bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Positive Solutions for a System of Nonlinear Semipositone Boundary Value Problems with Riemann-Liouville Fractional Derivatives
Authors: Qiu Xiaowei , Xu Jiafa , O’Regan Donal , Cui Yujun
Published: May 2018

We study the existence of positive solutions for the system of nonlinear semipositone boundary value problems with Riemann-Liouville fractional derivatives D0+αD0+αu=f1t,u,u′,v,v′,  0<t<1, D0+αD0+αv=f2(t,u,u′,v,v′),  0<t<1, u0=u′0=u′(1)=D0+αu(0)=D0+α+1u(0)=D0+α+1u(1)=0, and v(0)=v′(0)=v′(1)=D0+αv(0)=D0+α+1v(0)=D0+α+1v(1)=0, where α∈(2,3] is a real number and D0+α is the standard Riemann-Liouville fractional derivative of order α. Under some appropriate conditions for semipositone nonlinearities, we use the fixed point index to establish two existence theorems. Moreover, nonnegative concave and convex functions are used to depict the coupling behavior of our nonlinearities.
High-Performance Solution-Processed Amorphous InGaZnO Thin Film Transistors with a Metal–Organic Decomposition Method
Authors: Xie Yingtao , Wang Dongping , Fong Hon Hang
Published: May 2018

A facile solution process was introduced for the preparation of IGZO thin films via a metal–organic decomposition (MOD) method. The IGZO ink was synthesized by mixing the solutions of gallium acetylacetonate [Ga(C5H7O2)3], zinc acetylacetonate hydrate [Zn(C5H7O2)2·xH2O] dissolved in ethanol, and indium acetylacetonate [In(C5H7O2)3] dissolved in tetrahydrofuran (THF). The deposited films by spin-coating were annealed at moderate process temperature (≤500°C). The relationship between device performance and postannealing temperature was studied. The result demonstrated that mobility of IGZO TFT increased as the annealing temperature increased. Based on the analysis of O 1s statement, the annealing temperature can influence the number of oxygen vacancy to further affect the carrier centration. In addition, the IGZO TFT devices with various Ga molar ratios were compared to demonstrate the influence of the Ga addition. The result demonstrated that the saturated mobilities (μe) decreased and VTH shifted to positive voltage as the Ga molar ratio was increased. It is likely that Ga can offer stronger chemical bonds between metal and oxygen that reduced the concentration of free carriers and thus help reducing VTH. As a result, the optimized performance of IGZO TFT with the mobility of 3.4 cm2V−1s−1 showed the MOD process was a promising approach.
Grey Relational Analysis for Hesitant Fuzzy Sets and Its Applications to Multiattribute Decision-Making
Authors: Guan Xin , Sun Guidong , Yi Xiao , Zhao Jing
Published: May 2018

Due to the superiority in expressing the uncertain and vague information, the hesitant fuzzy set (HFS) is regarded as an important tool to deal with multiattribute decision-making (MADM) problems. Quantitative and qualitative fuzzy measures have been proposed to solve such problems from different points. However, most of the existing information measures for HFSs are related to such fuzzy measures as distance, similarity, entropy, and correlation coefficients. The grey relational analysis is omitted. Besides, the existing grey relational analysis for HFSs only considers the range or distance between HFSs data which is only a partial measure of the HFSs. Therefore, in this paper, we improve the grey relational analysis for HFSs and explore a novel slope grey relational degree by considering another factor of HFSs data: the slope. Further, we combine both the distance and slope factors of HFSs data to construct a synthetic grey relational degree that describes the closeness and variation tendency of HFSs simultaneously, greatly enriching the fuzzy measures of HFSs. Furthermore, with the help of the TOPSIS method, we develop the grey relational based MADM methodology to solve the HFSs MADM problems. Finally, combining with two practical MADM examples about energy policy selection and multisensor target recognition, we obtain the most desirable decision results. Compared with the previous methods, the validity, comprehensiveness, and discrimination of the proposed synthetic grey relational degree for HFSs are demonstrated in detail.
Stability and Threshold of a Stochastic SIRS Epidemic Model with Vertical Transmission and Transfer from Infectious to Susceptible Individuals
Authors: Kiouach Driss , Sabbar Yassine
Published: May 2018

The aim of this paper is to generalize the nonlinear incidence rate of a stochastic SIRS (susceptible-infected-recovered-susceptible) epidemic model. Our basic model was enriched with the hypotheses of vertical transmission and transfer from infected to susceptible individuals, to approach the reality. Our analysis showed that the model is well-posed. Under some conditions imposed on the intensity of the white noise perturbation, the global stability of the system is proven. Furthermore, the threshold of our model which determines the extinction and persistence of the disease is established. Numerical examples are realized to prove the rigor of our theoretical results.
Jammer Localization in Multihop Wireless Networks Based on Gravitational Search
Authors: Wang Tongxiang , Wei Xianglin , Fan Jianhua , Liang Tao
Published: May 2018

