bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Birth Outcomes of Women Using a Midwife versus Women Using a Physician for Prenatal Care
Authors: Loewenberg Weisband Yiska , Klebanoff Mark , Gallo Maria F. , Shoben Abigail , Norris Alison H.
Published: June 2018

Introduction

Few studies have compared midwife‐led and physician‐led care in the United States. Our objective was to compare the frequency of birth interventions and maternal and neonatal outcomes between women who received prenatal care from a midwife and those who received care from a physician, among women who were low risk when they initiated prenatal care.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study of women giving birth at a large public hospital who had at least one prenatal visit before 20 weeks’ gestation in the years 2012 through 2015. We classified women according to prenatal care provider type (midwife vs physician) at first prenatal visit and compared birth outcomes between the groups, using intent‐to‐treat analyses. We used modified Poisson regression to calculate adjusted risk ratios (aRRs) for common outcomes and logistic regression with Firth's bias correction to produce adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for rare outcomes. As a sensitivity analysis, we performed a matched propensity score analysis to account for potential confounding by indication.

Results

Midwives provided care to 8.2% of the women; physicians provided care to 91.8% of the women. Women in midwifery care were less likely to be black, have Medicaid insurance, or have a history of pregnancy complications or previous cesarean births compared with women who received care from physicians. Women in midwifery care had lower risks of cesarean (aRR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.57‐0.78) and preterm birth (aRR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.42‐0.79), with no increased odds of neonatal intensive care unit admissions, neonatal deaths, or severe maternal morbidity. Women in midwifery care had increased odds of postpartum hemorrhage and shoulder dystocia (aOR, 3.26; 95% CI, 1.40‐7.58, and aOR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.01‐3.22, respectively); however, these did not remain significant in the propensity score analysis.

Discussion

Among women with low‐risk pregnancies, midwifery care was associated with substantially fewer preterm births and labor interventions.
The last 2 years of life for children with severe physical disability: Observations from a tertiary paediatric centre
Authors: Vemuri Sidharth , Baker Louise , Williams Katrina , Hynson Jenny
Published: June 2018

Aim

To describe the clinical course for children with severe physical disability (SPD) in the 2 years prior to their death and to identify whether these children had palliative care involvement and advance care planning prior to death. To investigate whether there is a difference between children with progressive (PSPD) and non‐progressive (NPSPD) aetiologies of SPD.

Methods

A retrospective cohort analysis of 48 children with SPD who died between 1 January 2013 and 1 January 2015 at The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne. Clinical charts were reviewed to collect data about the type of SPD, frequency and duration of hospital admissions, duration of palliative care involvement (if any) and presence of an advance care plan.

Results

The majority of children were admitted in the 6 months before their death, and over a third were admitted to the intensive care unit. There was a significant increase in the frequency of hospital admissions as the study cohort approached death (P = 0.003). The majority of children with SPD were offered a referral to a palliative care service, with referrals more likely in children with PSPD (90%) compared to children with NPSPD (57%). While approximately 60% of children in each cohort had an advance care plan, there was a trend towards this being formalised earlier in children with PSPD (P = 0.09).

Conclusion

The increase in hospital admissions prior to death in children with SPD suggests an opportunity for greater consistency in offering advanced care planning and palliative care, especially to those with NPSPD.
Arthritis in Kawasaki disease: A poorly recognised manifestation
Authors: Martins Andreia , Conde Marta , Brito Maria , Gouveia Catarina
Published: June 2018

Aim

To determine the prevalence of arthritis in Kawasaki disease (KD) and the clinical characteristics of children with KD and arthritis.

Methods

This was a single‐centre, 15‐year, retrospective study of children admitted with KD. Clinical features (including coronary involvement), laboratory results and treatment response were evaluated.

Results

Of 63 children with KD, 60.3% were male, with a median of age of 2.0 years. Complete KD was found in 68.3%. The time from symptom onset to treatment was 7.0 days (median); 30.7% had coronary artery aneurysms, from which 82.5% responded to intravenous immunoglobulin. During the course of their illness, eight children developed arthritis (12.7%), which was early onset in six (75%) and oligoarticular in five (62.5%). The median number of joints was 3.5 (P25 = 1.3, P75 = 17.0), and at least one large joint was affected. In all cases, the arthritis was self‐limited and left no sequelae, lasting a median of 14 days and no longer than 22 days. KD children with arthritis were older (P = 0.025), and those with early‐onset arthritis responded to first‐line therapy, unlike the late‐onset group (P = 0.018).

