bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epicurus in Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century French Thought
Authors: Kavanagh Thomas M.
Published: August 2020

How was the celebration of pleasure, so central to the French Enlightenment’s Epicurean tradition, changed by the cultural and political upheavals of the French Revolution and its imperial aftermath? Why was it that, in March of 1800, Paris’s Préfet de police would announce his intention to respect what he called the “freedom of pleasures” due all citizens? This study looks at how the catastrophes of the Terror (white as well as red) followed by the rise and fall of an empire gave birth to a new form of Epicurean materialism. Displacing the eighteenth-century model of libertinage and its algebra of a sexual seduction promising protection from passion’s illusions, the shared pleasures of the well-appointed table made possible by an emerging consumer society brought into focus the possibility of a new economy of pleasures shared, exchanged, and multiplied. Works as different as a popular comedy by René de Chazet, a didactic poem by Joseph Berchoux, and the vastly popular gastronomical manuals of Grimod de La Reynière all contributed to this reconfiguration of the Epicurean paradigm around the newly elaborate rituals of the shared meal. The gustatory pleasures shared by hosts and their guests became the foundation of a conviviality presided over by the social contract of a politesse gourmande. Rehabilitating the senses and their pleasures, this nineteenth-century Epicureanism of the table sought to achieve a new civility capable of moving beyond the tragedies of history.
Theology
Authors: Spinelli Emidio , Verde Francesco
Published: August 2020

The negation of providence (pronoia) and, accordingly, of fate (heimarmenē) entailed that Epicurus even came to be regarded as an atheist by the other philosophical schools of antiquity and above all by the Stoics. This is a real (and intentional) misunderstanding since Epicurus’s philosophy has a systematic theology in which the gods have a function that is not at all marginal. From some of Epicurus’s texts, one can notice that the philosopher mentions the three essential and ineliminable characteristics of the divine: that it is a zōion, and hence a living being; its incorruptibility (aphtharsia); and, finally, its blessedness (makariotēs). Incorruptibility must be understood entirely in materialist terms: the gods are atomic aggregates, albeit very “special”: their atomic constitution is eternally harmonious and never admits of any kind of perturbation or disturbance to its atomic structure. For Epicurus, to assign complete inactivity to gods means to grant them an honor and majesty such as to make of divinity a being wholly “incommensurable” with any other real thing: this supremely elevated condition of a god is reducible to those traits of blessedness and incorruptibility which make it a living ideal for human beings, a paradigm of absolute well-being to which we may continually aspire.
Situating the Reign of Terror in the History of Modern Terrorism
Authors: Steinberg Ronen
Published: August 2020

The historiography of terrorism attributes a foundational place to the Reign of Terror, yet the Reign of Terror was very different from anything associated with terrorism today. This chapter aims at placing the Reign of Terror in the history of modern terrorism. It discusses the multiple meanings of terror during the revolutionary era, when it was seen simultaneously as an emotional experience, a historical event, and a political concept. It also examines the practices of political violence during the French Revolution, showing that they were less repressive and more chaotic than is often assumed. The chapter argues that the Reign of Terror invites us to question the definitions and broaden the categories of analysis that currently dominate the historiography of terrorism.
Twentieth Century West Balkan Terrorism, from Sarajevo to the End of State Socialism
Authors: Tokić Mate Nikola
Published: August 2020

This article provides a broad overview of the various forms of West Balkan separatist terrorism that developed over the course of the twentieth century. It starts with the Young Bosnia movement, which was responsible for the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in 1914. This is followed by an exploration of the fascist Croatian Ustaša movement, which emerged in the interwar period. Finally, the article examines the post–World War II diasporic offshoots of the Ustaše, which waged a campaign of political violence against socialist Yugoslavia in the 1960s and 1970s. Although each represents a form of ethnonational terrorism, their development was as much the result of transnational as nationalist influences. The article will therefore analyze the emergence of these movements through the transnationalist structures and activities that contributed to the radicalization of particular nationalisms, resulting in the adoption of separatist terrorism as an acceptable form of political action.
Humeral elevation workspace during daily life of adults with spinal cord injury who use a manual wheelchair compared to age and sex matched able-bodied controls
Authors: Goodwin Brianna M. , Cain Stephen M. , Van Straaten Meegan G. , Fortune Emma , Morrow Melissa M. B.
Published: August 2020

