenetic alterations at lineage-specific transcriptional regulators in breast cancer subtypes.

Availability and implementation

The analysis code and data are deposited at https://bitbucket.org/qzhu/breast.cancer.tf/.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Impact of ferumoxytol magnetic resonance imaging on the rhesus macaque maternal–fetal interface†
Authors: Nguyen Sydney M , Wiepz Gregory J , Schotzko Michele , Simmons Heather A , Mejia Andres , Ludwig Kai D , Zhu Ante , Brunner Kevin , Hernando Diego , Reeder Scott B , Wieben Oliver , Johnson Kevin , Shah Dinesh , Golos Thaddeus G
Published: September 2019

Ferumoxytol is a superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle used off-label as an intravascular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent. Additionally, ferumoxytol-uptake by macrophages facilitates detection of inflammatory sites by MRI through ferumoxytol-induced image contrast changes. Therefore, ferumoxytol-enhanced MRI holds great potential for assessing vascular function and inflammatory response, critical to determine placental health in pregnancy. This study sought to assess the fetoplacental unit and selected maternal tissues, pregnancy outcomes, and fetal well-being after ferumoxytol administration. In initial developmental studies, seven pregnant rhesus macaques were imaged with or without ferumoxytol administration. Pregnancies went to term with vaginal delivery and infants showed normal growth rates compared to control animals born the same year that did not undergo MRI. To determine the impact of ferumoxytol on the maternal–fetal interface (MFI), fetal well-being, and pregnancy outcome, four pregnant rhesus macaques at ~100 gestational day underwent MRI before and after ferumoxytol administration. Collection of the fetoplacental unit and selected maternal tissues was performed 2–3 days following ferumoxytol administration. A control group that did not receive ferumoxytol or MRI was used for comparison. Iron levels in fetal and MFI tissues did not differ between groups, and there was no significant difference in tissue histopathology with or without exposure to ferumoxytol, and no effect on placental hormone secretion. Together, these results suggest that the use of ferumoxytol and MRI in pregnant rhesus macaques does not negatively impact the MFI and can be a valuable experimental tool in research with this important animal model.
Unilateral pulmonary oedema after minimally invasive and robotically assisted mitral valve surgery
Authors: Kesävuori Risto I , Vento Antti E , Lundbom Nina M I , Iivonen Mikko R M , Huuskonen Antti S , Raivio Peter M
Published: September 2019

OBJECTIVES

Unilateral pulmonary oedema (UPO) is a severe complication of minimally invasive cardiac surgery. UPO rates and UPO-related mortality vary considerably between different studies. Due to lack of consistent diagnostic criteria for UPO, the aim of this study was to create a reproducible radiological classification for UPO. Also, risk factors for UPO after robotic and minimally invasive mitral valve operations were evaluated.

METHODS

Two hundred and thirty-one patients who underwent elective minimally invasive mitral valve surgery between January 2009 and March 2017 were evaluated. Chest radiographs of the first postoperative morning were categorized into 3 UPO grades based on the severity of radiological signs of pulmonary oedema described in this study. The radiographs were analysed by 2 independent radiologists and interobserver agreement was evaluated. The clinical significance of the classification was evaluated by comparing postoperative PaO2/FiO2 values and total ventilation times between the different UPO grades. Also, multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to identify risk factors for UPO.

RESULTS

Interobserver agreement was substantial (Kappa = 0.780). Median total ventilation times were significantly longer with increasing severity of UPO, 15 (interquartile range 12–18) h for no UPO, 18 (interquartile range 15–24) h for grade I UPO and 25 (interquartile range 21–31) h for grade II UPO. Pulmonary hypertension [adjusted odds ratios (AOR) 2.51, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.43–4.40; P = 0.001], moderate or severe heart failure (AOR 2.88, 95% CI 1.27–6.53; P = 0.011), body mass index (AOR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02–1.28; P = 0.017) and cardiopulmonary bypass time (AOR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01–1.03; P < 0.001) were identified as independent risk factors for UPO and robotic approach (AOR 0.27, 95% CI 0.12–0.62; P = 0.002) as protective against UPO.

