bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Value of GPSkin for the measurement of skin barrier impairment and for monitoring of rosacea treatment in daily practice
Authors: Logger Jade G. M. , Driessen Rieke J. B. , de Jong Elke M. G. J. , van Erp Piet E. J.
Published: June 2020

Background

Stratum corneum hydration (SCH) and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) provide useful information about skin barrier function. This study aimed to determine the value of GPSkin Pro, a new handheld device determining both SCH and TEWL, to measure skin barrier impairment and to monitor barrier function in rosacea in daily practice.

Materials and Methods

Two pilots were performed.Pilot 1: in 27 healthy participants, GPSkin SCH and TEWL were compared to Aquaflux®and Epsilon®values at the forearm before and after skin barrier perturbation via tapestripping. Moreover, GPSkin values were measured at both cheeks without intervention.Pilot 2: in 16 rosacea patients, GPSkin measurements were performed at the forearm, and at both cheeks before and during anti‐inflammatory treatment. They were compared to clinical symptoms and to GPSkin values from pilot 1.

Results

Pilot 1:after merging data from before and after tapestripping, a strong correlation was observed between GPSkin TEWL and Aquaflux®(Rs = 0.9256), and GPSkin SCH and Epsilon®(Rs = 0.8798).Pilot 2:SCH was significantly lower at the cheeks of rosacea patients compared to controls, with a normalizing trend during successful treatment. TEWL was comparable among patients and controls and did not change during treatment at all locations.

Conclusion

The GPSkin determines TEWL and SCH accurately in healthy and impaired skin barrier state and can monitor skin barrier function in rosacea during treatment. The GPSkin device is much more practical compared to previous skin barrier tools when used in clinical practice. Its further validation in other inflammatory skin diseases is recommended.
Unpacking Gender, Age, and Education Knowledge Inequalities: A Systematic Comparison
Authors: Fraile Marta , Fortin‐Rittberger Jessica
Published: June 2020

Objective

Scrutinize how the three main sources of knowledge inequalities, namely, gender, age, and education, relate to the content, format, and object of the survey items used to measure knowledge

Methods

Using a pooled data set encompassing 106 postelection surveys in 47 countries from the CSES, we perform analyses by stacking the data at the question level.

Results

Questions probing familiarity with electoral and partisan politics provide knowledge gaps of a higher magnitude. However, our balanced comparison of the three gaps also confirms the peculiarities of the gender gap in knowledge previously portrayed by the bulk of the literature.

Conclusion

Surveys aspiring to measure citizens’ knowledge about the political world in a valid manner should include items inquiring about different substantive contents, and not only elections or partisan politics as the available postelectoral surveys around the world currently do. They also should use closed‐ended format with at least four possible options, and should maximize the object of inquiry, so that the cognitive abilities required to correctly answer the questions are diverse and the measurement does not favor one over the others.
COVID‐19 pneumonia in kidney transplant recipients: Focus on immunosuppression management
Authors: Chen Tracy Yixin , Farghaly Sara , Cham Samantha , Tatem Luis Lantigua , Sin Jonathan H. , Rauda Roberto , Ribisi Maria , Sumrani Nabil
Published: June 2020

Background

The coronavirus disease of 2019, also known as COVID‐19, has been declared a global pandemic. Significant controversies exist regarding treatment modalities for this novel disease, especially in immunocompromised patients. Experience with management of COVID‐19 in kidney transplant recipients is scarce; effects of this virus on immunosuppressed individuals are not well understood.

Methods

We identified 30 renal transplant recipients with confirmed COVID‐19 pneumonia who were admitted to inpatient between March 2020 and April 2020. All patients received a 5‐day course of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin; half of the patients received methylprednisolone. During hospitalization, calcineurin inhibitors and antimetabolites were held; prednisone was continued.

Results

Clinical presentation of flu‐like symptoms was similar to those in the general population. Hyponatremia, lymphopenia, acute kidney injury, and elevated inflammatory markers were common. Over the course of follow‐up, 23 have been discharged home with a functioning allograft and in stable condition; 4 experienced acute kidney injury requiring renal replacement therapy; 7 patients were intubated, and 6 expired. The mortality rate in our cohort was 20%.

Conclusion

Our findings described the characteristics and outcomes of this highly fatal illness in a multi‐ethnic kidney transplant cohort, with insights on immunosuppression management that could further our understanding of this unique disease in immunocompromised populations.
Effect of COVID‐19 on liver transplantation in Korea
Authors: Lee Jeong‐Moo
Published: June 2020

