bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of different storage conditions on quality characteristics of seed material from semi‐natural grassland
Authors: Haslgrübler P. , Krautzer B. , Blaschka A. , Graiss W. , Pötsch E. M.
Published: July 2014

Neither methodology nor guidelines are available for defining quality characteristics and storage conditions of seed material harvested from semi‐natural grassland. Seeds from an Arrhenatherion meadow were harvested via on‐site threshing and seed stripping. After determination of purity, thousand seed weight and pre‐tests in a phytotron, germination‐capacity trials were carried out in a greenhouse. The harvested seed material was stored for up to 3 years under different conditions: (i) room temperature 18–23°C, (ii) cooling chamber (2–5°C with 40–50% humidity) and (iii) freezer (−18°C). There was a significant impact of the tested harvesting methods on seed separation, thousand seed weight and purity, but not on the germination capacity. Different storage conditions and storage length significantly influenced the germination capacity. There were also generally higher germination values for the seed‐stripping material than the on‐site threshing material (ca. 70 and 60%, respectively, in the first year). Germination capacity decreased significantly with time and was <15% after 3 years. We conclude that harvested seed material from semi‐natural grassland should preferably be stored under cool conditions and used within 2 years.
‘Dirt, Death and Danger? I Don't Recall Any Adverse Reaction …’: Masculinity and the Taint Management of Hospital Private Security Work
Authors: Johnston Matthew S. , Hodge Edwin
Published: July 2014

Drawing on an ethnographic narrative written by one of the authors following his resignation from a hospital private security team inOttawa, Canada and interview data gleaned from eight security men (all former colleagues), this article explores how hospital private security officers draw on discourses of masculinity to navigate the ‘dirty’ boundaries of their work, and to preserve their alpha‐guard statuses as controlled, autonomous and authoritative subjects. We found that hospital guards manage and deflect taint status by emphasizing their resiliency, emotional detachment and enthusiasm towards morbid, disturbing and dangerous tasks. Guards who seek to challenge these components of the job may be subject to gender harassment and reprisal from other guards, senior security officials and nursing staff. Overall, these narratives call attention to the necessity of hospital training programmes, de‐briefing exercises and best‐communication practices that promote the physical and emotional well‐being of persons who engage in intensive forms of dirty work.
Job satisfaction and perceived future roles of Malaysian dental therapists: findings from a national survey
Authors: Abu Bakar A , Mohd Nor NA , Ab‐Murat N , Jaafar N
Published: July 2014

Objective

To assess Malaysian dental therapists' perceptions of their job satisfaction and future roles.

Methods

A nationwide postal survey involving all Malaysian dental therapists who met the inclusion criteria (n = 1726).

Results

The response rate was 76.8%. All respondents were females; mean age 35.4 years (SD = 8.4). Majority were married (85.5%) and more than one‐half had a working experience of <10 years (56.1%). Majority worked in community dental service (94.3%) and in urban areas (61.7%). Overall, they were highly satisfied with most aspects of their career. However, they were least satisfied with administrative workload (58.1%), career advancement opportunities (51.9%) and remuneration package; specifically income (45.2%), allowances (45.2%) and non‐commensurate between pay and performance (44.0%). Majority perceived their role as very important in routine clinical tasks such as examination and diagnosis, preventive treatment, extraction of deciduous teeth and oral health promotion. However, fewer than one‐half consider complex treatment such as placement of preformed crowns on deciduous teeth (37.1%) and extraction of permanent teeth (37.2%) as very important tasks.

Conclusion

Majority expressed high career satisfaction with most aspects of their employment but expressed low satisfaction in remuneration, lack of career advancement opportunities and administrative tasks. We conclude that most Malaysian dental therapists have positive perceptions of their current roles but do not favour wider expansion of their roles. These findings imply that there was a need to develop a more attractive career pathway for therapists to ensure sustainability of effective primary oral healthcare delivery system for Malaysia's children.
Prevention of tea‐induced extrinsic tooth stain
Authors: Lee RJ , Bayne A , Tiangco M , Garen G , Chow AK
Published: July 2014

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to determine whether the addition of milk to tea reduces the ability of tea to stain extracted human teeth and, if so, to ascertain the component of milk that is responsible for milk's stain reducing properties.

Methods

Extracted human teeth were immersed in a tea solution, with the addition of 2% milk, 5.26% lactose, 2.7% casein or 10% fat‐free milk for 24 h at 37°C. A dental spectrophotometer (VITA Easyshade Compact) was used to evaluate the colour of the teeth both before and after immersion in the tea solutions. Commission internationale de l’éclairage (CIE) L*a*b* colour space values were recorded, and the change in colour (ΔE*) was calculated. A two‐tailed t‐test or one‐way analysis of variance (anova) was used to determine whether there were statistical differences between groups.