CONCLUSIONS

Due to the variability of the diagnostic criteria for UPO in previous studies, a radiological classification for UPO is required to reliably assess the rates and risk factors for UPO. The radiological classification described in this study demonstrated high interobserver agreement and correlated with total ventilation times and postoperative PaO2/FiO2 values.
‘Scattred All to Nought’: Feminine Waters, Irish Sources, and Colonialism in Edmund Spenser’s River Mulla
Authors: Druzak Courtney
Published: September 2019

This article examines Edmund Spenser’s use of Irish mythology, particularly in relation to feminized rivers, in order to conceptualize how he constructs English colonialism as necessary for Ireland via the poetically constructed river Mulla. More specifically, it examines ‘Colin Clouts Come Home Again’ and The Faerie Queen, Book IV, Canto xi through the lenses of ecofeminism and a reading of the medieval Irish text Acallam na Senórach. This article argues for understanding the reappearance of the river Mulla from ‘Colin Clouts’ to FQ IV.xi as a materialist effort to dominate the place and space of Ireland through writing. It further argues that the Acallam is a potential source text for Spenser’s own endeavours with his river Mulla. Specifically, Spenser repurposes place-names and Fenian myths from medieval Ireland in his literature, which acts as another form of colonial domination to subsume Irish identification. It is particularly important that this lens is applied to Irish waterscapes, as the ability to reconstruct Ireland rhetorically and poetically in English literature allowed Spenser to ‘map’ Ireland and bring even the finicky Irish land- and waterscapes firmly under English control in violently masculine manners, which are enacted via enforced marriages.
Tentative epidemiologic cut-off value and resistant characteristic detection of apramycin against Escherichia coli from chickens
Authors: Tian Erjie , Muhammad Ishfaq , Hu Wanjun , Wu Zhiyong , Li Rui , Lu Xiaoxiao , Chen Chunli , Li Jichang
Published: September 2019

Escherichia coli are important foodborne zoonotic pathogens. Apramycin is a key aminoglycoside antibiotic used by veterinarians against E. coli. This study was conducted to establish the epidemiological cut-off value (ECV) and resistant characteristics of apramycin against E. coli. In this study, 1412 clinical isolates of E. coli from chickens in China were characterized. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of apramycin were assessed by broth microdilution method. MIC50 and MIC90 for apramycin against E. coli (0.5–256 µg/mL) were 8 and 16 µg/mL, respectively. In this study, the tentative ECV was determined to be 16 µg/mL by the statistical method and 32 µg/mL by ECOFFinder software. Besides, the percentages of aac(3)-IV positive strains ascended with the increase of MIC values of apramycin, and the gene npmA was detected in strains with higher MICs. Sixteen apramycin highly resistant strains displayed multiple drug resistance (100%) to amoxicillin, ampicillin, gentamicin, doxycycline, tetracycline, trimethoprim and florfenicol, while most of them were susceptible to amikacin and spectinomycin. In summary, the tentative ECV of apramycin against E. coli was recommended to be 16 µg/mL.
A draft genome assembly of halophyte Suaeda aralocaspica, a plant that performs C4 photosynthesis within individual cells
Authors: Wang Lei , Ma Ganglong , Wang Hongling , Cheng Chao , Mu Shuyong , Quan Weili , Jiang Li , Zhao Zhenyong , Zhang Yu , Zhang Ke , Wang Xuelian , Tian Changyan , Zhang Yi
Published: September 2019

Background

The halophyte Suaeda aralocaspica performs complete C4 photosynthesis within individual cells (SCC4), which is distinct from typical C4 plants, which require the collaboration of 2 types of photosynthetic cells. However, despite SCC4 plants having features that are valuable in engineering higher photosynthetic efficiencies in agriculturally important C3 species such as rice, there are no reported sequenced SCC4 plant genomes, limiting our understanding of the mechanisms involved in, and evolution of, SCC4 photosynthesis.