Shoulder pain and pathology are extremely common for individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI) who use manual wheelchairs (MWC). Although risky humeral kinematics have been measured during wheelchair-based activities performed in the lab, little is known about arm kinematics in the free-living environment. The purpose of this study was to measure the humeral elevation workspace throughout a typical day for individuals with SCI who use a MWC and matched able-bodied controls. Thirty-four individuals with SCI who use a MWC (42.7±12.7 years of age, 28 males/6 females, C6-L1) and 34 age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled. Participants wore three inertial measurement units (IMU) on their upper arms and torso for one to two days. Humeral elevation angles were estimated and the percentage of time individuals spent in five elevation bins (0-30°, 30-60°, 60-90°, 90-120°, and 120-180°) were calculated. For both arms, the SCI cohort spent a significantly lower percentage of the day in 0-30° of humeral elevation (Dominant: SCI= 15.7±12.6%, Control= 32.1±15.6%, p<0.0001; Non-Dominant: SCI= 21.9±17.8%, Control= 34.3±15.5%, p=0.001) and a significantly higher percentage of time in elevations associated with tendon compression (30-60° of humeral elevation, Dominant: SCI= 62.8±14.4%, Control= 49.9.1±13.0%, p<0.0001; Non-Dominant: SCI= 58.8±14.9%, Control= 48.3±13.6%, p=0.003) than controls. The increased percentage of time individuals with SCI spent in elevations associated with tendon compression may contribute to increased shoulder pathology. Characterizing the humeral elevation workspace utilized throughout a typical day may help in understanding the increased prevalence of shoulder pain and pathology in individuals with SCI who use MWCs.
Swab-Seq: A high-throughput platform for massively scaled up SARS-CoV-2 testing
Authors: Bloom Joshua S. , Sathe Laila , Munugala Chetan , Jones Eric M. , Gasperini Molly , Lubock Nathan B. , Yarza Fauna , Thompson Erin M. , Kovary Kyle M. , Park Jimin , Marquette Dawn , Kay Stephania , Lucas Mark , Love TreQuan , Booeshaghi A. Sina , Brandenberg Oliver F. , Guo Longhua , Boocock James , Hochman Myles , Simpkins Scott W. , Lin Isabella , LaPierre Nathan , Hong Duke , Zhang Yi , Oland Gabriel , Choe Bianca Judy , Chandrasekaran Sukantha , Hilt Evann E. , Butte Manish J. , Damoiseaux Robert , Kravit Clifford , Cooper Aaron R. , Yin Yi , Pachter Lior , Garner Omai B. , Flint Jonathan , Eskin Eleazar , Luo Chongyuan , Kosuri Sriram , Kruglyak Leonid , Arboleda Valerie A.
Published: August 2020

The rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is due to the high rates of transmission by individuals who are asymptomatic at the time of transmission1, 2. Frequent, widespread testing of the asymptomatic population for SARS-CoV-2 is essential to suppress viral transmission. Despite increases in testing capacity, multiple challenges remain in deploying traditional reverse transcription and quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) tests at the scale required for population screening of asymptomatic individuals. We have developed SwabSeq, a high-throughput testing platform for SARS-CoV-2 that uses next-generation sequencing as a readout. SwabSeq employs sample-specific molecular barcodes to enable thousands of samples to be combined and simultaneously analyzed for the presence or absence of SARS-CoV-2 in a single run. Importantly, SwabSeq incorporates an in vitro RNA standard that mimics the viral amplicon, but can be distinguished by sequencing. This standard allows for end-point rather than quantitative PCR, improves quantitation, reduces requirements for automation and sample-to-sample normalization, enables purification-free detection, and gives better ability to call true negatives. After setting up SwabSeq in a high-complexity CLIA laboratory, we performed more than 80,000 tests for COVID-19 in less than two months, confirming in a real world setting that SwabSeq inexpensively delivers highly sensitive and specific results at scale, with a turn-around of less than 24 hours. Our clinical laboratory uses SwabSeq to test both nasal and saliva samples without RNA extraction, while maintaining analytical sensitivity comparable to or better than traditional RT-qPCR tests. Moving forward, SwabSeq can rapidly scale up testing to mitigate devastating spread of novel pathogens.
Developing and Validating a Computable Phenotype for the Identification of Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Individuals and Subgroups
Authors: Guo Yi , He Xing , Lyu Tianchen , Zhang Hansi , Wu Yonghui , Yang Xi , Chen Zhaoyi , Markham Merry Jennifer , Modave François , Xie Mengjun , Hogan William , Harle Christopher A. , Shenkman Elizabeth A , Bian Jiang
Published: August 2020

Transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) individuals face significant marginalization, stigma, and discrimination. Under-reporting of TGNC individuals is common since they are often unwilling to self-identify. Meanwhile, the rapid adoption of electronic health record (EHR) systems has made large-scale, longitudinal real-world clinical data available to research and provided a unique opportunity to identify TGNC individuals using their EHRs, contributing to a promising routine health surveillance approach. Built upon existing work, we developed and validated a computable phenotype (CP) algorithm for identifying TGNC individuals and their natal sex (i.e., male-to-female or female-to-male) using both structured EHR data and unstructured clinical notes. Our CP algorithm achieved a 0.955 F1-score on the training data and a perfect F1-score on the independent testing data. Consistent with the literature, we observed an increasing percentage of TGNC individuals and a disproportionate burden of adverse health outcomes, especially sexually transmitted infections and mental health distress, in this population.
A semi-automated method for measuring xylem vessel length distribution
Authors: Pereira Luciano , Miranda Marcela T. , Pires Gabriel S. , Pacheco Vinícius S. , Guan Xinyi , Kaack Lucian , Machado Eduardo C. , Jansen Steven , Tyree Melvin T. , Ribeiro Rafael V.
Published: August 2020