Results

Milk significantly reduces the ability of tea to stain teeth (P = 0.0225), specifically in the L* and a* dimensions (P = 0.0182 and P = 0.0124, respectively) of the colour sphere. Casein, which makes up 80% of the protein content in bovine milk, is the component of milk that is responsible for significantly reducing tea's ability to stain teeth (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

The addition of milk to tea significantly reduces the tea's ability to stain teeth. Casein was determined to be the component of milk that is responsible for preventing tea‐induced staining of teeth to a similar order of magnitude that can be obtained by vital bleaching treatments.
Oral health‐related resources ‐ a salutogenic perspective on Swedish 19‐year‐olds
Authors: Lindmark U , Abrahamsson KH
Published: July 2014

The aim was to explore health‐oriented resources among 19‐year‐olds and, specifically, how these resources interact with oral health‐related attitudes and behaviour. To represent individuals with various psychosocial environments and socioeconomic areas, the participants were selected from different geographical locations of the Public Dental Service clinics in the county of Jönköping, Sweden. A structured questionnaire was distributed, including the instrument ‘sense of coherence’, for description of the study group, followed by a semi‐structured thematized interview. The qualitative method used for sampling and analyses was grounded theory. Data sampling and analysis were performed in parallel procedures and ended up in a sample of ten informants (five women). In the analysis of interview data, a core category was identified, ‘Resources of Wealth and Balance in Life – a Foundation for Healthy Choices’, describing the central meaning of the informants’ perceptions of resources with an essential beneficial impact on oral health. The core category was built on five themes, which in turn had various subthemes, describing different dimensions of resources interacting with beneficial oral health‐related attitudes and behaviour: ‘Security‐building Resources and Support’, ‘Driving force and Motivation’, ‘Maturity and Insight’, ‘Health Awareness’ and ‘Environmental influences.’ The results elucidate personal and environmental health‐oriented resources with influence on oral health‐related attitudes and behaviours of young individuals. Such beneficial recourses should be recognized by dental personnel to promote oral health.
Baseline Characteristics of the 4011 Patients Recruited into the ‘Efficacy of Nitric Oxide in Stroke’ (ENOS) Trial
Authors:   Investigators ENOS†, Bath Philip M. W.
Published: July 2014

Background

High blood pressure is common in acute stroke and associated with a worse functional outcome. Many patients who present with acute stroke are taking prescribed antihypertensive therapy before their stroke.

Aims

ENOS tested whether lowering blood pressure and continuing pre-stroke antihypertensive therapy are each safe and effective.

Methods

This study is an international multi-centre prospective randomized single-blind blinded-endpoint parallel-group partial-factorial controlled trial of transdermal glyceryl trinitrate (a nitric oxide donor, given for seven-days) vs. no glyceryl trinitrate, and of continuing vs. stopping (temporarily for seven-days) pre-stroke antihypertensive drugs if relevant, in patients with acute ischaemic stroke or intracerebral haemorrhage and high systolic blood pressure (140–220 mmHg).

Results

Recruitment ran from July 2001 to October 2013. Four thousand eleven patients [2097 (52·3%) in the continue/stop arm] were recruited from 173 sites across 23 countries in 5 continents (Asia 14%, Continental Europe 16%, UK 64%). Baseline characteristics include: mean age 70 (standard deviation 12) years; male 57%; mean time from stroke to recruitment 26 ( 13 ) h; mean severity (Scandinavian Stroke Scale) 34 ( 13 ) of 58; mean blood pressure 167 ( 19 )/90 ( 13 ) mmHg; ischaemic stroke 83%; and intracerebral haemorrhage 16%. The main trial results will be presented in May 2014. The results will also be presented in updated Cochrane systematic reviews and included in individual patient data meta-analyses of all relevant randomized controlled trials.

Conclusion

ENOS is a large completed international trial of blood pressure management in acute stroke and includes patients representative of many stroke services worldwide.
Functional characterization of sex pheromone receptors in the purple stem borer, Sesamia inferens (Walker)
Authors: Zhang Y.‐N. , Zhang J. , Yan S.‐W. , Chang H.‐T. , Liu Y. , Wang G.‐R. , Dong S.‐L.
Published: July 2014

The sex pheromone communication system in moths is highly species‐specific and extremely sensitive, and pheromone receptors (PRs) are thought to be the most important factors in males. In the present study, three full‐length cDNAs encoding PRs were characterized from Sesamia inferens antennae. These three PRs were all male‐specific in expression, but their relative expression levels were very different; SinfOR29 was 17‐ to 23‐fold higher than the other two PRs. Phylogenetic and motif pattern analyses showed that these three PRs were allocated to different PR subfamilies with different motif patterns. Functional analysis using the heterologous expression system of Xenopus oocytes demonstrated that SinfOR29 specifically and sensitively responded to the major pheromone component, Z11‐16:OAc [concentration for 50% of maximal effect (EC50) = 3.431 × 10−7 M], while SinfOR21 responded robustly to a minor pheromone component Z11‐16:OH (EC50 = 1.087 × 10−6 M). SinfOR27, however, displayed no response to any of the three pheromone components, but, interestingly, it was sensitive to a non‐sex pheromone component Z9,E12‐14:OAc (EC50 = 1.522 × 10−6 M). Our results provide insight into the molecular mechanisms of specificity and sensitivity of the sex pheromone communication system in moths.
Odorant‐binding protein (OBP) genes affect host specificity in a fig–pollinator mutualistic system
Authors: Wang N. , Wang N. X. , Niu L. M. , Bian S. N. , Xiao J. H. , Huang D. W.
Published: July 2014

