bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recurrent bioprosthetic mitral valve thrombosis treated with anticoagulation
Authors: Fernandes Robin , Varshney Anubodh S. , Aragam Jayashri
Published: October 2020

Bioprosthetic valve thrombosis (BPVT) is more common than previously thought and likely underreported. BPVT can be accurately diagnosed with cardiac imaging and treated successfully with anticoagulation, thus preventing reoperation. We hereby report a case of recurrent BPVT in the mitral position successfully treated with anticoagulation along with review of literature.
Mastery and Marital Processes: Mechanisms Linking Midlife Economic Adversity and Later‐Life Loneliness for Husbands and Wives in Enduring Marriages
Authors: A. S. Wickrama Kandauda , O’Neal Catherine Walker
Published: October 2020

Research has documented that loneliness is a major public health concern, particularly for older adults in the United States. However, previous studies have not elucidated the mechanisms that connect family economic adversity to husbands’ and wives’ loneliness in later adulthood. Thus, using prospective dyadic data over 27 years from 254 enduring couples, the present study investigated how spouses’ mastery, as an intraindividual process, and marital functioning, as a couple process, link midlife family economic adversity to spouses’ later‐life loneliness. The results provided support for three linking life course pathways: an adversity‐mastery‐loneliness pathway, an adversity‐marital functioning‐loneliness pathway, and a mastery‐marital functioning‐loneliness pathway. The results also showed spousal contemporaneous dependencies in mastery and loneliness. These findings demonstrate the persistent influence of midlife family economic adversity on husbands’ and wives’ loneliness nearly three decades later and elucidate linking mechanisms involving mastery and couple marital functioning. Findings are discussed as they relate to life course and family systems theories. Implications address multiple levels including national‐ and state‐policies and couple‐level clinical interventions.
The macroecology of fish migration
Authors: Alò Dominique , Lacy Shaw Nozaki , Castillo Andrea , Samaniego Horacio A. , Marquet Pablo A.
Published: October 2020

Aim

We still lack a consensus on the main variables driving changes in migratory strategies. Different hypotheses have been proposed: productivity, energy, environmental heterogeneity, and genetic predisposition. This work takes an integrative view and analyses migrations from a macroecological perspective estimating the extent to which different environmental variables and historic factors influence migratory life histories.

Location

Global.

Time period

Current.

Major taxa studied

Actinopterygian fishes.

Methods

Using public domain museum records, global repositories, and global measures of temperature, productivity, precipitation and heterogeneity, we spatially analysed the distribution of anadromous, catadromous, amphidromous, potamodromous and oceanodromous migratory fish using 1,676 species and compared it to 1,616 non‐migratory fishes. After analysing the individual roles of productivity and temperature in shaping biodiversity, we conducted path analyses including several environmental variables and principal coordinates of phylogenetic structure (PCPS).

Results

The different migratory strategies are not evenly distributed around the globe and phylogeny is a relevant variable in shaping current patterns. Productivity is positively related to species richness, except for anadromy and potamodromy, for which we observed a unimodal curve. Temperature significantly drives migratory species richness (except for anadromy). The role of environmental heterogeneity, measured as temperature seasonality and annual range, is strongest for anadromous species, which helps explain their skewed distribution towards higher latitudes and why the kinetic energy hypothesis fails in explaining their richness patterns.

Main conclusions

Overall, migratory fish richness can be explained by the interaction of multiple variables, such as productivity, temperature, environmental heterogeneity, and the role of phylogeny, but these variables interact differentially in each strategy, diverging most for the anomalous anadromous fishes. Integrating these results into a global framework to better understand the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of migration will help with predicting responses to anthropogenic climate change.
Is air pollution detrimental to regional innovation? Evidence from Chinese cities
Authors: Zhang Min , Chung Seung‐hun
Published: October 2020

Could the negative effect of air pollution be a threat to regional innovation and stunt economic growth in the most polluted Chinese cities? Considering that the generation of innovation can greatly rely on skilled workers and their productivity, this paper examines the association between air quality and regional innovation. An instrumental variable for air quality—the central heating policy—is used to address potential endogeneity problems. The results suggest a growing negative and significant impact of air pollution on city‐level innovation. A corresponding mechanism analysis rules out the possibility that self‐selection of skilled workers has accounted for the negative impact of air pollution on innovation and consequently infers that the productivity effects may have explained the negative impact.
Epigenetic modifications in prostate cancer
Authors: Sugiura Masahiro , Sato Hiroaki , Kanesaka Manato , Imamura Yusuke , Sakamoto Shinichi , Ichikawa Tomohiko , Kaneda Atsushi
Published: October 2020

