bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Laparoscopic lateral suspension for pelvic organ prolapse in a case with difficulty in performing laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy
Authors: Okada Yoshiyuki , Hayashi Tokumasa , Sawada Yugo , Tokiwa Shino , Yoshio Yuko , Gonocruz Sheryl G , Kitagawa Yasuhide , Nomura Jimmy
Published: March 2019

Introduction

Mesh fixation at the promontory is the most important procedure in laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy. We present a case of pelvic organ prolapse wherein sacrocolpopexy was converted to lateral suspension intraoperatively due to tissue weakness of the promontory.

Case presentation

A 66‐year‐old woman with a sensation of bulge in the vagina presented to our clinic. She was diagnosed with uterine prolapse (grade III). Laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy was planned; exposure of the promontory and mesh fixation at the vesicovaginal and rectovaginal space could be smoothly performed. However, handling the needle at the promontory was impossible due to tissue weakness of the anterior longitudinal ligament of the sacrum. Consequently, mesh fixation was converted to lateral suspension.

Conclusion

Difficult mesh fixation at the promontory is not rare in laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy. Lateral suspension may be useful as a trouble‐shooting procedure for laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy, and surgeons performing laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy should know this procedure.
Laparoscopic pelvic organ prolapse repair by mesh interposition following radical cystectomy
Authors: Abe Hirokazu , Fan Bo , Huang Tingwen , Komori Hiroka , Ochi Atsuhiko , Suzuki Koichiro , Kitagawa Yasuhide , Shiga Naoki
Published: March 2019

Introduction

The present study aims to introduce laparoscopic treatment by the interposition of polypropylene mesh for a pelvic organ prolapse in females following radical cystectomy for treating muscle‐invasive bladder carcinoma.

Case presentation

The patients included two women aged 77 and 79 years with symptomatic enterocele following radical cystectomy and ileal conduit urinary diversion. We performed laparoscopic sacrospinous colpopexy using polypropylene and polypropylene/ePTFE composite meshes.

Conclusion

No recurrent prolapse occurred during 26 and 14 months of follow‐up after the operation. No severe perioperative complications were noted. This is a first report on cases of laparoscopic sacrospinous colpopexy for post‐cystectomy pelvic organ prolapse. Our procedure could be safely performed in two patients with post‐cystectomy pelvic organ prolapse.
Threats to adhesive/dentin interfacial integrity and next generation bio‐enabled multifunctional adhesives
Authors: Spencer Paulette , Ye Qiang , Song Linyong , Parthasarathy Ranganathan , Boone Kyle , Misra Anil , Tamerler Candan
Published: March 2019

Nearly 100 million of the 170 million composite and amalgam restorations placed annually in the United States are replacements for failed restorations. The primary reason both composite and amalgam restorations fail is recurrent decay, for which composite restorations experience a 2.0–3.5‐fold increase compared to amalgam. Recurrent decay is a pernicious problem—the standard treatment is replacement of defective composites with larger restorations that will also fail, initiating a cycle of ever‐larger restorations that can lead to root canals, and eventually, to tooth loss. Unlike amalgam, composite lacks the inherent capability to seal discrepancies at the restorative material/tooth interface. The low‐viscosity adhesive that bonds the composite to the tooth is intended to seal the interface, but the adhesive degrades, which can breach the composite/tooth margin. Bacteria and bacterial by‐products such as acids and enzymes infiltrate the marginal gaps and the composite's inability to increase the interfacial pH facilitates cariogenic and aciduric bacterial outgrowth. Together, these characteristics encourage recurrent decay, pulpal damage, and composite failure. This review article examines key biological and physicochemical interactions involved in the failure of composite restorations and discusses innovative strategies to mitigate the negative effects of pathogens at the adhesive/dentin interface. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 107B:2466–2475, 2019.
Nanoglass‐based balloon expandable stents
Authors: Kumar Gideon Praveen , Yuan Suyue , Cui Fangsen , Branicio Paulo Sergio , Jafary‐Zadeh Mehdi
Published: March 2019

Here, a prototypical metallic nanoglass is proposed as a new alloy for balloon expandable stents. Traditionally, the stainless steel SS 316L alloy has been used as a preferred material for this application due to its proper combination of mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. Recently, metallic glasses (MGs) have been considered as promising materials for biodevice applications. MGs often display outstanding mechanical properties superior to those of conventional metallic alloys and overcome some of the weaknesses of SS 316L, such as radiopacity, stainless steel allergy, and thrombosis‐induced restenosis. However, commonly used monolithic MGs, which have an amorphous homogeneous microstructure, suffer from lack of ductility that is necessary for deployment of balloon expandable stents. In contrast, nanoglasses, that is, amorphous alloys with heterogeneous microstructure, exhibit enhanced ductility which makes them promising materials for balloon expandable stents. We evaluate the feasibility of a prototypical Zr64Cu36 nanoglass with a grain size of 5 nm for balloon expandable stents by performing finite element method modeling of the stent deployment process in a coronary artery. We consider the BX‐Velocity stent design and the nanoglass mechanical properties calculated from atomistic simulations. The results suggest that nanoglasses are suitable materials for balloon expandable stent applications. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 108B:73–79, 2020.
Brain region‐specific regulation of histone acetylation and efflux transporters in mice
Authors: You Dahea , Shin Hye Min , Mosaad Fatimah , Richardson Jason R. , Aleksunes Lauren M.
Published: March 2019

Multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) protect the brain by restricting the passage of chemicals across the blood‐brain barrier. Prior studies have demonstrated the epigenetic regulation of MDR1 and BCRP in cancer cells treated with histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors that enhance histone acetylation and gene transcription. In the present study, we tested the in vivo effects of two HDAC inhibitors, valproic acid (VPA; 400 mg/kg) and apicidin (5 mg/kg), on Mdr1 and Bcrp transporter expression in brain regions of adult male mice injected intraperitoneally daily for 7 days. VPA increased Mdr1 protein expression in the striatum (70%) and Bcrp protein in the midbrain (30%). Apicidin enhanced striatal Mdr1 protein (30%) and hippocampal Bcrp protein (20%). Transporter induction correlated with increased histone H3 acetylation in discrete brain regions. In conclusion, HDAC inhibitors upregulate transporter proteins in vivo, which may be important in regulating regional xenobiotic disposition within the brain.
PKA17—A Coarse‐Grain Grid‐Based Methodology and Web‐Based Software for Predicting Protein pKa Shifts
Authors: Cvitkovic John P. , Pauplis Connor D. , Kaminski George A.
Published: March 2019

We have developed and tested PKA17, a coarse‐grain grid‐based model for predicting protein pK
a shifts. Our pK
a predictor is currently deployed via a website interface. We have carried out parameter fitting using 442 Asp, Glu, His, Lys, and Arg residues for which experimental results are available in the literature. PROPKA software has been used for benchmarking. The average unsigned error and root‐mean‐square deviation (RMSD) have been found to be 0.628 and 0.831 pH units, respectively, for PKA17. The corresponding results with PROPKA are 0.761 and 1.063 units. We have assessed the robustness of the developed PKA17 methodology with a number of tests and have also explored the possibility of using a combination of PROPKA and PKA17 calculations in order to improve the accuracy of predicted pK
a values for protein residues. We have also once again confirmed that protein acidity constants are influenced almost entirely by residues in the immediate spatial proximity of the ionizable amino acids. The resulting PKA17 software has been deployed online with a web‐based interface at http://users.wpi.edu/~jpcvitkovic/pka_calc.html. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
An efficient protein immobilization strategy: protein encapsulated in nano molecular cages
Authors: Xia Yu‐Pei , Dou Yi‐Fang , Pei Xin‐Jiang , Cao Yi‐Ping , Zhi Gao‐Ying , Zhang Dong‐Hao , Hu Liandong
Published: March 2019

BACKGROUND

To immobilize protein firmly and maintain its native conformation, a ‘nano molecular cage’ was designed to encapsulate bovine serum albumin (BSA) on the surface of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) magnetic microspheres by cross‐linking poly(ethylene imine) (PEI) chains.

RESULTS

The amount of BSA adsorbed on PMMA@PEI microspheres decreased significantly from 70.6 to 7.6 mg g−1 microsphere after desorption under high ionic strength. A similar phenomenon could also be observed for BSA adsorbed on PMMA@PEI‐CB (Cibacron Blue F3GA) microspheres. In contrast, the amount of BSA encapsulated in molecular cages only decreased a little after desorption. Furthermore, conformational analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that the contents of α‐helices and β‐sheets decreased slightly by 3.3 and 0.3% respectively on encapsulating BSA in molecular cages. Furthermore, the effects of various factors, including glutaraldehyde amount, cross‐linking time and temperature, on BSA encapsulation were investigated.

CONCLUSION

The results demonstrated that molecular cages could not only immobilize protein firmly but also maintain its native conformation. Therefore molecular cage encapsulation is suggested to be a potentially valuable protocol in enzyme immobilization. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Physicochemical comparison of precipitated calcium carbonate for different configurations of a biogas upgrading unit
Authors: Baena‐Moreno Francisco M , Price Cameron AH , le Saché Estelle , Pastor‐Pérez Laura , Sebastia‐Saez Daniel , Reina Tomas R
Published: March 2019

BACKGROUND

This paper presents a physicochemical comparison of the solid products obtained from two alternative processes that recycle waste sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) solution, which is produced following the absorption of CO2 in a biogas upgrading unit. Chemical regeneration processes offer an attractive alternative to the energetically demanding standard physical methods. In the first process, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is regenerated as a precipitate from the chemical reaction of Na2CO3 with calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2). The second process shows a path to obtain a valuable sodium chloride (NaCl) and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) rich brine from calcium chloride (CaCl2) acting as a precipitant agent. In both processes, precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) is obtained as the most valuable by‐product, but with varying properties owing to the different origin.

RESULTS

The purpose of this work is to analyze physicochemically both variations of PCCs obtained and examine the differences between these solid samples in order to determine which method produces more desirable characteristics in the final product. To this end, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed as characterization methods. The results reflect that both PCCs have a calcite crystal structure, or morph, being as both PCC products originate from CaCl2 that is more similar to commercial calcium carbonate calcite.