The interaction between figs and their pollinating wasps is regarded as a model system for studying specialized co‐evolved mutualism. Chemoreception of fig wasps plays an important role in this interaction, and odorant‐binding proteins (OBP) function in the first step of odorant detection. The OBP repertoire of the fig wasp Ceratosolen solmsi is reported to be one of the smallest among insects; however, it is unknown how these OBPs are related to the complicated mating process occurring within the fig cavity and the extreme host specificity of the species. In the present study, we combined a structural analysis of the conserved cysteine pattern and motif order, a phylogenetic analysis, and previous studies on ligand‐binding assays to deduce the function of OBPs. We also quantified the expression of OBP genes in different life stages of female and male fig wasps by using real‐time quantitative PCR, which can help to predict the function of these genes. The results indicated that CsolOBP1 and CsolOBP2 (or CsolOBP5) in males may bind to pheromones and play important roles in mate choice, whereas CsolOBP4 and CsolOBP5 may primarily function in host localization by females through binding of volatile compounds emitted by receptive figs.
Dengue virus up‐regulates expression of notch ligands Dll1 and Dll4 through interferon‐β signalling pathway
Authors: Li Yuye , Wu Siyu , Pu Jieying , Huang Xi , Zhang Ping
Published: July 2014

The Notch signalling pathway is involved in multiple cellular processes and has been recently indicated to modulate the host immune response. However, the role of the Notch pathway in dengue virus (DENV) infection remains unknown. Our study has screened the expression profile of Notch receptors, ligands and target genes in human monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells in response to DENV infection. The real‐time PCR data showed that Notch ligand Dll1 was significantly induced in DENV‐infected monocytes; and receptor Notch4, ligands Dll1 and Dll4, and target Hes1 were dramatically enhanced in DENV‐infected macrophages and dendritic cells. In macrophages, induction of Dll1 and Dll4 mediated by DENV2 was increased by treatment with interferon‐β (IFN‐β), and was impaired by neutralization of IFN‐β. The DENV‐induced Dll1 and Dll4 expression level was decreased by silencing key innate immune molecules, including Toll‐like receptor 3 (TLR3), MyD88, RIG‐I and IPS‐I. In IFN‐receptor‐depleted macrophages, the Dll1 and Dll4 induction was significantly alleviated. Functionally, activation of Notch signalling by Dll1 in CD4+ T cells enhanced the expression of a T helper type 1 (Th1) cytokine IFN‐γ, while Notch activation in macrophages had no direct effect on replication of DENV. Our data revealed that the expressions of Notch ligands in antigen‐presenting cells were differentially induced by DENV via innate immune signalling, which is important for Th1/Th2 differentiation during adaptive immune response.
Utility of snout wipe samples for influenza A virus surveillance in exhibition swine populations
Authors: Edwards Jody L. , Nelson Sarah W. , Workman Jeffrey D. , Slemons Richard D. , Szablewski Christine M. , Nolting Jacqueline M. , Bowman Andrew S.
Published: July 2014

Background

Sporadic influenza A virus (IAV) outbreaks in humans and swine have resulted from commingling of large numbers of people and pigs at agricultural fairs in the United States. Current antemortem IAV surveillance strategies in swine require collecting nasal swabs, which entails restraining pigs with snares. Restraint is labor‐intensive for samplers, stressful for pigs, and displeasing to onlookers because pigs often resist and vocalize.

Objective

To evaluate the utility of snout wipes in exhibition swine as a method to make IAV surveillance efforts less intrusive, less labor‐intensive, and more widely accepted among pig owners and exhibition officials.

Methods

Three materials (rayon/polyester gauze, cotton gauze, and Swiffer® Sweeper dry cloths) were inoculated with IAV, and viral recoveries from these materials were quantified using qRT‐PCR and TCID50 assays. In a field trial, paired cotton gauze snout wipes and gold standard polyester‐tipped nasal swabs were collected from 553 pigs representing 29 agricultural fairs and the qualitative results of rRT‐PCR and viral isolation were compared.

Results and Conclusions

Viral recoveries from potential snout wipe materials ranged from 0·26 to 1·59 log10 TCID50/ml less than that of the positive control in which no substrate was included; rayon/polyester gauze performed significantly worse than the other materials. In the field, snout wipes and nasal swabs had high levels of agreement for both rRT‐PCR detection and virus isolation. Although further investigation and refinement of the sampling method is needed, results indicate that snout wipes will facilitate convenient and undisruptive IAV surveillance in pigs at agricultural fairs.
The meaning of recovery in a regional mental health service: an action research study
Authors: Kidd Susan , Kenny Amanda , McKinstry Carol
Published: July 2014

Aim

To explore the meaning of the term recovery to people with experience providing and receiving mental health services.

Background

Internationally, governments have proposed recovery‐oriented mental health policy. In practice, people managing mental health difficulties struggle to recover, self‐manage, or improve their quality of life. Mental health services increasingly provide acutely focused and poorly coordinated services to people experiencing mental health difficulties, with self‐management, wellness and recovery overlooked.

Design

A cooperative enquiry, action research design guided the study. Participants were people with experience of mental health difficulties from consumer, carer and clinician perspectives.