Prostate cancer is a major cause of cancer‐related deaths among men worldwide. In addition to genomic alterations, epigenetic alterations accumulated in prostate cancer have been elucidated. While aberrant deoxyribonucleic acid hypermethylation in promoter CpG islands inactivates crucial genes associated with deoxyribonucleic acid repair, cell cycle, apoptosis or cell adhesion, aberrant deoxyribonucleic acid hypomethylation can lead to oncogene activation. Acetylation of histone is also deregulated in prostate cancer, which could cause aberrant super‐enhancer formation and activation of genes associated with cancer development. Deregulations of histone methylation, such as an increase of trimethylation at position 27 of histone H3 by enhancer of zeste homolog2 overexpression, or other modifications, such as phosphorylation and ubiquitination, are also involved in prostate cancer development, and inhibitors targeting these epigenomic aberrations might be novel therapeutic strategies. In this review, we provide an overview of epigenetic alterations in the development and progression of prostate cancer, focusing on deoxyribonucleic acid methylation and histone modifications.
Estimation of environmental, genetic and parental age at conception effects on telomere length in a wild mammal
Authors: van Lieshout Sil H. J. , Sparks Alexandra M. , Bretman Amanda , Newman Chris , Buesching Christina D. , Burke Terry , Macdonald David W. , Dugdale Hannah L.
Published: October 2020

Understanding individual variation in fitness‐related traits requires separating the environmental and genetic determinants. Telomeres are protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that are thought to be a biomarker of senescence as their length predicts mortality risk and reflect the physiological consequences of environmental conditions. The relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors to individual variation in telomere length is, however, unclear, yet important for understanding its evolutionary dynamics. In particular, the evidence for transgenerational effects, in terms of parental age at conception, on telomere length is mixed. Here, we investigate the heritability of telomere length, using the ‘animal model’, and parental age at conception effects on offspring telomere length in a wild population of European badgers (Meles meles). Although we found no heritability of telomere length and low evolvability (<0.001), our power to detect heritability was low and a repeatability of 2% across individual lifetimes provides a low upper limit to ordinary narrow‐sense heritability. However, year (32%) and cohort (3%) explained greater proportions of the phenotypic variance in telomere length, excluding qPCR plate and row variances. There was no support for cross‐sectional or within‐individual parental age at conception effects on offspring telomere length. Our results indicate a lack of transgenerational effects through parental age at conception and a low potential for evolutionary change in telomere length in this population. Instead, we provide evidence that individual variation in telomere length is largely driven by environmental variation in this wild mammal.
Temperature increase and its effects on fish stress physiology in the context of global warming
Authors: Alfonso Sébastien , Gesto Manuel , Sadoul Bastien
Published: October 2020

The capacity of fishes to cope with environmental variation is considered to be a main determinant of their fitness and is partly determined by their stress physiology. By 2100, global ocean temperature is expected to rise by 1–4°C, with potential consequences for stress physiology. Global warming is affecting animal populations worldwide through chronic temperature increases and an increase in the frequency of extreme heatwave events. As ectotherms, fishes are expected to be particularly vulnerable to global warming. Although little information is available about the effects of global warming on stress physiology in nature, multiple studies describe the consequences of temperature increases on stress physiology in controlled laboratory conditions, providing insight into what can be expected in the wild. Chronic temperature increase constitutes a physiological load that can alter the ability of fishes to cope with additional stressors, which might compromise their fitness. In addition, rapid temperature increases are known to induce acute stress responses in fishes and might be of ecological relevance in particular situations. This review summarizes knowledge about effects of temperature increases on the stress physiology of fishes and discusses these in the context of global warming.
The use of muscle lipids and fatty acids to assess shark diet and condition
Authors: Meyer Lauren , Chambers Sherrie , Gervais Connor , Pethybridge Heidi , Beckmann Crystal , Bruce Barry , Huveneers Charlie
Published: October 2020

Following a lack of detected change in white shark Carcharodon carcharias L. 1758 diet and nutritional condition attributed to the interaction with the cage‐diving industry, Lusseau and Derous (Tourism Management, 2019, 75, 547–549) cautioned the use of muscle lipids and fatty acids in this context, advocating for other biomarkers. This study provides additional evidence from peer‐reviewed literature to contend the usefulness of elasmobranch muscle fatty acid profiles to detail diet and habitat use. It also presents findings from a controlled experiment on captive Port Jackson sharks Heterodontus portusjacksoni (Meyer 1793) whereby long‐term (daily for 33 days) 3 min exhaustive chase exercise changed muscle lipid class profiles, supporting its use to infer nutritional condition after activities such as interactions with wildlife tourism operators. Conversely, the unaltered muscle fatty acid and lipid content suggests their use in trophic ecology is not confounded by activities such as interacting with tourism operators, remaining useful biomarkers to investigate diet and habitat use.
Effect of handling and crowding on the susceptibility of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) to Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Krøyer) copepodids
Authors: Delfosse Cyril , Pageat Patrick , Lafont‐Lecuelle Céline , Asproni Pietro , Chabaud Camille , Cozzi Alessandro , Bienboire‐Frosini Cécile
Published: October 2020