CONCLUSION

These results confirmed that a pure CaCO3 valuable by‐product can be obtained from a biogas upgrading unit with several industrial applications. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Partially thrombosed aneurysm of the medial marginal vein
Authors: Khodarahmi Iman , Alizai Hamza , Adler Ronald
Published: March 2019

Lower extremity superficial venous aneurysms are occasionally encountered by clinicians and are almost always located above the knee. Very few cases of aneurysm of the medial marginal vein in the most distal part, near the origin of the great saphenous vein, have been reported. We present a case of partially thrombosed aneurysm of the medial marginal vein, and briefly review the imaging characteristics and treatment options of this entity. Being aware of the existence of superficial venous aneurysms may help clinicians in their differential diagnosis of foot masses and choice of appropriate treatment.
Development of Polyoxyethylene Zwitterionic Surfactants for High‐Salinity High‐Temperature Reservoirs
Authors: Kamal Muhammad Shahzad , Hussain Syed M. Shakil , Fogang Lionel Talley , Malik Izhar A.
Published: March 2019

Substantial efforts are underway to improve the recovery factor from existing oil reserves to meet the ever‐growing global oil demand. Surfactants are known to increase oil recovery through reducing interfacial tension (IFT) and/or altering the rock wettability. The selection of surfactants for high‐salinity high‐temperature oil fields is a challenging task owing to poor thermal stability, precipitation, and adsorption of surfactants on reservoir rocks. Sulfobetaine‐based polyoxyethylene zwitterionic surfactants have shown excellent thermal and surface properties. However, their solubility in high‐salinity brines becomes poor particularly with a long hydrophobic tail (>C17). Recently, we synthesized such types of surfactants by incorporating ethylene oxide (EO) units into the hydrophobic tail, which improved the solubility in formation water (213,734 ppm) and seawater (SW) (57,643 ppm). In this work, we investigated the IFT, thermal stability, rheological behavior, and foaming properties of two polyoxyethylene zwitterionic surfactants having different degrees of ethoxylation. Aging experiments exhibited excellent thermal stability and no change in the chemical structure was detected. The surfactant with lesser EO units (EASB‐1a) showed a lower IFT compared to the surfactant with higher EO units (EASB‐1b). Rheological studies revealed that the addition of both surfactants reduced the viscosity of the acrylamide copolymer. However, the effect of EASB‐1a was more prominent compared to that of EASB‐1b. The surfactant with a higher degree of ethoxylation showed lower adsorption compared to the surfactant with a lesser degree of ethoxylation. Both surfactants showed excellent foamability and foam stability compared to the commercial surfactants. Excellent thermal stability, water solubility under harsh reservoir conditions, foaming properties, and lower adsorption make them a suitable choice for high‐temperature, high‐salinity reservoirs.
Primary production, carbon release, and respiration during spring bloom in the Baltic Sea
Authors: Spilling Kristian , Fuentes‐Lema Antonio , Quemaliños Daniel , Klais Riina , Sobrino Cristina
Published: March 2019

We determined the gross and net primary production (GPP and NPP) for the total community and the < 10 μm size fraction, the net release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and the microbial respiration in the Baltic Sea during the spring bloom. Samples (n = 126) were taken from the surface (3 m depth) covering most subbasins and different phases of the bloom, defined by the inorganic nutrient and Chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations. During the course of the bloom, the NPP rate (i.e., growth rate) decreased from 0.34 d−1 ± 0.03 (SE) to 0.15 d−1 ± 0.02 (SE), the contribution of the < 10 μm fraction increased from 14% ± 2.5 (SE) to 47% ± 4.0 (SE) and the percent extracellular release (PER) increased from 3.8% ± 0.7 (SE) to 8.9% ± 1.5 (SE). The assimilation number, was on average 0.13 mol C (g Chl a)−1 h−1 ± 0.01 (SE), and the average GPP:NPP rate was 1.25. The respiration increased with growth rate and was 21% of the GPP rate. The net release of DOC was relatively constant over the bloom phases, with increasing PER compensating for the reduction in biomass, and estimated to 24–36 μmol DOC L−1 during the whole spring bloom period in all subbasins except in the Bay of Bothnia where it was 75% lower. The assimilation number was surprisingly stable, suggesting it is uncoupled from the inorganic nutrient concentration, likely a reflection of physiological acclimation and changing phytoplankton community.
A model to predict ventilator requirement in myotonic dystrophy type 1
Authors: Vivekananda Umesh , Turner Chris
Published: March 2019

Introduction

Respiratory failure is one of the most common causes of mortality in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). The variation in the DM1 phenotype causes difficulty in clinically predicting the severity of respiratory involvement, and variables such as daytime somnolence are insensitive for identifying patients who require continuous or bilevel nocturnal positive airway pressure (NPAP).

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 126 adult onset patients with DM1 at the point of their first respiratory assessment to identify significant factors in predicting ventilator requirement.

Results

Triplet repeat years score and Muscle Impairment Rating Scale were significantly linearly related to NPAP and, thus, formed the model.