Method

Data were collected between August 2012–July 2013. Analysis was conducted using an iterative process for the duration of the study. A thematic network was developed that reflected key organizing themes.

Results

The overarching theme developed from the participants' group discussions, reflections, actions and observations was recovery as an ongoing quest in life. This global theme was constructed from five organizing themes: ‘finding meaning’, ‘an invisible disability’, ‘empowerment and agency’ ‘connection’ and ‘the passage of time’.

Conclusion

Participatory approaches support the inclusion of lived experience perspectives. Structured processes are needed to bring different perspectives together to find solutions, through dialogue, and acknowledge the barriers to participation that people who use mental health services experience. The lack of integration of lived experience perspectives demonstrates forms of discrimination that inhibit consumer participation and prevent the recovery‐oriented transformation required in mental health systems.
Borrowed philosophy: bedside physicalism and the need for asui generismetaphysic of medicine
Authors: Whatley Shawn D.
Published: July 2014

The character of medicine has changed over the last 100 years such that medicine is more interested in diseases than the people who suffer from them. Despite notable efforts to address this, the medical humanities do not challenge doctors' fundamental view of the world. Students adopt a metaphysic of physicalism during basic science training that gets carried into medical training. While necessary for medical science, physicalism is insufficient for clinical care. Physicalism offers no foundation for thesine qua nonof medicine, the doctor–patient relationship. The character of medicine will not see a renewed interest in humanity until educators address the insufficiency of physicalism for clinical care, and clinicians partner with experts in the humanities to build asui generisphilosophy of medicine.
Analysis of dopaminergic neuronal dysfunction in genetic and toxin‐induced models of Parkinson's disease in Drosophila
Authors: Navarro Juan A. , Heßner Sabina , Yenisetti Sarat C. , Bayersdorfer Florian , Zhang Li , Voigt Aaron , Schneuwly Stephan , Botella Jose A.
Published: July 2014

Drosophila melanogaster has contributed significantly to the understanding of disease mechanisms in Parkinson's disease (PD) as it is one of the very few PD model organisms that allow the study of age‐dependent behavioral defects, physiology and histology, and genetic interactions among different PD‐related genes. However, there have been contradictory results from a number of recent reports regarding the loss of dopaminergic neurons in different PD fly models. In an attempt to re‐evaluate and clarify this issue, we have examined three different genetic (α‐synuclein, Pink1, parkin) and two toxin‐based (rotenone and paraquat) models of the disease for neuronal cell loss. Our results showed no dopaminergic neuronal loss in all models tested. Despite this surprising result, we found additional phenotypes showing the dysfunctional status of the dopaminergic neurons in most of the models analyzed. A common feature found in most models is a quantifiable decrease in the fluorescence of a green‐fluorescent protein reporter gene in dopaminergic neurons that correlates well with other phenotypes found for these models and can be reliably used as a hallmark of the neurodegenerative process when modeling diseases affecting the dopaminergic system in Drosophila.

image

Analyzing three genetic and two toxin‐based Drosophila models of Parkinson's disease (PD) through green fluorescent protein reporter and α‐tyrosine hydroxylase staining, we have found the number of dopaminergic neurons to remain unchanged. Despite the lack of neuronal loss, we have detected a remarkable decrease in a reporter green‐fluorescent protein (GFP) signal in dopaminergic neurons, suggesting an abnormal neuronal status that correlates with the phenotypes associated with those PD fly models.
Nucleic acid sensing and beyond: virtues and vices of high‐mobility group box 1
Authors: Yanai H. , Taniguchi T.
Published: July 2014

High‐mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) was first described as an architectural chromatin‐binding protein. Today, a wealth of evidence indicates that this protein is very versatile and serves an amazing assortment of roles in the nucleus, cytoplasm and extracellular milieu. As a result, HMGB1 is fast becoming recognized as a key regulator of protective and pathological immune responses. Whilst acknowledging the many functions of HMGB1 and its family members, we focus this review on their role as broad effectors of immune responses mediated by nucleic acids. In addition, we touch upon the recent progress in determining the in vivo role of HMGB1 as revealed by the study of mice conditionally null for the Hmgb1 gene.
Systematic review and recommendations for nonodontogenic toothache
Authors: Yatani H. , Komiyama O. , Matsuka Y. , Wajima K. , Muraoka W. , Ikawa M. , Sakamoto E. , De Laat A. , Heir G. M.
Published: July 2014

Nonodontogenic toothache is a painful condition that occurs in the absence of a clinically evident cause in the teeth or periodontal tissues. The purpose of this review is to improve the accuracy of diagnosis and the quality of dental treatment regarding nonodontogenic toothache. Electronic databases were searched to gather scientific evidence regarding related primary disorders and the management of nonodontogenic toothache. We evaluated the level of available evidence in scientific literature. There are a number of possible causes of nonodontogenic toothache and they should be treated. Nonodontogenic toothache can be categorised into eight groups according to primary disorders as follows: 1) myofascial pain referred to tooth/teeth, 2) neuropathic toothache, 3) idiopathic toothache, 4) neurovascular toothache, 5) sinus pain referred to tooth/teeth, 6) cardiac pain referred to tooth/teeth, 7) psychogenic toothache or toothache of psychosocial origin and 8) toothache caused by various other disorders. We concluded that unnecessary dental treatment should be avoided.
Effect of a tunnel‐structured β‐tricalcium phosphate graft material on periodontal regeneration: a pilot study in a canine one‐wall intrabony defect model
Authors: Matsuura T. , Akizuki T. , Hoshi S. , Ikawa T. , Kinoshita A. , Sunaga M. , Oda S. , Kuboki Y. , Izumi Y.
Published: July 2014

