bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What does popular media have to tell us about the future of seafood?
Authors: Van Holt Tracy , Weisman Wendy , Käll Sofia , Crona Beatrice , Vergara Rodrigo
Published: May 2018

We examined ∼300 newspaper and business‐oriented articles published over a 10‐year period to assess trends in how seafood “sustainability” is talked about. We mapped key concepts relating to seafood sustainability as the word was used. We asked if the reports provided evidence that perceptions of problems or solutions for sustainability in seafood have changed over time. What were emergent areas of interest, and what concepts relevant to sustainable fisheries and seafood were absent in the reports? The number of reports concerning sustainability that focused on the middle of the supply chain (e.g., primary processors and importers) increased over time; certification was cited as both part of sustainability problems and a solution. We observed very little change over time in the kinds of fishery and seafood problems reported in the media sampled; themes consistently focused on environmental aspects of fisheries (social wellbeing aspects did not appear in the sample as linked with the term “sustainability”); and very few media reports on sustainable seafood cited aquaculture as a solution. We discuss the gap between what many researchers may perceive as the state‐of‐the‐art of ideas and communication in seafood sustainability, and what appeared empirically in media during the period under study.
Liver transplantation for neonatal‐onset citrullinemia
Authors: Vara Roshni , Dhawan Anil , Deheragoda Maesha , Grünewald Stephanie , Pierre Germaine , Heaton Nigel D , Vilca‐Melendez Hector , Hadžić Nedim
Published: May 2018

Citrullinemia or ASS deficiency in its classical form presents in the neonatal period with poor feeding, hyperammonemia, encephalopathy, seizures, and if untreated can be fatal. Despite advances in medical therapy, neurocognitive outcomes remain suboptimal. LT has emerged as a potential management option. A retrospective single‐center review identified 7 children with a median age of 1.1 years (range, 0.6‐5.8) at referral. Five children presented clinically, and 2 were treated prospectively from birth due to positive family history. All patients received standard medical and dietary therapy prior to LT. The indications for LT were frequent metabolic decompensations in 4, elective in 2, and ALF in 1. The median age at LT was 2.4 years (range, 1.3‐6.5). Five patients received 6 left lateral segment grafts, one a live unrelated donor left lateral segment as an APOLT graft, and one a cadaveric whole liver graft as APOLT. One child required retransplantation due to hepatic artery thrombosis. Graft and patient survival were 86% and 100%, respectively. Median follow‐up is 3.1 years (range, 0.1‐4.1), and the median age at follow‐up is 5.5 years (range, 4.0‐9.8). There have been no metabolic decompensations in 6 children, while 1 patient (with APOLT) developed asymptomatic hyperammonemia with no clinical or histological signs of liver injury, requiring additional medical therapy. Our medium‐term experience following LT in citrullinemia is favorable, demonstrating a positive transformation of the clinical phenotype.
Does soil warming affect the interaction between Pasteuria penetrans and Meloidogyne javanica in tomato plants?
Authors: Lopes E. A. , Orr J. N. , Blok V. C.
Published: May 2018

A system to grow tomato plants infected by Meloidogyne javanica under constant temperatures of 18, 21, 24, 27 and 30 °C was developed and used to assess how temperature and the application of the biological control bacterium Pasteuria penetrans affected plant growth, the nematode population and endospore production. Each plant was inoculated with 300 second‐stage juveniles (J2) with four or five spores of P. penetrans attached to their cuticles or with 300 nematodes without P. penetrans. Increasing soil temperature increased tomato growth, the number of endospores per female, and the number of galls of M. javanica at the end of 38 days. Increasing temperatures up to 27 °C also increased the number of egg masses produced by M. javanica. Presence of P. penetrans reduced the numbers of galls and egg masses at all temperatures by up to 52.2% and 61.4% at 27 and 30 °C, respectively. Pasteuria penetrans reduced the M. javanica population even at soil temperatures of 18 and 21 °C. However, temperatures of 27 and 30 °C enhanced nematode control and the production of P. penetrans endospores is faster. The system developed in this work is simple and efficient for growing plants under constant temperatures and can be used for different purposes.
Recent developments in China's labor market: Labor shortage, rising wages and their implications
Authors: Cui Yuming , Meng Jingjing , Lu Changrong
Published: May 2018

China's abundant supply of cheap labor has played an important role in its remarkable economic and social development. Recently, however, China has experienced a labor shortage and rising wages, implying that the country's long‐lasting competitive advantage based on its “unlimited” labor supply and low costs is vanishing. We find that structural demographic changes, regional economic growth disparities and the household registration system may have caused the labor shortage. Furthermore, China's continued low wages, relatively low labor share of gross national income, declining proportion of household consumption to GDP, and productivity improvements as well as increasing unit labor costs can be used to explain the recent wage increases. The dramatic development of its labor market signals that China is entering a new stage of economic development. The country's prior successful model of economic development needs to be adjusted to adapt to the new situation in its labor market to achieve sustainable economic development.
Collaboration among eldercare workers: barriers, facilitators and supporting processes
Authors: Jakobsen Louise M. , Albertsen Karen , Jorgensen Anette F. B. , Greiner Birgit A. , Rugulies Reiner
Published: May 2018

