bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimating blood flow in skeletal muscle arteriolar trees reconstructed from in vivo data using the Fry approach
Authors: Farid Zahra , Saleem Amani H. , Al‐Khazraji Baraa K. , Jackson Dwayne N. , Goldman Daniel
Published: May 2017

Objective

To develop a computational method to accurately predict blood flow in skeletal muscle arteriolar trees in the absence of complete boundary data.

Methods

We used arteriolar trees in the rat GM muscle that were reconstructed from montages obtained via IVVM, and incorporated a recently published method for approximating unknown b.c.'s into our existing two‐phase, steady‐state blood flow model. For varying numbers of unknown b.c.'s, we used the new flow model and GM geometry to approximately match RBC flows corresponding to experimental measurements.

Results

We showed this method gives errors that decrease as the number of unknown b.c.'s decreases. We also showed that specifying total blood flow decreases the mean RBC flow error and its variability. By varying required target values of intravascular pressure and wall shear stress, we showed results are less sensitive to target pressure. Finally, we developed and validated a method for determining target values, so that network hemodynamics and resistance can be accurately calculated based only on measured or estimated total blood flow.

Conclusions

We have developed and validated a computational method that can accurately estimate RBC flow distribution in skeletal muscle arteriolar trees in the absence of complete boundary data.
Advocacy coalitions, beliefs and climate change policy in the United States
Authors: Kukkonen Anna , Ylä‐Anttila Tuomas , Broadbent Jeffrey
Published: May 2017

The Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) asserts that disagreement over policy core beliefs divides organizations into competing coalitions. We apply Discourse Network Analysis to 1,410 statements in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and
USA Today to investigate what kinds of beliefs contribute to coalition formation in the climate change policy debate in the news media in the United States. We find that the beliefs concerning the reality of anthropogenic climate change, the importance of ecology over economy and desirability of governmental regulation divide organizations into three advocacy coalitions: the economy, ecology and science coalitions. Policy preferences such as cap and trade do not; they find support across coalition lines. Based on these findings, we suggest that ACF theory could be clarified to better account for how beliefs concerning policy instruments contribute to coalition formation. In some policy domains, policy instruments are where opposing coalitions find agreement. In others, they are more divisive.
Electrophysiological characterization of facilitation and interference in the picture‐word interference paradigm
Authors: Bürki Audrey
Published: May 2017

The picture‐word interference paradigm is often used to investigate the processes underlying word production. In this paradigm, participants name pictures while ignoring distractor words. The aim of this study is to investigate the processes underlying this task and how/when they differ from those involved in simple picture naming. It examines the electrophysiological signature of general interference (longer response times with than without distractors) and facilitation (shorter response times for distractor‐word stimuli overlapping in phonemes/orthography) effects. Mass univariate analyses are used to determine the temporal boundaries and spatial distribution of these effects without a priori restrictions in the time/space dimensions. Topographic pattern analyses complement this information by indicating whether (and when) the neural networks differ across conditions. Results suggest that the general interference effect has two loci, the grammatical encoding and the phonological encoding of the target word, with different neural networks involved in the two tasks during part of the grammatical encoding process. Furthermore, the electrophysiological signature of interference and facilitation effects in the time window of phonological encoding is highly similar, suggesting that the two effects could result from the same underlying mechanism. These findings are discussed in the light of existing accounts of interference and facilitation effects.
When is translocation required for the population recovery of old‐growth epiphytes in a reforested landscape?
Authors: Ellis Christopher J.
Published: May 2017

It is often assumed that species recolonization follows from the restoration of key habitat structure. Thus, forest restoration focuses on the recovery of trees into deforested landscapes, so that a multitude of associated organisms can achieve “colonization credit” and recolonize from remnant source populations into restored habitat. This opportunity for recolonization exists because species vulnerable to habitat loss may experience an “extinction debt,” during which their remnant populations decline only slowly to equilibrium with a deforested landscape. These persistent but declining populations become propagule sources for recolonization. To test limits to “colonization credit,” this study focused on old‐growth dependent lichen epiphytes, using a simulation to identify a hypothetical threshold at which: (1) the number of remnant populations, and (2) their population sizes, are too low to achieve recolonization and population recovery, despite efforts placed into forest restoration. The results show that for a landscape scenario relevant to the industrialized temperate zone, with less than 5% of old‐growth forest remaining, and ambitions for restoration to circa 10–15% forest cover, there is a failure to achieve population recovery over long timescales (i.e. within 600 years), making translocation a necessary option. This delay represents a “colonization deficit” that may be a common feature in ecological restoration more generally.
Modeling and Managing the Risks of Measles and Rubella: A Global Perspective Part II
Authors: Thompson Kimberly M.
Published: May 2017