Findings

Using Illumina and Pacific Biosciences sequencing platforms, we generated ~202 Gb of clean genomic DNA sequences having a 433-fold coverage based on the 467 Mb estimated genome size of S. aralocaspica. The final genome assembly was 452 Mb, consisting of 4,033 scaffolds, with a scaffold N50 length of 1.83 Mb. We annotated 29,604 protein-coding genes using Evidence Modeler based on the gene information from ab initio predictions, homology levels with known genes, and RNA sequencing–based transcriptome evidence. We also annotated noncoding genes, including 1,651 long noncoding RNAs, 21 microRNAs, 382 transfer RNAs, 88 small nuclear RNAs, and 325 ribosomal RNAs. A complete (circular with no gaps) chloroplast genome of S. aralocaspica 146,654 bp in length was also assembled.

Conclusions

We have presented the genome sequence of the SCC4 plant S. aralocaspica. Knowledge of the genome of S. aralocaspica should increase our understanding of the evolution of SCC4 photosynthesis and contribute to the engineering of C4 photosynthesis into economically important C3 crops.
Robust regional stabilization for the two-dimensional mixed continuous-discrete-time Roesser models
Authors: Ren Xiang , Hao Fei
Published: September 2019

This paper addressed the problem of asymptotic regional stabilization of a class of two-dimensional mixed Roesser models. Based on the analysis of the polynomial solution of the parameter dependent linear matrix inequality (LMI), the sufficient condition for the existence of the regional stabilization controller is obtained in terms of LMI. Moreover, the robust controller is also given to stabilize the systems with uncertainties in the coefficient matrices of the system. Finally, several numerical simulations are provided to illustrate the efficiency and feasibility of the proposed results in this paper.
Two Moduli Spaces of Calabi–Yau type
Authors: Barros Ignacio , Mullane Scott
Published: September 2019

We show $\overline{\mathcal{M}}_{10, 10}$ and $\overline{\mathcal{F}}_{11,9}$ have Kodaira dimension zero. Our method relies on the construction of a number of curves via nodal Lefschetz pencils on blown-up $K3$ surfaces. The construction further yields that any effective divisor in $\overline{\mathcal{M}}_{g}$ with slope $<6+(12-\delta )/(g+1)$ must contain the locus of curves that are the normalization of a $\delta $-nodal curve lying on a $K3$ surface of genus $g+\delta $.
One Dyadic Peace Leads to Another? Conflict Systems, Terminations, and Net Reduction in Fighting Groups
Authors: Quinn Jason , Joshi Madhav , Melander Erik
Published: September 2019

Governments often fight multiple civil conflicts simultaneously and each conflict can have multiple groups. Prior research on civil war termination and recurrence has been conducted at either the conflict level, once all the groups have been terminated, or the dyadic level, which examines group terminations in a conflict separately as more or less independent processes. Hence, conflict-level studies mostly tell us how to preserve peace once a civil war has already ended, while dyadic studies mostly tell us about the durability of specific group-level terminations within the larger process that led to that ending. As a result, our understanding of how ongoing civil wars are brought to a close is limited, particularly, with respect to multiparty conflicts. In this study, we put forth a systems approach that treats dyadic terminations as connected processes where group terminations influence the future behavior of other groups, incentivizing the system toward greater aggregate peace or conflict. Analyzing 264 dyadic terminations, the findings suggest that the most effective strategy for governments to reduce systemic conflict is to demonstrate to other groups that they have the political will and capacity to implement security, political, and social reforms as part of a larger reform-oriented peace process. Viable implementation can be followed by the concomitant use of military victories against remaining groups with great success. However, military victories achieved in isolation, that is, outside of a reform-process, do not reduce future levels of conflict even if they themselves are durable.
The Chilling Effect of International Investment Disputes: Limited Challenges to State Sovereignty
Authors: Moehlecke Carolina
Published: September 2019