COVID‐19 is now a pandemic with increasing numbers of cases and deaths. In addition to the economic and social damage caused by COVID‐19 outbreak prolongation, damage caused by delayed treatment of other diseases such as severe cirrhosis is also serious. We aimed to describe the effect of COVID‐19 on the number of liver transplants (LT) in South Korea. The number of LT performed in Korea during the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak, and the COVID‐19 pandemic was compared with the average number of LT performed in the past 5 years. There were 108.5 cases of LT performed per month during the MERS outbreak. It was 11% lower than the average of 122.8 cases per month for the last 5 years. LDLT and DDLT decreased by 13% to 75.3 cases and by 7.5% to 33.2 cases per month during the MERS epidemic, respectively. From January to March 2020 (COVID‐19 outbreak), the number of LT did not decrease significantly. The lockdown caused by COVID‐19 did not affect the number of liver transplants in Korea. Establishing a safe process and procedure of liver transplantation within safe boundaries can be beneficial in reducing the side effects of lockdown and saving patients' lives.
Estimating exporter's quality: Do importers agree on rankings?
Authors: Yue Kan
Published: June 2020

A large and growing literature focuses on product quality differentiation and its positive and normative importance for international trade. In this literature, there are a number of approaches that attempt to extract a quality ‘signal’ from noisy price or price–quantity data (i.e., unit value and demand residual approach). I propose a simple test for the robustness of these approaches to quality inference: when purchasing goods from a common set of exporters, do two importers agree on which goods are high quality? Results from Spearman's rank correlation tests show that as we use import demand residuals to measure quality, quality estimates become progressively less consistent and worsen the agreement among importers. Such inconsistency cannot be explained by trade cost effects on exporters' quality suggested by Melitz (2003) and Alchian–Allen hypothesis (Hummels and Skiba, 2004). It is also uncorrelated to differences in the compositions of imports. However, demand residual approach produces strong quality ‘signal’ relative to the noise only in highly differentiated products. Further analyses confirm the role of the differences in consumers' preferences and tastes across importers in the distortion of quality signals.
Dynamic MRI is reliable for evaluation of the lumbosacral spine in healthy dogs
Authors: Lampe Rachel , Foss Kari D. , Hague Devon W. , Oliveira Cintia R. , Smith Rebecca
Published: June 2020

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is commonly used to diagnose degenerative lumbosacral stenosis; however, studies show limited correlation between imaging and clinical signs. The purpose of this prospective observer agreement study was to use dynamic MRI of the lumbosacral (LS) spine of healthy dogs to determine reliable reference ranges. Twenty‐two healthy large breed dogs were prospectively enrolled. MRI of the LS spine was performed in T2‐weighted, T1‐weighted, and T2‐weighted SPACE sequences in neutral, flexed, and extended positions. Four observers performed image analyses. Measurements included LS angle, vertebral canal height and area, and LS foraminal areas. Ordinal categorical assessment of loss of fat signal in the foramina, LS compression, intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration, spondylosis, and IVD protrusion was also performed. The majority of values were significantly larger in flexion versus neutral position, and significantly smaller in extension versus neutral position (P < .05). Subclinical compression and IVD protrusion was noted in a neutral position in 45% and 55% of dogs and in an extended position in 85% and 73% of dogs, respectively. Interobserver agreement was strong (intracluster correlation coefficient [ICC] > .5) except for the L7:LS vertebral canal area ratio (ICC ≤ .03). Intraobserver agreement was high (rho > .5) for all measurements except for the mid‐L6:LS vertebral canal height ratio (rho = .38). There was poor interobserver agreement for loss of fat signal in the foramina and evidence of compression. This study provides the groundwork for future studies using dynamic MRI to evaluate dogs with signs of clinical LS disease.
Housing Tenure Choice and Housing Affordability in Nigeria: A Comparative Analysis of Owners and Renters of Organized Private Sector Housing
Authors: Omobayo Adegoke Samson Akinbamide , Agbola Tunde
Published: June 2020

Housing tenure choice is one key decision that a household must make. This decision has been established to have direct implications for household housing affordability. This research assessed and compared the housing affordability of owners and renters of organized Private Sector Housing delivery in Nigeria. Data were collected from eleven (11) states and the Federal Capital Territory across the six (6) geo-political zones of Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted with multi-stage sampling technique employed to select estates residents for interview. Structured questionnaire were administered on 10% (1,950) heads of households randomly selected from all the occupied houses. The study revealed that 48% of the residents were owners and 52% renters. It was discovered that more owners than renters are under severe housing affordability stress/burden. While 29% of owners enjoy “normal housing affordability” (housing expenditure of 1% - 30%), 41% of renters enjoyed such. Also, while 36% of owners enjoyed “tolerable housing affordability” (30.1% - 50% housing expenditure), 41% of the renters fall within that range. Furthermore, while 35% of owners are theoretically under severe housing affordability stress/burden (with >50% housing expenditure), only 18% of the renters are. The study confirmed that renters enjoyed better housing affordability than the owners. Major policy implications include the need for housing policy and delivery in Nigeria to recognize and facilitate rental housing while steps should be taken to relieve the burden of home ownership by working on mortgage penetration, cost of building materials and other incidental expenses of ownership so as to enhance housing affordability of Nigerians.
Religion and Human Security: The Christian Perspective
Authors: Olasupo Osaji Jacob
Published: June 2020