Measles and rubella continue to circulate globally. Complementing Part I of the special issue, this introduction provides a contrast between other global eradication initiatives and the experience with measles and rubella eradication to date. This introduction builds on the syntheses of the literature provided in Part I and it describes the creation and application of a national risk assessment tool and the development of a dynamic disease transmission model to support global efforts to optimally manage measles and rubella globally using vaccines. Currently, efforts to eradicate measles and rubella suffer from the lack of a commitment to global eradication by key stakeholders, despite strong evidence that their eradication represents a better health and financial option than continued control.
A Restatement of Equivalence Scales Using Time and Monetary Expenditures Combined with Individual Prices
Authors: Gardes François , Starzec Christophe
Published: May 2017

In the classic equivalence scale estimations based on micro‐econometric analysis, only the costs of market consumption are taken into account. We define the concept of full cost equivalence scales as integrating both monetary and the time use costs and measure it on matched French family budget and time use surveys. These data allow us to define full prices and to estimate equivalence scales conditional to possible substitution through prices. The results show higher full scales than the monetary for the preferred Independent of a Base specification. Relative to the cost of the second adult, the full child cost is also larger than the monetary for matching estimators and the Prais‐Houthakker model. It shows households' capacity to substitute domestic production to market activities. In consequence the measures of income inequality diminish considerably using full income and full equivalence scales.
Innovation and Alliances
Authors: Schmid Jon , Brummer Matthew , Taylor Mark Zachary
Published: May 2017

Explanations for national success in science and technology typically focus on domestic institutions and policies. However, that line of research has yet to identify any particular set of institutions or policies that explain variation in national innovation rates across cases or over time. This article offers new evidence that the problem with domestic institutions approaches stems from their failure to consider international security factors. Specifically, this article finds a positive effect for U.S. security alliances on innovation. This finding is robust across different specifications and periods of analysis. While countries that ally militarily with the United States are found to realize benefits in economy‐wide, indigenous innovation, such an effect is not observed in military technologies. This suggests that alliances may substitute for being on the frontier in military technologies. Therefore, this article contributes not just to debates over S&T competitiveness, but also to alliance formation.
The mediating role of coping self‐efficacy beliefs on the relationship between parental conflict and child psychological adjustment
Authors: Brummert Lennings Heidi I. , Bussey Kay
Published: May 2017

The effect of parental conflict on children's psychological adjustment is variable. Coping self‐efficacy refers to a person's perceived ability to self‐motivate and access the required cognitive resources to take control of, or exert their coping efforts in a stressful situation. This study investigated the mediating role of children's coping self‐efficacy beliefs between parental conflict and children's psychological adjustment (internalizing, externalizing, anxiety, and prosocial behavior). The participants were 663 school students in grade 5 (M = 10.17 years, SD = .53) and grade 7 (M = 12.11 years, SD = .52). The ethnic composition of the sample was approximately 72% White, 20% Asian, 4% Middle Eastern, and 4% from other ethnic groups. Coping self‐efficacy for avoiding maladaptive cognitions mediated the effect of parental conflict on children's internalizing symptoms longitudinally. The higher the level of parental conflict, the lower the level of children's coping self‐efficacy for avoiding maladaptive cognitions and in turn the higher their levels of internalizing. These findings support the mediational role of children's coping self‐efficacy beliefs in the context of parental conflict. It is proposed that these beliefs should be considered in designing and implementing preventative interventions for children in the context of parental conflict.
The multifaceted nature of prosocial behavior in children: Links with attachment theory and research
Authors: Gross Jacquelyn T. , Stern Jessica A. , Brett Bonnie E. , Cassidy Jude
Published: May 2017

Prosocial behavior involves attempting to improve others’ welfare and plays a central role in cooperative social relationships. Among the manifold processes that contribute to prosocial development is the quality of children's attachment to their caregivers. Often, researchers have investigated the link between secure attachment and broad indices of prosociality. Recent theory and research, however, suggest that children's prosocial behavior is multifaceted, with distinct correlates and developmental trajectories characterizing specific prosocial behaviors. We offer a theoretical model of the role of parent–child attachment in the development of prosocial behavior, first broadly, and then with regard to comforting, sharing, and helping, specifically. Further, we review the empirical work on this topic from infancy through adolescence. Overall, evidence supports an association between secure attachment and prosociality, broadly defined, but results vary across comforting, sharing, and helping. We discuss potential explanations for the findings and outline directions for future research examining the role of attachment in shaping the diversity of prosocial behaviors across development.
From compliance to self‐regulation: Development during early childhood
Authors: Feng Xin , Hooper Emma G. , Jia Rongfang
Published: May 2017

This study examined the development of self‐regulation during early childhood and the reciprocal relations between self‐regulation and maternal sensitivity. Data (N = 1,364) were drawn from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (NICHD SECCYD). Children's situational and committed compliance were assessed in the laboratory at 24 and 36 months, delay of gratification at 54 months, self‐control at 54 months and kindergarten age, and maternal sensitivity was observed at 24, 36, and 54 months. Self‐regulation was characterized to progress from situational compliance to committed compliance and then to fully self‐motivated regulation. Findings also suggest that the development of self‐regulation reflects an ongoing transactional process in which child self‐regulation and maternal sensitivity mutually influence each other.
The Fishing Lifecourse: Exploring the Importance of Social Contexts, Capitals and (More Than) Fishing Identities
Authors: Gustavsson Madeleine , Riley Mark
Published: May 2017