Despite suggestions that international investment disputes impose a chilling effect on governments’ autonomy to set regulatory policies, we lack empirical confirmation of the phenomenon and what explains its heterogeneity across countries. Using a novel dataset of nine anti-smoking regulations in ninety-two countries from 1973 to 2016, I confirm the presence of the chilling effect, but also its boundaries. I show that countries have been significantly slower in implementing two anti-smoking policies formally challenged under investment law, while the adoption of seven undisputed regulations in this issue area continued unimpeded. Qualitative evidence from respondent and third-party governments confirm the policy-specificity of the chilling effect and show that both developed and developing countries were affected by the chill, albeit differently. By providing the first empirical confirmation of a regulatory chill and by defining its limited scope in one of the most high-profiled international investment disputes to date, my findings indicate that, even though multinational corporations can constrain state sovereignty, their effects are not necessarily expansive or indefinite.
From farm to fork: identical clones and Tn6674-like elements in linezolid-resistant Enterococcus faecalis from food-producing animals and retail meat
Authors: Elghaieb Houyem , Tedim Ana P , Abbassi Mohamed S , Novais Carla , Duarte Bárbara , Hassen Abdennaceur , Peixe Luísa , Freitas Ana R
Published: September 2019

Objectives

Increasing numbers of linezolid-resistant Enterococcus carrying optrA are being reported across different niches worldwide. We aimed to characterize the first optrA-carrying Enterococcus faecalis obtained from food-producing animals and retail meat samples in Tunisia.

Methods

Seven optrA-carrying E. faecalis obtained from chicken faeces (n=3, August 2017) and retail chicken meat (n=4, August 2017) in Tunisia were analysed. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by disc diffusion, broth microdilution and Etest against 13 antibiotics, linezolid and tedizolid, respectively (EUCAST/CLSI). optrA stability (∼600 bacterial generations), transfer (filter mating) and location (S1-PFGE/hybridization) were characterized. WGS (Illumina-HiSeq) was done for four representatives that were analysed through in silico and genomic mapping tools.

Results

Four MDR clones carrying different virulence genes were identified in chicken faeces (ST476) and retail meat (the same ST476 clone plus ST21 and ST859) samples. MICs of linezolid and tedizolid were stably maintained at 8 and 1–2 mg/L, respectively. optrA was located in the same transferable chromosomal Tn6674-like element in ST476 and ST21 clones, similar to isolates from pigs in Malaysia and humans in China. ST859 carried a non-conjugative plasmid of ∼40 kb with an impB-fexA-optrA segment, similar to plasmids from pigs and humans in China.

Conclusions

The same chromosomal and transferable Tn6674-like element was identified in different E. faecalis clones from humans and animals. The finding of retail meat contaminated with the same linezolid-resistant E. faecalis strain obtained from a food-producing animal highlights the potential role of the food chain in the worrisome dissemination of optrA that can be stably maintained without selective pressure over generations.
Training medical students and residents in the use of electronic health records: a systematic review of the literature
Authors: Rajaram Akshay , Hickey Zachary , Patel Nimesh , Newbigging Joseph , Wolfrom Brent
Published: September 2019

Objective

Our objectives were to identify educational interventions designed to equip medical students or residents with knowledge or skills related to various uses of electronic health records (EHRs), summarize and synthesize the results of formal evaluations of these initiatives, and compare the aims of these initiatives with the prescribed EHR-specific competencies for undergraduate and postgraduate medical education.

Materials and Methods

We conducted a systematic review of the literature following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses) guidelines. We searched for English-language, peer-reviewed studies across 6 databases using a combination of Medical Subject Headings and keywords. We summarized the quantitative and qualitative results of included studies and rated studies according to the Best Evidence in Medical Education system.

Results

Our search yielded 619 citations, of which 11 studies were included. Seven studies involved medical students, 3 studies involved residents, and 1 study involved both groups. All interventions used a practical component involving entering information into a simulated or prototypical EHR. None of the interventions involved extracting, aggregating, or visualizing clinical data for panels of patients or specific populations.

Discussion

This review reveals few high-quality initiatives focused on training learners to engage with EHRs for both individual patient care and population health improvement. In comparing these interventions with the broad set of electronic records competencies expected of matriculating physicians, critical gaps in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education remain.