Lepeophtheirus salmonis is an ectoparasite causing economic concerns in Atlantic salmon farming. Salmon lice infestation management methods can be stressful and impact fish welfare. This work investigated the stress effect on the attachment of L. salmonis copepodids to Atlantic salmon through two approaches: (a) handling by netting and air exposure (acute stress), and (b) crowding with restricted surface access in a tank (chronic stress). In the first experiment, we compared the number of attached L. salmonis and cortisol levels between a group of handled salmon and a control group. In the second experiment, a group of densely packed salmon was compared to a control group based on the number of attached copepodids, cortisol levels and neutrophil:lymphocyte ratios. Handled salmon showed significantly higher plasma cortisol levels (p < .001) and more attached copepodids (p = .01) than control salmon. Conversely, the cortisol level and number of attached copepodids were not significantly different between the densely packed and control salmon (p > .05). The neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio was significantly higher (p = .0014) in the densely packed salmon than in the control salmon. Handling salmon increased their risk of infestation by L. salmonis. This has implications for reinfestation rates following delousing treatments in commercial salmon aquaculture, which often involve crowding and handling salmon.
Everyday Disputes and Negotiations: A Video Observational Analysis of Mexican‐origin Mother–Daughter Conversations
Authors: Bravo Magali , Romo Laura F. , Hurtado Aida
Published: October 2020

Little is known about the nature of normative mother–daughter everyday disagreements in Mexican family contexts in which daughters are socialized to avoid conflict out of respect and deference to authority. Observations of videotaped conversations of 130 Mexican‐origin mothers and their adolescent (13‐ to 16‐year‐old) daughters discussing their disagreements were systematically coded. Analyses of the conversations showed that the most frequently recurring conflicts involved autonomy privileges (appearance, friendships, going out, media use), household responsibilities (chores, sibling caretaking), and family dynamics (sibling tensions, sibling differential treatment, mutual respect in communication). Daughters from traditional immigrant families who had lived longer in Mexico were just as assertive in expressing their viewpoints as daughters from less traditional families, although they were less likely to display negative affect.
Comparative bioavailability of enrofloxacin in dogs when concealed in noncommercial morsels, either as tablet or as enrofloxacin–alginate dried beads
Authors: Gutierrez Lilia , Lechuga Teresa , Marcos Xelhua , García‐Guzmán Perla , Gutrierrez Carlos , Sumano Hector
Published: October 2020

Administration of enrofloxacin tablets concealed in improvised morsels to elude the unpleasant flavor of this drug is likely to diminish maximum plasma concentrations (Cmax) reached by this drug, jeopardizing treatment efficacy. To avoid this, the hypothesis that alginate dried beads containing enrofloxacin (ADBE) could modify the pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin in dogs was tested. ADBE were manufactured and pharmaceutically defined as having high entrapment efficiency (>90%) and a drug loading capacity of 56%–67%. Based on the hydrophilic nature of alginate and its interaction with the anionic charge of the amino groups of enrofloxacin, a novel modified release system was obtained in which ADBE give place to both a rapid diffusion releasing of enrofloxacin and a maintained release. The ADBE concealed in a sausage (ADBEs) achieved both the highest Cmax (5.1 µg/ml ± 0.3 SD) and the area under the concentration versus time (AUC0–24) (41.2 µg hr−1 ml−1 ± 6.9 SD). The tablet administered alone had a Cmax of 1.9 µg/ml ± 0.3 SD and an AUC0–24 = 16.5 µg h−1 ml−1 ± 3.5 SD, while the tablet concealed in a sausage reached a Cmax of 1.2 µg/ml ± 0.3 SD with an AUC0–24 = 12.3 µg hr−1 ml−1 ± 3.8 SD (p < .05 in both cases when confronting ADBEs vs. tablets). Consequently, Cmax/MIC and AUC0–24/MIC ratios are higher for ADBEs. Other PK parameters were statistically indistinguishable, and other morsels containing enrofloxacin as a tablet or as ADBE rendered less favorable PK parameters. Due to ease of administration and favorable PK for ADBE concealed in a sausage, this pharmaceutical design can be regarded as PK/PD consistent and worthy of clinical studies.
Optimising intermittent fasting: Evaluating the behavioural and metabolic effects of extended morning and evening fasting
Authors: Clayton D. J. , Mode W. J. A. , Slater T.
Published: October 2020

This article describes the aims of a new study funded by the British Nutrition Foundation Drummond Pump Priming Award. This study will explore the independent metabolic, endocrinal and behavioural effects of extended morning and evening fasting. In an obesogenic society, there is an urgent need to identify effective strategies for preventing obesity‐related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. Implementing extended periods of fasting and restricted time permitted for food intake may be an efficacious method for weight management and improving metabolic health. However, recent research suggests that the success of this intervention may be influenced by when the fasting window occurs, with evening fasting appearing to elicit superior metabolic benefits compared to morning fasting. The mechanisms driving these time‐dependent outcomes are not yet clear but may be due to circadian variations in metabolic physiology and in behaviours known to influence energy balance. To date, no study has directly compared the acute metabolic and behavioural responses to morning and evening fasting with those of a control trial. Research on evening fasting is also currently restricted to individuals living with overweight or obesity, emphasising a need for research in lean individuals aiming to maintain a healthy bodyweight and improve metabolic health. This article highlights the need for alternative nutritional interventions to improve public health, before reviewing the existing literature linking extended fasting, circadian rhythms and behavioural and metabolic outcomes. The final part of this article outlines the aims, methodology and intended outcomes of the current research project.
Therapeutic Effect of Acetabular Fractures Using the Pararectus Approach Combined with 3D Printing Technique
Authors: Zou Ruyi , Wu Min , Guan Jianzhong , Xiao Yuzhou , Chen Xiaotian
Published: October 2020