The prevalent security problems the modern state faces justify the current theme for discussion. In the academic circle such that we are witnessing, security or the state of being secured is a necessity for every human being and indeed every living organism. Each organization or group endeavours to provide security for its members be it financial, position, situation, moral, spiritual etc. Security is the most pertinent of all national priorities and plans. However, security as a national programme is not exactly the same in the religious sphere, especially in Christianity. This does not mean that security in Christianity completely runs a parallel line with the security of the nation. In times past people’s values were based upon traditional religion and moral principles. However, things are changing fast and despite the proliferation of churches all over the country, values are changing and much emphasis are now placed on the accumulation of physical wealth, injustice, corruption and very high competitive society with lesser religious values and principles especially Christian principles. These have greatly affected the people to the detriment of traditional moral values, resulting in insecurity and peace in our society. The study made use of analytical method for its findings.
Simulation of Grain Refinement Induced by High-Speed Machining of OFHC Copper Using Cellular Automata Method
Authors: Zhang Jun , Xu Xiang , Outeiro José , Liu Hongguang , Zhao Wanhua
Published: June 2020

During high-speed machining (HSM), the microstructure of materials evolves with significant plastic deformation process under high strain rate and high temperature, which affects chip formation and material fracture mechanisms, as well as surface integrity. The development of models and simulation methods for grain refinement in machining process is of great importance. There are few models which are developed to predict the evolution of the grain refinement of HSM in mesoscale with sufficient accuracy. In this work, a cellular automata (CA) method with discontinuous (dDRX) and continuous (cDRX) dynamic recrystallization (DRX) mechanisms is applied to simulate the grain refinement and to predict the microstructure morphology during machining oxygen-free high-conductivity (OFHC) copper. The process of grain evolution is simulated with the initial conditions of strain, strain rate, and temperature obtained by finite element (FE) simulation. The evolution of dislocation density, grain deformation, grain refinement, and growth are also simulated. Moreover, cutting tests under high cutting speeds (from 750 m/min to 3000 m/min) are carried out and the microstructure of chips is observed by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The results show a grain refinement during HSM, which could be due to the occurrence of dDRX and cDRX. High temperature will promote grain recovery and growth, while high strain rate will significantly cause a high density of dislocations and grain refinement. Therefore, HSM contributes to the fine equiaxed grain structure in deformed chips and the grain morphology after HSM can be simulated successfully by the CA model developed in this work.
Investigation of the Tribological and Tribochemical Interactions of Different Ferrous Layers Applied to Nitride Surfaces
Authors: Khan Thawhid , Tamura Yukio , Yamamoto Hiroshi , Morina Ardian , Neville Anne
Published: June 2020

Nitriding is a widely used industrial process aiming to improve the tribological properties and performance of components. Previous studies have shown the effectiveness of the treatment with friction and wear performance, but very few have focused on the influence of different ferrous layers formed by variant nitriding treatments on tribological and tribochemical behavior. The influence of an oxide (Fe3O4) and sulfide (FeS) layer on friction and wear performance alongside tribochemical formation was investigated when using a fully formulated hydraulic lubricant. The tribological behavior of the variant nitride samples was analyzed using a tribometer and surface profiler. Scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, electron probe micro analysis (EPMA), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were employed to identify the morphologies and chemical compositions of the treated surface before and after testing. No real effect on friction or wear was observed with the presence of an oxide (Fe3O4) layer, even though the formation of FeS2 was observed within the tribofilm. However, the formation of a sulfide (FeS) layer after sulfur nitriding produced the lowest friction and wear in comparison to the alternative nitride variants. This was due to the lubrication properties of the FeS layer. The study effectively demonstrated that the type of the ferrous layer could impact tribological and tribochemical properties of nitride samples.
Evaluating the Hydrocarbon Yield of Oil Shale Using Electrically Tunable Terahertz Wave
Authors: Miao Xinyang , Chen Mengxi , Zhan Honglei , Zhao Kun , Yue Wenzheng
Published: June 2020

Hydrocarbons in oil shale are significant for the output of fossil fuels and petrochemical materials; thus, the oil yield characterization is of great significance for efficient utilization and commercial exploitation of these resources. In this paper, we propose an evaluating means combined with electrical testing and terahertz (THz) measurements, named as resistivity-THz analysis (RTA), to characterize the oil shale from different places in China. Electrical and THz measurements were performed together to characterize the oil yield-dependent resistivity and THz absorption. Owing to the divergence in structures and compositions, both the electrical conductivity and THz parameters varied non-monotonic with the oil yield. However, electrically tunable THz wave absorption of oil shale can be realized by the linear correlation between the resistivity and THz attenuation coefficient, with the tunability varies monotonously with the oil yield. The results demonstrate that the carbon structures in kerogens are not only the conductive medium in oil shale but also the main source of THz absorption. As a non-contacting means for organic content characterization in oil shale, RTA is helpful to optimize the comprehensive utilization of this unconventional resource.
Co-Pyrolysis of Chicken and Cow Manure
Authors: Selim Osama M. , Amano Ryoichi S.
Published: June 2020