Conclusions

With the increasing adoption of EHRs and rise of competency-based medical education, educators should address the gaps in the training of future physicians to better prepare them to provide high quality care for their patients and communities.
Within and between firm trends in job polarization: the roles of globalization and technology
Authors: Kerr Sari , Maczulskij Terhi , Maliranta Mika
Published: September 2019

We analyze occupational polarization within and across firms using a census of matched employer–employee panel data from Finland in the period of 2000–2014. As in most industrialized countries, the Finnish occupational distribution has polarized over the last decades. Using decomposition analysis, we find that jobs involving low-level service tasks increase mostly through the entry dynamics, while the high-level abstract task share increases largely within continuing firms. Worker-level occupational mobility points to some skill upgrading within continuing firms, while labor force entry and retirement contribute the polarizing trend. Instrumental variables (IVs) regressions confirm that this occupational restructuring is affected by the globalization of economic activity, including trade in goods and services, offshoring and outsourcing. For example, firms that outsource tasks abroad are more prone to lay off production workers, while domestic outsourcing leads to a reduction of both cognitive and service employees.
Tough Problems, Science Gaps, and Investment Priorities for Forest-Sector Research: Conversations at Seven Dialogues
Authors: Guldin Richard W
Published: September 2019

At seven small-group dialogues held across the United States, field natural-resource professionals were asked to describe the toughest problems facing them over the next 10–15 years. Thirty-five problems were identified, spanning all three components of sustainability—ecological, economic, and social. Most were socioeconomic problems related to people’s choices and values. Key science gaps contributing to the problems’ toughness and top investment priorities to fill critical gaps were described. The problems and priorities identified were then compared to ones identified since 1996 by panels of experts who compiled previous national research reports. Field professionals’ views were consistent with the previous findings and illustrated they have detailed, nuanced understandings of the challenges facing them. Top priorities from the dialogues suggest that socioeconomic forces driving ecological changes are poorly understood. Potential mitigation measures will depend on broader interdisciplinary research delving into sciences beyond ecology, such as demographics, sociology, political science, governance, and economics.
Asian Lessons in the Cold War Classroom: Trade Union Networks and the Multidirectional Pedagogies of the Cold War in Asia
Authors: Leow Rachel
Published: September 2019

This paper invites us to move beyond an elite, “pedagogical” view of Third World diplomatic non-alignment, by examining trade unions as sites of “subaltern internationalism” in the early Cold War. Trade unions were targets of both communist and anticommunist pedagogical programs, spearheaded principally by the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) and the rival International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), both of which competed to teach Asians how to be good trade unionists. But despite their ideological designs, I argue that these internationalist structures of the “Cold War classroom” facilitated, instead, unexpected encounters and fraternal connections that were experienced, and are best seen, at the level of the personal. After offering an overview of these Cold War macrostructures, the paper moves to the microhistorical scale to highlight one such set of personal networks that coalesced around a single “trade union expert.” George L-P Weaver was an African-American trade unionist whose pedagogical work took him to Okinawa and Singapore in the 1950s but whose dialogical encounters with Asian trade unionists had transformative effects on his ideological convictions afterward, challenging, in particular, his views on the role of the People’s Republic of China in the Cold War and of the “communism” of Chinese overseas communities in Singapore. In all, this paper suggests that trade unions offer us a rich site in which to recover individual dynamics that challenge and complicate, from below, the binary logics of the Cold War in Asia.
Definable inapproximability: new challenges for duplicator
Authors: Atserias Albert , Dawar Anuj
Published: September 2019

We consider the hardness of approximation of optimization problems from the point of view of definability. For many $\textrm{NP}$-hard optimization problems it is known that, unless $\textrm{P} = \textrm{NP} $, no polynomial-time algorithm can give an approximate solution guaranteed to be within a fixed constant factor of the optimum. We show, in several such instances and without any complexity theoretic assumption, that no algorithm that is expressible in fixed-point logic with counting (FPC) can compute an approximate solution. Since important algorithmic techniques for approximation algorithms (such as linear or semidefinite programming) are expressible in FPC, this yields lower bounds on what can be achieved by such methods. The results are established by showing lower bounds on the number of variables required in first-order logic with counting to separate instances with a high optimum from those with a low optimum for fixed-size instances.
Using Elasticities to Derive Optimal Bankruptcy Exemptions
Authors: Dávila Eduardo
Published: September 2019