Discussion

We devised a simple model to aid clinicians in predicting at first visit those patients with DM1 who are likely to require NPAP. We also describe the causes of failure to tolerate NPAP in DM1. Muscle Nerve 59:683–687, 2019
Repetitive nerve stimulation testing in myasthenic crisis
Authors: Juel Vern C.
Published: March 2019

See article on pages 544–548 in this issue.
Phenotype may predict the clinical course of facioscapolohumeral muscular dystrophy
Authors: Ricci Giulia , Cammish Philip , Siciliano Gabriele , Tupler Rossella , Lochmuller Hanns , Evangelista Teresinha
Published: March 2019

Introduction

The correct phenotypic classification of patients with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is crucial for directing genetic diagnosis and for the definition of outcome measures in clinical trials.

Methods

Our objective was to ascertain the utility of the Comprehensive Clinical Evaluation Form (CCEF), the clinical classification proposed by the Italian Clinical Network for FSHD, in an independent FSHD patient population from the UK FSHD Patient Registry. We subdivided the patients into group 1, classic FSHD phenotype/category A of CCEF, and group 2, facial sparing phenotypes/category B1 of CCEF.

Results

Among 642 patients with FSHD1, 68.1% reported facial and shoulder weakness, whereas 24.1% reported shoulder weakness without facial impairment. The phenotype in group 2 was milder, with a higher mean age at onset (P < 0.0001) and less severe motor disability.

Discussion

Patients with different FSHD phenotypes may have different disease courses. Muscle Nerve 59:711–713, 2019
Assessing anxiety and its correlates in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: The state‐trait anxiety inventory
Authors: Siciliano Mattia , Trojano Luigi , Trojsi Francesca , Monsurrò Maria Rosaria , Tedeschi Gioacchino , Santangelo Gabriella
Published: March 2019

Introduction: We evaluated: (1) psychometric properties of State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y (STAI Form Y); (2) clinical correlates of state and trait anxiety; (3) associations of anxiety with quality of life (QoL) dimensions.Methods: We assessed 159 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) on STAI Form Y and on tests and questionnaires for depression, apathy, QoL, and cognitive abilities.Results: Clinically diagnosed anxiety (by Mini International Neuropsychiatric Inventory) occurred in 30 (19%) patients. STAI Form Y fitted a 2‐factor structure and showed good psychometric properties. State and trait anxiety were weakly associated with female sex, bulbar functional decay, and cognitive decline in language and memory; trait anxiety was associated with lower educational attainment and poorer scores on visuospatial tasks. State and trait anxiety were associated with poorer physical and psychosocial QoL dimensions.Conclusions: Anxiety is tightly associated with QoL in ALS, and can be reliably assessed by STAI Form Y.Muscle Nerve, 2019
Portable fixed dynamometry to quantify ankle dorsiflexion force
Authors: Mauracher Marita E. , Asmussen Michael J. , Nigg Sandro R. , Omu Onutobor , Jarvis Scott E.
Published: March 2019

Introduction: Quantifying muscle strength is critical in clinical and research settings. A rapid and objective method is ideal. The primary objective of this study was to examine the reliability of a novel device, the rapid objective quantification― tibialis anterior (ROQ‐TA), which quantifies the dorsiflexion force of the tibialis anterior, and to assess its validity against isokinetic dynamometry (IKD). Methods: Ankle dorsiflexion of 20 healthy subjects was assessed by 3 modalities, ROQ‐TA, manual muscle testing, and isokinetic dynamometry, over 2 testing sessions. Results: The intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC(2,1)] for reliability was 0.872 (0.677–0.949) for the ROQ‐TA and 0.892 (0.728–0.957) for IKD. For validity, the ICC(2,1) values for the ROQ‐TA and IKD were in good agreement, with 0.672 (0.17–0.87) in the first testing session and 0.769 (0.42–0.91) in the second session. Discussion: The ROQ‐TA is a valid and reliable device to test ankle dorsiflexion force in a healthy population. Muscle Nerve, 2018
Robust guaranteed cost control for time‐delay fractional‐order neural networks systems
Authors: Thuan Mai Viet , Huong Dinh Cong
Published: March 2019

In this paper, we investigate the problem of guaranteed cost control of uncertain fractional‐order neural networks systems with time delays. By employing the Lyapunov‐Razumikhin theorem, a sufficient condition for designing a state‐feedback controller which makes the closed‐loop system asymptotically stable and guarantees an adequate cost level of performance is derived in terms of bilinear matrix inequalities. Two numerical examples are given to show the effectiveness of the obtained results.
Experimental investigation of transverse permeability applied to liquid molding
Authors: Trindade Rafael Scheer , Ribeiro Affonso Calsing , Souza Jeferson Avila , Amico Sandro Campos
Published: March 2019

The study of transverse permeability of fibrous reinforcements has become increasingly important when liquid‐molding processes started being more widely employed to obtain more complex‐shaped or thick parts. In this paper, a system has been specially built to measure transverse permeability of fabrics with different characteristics based on the correlation between pressure difference and flow rate. Influence of preform thickness and working fluid on permeability was initially evaluated to validate the measurements. Next, the effect of fiber type and fiber volume fraction on permeability was investigated. In‐plane permeability of the reinforcements was also measured to study the relative importance between in‐plane and transverse permeabilities within a fiber content range, which varied differently for the various reinforcements. The results were discussed with the aid of fiber compaction experiments and micrographs. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:3938–3946, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers
Free volume defects and transport properties of mechanically stable polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane embedded poly(vinyl alcohol)‐poly(ethylene oxide) blend membranes
Authors: Swapna Valiya Parambath , Nambissan Padinharu Madathil Gopalakrishnan , Thomas Selvin P , Vayyaprontavida Kaliyathan Abitha , Jose Thomasukutty , George Soney C , Thomas Sabu , Stephen Ranimol
Published: March 2019