Multihop Wireless Networks (MHWNs) can be easily attacked by the jammer for their shared nature and open access to the wireless medium. The jamming attack may prevent the normal communication through occupying the same wireless channel of legal nodes. It is critical to locate the jammer accurately, which may provide necessary message for the implementation of antijamming mechanisms. However, current range-free methods are sensitive to the distribution of nodes and parameters of the jammer. In order to improve the localization accuracy, this article proposes a jammer localization method based on Gravitational Search Algorithm (GSA), which is a heuristic optimization evolutionary algorithm based on Newton’s law of universal gravitation and mass interactions. At first, the initial particles are selected randomly from the jammed area. Then, the fitness function is designed based on range-free method. At each iteration, the mass and position of the particles are updated. Finally, the position of particle with the maximum mass is considered as the estimated jammer’s position. A series of simulations are conducted to evaluate our proposed algorithms and the simulation results show that the GSA-based localization algorithm outperforms many state-of-the-art algorithms.
Viability Study of a Safe Method for Health to Prepare Cement Pastes with Simultaneous Nanometric Functional Additions
Authors: de la Rubia M. A. , de Lucas-Gil E. , Reyes E. , Rubio-Marcos F. , Torres-Carrasco M. , Fernández J. F. , Moragues A.
Published: May 2018

The use of a mixing method based on a novel dry dispersion procedure that enables a proper mixing of simultaneous nanometric functional additions while avoiding the health risks derived from the exposure to nanoparticles is reported and compared with a common manual mixing in this work. Such a dry dispersion method allows a greater workability by avoiding problems associated with the dispersion of the particles. The two mixing methods have been used to prepare Portland cement CEM I 52.5R pastes with additions of nano‐ZnO with bactericide properties and micro‐ or nanopozzolanic SiO2. The hydration process performed by both mixing methods is compared in order to determine the efficiency of using the method. The hydration analysis of these cement pastes is carried out at different ages (from one to twenty‐eight days) by means of differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetry (DTA‐TG), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses. Regardless of composition, all the mixtures of cement pastes obtained by the novel dispersion method showed a higher retardation of cement hydration at intermediate ages which did not occur at higher ages. In agreement with the resulting hydration behaviour, the use of this new dispersion method makes it possible to prepare homogeneous cement pastes with simultaneous functional nanoparticles which are physically supported on the larger particles of cement, avoiding exposure to the nanoparticles and therefore minimizing health risks. Manual mixing of cement‐based materials with simultaneous nanometric functional nanoparticles on a large scale would make it difficult to obtain a homogenous material together with the health risks derived from the handling of nanoparticles.
Hyperhomocysteinemia in a Patient with Moyamoya Disease
Authors: Meena Durga Shankar , Bohra Gopal Krishana , Meena Mahadev , Maheshwari Bharat Kumar
Published: May 2018

Moyamoya disease is a chronic progressive cerebrovascular disease characterized by bilateral occlusion or stenosis of arteries around circle of Willis. We report a case of 18-year-old female presented with recurrent episodes of headache and vertigo. On cerebral angiography, the patient was diagnosed to have moyamoya disease. On further evaluation, thrombophilia profile showed increased homocysteine level. The patient was treated conservatively with cobalamin and aspirin and advised for revascularization. According to the literature, there are few case reports of moyamoya disease with thrombotic disorders. Hence, we are reporting this interesting and rare case.
Quality of Lipid Fractions in Deep-Fried Foods from Street Vendors in Chile
Authors: Flores Marcos , Meyer Lucia , Orellana Sandra , Saravia Carolina , Galdames Claudia , Perez-Camino Maria Carmen
Published: May 2018

Deep-fried foods sold by unlicensed street vendors are a health concern for various reasons, but oil quality is particularly important considering known links between fat consumption and cardiovascular disease. To diagnose the exact gravity of this situation in Chile, a country where street vendors are proliferate, the physicochemical parameters of fat fractions from fried food samples were assessed. Fat quality was assessed through the acidity index, peroxide index, extinction coefficient, TOTOX index, polar compounds percentage, and fatty acid profile. Most food samples (80%) had at least a 10% fat content. Many samples also had high peroxide values (1.7–103.3 meqO2/kg) and extinction coefficients (K232 and K270), findings indicative of advanced oil deterioration. These results were supported by values for para-anisidine (100.2–311.0), TOTOX (>103.6), and polar compounds (14.2–49.7%). All assessed food samples contained saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, as well as trans-fatty acids (0.6–1.7%). According to national regulations on polar compounds, 50% of the assessed food samples are unfit for human consumption. When applying national limits for C18, all food samples should be discarded. These findings stress the urgent need to strictly control deep-fried foods sold by street vendors.
Sedentary Lifestyle and Hypertension in a Periurban Area of Mbarara, South Western Uganda: A Population Based Cross Sectional Survey
Authors: Twinamasiko Bruce , Lukenge Edward , Nabawanga Stella , Nansalire Winnie , Kobusingye Lois , Ruzaaza Gad , Bajunirwe Francis
Published: May 2018