Conventional pyrolysis is a relatively simple way for biochar production; however, a single biomass feedstock approach is not promising for the development of multiple properties of biochar used in various applications. This study provides a detailed comparison in terms of pyrolysis kinetics between the cow manure and chicken manure, in addition to the co-pyrolysis by mixing the two livestock at different ratios. Eight different heating rates were tested, 5–40 °C/min with 5 °C/min step, on both livestock using the nitrogen as a gas agent with a flowrate of 50 ml/min. The initial results show that for the slow heating rates, 5 °C/min, the thermal degradation of the cow manure is different compared to that obtained from chicken manure. For the cow manure, the first peak, associated with hemicellulose decomposition, is higher than the second peak, associated with cellulose decomposition, which is the other way around for chicken manure. At 5 °C /min, the hemicellulose decomposition took place at 250 °C and 300 °C for the chicken manure and cow manure, respectively. The cellulose decomposition was started at 300 °C for chicken manure and 470 °C for cow manure. The lowest heat rate was selected for the co-pyrolysis case study to allow a quasi-equilibrium state to avoid measurement errors and heat transfer limitation in terms of thermal lag. Co-pyrolysis is studied with different blend ratios between the chicken and cow manure, where the 40% cow manure shows a positive result in terms of keeping an exothermic reaction over the co-pyrolysis process.
Physics-Based Part Orientation and Sentencing: A Solution to Manufacturing Variability
Authors: Lee Wen Yao , Dawes William N. , Coull John D.
Published: June 2020

Casting deviations introduce geometric variability that impacts the aerodynamic performance of turbomachinery. These effects are studied for a high-pressure turbine rotor blade from a modern aero-engine. A sample of 197 blades were measured using structured-light three-dimensional scanning, and the performance of each blade is quantified using Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) simulations. Casting variation is typically managed by applying geometric tolerances to determine the suitability of a component for service. The analysis demonstrates that this approach may not be optimal since it does not necessarily align with performance, in particular the capacity and efficiency. Alternatively, functional acceptance based on the predicted performance of each blade removes the uncertainty associated with geometric tolerancing and gives better performance control. Building on these findings, the paper proposes a method to set the orientation of the fir-tree, which is machined after casting. By customizing the alignment of each blade, performance variability and scrap rates can be significantly reduced. The method uses predictions of performance to reorient the castings to compensate for manufacturing-induced errors, without changing the design-intent blade geometry and with minimal changes to the manufacturing facility.
A PI3K- and GTPase-independent Rac1-mTOR mechanism mediates MET-driven anchorage-independent cell growth but not migration
Authors: Hervieu Alexia , Heuss Sara Farrah , Zhang Chi , Barrow-McGee Rachel , Joffre Carine , Ménard Ludovic , Clarke Paul Andrew , Kermorgant Stéphanie
Published: June 2020

Enzymatic and nonenzymatic functions of Rac1 promote the growth and metastasis of MET-driven tumors.
Analytical and Clinical Comparison of Three Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests for SARS-CoV-2 Detection
Authors: Smith Elizabeth , Zhen Wei , Manji Ryhana , Schron Deborah , Duong Scott , Berry Gregory J.
Published: June 2020

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first identified in December 2019 and has quickly become a worldwide pandemic. In response, many diagnostic manufacturers have developed molecular assays for SARS-CoV-2 under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) pathway. This study compared three of these assays, the Hologic Panther Fusion SARS-CoV-2 assay (Fusion), the Hologic Aptima SARS-CoV-2 assay (Aptima), and the BioFire Defense COVID-19 test (BioFire), to determine analytical and clinical performance as well as workflow.
Evaluation of the completeness of intervention reporting in Cochrane surgical systematic reviews using the TIDieR-SR checklist: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Vassar Matt , Page Matthew J , Glasbey James , Cooper Craig , Jorski Austin , Sosio Jessica , Wayant Cole
Published: June 2020

Introduction

Complete reporting of systematic reviews of interventions is essential to the interpretation of research findings and the reproducibility of research results. The Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) checklist—and the version specific to systematic reviews (TIDieR-SR)—was created to provide authors and researchers an evidence-based guide for reporting trial and systematic review interventions. In this study, we apply TIDieR-SR to Cochrane systematic reviews of surgical interventions.

Methods

We searched the Cochrane Database for relevant systematic reviews. Two investigators applied inclusion/exclusion criteria to all titles/abstracts and full texts. These same investigators extracted all data in duplicate while masked to the other’s data. The primary outcome was adherence to TIDieR-SR items.

Results

Two hundred and thirty-eight systematic reviews were included. Overall, included SRs adhered to a median of 6 (IQR 5–7) out of eight TIDieR-SR items. The item with the lowest adherence was item 7 (share intervention materials, 1/238 (0.4%).

Discussion

Our results are encouraging, but the generalisability of our findings is compromised by the inclusion of only Cochrane systematic reviews. Future reporting of intervention materials is likely to improve the application of effective surgical interventions in the clinical practice.
Real-world programmed death-ligand 1 prevalence rates in non-small cell lung cancer: correlation with clinicopathological features and tumour mutation status
Authors: Holmes Mikaela , Mahar Annabelle , Lum Trina , Kao Steven , Cooper Wendy Anne
Published: June 2020

Aims

The detection of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) protein expression on tumour cells by immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a predictor of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. New immunotherapeutic options are changing the treatment paradigm for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate real-world prevalence of PD-L1 expression in NSCLC and any correlations with clinicopathological features.