Polymer membrane based gas transport and pervaporation processes are fast growing areas in separation technology and have received wide attention as areas of ‘clean technology’. Mechanically stable novel polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) embedded poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) blend membranes were prepared by solution blending followed by casting. The addition of carboxymethyl cellulose enhanced the interfacial activities of the PVA and PEO blends. The peripheral organic substituent on POSS plays a key role in achieving compatibility with polymers whereas the rigid Si–O–Si core of POSS imparts high mechanical strength. Compared to PVA membrane, poly(ethylene glycol) and octa(tetramethylammonium) functionalized POSS embedded PVA/PEO membranes exhibit 680% and 580% enhancement in Young's modulus as well as 130% and 140% improvement in tensile strength respectively. The Einstein, Kerner and Frankel–Acrivos models were applied to compare the experimental and theoretical Young's modulus of PVA‐PEO/POSS membranes. The presence of an ethylene oxide tail on POSS as well as PEO in the blend membrane enhances the CO2 affinity of the membrane. The presence of a hydrophilic functional group on the POSS improves the hydrophilicity of the membrane and produces more binding sites for water molecules in the membrane during the pervaporation separation of a tetrahydrofuran–water azeotropic mixture. The transport properties of the membrane are further elucidated by means of free volume defect analysis carried out by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy and coincidence Doppler broadening spectroscopy. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Insight into shear‐induced modification for improving processability of polymers: Effect of shear rate on the evolution of entanglement state
Authors: Fu Jiaxin , Wang Yingxiong , Shen Kaizhi , Fu Qiang , Zhang Jie
Published: March 2019

Many experimental results have revealed that the re‐entanglement kinetics of disentangled polymers is much slower than that predicted by tube theory. This retarded recovery of fully entangled state is of practical significance that shear‐induced modification may offer a way to improve processability for a polymer by reducing viscosity. This work tried to figure out the shear‐rate dependence variation of viscosity in the view of evolution of entanglement state through disentanglement and re‐entanglement, aiming to provide fundamental insights into application prospect of shear‐induced modification in preparing “in‐pellet” disentangled polymers prior to final processing. High‐density polyethylene was sheared on a parallel‐plate rotational rheometer with a linearly increased shear rate. Results showed that higher shear rate could induce further disentanglement, resulting in a lower viscosity with a reduction rate up to 93.7%, larger molecular weight between entanglements Me, and longer re‐entanglement time. Additionally, less entanglement would give a larger lamellar thickness of sheared samples after nonisothermal crystallization. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019, 57, 598–606
Spray coverage and pest management efficacy of a solid set canopy delivery system in high density apples
Authors: Owen‐Smith Paul , Perry Ronald , Wise John , Jamil Raja Zalinda Raja , Gut Larry , Sundin George , Grieshop Matthew
Published: March 2019

BACKGROUND

Air blast sprayers are not optimized for spraying the short statured trees in modern apple orchards, resulting in off target drift and variable coverage. A solid set canopy delivery system (SSCDS) consisting of a microsprayer array distributed throughout the orchard was investigated as a replacement agrochemical application method in this study. SSCDS's have the potential to optimize coverage, rapidly spray applications, and remove the operator and tractor from the orchard.

RESULTS

Air blast and SSCDS applications were compared using water sensitive paper, bioassays, and pest damage assessments. Pest management and coverage were compared using application volumes of 700 and 795 L ha−1, respectively. In 2013, adaxial coverage measurements showed no difference between the treatments, but air blast sprayers had higher coverage levels on the abaxial surfaces. There were no significant differences in coverage in 2014. Bioassays using Choristoneura rosaceana fed on leaf discs treated by the SSCDS displayed 95.8% mortality in 2013 and 94.2% mortality in 2014, and air blast treated larval mortality was 95% in 2013 and 100% in 2014. Damage evaluations in both years generally showed no significant differences between the air blast plots and the SSCDS plots, but significant differences between the treated plots and untreated control.

CONCLUSIONS

The prototype SSCDS was an effective pest management tool in high density apples, and offered a number of advantages over an air blast. Further engineering and research into coverage optimization would offer producers a novel tool for foliar agrochemical applications. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Humid‐thermal index for a new management approach of Ommatissus lybicus
Authors: Al Shidi Rashid , Kumar Lalit , Al‐Khatri Salim AH
Published: March 2019

BACKGROUND

The Dubas bug, Ommatissus lybicus, is a serious insect pest for the date palm Phoenix dactylifera in Oman and other date palm growing countries throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Climate is a key factor affecting the insect population dynamics, including O. lybicus. There are limited studies of O. lybicus relating to microclimate. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency of the various humid thermal indices (HTIs) and daily accumulation of temperature and humidity to model the relationship with O. lybicus.