Introduction. Globally, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and diabetes constitute over 50% of the noncommunicable disease (NCD) burden and projections indicate Sub-Saharan Africa will experience a larger burden. Urbanization on the continent is contributing to the change in lifestyle such as diet and physical activity, which may increase the risk for CVDs. There is lack of sufficient data from the African continent on hypertension and its association with sedentary lifestyle. Methods. We conducted a cross sectional study in periurban Uganda among adults aged at least 35 years. We administered questions on diet, physical activity, and smoking. We took anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose. Hypertension was defined as systolic BP>=140 and/or diastolic BP>=90 and/or history of hypertension medications. Logistic regression was used to determine the crude and adjusted odds ratios for the factors associated with hypertension. Results. We enrolled 310 participants and 50% were female. The prevalence of systolic hypertension was 24.5%, diastolic hypertension was 31%, obesity was 46%, and diabetes was 9%. Of those with hypertension (n=76), 53 participants (69.7%) were not aware they had high BP. Sedentary lifestyle was significantly associated with hypertension even after adjusting for age and obesity. Conclusion. There is a high prevalence of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes and majority of participants with hypertension are not aware. Participants with a sedentary work style should be targeted for prevention and screening.
Influence of Early Postoperative Feeding in Gastrointestinal Anastomotic Fistula Formation and Healing Time in Rabbits
Authors: Tang Ze , Cai Hongfei , Cui Youbin
Published: May 2018

Objectives. To determine whether early postoperative feeding attenuates the inhibitory effects of intestinal anastomosis in rabbits. Methods. After undergoing gastrointestinal anastomosis, 48 rabbits were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The rabbits in the experimental group were fed a liquid diet beginning 24 h postoperatively, while the control rabbits received only total parenteral nutrition after the operation. Exploratory laparotomies were performed on four rabbits in each group 3, 5, 7, 10, and 15 days postoperatively, and the healing rate of the anastomosis, anastomotic bursting pressure, anastomotic breaking strength, and hydroxyproline content at the anastomosis were determined. Results. The anastomoses healed in 91.6% (22/24) of the control group and 95.8% (23/24) of the experimental group. The anastomotic bursting pressure decreased remarkably in both groups 3 days postoperatively, reaching the lowest value. The anastomotic breaking strength did not differ between the two groups 3 days postoperatively, when both reached their lowest points, and both groups increased markedly and peaked 10 days postoperatively. The hydroxyproline content of the anastomosis was slightly lower in the experimental group 3 days postoperatively, although both groups peaked 7 days postoperatively. Conclusions. Early postoperative feeding does not increase the anastomosis healing time or rate of gastrointestinal anastomosis leakage.
Dynamic Evaluation of Notch Signaling-Mediated Angiogenesis in Ischemic Rats Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Tian Jia-qi , Zheng Jia-jun , Hao Xiao-zhu , Yin Le-kang , Zhang Xiao-xue , Li Chan-chan , Feng Xiao-yuan , Jiang Min , Sun Hua-ping , Zheng Kang , Yang Yan-mei
Published: May 2018

Objective. The Notch signaling pathway is involved in angiogenesis induced by brain ischemia and can be efficiently inhibited by the γ-secretase inhibitor N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-1-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester (DAPT). The aim of the present study was to noninvasively investigate the effect of DAPT treatment on angiogenesis in brain repair after stroke using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods. Sprague-Dawley rats (n=40) were subjected to 90 minutes of transient middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion and treated with PBS (n=20) or DAPT (n=20) at 72 hours after the onset of ischemia. MRI measurements including T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI), and cerebral blood flow (CBF) were performed at 24 hours after reperfusion and weekly up to 4 weeks using a 3-Tesla system. Histological measurements were obtained at each time point after MRI scans. Results. SWI showed that DAPT treatment significantly enhanced angiogenesis in the ischemic boundary zone (IBZ) with respect to the control group, with local CBF in the angiogenic area elevated, along with increases in vascular density confirmed by histology. Conclusion. Treatment of ischemic stroke with DAPT significantly augments angiogenesis, which promotes poststroke brain remodeling by elevating CBF level, and these processes can be dynamically monitored and evaluated by MRI.
Primary Pulmonary Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma: A Rare Malignancy and Rare Cause of the Luftsichel Sign
Authors: Von Ende Elizabeth , Kauffman Travis , Munoz Philip A. , Martinez-Jiménez Santiago
Published: May 2018

Primary pulmonary lymphomas are rare with primary pulmonary non-Hodgkin lymphoma accounting for only 0.3% of primary lung neoplasms. Of these, the large majority are made up of marginal zone B-cell lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. We present a case of a very rare primary pulmonary anaplastic large cell lymphoma presenting as the luftsichel sign on chest radiograph. Pertinent imaging and pathology findings are discussed.
Effects of Internet Sales Promotion on a Differential Advertising Model
Authors: Jiang Hui , Ma Junhai
Published: May 2018