To retain qualified care workers and to ensure high‐quality care for residents in eldercare homes, well‐functioning collaboration among care workers is pivotal. This study aims to identify barriers and facilitators of collaboration among eldercare workers and to describe the processes leading to well‐functioning collaboration. We collected focus group data from 33 eldercare workers from seven Danish eldercare homes. We found that collaboration was hampered by a number of formal and informal divisions among care workers. To ensure well‐functioning collaboration, social and professional relations among care workers needed to be dealt with actively by care workers and by managers. The analysis showed that managers are essential for creating a well‐functioning framework around the collaboration between care workers by providing guidelines and procedures for working across various divisions, by being attentive to care workers and taking decisive action when needed and by dealing with conflicts in the workgroups.
Quantitative dogmatism in character assessment and its implications for education: A case study of grit
Authors: Pryiomka Karyna
Published: May 2018

In a recent decade, research linking personality and character traits with educational and professional attainment led to a push for incorporating character and personality assessments into school curricula. This trend is exemplified in the partnership between positive psychology and character education, where grit, a personality/character trait denoting perseverance and passion for long‐term goals, represents one of the rapidly accepted, yet controversial, concepts. In this paper, the author conducts a critical literature review of grit, situating the construct in a larger historical context of personality testing and character education reform. The author argues that the construct validation practices employed by grit researchers create an epistemological climate where character studies and character education threaten to become yet another population sorting mechanism instead of advancing human agency.
p.R180C mutation of glycosyltransferase B leads to B subgroup, an in vitro and in silico study
Authors: Cai X. , Li F. , Lei H. , Qu S. , Qian C. , Xiang D. , Wei D.‐Q. , Wu W. , Xu Q. , Wang X.
Published: May 2018

Background and Objectives

Dysfunctional glycosyltransferase A or B may lead to incomplete glycosylation of H antigen and atypical ABO blood group with weak A or B phenotypes, posing challenges for blood typing for transfusion.

Materials and Methods

Serological studies and ABO gene analysis were performed. Flow cytometry was performed on HeLa cells transfected glycosyltransferase B expressing plasmids. Agglutination of transfected cells and total glycosyltransferase B transfer capacity were examined. Molecular dynamics simulations were used to explore possible dynamic conformational changes around the binding pocket.

Results

We identified a mutation c.538C>T (p. R180C) of B allele in a Chinese donor and his father with ABw phenotype. In vitro expression study showed that mutation p.R180C, although not affecting expression of glycosyltransferase B, impaired H to B antigen conversion. The in silico analyses found that the residue Arg180 on the internal loop next to the entry of the binding pocket may have its long side chain salt‐bridged with the highly flexible C‐terminal carboxyl and contribute to the catalysis of H to B antigen conversion.

Conclusion

The p.R180C mutation impairs the conversion from H to B antigen and leads to weak B phenotype. Dynamic interaction between Arg180 and C‐terminal of glycosyltransferase B may stabilize its binding with UDP‐galactose and facilitate H/B antigen conversion.
Refuge: transforming a broken refugee system
Authors: Pascucci Elisa
Published: May 2018

Can capitalism help refugees? Review of the book Refuge: transforming a broken refugee system by Betts & Collier, Penguin Random House, London, 2017, pp. 266. ISBN 9780241289235.
Can research quality be measured quantitatively? On quality of scholarship, numerical research indicators and academic publishing - experiences from Norway
Authors: Jones Michael Richard Handley
Published: May 2018

In this article I reflect on ways in which the neoliberal university and its administrative counterpart, new public management (NPM), affect academic publishing activity. One characteristic feature of NPM is the urge to use simple numerical indicators of research output as a tool to allocate funding and, in practice if not in theory, as a means of assessing research quality. This ranges from the use of journal impact factors (IF) and ranking of journals to publication points to determine what types of work in publishing is counted as meritorious for funding allocation. I argue that it is a fallacy to attempt to assess quality of scholarship through quantitative measures of publication output. I base my arguments on my experiences of editing a Norwegian geographical journal over a period of 16 years, along with my experiences as a scholar working for many years within the Norwegian university system.
Evaluating otherwise: hierarchies and opportunities in publishing practices
Authors: Ruez Derek
Published: May 2018

This short paper responds to the provocations set out in Kirsi Pauliina Kallio’s recent editorial on ‘Subtle radical moves in scientific publishing’ and emerges out of my participation in a Fennia-organized panel at the 2017 Nordic Geographers’ Meeting where participants reflected on the challenges and opportunities of creating a more equitable and pluralistic international publishing environment. Given the dominance of English language publishing in international academic work and the broader geopolitics of knowledge production through which some contexts, approaches, and modes of knowledge are regularly devalued, I suggest that—to the extent that publishing outlets are evaluated or ranked—they should be evaluated and ranked, in part, based on their contribution to a pluralistically international academy. This revaluation could help shape the informal assessments made by scholars in the context of hiring, funding, and other key decisions.  It could also be integrated into more formal channels, such as within the deliberations of the boards who produce publication rankings in, for example, Finland’s Publication Forum.  Such a tactic need not preclude other work to contest rankings hierarchies and audit cultures as they advance the neoliberalization of academic work, but it does 1) suggest the importance of paying attention to what and how scholars value when we evaluate publishing outlets and 2) point toward the potential of critical and creative engagement with the range of processes (i.e. indexing, accrediting, measuring, ranking etc.) that surround and subsist within academic publishing.
Socially just publishing: implications for geographers and their journals
Authors: Batterbury Simon
Published: May 2018