Background and Objective

Tissue regeneration is affected by the porosity, chemical properties and geometric structure of graft materials. Regeneration of severe periodontal defects, such as one‐wall intrabony defects, is difficult because of reduced tissue support, and bone grafts are commonly used in such cases. In the present study, a tunnel‐structured β‐tricalcium phosphate (tunnel β‐TCP) graft material designed to stimulate bone formation was fabricated. The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the effect of this graft material on periodontal regeneration in one‐wall intrabony defects in dogs.

Material and Methods

Six male beagle dogs were used in this study. First, the mandibular second and third incisors were extracted. Experimental surgery was performed 12 wk after tooth extraction. Bilateral 4 × 8 mm (width × depth) one‐wall intrabony defects were created in the mesial side of the mandibular canines. At the experimental sites, the defects were filled with tunnel β‐TCP, whereas the control defects were left empty. Twelve weeks after surgery, qualitative and quantitative histological analyses were performed.

Results

There were no signs of clinical inflammation 12 wk after surgery. Coronal extension indicative of new bone formation was higher at the experimental sites than at the control sites, although the differences between both the sites in the newly formed cementum and connective tissue attachment were not significant. Newly formed periodontal ligament and cementum‐like tissue were evident along the root surface at the experimental sites. The inner surface of the tunnels was partially resorbed and replaced with new bone. New blood vessels were observed inside the lumens of tunnel β‐TCP.

Conclusion

Tunnel β‐TCP serves as a scaffold for new bone formation in one‐wall intrabony defects.
Eight crime foraging contingencies – Comment on Johnson's review
Authors: Felson Marcus
Published: July 2014

Purpose

To understand several contingencies that affect how offenders forage for crime targets.

Methods

Reviewing and summing up ideas already in the literature.

Results

Eight foraging contingencies are gathered. These include (1) offenders who do not forage at all, (2) those who do not forage from a single central place, (3) offenders who shift foraging patterns from weekday to weekend, or even in the course of a single day, (4) rapid pharmacological shifts that change individual foraging behaviour, (5) co‐offender influence on foraging patterns, (6) the impact of the journey after crime on foraging, (7) whether the offender is locally recognized, and (8) mode of transport used to carry out the crime.

Conclusions

Johnson's excellent review of past research opens up new avenues for future inquiry.
Rhetorical Barriers to Mobilizing for Immigrant Rights: White Innocence and Latina/o Abstraction
Authors: Longazel Jamie G.
Published: July 2014

In the summer of 2006, Hazleton, Pennsylvania passed the Illegal Immigration Relief Act (IIRA). In this article, the politics that emerged in that law's wake are used as a case study to identify the rhetorical tools that justify and help achieve White dominance in local struggles over immigration in the United States. In tracing three successive waves of post‐IIRA activism, what legal scholar Thomas Ross has termed White innocence/Black abstraction—a racial narrative that absolves Whites of wrongdoing and obfuscates minority suffering—is shown to be a central theme in the discourse of Hazleton's White majority. This colorblind rhetoric is used to make exclusionary legislation appear justifiable and to curtail the efforts of immigrant rights activists. By bringing Ross's insights into a new substantive context (i.e., immigration) and outside the confines of formal law (i.e., legal mobilizations rather than judicial opinions), this article demonstrates the centrality of innocence/abstraction in on‐the‐ground efforts to defend existing social arrangements.
Density dependence and microevolution interactively determine effects of phenology mismatch on population dynamics
Authors: Reed Thomas E. , Gienapp Phillip , Visser Marcel E.
Published: July 2014

Life cycle events in plants and animals are typically adaptively tuned to anticipate predictable seasonal changes in environmental conditions or resources. Climate change is expected to affect the temporal component of species’ interactions, e.g. by creating a mismatch between a predator's breeding time (when ample food supply is critical) and the time when prey abundance is high. The demographic implications of such a mismatch remain unclear, however. Here we focussed on changes in the phenology of consumers relative to that of their food. We developed a model where reproductive output of the consumer up to offspring independence depended on mismatch and recruitment of the offspring to breeders depended on offspring density according to a Beverton–Holt function. Using a deterministic version of the model, we clarified how the effects of (constant) mismatch on equilibrium population size depended on the emergent strength of negative density dependence (DD). Using a stochastic, individual‐based version, we showed that when the environment changed abruptly, the rate of population recovery was faster when heritability of seasonal timing was higher and DD was stronger. When the environment shifted continuously, the rate of decline in population size was inversely proportional to the rate of microevolution, but stronger DD slowed the rate of decline for a given heritability and thus effectively ‘bought time’ for evolutionary rescue. These results highlight the importance of negative DD, which interacts with the effects of trait heritability and stabilizing selection strength, in influencing the fate of populations experiencing environmental change. We emphasize, however, that outcomes in nature will depend crucially on the exact nature of DD, in particular whether population growth rate differences are greatest at low or high densities, highlighting the need for empirical comparisons of compensatory processes in different populations or species.
Laryngeal mask airway placement in children prior to an intravenous line utilizing heart rate as an indicator of anesthetic depth
Authors: Schwartz Donald , Begley Annemarie , Gibson Charles , Visintainer Paul , Connelly Neil R.
Published: July 2014