RESULTS

The highly infested locations showed a strong relationship with cumulative daily mean relative humidity (RhCm), followed by daily minimum temperature (Tmin) for pooled data over two seasons. The next best regression models for the relationship between the infestation and climate was with the absolute factors, daily maximum humidity (Rhmx) and daily minimum humidity (Rhmin), compared with HTIm/m (ratio of mean humidity to mean temperature) for the autumn season. The best regression model for the spring season was daily mean humidity (Rhm) and daily maximum temperature (Tmax).

CONCLUSION

Daily cumulative temperature was the best predictive model for O. lybicus infestation on date palms, considering the microclimate data at each location separately. The predication model points to the areas that are prone to infestation and need focus for monitoring and allocation of management resources. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Two‐part models for cost with zeros to decompose effects of covariates on probability of cost, mean nonzero cost, and mean total cost
Authors: Liu Wenhui , Grunwald Gary K. , Ho P. Michael
Published: March 2019

Health care cost data often contain many zero values, for patients who did not use any care. Two‐part models with logistic models for part I, probability of use (ie, nonzero cost) and log‐link models for part II, mean cost of use (ie, nonzero cost) are often used. Effects of exposures or covariates on total (marginal) cost are often of interest, and recent work has proposed useful methods. Factors that affect total cost do so through a combination of effects on probability of use and cost of use. Such a decomposition is needed to understand and act on factors that affect total cost, but little work has been done on this question. This paper presents two new methods for decomposing effects on total cost, namely, an adjusted approach based on log‐binomial models for part I and a population average approach based on counterfactual arguments. Extensive simulations illustrate performance, interpretation, and robustness over a wide range of data features. The method is applied to risk‐adjusted 30‐day outpatient cardiac cost for patients following percutaneous coronary intervention from the Department of Veterans Affairs Clinical Assessment, Reporting, and Tracking Program. Results illustrate the simple decomposition of effects on total cost into components for probability of use and cost of use.
1 + 1′ > 2: Heteronuclear Biatom Catalyst Outperforms Its Homonuclear Counterparts for CO Oxidation
Authors: Li Fengyu , Liu Xinying , Chen Zhongfang
Published: March 2019

By means of density functional theory (DFT) computations, the CO/O2 adsorption and CO oxidation pathways on the biatom catalyst, namely the heteronuclear Fe1Cu1@C2N, in comparison with its homonuclear counterparts Fe2@C2N and Cu2@C2N are systemically investigated. The reactions of O2 dissociation and CO oxidization with preadsorbed CO or O2 are comparably studied. The computations find that the heteronuclear species Fe1Cu1@C2N possesses high stabilities and is feasible to be synthesized experimentally. More importantly, the heteronuclear Fe1Cu1@C2N catalyst has even better catalytic activity toward CO oxidation than its homonuclear counterparts, especially, without suffering the CO‐poisoning problem. Considering the myriad of unexplored heteronuclear dimers that can be potentially anchored at appropriate supports, this work opens a new avenue and provides a useful guideline for further developing bimetal‐based nanocatalysts.
Immersive Versus Nonimmersive Approaches to TESOL: A Classroom‐Based Intervention Study
Authors: Brown Amanda , Lally Robert
Published: March 2019

The critical importance of second language (L2) input, output, and interaction inTESOLnotwithstanding, the decision between immersive (L2‐English only) versus nonimmersive approaches is considered “the most fundamental question facing second language acquisition (SLA) researchers, language teachers, and policymakers” (Macaro, 2014, p. 10). This intervention‐based study asked which approach—immersive versus nonimmersive—facilitates acquisition of English as a second language. A longitudinal 15‐week study in a U.S. university context contrasted an immersive control condition with a nonimmersive treatment condition at two levels of proficiency (low‐intermediate B1 and high‐intermediate B2/C1). Examination of student learning outcomes revealed no significant differences between the treatment and control groups in overall course grades, seven measures of paragraph‐level writing and three evenly spaced exams in the low‐intermediate class, and five measures of genre‐based writing and two presentational speaking assignments in the high‐intermediate class. Analyses of standardized course evaluations revealed an association between higher student ratings and participation in the treatment groups, specifically regarding the extent to which the researcher‐practitioner facilitated discussion. In a reflective journal, the researcher‐practitioner noted general fidelity to condition, no qualitative differences in the quality of student performance, and possible differences in the speed of assignment completion and willingness to use the first language.
The pre‐eminence of gold and silver as Shariah money
Authors: Krichene Noureddine , Ghassan Hassan Belkacem
Published: March 2019

Shariah money is gold and silver, supplied by the market on profit criterion. Everywhere, government inconvertible paper money arose from bankruptcy. A government with balanced budgets would never need it. Imposed by force, inconvertible paper is a taxation mean, highly inflationary, and causes impoverishment. Unjust and bankrupt governments will continue to force this despotic money. Islamic Monetary Economics refutes the idea of money as a policy tool. Fully convertible paper is Shariah compliant. Shariah requires a just government to balance its budgets and restore fully gold and silver as lawful money.
Antioxidant and anti‐apoptotic effects of royal jelly against nicotine‐induced testicular injury in mice
Authors: Azad Farnam , Nejati Vahid , Shalizar‐Jalali Ali , Najafi Gholamreza , Rahmani Fatemeh
Published: March 2019