Advertising and sales promotion are two important specific marketing communications tools. In this paper, Internet sales promotion is introduced into a differential advertising model and investigated quantitatively. The conditions for the existence and stability of periodic solutions are obtained. Flip bifurcation of periodic solution is investigated analytically. The results show that the sales promotion parameter can modify the stability of the differential advertising model and lead to chaos through flip bifurcation, the sales level will eventually be no less than a given value by adjusting the value of the sales promotion parameter, and the optimal sales promotion strategy can lead to maximum profit. Numerical results for periodic solutions, bifurcation diagrams, and the effects of sales promotion strategies, which are illustrated with an example, are in good agreement with the theoretical analysis. These results have certain significant theoretical and practical value in related markets.
Assessment of the Isoniazid Preventive Therapy Uptake and Associated Characteristics: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Birungi Francine Mwayuma , Graham Stephen , Uwimana Jeannine , van Wyk Brian
Published: May 2018

Objective. To assess the uptake of isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) by eligible children in Kigali, Rwanda, and associated individual, households, and healthcare systems characteristics. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted among child contacts of index cases having sputum smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis. Data were collected from 13 selected primary health centres. Descriptive statistics were used to generate frequency tables and figures. Logistic regression models were performed to determine characteristics associated with IPT uptake. Results. Of 270 children (under 15 years), who were household contacts of 136 index cases, 94 (35%) children were less than 5 years old and eligible for IPT; and 84 (89%, 95% CI 81–94) were initiated on IPT. The reasons for not initiating IPT in the remaining 10 children were parents/caregivers’ lack of information on the need for IPT, refusal to give IPT to their children, and poor quality services offered at health centres. Factors associated with no uptake of IPT included children older than 3 years, unfriendly healthcare providers, HIV infected index cases, and the index case not being the child’s parent. Conclusion. The National Tuberculosis Program’s policy on IPT delivery was effectively implemented. Future interventions should find strategies to manage factors associated with IPT uptake.
Blow-Up and Global Existence Analysis for the Viscoelastic Wave Equation with a Frictional and a Kelvin-Voigt Damping
Authors: Wang Fosheng , Wang Chengqiang
Published: May 2018

We are concerned in this paper with the initial boundary value problem for a quasilinear viscoelastic wave equation which is subject to a nonlinear action, to a nonlinear frictional damping, and to a Kelvin-Voigt damping, simultaneously. By utilizing a carefully chosen Lyapunov functional, we establish first by the celebrated convexity argument a finite time blow-up criterion for the initial boundary value problem in question; we prove second by an a priori estimate argument that some solutions to the problem exists globally if the nonlinearity is “weaker,” in a certain sense, than the frictional damping, and if the viscoelastic damping is sufficiently strong.
Determination of Stability Correction Parameters for Dynamic Equations of Constrained Multibody Systems
Authors: Guizhi Lyu , Rong Liu
Published: May 2018

When analyzing mechanical systems with numerical simulation by the Udwadia and Kalaba method, numerical integral results of dynamic equations will gradually deviate from requirements of constraint equations and eventually lead to constraint violation. It is a common method to solve the constraint violation by using constraint stability to modify the constraint equation. Selection of stability parameters is critical in the particular form of the corrected equation. In this paper, the method of selecting and determining of stability parameters is given, and these parameters will be used to correct the Udwadia-Kalaba basic equation by the Baumgarte constraint stability method. The selection domain of stability parameters is further reduced in view of the singularity of the constraint matrix during the integration procedure based on the selection domain which is obtained by the system stability analysis method. Errors of velocity violation and position violation are defined in the workspace, so as to determine the parameter values. Finally, the 3-link spatial manipulator is used to verify stability parameters of the proposed method. Numerical simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
The Effects of MicroRNAs on Key Signalling Pathways and Epigenetic Modification in Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Hong Wenming , Zhang Pengying , Wang Xinming , Tu Jiajie , Wei Wei
Published: May 2018

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level via direct binding to the 3′-untranslated region (UTR) of target mRNAs. Emerging evidence shows that miRNAs play crucial roles in controlling and modulating immune system-related diseases. This review focuses on the role played by miRNAs in fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS), which is a key cellular component within synovia, during the establishment and maintenance of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease. It also provides an overview and classification of known functional miRNAs in RA FLS and summarizes the potential uses of these small molecules in RA diagnosis and treatment.
Prospects of IL-2 in Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Choudhry Hani , Helmi Nawal , Abdulaal Wesam H. , Zeyadi Mustafa , Zamzami Mazin A. , Wu Wei , Mahmoud Maged Mostafa , Warsi Mohiuddin Khan , Rasool Mahmood , Jamal Mohammad S.
Published: May 2018

IL-2 is a powerful immune growth factor and it plays important role in sustaining T cell response. The potential of IL-2 in expanding T cells without loss of functionality has led to its early use in cancer immunotherapy. IL-2 has been reported to induce complete and durable regressions in cancer patients but immune related adverse effects have been reported (irAE). The present review discusses the prospects of IL-2 in immunotherapy for cancer.
Barriers to Participation in Learning Management Systems in Saudi Arabian Universities
Authors: Alenezi Abdullah
Published: May 2018