There is an emerging call for social scientists to pay greater attention to the social and cultural contexts of fishing and fishers. A resulting literature is evolving which focuses on individual life experiences, particularly relating to entering the fishing occupation, and what these might mean for the future sustainability of the fishing industry. However, the ways in which these lives are linked and intergenerationally connected remains somewhat of a blindspot. This article considers the potential of a lifecourse approach to help us better understand how fishers accumulate, utilise and share capital(s) in getting onto and moving along the ‘fishing ladder’. Drawing on in‐depth qualitative research with fishing families on the Llŷn peninsula small‐scale fishery in north Wales (UK) the article explores how there are multiple social contexts from which ‘prospective fishers’ can begin their fishing career and which differentially (re)shape how they can accumulate capital over time. Later on in the lifecourse, fishers (re)negotiate their fishing identities in relation to the lives of others, within transitions such as parenthood as well as with older age. The article's findings offer a much‐needed temporal dimension to our understanding of fishing lives and what it means to be a ‘good fisher’.
The End of the Dichotomy: The Effect of Social Proximity to Prototype and Periphery Group Members on Political Attitudes*
Authors: Krueger James S. , Pedraza Francisco I.
Published: May 2017

Objective

We extend prototype theory to explain why nonmembers who are socially connected to group members hold political attitudes that differ from nonmembers lacking that connection. We anticipate that the intensity of nonmember attitudes varies by connection to a prototype or periphery group member.

Methods

Using data from the 2006 Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES), we model group‐salient political attitudes for veterans, union members, and their family members.

Results

We find social distance from group members is theoretically linked to within‐group variation that distinguishes prototype from periphery group members.

Conclusion

Analysis of political attitudes is enhanced beyond the traditional member/nonmember dichotomy by accounting for nonmembers’ social distance from group members.
Assessing the impact of FoxP3 and Vav1 gene polymorphisms on kidney allograft survival
Authors: Adamek M. , Döhler B. , Hasan K. K. , Fiedler G. , Scherer S. , Opelz G. , Tran T. H.
Published: May 2017

FoxP3 and Vav1 are known to be involved in the development of regulatory T cells. Two polymorphic sites in the FoxP3 promoter (rs3761548 and a (GT)
n
‐dinucleotide repeat) and 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms in intron 1 of the Vav1 gene (rs2546133 and rs2617822) have been shown to correlate with gene expression levels. We investigated a potential impact of FoxP3 and Vav1 genetic variants on kidney allograft failure using samples and data of the Collaborative Transplant Study. A cohort of 384 kidney transplant patients was tested. We found no significant association of FoxP3 promoter rs3761548 or (GT)
n
repeat length with presumed immunological graft failure. The genotype frequencies of Vav1 intron polymorphisms did not significantly differ between patients with graft failure and matched controls.
Pharmacologically increasing microtubule acetylation corrects stress‐exacerbated effects of organophosphates on neurons
Authors: Rao Anand N. , Patil Ankita , Brodnik Zachary D. , Qiang Liang , España Rodrigo A. , Sullivan Kimberly A. , Black Mark M. , Baas Peter W.
Published: May 2017

Many veterans of the 1990‐1991 Gulf War contracted Gulf War Illness (GWI), a multisymptom disease that primarily affects the nervous system. Here, we treated cultures of human or rat neurons with diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP), an analog of sarin, one of the organophosphate (OP) toxicants to which the military veterans were exposed. All observed cellular defects produced by DFP were exacerbated by pretreatment with corticosterone or cortisol, which, in rat and human neurons, respectively, serves in our experiments to mimic the physical stress endured by soldiers during the war. To best mimic the disease, DFP was used below the level needed to inhibit acetylcholinesterase. We observed a diminution in the ratio of acetylated to total tubulin that was correctable by treatment with tubacin, a drug that inhibits HDAC6, the tubulin deacetylase. The reduction in microtubule acetylation was coupled with deficits in microtubule dynamics, which were correctable by HDAC6 inhibition. Deficits in mitochondrial transport and dopamine release were also improved by tubacin. Thus, various negative effects of the toxicant/stress exposures were at least partially correctable by restoring microtubule acetylation to a more normal status. Such an approach may have therapeutic benefit for individuals suffering from GWI or other neurological disorders linked to OP exposure.
Syntaxin 4 mediates endosome recycling for lytic granule exocytosis in cytotoxic T‐lymphocytes
Authors: Spessott Waldo A. , Sanmillan Maria L. , Kulkarni Vineet V. , McCormick Margaret E. , Giraudo Claudio G.
Published: May 2017