Knowledge about the length of xylem vessels is essential to understand water transport in plants because these multicellular units show a 100-fold variation, from less than a centimeter to many meters. However, the available methods to estimate vessel length distribution (VLD) are excessively time consuming and do not allow large and in-depth surveys. Here, we describe a semi-automated method to measure VLD using an automated Pneumatron device. Gas conductivity of a xylem tissue with a certain length is estimated in a straightforward and precise way with the Pneumatron in a way theoretically similar to the air-injection method. The method presented enables fast and easy measurements using multiple devices simultaneously (>50 samples day-1), which is a significant advantage. Here, the apparatus is described in detail as well as how measurements are taken. We also present the software and an R-script for data analysis. The method described represents an important contribution to studies on plant hydraulic architecture and can improve our understanding about the role of VLD in plant performance under varying water availability.
The evolution of trait correlations constrains phenotypic adaptation to high CO2in a eukaryotic alga
Authors: Walworth Nathan G. , Hinners Jana , Argyle Phoebe A. , Leles Suzana G. , Doblin Martina A. , Collins Sinéad , Levine Naomi M.
Published: August 2020

Microbes form the base of food webs and drive biogeochemical cycling. Predicting the effects of microbial evolution on global elemental cycles remains a significant challenge due to the sheer number of interacting environmental and trait combinations. Here we present an approach for integrating multivariate trait data into a predictive model of trait evolution. We investigated the outcome of thousands of possible adaptive walks parameterized using empirical evolution data from the algaChlamydomonasexposed to high CO2. We found that the direction of historical bias (existing trait correlations) influenced both the rate of adaptation and the evolved phenotypes (trait combinations). Critically, we use fitness landscapes derived directly from empirical trait values to capture known evolutionary phenomena. This work demonstrates that ecological models need to represent both changes in traits and changes in the correlation between traits in order to accurately capture phytoplankton evolution and predict future shifts in elemental cycling.
Metabolic Physiological Networks: The Impact of Age
Authors: Barajas-Martínez Antonio , Easton Jonathan F. , Rivera Ana Leonor , Martínez-Tapia Ricardo , de la Cruz Lizbeth , Cabrera Adriana Robles , Stephens Christopher R.
Published: August 2020

Metabolic homeostasis emerges from the interplay between several feedback systems that regulate the physiological variables related to energy expenditure and energy availability, maintaining them within a certain range. Although it is well known how each individual physiological system functions, there is little research focused on how the integration and adjustment of multiple systems results in the generation of metabolic health. The aim here was to generate an integrative model of metabolism, seen as a physiological network, and study how it changes across the human lifespan. We used data from a transverse, community-based study of an ethnically and educationally diverse sample of 2572 adults. Each participant answered an extensive questionnaire and underwent anthropometric measurements (height, weight, waist), fasting blood tests (glucose, HbA1c, basal insulin, cholesterol HDL, LDL, triglycerides, uric acid, urea, creatinine), along with vital signs (axillar temperature, systolic and diastolic blood pressure). The sample was divided into 6 groups of increasing age, beginning with less than 25 years and increasing by decades up to more than 65 years. In order to model metabolic homeostasis as a network, we used these 15 physiological variables as nodes and modeled the links between them, either as a continuous association of those variables, or as a dichotomic association of their corresponding pathological states. Weight and overweight emerged as the most influential nodes in both types of networks, while high betweenness parameters, such as triglycerides, uric acid and insulin, were shown to act as gatekeepers between the affected physiological systems. As age increases, the loss of metabolic homeostasis is revealed by changes in the network’s topology that reflect changes in the system-wide interactions that, in turn, expose underlying health stages. Hence, specific structural properties of the network, such as weighted transitivity, can provide topology-based indicators of health that assess the whole state of the system.
Oxidized RNA Bodies compartmentalize translation quality control inSaccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Dhaliwal James S. , Panozzo Cristina , Benard Lionel , Zerges William
Published: August 2020

Cytoplasmic RNA granules compartmentalize phases of the translation cycle. We previously reported on the localization of oxidized RNA in human cells to cytoplasmic foci called oxidized RNA bodies (ORBs). Oxidized mRNAs are substrates of translation quality control, wherein defective mRNAs and nascent polypeptides are released from stalled ribosomes and targeted for degradation. Therefore, we asked whether ORBs compartmentalize translation quality control. Here, we identify ORBs inSaccharomyces cerevisiaeand characterize them using fluorescence microscopy and proteomics. ORBs are RNA granules that are distinct from processing bodies and stress granules. Several lines of evidence support a role of ORBs in the compartmentalization of central steps in the translation quality control pathways No-Go mRNA decay and ribosome quality control. Active translation is required by both translation quality control and ORBs. ORBs contain two substrates of translation quality control: oxidized RNA and a stalled mRNA-ribosome-nascent chain complex. Translation quality control factors localize to ORBs. Translation quality control mutants have altered ORB number per cell, size, or both. Therefore, ORBs are an intracellular hub of translational quality control.
Hyperprolactinemia in a male pituitary androgen receptor knockout mouse model is associated with a female-like pattern of lactotroph development
Authors: O’Hara Laura , Christian Helen C. , Le Tissier Paul , Smith Lee B.
Published: August 2020