Introduction

The usual practice in pediatric anesthesia cases requiring a laryngeal mask airway is to place an intravenous line (IV) prior to laryngeal mask airway placement. A different approach that has several clinical advantages is to place the laryngeal mask airway prior to theIV. We describe our experience with this technique, using heart rate as an indicator of adequate anesthetic depth. In addition, we analyzed heart rate data in children undergoing sevoflurane inductions, looking for age‐related differences.

Methods

Following a sevoflurane induction, heart rates were recorded every 12 s for 3 min in 127ASAI‐IIchildren under age 7. Laryngeal mask airway placement occurred when the heart rate dropped at least 10% from its maximum level or at 3 min. Ease of laryngeal mask airway placement was graded using a scale from 0 to 3. Endtidal sevoflurane concentration, occurrence of laryngospasm and blood pressure at laryngeal mask airway placement were also recorded.

Results

The laryngeal mask airway was successfully placed on the first attempt in all 127 children. Easy placement was noted in 98.4%. The youngest children's heart rates peaked earlier than the oldest (P < 0.001), while time to laryngeal mask airway placement increased with increasing age (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

Laryngeal mask airway placement before anIVis a safe alternative to the usual mask–IV–laryngeal mask airway sequence. Our data compare favorably to other studies where ease of laryngeal mask airway placement was reported. This technique has several advantages including securing the airway first for an anticipated difficultIVplacement. Heart rate changes during a sevoflurane induction appear to be age‐dependent.
Reliability of event‐related EEG functional connectivity during visual entrainment: Magnitude squared coherence and phase synchrony estimates
Authors: Miskovic Vladimir , Keil Andreas
Published: July 2014

There is an increasing trend towards using noninvasive electroencephalography (EEG) to quantify functional brain connectivity. However, little is known about the psychometrics of commonly used functional connectivity indices. We examined the internal consistency of two different connectivity metrics: magnitude squared coherence and phase synchrony. EEG was recorded during visual entrainment to elicit a strong oscillatory component of known frequency. We found acceptable to good split‐half reliability for the connectivity metrics when computing all possible pairwise interactions and after selecting an a priori seed reference. We also compared reliability estimates when using average referenced sensor versus reference independent current source density EEG data. Additional considerations were given to determining how reliability was influenced by factors including trial number, signal‐to‐noise ratio, and frequency content.
Investment Crowding‐Out and Labor Market Effects of Financialization in the US
Authors: González Ignacio , Sala Hector
Published: July 2014

This paper studies the impact of financialization on unemployment in the United States. We estimate a dynamic multi‐equation macro labor model including labor demand, labor suppy, wage‐setting, and capital accumulation equations. Financialization appears as a key determinant of capital accumulation which, in turn, is the transmission channel toward its unemployment effects. We conduct a series of counterfactual simulations where we quantify the macroeconomic consequences of the recent swings experienced by the financialization process. We find that it has had relevant unemployment effects in all periods considered, even in those where financial payments were not the main driver of capital accumulation. We also identify a structural change in the financialization process in the early 1980s, and find that it has caused USA unemployment to systematically fluctuate around 2 percentage points above what it would otherwise have done. We call for a reappraisal of the way financial markets work, and stress the vital need of preventing financial devices that result in productive investment crowding‐out.
Biomechanical determinants of elite rowing technique and performance
Authors: Buckeridge E. M. , Bull A. M. J. , McGregor A. H.
Published: July 2014

In rowing, the parameters of injury, performance, and technique are all interrelated and in dynamic equilibrium. Whilst rowing requires extreme physical strength and endurance, a high level of skill and technique is essential to enable an effective transfer of power through the rowing sequence. This study aimed to determine discrete aspects of rowing technique, which strongly influence foot force production and asymmetries at the foot‐stretchers, as these are biomechanical parameters often associated with performance and injury risk. Twenty elite female rowers performed an incremental rowing test on an instrumented rowing ergometer, which measured force at the handle and foot‐stretchers, while three‐dimensional kinematic recordings of the ankle, knee, hip, and lumbar‐pelvic joints were made. Multiple regression analyses identified hip kinematics as a key predictor of foot force output (R2 = 0.48), whereas knee and lumbar‐pelvic kinematics were the main determinants in optimizing the horizontal foot force component (R2 = .41). Bilateral asymmetries of the foot‐stretchers were also seen to significantly influence lumbar‐pelvic kinematics (R2 = 0.43) and pelvic twisting (R2 = 0.32) during the rowing stroke. These results provide biomechanical evidence toward aspects of technique that can be modified to optimize force output and performance, which can be of direct benefit to coaches and athletes.
A review of piscine islet xenotransplantation using wild‐type tilapia donors and the production of transgenic tilapia expressing a “humanized” tilapia insulin
Authors: Wright James R. , Yang Hua , Hyrtsenko Olga , Xu Bao‐You , Yu Weiming , Pohajdak Bill
Published: July 2014