This article studies the optimal determination of bankruptcy exemptions for risk averse borrowers who use unsecured contracts but have the possibility of defaulting. In a large class of economies, knowledge of four variables is sufficient to determine whether a bankruptcy exemption level is optimal or should be increased or decreased. These variables are 1. the composition of households’ liabilities, 2. the sensitivity of the credit supply schedule to exemption changes, 3. the probability of filing for bankruptcy with non-exempt assets, and 4. the value given by households to a marginal dollar in different states, which can be mapped to changes in households’ consumption. I recover empirical estimates of the sufficient statistics using U.S. data over the period 2008–16 and find that increasing exemption levels improves overall welfare, although there is substantial variation in estimated welfare gains across U.S. states and income quintiles.
Frictional Goods Markets: Theory and Applications
Authors: Bethune Zachary , Choi Michael , Wright Randall
Published: September 2019

We analyse dynamic general equilibrium models with more-or-less directed search by informed buyers and random search by uninformed buyers. This nests existing specifications and generates new insights. A quantitative application concerns the welfare cost of inflation, which is known to be quite high with pure random search and low with pure directed search. Our calibration implies the impact of inflation is fairly low, in part because, in addition to the usual costs, it provides benefits by more heavily taxing high-price sellers that inefficiently profit from exploiting the uninformed. Other applications analyse analytically and numerically changes in credit conditions and information.
CONVERSANT WIRELESS LICENSING S.A.R.L. v HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO LTD
Authors:   Court of Appeal
Published: September 2019

H1 Patents – European patents – Telecommunications – Standards essential patents – Infringement – Claims for global FRAND licences – Jurisdiction – Justiciability – Whether validity of foreign patents in issue – Stay of proceedings – Forum non conveniens – Whether China the natural and appropriate forum – Service of proceedings – Whether defendants validly served within the jurisdiction – Service out of the jurisdiction – Jurisdictional gateways – Whether good arguable case for a FRAND injunction – Property within the jurisdiction – Serious issue to be tried – Appeal to Court of Appeal
The Ambivalent U.S. Context of Reception and the Dichotomous Legal Consciousness of Unaccompanied Minors
Authors: Galli Chiara
Published: September 2019

This article examines the effects of contradictory U.S. immigration laws on unaccompanied minors from Central America. As children, they are considered deserving of protection, but as undocumented immigrants, they are subjected to state legal violence. Apprehended at the border, they must interact with multiple immigration agencies and finally apply for humanitarian deportation relief. Interactions in these institutional spaces teach youths about U.S. laws and behavioral norms expected of young claimants deemed deserving of humanitarian protection, which are construed in contrast to discourses that stigmatize their co-ethnics as “bad” immigrants. These interactions shape youths’ sense of belonging and commonsense understanding of the law or legal consciousness. I argue that the “legal consciousness” of unaccompanied minors is dichotomous and characterized by: (1) a combination of trust and fear in the state; (2) concurrent feelings of deservingness/rights and stigma/subordination; (3) information and misinformation about U.S. laws. This dichotomous consciousness shapes how youths claim belonging and rights in social interactions and in their applications for legal status. To signal their own belonging and deservingness, youths leverage information about their rights and normative notions about desirable teen and migrant behavior. Yet, in the process, they also inadvertently perpetuate stigmas about co-ethnics.
Diversity and evolution of New Caledonian endemic Taophila subgenus Lapita (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae)
Authors: Platania Leonardo , Cardoso Anabela , Gómez-Zurita Jesús
Published: September 2019