Circulating prolactin concentration in rodents and humans is sexually dimorphic. Estrogens are a well-characterised stimulator of prolactin release. Circulating prolactin fluctuates throughout the menstrual/estrous cycle of females in response to estrogen levels, but remains continually low in males. We have previously identified androgens as an inhibitor of prolactin release through characterisation of males of a mouse line with a conditional pituitary androgen receptor knockout (PARKO) which have an increase in circulating prolactin, but unchanged lactotroph number. In the present study we aimed to specify the cell type that androgens act on to repress prolactin release. We examined lactotroph-specific, Pit1 lineage-specific and neural-specific conditional AR knockouts, however they did not duplicate the high circulating prolactin seen in the pituitary androgen receptor knockout line, suggesting that the site of androgen repression of prolactin production was another cell type. Using electron microscopy to examine ultrastructure we showed that pituitary androgen receptor knockout male mice develop lactotrophs that resemble those seen in female mice, and that this is likely to contribute to the increase in circulating prolactin. When castrated, pituitary androgen receptor knockout males have significantly reduced circulating prolactin compared to intact males, which suggests that removal of circulating estrogens as well as androgens reduces the stimulation of pituitary prolactin release. However, when expression of selected estrogen-regulated anterior pituitary genes were examined there were no differences in expression level between controls and knockouts. Further investigation is needed into prolactin regulation by changes in androgen-estrogen balance, which has implications not only in the normal sexual dimorphism of physiology but also in diseases such as hyperprolactinemia.
Loss of CPAP expression promotes sustained EGFR signaling and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in oral cancer cells
Authors: Gudi Radhika , Janakiraman Harinarayanan , Howe Phillip , Palanisamy Viswanathan , Vasu Chenthamarakshan
Published: August 2020

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common type of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Altered epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) levels can contribute to tumor metastasis and resistance to therapies. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), by which epithelial cells acquire a mesenchymal and invasive phenotype, contributes significantly to tumor metastasis in OSCC, and EGFR signaling is known to promote this process. Microtubule inhibition therapies cause EGFR inactivation or increase the sensitivity to EGFR targeting drugs in various cancers including OSCC. In this study, using OSCC model, we show that loss of a microtubule/tubulin binding protein, centrosomal protein 4.1-associated protein (CPAP), which is critical for centriole biogenesis and normal functioning of centrosome, caused an increase in the EGFR levels and signaling and, enhanced the EMT features and invasiveness of OSCC cells. Further, depletion of CPAP increased the tumorigenicity of these cells in a xeno-transplant model. Importantly, CPAP loss-associated EMT features and invasiveness of multiple OSCC cells were attenuated upon depletion of EGFR in them. Overall, our novel observations suggest that in addition to its previously known regulatory role in centrosome biogenesis and function, CPAP plays an important role in suppressing EMT and tumorigenesis in OSCC by regulating EGFR homeostasis and signaling.
Dynamics of the COVID -19 Related Publications
Authors: Sarkar Biplab , Munshi Anusheel , Ghosh Bhaswar , Ganesh Tharmarnadar , Manikandan Arjunan , Biswal Subhra Singhdha , Sahid Tanweer , Rajagopalan B , Snegupta Sinjini , Raychaudhuri Sandipan , Bhattacharya Jibak , Gazi Mahasin , De Arundhati , George Kirubha , Ghosh Tanmay , Akhtar Jawed , Mondal Sourav , Mukherjee Mukti , Gupta Rosalima , Roy Soumya , Jassal Kanan , Rastogi Khushboo , Bansal Kanika , Chatterjee Prasenjit , Biswas Litan Naha , Bondopadhay Shymasish , Pradhan Anirudh , Mohanti Bidhu Kalyan
Published: August 2020

Background

This study aims to analyze the dynamics of the published articles and preprints of Covid-19 related literature from different scientific databases and sharing platforms.

Methods

The PubMed, Elsevier, and Research Gate (RG) databases were under consideration in this study over a specific time. Analyses were carried out on the number of publications as (a) function of time (day), (b) journals and (c) authors. Doubling time of the number of publications was analyzed for PubMed “all articles” and Elsevier published articles. Analyzed databases were (1A) PubMed “all articles” (01/12/2019-12/06/2020) (1B) PubMed Review articles (01/12/2019-2/5/2020) and (1C) PubMed Clinical Trials (01/01/2020-30/06/2020) (2) Elsevier all publications (01/12/2019-25/05/2020) (3) RG (Article, Pre Print, Technical Report) (15/04/2020–30/4/2020).

Findings

Total publications in the observation period for PubMed, Elsevier, and RG were 23000, 5898 and 5393 respectively. The average number of publications/day for PubMed, Elsevier and RG were 70.0 ±128.6, 77.6±125.3 and 255.6±205.8 respectively. PubMed shows an avalanche in the number of publication around May 10, number of publications jumped from 6.0±8.4/day to 282.5±110.3/day. The average doubling time for PubMed, Elsevier, and RG was 10.3±4 days, 20.6 days, and 2.3±2.0 days respectively. In PubMed average articles/journal was 5.2±10.3 and top 20 authors representing 935 articles are of Chinese descent. The average number of publications per author for PubMed, Elsevier, and RG was 1.2±1.4, 1.3±0.9, and 1.1±0.4 respectively. Subgroup analysis, PubMed review articles mean and median review time for each article were <0|17±17|77> and 13.9 days respectively; and reducing at a rate of-0.21 days (count)/day.