Adaptive and innate immunity utilize the perforin‐killing pathway to eliminate virus‐infected or cancer cells. Cytotoxic T‐lymphocytes (CTLs) and natural killer cells mediate this process by releasing toxic proteins at the contact area with target cells known as immunological synapse (IS). Formation of a stable IS and exocytosis of toxic proteins requires persistent fusion of Rab11a recycling endosomes with the plasma membrane (PM) that may assure the delivery of key effector proteins. Despite the importance of the recycling endosomal compartment, the membrane fusion proteins that control this process at the IS remain elusive. Here, by performing knockdown experiments we found that syntaxin 4 (STX4) is necessary for cytotoxic activity and CD107a degranulation against target cells in a similar fashion to syntaxin 11, which is involved in lytic granule (LG) exocytosis and immunodeficiency when it is mutated. Using total internal reflection fluorescent microscopy we identified that STX4 mediates fusion of EGFP‐Rab11a vesicles at the IS. Immunoprecipitation experiments in lysates of activated CTLs indicate that endogenous STX4 may drive this fusion step by interacting with cognate proteins: Munc18‐3/SNAP23/VAMP7 and/or VAMP8. These results reveal the role of STX4 in mediating fusion of Rab11a endosomes upstream of lytic granules (LGs) exocytosis and further demonstrate the importance of this pathway in controlling CTL‐mediated cytotoxicity.
Oxysterol‐binding protein recruitment and activity at the endoplasmic reticulum‐Golgi interface are independent of Sac1
Authors: Charman Mark , Goto Asako , Ridgway Neale D.
Published: May 2017

Oxysterol‐binding protein (OSBP) localizes to endoplasmic reticulum (ER)‐Golgi contact sites where it transports cholesterol and phosphatidylinositol 4‐phosphate (PI‐4P), and activates lipid transport and biosynthetic activities. The PI‐4P phosphatase Sac1 cycles between the ER and Golgi apparatus where it potentially regulates OSBP activity. Here we examined whether the ER‐Golgi distribution of endogenous or ectopically expressed Sac1 influences OSBP activity. OSBP and Sac1 co‐localized at apparent ER‐Golgi contact sites in response to 25‐hydroxycholesterol (25OH), cholesterol depletion and p38 MAPK inhibitors. A Sac1 mutant that is unable to exit the ER did not localize with OSBP, suggesting that sterol perturbations cause Sac1 transport to the Golgi apparatus. Ectopic expression of Sac1 in the ER or Golgi apparatus, or Sac1 silencing, did not affect OSBP localization to ER‐Golgi contact sites, OSBP‐dependent activation of sphingomyelin synthesis, or cholesterol esterification in the ER. p38 MAPK inhibition and retention of Sac1 in the Golgi apparatus also caused OSBP phosphorylation and OSBP‐dependent activation of sphingomyelin synthesis at ER‐Golgi contacts. These results demonstrate that Sac1 expression in either the ER or Golgi apparatus has a minimal impact on the PI‐4P that regulates OSBP activity or recruitment to contact sites.
First report of Rhnull individuals in the Indian population and characterization of the underlying molecular mechanisms
Authors: Kulkarni Swati S. , Vasantha Kasiviswanathan , Gogri Harita , Parchure Disha , Madkaikar Manisha , Férec Claude , Fichou Yann
Published: May 2017

BACKGROUND

Rhnull phenotype is an extremely rare condition characterized by no expression of Rh antigens at the surface of red blood cells. Although rare, genetic bases of this phenotype are well known and include mutations within either the RH (RHD and RHCE) genes or the RHAG gene. So far Rhnull has been reported in individuals of Caucasian, African, and Asian origin. Here, we report individuals from two families of Indian origin representing such a rare phenotype.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Serologic analysis was carried out by testing with anti‐D, ‐C, ‐c, ‐E, and ‐e in Rhnull individuals and their family members. RH genes were analyzed by standard molecular approaches, including Sanger sequencing and quantitative multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of short fluorescent fragments. RHAG gene was investigated by exon‐specific PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing.

RESULTS

In one family, RHAG gene was found to be deleted at the homozygous state in the propositus, suggesting Rhnull of the regulator type. In the other family, a novel splice site variant in RHCE in cis with whole RHD gene deletion was identified at the homozygous state. Further functional analysis by minigene splicing assay showed that this variation, that is, c.801 + 1G>A, completely impairs normal splicing, then inactivating the expression of RhCE protein. Contrary to the former case, these data suggest Rhnull of the amorph type.

CONCLUSION

Overall, we report for the first time the molecular mechanisms responsible for Rhnull phenotype in individuals of Indian origin. This study contributes to extend the molecular spectrum of variations in Rhnull individuals.
Censorship and Ethnographic Film: Confronting State Bureaucracies, Cultural Regulation, and Institutionalized Homophobia in India
Authors: Gill Harjant S.
Published: May 2017