Most islet xenotransplantation laboratories have focused on porcine islets, which are both costly and difficult to isolate. Teleost (bony) fish, such as tilapia, possess macroscopically visible distinct islet organs called Brockmann bodies which can be inexpensively harvested. When transplanted into diabetic nude mice, tilapia islets maintain long‐term normoglycemia and provide human‐like glucose tolerance profiles. Like porcine islets, when transplanted into euthymic mice, they are rejected in a CD4 T‐cell‐dependent manner. However, unlike pigs, tilapia are so phylogenetically primitive that their cells do not express α(1,3)Gal and, because tilapia are highly evolved to live in warm stagnant waters nearly devoid of dissolved oxygen, their islet cells are exceedingly resistant to hypoxia, making them ideal for transplantation within encapsulation devices. Encapsulation, especially when combined with co‐stimulatory blockade, markedly prolongs tilapia islet xenograft survival in small animal recipients, and a collaborator has shown function in diabetic cynomolgus monkeys. In anticipation of preclinical xenotransplantation studies, we have extensively characterized tilapia islets (morphology, embryologic development, cell biology, peptides, etc.) and their regulation of glucose homeostasis. Because tilapia insulin differs structurally from human insulin by 17 amino acids, we have produced transgenic tilapia whose islets stably express physiological levels of humanized insulin and have now bred these to homozygosity. These transgenic fish can serve as a platform for further development into a cell therapy product for diabetes.
Finite Inflation Analysis of Two Circumferentially Bonded Hyperelastic Circular Flat Membranes
Authors: Dhavale Nikhil N. , Tamadapu Ganesh , DasGupta Anirvan
Published: July 2014

A finite inflation analysis of two circumferentially bonded hyperelastic circular flat membranes with uniform internal pressure is presented. The governing equations of equilibrium are obtained using the variational formulation. By making a suitable change in the field variables, the problem is formulated as a set of two coupled nonlinear two point boundary value problem (TPBVP) and is solved using the shooting method. Membranes of identical and dissimilar material properties are considered in the analysis. For dissimilar membranes, asymmetric inflation, and remarkably, deflation (after an initial phase of inflation) in one of the membranes in certain cases, has been observed. The effect of inflation pressure and material properties on the geometry of inflated configuration, state of stress, and the impending wrinkling condition of the membranes are also studied. This work has relevance to tunable inflated reflectors and lenses among other applications.
On the Applicability of Sneddon's Solution for Interpreting the Indentation of Nonlinear Elastic Biopolymers
Authors: Zhang Man-Gong , Chen Jinju , Feng Xi-Qiao , Cao Yanping
Published: July 2014

Indentation has been widely used to characterize the mechanical properties of biopolymers. Besides Hertzian solution, Sneddon's solution is frequently adopted to interpret the indentation data to deduce the elastic properties of biopolymers, e.g., elastic modulus. Sneddon's solution also forms the basis to develop viscoelastic contact models for determining the viscoelastic properties of materials from either conical or flat punch indentation responses. It is worth mentioning that the Sneddon's solution was originally proposed on the basis of linear elastic contact theory. However, in both conical and flat punch indentation of compliant materials, the indented solid may undergo finite deformation. In this case, the extent to which the Sneddon's solution is applicable so far has not been systematically investigated. In this paper, we use the combined theoretical, computational, and experimental efforts to investigate the indentation of hyperelastic compliant materials with a flat punch or a conical tip. The applicability of Sneddon's solutions is examined. Furthermore, we present new models to determine the elastic properties of nonlinear elastic biopolymers.
A Closed-Form Second-Order Reliability Method Using Noncentral Chi-Squared Distributions
Authors: Mansour Rami , Olsson Mårten
Published: July 2014

In the second-order reliability method (SORM), the probability of failure is computed for an arbitrary performance function in arbitrarily distributed random variables. This probability is approximated by the probability of failure computed using a general quadratic fit made at the most probable point (MPP). However, an easy-to-use, accurate, and efficient closed-form expression for the probability content of the general quadratic surface in normalized standard variables has not yet been presented. Instead, the most commonly used SORM approaches start with a relatively complicated rotational transformation. Thereafter, the last row and column of the rotationally transformed Hessian are neglected in the computation of the probability. This is equivalent to approximating the probability content of the general quadratic surface by the probability content of a hyperparabola in a rotationally transformed space. The error made by this approximation may introduce unknown inaccuracies. Furthermore, the most commonly used closed-form expressions have one or more of the following drawbacks: They neither do work well for small curvatures at the MPP and/or large number of random variables nor do they work well for negative or strongly uneven curvatures at the MPP. The expressions may even present singularities. The purpose of this work is to present a simple, efficient, and accurate closed-form expression for the probability of failure, which does not neglect any component of the Hessian and does not necessitate the rotational transformation performed in the most common SORM approaches. Furthermore, when applied to industrial examples where quadratic response surfaces of the real performance functions are used, the proposed formulas can be applied directly to compute the probability of failure without locating the MPP, as opposed to the other first-order reliability method (FORM) and the other SORM approaches. The method is based on an asymptotic expansion of the sum of noncentral chi-squared variables taken from the literature. The two most widely used SORM approaches, an empirical SORM formula as well as FORM, are compared to the proposed method with regards to accuracy and computational efficiency. All methods have also been compared when applied to a wide range of hyperparabolic limit-state functions as well as to general quadratic limit-state functions in the rotationally transformed space, in order to quantify the error made by the approximation of the Hessian indicated above. In general, the presented method was the most accurate for almost all studied curvatures and number of random variables.
Probabilistic Graphical Modeling of Use Stage Energy Consumption: A Lightweight Vehicle Example1
Authors: Telenko Cassandra , Seepersad Carolyn C.
Published: July 2014