This study was designed to identify various barriers that have hindered the adoption of LMSs in Saudi Arabian universities. Learning management systems (LMSs) have been adopted in many learning institutions because of their functionalities and applications to improve pedagogy. Universities have been encouraged to use LMSs to enhance the collaborative working environment among students and between the students and their instructors. This study was done by administering 150 questionnaires to students in three universities in Saudi Arabia. Findings from the study revealed that the main barriers to the use of LMSs were inadequate technical support by the universities, negative attitude toward technology, and inadequate training on the LMS platforms. Minor barriers identified include poor Internet access and networking, limited infrastructure to support the LMS, lack of hardware and software to run the LMS, and challenges in English language proficiency.
Experimental Study on In‐Plane Seismic Performance of Reinforced Brick Walls Bonded with Mud
Authors: Wang Hui , Chang Jian-jun , He Shi-qin , Zhang Qing-lei
Published: May 2018

Low‐cyclic loading tests were carried on brick walls bonded with mud reinforced by three methods: packing belts, one‐side steel‐meshed cement mortar, and double‐side steel‐meshed cement mortar. The failure modes, hysteresis curves of the load‐displacement, skeleton curves, and ductility were obtained. The results showed that the bearing capacity of the brick walls bonded with mud reinforced by the abovementioned three methods had been increased to 1.4, 1.7, and 2.2 times as much as that of the unreinforced brick walls, respectively, and the ductility of the reinforced brick walls had been increased to 4.7, 2.1 and 2.2 times, respectively. The integrity and ductility of the reinforced brick walls were effectively improved in different degrees. The experimental results provided specific seismic strengthening techniques for the farmhouses built with brick walls bonded with mud.
Prevalence and Possible Role of Candida Species in Patients with Psoriasis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Pietrzak Aldona , Grywalska Ewelina , Socha Mateusz , Roliński Jacek , Franciszkiewicz-Pietrzak Kinga , Rudnicka Lidia , Rudzki Marcin , Krasowska Dorota
Published: May 2018

Although fungal colonization is implicated in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, its prevalence remains unclear. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to provide an overview on the prevalence of Candida species in patients with psoriasis. We searched databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and http://clinicaltrials.gov) to identify studies involving subjects of any age with an established diagnosis of psoriasis and healthy controls, who were tested for carriage of Candida spp. on the skin or mucosal membranes (or saliva and stool), or presented with clinical candidiasis with microbiologically confirmed etiology. We identified nine cross-sectional studies including a total of 1038 subjects with psoriasis (psoriatics) and 669 controls. We found Candida species detection rates for psoriatics were significantly higher than those in the controls, especially in the oral mucosa milieux. These results suggest psoriasis may be one of the systemic diseases that predispose to oral Candida spp. carriage and infection.
A Distributional Identity for the Bivariate Brownian Bridge: A Nontensor Gaussian Field
Authors: Ai Xiaohui
Published: May 2018

The bivariate Brownian bridge, a nontensor Gaussian Field, is defined by B(t1,t2)=W(t1,t2)W(1,1)=0=W(t1,t2)-t1t2W(1,1), where t1,t2∈I=[0,1] and W(t1,t2) is a Brownian sheet. We obtain a distributional identity, a consequence of the Karhunen-Loève expansion for the bivariate Brownian bridge by Fredholm integral equation and Laplace transform approach.
Advanced method for fine-tuning of statically indeterminate interdependent cable systems
Authors: Dini Matteo , Royer-De-Vericourt Raphaël , Quaglia Adrien , Reiser Christian , Blassel Jean-François
Published: May 2018

In this article, a multi-objective optimization is presented to find optimal cable adjustment for statically indeterminate cable structures. Combining a constrained least-square method and the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II, a trade-off curve of potential solutions is generated from which a final set of cable adjustments can be chosen by the designer. Optimal solutions are measured against solutions found by a trial-and-error method on the George C. King Bridge case study. Results show that the proposed strategy can successfully find adjustments that significantly reduce overall tension errors, with fewer cables involved.
Form-control of shell structures generated from hanging models with target heights
Authors: Li Qingpeng , Borgart Andrew , Wu Yue , Liu Xiuming , Rots Jan G.
Published: May 2018

Shell structures generated from hanging models have structurally efficient forms. Form-control of these shells, which aims to obtain structural forms with single- and multiple target heights due to some architectural requirements, is discussed in this article. First, the vector form intrinsic finite element method is applied to generate the equilibrium form of hanging membranes and thus shell structures. Subsequently, the form-control problem is discussed, which aims to generate a structural form subject to given target height constrains. By introducing the Local Linearization Method to adjust Young’s modulus of the initial structural model, a form-control strategy to generate the equilibrium structural form with a single target height is proposed. By introducing the Inverse Iteration Method to adjust the geometry of the initial model, a form-control strategy to generate the equilibrium structural form with several target heights is proposed. Moreover, to verify the effectiveness of the vector form intrinsic finite element method and form-control strategies, structural analyses and shell behavior assessment of these shells are conducted. These strategies are effective and efficient, which can help architects or engineers to determine structurally efficient geometries in the design process much more easily.
E-waste management in India: A mini-review
Authors: Awasthi Abhishek Kumar , Wang Mengmeng , Wang Zhishi , Awasthi Mrigendra Kumar , Li Jinhui
Published: May 2018