Objective

To explore the clinical efficacy of pararectus approach combined with 3D printing technique for the surgical treatment of partial acetabular fractures.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated 33 (20 males and 13 females) patients with acetabular fractures in the period of June 2017 to December 2018. According to Judet and Letournel classification: 11 cases were of anterior column fracture, 10 cases were of double column fracture, seven fractures were of the anterior column with posterior half transverse, three fractures were of transverse fracture, and two cases were of “T” fracture. For all cases, 3D printing is used to print the acetabular model. Pre‐bent reconstruction plates from the model were placed to fixate fractures via the pararectus approach.

Results

Thirty‐three patients (mean age 48 years; range, 35–63 years), included 20 men and 13 women, were treated successfully with open reduction and internal fixation by the pararectus approach. Surgery duration was 203 min on average (range: 135–245 min), and intra‐operative bleeding was 1030 mL on average (range: 450–1400 mL). All patients were followed‐up for 12–18 months (average,14 months); two patients (6.0%) developed postoperative ossifying myositis, and there are no obvious symptoms at present; one patient (3.0%) developed postoperative wound infection, and the wound completely improved by secretion culture, enhanced dressing, and effective antibiotics; all the acetabular fractures united after 12 to 16 weeks (average,13 weeks). According to the modified Merle d'Aubigne and Postel scoring system to assess the hip function: excellent in 22 cases (66.7%), good in seven cases (21.2%), and fair in four cases (12.1%).

Conclusions

In the treatment of partial acetabular fractures, the pararectus approach combined with 3D printing technique can achieve effective reduction and fixation, decrease intraoperative hemorrhage, shorten operation time, and the internal fixation position can be properly adjusted during the operation by looking directly at the model.
Effect of Patellar Denervation on Anterior Knee Pain and Knee Function in Total Knee Arthroplasty without Patellar Resurfacing: A Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Wang Yuhang , Feng Wei , Zang Junting , Gao Hang
Published: October 2020

Objective

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of patellar denervation (PD) in preventing anterior knee pain (AKP) and improving knee function after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) without patellar resurfacing, and to help surgeons decide whether or not to use PD in TKA.

Methods

The electronic databases of Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched for all randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing the outcomes of PD and no patellar denervation (NPD) in TKA without patellar resurfacing. Primary outcomes were incidence of AKP, visual analogue scale for pain (VAS), and patellar score (PS). Secondary outcomes were Knee Society Score (KSS), the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), the Oxford Knee Score (OKS), knee range of motion (ROM), and complications.

Results

A total of nine RCT met the inclusion criteria. On meta‐analysis, PD significantly reduced the incidence of AKP (odds ratio 0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.26 to 0.92), reduced the VAS (weighted mean difference [WMD] −0.57; 95% CI −1.02 to −0.11), and improved the WOMAC (WMD −4.63; 95% CI −6.49 to −2.77) and the ROM (WMD 9.60; 95% CI 0.39 to 18.81) during the follow‐up within 12 months. In addition, PD improved the PS (WMD 1.01; 95% CI 0.65 to 1.38), KSS (WMD 1.12; 95% CI 0.10 to 2.14), and the WOMAC (WMD −1.41; 95% CI −2.74 to −0.08) during the follow‐up after 12 months.

Conclusion

Patellar denervation could significantly reduce the VAS and the incidence of AKP in the early stages after TKA as well as improve the clinical outcomes in terms of the PS, the WOMAC, the KSS, and the ROM. This study demonstrates that PD is a safe and recommendable technique that could be routinely performed in TKA.
Is there a role for childhood vaccination against COVID‐19?
Authors: Eberhardt Christiane Sigrid , Siegrist Claire‐Anne
Published: October 2020

Tremendous efforts are undertaken to quickly develop COVID‐19 vaccines that protect vulnerable individuals from severe disease and thereby limit the health and socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic. Potential candidates are tested in adult populations, and questions arise of whether COVID‐19 vaccination should be implemented in children. Compared to adults, the incidence and disease severity of COVID‐19 are low in children, and despite their infectiveness, their role in disease propagation is limited. Therefore, COVID‐19 vaccines will need to have fully demonstrated safety and efficacy in preventing not only complications but transmission to justify childhood vaccination. This work summarizes currently tested vaccine platforms and debates practical and ethical considerations for their potential use in children. It also discusses the already deleterious effect of the pandemic on routine childhood vaccine coverage, calling for action to limit the risks for a rise in vaccine‐preventable diseases.
The impact of COVID‐19 on the hospice and palliative care workforce
Authors: Kates Jeannette , Gerolamo Angela , Pogorzelska‐Maziarz Monika
Published: October 2020

Objective

To understand the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the hospice and palliative workforce and service delivery.