There have been a range of protests against the high journal subscription costs, and author processing charges (APCs) levied for publishing in the more prestigious and commercially run journals that are favoured by geographers. But open protests across the sector like the ‘Academic Spring’ of 2012, and challenges to commercial copyright agreements, have been fragmented and less than successful. I renew the argument for ‘socially just’ publishing in geography. For geographers this is not limited to choosing alternative publication venues. It also involves a considerable effort by senior faculty members that are assessing hiring and promotion cases, to read and assess scholarship independently of its place of publication, and to reward the efforts of colleagues that offer their work as a public good. Criteria other than the citation index and prestige of a journal need to be foregrounded. Geographers can also be publishers, and I offer my experience editing the free online Journal of Political Ecology.
Six sideways reflections on academic publishing
Authors: Kallio Kirsi Pauliina , Riding James
Published: May 2018

N/A
Whistle description of Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) in Bay of Brunei, Sarawak, Malaysia
Authors: Muhamad Hairul Masrini , Xu Xiaomei , Zhang Xuelei , Jaaman Saifullah Arifin , Muda Azmi Marzuki
Published: May 2018

Studies of Irrawaddy dolphins' acoustics assist in understanding the behaviour of the species and thereby conservation of this species. Whistle signals emitted by Irrawaddy dolphin within the Bay of Brunei in Malaysian waters were characterized. A total of 199 whistles were analysed from seven sightings between January and April 2016. Six types of whistles contours named constant, upsweep, downsweep, concave, convex, and sine were detected when the dolphins engaged in traveling, foraging, and socializing activities. The whistle durations ranged between 0.06 and 3.86 s. The minimum frequency recorded was 443 Hz [Mean = 6000 Hz, standard deviation (SD) = 2320 Hz] and the maximum frequency recorded was 16 071 Hz (Mean = 7139 Hz, SD = 2522 Hz). The mean frequency range (F.R.) for the whistles was 1148 Hz (Minimum F.R. = 0 Hz, Maximum F.R. = 4446 Hz; SD = 876 Hz). Whistles in the Bay of Brunei were compared with population recorded from the waters of Matang and Kalimantan. The comparisons showed differences in whistle duration, minimum frequency, start frequency, and number of inflection point. Variation in whistle occurrence and frequency may be associated with surface behaviour, ambient noise, and recording limitation. This will be an important element when planning a monitoring program.
Quantum measurement of a rapidly rotating spin qubit in diamond
Authors: Wood Alexander A. , Lilette Emmanuel , Fein Yaakov Y. , Tomek Nikolas , McGuinness Liam P. , Hollenberg Lloyd C. L. , Scholten Robert E. , Martin Andy M.
Published: May 2018

Single-qubit sensing in a physically rotating reference frame with defect centers in diamond.
To EBV or not to EBV: Rational vaccine design for a common infection
Authors: Henrickson Sarah E.
Published: May 2018

A human antibody that prevents EBV infection is identified by studying memory B cells that recognize core EBV fusion proteins.
Unprotonated Short-Chain Alkylamines Inhibit Staphylolytic Activity of Lysostaphin in a Wall Teichoic Acid-Dependent Manner
Authors: Wu Xia , Kwon Seok Joon , Kim Domyoung , Zha Jian , Mora-Pale Mauricio , Dordick Jonathan S.
Published: May 2018

Lysostaphin (Lst) is a potent bacteriolytic enzyme that kills
Staphylococcus aureus
, a common bacterial pathogen of humans and animals. With high activity against both planktonic cells and biofilms, Lst has the potential to be used in industrial products, such as commercial cleansers, for decontamination. However, Lst is inhibited in the presence of monoethanolamine (MEA), a chemical widely used in cleaning solutions and pharmaceuticals, and the underlying mechanism of inhibition remains unknown. In this study, we examined the cell binding and killing capabilities of Lst against
S. aureus
ATCC 6538 in buffered salt solution with MEA at different pH values (7.5 to 10.5) and discovered that only the unprotonated form of MEA inhibited Lst binding to the cell surface, leading to low Lst activity, despite retention of its secondary structure. This reduced enzyme activity could be largely recovered via a reduction in wall teichoic acid (WTA) biosynthesis through tunicamycin treatment, indicating that the suppression of Lst activity was dependent on the presence and amount of WTA. We propose that the decreased cell binding and killing capabilities of Lst are associated with the influence of uncharged MEA on the conformation of WTA. A similar effect was confirmed with other short-chain alkylamines. This study offers new insight into the impact of short-chain alkylamines on both Lst and WTA structure and function and provides guidance for the application of Lst in harsh environments.