Environmental deterioration and health risk due to improper e-waste management has become a serious issue in India. The major portion of e-waste reaches an unorganized e-waste recycling sector and is then treated by using crude methods. This review article presents a brief highlight on e-waste management status, legislation, and technology uses in India. The present e-waste management needs to be more focused on environmentally sound management, by more active support from all the participants involved in the e-waste flow chain in India.
Testimonial texts of torture during the Algerian War: Paratexts and the obscene
Authors: Vendetti Maria
Published: May 2018

The Algerian War of Independence (1954–62) was marked in metropolitan France by divisive debates over France’s presence in Algeria and over the issue of state-sponsored torture. Two testimonial texts written during the war, Henri Alleg’s La Question (1958) and Simone de Beauvoir and Gisèle Halimi’s Djamila Boupacha (1962), stand out as examples of writing about torture, due to the texts’ connections to the Parisian intellectual community, and their social, political and literary repercussions. Both texts underscore the obscenity of the act of torture and how that obscenity is recreated in torture testimonials that exist in and describe a liminal space that disturbs notions of what can be seen and heard. This article argues that the paratextual legitimisation that Alleg’s and Boupacha’s texts undergo brings the act of torture into public discourse, enabling them to become audible or readable despite the strong preference for denial and inattention.
Dans la serre: Framing the greenhouse in Le Jour se lève (1939) and La Règle du jeu (1939)
Authors: Nevin Barry
Published: May 2018

Beyond the year of their production, their notoriously foreboding references to contemporary national and international politics, and their shared status as canonised classics of French cinema, Marcel Carné’s Le Jour se lève (1939) and Jean Renoir’s La Règle du jeu (1939) both portray the romantic union of two parties within a greenhouse. This article aims to elaborate on these images in two central ways: first, it theorises glass in cinema with reference to the writings of André Bazin and Gilles Deleuze; second, it situates Carné and Renoir’s greenhouses within their respective dramatic, aesthetic and political contexts. In both cases, the narrative inscribes specific socio-economic associations and a related conceptualisation of temporality in the image of the greenhouse rather than merely reducing it to an inert, physically circumscribed space. Furthermore, whereas the mise en scène of Carné’s greenhouse concretises the dialectics of memory and recollection manifested through his film’s flashbacks, Renoir’s greenhouse provides a meta-filmic commentary on his own obsolete efforts to immerse himself in the foibles of the haute bourgeoisie and to liberate his country’s ruling class from its outmoded modus operandi.
Rethinking Intouchables: Race and performance in contemporary France
Authors: Fişek Emine
Published: May 2018

The 2011 French blockbuster film Intouchables is based on a true story and depicts the friendship between Parisian Philippe, a white millionaire who is quadriplegic, and his carer Driss, a black man from the city’s banlieues. Whereas the film’s American reception focused on race and criticised the stereotypes imposed on the performing black body, French critics focused on class, and discussed the film’s easy depiction of economic domination. This article approaches this critical disparity through the lens of performance, and argues that the film’s contrasting receptions demonstrate the distinct legacies of American slavery and French colonialism in understanding contemporary iconographies of black performance. A further focus on the film’s source material, as well as the filmmakers’ adaptation of an Algerian character into a Senegalese one, reveals the continued role that the legacy of French colonialism plays in aesthetic representations of race and gender in contemporary France.
‘Tous ceux sans qui la France ne serait pas la France’: The case for a French national museum of colonial histories
Authors: Gosson Renée K.
Published: May 2018

Although France is known as the country of museums, it has yet to inaugurate a museum of French history. At a time of mounting tensions between an increasingly multiracial and multicultural French population, on the one hand, and an inherently problematic model of French Republican integration on the other, one wonders whose history would be represented. In the wake of one of France’s worst cases of social unrest – the 2005 riots – Paris opened two new national museums (the Musée du Quai Branly and the Cité Nationale de l’Histoire de l’Immigration), which held great promise of leading France toward postcoloniality. Unfortunately, neither site advanced the nation’s largely silenced conversation about its colonial history, its enduring effects and its contemporary manifestations. Against a backdrop of increased Islamophobia, exacerbated as much by the 2015–17 terrorist attacks in Paris and Nice as by the anti-’immigration’ rhetoric during the 2017 presidential elections, I examine the call for a new museum and its potential to bring France closer to postcoloniality.
Biology and culture at the reinvented Musée de l’Homme
Authors: Lebovics Herman , Boëtsch Gilles
Published: May 2018

After being closed for renovations for six years, the ‘reinvented’ Musée de l’Homme reopened in October 2015 with a completely new layout and narrative. Its principal account is that, while biological evolution guided human development, culture must be taken into account. With this explanation it makes the new biocultural turn. Throughout, the permanent exhibitions insist that members of humanity, as we know it, are one, and at the same time we are marked by differences. Our article reviews both how successfully the museum presents its story and what is left out. Although the authors agree that the museum is well placed to serve as an institutional form of Foucault’s specialised intellectual on the important questions it addresses, we find weaknesses and omissions in the treatment of gender, ‘race’, ethnic identities, and economic and political power.
Dirty words: The politicisation of Dubuffet’s Hautes Pâtes
Authors: Perry Rachel E.
Published: May 2018