Based on my encounters with the Indian censor board while trying to get my films approved for broadcast on Indian television, I explore how bureaucratic institutions such as the Indian Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) operate as instruments of the nation‐state to control speech, regulate culture, and stifle dissent in the interest of advancing the Indian government's nationalist, paternalist, heteronormative agendas and policies. I also look briefly at how nongovernmental actors like special interest religious and political groups attempt to regulate even the transnational domains of media circulation online, which offer some possibilities for transcending the regulatory mechanisms of the nation‐state. Citing my experiences to show how ethnographic films and scholarship are continuously shaped by the various mediascapes within which they circulate, this article opens up a conversation about what it means to submit our scholarship for sanctioning by the nation‐state in which we carry out our research.
Atlas of Dreams: Unveiling the Invisible in the San Francisco Bay Area
Authors: Nakashima Degarrod Lydia
Published: May 2017

I created the installation Atlas of Dreams, a series of artistic maps and audio recordings, to portray the emotional traces left by 145 dreamers when they narrated their memorable dreams in the cities of the Bay Area of San Francisco. I present the designing of the maps, highlighting the use of dérive, and art practice in the creation of an emotional landscape, and its contribution in making the ethnography interactive, emergent, and sensorial. Dream narration and its sharing became visible and social during the creation of the artwork and during the exhibits of the artwork.
In vitro comparison of the dermal penetration of three different topical formulations containing lasalocid
Authors: Knight Evie C. , Trott Darren J. , Page Stephen W. , Garg Sanjay , Zhang Qian , Song Yunmei , Ebrahimie Esmaeil , Mills Paul C. , Shipstone Michael A.
Published: May 2017

Background

Topical antimicrobial preparations are of utmost importance in treating suspected and confirmed meticillin‐resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) infections due to the increasing incidence of widespread resistance to systemic antimicrobials. Lasalocid is active against MRSP in vitro and this may become an important topical antimicrobial for the treatment of canine pyoderma.

Hypothesis/Objectives

To determine effects of various formulation types on penetration and retention of lasalocid applied to canine skin in vitro.

Animals

Normal canine skin was collected from the thorax of five dogs that had been euthanized on the basis of health and/or intractable behavioural issues.

Methods

Solution, lotion and ointment containing 2% lasalocid were applied to ex vivo canine skin. Transdermal penetration was assessed for a 24 h period and retention of lasalocid was assessed at the conclusion of the study.

Results

The solution had significantly higher skin retention of lasalocid and proportion of applied dose retained in skin than lotion and ointment (Tukey–Kramer Honest Significant Difference test, P < 0.01). Lasalocid could not be detected in the receptor fluid of any Franz cell at any time point.

Conclusions and clinical importance

Lasalocid was not identified in the receptor fluid of any sample, indicating that systemic absorption of the active ingredient in vivo is unlikely. Lasalocid may be useful in the treatment of MRSP infections if in vivo studies support safety and efficacy.
Canine oral mucosa evaluation as a potential autograft tissue for the treatment of unresponsive keratoconjunctivitis sicca
Authors: Cherry Rose L. , Smith Jodi D. , Ben‐Shlomo Gil
Published: May 2017

Purpose

Labial mucosa transplantation for the treatment of canine keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) has been reported recently. Postoperative alleviation of clinical signs was noted and assumed to be the result of labial salivary glands providing lubrication to the ocular tissue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of minor salivary glands (MSG) in the canine oral mucosa.

Methods

Oral mucosal biopsies were collected from six dogs that died (n = 1) or were euthanized (n = 5) for reasons unrelated to this study. The breeds included were two Doberman Pinschers, one Labrador Retriever, one Portuguese Water Dog, one German Shepherd Dog, and one mixed canine. Three were spayed females, and three were castrated males with the median age of 9 years (range, 6–13 years). Samples were obtained by an 8‐mm punch biopsy at the following locations of the canine oral cavity: upper rostral labial mucosa at midline, lower rostral labial mucosa at midline, upper labial mucosa near the commissure, lower labial mucosa near the commissure, and buccal mucosa approximately 1 cm caudal to the commissure. Samples were routinely processed with hematoxylin and eosin, and periodic acid–Schiff stains. Samples were evaluated by light microscopy.

Results

At the selected locations, no MSG or other secreting cells were detected.

Conclusions

Minor salivary glands are not associated with alleviation of canine KCS symptoms following labial mucosa transplantation. Further studies are needed to determine the mechanism leading to the transient improvement of KCS symptoms in canine patients following labial mucosa transplantation.
English in The Voice of China
Authors: ZHOU SIJING , MOODY ANDREW
Published: May 2017

In the first season (2012) of The Voice of China – a televised singing competition presented in a ‘reality TV’ format – 186 songs were performed on the program's stage to make the show one of the most popular in the history of Chinese television. While roughly one‐third of those songs were performed entirely in Chinese, the other two‐thirds contained some English elements (including a sizable number performed entirely in English). English lyrics function to achieve three linguistic goals: expressing referential meaning, voicing private feelings and directing routine speech acts. In doing this, however, some English lyrics deliberately blur the boundary between Chinese and English in order to develop an innovative and flexible style of performance.
Fuzzy species limits in Mediterranean gorgonians (Cnidaria, Octocorallia): inferences on speciation processes
Authors: Aurelle Didier , Pivotto Isabelle D. , Malfant Marine , Topçu Nur E. , Masmoudi Mauatassem B. , Chaoui Lamya , Kara Hichem M. , Coelho Márcio A.G. , Castilho Rita , Haguenauer Anne
Published: May 2017