IMPORTANCE
Lysostaphin (Lst) effectively and selectively kills
Staphylococcus aureus
, the bacterial culprit of many hospital- and community-acquired skin and respiratory infections and food poisoning. Lst has been investigated in animal models and clinical trials, industrial formulations, and environmental settings. Here, we studied the mechanistic basis of the inhibitory effect of alkylamines, such as monoethanolamine (MEA), a widely used chemical in commercial detergents, on Lst activity, for the potential incorporation of Lst in disinfectant solutions. We have found that protonated MEA has little influence on Lst activity, while unprotonated MEA prevents Lst from binding to
S. aureus
cells and hence dramatically decreases the enzyme's bacteriolytic efficacy. Following partial removal of the wall teichoic acid, an important component of the bacterial cell envelope, the inhibitory effect of unprotonated MEA on Lst is reduced. This phenomenon can be extended to other short-chain alkylamines. This mechanistic report of the impact of alkylamines on Lst functionality will help guide future applications of Lst in disinfection and decontamination of health-related commercial products.
Identification of Specific Components of the Eicosanoid Biosynthetic and Signaling Pathway Involved in Pathological Inflammation during Intra-abdominal Infection with Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Ikeh Mélanie A. C. , Fidel Paul L. , Noverr Mairi C.
Published: May 2018

Polymicrobial intra-abdominal infections (IAIs) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly when fungal pathogens are involved. Our experimental murine model of IAI involving intraperitoneal inoculation of
Candida albicans
and
Staphylococcus aureus
results in synergistic lethality (∼80%) due to exacerbated inflammation. Monomicrobial infection results in no mortality, despite a microbial burden and dissemination similar to those in a coinfection. In the coinfection model, the immunomodulatory eicosanoid prostaglandin E
2
(PGE
2
) was determined to be necessary and sufficient to induce mortality, implicating PGE
2
as the central mediator of the amplified inflammatory response. The aim of this study was to identify key components of the PGE
2
biosynthetic and signaling pathway involved in the inflammatory response and explore whether these can be targeted to prevent or reduce mortality. Using selective pharmacological inhibitors of cyclooxygenases (COX) or PGE
2
receptor antagonists in the
C. albicans
-
S. aureus
IAI mouse model, we found that inhibition of COX and/or blocking of PGE
2
receptor 1 (EP1) or PGE
2
receptor 3 (EP3) signaling reduced proinflammatory cytokine production, promoted interleukin-10 production, reduced cellular damage in the peritoneal cavity, and, most importantly, significantly improved survival. The greatest effect on survival was obtained by the simultaneous inhibition of COX-1 activity and EP1 and EP3 receptor signaling. Importantly, early inhibition of PGE
2
pathways dramatically improved the survival of fluconazole-treated mice compared with that achieved with fluconazole treatment alone. These findings indicate that COX-1 and the EP1 and EP3 receptors mediate the downstream pathological effects of PGE
2
during polymicrobial IAI and may serve as effective therapeutic targets.
Disruption of a Novel Iron Transport System Reverses Oxidative Stress Phenotypes of a
dpr
Mutant Strain of Streptococcus mutans
Authors: Ganguly Tridib , Kajfasz Jessica K. , Miller James H. , Rabinowitz Eric , Galvão Lívia C. C. , Rosalen Pedro L. , Abranches Jacqueline , Lemos José A.
Published: May 2018

The Dps-like peroxide resistance protein (Dpr) is essential for H
2
O
2
stress tolerance and aerobic growth of the oral pathogen
Streptococcus mutans
. Dpr accumulates during oxidative stress, protecting the cell by sequestering iron ions and thereby preventing the generation of toxic hydroxyl radicals that result from the interaction of iron with H
2
O
2
. Previously, we reported that the SpxA1 and SpxA2 regulators positively regulate expression of
dpr
in
S. mutans
. Using an antibody raised against
S. mutans
Dpr, we confirmed at the protein level the central and cooperative nature of SpxA1 and SpxA2 regulation in Dpr production. During phenotypic characterization of the
S. mutans
Δ
dpr
strain, we observed the appearance of distinct colony variants, which sometimes lost the oxidative stress sensitivity typical of Δ
dpr
strains. Whole-genome sequencing of these phenotypically distinct Δ
dpr
isolates revealed that a putative iron transporter operon,
smu995-smu998
, was a genomic hot spot with multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms identified within the different isolates. Deletion of
smu995
or the entire
smu995-smu998
operon in the Δ
dpr
background strain completely reversed the oxidative stress-sensitive phenotypes associated with
dpr
inactivation. Conversely, inactivation of genes encoding the ferrous iron transport system FeoABC did not alleviate phenotypes of the Δ
dpr
strain. Preliminary characterization of strains lacking
smu995-smu998
,
feoABC
, and the iron/manganese transporter gene
sloABC
revealed the interactive nature of these three systems in iron transport but also indicated that there may be additional iron uptake systems in
S. mutans
.