Interpretation

Although the disease has been known for around 6 months, the number of publications related to the Covid-19 until now is huge and growing very fast with time. It is essential to rationalize the publications scientifically by the researchers, authors, reviewers, and publishing houses.

Funding

None
Loss-of-function ofFbxo10, encoding a post-translational regulator of BCL2 in lymphomas, has no discernible effect on BCL2 or B lymphocyte accumulation in mice
Authors: Masle-Farquhar Etienne , Russell Amanda , Li Yangguang , Zhu Fen , Rui Lixin , Brink Robert , Goodnow Christopher C
Published: August 2020

Regulation of the anti-apoptotic BCL2 protein determines cell survival and is frequently abnormal in B cell lymphomas. An evolutionarily conserved post-translational mechanism for over-expression of BCL2 in human B cell lymphomas and the BCL2 paralogue CED-9 inCaenorhabditis elegansresults from loss-of-function mutations in human FBXO10 and itsC.elegansparalogue DRE-1, a BCL2/CED-9-binding subunit of the SKP-CULLIN-FBOX (SCF) ubiquitin ligase. Here, we tested the role of FBXO10 in BCL2 regulation by producing mice with two different CRISPR/Cas9-engineeredFbxo10mutations: an Asp54Lys (E54K) missense mutation in the FBOX domain and a Cys55SerfsTer55 frameshift (fs) truncating mutation. Mice homozygous for either mutant allele were born at the expected Mendelian frequency and appeared normal in body weight and appearance as adults. Spleen B cells from homozygous mutant mice did not have increased BCL2 protein, nor were the numbers of mature B cells or germinal centre B cells increased as would be expected if BCL2 was increased. Other lymphocyte subsets that are also regulated by BCL2 levels also displayed no difference in frequency in homozygousFbxo10mutant mice. These results support one of two conclusions: either FBXO10 does not regulate BCL2 in mice, or it does so redundantly with other ubiquitin ligase complexes. Possible candidates for the latter include FBXO11 or ARTS-XIAP. The difference between the role of FBXO10 in regulating BCL2 protein levels inC. elegansand in human DLBCL, relative to single-gene deficient mouse leukocytes, should be further investigated.
Exergy analysis of a three-spool turboprop engine during the flight of a cargo aircraft
Authors: Dinc Ali , Şöhret Yasin , Ekici Selcuk
Published: August 2020

Purpose

This study aims to introduce exergy analysis of a three-spool turboprop engine during the complete flight.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, a flight scenario of the aircraft is assumed. Operating parameters of the aircraft and its engine are modelled based on the assumed flight scenario with the aid of a genuine code. And then performance analysis of the engine is performed for each flight path point with the aid of exergy.

Findings

At the end of the study, major exergy parameters of the engine are calculated during the complete flight of a cargo aircraft three-spool turboprop engine.

Practical implications

Findings of the study may be beneficial for industry and practitioners to improve performance of the evaluated engine.

Originality/value

To the best of authors’ knowledge, this paper presented the exergy analysis of a three-spool turboprop engine during the complete flight for the first time. It was shown how the exergy destruction rate depends on the altitude and manoeuvre.
Agile social learning – capacity-building for sustainable development in higher education
Authors: Bolmsten Johan , Kitada Momoko
Published: August 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the usefulness of an agile social learning method in higher education to build capacity for sustainable development at the community level. Social learning methods intend to empower students (and instructors) to work together in connection with real-life issues – combined with acquiring a conceptual understanding – to analyze issues at hand and work out solutions. The agile format of the method was aimed at a subject that is adaptive and responsive to change to empower the students to take action toward sustainable development.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was based on a case study methodology where the running of the subject was documented and analyzed for two years. The target student group was maritime professionals who had an interest or were in a position to work with developing sustainable solutions in their home organizations (mostly in developing countries).

Findings

The results of the analysis indicate how the students learned about environmental, social and economic spheres of sustainable development and their linkages; how the subject format stimulated the students to develop different “learning paths” between the three spheres of sustainable development, which enabled a multi-faceted understanding of sustainable development issues; and, finally, how the students were able to design evolvable sustainable development solutions.