Although energy consumption during product use can lead to significant environmental impacts, the relationship between a product's usage context and its environmental performance is rarely considered in design evaluations. Traditional analyses rely on broad, average usage conditions and do not differentiate between contexts for which design decisions are highly beneficial and contexts for which the same decision may offer limited benefits or even penalties in terms of environmental performance. In contrast, probabilistic graphical models (PGMs) provide the capability of modeling usage contexts as variable factors. This research demonstrates a method for representing the usage context as a PGM and illustrates it with a lightweight vehicle design example. Factors such as driver behavior, alternative driving schedules, and residential density are connected by conditional probability distributions derived from publicly available data sources. Unique scenarios are then defined as sets of conditions on these factors to provide insight into sources of variability in lifetime energy use. The vehicle example demonstrates that implementation of realistic usage scenarios via a PGM can provide a much higher fidelity investigation of use stage energy savings than commonly found in the literature and that, even in the case of a universally beneficial design decisions, distinct scenarios can have significantly different implications for the effectiveness of lightweight vehicle designs.
Structural Size Effect on Mechanical Behavior of Intermetallic Material in Solder Joints: Experimental Investigation
Authors: Ladani Leila , Abdelhadi Ousama
Published: July 2014

The elastic and plastic mechanical properties of intermetallic compound (IMC) phases of a lead-free Sn3.5Ag/Cu-substrate soldering system are investigated in different sized joints using nano-indentation. The specimens were prepared using solid–liquid interdiffusion soldering process with joint sizes ranging from 15 to 450 μm. Solder joints were subjected to 360 °C soldering temperature for 20 min and then air cooled to room temperature to create testable IMCs thicknesses. Nano-indentation was used to extract the elastic and plastic properties of Cu6Sn5, Cu3Sn, and Ag3Sn IMCs and β-tin and copper materials. Cu–Sn IMCs formed in specimens with smaller joint size show higher elastic modulus, hardness, and yield strength and lower work hardening exponent. This was attributed to the dimensional constraints associated with decreasing joint size and the local stresses developed during fabrication in joints with different sizes. Local elastic modulus and hardness of single grains of Cu6Sn5 were obtained using a combination of nano-indentation and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) techniques. Grains with c-axis at a 45 deg angle with respect to the nano-indentation loading direction show higher elastic modulus (∼8.70% higher) and hardness (8.85% higher) compared to the grains that have a c-axis that is almost perpendicular to the nano-indentation loading direction.
Supersonic Jet Impingement on a Cylinder and Characterization of the Resulting Deflected Jets
Authors: Pophali Ameya , Bussmann Markus , Tran Honghi
Published: July 2014

The interaction between a mildly underexpanded supersonic jet and a single cylinder was studied experimentally at laboratory scale by using the schlieren technique coupled with high-speed photography and pitot pressure measurements. This study was motivated by the need to optimize sootblowing operation in kraft recovery boilers. The effects of the transverse distance between the jet and cylinder centerlines (eccentricity), nozzle–cylinder distance, and cylinder size on jet–cylinder interaction were determined. Results show that upon impingement on a cylinder, a supersonic jet deflects at an angle and creates a weaker supersonic jet that we refer to as a “secondary” jet. The angle and strength of the deflected or secondary jet depend on the eccentricity between the primary jet and cylinder centerlines. When a jet impinges on a cylinder of diameter comparable to that of the jet or smaller, secondary jets form not only when the cylinder is placed close to the nozzle (in the stronger portion of the jet) but also when the cylinder is placed far away (in the jet's weaker portion; up to 20–24 nozzle exit diameters in the present study). Changing the eccentricity slightly results in a significant change in the secondary jet characteristics. For a cylinder much larger than the jet, secondary jets do not form at zero eccentricity (head-on impingement); the eccentricity at which they begin to form increases with the cylinder size. A study of the secondary jets shows that they spread out much more than the primary jet and are sheet- or fan-like with an oblong, oval cross section. The centerline pitot pressure of the secondary jets remains as high as the primary jet for a considerable distance from the tube only during weak interaction between the primary jet and the cylinder (i.e., during strongly eccentric/off-centerd impingement). As the interaction between the primary jet and the cylinder intensifies at lower eccentricities, the maximum centerline pitot pressure of the secondary jet decreases, and the pitot pressure decreases more quickly with distance from the tube.