IMPORTANCE
The dental caries-associated pathogen
Streptococcus mutans
routinely encounters oxidative stress within the human plaque biofilm. Previous studies revealed that the iron-binding protein Dpr confers protection toward oxidative stress by limiting free iron availability, which is associated with the generation of toxic hydroxyl radicals. Here, we report the identification of spontaneously occurring mutations within Δ
dpr
strains. Several of those mutations were mapped to the operon
smu995-smu998
, revealing a previously uncharacterized system that appears to be important in iron acquisition. Disruption of the
smu995-smu998
operon resulted in reversion of the stress-sensitive phenotype typical of a Δ
dpr
strain. Our data suggest that the Smu995-Smu998 system works along with other known metal transport systems of
S. mutans
, i.e., FeoABC and SloABC, to coordinate iron uptake.
Measurement of Internal pH in Helicobacter pylori by Using Green Fluorescent Protein Fluorimetry
Authors: Wen Yi , Scott David R. , Vagin Olga , Tokhtaeva Elmira , Marcus Elizabeth A. , Sachs George
Published: May 2018

Helicobacter pylori
is an organism known to colonize the normal human stomach. Previous studies have shown that the bacterium does this by elevating its periplasmic pH via the hydrolysis of urea. However, the value of the periplasmic pH was calculated indirectly from the proton motive force equation. To measure the periplasmic pH directly in
H. pylori
, we fused enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) to the predicted twin-arginine signal peptides of HydA and KapA from
H. pylori
and TorA from
Escherichia coli
. The fusion proteins were expressed in the
H. pylori
genome under the control of the
cagA
promoter. Confocal microscopic and cell fractionation/immunoblotting analyses detected TorA-EGFP in the periplasm and KapA-EGFP in both the periplasm and cytoplasm, while the mature form of HydA-EGFP was seen at low levels in the periplasm, with major cytoplasmic retention of the precursor form. With
H. pylori
expressing TorA-EGFP, we established a system to directly measure periplasmic pH based on the pH-sensitive fluorimetry of EGFP. These measurements demonstrated that the addition of 5 mM urea has little effect on the periplasmic pH at a medium pH higher than pH 6.5 but rapidly increases the periplasmic pH to pH 6.1 at an acidic medium pH (pH 5.0), corresponding to the opening of the proton-gated channel, UreI, and confirming the basis of gastric colonization. Measurements of the periplasmic pH in an HP0244 (FlgS)-deficient mutant of
H. pylori
expressing TorA-EGFP revealed a significant loss of the urea-dependent increase in the periplasmic pH at an acidic medium pH, providing additional evidence that FlgS is responsible for recruitment of urease to the inner membrane in association with UreI.

IMPORTANCE
Helicobacter pylori
has been identified as the major cause of chronic superficial gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. In addition, persistent infection with
H. pylori
, which, if untreated, lasts for the lifetime of an infected individual, predisposes one to gastric malignancies, such as adenocarcinoma and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. A unique feature of the neutralophilic bacterium
H. pylori
is its ability to survive in the extremely acidic environment of the stomach through its acid acclimation mechanism. The presented results on measurements of periplasmic pH in
H. pylori
based on fluorimetry of fully active green fluorescent protein fusion proteins exported with the twin-arginine translocase system provide a reliable and rapid tool for the investigation of acid acclimation in
H. pylori
.
Prehospital haemostatic dressings for trauma: a systematic review
Authors: Boulton Adam J , Lewis Christopher T , Naumann David N , Midwinter Mark J
Published: May 2018

Background

Haemorrhage is a major cause of mortality and morbidity following both military and civilian trauma. Haemostatic dressings may offer effective haemorrhage control as part of prehospital treatment.

Aim

To conduct a systematic review of the clinical literature to assess the prehospital use of haemostatic dressings in controlling traumatic haemorrhage, and determine whether any haemostatic dressings are clinically superior.

Methods

MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched using predetermined criteria. The reference lists of all returned review articles were screened for eligible studies. Two authors independently undertook the search, performed data extraction, and risk of bias and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation quality assessments. Meta-analysis could not be undertaken due to study and clinical heterogeneity.

Results

Our search yielded 470 studies, of which 17 met eligibility criteria, and included 809 patients (469 military and 340 civilian). There were 15 observational studies, 1 case report and 1 randomised controlled trial. Indications for prehospital haemostatic dressing use, wound location, mechanism of injury, and source of bleeding were variable. Seven different haemostatic dressings were reported with QuikClot Combat Gauze being the most frequently applied (420 applications). Cessation of bleeding ranged from 67% to 100%, with a median of 90.5%. Adverse events were only reported with QuikClot granules, resulting in burns. No adverse events were reported with QuikClot Combat Gauze use in three studies. Seven of the 17 studies did not report safety data. All studies were at risk of bias and assessed of ‘very low’ to ‘moderate’ quality.

Conclusions

Haemostatic dressings offer effective prehospital treatment for traumatic haemorrhage. QuikClot Combat Gauze may be justified as the optimal agent due to the volume of clinical data and its safety profile, but there is a lack of high-quality clinical evidence, and randomised controlled trials are warranted.