Methods

We reviewed 425 NSCLC cases at a Sydney metropolitan hospital that had PD-L1 IHC (SP263 clone) expression estimated as part of routine diagnostic assessment during a 30-month period.

Results

Overall, 32.2% of cases were negative for PD-L1 expression (<1%), 40.3% demonstrated low expression (1%–49%) and 27.5% exhibited high protein expression (≥50%). High PD-L1 expression rates were more likely in non-lung resection cases and inKRASmutant NSCLC as opposed toKRASwildtype, while lower expression rates were more commonly found inEGFRmutant NSCLC compared withEGFRwildtype tumours.

Conclusions

Ongoing observation and comparison of PD-L1 expression rates is an important practice for ensuring its validity as a predictive biomarker. The results from our study align with and contribute to the growing field of published real-world PD-L1 prevalence rates in NSCLC.
Homozygosity for CHEK2 p.Gly167Arg leads to a unique cancer syndrome with multiple complex chromosomal translocations in peripheral blood karyotype
Authors: Paperna Tamar , Sharon-Shwartzman Nitzan , Kurolap Alina , Goldberg Yael , Moustafa Nivin , Carasso Yariv , Feinstien Miora , Mory Adi , Reznick-Levi Gili , Gonzaga-Jauregui Claudia , Shuldiner Alan R , Basel-Salmon Lina , Ofran Yishai , Half Elizabeth E , Baris Feldman Hagit
Published: June 2020

Background

Chromosomal instability, as reflected by structural or copy-number changes, is a known cancer characteristic but are rarely observed in healthy tissue. Mutations in DNA repair genes disrupt the maintenance of DNA integrity and predispose to hereditary cancer syndromes.

Objective

To clinically characterise and genetically diagnose two reportedly unrelated patients with unique cancer syndromes, including multiorgan tumourogenesis (patient 1) and early-onset acute myeloid leukaemia (patient 2), both displaying unique peripheral blood karyotypes.

Methods

Genetic analysis in patient 1 included TruSight One panel and whole-exome sequencing, while patient 2 was diagnosed by FoundationOne Heme genomic analysis; Sanger sequencing was used for mutation confirmation in both patients. Karyotype analysis was performed on peripheral blood, bone marrow and other available tissues.

Results

Both patients were found homozygous for CHEK2 c.499G>A; p.Gly167Arg and exhibited multiple different chromosomal translocations in 30%–60% peripheral blood lymphocytes. This karyotype phenotype was not observed in other tested tissues or in an ovarian cancer patient with a different homozygous missense mutation in CHEK2 (c.1283C>T; p.Ser428Phe).

Conclusions

The multiple chromosomal translocations in patient lymphocytes highlight the role of CHK2 in DNA repair. We suggest that homozygosity for p.Gly167Arg increases patients' susceptibility to non-accurate correction of DNA breaks and possibly explains their increased susceptibility to either multiple primary tumours during their lifetime or early-onset tumourigenesis.
Hyperbaric oxygen and focused rehabilitation program: a feasibility study in improving upper limb motor function after stroke
Authors: Schiavo S. , Richardson D. , Santa Mina D. , Buryk-Iggers S. , Uehling J. , Carroll J. , Clarke H. , Djaiani C. , Gershinsky M. , Katznelson R.
Published: June 2020

Neuroplasticity and recovery after stroke can be enhanced by a rehabilitation program pertinent to upper limb motor function exercise and mental imagery (EMI) as well as hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). We assessed feasibility and safety of the combined approach utilizing both HBOT and EMI, and to derive preliminary estimates of its efficacy. In this randomized controlled trial, 27 patients with upper extremity hemiparesis at 3–48 months after stroke were randomized to receive either a complementary rehabilitation program of HBOT-EMI (intervention group), or EMI alone (control group). Feasibility and safety were assessed as total session attendance, duration of sessions, attrition rates, missing data, and intervention-related adverse events. Secondary clinical outcomes were assessed with both objective tools and self-reported measures at baseline, 8 weeks (end of treatment), and 12-weeks follow-up. Session attendance, duration, and attrition rate did not differ between the groups; there were no serious adverse events. Compared with baseline, there were significant sustained improvements of objective and subjective outcomes’ measures in the intervention group, and a single improvement in an objective measure in the control group. Between-group outcome comparisons were not statistically significant. This study demonstrated that the combination HBOT-EMI was a safe and feasible approach in patients recovering from chronic stroke. There were also trends for improved motor function of the affected upper limb after the treatments. ClinicalTrials.gov registration no.: NCT02666469.