The study of the interplay between speciation and hybridization is of primary importance in evolutionary biology. Octocorals are ecologically important species whose shallow phylogenetic relationships often remain to be studied. In the Mediterranean Sea, three congeneric octocorals can be observed in sympatry: Eunicella verrucosa, Eunicella cavolini and Eunicella singularis. They display morphological differences and E. singularis hosts photosynthetic Symbiodinium, contrary to the two other species. Two nuclear sequence markers were used to study speciation and gene flow between these species, through network analysis and Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC). Shared sequences indicated the possibility of hybridization or incomplete lineage sorting. According to ABC, a scenario of gene flow through secondary contact was the best model to explain these results. At the intraspecific level, neither geographical nor ecological isolation corresponded to distinct genetic lineages in E. cavolini. These results are discussed in the light of the potential role of ecology and genetic incompatibilities in the persistence of species limits.
Improving Care of Critically Unwell Patients through Development of a Simulation Programme in a Malawian Hospital
Authors: Barnes Jonathan , Paterson-Brown Lucy
Published: May 2017

Introduction: Malawi is one of the world’s poorest countries with very limited healthcare spending and a lack of post-graduate training for healthcare workers, including in critical illness management. Critical illness simulation courses have been shown to be an effective training tool and form a key part of training for healthcare professionals in the developed world. However, these courses can be difficult and costly to set. We therefore developed an affordable and simple to run programme for use in a regional hospital in Malawi.Methods: We delivered a series of lectures alongside a simulation course based around critical illness management, including cardio-pulmonary-resuscitation. The course was taught by a visiting physician who trained a local clinical officer to continue running the course in the future. Feedback on candidate confidence in managing acutely unwell patients was collected before and after the course.Results: All staff in the unit attended the course. Median candidate confidence across all seven assessed areas increased significantly.Conclusions: Despite the basic equipment used in our course, we received very positive feedback and feel that this highlights that significant improvements in staff skillset, and therefore patient outcomes, can be achieved using a relatively simple and low cost intervention that can also easily be continued by local members of staff, ensuring sustainability. Introduction of similar courses in other resource poor settings may help improve patient outcomes without the significant financial outlay and lack of future-proofing seen with many healthcare initiatives that are deployed, and are often unsuccessful, in the developing world.
Magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of renal ischaemia–reperfusion injury in a rabbit model
Authors: Pan Liang , Chen Jie , Xing Wei , Xing Zhaoyu , Zhang Jinggang , Peng Yan , Zhang Zhuoli
Published: May 2017

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

Renal ischaemia–reperfusion injury occurs in various clinical settings. The clinical diagnosis of ischaemia–reperfusion injury is routinely based on biochemical and haematological tests, which cannot evaluate the function of a single kidney. New magnetic resonance imaging techniques to identify the pathophysiological changes in the renal outer medulla were evaluated.

What is the main finding and its importance?

This study demonstrated that susceptibility‐weighted imaging is a feasible non‐invasive tool for imaging and evaluating physipathological changes in the renal outer medulla after ischaemia–reperfusion injury.

The aim was to evaluate the feasibility of susceptibility‐weighted imaging (SWI) as a tool to identify the changes in the renal outer medulla (OM) in a rabbit model of renal ischaemia–reperfusion injury (IRI). New Zealand rabbits were used (control group n = 10; IRI group n = 40). The rabbits in the IRI group were subjected to left renal artery clamping for 60 min. T2‐weighted (T2WI) and SWI examinations were performed at 1, 12, 24 or 48 h after reperfusion (each n = 10). After the examinations, the kidneys were submitted to histological evaluation. The contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR) for the left renal OM was measured using T2WI and SWI. The T2WI and SWI scores of the integrity of the renal OM were evaluated. There were significant differences between T2WI CNRs and SWI CNRs in the control group and the IRI 1, 12 and 48 h time points (all P < 0.05). No significant difference was found between T2WI and SWI CNRs at IRI 24 h (P > 0.05). The mean SWI scores of renal OM in the IRI 1 and 12 h subgroups were both significantly lower than that in the control group (all P < 0.05). The only significant difference in the mean T2WI scores of renal OM was observed between the control and IRI 1 h groups (P < 0.05). Susceptibility‐weighted imaging has a significant advantage in evaluation of healthy renal OM over conventional magnetic resonance imaging, and it is a feasible non‐invasive tool for imaging and evaluating changes in the renal OM after IRI.
Classifying the Dimensional Variation in Additive Manufactured Parts From Laser-Scanned Three-Dimensional Point Cloud Data Using Machine Learning Approaches
Authors: Samie Tootooni M. , Dsouza Ashley , Donovan Ryan , Rao Prahalad K. , Kong Zhenyu (James) , Borgesen Peter
Published: May 2017