Level of evidence

Systematic review, level IV.
Ethical implications of medical crowdfunding: the case of Charlie Gard
Authors: Dressler Gabrielle , Kelly Sarah A
Published: May 2018

Patients are increasingly turning to medical crowdfunding as a way to cover their healthcare costs. In the case of Charlie Gard, an infant born with encephalomyopathic mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, crowdfunding was used to finance experimental nucleoside therapy. Although this treatment was not provided in the end, we will argue that the success of the Gard family’s crowdfunding campaign reveals a number of potential ethical concerns. First, this case shows that crowdfunding can change the way in which communal healthcare resources are allocated. Second, within the UK’s National Health Service, healthcare is ostensibly not a market resource; thus, permitting crowdfunding introduces market norms that could commodify healthcare. Third, pressures inherent to receiving funds from external parties may threaten the ability of patients-cum-recipients to voluntarily consent to treatment. We conclude that while crowdfunding itself is not unethical, its use can have unforeseen consequences that may influence conceptions of healthcare and how it is delivered.
Exercise training in heart failure
Authors: Abela Mark
Published: May 2018

Exercise training (ET) in heart failure (HF) has long been established as an important part of HF care. ET is known to improve quality of life and functional capacity in a number of ways. Despite its proposed benefits, evidence supporting its routine inclusion in standard rehabilitation programme is at times conflicting, partly because of the significant heterogeneity present in available randomised controlled trials. There is lack of evidence with regard to the duration of the overall benefit, the optimal exercise regimen and whether certain types of HF aetiologies benefit more than others. The aim of this review is to provide an update to date literature review of the positive and negative evidence surrounding ET in HF, while proposing an efficient novel in-hospital exercise-based rehabilitation programme for patients with HF in addition to a pre-existing HF clinic.
Frank Lloyd‐Griffiths
Authors: Furber Mark , Bower Caroline
Published: May 2018

One of the youngest people to ever qualify as a vet, he was a life‐long practitioner whose philosophy was one of caring – whether it be for animals, student vets, farmers, local people or friends.
Acute exercise induced BDNF-TrkB signalling is intact in the prefrontal cortex of obese, glucose-intolerant male mice
Authors: Baranowski Bradley J. , MacPherson Rebecca E.K.
Published: May 2018

Obesity and glucose intolerance have been directly implicated in the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease. It is thought that diet-induced obesity causes a reduction in neuronal plasticity through a reduction in the neurotrophin: brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Previous work has demonstrated that acute exercise in healthy lean animals increases BDNF-TrkB signalling in the brain. However, if this effect is intact in a state of obesity remains unknown. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of a single bout of exercise on BDNF-TrkB signalling in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus from obese glucose intolerant mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a low-fat diet (10% kcals from lard) or a high-fat diet (HFD, 60% kcals from lard) for 7 weeks. A subset of HFD mice underwent an acute bout of exercise (treadmill running: 15 m/min, 5% incline, 120 min) followed by a recovery period of 2 h, after which point the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were collected. The HFD increased body mass and glucose intolerance (p < 0.05). Prefrontal cortex from HFD mice demonstrated lower BDNF protein content, reduced phosphorylation of the BDNF receptor (TrkB), and its downstream effector cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), as well as PGC-1α and ERα) protein content (p < 0.05). Two hours following the acute exercise bout, TrkB and CREB phosphorylation as well as PGC-1α and ER-α protein content were recovered (p < 0.05). Our findings demonstrate for the first time that an acute bout of exercise can recover BDNF-TrkB signalling in the prefrontal cortex of obese mice.
Comparison of forest age estimators using k-tree, fixed-radius, and variable-radius plot sampling
Authors: Burch Brent D. , Sánchez Meador Andrew J.
Published: May 2018

Quantifying the age characteristics of a forest can provide valuable information about the forest’s impact on the environment. For instance, the age of a forest can affect the ecosystem’s carbon exchange, soil enzyme activity, and biodiversity. In this paper, we investigate the use of different sampling methods to estimate the age characteristics of three simulated ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex P. Lawson & C. Lawson) forests having different spatial and age patterns. This includes estimating the mean tree age and the age-class distribution of the trees in the forest. The trees in the sample are selected using k-tree sampling, fixed-radius plot sampling, or variable-radius plot sampling, and we compare the properties of the resulting estimators via design-based and model-based approaches. Analyses of the different sampling methods applied to the three forests suggest that the estimator associated with k-tree sampling, with the addition of a few extra trees per plot, is feasible for forests having a spatially mosaic or random spatial pattern. The estimator associated with fixed-radius plot sampling performed well for the forest having a clustered spatial pattern.
Infinite families of monogenic trinomials and their Galois groups
Authors: Jones Lenny , Phillips Tristan
Published: May 2018

Let [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text]. Let [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] denote, respectively, the symmetric group and alternating group on [Formula: see text] letters. Let [Formula: see text] be an indeterminate, and define [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] are certain prescribed forms in [Formula: see text]. For a certain set of these forms, we show unconditionally that there exist infinitely many primes [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] is irreducible over [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and the fields [Formula: see text] are distinct and monogenic, where [Formula: see text]. Using a different set of forms, we establish a similar result for all square-free values of [Formula: see text], with [Formula: see text], and any positive integer value of [Formula: see text] for which [Formula: see text] is square-free. Additionally, in this case, we prove that [Formula: see text]. Finally, we show that these results can be extended under the assumption of the [Formula: see text]-conjecture. Our methods make use of recent results of Helfgott and Pasten.
Facile biosynthesis of reduced graphene oxide nanostructures via reduction by tagetes erecta (marigold flower) plant extract
Authors: Shahane Shivanjali , Sidhaye Deepti
Published: May 2018