In the spring of 1946, Jean Dubuffet presented the series Mirobolus, Macadam et Cie/Hautes Pâtes at the Gallery René Drouin. This exhibition has rightly been cast as a breakthrough event in the cultural landscape of the immediate post-war period; it was the first public unveiling of Dubuffet’s matter painting and the press erupted with cries of ‘cacaïsme’ and ‘peinture à la merde’, pronouncing him a ‘peintre en excréments’. The critical reception of this exhibition is part of the historical record. This article examines the popular (and even less sanitised) reception of Dubuffet’s contentious hautes pâtes, as recorded in several completely overlooked documents from the period, most notably the exhibition’s ‘livre d’or’ or Guest Book. Littered with swastikas and the francile, the insignia of Pétain’s collaborationist regime, the anonymous comments inscribed in the pages of the Guest Book charge Dubuffet with ‘décadence totale’, characterising his art as ‘judéo-décadent’. Despite the fact that the series avoids any reference to contemporary events, the materiality of his work raised anxious references to the polemic on decadence waged during the Occupation as well as to the post-war political purges of Nazi collaborators.
Cell therapy for severe burn wound healing
Authors: Li Zhe , Maitz Peter
Published: May 2018

Cell therapy has emerged as an important component of life-saving procedures in treating burns. Over past decades, advances in stem cells and regenerative medicine have offered exciting opportunities of developing cell-based alternatives and demonstrated the potential and feasibility of various stem cells for burn wound healing. However, there are still scientific and technical issues that should be resolved to facilitate the full potential of the cellular devices. More evidence from large, randomly controlled trials is also needed to understand the clinical impact of cell therapy in burns. This article aims to provide an up-to-date review of the research development and clinical applications of cell therapies in burn wound healing and skin regeneration.
World Health Organization-World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WHO-WFSA) International Standards for a Safe Practice of Anesthesia
Authors: Gelb Adrian W. , Morriss Wayne W. , Johnson Walter , Merry Alan F.
Published: May 2018

The International Standards for a Safe Practice of Anesthesia were developed on behalf of the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA), a nonprofit organization representing anesthesiologists in 150 countries, and the World Health Organization (WHO). The recommendations have been approved by WHO and the membership of WFSA. These Standards are applicable to all anesthesia providers throughout the world. They are intended to provide guidance and assistance to anesthesia providers, their professional organizations, hospital and facility administrators, and governments for maintaining and improving the quality and safety of anesthesia care. The Standards cover professional aspects; facilities and equipment; medications and intravenous fluids; monitoring; and the conduct of anesthesia. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED standards, the functional equivalent of mandatory standards, include (amongst other things): the continuous presence of a trained and vigilant anesthesia provider; continuous monitoring of tissue oxygenation and perfusion by clinical observation and a pulse oximeter; intermittent monitoring of blood pressure; confirmation of correct placement of an endotracheal tube (if used) by auscultation and carbon dioxide detection; the use of the WHO Safe Surgery Checklist; and a system for transfer of care at the end of an anesthetic. The International Standards represent minimum standards and the goal should always be to practice to the highest possible standards, preferably exceeding the standards outlined in this document.
Incidence and Risk Factors for Perioperative Cardiovascular and Respiratory Adverse Events in Pediatric Patients With Congenital Heart Disease Undergoing Noncardiac Procedures
Authors: Lee Sandra , Reddington Elise , Koutsogiannaki Sophia , Hernandez Michael R. , Odegard Kirsten C. , DiNardo James A. , Yuki Koichi
Published: May 2018

BACKGROUND:

While mortality and adverse perioperative events after noncardiac surgery in children with a broad range of congenital cardiac lesions have been investigated using large multiinstitutional databases, to date single-center studies addressing adverse outcomes in children with congenital heart disease (CHD) undergoing noncardiac surgery have only included small numbers of patients with significant heart disease. The primary objective of this study was to determine the incidences of perioperative cardiovascular and respiratory events in a large cohort of patients from a single institution with a broad range of congenital cardiac lesions undergoing noncardiac procedures and to determine risk factors for these events.

METHODS:

We identified 3010 CHD patients presenting for noncardiac procedures in our institution over a 5-year period. We collected demographic information, including procedure performed, cardiac diagnosis, ventricular function as assessed by echocardiogram within 6 months of the procedure, and classification of CHD into 3 groups (minor, major, or severe CHD) based on residual lesion burden and cardiovascular functional status. Characteristics related to conduct of anesthesia care were also collected. The primary outcome variables for our analysis were the incidences of intraoperative cardiovascular and respiratory events. Univariable and multivariable logistic regressions were used to determine risk factors for these 2 outcomes.