Conclusions

This study emphasises the value of a systematic articular examination of joints in KD. Refractory KD was observed in children with late‐onset arthritis.
Salvia miltiorrhiza enhances the survival of mesenchymal stem cells under ischemic conditions
Authors: Kim Ran , Lee Seokyeon , Lee Chang Youn , Yun Hwayoung , Lee Hojin , Lee Min Young , Kim Jongmin , Jeong Jee-Yeong , Baek Kyungmin , Chang Woochul
Published: June 2018

Objectives

To validate the enhanced therapeutic effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (SM) for brain ischemic stroke through the anti-apoptotic and survival ability of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).

Methods

The viability and the expression level of cell apoptotic and survival-related proteins in MSCs by treatment of SM were assessed in vitro. In addition, the infarcted brain region and the behavioural changes after treatment of MSCs with SM were confirmed in rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) models.

Key findings

We demonstrated that SM attenuates apoptosis and improves the cell viability of MSCs. In the rat MCAo model, the recovery of the infarcted region and positive changes of behaviour are observed after treatment of MSCs with SM.

Conclusions

The therapy using SM enhances the therapeutic effect for brain ischemic stroke by promoting the survival of MSCs. This synergetic effect thereby proposes a new experimental approach of traditional Chinese medicine and stem cell-based therapies for patients suffering from a variety of diseases.
Motivation, Emotion, Learning Experience, and Second Language Comprehensibility Development in Classroom Settings: A Cross‐Sectional and Longitudinal Study
Authors: Saito Kazuya , Dewaele Jean‐Marc , Abe Mariko , In'nami Yo
Published: June 2018

This study presents a cross‐sectional and longitudinal analysis of how 108 high school students in English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms enhanced the comprehensibility of their second language (L2) speech according to different motivation, emotion, and experience profiles. Students’ learning patterns were primarily associated with their emotional states (anxiety vs. enjoyment) and secondarily with their motivational dispositions (clear vision of ideal future selves). Students’ anxiety together with weaker Ideal L2 Self related negatively to their performance at the beginning of the project—performance that they had achieved after several years of EFL instruction. Students’ enjoyment together with greater Ideal L2 Self predicted the extent to which they practiced and developed their L2 speech within the 3‐month framework of the project. Results suggest that more frequent L2 use with positive emotions directly impacts acquisition, which may in turn lead to the lessening of negative emotions and better long‐term L2 comprehensibility.

Open Practices

This article has been awarded an Open Materials badge. Study materials are publicly accessible in the IRIS digital repository at http://www.iris-database.org. Learn more about the Open Practices badges from the Center for Open Science: https://osf.io/tvyxz/wiki.
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of CAIs discovery by Mireille Christophe Michel–Lévy
Authors: Gounelle Matthieu
Published: June 2018

The scope of the present short report is to honor the discovery of the first calcium‐aluminum‐rich inclusion in 1968 as well as the discoverer, the French mineralogist, Mireille Christophe Michel‐Lévy.
The Hebeloma cylindrosporum HcPT2 Pi transporter plays a key role in ectomycorrhizal symbiosis
Authors: Becquer Adeline , Garcia Kevin , Amenc Laurie , Rivard Camille , Doré Jeanne , Trives‐Segura Carlos , Szponarski Wojciech , Russet Sylvie , Baeza Yoan , Lassalle‐Kaiser Benedikt , Gay Gilles , Zimmermann Sabine Dagmar , Plassard Claude
Published: June 2018

Through a mutualistic relationship with woody plant roots, ectomycorrhizal fungi provide growth‐limiting nutrients, including inorganic phosphate (Pi), to their host. Reciprocal trades occur at the Hartig net, which is the symbiotic interface of ectomycorrhizas where the two partners are symplasmically isolated. Fungal Pi must be exported to the symbiotic interface, but the proteins facilitating this transfer are unknown.

In the present study, we combined transcriptomic, microscopy, whole plant physiology, X‐ray fluorescence mapping, 32P labeling and fungal genetic approaches to unravel the role of HcPT2, a fungal Pi transporter, during the Hebeloma cylindrosporum–Pinus pinaster ectomycorrhizal association.

We localized HcPT2 in the extra‐radical hyphae and the Hartig net and demonstrated its determinant role for both the establishment of ectomycorrhizas and Pi allocation towards P. pinaster. We showed that the host plant induces HcPT2 expression and that the artificial overexpression of HcPT2 is sufficient to significantly enhance Pi export towards the central cylinder.