New Caledonia is an important biodiversity hotspot, where numerous plant and animal groups show high levels of species diversity and endemicity, while facing multiple threats to their habitats. Leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae illustrate this pattern, with species estimates higher than the number of described taxa and distribution ranges that are often consistent with microendemicity. In this study, we increase the knowledge of this group by focusing on the Taophila subgenus Lapita, known from three species but here expanded to eleven with eight new species: T. atlantis sp. nov., T. hermes sp. nov., T. kronos sp. nov., T. oceanica sp. nov., T. olympica sp. nov., T. ouranos sp. nov., T. riberai sp. nov., and T. tridentata sp. nov. Additionally, we infer the evolutionary history of the group using mtDNA markers (COI and rrnS). This phylogeny and the species distribution help hypothesize a model of evolution for this lineage in the context of historical climatic and geological changes of New Caledonia.
Exercise Interventions to Reduce Cancer-Related Fatigue and Improve Health-Related Quality of Life in Cancer Patients
Authors: Scott Kelly , Posmontier Bobbie
Published: September 2019

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is the most common and debilitating side effect of patients receiving treatment of cancer. It is reported that 60% to 100% of patients will develop CRF as a result of the treatment or the cancer itself. The effects last for years posttreatment and lower overall quality of life. The purpose of this integrative review was to determine whether exercise interventions could reduce CRF and improve overall health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among selected cancer patients. Clinical Key, ProQuest Nursing and Allied Health Source, Cochrane Library, Mosby's Nursing Consult, and MEDLINE (Ovid) were the databases searched. Key terms searched were fatigue, exercise, cancer fatigue, holistic, spiritual, quality of life, and prevention. Findings from most studies suggest that exercise can decrease the effects of CRF among cancer patients, leading to an overall improved HRQOL. No negative results on the effects of exercise on CRF were reported. Nurses can be instrumental in developing holistic multidisciplinary exercise programs to assist in the management of CRF and improve HRQOL among cancer patients during and after cancer treatment. Recommendations for future research include the need for larger study sample sizes, a universal definition of fatigue, determination of the best exercise regimens, more consistent fatigue measures to facilitate better comparison across studies, and specifically assess patient improvements in overall mental and spiritual well-being within a holistic framework.
The Tear Function in Electronic Cigarette Smokers
Authors: Md Isa Nur Amalina , Koh Poh Yi , Doraj Pavithra
Published: September 2019

SIGNIFICANCE

Prominent ocular surface dryness and poor tear film quality among electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) smokers (or vapers) indicate potential harm to the eyes from vaping. These findings may serve as precautionary signs for e-cigarette users and exposed bystanders.

PURPOSE

Little is known about the effect of e-cigarettes on the eyes except for reported eye irritation among individuals who were exposed to e-cigarette vapors and e-liquids. This study aims to investigate the effect of vaping on ocular surface health of long-term vapers.

METHODS

Twenty-one vapers and 21 healthy nonsmokers who are all male underwent measurements of the Ocular Surface Disease Index, noninvasive tear breakup time, fluorescein breakup time, ocular surface staining, tear meniscus height, and the Schirmer test. The effect of voltage used during vaping was also evaluated against the measurements.

RESULTS

Vapers experienced moderate-to-severe eye dryness (25.0 [interquartile range, 14.6 to 43.7]) as indicated by the Ocular Surface Disease Index. Significant reductions of noninvasive tear breakup time (3.13 ± 0.97 vs. 6.57 ± 2.31 seconds; P < .0001), fluorescein breakup time (2.68 [interquartile range, 2.33 to 3.18] vs. 4.12 [3.56 to 5.07] seconds; P < .0001), and tear meniscus height (203.0 [193.0 to 225.5] vs. 235.0 [210.0 to 253.50] μm; P = .002) were noted in vapers, but the Schirmer test showed higher results (14.5 [12.0 to 17.0] vs. 8.0 [7.0 to 11.0] mm; P = .001) compared with nonsmokers. Increase in vaping voltage aggravated the dry eye symptoms and tear instability (P < .05). Higher Schirmer test result was also noted as voltage increases.