Originality/value

The results indicate both the novelty and usefulness of the agile social learning method to build capacity for sustainable development through the subject designed for higher education.
Diverse nitrogen cycling pathways across a marine oxygen gradient indicate nitrogen loss coupled to chemoautotrophic activity
Authors: Suter Elizabeth A. , Pachiadaki Maria G. , Montes Enrique , Edgcomb Virginia P. , Scranton Mary I. , Taylor Craig D. , Taylor Gordon T.
Published: August 2020

Genetic markers and geochemical assays of microbial nitrogen cycling processes, including autotrophic and heterotrophic denitrification, anammox, ammonia oxidation, and nitrite oxidation, were examined across the oxycline, suboxic, and anoxic zones of the Cariaco Basin, Venezuela. Ammonia and nitrite oxidation genes were expressed through the entire gradient. Transcripts associated with autotrophic and heterotrophic denitrifiers were mostly confined to the suboxic zone and below but were also present in particles in the oxycline. Anammox genes and transcripts were detected over a narrow depth range near the bottom of the suboxic zone and coincided with secondary NO2− maxima and available NH4+. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) amendment incubations and comparisons between our sampling campaigns suggested that denitrifier activity may be closely coupled with NO3− availability. Expression of denitrification genes at depths of high rates of chemoautotrophic carbon fixation and phylogenetic analyses of nitrogen cycling genes and transcripts indicated a diverse array of denitrifiers, including chemoautotrophs capable of using NO3− to oxidize reduced sulfur species. Thus, results suggest that the Cariaco Basin nitrogen cycle is influenced by autotrophic carbon cycling in addition to organic matter oxidation and anammox.
Genetic evaluation of heat tolerance in Holstein cows in Japan
Authors: Hagiya Koichi , Atagi Yamato , Osawa Takefumi , Yamazaki Takeshi
Published: August 2020

We used test‐day records and daily records from provincial weather stations in Japan to evaluate heat tolerance (HT) in Holstein cows according to a random regression test‐day model. Data were a total of 1,641,952 test‐day records for heritability estimates and 17,245,694 test‐day records for genetic evaluation of HT by using milk yield and somatic cell score (SCS) in Holstein cows that had calved for the first time in 2000 through 2015. Temperature–humidity index (THI) values were estimated by using average daily temperature and average daily relative humidity records from 60 provincial Japanese weather stations. The model contained herd–test‐day, with lactation curves on days in milk within month–age group as a fixed effect. General additive genetic effect and HT of additive genetic effect were included as random effects. The threshold value of THI was set to 60. For milk yield, estimated mean heritabilities were lower during heat stress (THI = 78; 0.20 and 0.28) than when below the heat stress threshold (THI ≤ 60; 0.26 and 0.31). For SCS, heritability estimates (range 0.08–0.10) were similar under all heat stress conditions. Genetic trends of HT indicated that EBVs of HT are changing in an undesirable direction.
How College Men Understand Unwanted Sex with Women
Authors: Ford Jessie V. , Maggio Christopher
Published: August 2020

Recent studies have shown that heterosexual college men report unwanted sex at higher rates than one might expect. And yet, college men’s perceptions of unwanted sex with women have been studied infrequently. This study examines how men understand unwanted sex with women and the impact of these experiences. Thirty‐nine men, aged 18–25, were interviewed using open‐ended questions related to their unwanted sexual experiences. Our findings demonstrate how men frequently minimize unwanted sex by framing it as either funny, unimportant, or something that happens to women. However, we find evidence that men's attempts at minimization are not always successful and that some experiences are indeed upsetting and/or hurtful. Rather than treating all men as a homogeneous category, our analysis details the circumstances associated with more or less troubling experiences. We find that there are particular circumstances (e.g. incapacitation), as well as personal characteristics (e.g. virgin), that position men to be more distressed by unwanted sex. This heterogeneity of men’s experiences explains some, but not all, differences in effects. Our analysis reveals that in experiences described as mild to severe, men talk about unwanted sex in highly contradictory ways. We argue that these contradictions are evidence of broader cognitive and emotional work done by men to convince themselves that unwanted sex does not matter to them. Our findings raise the possibility that when men use hegemonic notions of masculinity to understand their unwanted experiences, these interpretations serve to minimize the emotional damage that men might otherwise report.
Ehrlichia canis infection in the cerebrospinal fluid of a dog characterized by morulae within monocytes and neutrophils
Authors: Lukács Robert M. , Peters Iain R. , Eminaga Salih , Buckeridge David M.
Published: August 2020

An 8‐year‐old neutered female English Pointer was referred to a veterinary referral center (southwest of England) with a 4‐5‐month history of fecal incontinence and no evidence of urinary incontinence. Blood and free‐catch urine samples were collected and sent to an off‐site laboratory. Further investigations were postponed until laboratory results were available. Blood results showed a mild leukopenia, mild nonregenerative anemia, moderate to marked thrombocytopenia, and a mild increase in ALT and ALP activities. The primary veterinarian and client did not proceed with any further investigations for thrombocytopenia. Three weeks after the initial presentation, there was considerable clinical deterioration and progression of neurologic signs. Thoracic radiographs and an abdominal ultrasonographic examination were unremarkable. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and spinal cord revealed an intramedullary lesion at the level of the C7 vertebra, a cystic lesion in the forebrain, and a bilateral lesion in the thalamus. A lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was collected. CSF analysis showed a robustly increased protein concentration and marked pleocytosis. The cytologic evaluation revealed a mixed cellular population. Occasional neutrophils and monocytoid cells showed purple spherical intracellular inclusions, resembling Ehrlichia morulae. An aliquot of CSF was used off‐label with a dot ELISA test, which showed a strong positive result for antibodies against Ehrlichia canis/Ehrlichia ewingii. PCR identified these morulae to be E canis. To best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first case of ehrlichial infection in canine CSF where Ehrlichia sub‐species morulae present within neutrophils were confirmed to be Ehrlichia canis using PCR.
Design of Concentric Tube Robots Using Tube Patterning for Follow-The-Leader Deployment
Authors: Girerd Cédric , Schlinquer Thomas , Andreff Nicolas , Renaud Pierre , Rabenorosoa Kanty
Published: August 2020