This study describes the effects of royal jelly (RJ) on testicular injury induced by nicotine (NIC) in mice. Thirty‐six male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into six groups (n = 6). Group 1 received normal saline, group 2 received 100 mg/kgBW/day RJ, groups 3 and 4 received NIC at doses of 0.50 and 1.00 mg/kgBW/day, respectively, and groups 5 and 6 received NIC at doses of 0.50 and 1.00 mg/kg BW/day, respectively, plus RJ. Following 35 days, the serum level of testosterone, histopathological changes, germ cell apoptosis, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and antioxidant indexes including total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and catalase (CAT) activity were determined. In addition, the mitochondria‐dependent apoptosis was investigated by assessing the Bcl‐2, p53, and Caspase‐3 mRNA levels expression by reverse transcription‐PCR (RT‐PCR). Compared to NIC receiving groups, the concomitant administration of RJ could protect the testosterone reduction and histological damages. After RJ treatment, the level of tissue MDA content decreased, while tissue TAC and CAT levels were remarkably increased compared to NIC‐exposed groups. Remarkable higher TUNEL‐positive germ cells and low PCNA index were observed in NIC receiving groups. Besides, the expression level of Bcl‐2 was significantly higher and the p53 and Caspase‐3 levels were significantly lower in the RJ co‐administration groups than NIC‐only receiving groups. Our results confirmed that RJ effectively protects the testis against NIC evoked damages by antioxidant and anti‐apoptotic effects involving the up regulation of the antioxidant status, mitochondria‐dependent apoptosis pathway prevention, and the proliferating activity improvement.
A general classification of Starobinsky-like inflationary avatars of SU(2,1)/SU(2)×U(1) no-scale supergravity
Authors: Ellis John , Nanopoulos Dimitri V. , Olive Keith A. , Verner Sarunas
Published: March 2019

Abstract

Measurements of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) favour models of inflation with a small tensor-to-scalar ratio r, as predicted by the Starobinsky R + R
2 model. It has been shown previously that various models based on no-scale supergravity with different forms of superpotential make predictions similar to those of the Starobinsky model. In this paper we present a unified and general treatment of Starobinsky avatars of no-scale supergravity, using the underlying non-compact SU(2,1)/SU(2)×U(1) symmetry to demonstrate equivalences between different models, exhibiting 6 specific equivalence classes.
Confinement in 3d $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 Spin(N) gauge theories with vector and spinor matters
Authors: Nii Keita
Published: March 2019

Abstract

We present various confinement phases in three-dimensional

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

= 2 Spin(N) gauge theories with vector and spinor matters. The quantum Coulomb branch in the moduli space of vacua is drastically modified when the rank of the gauge group and the matter contents are changed. In many examples, the Coulomb branch is one- or two-dimensional but its interpretation varies. In some examples, the Coulomb branch becomes three-dimensional and we need to introduce a “dressed” Coulomb branch operator.
Managing cardiotoxicity associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors
Authors: Upadhrasta Sireesha , Elias Hadi , Patel Keval , Zheng Lei
Published: March 2019

Immuno‐oncology is a fast evolving field of cancer therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are clearly a breakthrough in this field. Cardiotoxicity with conventional anti‐cancer therapies has been well studied in the past and clear guidelines for management of these side effects are available in the literature. However, cardiotoxicity with novel agents such as ICIs has been fairly under‐reported and/or underestimated and we are yet to formulate clear guidelines for management of these rare side effects. In the last few years, there has been an overall increase in the number of cases of cardiotoxicity related to ICIs. In this literature review, we describe the mechanism of action of the most widely used ICIs and their related cardiotoxicities. The increase in number of case reports about the potential of cardiotoxicities with these novel agents clearly indicates the need for a new insight into the field of cardio‐immuno‐oncology.
DONALDSON–THOMAS INVARIANTS OF LOCAL ELLIPTIC SURFACES VIA THE TOPOLOGICAL VERTEX
Authors: BRYAN JIM , KOOL MARTIJN
Published: March 2019

We compute the Donaldson–Thomas invariants of a local elliptic surface with section. We introduce a new computational technique which is a mixture of motivic and toric methods. This allows us to write the partition function for the invariants in terms of the topological vertex. Utilizing identities for the topological vertex proved in Bryan et al. [‘Trace identities for the topological vertex’, Selecta Math. (N.S.)24 (2) (2018), 1527–1548, arXiv:math/1603.05271], we derive product formulas for the partition functions. The connected version of the partition function is written in terms of Jacobi forms. In the special case where the elliptic surface is a K3 surface, we get a derivation of the Katz–Klemm–Vafa formula for primitive curve classes which is independent of the computation of Kawai–Yoshioka.
The Politics of Documentary Photography: Three Theoretical Perspectives
Authors: Hodson Dermot
Published: March 2019