Design and sample

This was a cross‐sectional survey of 36 hospice and palliative care workforce members representing all United States geographic regions.

Results

Most respondents (70%) reported an increase in specific palliative care services as a result of the pandemic. Two thirds (78%) of respondents reported their agency has cared for confirmed COVID‐19 patients. Only half reported the agency had access to laboratory facilities for surveillance and detection of outbreaks in both patients and staff (58%) and that the agency could test patients and providers for COVID‐19 (55%). Qualitative comments described the impact of the pandemic and resulting social distancing measures on the emotional well‐being of patients, families, and staff.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the COVID‐19 pandemic has strained the palliative and hospice care workforce as it provides increased services at an unprecedented rate to patients and families. The implications of these findings are important for public health nurses who are skilled in disaster management and quickly responding to emergencies. The expertise of public health nurses can be leveraged to support palliative care agencies as they strive to manage the pandemic in the communities they serve.
Governments and Formal Institutions Shaping the Networks of Co‐Production in the Chinese and German Film Industries
Authors: Xin Xiaorui , Mossig Ivo
Published: October 2020

Studies in economic geography on the film industry often focus on the impact of social relationships and informal institutions, like habits, norms and conventions. However, the role of formal institutions has so far received only little attention. To exemplify the role of governments and formal institutions shaping the film production networks a social network analysis is carried out. The results essentially show three patterns of interventions: Firstly, governments are active players within the networks through state‐owned or public film production companies. Secondly, (especially in the case of China) governments act as regulators through formal institutions by restricting market access for international films and at the same time enabling the rapid market growth of the Chinese film market through opening policies after 2002. Thirdly, they act as promoters through direct financial means (e.g. public film subsidies in Germany) or through support measures by the cultural and creative industries in general.
The floral repressors TEMPRANILLO1 and 2 modulate salt tolerance by regulating hormonal components and photo‐protection in Arabidopsis
Authors: Osnato Michela , Cereijo Unai , Sala Jan , Matías‐Hernández Luis , Aguilar‐Jaramillo Andrea E. , Rodríguez‐Goberna María Rosa , Riechmann José Luis , Rodríguez‐Concepción Manuel , Pelaz Soraya
Published: October 2020

Members of the plant specific RAV family of transcription factors regulate several developmental and physiological processes. In the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, the RAV TEMPRANILLO 1 (TEM1) and TEM2 control important phase changes such as the juvenile to adult and the vegetative to reproductive transitions. Besides their known regulatory function in plant development, a transcriptomics analysis of transgenic plants overexpressing TEM1 also revealed overrepresentation of Gene Ontology (GO) categories related to abiotic stress responses. Therefore, to investigate the biological relevance of these TEM‐dependent transcriptomic changes and elucidate whether TEMs contribute to the modulation of plant growth in response to salinity, we analyzed the behavior of TEM gain and loss of function mutants subjected to mild and high salt stresses at different development stages. With respect to increasing salinity, TEM overexpressing plants were hypersensitive whereas the tem1 tem2 double mutants were more tolerant. Precisely, tem1 tem2 mutants germinated and flowered faster than the wild‐type plants under salt stress conditions. Also, tem1 tem2 plants showed a delay in salt‐induced leaf senescence, possibly as a consequence of downregulation of jasmonic acid biosynthesis genes. Besides a shorter life cycle and delayed senescence, tem1 tem2 mutants appeared to be better suited to withstand oxidative stress as they accumulated higher levels of α‐tocopherol (an important antioxidant metabolite) and displayed a slower degradation of photosynthetic pigments. Taken together, our studies suggest novel and crucial roles for TEM in adaptive growth as they modulate plant development in response to environmental changes such as increasing soil salinity.
A radiographic study of breed‐specific vertebral heart score and vertebral left atrial size in Chihuahuas
Authors: Puccinelli Caterina , Citi Simonetta , Vezzosi Tommaso , Garibaldi Silvia , Tognetti Rosalba
Published: October 2020

Although echocardiography is the gold standard for the diagnosis of cardio‐structural disease, thoracic radiography is a rapid, cost‐effective, and widely accessible method for evaluating cardiac size in dogs. The vertebral heart score (VHS) and the vertebral left atrial size (VLAS) are established as objective measures of cardiomegaly on thoracic radiographs. However, several studies have shown significant variations in the VHS among different breeds. The Chihuahua is predisposed to both congenital and acquired cardiac diseases. The aim of this prospective, single‐center, cross sectional study was thus to evaluate the VHS and the VLAS in healthy adult Chihuahua dogs. A total of 30 Chihuahuas were included. The VHS values in our sample population of Chihuahuas were 10.0 ± 0.6 (95% range, 8.9‐11.0). This was significantly greater than the canine reference value of 9.7 ± 0.5 established by Buchanan and Bücheler (P = .002). The VLAS of Chihuahuas in our study was 1.8 ± 0.2 (95% range, 1.3‐2.1). This was significantly lower than the values previously reported by Malcolm et al (2.07 ± 0.25;P = .0004). The VHS and the VLAS were not influenced by sex, body weight, short or long hair, and body condition score in normal Chihuahuas. Our results indicated that breed‐specific reference values for radiographic VHS and VLAS are needed. In Chihuahuas, the values found in this study can be used as a normal reference in order to help avoid overinterpretation of cardiomegaly in these dogs.
Reviewer Acknowledgements
Authors: Young James
Published: October 2020