Concentric tube robots (CTRs) have a great potential for use in medical applications. Coupled with a follow-the-leader (FTL) deployment, they allow navigation in constrained environments. However, they are subject to instabilities if one makes use of high curvatures for the tubes, long overlapping lengths of their curved sections, or long transmission lengths. One approach to improve their stability is to pattern the tubes of which they are composed by local removals of material along their lengths. Applying patterns on tubes was proved to be of interest for given deployed lengths of a CTR. In this article, we present a method to enlarge the application field of CTRs that deploy in a follow-the-leader manner, by integrating tube patterning in the design process, with a stability criterion. Our method allows the designer to determine a custom pattern geometry to theoretically ensure the stability of CTRs made of any number of constant curvature tubes, for a complete FTL deployment sequence, and while respecting a desired shape during deployment.
Towards Manufacturing Scale-Up of Air Retention Device for Colonoscopy
Authors: Cheng Pin Hao , Nelson Carl A. , Wolfe Joy
Published: August 2020

Colonoscopy is a very common diagnostic procedure and is considered relatively safe. Air insufflation is often used to increase the effectiveness of the procedure and decrease its duration. However, it is not uncommon for poor sphincter tone to cause loss of insufflation gas, thus complicating the workflow and lengthening the procedure. Air retention devices may address this shortcoming. In this paper we present an improved air retention device for colonoscopy and demonstrate its effectiveness through testing.
A Novel Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Suturing Technique and Prototype for Repairing Tricuspid Valve Regurgitation
Authors: Zhingre Sanchez Jorge D. , Iaizzo Paul A.
Published: August 2020

Tricuspid valve regurgitation is a major clinical issue that continues to attract interest from interventional cardiologists and medical device designers due to its rising prevalence and progressive nature. This disease impact is exacerbated among the aging population, considered as high risk of mortality for open-heart surgical procedures. Furthermore, early intervention for tricuspid regurgitation following left-sided heart procedures continues to increase. Thus, percutaneous or transcatheter interventions have emerged as the new frontier for tricuspid valve therapy. Specifically, tricuspid leaflet plication, or edge-to-edge repair, is a valvular procedure to enhance the coaptation of the leaflets and reduce regurgitation. The current landscape of approved transcatheter devices for leaflet coaptation are exclusive to the mitral valve or being investigated for tricuspid treatment. However, most of these transcatheter systems are designed with high procedure specificities, are expensive, and require extensive procedural training. Hence, there is an opportunity to percutaneously plicate the tricuspid leaflets using commonly available right-heart catheter equipment. This study details a novel transcatheter repair procedure that can plicate the tricuspid valve leaflets solely using current market released catheters and/or surgical equipment. Testing and evaluation of this prototype procedure was performed using Visible Heart® methodologies.
Label Free Cell Purification Following Electroporation
Authors: Ringwelski Beth , Jayasooriya Vidura , Nawarathna Dharmakeerthi
Published: August 2020

Cell transfection by electroporation is a biological assay that has been utilized to inject exogenous molecules (e.g.: RNA, DNA and protein) into live cells. Recently, electroporation has been utilized in developing cell therapy for cancer (e.g., CAR T-cell). One of the major drawbacks in current electroporation methods is the cell death during the process. These dead cells can be detrimental, if injected back to the patients. Current cell filtering methods are unable purify T-cells following electroporation, this is due to the lack of unique biomarkers that target the apoptosis and necrosis of T-cells. To address this issue, we have developed a method using dielectrophoresis and microfluidics, where no prior labeling is needed to isolate dead cells from live cells. Upon electroporation, the cell sample has to be flowed through the microfluidic chip where a selective electric field is applied through specially designed electrodes so that the dead cells are trapped on the electrodes, and the live cells are able to flow through and are collected at the end. Results after purification of the cells using our method reveal that it is possible to achieve ∼100% of purity in filtering of the live cells. This method presents a viable solution to a critical concern regarding CAR T-cell manufacturing. This paper presents an extended study of the variation of efficacy in the design with the time from the electroporation.
Extended Reality Tools for Deep Brain Stimulation: A Framework and Design Concepts for Procedural Planning
Authors: Juhnke Bethany , Ahsan Muhammad , Rothweiler Paul , Erdman Arthur
Published: August 2020

Extended reality tools have been theorized to revolutionize medicine. Many tools on the market today fail to provide value in a clinical setting. Extended reality tools must emulate existing clinical workflows to add value to a doctor’s process. A framework is created to capture the clinical workflow by defining user tasks, graphical user interface functionalities and backend software functionalities. Two extended reality tool designs are presented based on the workflow captured in the framework. The first extended reality tool is designed for communication and collaboration, while the second tool is designed with a full immersive experience.
Patient Satisfaction in the Emergency Department Is Influenced by Total Length of Stay: An RFID Based Feasibility Study
Authors: Poigai Arunachalam Shivaram , Albertson Sabrina M. , Sir Mustafa Y. , Nestler David M. , Heaton Heather A. , Marisamy Gomathi , Pasupathy Kalyan S.
Published: August 2020