The objective of this work is to develop and apply a spectral graph theoretic approach for differentiating between (classifying) additive manufactured (AM) parts contingent on the severity of their dimensional variation from laser-scanned coordinate measurements (3D point cloud). The novelty of the approach is in invoking spectral graph Laplacian eigenvalues as an extracted feature from the laser-scanned 3D point cloud data in conjunction with various machine learning techniques. The outcome is a new method that classifies the dimensional variation of an AM part by sampling less than 5% of the 2 million 3D point cloud data acquired (per part). This is a practically important result, because it reduces the measurement burden for postprocess quality assurance in AM—parts can be laser-scanned and their dimensional variation quickly assessed on the shop floor. To realize the research objective, the procedure is as follows. Test parts are made using the fused filament fabrication (FFF) polymer AM process. The FFF process conditions are varied per a phased design of experiments plan to produce parts with distinctive dimensional variations. Subsequently, each test part is laser scanned and 3D point cloud data are acquired. To classify the dimensional variation among parts, Laplacian eigenvalues are extracted from the 3D point cloud data and used as features within different machine learning approaches. Six machine learning approaches are juxtaposed: sparse representation, k-nearest neighbors, neural network, naïve Bayes, support vector machine, and decision tree. Of these, the sparse representation technique provides the highest classification accuracy (F-score > 97%).
Effects of Radial Loading Distribution on Partial-Surge-Initiated Instability in a Transonic Axial Flow Compressor
Authors: Pan Tianyu , Li Qiushi , Li Zhiping , Gong Yifang
Published: May 2017

Partial surge is a new type of instability inception in the form of axisymmetric low-frequency disturbance located in the hub region and has been observed in transonic axial flow compressors. Previous studies on the evolution of instability in a transonic axial flow compressor at different rotor speeds found that partial surge occurs and leads to full compressor flow instability at high rotor speeds but not at low rotor speeds, and the blade loading at the hub increases with the rotor speed. A hypothesis is first made that the level of blade loading in the hub region could be highly correlated to the occurrence of partial surge. Experiments and numerical simulations are then conducted to test this hypothesis when the radial distribution of blade loading near the stall point is varied by introducing inlet distortion (i.e., alternately mounting specially designed screens at the inlet of the compressor). Both the experimental results of instability evolution and the numerical results of radial distribution of blade loading show that high hub loading near the stall point is the necessary condition for the occurrence of partial surge. In addition, the general effects of radial loading distribution on the type of stall inception are presented and discussed.
Microstructure Representation and Reconstruction of Heterogeneous Materials Via Deep Belief Network for Computational Material Design
Authors: Cang Ruijin , Xu Yaopengxiao , Chen Shaohua , Liu Yongming , Jiao Yang , Yi Ren Max
Published: May 2017

Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) aims to accelerate optimal design of complex material systems by integrating material science and design automation. For tractable ICME, it is required that (1) a structural feature space be identified to allow reconstruction of new designs, and (2) the reconstruction process be property-preserving. The majority of existing structural presentation schemes relies on the designer's understanding of specific material systems to identify geometric and statistical features, which could be biased and insufficient for reconstructing physically meaningful microstructures of complex material systems. In this paper, we develop a feature learning mechanism based on convolutional deep belief network (CDBN) to automate a two-way conversion between microstructures and their lower-dimensional feature representations, and to achieve a 1000-fold dimension reduction from the microstructure space. The proposed model is applied to a wide spectrum of heterogeneous material systems with distinct microstructural features including Ti–6Al–4V alloy, Pb63–Sn37 alloy, Fontainebleau sandstone, and spherical colloids, to produce material reconstructions that are close to the original samples with respect to two-point correlation functions and mean critical fracture strength. This capability is not achieved by existing synthesis methods that rely on the Markovian assumption of material microstructures.
Force Sensing for an Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Manipulation Device
Authors: Alotaibi Ahmed M. , Anwar Sohel , Terry Loghmani M. , Chien Stanley
Published: May 2017

Instrument-assisted soft tissue manipulation (IASTM) is a form of mechanotherapy, e.g., massage, that uses rigid devices which may be machined or cast. The delivered force, which is a critical parameter during IASTM, is not measured and not standardized in current clinical IASTM practice. In addition to the force, the angle of treatment and stroke frequency play an important role during IASTM. For accurate IASTM treatment, there is a strong need to scientifically characterize the IASTM delivered force, angle of treatment, and stroke frequency. This paper presents a novel, mechatronic design of an IASTM device that can measure the localized pressure on the soft tissue in a clinical treatment. The proposed design uses a three-dimensional (3D) load cell, which can measure all three-dimensional force components simultaneously. The device design was implemented using an IMUduino microcontroller board which provides tool orientation angles. These orientation angles were used for coordinate transformation of the measured forces to the tool–skin interface. Additionally, the measured force value was used to compute the stroke frequency. This mechatronic IASTM tool was validated for force measurements in the direction of tool longitudinal axis using an electronic plate scale that provided the baseline force values to compare with the applied force values measured by the tool. The load cell measurements and the scale readings were found to agree within the expected degree of accuracy.
Comparison of Parent and Butt-Fusion Material Properties of Unimodal High-Density Polyethylene
Authors: Krishnaswamy P. , Shim D.-J. , Kalyanam S.
Published: May 2017