International Journal of Social Science Studies (IJSSS) would like to acknowledge the following reviewers for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Many authors, regardless of whether IJSSS publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers. Their comments and suggestions were of great help to the authors in improving the quality of their papers. Each of the reviewers listed below returned at least one review for this issue.Reviewers for Volume 8, Number 6Aurora Pestaño, University of San Jose Recoletos (USJR), PhilippinesEncarnación ABAD ARENAS, National University of Distance Education (UNED), SpainHao Liu, Beijing Normal University, ChinaJehu Onyekwere Nnaji, University of Naples II, Italy and Globe Visions Network Italy, ItalyJibrin Ubale Yahaya, National Open University of Nigeria NOUN, NigeriaJulia M. Mack, Gannon University, USAMei-Ling Lin, National Open University, TaiwanQingzhi Huan, Peking University, ChinaRonaldo R. Larioque, NUEVA ECIJA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, PhilippinesShyue Chuan CHONG, New Era University College, MalaysiaUğur DEMİRCİ, Turkish National Police, TurkeyYusramizza Md Isa, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia   James YoungEditorial AssistantOn behalf of,The Editorial Board of International Journal of Social Science StudiesRedfame Publishing9450 SW Gemini Dr. #99416Beaverton, OR 97008, USAURL: http://ijsss.redfame.com
Elimination of BWR Mark I Program Primary Containment Drywell-to-Wetwell Differential Pressure
Authors: Pace Raymond M. , Ritzel Jason
Published: October 2020

The Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) Mark I (Mk I) Containment Program was implemented by the Owner’s Group circa 1970 to mitigate the effects of small, intermediate and design bases, Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA), pipe break accidents on the torus, supports, internal structures and attached piping [1 & 2]. One of the significant mitigation attributes implemented during the Mk I Program is Normal Operation (NO) with a drywell-to-wetwell Differential Pressure (dP) maintained by the plant Nitrogen Make-up System used to inert the Primary Containment (PC) [3]. The differential pressure served to reduce the downcomer water leg in the vent system resulting in significantly reduced vent system thrust and pool swell loads. The vent system is designed to transport the mixture of drywell atmosphere, steam, and water forced from the drywell by the increasing pressure post-accident, quenching it in the pool of water maintained in the suppression chamber (torus).

Based on plant experience, to sustain PC dP requires frequent venting of the Torus or nitrogen make-up to the drywell requiring Standby Gas System operation and cycling of PC vent and purge valves which places additional burden on the charcoal filters. The venting also places burden on Control Room Operators to perform the required actions and maintain Technical Specification (TS) limits.

Elimination of the dP benefits plant operation by minimizing cycling of PC Isolation Valves, reduction of burden on Control Room operators due to the wider pressure control envelop, reduction in Standby Gas System cycles extending charcoal filter life and a reduction of the nitrogen make-up [4]. Overall, the Utility estimates that elimination of the dP will provide an estimated cost savings of $0.5 M per year.
Relaxation of the Bolted Flange Connection
Authors: Taylor Robert
Published: October 2020

This study researches the total relaxation of a bolted flange connection, taking into account, the relaxation of various bolt grades in conjunction with different semi-metallic gaskets.

The test temperatures are: 300 °F (149 °C), 500 °F (260 °C), 650 °F (343 °C) and 800 °F (427 °C), where each temperature setting will cycle three times to obtain the relaxation value for each cycle.

The three types of bolt materials for evaluation include ASTM A193 B7, ASTM A193 B16 and ASTM B8M CL2 along with gaskets styles of spiral wound gasket with inner ring, spiral wound gasket with NO inner ring and the kammprofile gasket (grooved metal gasket with covering layers), all in accordance to ASME B16.20 – 2017.

The above variations and conditions will be tested at two different initial bolt stresses of 35,000 psi (241 MPa) and 65,000 psi (448 MPa) with a constant internal pressure of 150 psi (10.3 Bar).

The results will show relaxation values for the different bolt and gasket types versus the various temperature cycling conditions indicated above. Focusing on: does a certain gasket style offer lower relaxation properties through less creep and/or higher recovery? Does a certain bolt grade offer better stress retention? Is there variation in initial bolt stress for the different style of gasket? How does the initial bolt stress affect the relaxation properties of the bolted connection?
High Flux Reactor Continued Safe Operation: Time Limited Ageing Analyses
Authors: Stefanini L. , de Haan - de Wilde F. H. E.
Published: October 2020

The High Flux Reactor (HFR) is a multipurpose nuclear reactor located in Petten, the Netherlands.