Novelty HBOT combined with an upper limb exercise and mental imagery rehabilitation program is feasible and safe in chronic stroke patients. This combined approach showed trends for improved functional recovery.
Caloric restriction-induced weight loss with a high-fat diet does not fully recover visceral adipose tissue inflammation in previously obese C57BL/6 mice
Authors: Rodrigues M.O.M. , Evangelista-Silva P.H. , Neves N.N. , Moreno L.G. , Santos C.S. , Rocha K.L.S. , Ottone V.O. , Batista-da-Silva B. , Dias-Peixoto M.F. , Magalhães F.C. , Esteves E.A.
Published: June 2020

Caloric restriction (CR) reduces body weight and systemic inflammation, but the effects on adipose tissue under dietary lipid overload are controversial. We evaluated the effects of CR-induced weight loss with a high-fat diet on adipose tissue inflammation of obese mice. Male mice were assigned into low-fat diet (LF) and high-fat diet (HF) groups. After 8 weeks, the mice in the HF group were reassigned for another 7 weeks into the following 3 conditions: (i) kept in the HF condition; (ii) changed to low-fat diet ad libitum (LFAL); and (iii) changed to high-fat calorie-restricted (RHF) diet to reach LFAL body weight. Serum markers, adipocytokines, morphology, and inflammatory infiltrates in retroperitoneal adipose tissue (RAT) were accessed. The body weights of the LFAL and RHF groups were reduced, equaling the body weights of the LF group. The LFAL mice had restored almost all inflammatory markers as the LF mice, except tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and adiponectin. Compared with the HF group, the RHF group had lowered visceral adiposity, retroperitoneal adipocyte sizes, and RAT inflammatory cell infiltration, as well as TNF-α, interleukin-6, and hepatic and serum C-reactive protein, which were higher than that of the LFAL group; adiponectin and MCP-1 did not change. CR with high-fat diet reduced body weight and attenuated visceral adiposity but did not fully recover visceral tissue inflammation.

Novelty Caloric restriction in a high-fat diet ameliorated visceral adiposity. Caloric restriction in a high-fat diet did not recover visceral adipose tissue inflammation.
Effect of 2-(4-chlorophenylthio) ethylamine hydrochloride on lycopene biosynthesis in pepper fruits
Authors: Li Li , Tian Shi-Lin , Xu Shi-Lun
Published: June 2020

Lycopene is an intermediate metabolic product of the capsanthin biosynthesis pathway in pepper fruits and is one of the strongest antioxidants found in plants. During the ripening of pepper fruits, lycopene is almost completely transformed into the downstream metabolic product capsanthin as well as other substances. As a result, lycopene cannot be enriched in ripe pepper fruits; however, the lycopene content can be increased by 2-(4-chlorophenylthio) ethylamine hydrochloride (CPTA) treatment, using the optimal concentration at the optimal development stage of pepper fruits. The current study tested different CPTA concentrations and fruit developmental stages to increase the lycopene content in pepper fruits. The results showed that the lycopene content was significantly enriched in pepper fruits treated with 0.1% CPTA applied at the turning stage. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that CPTA treatment significantly promoted the expression of the upstream genes (Psy and PDS) involved in the anabolic metabolism of lycopene; however, CPTA treatment had a significant inhibitory effect on the downstream gene (Lcyb) of lycopene synthesis. Therefore, in pepper fruits, CPTA inhibits the normal expression of the Lcyb gene downstream of lycopene, thus achieving notable lycopene enrichment.
CDC Covert durum wheat
Authors: Pozniak C.J. , Clarke J.M. , Haile T.A.
Published: June 2020

CDC Covert durum wheat is adapted to the durum production area of the Canadian prairies. This conventional height durum wheat cultivar combines high grain yield with acceptable time to maturity, disease resistance, test weight, and end-use suitability. CDC Covert is resistant to prevalent races of leaf and stem rust, has excellent common bunt resistance, and demonstrated end-use quality suitable for the Canada Western Amber Durum class.
Effect of salinity on soil structure and soil hydraulic characteristics
Authors: Tang Shengqiang , She Dongli , Wang Hongde
Published: June 2020

Revealing the influences of soil salinity on soil structure and hydraulic properties contributes to understanding the mechanism of salinity restraining rehabilitation of saline sodic soil in coastal area. After being passed through a 1 mm sieve, silt loam and silty clay were irrigated with saline water to achieve different soil salinities to highlight the effect of irrigation salinity on aggregate formation from primary particles. Three irrigation events with different saline water were conducted in the same 2 mo interval in soil columns; the soil columns were subjected to natural evaporation during the interval. The soil salinity, soil structure, soil–water characteristic curve, and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) results were determined after the end of the third drying subprocess. The results showed that the proportion of water-stable macroaggregates (0.25–2 mm) in the silt loam and silty clay increased as the soil salt content (SSC) increased. Under the same matric suction, the retention capacity and plant-available water capacity (PAWC) of the silt loam first increased and then decreased, with the SSC increasing to a maximum of approximately 14.5 g kg−1. The retention capacity of the silty clay increased with the SSC, whereas the PAWC decreased with the SSC. The Ksof the silt loam increased with SSC. This study reveals the effects of soil salinity on aggregate formation from primary particles in wetting–drying cycles and describes the corresponding changes in hydraulic properties, which influence the rehabilitation of saline sodic soils in coastal areas.
Positive knots and weak (1, 3) homotopy
Authors: Ito Noboru , Takimura Yusuke
Published: June 2020