In this paper, we report the development of a new green, eco-friendly pathway for the synthesis of reduced graphene oxide (RGO). In a typical experiment, graphene oxide (GO) was prepared by the oxidation of graphite powder using Hummer’s method. Prepared GO was then subjected to reduction by using extract of Tagetes erecta (Marigold flower). The samples were characterized by various techniques such as X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. RGO synthesized in this work is being probed for diverse applications including biomedical applications.
Numerical simulation of transonic compressor under circumferential inlet distortion and rotor/stator interference using harmonic balance method
Authors: Wang Ziwei , Jiang Xiong , Chen Ti , Hao Yan , Qiu Min
Published: May 2018

Simulating the unsteady flow of compressor under circumferential inlet distortion and rotor/stator interference would need full-annulus grid with a dual time method. This process is time consuming and needs a large amount of computational resources. Harmonic balance method simulates the unsteady flow in compressor on single passage grid with a series of steady simulations. This will largely increase the computational efficiency in comparison with the dual time method. However, most simulations with harmonic balance method are conducted on the flow under either circumferential inlet distortion or rotor/stator interference. Based on an in-house CFD code, the harmonic balance method is applied in the simulation of flow in the NASA Stage 35 under both circumferential inlet distortion and rotor/stator interference. As the unsteady flow is influenced by two different unsteady disturbances, it leads to the computational instability. The instability can be avoided by coupling the harmonic balance method with an optimizing algorithm. The computational result of harmonic balance method is compared with the result of full-annulus simulation. It denotes that, the harmonic balance method simulates the flow under circumferential inlet distortion and rotor/stator interference as precise as the full-annulus simulation with a speed-up of about 8 times.
Performance of flapping airfoil propulsion with LBM method and DMD analysis
Authors: Li Bing-Hua , Huang Xian-Wen , Zheng Yao , Xie Fang-Fang , Wang Jing , Zou Jian-Feng
Published: May 2018

In this work, the performance of flapping airfoil propulsion at low Reynolds number of Re = 100–400 is studied numerically with the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). Combined with immersed boundary method (IBM), the LBM has been widely used to simulate moving boundary problems. The influences of the reduced frequency on the plunging and pitching airfoil are explored. It is found that the leading-edge vertex separation and inverted wake structures are two main coherent structures, which dominate the flapping airfoil propulsion. However, the two structures play different roles in the flow and the combination effects on the propulsion need to be clarified. To do so, we adopt the dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) algorithm to reveal the underlying physics. The DMD has been proven to be very suitable for analyzing the complex transient systems like the vortex structure of flapping flight.
Effect of pectoral fin kinematics on manta ray propulsion
Authors: Lu Hao , Yeo Khoon Seng , Chew Chee-Meng
Published: May 2018

Recent advancement of bio-inspired underwater vehicles has led to a growing interest in understanding the fluid mechanics of fish locomotion, which involves complex interaction between the deforming structure and its surrounding fluid. Unlike most natural swimmers that undulate their body and caudal fin, manta rays employ an oscillatory mode by flapping their large, flattened pectoral fins to swim forward. Such a lift-based mode can achieve a substantially high propulsive efficiency, which is beneficial to long-distance swimming. In this study, numerical simulations are carried out on a realistic manta ray model to investigate the effect of pectoral fin kinematics on the propulsive performance and flow structure. A traveling wave model, which relates a local deflection angle to radial and azimuthal wavelengths, is applied to generate the motion of the pectoral fins. Hydrodynamic forces and propulsive efficiency are reported for systematically varying kinematic parameters such as wave amplitude and wavelengths. Key flow features, including a leading edge vortex (LEV) that forms close to the tip of each pectoral fin, and a wake consisting of interconnected vortex rings, are identified. In addition, how different fin motions alter the LEV behavior and hence affect the thrust and efficiency is illustrated.
Microfluidic mixing through oscillatory transverse perturbations
Authors: Wu J. W. , Xia H. M. , Zhang Y. Y. , Zhu P.
Published: May 2018

Fluid mixing in miniaturized fluidic devices is a challenging task. In this work, the mixing enhancement through oscillatory transverse perturbations coupling with divergent circular chambers is studied. To simplify the design, an autonomous microfluidic oscillator is used to produce the oscillatory flow. It is then applied to four side-channels that intersect with a central channel of constant flow. The mixing performance is tested at high fluid viscosities of up to 16 cP. Results show that the oscillatory flow can cause strong transverse perturbations which effectively enhance the mixing. The influence of a fluidic capacitor in the central channel is also examined, which at low viscosities can intensify the perturbations and further improve the mixing.
A Generalized 2D-Dynamical Mean-Field Ising Model with a Rich Set of Bifurcations (Inspired and Applied to Financial Crises)
Authors: Smug Damian , Sornette Didier , Ashwin Peter
Published: May 2018