With its 45 MWth it is one of the most powerful and versatile research reactors in the world. Its main roles are material irradiation and medical isotopes production. The output of the reactor in terms of medical isotopes is important at a global level (60% of European demand). Every day in the Netherlands alone 30.000 patients are treated using isotopes produced in the HFR. The importance of the HFR dates back in time. The HFR has been in service since 1961. Due to the long life (58 years to date) of the reactor an efficient integrated ageing management program (AMP) is envisaged as it is foreseen that the HFR will continue to operate for a prolonged period of time. The development of the AMP has begun in 2018 (CSO project) and will be completed in view of the IAEA CSO mission. The HFR is the second reactor in the world to undergo this type of IAEA review and one of the objectives of this project is to set a state of the art when it comes to research reactors long term operation.

The CSO project foresees four major sections: scoping and screening, development and improvement of plant programs, (re) validation of time limited ageing analyses (TLAAs) and realization of the ageing management program. In this paper the focus will lie on the TLAAs. The applicable TLAAs were scoped starting from the IGALLs TLAAs list. The TLAAs relevant for the HFR are: TLAA fatigue, TLAA reactor vessel, TLAA leak before break, TLAA manufacturing flaws TLAA beryllium and TLAA equipment qualification. The latter was developed in the framework of the equipment qualification plant program and does not figure as an independent TLAA in the CSO project. For each TLAA the principal problematics will be highlighted and the possible solutions illustrated.
Application of Nickel Electroplating for PWR Reactor Pressure Vessel Cladding Repair
Authors: Hwang Seong Sik , Kim Dong Jin
Published: October 2020

SA508 low-alloy steel for a reactor vessel was exposed to primary water in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) plant because the cladding layer of type 309 stainless steel for a reactor pressure vessel (RPV) was peeled off owing to an accident in which the thermal sleeve was detached. The advantage of electrochemical deposition (ECD) Ni plating techniques is that the RPV can be repaired without significant thermal effects, and Ni has sound corrosion resistance that can withstand exposure in primary water. The corrosion rate of the damaged part was assessed, and its trend was analyzed. The essential variables of Ni plating for repair of the damaged part were derived. These conditions are applicable variables for the repair plating device and have been carefully adjusted using the repair plating device. The process for establishing ASME technical standards called code case N-840 is described. The process for developing Ni-plating devices and the electrodeposition procedure specifications are described as well.
Advanced Component Fatigue Monitoring Approaches Using the Example of a Boiler Recirculation Pump
Authors: Rudolph J. , Bergholz S. , Metzger K. , Silber F. , Klenk A. , Müller T.
Published: October 2020

In the past, lifetime consideration of conventional power plant components focused on the creep behavior under internal pressure loading. Changing operating conditions towards flexible loads and load cycles as well as occurring damages underline the necessity to consider the fatigue and creep-fatigue behavior of the components. It is recommendable to integrate components such as boiler recirculation pumps into a fatigue monitoring program with continuous measurement of thermo-mechanical loads as a key feature. The paper describes the pilot fatigue monitoring of the boiler recirculation pump of block 8 of the GKM AG (including GKM, Framatome GmbH, KSB and MPA Stuttgart as actors). Thanks to the continuous data acquisition the thermal loading conditions were identified in much more detail than any available design data. The results of the measurement campaign were used for a qualified fatigue assessment based on the Fast Fatigue Evaluation (FFE) technology of Framatome. It was shown that the established monitoring approach (e.g. based on TRD301) is insufficient for complex geometries and loading conditions as it is the case for the boiler recirculation pump. The thermal loads as a consequence of temperature transients and temperature stratification are dominant. The consideration of these dominant loads in the fatigue assessment is indispensable. Based on a qualified fatigue evaluation approach reliable lifetime consumption, quantifications and extrapolations can be made for each component and fatigue relevant location. The FFE counts every closed cycle and allows for a continuous monitoring of the fatigue usage factor.
On Categorization of Seismic Load As Primary or Secondary for Multi-Modal Piping Systems
Authors: Labbé Pierre
Published: October 2020

Categorizing the seismic load requires calculating the input level associated with the ultimate capacity and comparing it to the level associated with the plastic yield. Therefore, an analysis of the seismically induced ductility demand in oscillators of variable frequencies was carried out by running non-linear time response analyses, the seismic input motion being simulated as samples of a stochastic process of central frequency fc. The response of oscillators with frequencies, f0, varying from 0.1 fc to 10 fc, was systematically analyzed. For every oscillator, 10000 time-responses were performed, corresponding to 1000 input samples multiplied by 10 input levels, covering a wide range of ductility demand up to 20.