It is known that there exists a surjective map from the set of weak (1, 3) homotopy classes of knot projections to the set of positive knots [N. Ito and Y. Takimura, (1, 2) and weak (1, 3) homotopies on knot projections, J. Knot Theory Ramifications 22 (2013) 1350085]. An interesting question whether this map is also injective, which question was formulated independently by S. Kamada and Y. Nakanishi in 2013 (Question q1). This paper obtains an answer to this question.
An invariant of graph-links valued in graphs and an almost classification of graph-links
Authors: Ilyutko Denis P. , Manturov Vassily O.
Published: June 2020

In [V. O. Manturov, An almost classification of free knots, Dokl. Math. 88(2) (2013) 556–558.] the second author constructed an invariant which in some sense generalizes the quantum [Formula: see text] link invariant of Kuperberg to the case of free links. In this paper, we generalize this construction to free graph-links. As a result, we obtain an invariant of free graph-links with values in linear combinations of graphs. The main property of this invariant is that under certain conditions on the representative of the free graph-link, we can recover this representative from the value invariant on it. In addition, this invariant allows one to partially classify free graph-links.
Theoretical study of new push–pull molecules based on transition metals for NLO applications and determination of ICT mechanisms by DFT calculations
Authors: Elhorri Abdelkader M.
Published: June 2020

This study is based on the valuation of a few model molecules. The objective of this research is focussed on the nonlinear optical (NLO) improvement of four organometallic molecules and one organic molecule. These molecules have been subjected to several calculations by different functionals: CAM–B3LYP, LC–BLYP, LC–wPBE, wB97X, M11, M06–2X, M08–HX and M08–SO. These functionals gave three orders of classification of the [Formula: see text] parameters. The CAM–B3LYP functional recorded very good agreement between [Formula: see text] parameters and gaps ([Formula: see text]. Significant first hyperpolarizabilities ([Formula: see text] have been obtained around 880 * 10[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]esu. The mechanisms of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) have shown energetic passages from donor groups to acceptors and vice versa. The substitution of metals influences the location of [Formula: see text] electrons at the level of the chromophores. Finally, the lengthening of the aromatic chains between the acceptor and donor groups shows significant NLO improvements. The first and second hyperpolarizabilities ([Formula: see text] and ([Formula: see text] for a chain of several benzene rings are of the order of 21,663.16 * 10[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]esu and 16,464.65 * 10[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]esu, respectively.
Evolution of Hydroforming Technologies and Its Applications — A Review
Authors: Reddy P. Venkateshwar , Reddy B. Veerabhadra , Ramulu P. Janaki
Published: June 2020

Advanced forming technologies have been evolving at a rapid pace with the products applicability in the industrial fields of aerospace and automobile especially for the materials like aluminum and titanium alloys (light weight) and ultra-high strength steels. Innovative forming methods like hydroforming (tube and sheet) have been proposed for industries throughout the world. The ever-increasing needs of the automotive industry have made hydroforming technology an impetus one for the development and innovations. In this paper, the review on various developments towards lightweight materials for different applications is presented. The influencing process parameters considering the different characteristics of the tube and sheet hydroforming process have also been presented. General ideas and mechanical improvements in sheet and tube hydroforming are given late innovative work exercises. This review will help researchers and industrialists about the history, state of the art in hydroforming technologies of the lightweight materials.
Finite Element Modeling for Analyzing Material Removal Rate in ECDM Process
Authors: Rajput Viveksheel , Goud Mudimallana , Suri Narendra Mohan
Published: June 2020

Electrochemical discharge machining (ECDM) has been developed as a hybrid and robust technology for machining non-conductive work material at a preferable removal rate. ECDM exhibits various applications in the micro-machining of these materials like nuclear, automotive, medical industries, etc. Due to some peculiar properties of nonconductive materials, for example, glass transparency, their utilization in MEMS applications are also very numerous. In the ECDM process, removal of material takes place primarily due to high-temperature thermal erosion and secondarily due to electrolyte chemical etching action. Many rigorous experimental studies have reported in the empirical estimation of the material removal rate (MRR) in the ECDM process. However, very few studies have reported in the modeling of the ECDM process for predicting material removal rate through single spark simulation. The present paper attempts to develop a transient thermal model based upon finite element modeling (FEM) to simulate a single spark in the ECDM process for obtaining temperature fields in the work material. The obtained temperature fields are further post-processed to predict the material removal rate. FEM results are compared with the previous simulated and experimental results to confirm the approach. Moreover, an experimental study is also performed to validate the developed thermal model and it was found to be in an acceptable range of the experimental results. Further, a parametric study revealed that MRR increases with the increase in applied voltage and electrolyte concentration during soda-lime glass machining with ECDM. The developed FEM-based transient thermal model can be successfully utilized for predicting the removal rate of nonconductive work material.
An Integrated Product-Process Design Approach Considering Material Selection and Product Assembly
Authors: Chaimae Abadi , Asmae Abadi , Imad Manssouri
Published: June 2020