The U.S. nuclear power industry is seeking U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) approval to use high-density polyethylene (HDPE) in safety-related applications. The USNRC had granted approval for the use of HDPE for safety-related service water applications, with limitations, to Catawba (Duke Energy Corp., Catawba, SC) and Callaway (Union Electric Co., Callaway, MO) based on separate relief requests submitted by the licensees. The nuclear industry continues to show increasing interest in utilizing HDPE in safety-related piping systems. In order to evaluate and maintain the structural integrity of HDPE pipes, the material properties and the fracture resistance behavior must be fully characterized. Although there has been extensive work on material property development of HDPE, most of the investigations have been focused on the parent (base) material. Hence, the material property and fracture resistance behavior of the butt-fusion region have not been comprehensively investigated. In this paper, tensile, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and slow crack growth (SCG) tests were performed for unimodal PE 4710 HDPE material. Specimens were machined from both parent piping material and butt-fusion regions. The test results indicate that the tensile and DMA properties show no significant differences between parent and butt-fusion joint materials. However, in terms of SCG resistance, the time to failure for butt-fusion joint material was an order of magnitude lower than that of the parent material.
Online Monitoring of Functional Electrical Properties in Aerosol Jet Printing Additive Manufacturing Process Using Shape-From-Shading Image Analysis
Authors: Salary Roozbeh (Ross) , Lombardi Jack P. , Rao Prahalad K. , Poliks Mark D.
Published: May 2017

The goal of this research is online monitoring of functional electrical properties, e.g., resistance, of electronic devices made using aerosol jet printing (AJP) additive manufacturing (AM) process. In pursuit of this goal, the objective is to recover the cross-sectional profile of AJP-deposited electronic traces (called lines) through shape-from-shading (SfS) analysis of their online images. The aim is to use the SfS-derived cross-sectional profiles to predict the electrical resistance of the lines. An accurate characterization of the cross section is essential for monitoring the device resistance and other functional properties. For instance, as per Ohm’s law, the electrical resistance of a conductor is inversely proportional to its cross-sectional area (CSA). The central hypothesis is that the electrical resistance of an AJP-deposited line estimated online and in situ from its SfS-derived cross-sectional area is within 20% of its offline measurement. To test this hypothesis, silver nanoparticle lines were deposited using an Optomec AJ-300 printer at varying sheath gas flow rate (ShGFR) conditions. The four-point probes method, known as Kelvin sensing, was used to measure the resistance of the printed structures offline. Images of the lines were acquired online using a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera mounted coaxial to the deposition nozzle of the printer. To recover the cross-sectional profiles from the online images, three different SfS techniques were tested: Horn’s method, Pentland’s method, and Shah’s method. Optical profilometry was used to validate the SfS cross section estimates. Shah’s method was found to have the highest fidelity among the three SfS approaches tested. Line resistance was predicted as a function of ShGFR based on the SfS-estimates of line cross section using Shah’s method. The online SfS-derived line resistance was found to be within 20% of offline resistance measurements done using the Kelvin sensing technique.
Ticks and radio-frequency signals: behavioural response of ticks (Dermacentor reticulatus) in a 900 MHz electromagnetic field
Authors: Vargová Blažena , Kurimský Juraj , Cimbala Roman , Kosterec Michal , Majláth Igor , Pipová Natália , Tryjanowski Piotr , Jankowiak Łukasz , Majlathova Viktoria
Published: May 2017

The electromagnetic field (EMF) is present in the environment throughout the world and encompasses both natural and human-made sources of electromagnetic fields. It has been shown that EMF influences a variety of biological systems, including the behavioural responses of both vertebrates and invertebrates. As such, determining the effects of the EMF on the ecosystem in detail may be important for understanding the ecology and biology of organisms, particularly those, such as ticks, that are important in disease transmission. Our main goal was to determine if the tick, Dermacentor reticulatus, interacts with the EMF. An experimental behavioural test of tick sensitivity to radio frequency power radiation was performed under laboratory conditions. Tests were performed in an electromagnetic compatibility laboratory in a radio frequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) anechoic chamber. Ticks were irradiated using a Double-Ridged Waveguide Horn Antenna with 900 MHz RF-EMF. The applied radio-frequency power was tuned below the proposed limit for public exposure to mobile phone base stations. We found that exposure induces an immediate tick locomotor response manifested either in a previously unreported jerking movement of the whole body or in jerking of the first pair of legs. Overall, ticks exhibited significantly greater movement in the presence of the RF-EMF. Significant sex differences relative to RF-EMF exposure were observed in both response variables. In the presence of RF-EMF, body jerking by females was greater than in males and vice versa for leg jerks. This study represents the first experimental evidence of a behavioural response of D. reticulatus ticks to exposure to RF-EMF.