Together, our results reveal that HcPT2 plays an important role in ectomycorrhizal symbiosis, affecting both Pi influx in the mycelium and efflux towards roots under the control of P. pinaster.
The rights and duties of immigrants in liberal societies
Authors: Higgins Peter W.
Published: June 2018

What legal rights and duties immigrants should have is among the most ferociously debated topics in the politics of liberal societies today. However, as this article will show, there is remarkably little disagreement of great magnitude among political theorists and philosophers of immigration on the rights and duties of resident immigrants (even in contrast to the closely related philosophical discussion of justice in immigrant admissions). Specifically, this article will survey philosophical positions both on what legal rights immigrants (documented permanent residents, guest workers, and undocumented immigrants) ought to have (including to citizenship and against deportation) and on what liberal societies may justly do to require immigrants to integrate. This article will reveal that there is a substantial, growing gap between contemporary politics worldwide and what the moral norms of liberalism seem to entail concerning the rights and duties of immigrants.
Demographic change and long‐term growth in China: Past developments and the future challenge of aging
Authors: Hsu Minchung , Liao Pei‐Ju , Zhao Min
Published: June 2018

This paper explores the influence of demographic changes, particularly the sharp decline in fertility and the evolution of the population age structure, on economic development in China. A general equilibrium overlapping generations model with endogenous decisions on fertility, educational investment, and factor accumulation is employed for our analysis. The family support provided by children to the elderly, which is a component of traditional culture in Chinese society, is also considered. We find that technological changes matter most for growth. Demographic changes, on average, account for approximately 4% of the growth in China, while the effect is negative in the pre‐1980 period. With an extension to include population aging, we find that aging is not necessarily adverse to growth. This finding reflects the fact that a longer life expectancy requires more savings and makes educational investment in children more attractive, which accelerates physical capital and human capital accumulation. However, if the social norm of family support for aging parents is strict, aging will significantly increase the children's burden and crowd out physical and human capital accumulation.
Oral health care for patients with developmental disabilities: A survey of Michigan general dentists
Authors: Byrappagari Divesh , Jung Youngjin , Chen Kelvin
Published: June 2018

Aims

The aim of this study to examine the level of access to dental care in Michigan for individuals with DD and explore the dentists’ practices, attitudes, and perceived barriers to providing care to this vulnerable population.

Methods and results

A survey was mailed to a random sample of 1250 general dental practitioners with an active license in the State of Michigan. The survey included questions related to dentists’ demographic information, opinion about willingness, barriers, and training needs associated with delivering care to children and adults with developmental disabilities. Descriptive statistics were computed and chi‐squared tests and logistic regression models analyzed the association between predictor and key outcome variables. Results show that most dentists treated individuals with developmental disabilities (80.3%). Respondents who indicated that they currently do not treat these patients identified behavior management of patient (67.9%), inadequate training and experiences (52.4%) and severity of patient's condition (41.7%) as the most common reasons for not providing care to individuals with developmental disabilities.

Conclusion

A majority of Michigan general dentists treat patients with developmental disabilities. Addressing barriers like training and improved reimbursements might help in increasing the number of dentists willing to treat patients with developmental disabilities.
Activating killer‐cell immunoglobulin‐like receptor haplotype influences clinical outcome following HLA‐matched sibling haematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Heatley Susan L. , Mullighan Charles G. , Doherty Kathleen , Danner Silke , O'Connor Geraldine M. , Hahn Uwe , Szer Jeff , Schwarer Anthony , Bradstock Kenneth , Sullivan Lucy C. , Bardy Peter G. , Brooks Andrew G.
Published: June 2018

Natural killer cells are thought to influence the outcome of haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT), impacting on relapse, overall survival, graft vs host disease (GvHD) and the control of infection, in part through the complex interplay between the large and genetically diverse killer‐cell immunoglobulin‐like receptor (KIR) family and their ligands. This study examined the relationship between KIR gene content and clinical outcomes including the control of opportunistic infections such as cytomegalovirus in the setting of HLA‐matched sibling HSCT in an Australian cohort. The presence of the KIR B haplotype which contain more activating receptors in the donor, in particular centromeric B haplotype genes (Cen‐B), was associated with improved overall survival of patients with acute myeloid leukaemia undergoing sibling HSCT and receiving myeloablative conditioning. Donor Cen‐B haplotype was also associated with reduced acute GvHD grades II to IV whereas donor telomeric‐B haplotype was associated with decreased incidence of CMV reactivation. In contrast, we were not able to show a reduced rate of relapse when the donor had KIR Cen‐B; however, relapse with a donor Cen‐A haplotype was a competing risk factor to poor overall survival. Here, we show that the presence of donor activating KIR led to improved outcome for the patient, potentially through reduced relapse rates and decreased incidence of acute GvHD translating to improved overall survival.
Investigation of the Use of Energy Efficient Bulbs in Residential Buildings in Ile-Ife, Osun State, NigeriaInvestigation of the Use of Energy Efficient Bulbs in Residential Buildings in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria
Authors: Bolaji Wahab Akeem
Published: June 2018