Real-time location systems (RTLS) such as radio frequency identification (RFID) have been shown to improve safety, save cost, and increase patient satisfaction in a healthcare setting especially in the emergency department (ED). Hospital administrators have realized the potential of these applications for improved workflow and operations and are positively adopting it despite the substantial implementation costs of such technologies. Our group has reported several studies with RFID data in the ED showing the relationship between RFID determined patient contact times and length of stay (LOS). In this study, we use ED RFID data to determine the relationship between the total LOS in ED to the overall patient satisfaction obtained from a survey report. ED survey results from 35 questions were obtained from patients after discharge. An observational cohort study was performed in the ED using RFID data from Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2017 matched with the ED survey participants. A total of 2595 survey data was used for logistic regression analysis with the RFID data. Results show that higher treatment LOS influenced overall patient satisfaction negatively. The results provide new insights into designing ideal patient-care team interactions to reduce overall LOS while providing optimal ED care, thereby improving patient satisfaction.
Comparison of Multiscale Frequency Characteristics of Normal Phonocardiogram With Diseased Heart States
Authors: Baala Sundaram Divaakar Siva , Kapoor Anoushka , Xie Jackie , Xu Natalie C. , Krishna Moorthy Prissha , Balasubramani Rogith , Shivaram Suganti , Muthyala Anjani , Poigai Arunachalam Shivaram
Published: August 2020

Phonocardiogram (PCG) signals are electrical recording of heart sounds containing vital information of diagnostic importance. Several signal processing methods exist to characterize PCG, however suffers in terms of sensitivity and specificity in accurately discriminating normal and abnormal heart sounds. Recently, a multiscale frequency (MSF) analysis of normal PCG was reported to characterize subtle frequency content changes in PCG which can aid in differentiating normal and abnormal heart sounds. In this work, it was hypothesized that MSF can discriminate normal PCG signal compared to an artifact, PCG with extra systolic heart sounds and murmur based on their varying frequency content. Various samples of PCG with normal and abnormal heart sounds were obtained from Peter Bentley Heart Sounds Database sampled at 44.1 kHz for analysis. The signal was filtered using a 4th order Butterworth lowpass filter with cutoff frequency at 200 Hz to remove higher frequency noise and MSF estimation was performed on the filtered dataset using custom MATLAB software. Mann-Whitney test was performed for statistical significance at p < 0.05. Results indicate that MSF successfully discriminated normal and abnormal heart sounds, which can aid in PCG classification with more sophisticated analysis. Validation of this technique with larger dataset is required.
Dynamic Characteristics Analysis and FEM Modeling of Flexible Joints of an SMA-Activated Flexible Multi-Joint Needle
Authors: Karimi Saeed , Konh Bardia
Published: August 2020

Minimally invasive percutaneous needle-based procedures such as brachytherapy, ablation, and biopsy are standard clinical procedures in cancer interventions. Active needle steering increases the target placement accuracy, and consequently improves the clinical outcome. In this work, dynamical characteristic analysis and FEM modeling of flexible joints of a 3D steerable active flexible needle, when actuated by three Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuators, are studied. The Shape Memory Effect (SME) and Pseudoelasticity (PE) of the SMA actuators, their biocompatibility, and high corrosion resistance have made them appropriate alternatives in biomedical applications. Modelling the dynamics and FEM analyses of the flexible active needle during actuation is essential before predicting the active needle’s behavior inside tissue.
Sustainability in Railway Construction: LCA–LCC Based Assessment of Alternative Solutions for Track-Bed
Authors: Giunta Marinella , Bressi Sara , Losa Massimo
Published: August 2020

The economic and environmental sustainability of the Bitumen Stabilized Ballast (BSB) as construction and maintenance practice in railway track-bed is evaluated in comparison to the traditional ballast (TB). This aim is achieved integrating the results of an attributional Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), following a cradle-to-grave approach, and the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analyses. The higher durability of BSB leads to arise environmental benefits in almost all the impact categories of LCA. Nevertheless, Bitumen Emulsion (BE) originates high level of impact on certain categories and they cannot be compensated by the reduction of the minor and major maintenance activities required by the BSB solution over the life cycle. The results of the LCA have been implemented in the LCC model for accounting the external costs due to the environmental impacts. From this analysis it emerges that the BSB technology, used since the construction stage and during the routine tamping, can provide economical savings.
Retracted: “Qualification of Track Parameters Based on a Review of Previous Studies” [2020 Joint Rail Conference, St. Louis, Missouri, USA, April 20–22, 2020, Conference Sponsors: Rail Transportation Division, ISBN: 978-0-7918-8358-7, Copyright © 2020 by ASME. Paper No. JRC2020-8065, pp. V001T08A007; 13 pages; doi: 10.1115/JRC2020-8065]
Authors: ASME
Published: August 2020

The above referenced paper has been removed from publication at the author’s request. October 2, 2020.

Copyright © 2020 by ASME