RESULTS:

The incidence of cardiovascular events was 11.5% and of respiratory events was 4.7%. Univariate analysis and multivariable analysis demonstrated that American Society of Anesthesiologists (≥3), emergency cases, major and severe CHD, single-ventricle physiology, ventricular dysfunction, orthopedic surgery, general surgery, neurosurgery, and pulmonary procedures were associated with perioperative cardiovascular events. Respiratory events were associated with American Society of Anesthesiologists (≥4) and otolaryngology, gastrointestinal, general surgery, and maxillofacial procedures.

CONCLUSIONS:

Intraoperative cardiovascular events and respiratory events in patients with CHD were relatively common. While cardiovascular events were highly associated with cardiovascular status, respiratory events were not associated with cardiovascular status.
Men in fashion illustration textbooks: A critical analysis of race and the body
Authors: Reddy-Best Kelly L. , Choi Eunji , Park Hangael
Published: May 2018

An examination of various fashion-related media revealed a significant lack of racial diversity and a preference for fit, muscular male bodies. The ideals related to race have also been studied extensively in numerous academic disciplines’ textbooks and yielded similar results. Scholars have analysed women’s bodies in fashion-related textbooks, but men have largely been ignored from these analyses. Using intersectionality theory as a lens, we critically examined the representation of men in fashion illustration textbooks and asked the following questions: how many men are represented? Is there racial diversity, and how are men’s bodies represented? We focused on fashion illustration textbooks as drawing bodies and garments are often the foundation to the design process, and current industry projections suggest that the men’s market is expected to expand significantly over the next few years. Therefore, we question the types of messages being communicated through the imagery in these important educational tools. We analysed the fashion illustration textbooks published since 2000 using the content analysis method, and coded race, skin colour, body size, muscularity and body position. Not surprisingly, we found a significant lack of racial diversity and preferences for lighter-skinned Blacks. In addition, male bodies were often fit and muscular. Implications for authors and college-level instructors are provided.
Reviews
Authors: Bench Paul , Delgado Henry Navarro , Edwards Tim
Published: May 2018

Masculinities in the Archive Symposium, London College of Fashion, London, UK, 18 November 2017

Fashion and Masculinities in Popular Culture, Adam Geczy and Vicki Karaminas (2018) New York: Routledge, 185 pp., ISBN: 9781138658684, h/bk, $150

The Suit: Form, Function and Style, Christopher Breward (2016) London: Reaktion Books, 240 pp., ISBN: 1780235232, h/bk, $27
Dumpster Chic and Haute Homeless: Placing Brother Sharp in a fashion industry continuum
Authors: Cole Daniel James
Published: May 2018

In 2010, a Chinese homeless man became an Internet sensation when photos of him were posted online. Soon nicknamed ‘Brother Sharp’, the man’s celebrity went viral, first in China and then the world; Chinese young men imitated his style while he still ate out of trashcans. His fame coincided with a controversial homeless-inspired menswear collection from Vivienne Westwood, and the two incidences were linked in the media. While Brother Sharp’s sudden fame was a phenomenon of the Internet age, the idea of the homeless and the poor has had a long history as inspiration and entertainment for the general public. This article traces fashion collections from Christian Francis Roth and John Galliano, among others, the popularity of Mary Kate Olsen’s ‘Dumpster Chic’, along with the phenomenon of ‘slumming’ across centuries, and the ethics of such fashion expressions and fascinations.
Becoming the West: Cowboys as icons of masculine style for gay men
Authors: Ford Elyssa
Published: May 2018

The cowboy has long been an icon of the American West, and in many ways, the cowboy has become the symbol of the American man. This understanding of the cowboy as the ideal of masculinity has held true even in alternate competitions, such as the gay rodeo. From its origins, the gay rodeo promoted itself as a space for gay men to be ‘real’ men. It was a place where the masculine cowboy was embraced. Yet, the gay rodeo is a complex space because within it there exists an interplay between the normative masculine cowboy and the subversively homosexual one.
Who wore the breeches?: An insight into early modern female cross-dressing, between the 1570s and 1625
Authors: Saccardi Nadia
Published: May 2018

During the last three decades of Elizabeth I’s reign and the death of James I (1570s–1625), a tendency towards the adoption of masculine attire emerged. This was fierily criticized by satire and critical literature and condemned by law. This study aims to explore and analyse the existing material related to early modern female transvestism that has seldom been the subject of detailed academic scrutiny.
Looking and behaving: Sartorial politics and Jewish men in fin-de-siècle Vienna
Authors: Kaplan Jonathan C.
Published: May 2018

The contribution of Viennese Jews to the cultural milieu of the Austrian capital at the fin de siècle is undisputed. Jewish women and men contributed to the social artistic, economic and philosophical centrality of Viennese culture. But what did Jewish urban, middle-class men wear and in what ways was it significant. This article examines the sartorial habits of two Viennese cultural and literary icons, Stefan Zweig (1881–1942) and Peter Altenberg (1859–1919), and considers how men’s fashions in Vienna during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries both facilitated and negated the assimilatory aspirations of the city’s middle-class Jewish population. A comparison of visual and literary accounts of Jewish acculturation and assimilation will offer a further understanding of the manifestation of visual ‘Jewishness’ and the heterogeneous Jewish identities present in Vienna during the period.