We analyze an extended version of the dynamical mean-field Ising model. Instead of classical physical representation of spins and external magnetic field, the model describes traders' opinion dynamics. The external field is endogenized to represent a smoothed moving average of the past state variable. This model captures in a simple set-up the interplay between instantaneous social imitation and past trends in social coordinations. We show the existence of a rich set of bifurcations as a function of the two parameters quantifying the relative importance of instantaneous versus past social opinions on the formation of the next value of the state variable. Moreover, we present a thorough analysis of chaotic behavior, which is exhibited in certain parameter regimes. Finally, we examine several transitions through bifurcation curves and study how they could be understood as specific market scenarios. We find that the amplitude of the corrections needed to recover from a crisis and to push the system back to “normal” is often significantly larger than the strength of the causes that led to the crisis itself.
A New Chaotic Image Encryption Scheme Using Breadth-First Search and Dynamic Diffusion
Authors: Yin Qi , Wang Chunhua
Published: May 2018

Based on the permutation-diffusion architecture, this paper introduces a more sensitive chaotic image encryption scheme using breadth-first search and dynamic diffusion to enhance the security and sensitivity. In the permutation stage, the plain image is traversed by breadth-first search, and then the whole permutation is performed to obtain a shuffled sequence. Similarly, the diffusion key stream is rearranged by breadth-first search. Moreover, a dynamic diffusion method is proposed to encrypt the shuffled sequence in the diffusion stage, which can ensure that encrypting each pixel is related to all other pixels and can enhance the sensitivity of the cryptosystem. In each phase, the hyper-chaotic system in this scheme generates pseudorandom sequences. The simulation results and performance analysis show that the proposed scheme has excellent performances and high security in resisting brute-force attack, statistical attack and differential attack.
Positive Measure Scrambled Sets of Some Chaotic Functions
Authors: Rajan Ashvin Varada
Published: May 2018

For any fixed positive real number [Formula: see text], we generalize a construction devised by Kan [1984] to construct continuous chaotic functions which possess scrambled sets whose Lebesgue measure is exactly equal to [Formula: see text].
Modeling and dynamic environment analysis technology for spacecraft
Authors: Fang Ren , Zhaohong Qin , Zhong Zhang , Zhenhao Liu , Kai Yuan , Long Wei
Published: May 2018

Spacecraft sustains complex and severe vibrations and acoustic environments during flight. Predicting the resulting structures, including numerical predictions of fluctuating pressure, updating models and random vibration and acoustic analysis, plays an important role during the design, manufacture and ground testing of spacecraft. In this paper, Monotony Integrative Large Eddy Simulation (MILES) is introduced to predict the fluctuating pressure of the fairing. The exact flow structures of the fairing wall surface under different Mach numbers are obtained, then a spacecraft model is constructed using the finite element method (FEM). According to the modal test data, the model is updated by the penalty method. On this basis, the random vibration and acoustic responses of the fairing and satellite are analyzed by different methods. The simulated results agree well with the experimental ones, which shows the validity of the modeling and dynamic environment analysis technology. This information can better support test planning, defining test conditions and designing optimal structures.
Brachial artery endothelial function is stable across a menstrual and oral contraceptive pill cycle but lower in premenopausal women than in age-matched men
Authors: Shenouda Ninette , Priest Stacey E. , Rizzuto Vanessa I. , MacDonald Maureen J.
Published: May 2018

Sex hormone concentrations differ between men, premenopausal women with natural menstrual cycles (NAT), and premenopausal women using oral contraceptive pills (OCP), as well as across menstrual or OCP phases. This study sought to investigate how differences in sex hormones, particularly estradiol, between men and women and across cycle phases might influence brachial artery endothelial function. Fifty-three healthy adults (22 ± 3 yr, 20 men, 15 NAT women, and 18 second-, third-, or fourth-generation OCP women) underwent assessments of sex hormones and endothelial [flow-mediated dilation (FMD) test] and smooth muscle [nitroglycerin (NTG) test] function. Men were tested three times at 1-wk intervals, and women were tested three times throughout a single menstrual or OCP cycle (NAT: menstrual, midfollicular, and luteal phases and OCP: placebo/no pill, “early”, and “late” active pill phases). Endogenous estradiol concentration was comparable between men and women in their NAT menstrual or OCP placebo phase ( P = 0.36) but increased throughout a NAT cycle ( P < 0.001). Allometrically scaled FMD did not change across a NAT or OCP cycle but was lower in both groups of women than in men ( P = 0.005), whereas scaled NTG was lower only in NAT women ( P = 0.001). Changes in estradiol across a NAT cycle were not associated with changes in relative FMD ( r2 = 0.01, P = 0.62) or NTG ( r2 = 0.09, P = 0.13). Duration of OCP use was negatively associated with the average relative FMD for second-generation OCP users only ( r = −0.65, P = 0.04). Our findings suggest that brachial endothelial function is unaffected by cyclic hormonal changes in premenopausal women but may be negatively impacted by longer-term use of second-generation OCPs.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY We demonstrate that brachial artery flow-mediated dilation does not change across a menstrual or oral contraceptive pill cycle in premenopausal women but is lower in women than in men. Although unaffected by within-cycle changes in estradiol, brachial flow-mediated dilation is negatively correlated with duration of oral contraceptive pill use for second-generation pills.

Listen to this article’s corresponding podcast at https://ajpheart.podbean.com/e/behind-the-bench-episode-2/ .