Photographers are often inspired by politics but can they influence it? Drawing on the study of public policy and the history of photography, this article considers three ways in which documentary photographers enter the policy process. It considers the photographer as: a bureaucrat working within government networks to achieve individual and institutional aims; an advocate working with like-minded actors to advance shared political beliefs; an expert working within an epistemic community driven by a shared policy enterprise. These roles highlight the institutional channels through which photographers seek and sometimes secure political change and the contradictions and constraints they face in so doing. These contrasting perspectives are discussed with reference to the work of canonical and contemporary photographers engaged in national and international politics from 1890 to today.
Upward versus downward non-Boussinesq turbulent fountains
Authors: Vaux Samuel , Mehaddi Rabah , Vauquelin Olivier , Candelier Fabien
Published: March 2019

Turbulent miscible fountains discharged vertically from a round source into quiescent uniform unbounded environments of density $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C}_{0}$ are investigated numerically using large-eddy simulations. Both upward and downward fountains are considered. The numerical simulations cover a wide range of the density ratio $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C}_{i}/\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C}_{0}$, where $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C}_{i}$ is the source density of the released fluid. These simulations are used to evaluate how the initial maximum height $H_{i}$ and the steady state height $H_{ss}$ of the fountains are affected by large density contrasts, i.e. in the general non-Boussinesq case. For both upward and downward non-Boussinesq fountains, the ratio $\unicode[STIX]{x1D706}=H_{i}/H_{ss}$ remains close to $1.45$, as usually observed for Boussinesq fountains. However the Froude (linear) scaling originally introduced by Turner (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 26 (4), 1966, pp. 779–792) for Boussinesq fountains is no longer valid to determine the steady fountain height. The ratio between $H_{ss}$ and the height predicted by the Turner’s relation turns out to be proportional to $(\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C}_{i}/\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C}_{0})^{n}$. Remarkably, it is found that the power exponent $n$ differs following the direction in which the buoyant fluid is released ($n=1/2$ for downward fountains and $n=3/4$ for upward fountains). This new result demonstrates that for non-Boussinesq turbulent fountains the configurations heavy/light and light/heavy are not equivalent. Finally, scalings are proposed for fountains, regardless of the direction (upwards and downwards) and of the density difference (Boussinesq and non-Boussinesq).
Turbulence decay in a supersonic boundary layer subjected to a transverse sonic jet
Authors: Sun Mingbo , Liu Yuan , Hu Zhiwei
Published: March 2019

The turbulence state in a supersonic boundary layer subjected to a transverse sonic jet is studied by conducting direct numerical simulations. Turbulence statistics for two jet-to-cross-flow momentum flux ratios $(J)$ of 2.3 and 5.5 based on the previous simulation (Sun & Hu, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 850, 2018, pp. 551–583) are given and compared with a flat-plate boundary layer without a jet $(J=0.0)$. The instantaneous and time-averaged flow features around the transverse jet in the supersonic boundary layer are analysed. It is found that, in the near-wall region, turbulence is suppressed significantly with increasing $J$ in the lateral boundary layer around the jet and the turbulence decay is retained in the downstream recovery region. The local boundary-layer thickness decreases noticeably in the lateral downstream of the jet. Analysis of the cross-flow streamlines reveals a double-expansion character in the vicinity of the jet, which involves the reattachment expansion related to the flow over the jet windward separation bubble and the jet lateral expansion related to the flow around the jet barrel shock. The double expansion leads to the turbulence decay in the jet lateral boundary layer and causes a slow recovery of the outer layer in the far-field boundary layer. A preliminary experiment based on the nanoparticle laser scattering technique is conducted and confirms the existence of the turbulence decay phenomenon.
Fat from dairy foods and ‘meat’ consumed within recommended levels is associated with favourable serum cholesterol levels in institutionalised older adults
Authors: Liu Yusi , Poon Shirley , Seeman Ego , Hare David L. , Bui Minh , Iuliano Sandra
Published: March 2019

CVD is common in older adults. Consumption of ‘meat’ (beef, pork, lamb, game, poultry, seafood, eggs) and dairy foods (milk, cheese, yoghurt) is encouraged in older adults as these foods provide protein and nutrients such as essential fatty acids, Ca, Fe, Zn and vitamins A, D and B12 required for healthy ageing. However, these foods also contain saturated fats considered detrimental to cardiovascular health. To determine the effect of their consumption on CVD risk we assessed associations between fat intake from ‘meat’ and dairy foods and serum cholesterol levels in 226 aged-care residents (mean age 85·5 years, 70 % female). Dietary intake was determined over 2 d using visual estimation of plate waste. Fat content of foods was determined using nutrition analysis software (Xyris, Australia). Fasting serum total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol were measured, and the TC:HDL-cholesterol ratio calculated. Associations were determined using random-effect models adjusted for CVD risk factors using STATA/IC 13.0. Total fat and saturated fat from ‘meat’ and dairy foods were associated with higher serum HDL-cholesterol levels, and dairy fat intake and number of servings were associated with a lower TC:HDL-cholesterol ratio. Every 10 g higher intake of fat and saturated fat from dairy products, and each additional serving was associated with a −0·375 (95 % CI −0·574, −0·175; P = 0·0002), a −0·525 (95 % CI −0·834, −0·213; P = 0·001) and a −0·245 (95 % CI −0·458, −0·033; P = 0·024) lower TC:HDL-cholesterol ratio, respectively. Provision of dairy foods and ‘meat’ in recommended amounts to institutionalised older adults potentially improves intakes of key nutrients with limited detriment to cardiovascular health.