The use of incandescent bulbs by the majority of building occupants in Nigeria has complemented high cost of electrical energy consumption and this has informed prevalence of different types of energy efficient lighting bulbs. The study, therefore, identified and examined types of lighting bulbs used, assessed the rate of use of energy efficient bulbs in selected residential buildings and examined factors influencing its use. The study was carried out in Ife Central Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria. Residential settlements in core wards in the study area were considered and four wards in the core zone of the Local Government were randomly selected from the total of eleven while data collection was done with the use of primary and secondary data techniques. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 5% sample size from the entire population and systematic sampling procedure was further employed by selecting every 10th building in the direction of movement which indicated selection of 123 houses. A total of 123 structured questionnaires were administered on the respondents on issues associated with the use of lighting bulbs. Data collected were analysed by both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The study found that 90.53% and 72.63% of the respondents used incandescent and energy saving bulbs respectively; variation existed in the wattages of different brands of energy saving and non-energy saving bulbs used in the selected buildings: A major proportion of the respondents used an average number of 1-5 lighting bulbs in buildings and its spaces therein; while quality and cost-saving benefit, energy saving benefit and durability of bulb influenced the choice of fluorescent tubes, compact fluorescent bulbs and light emitting diodes with a mean score value of 2.20, 2.29 and 2.85 respectively. In view of the need to enhance visual performance and comfort of buildings and its occupants respectively, efforts must be made by government to ensure that consumers awareness and enlightenment be increased on the types of lighting bulbs to procure and there is also need to strengthen mechanisms through the importation and sales of energy efficient bulbs only so as to enhance its cost-saving and environment–related benefits amongst others.
A corpus of audio-visual Lombard speech with frontal and profile views
Authors: Alghamdi Najwa , Maddock Steve , Marxer Ricard , Barker Jon , Brown Guy J.
Published: June 2018

This paper presents a bi-view (front and side) audiovisual Lombard speech corpus, which is freely available for download. It contains 5400 utterances (2700 Lombard and 2700 plain reference utterances), produced by 54 talkers, with each utterance in the dataset following the same sentence format as the audiovisual “Grid” corpus [Cooke, Barker, Cunningham, and Shao (2006). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 120(5), 2421–2424]. Analysis of this dataset confirms previous research, showing prominent acoustic, phonetic, and articulatory speech modifications in Lombard speech. In addition, gender differences are observed in the size of Lombard effect. Specifically, female talkers exhibit a greater increase in estimated vowel duration and a greater reduction in F2 frequency.
Thyroid hormone receptor and ERRα coordinately regulate mitochondrial fission, mitophagy, biogenesis, and function
Authors: Singh Brijesh K. , Sinha Rohit A. , Tripathi Madhulika , Mendoza Arturo , Ohba Kenji , Sy Jann A. C. , Xie Sherwin Y. , Zhou Jin , Ho Jia Pei , Chang Ching-yi , Wu Yajun , Giguère Vincent , Bay Boon-Huat , Vanacker Jean-Marc , Ghosh Sujoy , Gauthier Karine , Hollenberg Anthony N. , McDonnell Donald P. , Yen Paul M.
Published: June 2018

The thyroid hormone receptor mediates its effects on key mitochondrial processes through ERRα.
The plant cell wall integrity maintenance and immune signaling systems cooperate to control stress responses in
Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Engelsdorf Timo , Gigli-Bisceglia Nora , Veerabagu Manikandan , McKenna Joseph F. , Vaahtera Lauri , Augstein Frauke , Van der Does Dieuwertje , Zipfel Cyril , Hamann Thorsten
Published: June 2018

Cell wall integrity and immune signaling systems cooperatively mediate responses to cell wall damage in the model plant
Arabidopsis
.
Caspase-1 and Caspase-11 Mediate Pyroptosis, Inflammation, and Control of Brucella Joint Infection
Authors: Lacey Carolyn A. , Mitchell William J. , Dadelahi Alexis S. , Skyberg Jerod A.
Published: June 2018