CONCLUSIONS

Vapers showed moderate-to-severe symptomatic dry eye and poorer tear film quality compared with nonsmokers. High vaping voltage may have aggravated the dry eye syndrome because of hazardous by-products from pyrolysis of the e-liquid constituents. Investigation of the ocular surface health at cellular and molecular levels is warranted to gain a deeper understanding on the effect of e-cigarette to the eyes.
Comparison of Dynamic Retinoscopy and Autorefraction for Measurement of Accommodative Amplitude
Authors: Aboumourad Rami , Anderson Heather A.
Published: September 2019

SIGNIFICANCE

This study promotes the use of dynamic retinoscopy to obtain objective measures of accommodative amplitude (AA) in the clinical setting in lieu of the subjective push-up technique.

PURPOSE

This study compared the agreement between open-field autorefraction and a modified dynamic retinoscopy for the objective measurement of AA.

METHODS

Accommodative amplitude was measured using two objective techniques for subjects aged 5 to 60 years. Test order was randomized and monocular AA was measured as subjects viewed printed letters 0.9 mm in height with their dominant eye and distance refraction. For retinoscopy, subjects held a near rod and viewed the target at the nearest (most proximal) point of clear vision. The examiner then performed dynamic retinoscopy along the horizontal meridian and identified the physical location of neutrality of the reflex, which was converted to AA in diopters. Autorefraction was performed obtaining repeated measures of refraction beginning from a target demand of 2.5 D and increasing in discrete steps until there was no subsequent increase in accommodative response. Refractions were converted to power in the horizontal meridian and expressed as accommodation in diopters with the maximal value termed the AA. Distance overrefractions were measured for both techniques to adjust AA for any uncorrected refractive error. Difference versus mean analysis was used to compare agreement between tests.

RESULTS

The 95% limits of agreement between techniques were calculated after removal of two young outliers who responded poorly to one of the techniques. The overall mean difference for 95 subjects was 0.02 ± 0.97 D, with limits of agreement spanning −1.87 to 1.92 D. No significant linear relationship between the magnitude of the AA and the differences between techniques was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Agreement between dynamic retinoscopy and open-field autorefraction was less than 2 D with no systematic bias, suggesting that dynamic retinoscopy may be a suitable clinical technique to measure objective AA.
An Analysis of the Optometric Applicant Pool Relative to Matriculants
Authors: Zadnik Karla , Reich Lewis N.
Published: September 2019

SIGNIFICANCE

The interplay of applicants to optometry school and matriculants has not been explored systematically. It is vital that the profession examines these trends to ensure a viable pipeline of future doctors of optometry.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to describe the demographics and academic qualifications of entering optometry classes from autumn 2010 through autumn 2018 of U.S.-based optometric institutions' application pool and matriculants (enrollees).

METHODS

Data were gathered from reports generated from accredited schools and colleges of optometry in the United States and compiled by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (publicly available) and the Optometry Centralized Application Service. Metrics included the annual number of verified applicants, the annual number of matriculants, the home region of U.S.-based applicants, and the Optometry Admission Test (OAT) performance and grade point average of verified applicants.

RESULTS

The number of verified applicants for autumn 2018 was 0.95% higher than that for autumn 2010, yet the number of matriculants in 2018 compared with 2010 increased by 11.2% with an applicant-to-matriculant ratio in 2010 of 1.53 compared with 1.39 in 2018. Grade point average and academic average OAT scores were stable from 2010 to 2018. The ratios of verified applicants with an academic average OAT score of at least 300 to matriculants were 0.87 for autumn 2018 and 0.92 for autumn 2010. The ratios of verified applicants with a grade point average of at least 3.00 to matriculants were 1.13 for autumn 2018 and 1.23 for autumn 2015.

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence supports the conclusion that the applicant pool has remained essentially flat for the last decade, whereas the number of matriculants has increased substantially; thus, the number of qualified applicants to matriculants has logically decreased. In the last 2 years, optometric programs have responded by decreasing their institution's number of matriculants to accommodate the national trends.