Nowadays, industries face very strong challenges because of the high competitiveness between them. In fact, they are required to offer products with high quality and minimum cost in the minimum time. Since most of the characteristics and costs of the product and its manufacturing process are fixed in the design phase, this paper is focused on this strategic phase. Indeed, a new integrated product design approach is presented. It considers at the same time design requirements, materials characteristics, manufacturing parameters and the assembly process specifications. The developed approach is quantitative. Actually, the decision making is based on all its steps on objective and subjective indicators. To validate the integrated approach, a case study on the Schrader Robot is developed. This application allows to choose the most appropriate materials, manufacturing processes and assembly solution of its different components.
Dynamics Analyses of Rigid-Flexible Coupling of Spot-Welding Robot
Authors: Wang Xiangru , Song Wei , Xue Tao , Tian He
Published: June 2020

With the development of electronics, mechanical automation, computer and other related disciplines, and the improvement of product efficiency and quality in modern industry, welding robots are born and play an increasingly important role in industrial production lines. 6R welding robot is most commonly used in industrial production lines, so the research on 6R welding robot has practical application values. In this paper, MS165 Yaskawa robot is selected as the target robot. SolidWorks software is used to establish the three-dimensional model of Yaskawa robot, which is imported into Adams. Dynamics analyses of the rigid–flexible coupling system of 6R spot welding robot are studied by powerful dynamic simulation functions of Adams. The maximum stress position of the spot-welding robot working under load is also studied, and the maximum stress curve is obtained.
Cosmic aspects of chameleon Brans–Dicke gravity with parameterized deceleration parameters
Authors: Jawad Abdul , Aslam Asma
Published: June 2020

We investigate the chameleon Brans–Dicke gravity with new holographic dark energy which includes a non-minimal coupling between matter and scalar field. We use parameterized forms of deceleration parameter for flat FRW universe, which play a vital role to describe the nature of cosmic acceleration. We explore the cosmological parameters like Hubble parameter, equation of state parameter as well as its plane and stability of the obtained solution. The results of cosmological parameter and plane are consistent with observational data.
Charged stellar structure in Tolman–Kuchowicz spacetime
Authors: Farasat Shamir M. , Fayyaz I.
Published: June 2020

In this paper, we have presented the Einstein–Maxwell equations which are described by the spherically symmetric spacetime in the presence of charge by exploiting the Tolman–Kuchowicz spacetime. The corresponding field equations are constructed and the form of charge distribution is chosen to be [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is a constant quantity. We also find the values of unknown constants from junction conditions and discuss the behavior of effective energy density, effective radial and tangential pressure and anisotropic factor with two viable [Formula: see text] models. We examine the physical stability of charged stellar structure through energy conditions, causality and stability condition. We use modified form of TOV equation for anisotropic charged fluid sphere to analyze the equilibrium condition. In this work, we model the compact star candidate SAXJ 1808.4 – 3658 and study the compactness level and anisotropic behavior corresponding to the variation of physical parameters which are involved in [Formula: see text] models. Further, we evaluate some important properties such as mass-radius ratio compactness factor and surface redshift. It is depicted from this study that the obtained solutions provide strong evidences for more realistic and viable stellar model.
Quantization error in stereo imaging system with noise distributions
Authors: Saini Deepika , Kumar Sanjeev
Published: June 2020

The problem of estimating quantization error in 2D images is an inherent problem in computer vision. The outcome of this problem is directly related to the error in reconstructed 3D position coordinates of an object. Thus estimation of quantization error has its own importance in stereo vision. Although the quantization error cannot be controlled fully, still statistical error analysis helps us to measure the performance of stereo systems that relies on the imaging parameters. Generally, it is assumed that the quantization error in 2D images is distributed uniformly that need not to be true from a practical aspect. In this paper, we have incorporated noise distributions (Triangular and Trapezoidal) for the stochastic error analysis of the quantization error in stereo imaging systems. For the validation of the theoretical analysis, the detailed simulation study is carried out by considering different cases.
Ladies with hammers – exploring a social paradox in early nineteenth-century Britain
Authors: Kölbl-Ebert M.
Published: June 2020

In the early nineteenth century, long before the Geological Society of London opened its doors to female members, geology was a fashionable science in Britain. Numerous women collected fossils and minerals, and read or even wrote popular geology books. There was also a considerable number of female helpmates to renowned pioneers of geology, acting as secretaries, draughtswomen, curators and field geologists. Access to a full geological education via universities, public libraries or membership in scientific societies, however, was largely denied to these women, causing considerable frustration. Wherever possible, women interested in geology pressed for changes by enlisting sympathetic husbands to speak on their behalf, by forcing admission to the meetings of the British Association for the Advancement of Science or by supporting political women's rights movements. They were, however, not the direct pathfinders for the first female members of the Geological Society. Increasing professionalization of geology rendered the female amanuensis of previous decades obsolete and, when university education was opened to women in the late 1870s, the Geological Society saw females as unwelcome competitors. Anti-discrimination laws in the wake of World War I finally forced the conservatives at the Geological Society to admit female fellows.