Output is that seismic loads should be regarded as secondary for flexible oscillators (f0 < fc) while it should be regarded as primary for very stiff oscillators (f0 > cut-off frequency of the input motion, fcut), with intermediate situations for fc < f0 < fcut. A practical engineering rule is presented to incorporate this result when calculating the primary part of seismically induced streeses in a multimodal piping system. This rule is currently tested in the framework of the OECD-NEA international benchmark MECOS.
Mechanical Shock and Vibration Analysis of Spent Nuclear Fuel Carried by the Atlas Railcar
Authors: Klymyshyn Nicholas , Kadooka Kevin , Ivanusa Pavlo , Spitz Casey
Published: October 2020

Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have completed a structural-dynamic analysis of spent nuclear fuel subjected to the mechanical shock and vibration environment that is anticipated during normal conditions of transport in casks carried by the Atlas railcar. The Atlas railcar is a new railcar design that is being developed specifically for the purpose of carrying spent nuclear fuel casks. The analysis used best-estimate railcar dynamics models of the Atlas railcar and considered 17 different spent nuclear fuel transportation cask systems, representing the current fleet of cask options. This work used NUCARS, a specialized railcar dynamics explicit finite element code to calculate railcar dynamic response to prescribed speeds and track configurations. The railcar dynamics models provided cask transient motion for a wide range of speeds and track conditions, generating a relatively large database of potential cask motion. All of the cask motion transients were then applied as loading conditions to LS-DYNA structural-dynamic models of a single fuel rod. The analyses predict that the Equipos Nucleares S.A./U.S. Department of Energy (ENSA/DOE) multimodal transportation test of 2017 provided a relatively stronger vibration environment than is expected from the Atlas railcar. This paper describes the analysis methods, the analysis results, and compares the results of the Atlas transportation analysis to the test results and analyses of the ENSA/DOE multimodal transportation test of 2017.
Experimental Studies of Typical Defects on Large Capacity Hoop-Wrapped Composite Cylinder of Steel Liner Based on X-Ray Digital Radiography Test
Authors: Chai Sen , Liu Sanjiang , Huang Liang , Jiang Yunxi , Bi Jianhao , Li Xiang
Published: October 2020

Tube trailers assembled with large capacity hoop-wrapped composite cylinder of steel liner (i.e., large capacity type 2 tube (LCT2T)) have shown an increasing trend in China. It is an urgent issue to detect nondestructively the defects of cuts, scratches and voids on the composite overwrap, and corrosion, cracks or other defects on the steel liner during their use and manufacturing processes. In this paper, the double-wall single-image technique of X-ray digital radiography (DR) method was studied for the typical defects on the LCT2T by making specimens of cracks and pitting corrosion on the steel liner, as well as cuts, scratches and void defects on the composite overwrap. The optimal penetration parameter was selected based on the identification of image quality indicators (IQI), and the detection sensitivity of the DR method for the typical defects on the LCT2T was obtained. The results showed that the above-mentioned artificial defects were effectively detected with double-wall single-image technique, and this technique had a higher detection sensitivity to longitudinal defects on the composite overwrap of the LCT2T than that to circumferential defects, as well as the detection sensitivity of steel liner defects was higher than that of composite overwrap defects.
Mid-Term Energy Consumption Prediction of Crude Oil Pipeline Pump Unit Based on GSCV-SVM
Authors: Xu Lei , Hou Lei , Li Yu , Zhu Zhenyu , Liu Jiaquan , Lei Ting
Published: October 2020

Energy consumption prediction plays an important role in pipeline operation regulation and energy management. Accurate energy consumption prediction is helpful to make important decisions, including unit commitment, batch scheduling, load dispatching, energy consumption target setting, etc. The energy consumption of crude oil pipeline is mainly the electrical energy of pump unit. The average annual electrical energy consumption of China’s crude oil pipelines accounts for more than half of the annual operating cost of pipelines. Therefore, the prediction of electrical energy consumption of crude oil pipelines is critical.

The energy consumption prediction of crude oil pipelines is very complicated. Firstly, it depends on the variables related to operation parameter, crude oil physical property parameter, environmental parameter and equipment parameter. Secondly, its nonlinearity is strong. Thirdly, the available samples are too little. Through the study on the monthly operation data collected by the Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) system and energy consumption analysis, the turnover and the electrical energy consumption is selected as input variable and output variable, respectively. The support vector machines (SVM) is introduced to predict the monthly electric energy consumption of crude oil pipelines driving oil pumps. However, the generalization capability of SVM is highly dependent on appropriate parameter setting, such as penalty coefficient and kernel parameter. The selection of the optimal parameters is critical to achieving good performance in the learning process. Therefore, in order to improve the generalization ability, GridSearchCV was adopted to optimize the hyperparameters of SVM.

Taking a crude oil pipeline from Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province to Fangshan District, Beijing as an example, the actual operation data for four consecutive years (48 months) are used for this study. The data are divided into training set and test set by stratified sampling method, which consist of 28 samples and 20 samples respectively. The mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and coefficient of determination (R2) on the test set are 3.42, 21.64, 14.31 and 0.94 respectively. Compared with other five state-of-the-art prediction methods in predictive accuracy, the result shows that GSCV-SVM has the best performance in the case of small samples, and the prediction results are in good agreement with the actual data.