Brucellosis, caused by the intracellular bacterial pathogen
Brucella
, is a zoonotic disease for which arthritis is the most common focal complication in humans. Here we investigated the role of inflammasomes and their effectors, including interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-18, and pyroptosis, on inflammation and control of infection during
Brucella
-induced arthritis.
Adoption of paediatric and neonatal pulse oximetry by 12 hospitals in Nigeria: a mixed-methods realist evaluation
Authors: Graham Hamish R , Bakare Ayobami A , Gray Amy , Ayede Adejumoke Idowu , Qazi Shamim , McPake Barbara , Izadnegahdar Rasa , Duke Trevor , Falade Adegoke G
Published: June 2018

Introduction

Pulse oximetry is a life-saving tool for identifying children with hypoxaemia and guiding oxygen therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the adoption of oximetry practices in 12 Nigerian hospitals and identify strategies to improve adoption.

Methods

We conducted a mixed-methods realist evaluation to understand how oximetry was adopted in 12 Nigerian hospitals and why it varied in different contexts. We collected quantitative data on oximetry use (from case notes) and user knowledge (pretraining/post-training tests). We collected qualitative data via focus groups with project nurses(n=12)and interviews with hospital staff (n=11). We used the quantitative data to describe the uptake of oximetry practices. We used mixed methods to explain how hospitals adopted oximetry and why it varied between contexts.

Results

Between January 2014 and April 2017, 38 525 children (38% aged ≤28 days) were admitted to participating hospitals (23 401 pretraining; 15 124 post-training). Prior to our intervention, 3.3% of children and 2.5% of neonates had oximetry documented on admission. In the 18 months of intervention period, all hospitals improved oximetry practices, typically achieving oximetry coverage on >50% of admitted children after 2–3 months and >90% after 6–12 months. However, oximetry adoption varied in different contexts. We identified key mechanisms that influenced oximetry adoption in particular contexts.

Conclusion

Pulse oximetry is a simple, life-saving clinical practice, but introducing it into routine clinical practice is challenging. By exploring how oximetry was adopted in different contexts, we identified strategies to enhance institutional adoption of oximetry, which will be relevant for scale-up of oximetry in hospitals globally.

Trial registration number

ACTRN12617000341325.
Study protocol of a 52-week Prospective Running INjury study in Gothenburg (SPRING)
Authors: Jungmalm Jonatan , Grau Stefan , Desai Pia , Karlsson Jon , Nielsen Rasmus Østergaard
Published: June 2018

Introduction

It is assumed that a running-related (overuse) injury occurs when a specific structure of the human body is exposed to a load that exceeds that structures’ load capacity. Therefore, monitoring training load is an important key to understanding the development of a running-related injury. Additionally, other distribution, magnitude and capacity-related factors should be considered when aiming to understand the causal chain of injury development. This paper presents a study protocol for a prospective cohort study that aims to add comprehensive information on the aetiology of running-related injuries and present a new approach for investigating changes in training load with regard to running-related injuries.

Methods and analysis

This study focused on recreational runners, that is, runners exposed to a minimum weekly average of 15 km for at least 1 year. Participants will undergo baseline tests consisting of a clinical/anthropometrical examination and biomechanical measurements. Furthermore, participants will log all training sessions in a diary on a weekly basis for 1 year. The primary exposure variable is changes in training load. A medical practitioner will examine runners suffering from running-related pain and, if possible, make a clear diagnosis. Finally, additional time-varying exposure variables will be included in the main analysis, whereas the analysis for the secondary purpose is based on time-fixed baseline-related risk factors.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval (DNR: 712–15) for the study and its design was obtained from the Gothenburg regional ethical review board. The results of the study will be published in peer-reviewed journals.
The 7-day contraceptive hormone-free interval should be consigned to history
Authors: MacGregor E Anne , Guillebaud John
Published: June 2018

Aim

This review summarises the available data on the disadvantages of the 7-day contraceptive-free interval (CFI) of combined oral contraceptives (COCs), in contrast to shorter CFIs or continuous use – including flexible regimens – and provides recommendations for practice.

Methods

Relevant papers were identified by Medline and PubMed. The final reference list was generated on the basis of relevance to the review, with priority given to systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials.

Results

There is considerable inter- and intra-individual variation in the absorption and metabolism of COCs. Even with perfect use, the loss of endocrine suppression during the standard 7-day CFI allows follicular development with the risk of escape ovulation in a vulnerable minority. This risk increases in typical users whenever the CFI is prolonged: late restarts are a common reason for pill omissions. Shortening or eliminating the CFI improves contraceptive efficacy using the lowest doses available, without evidence to date of compromised safety.

Conclusions

There is no scientific evidence to support a 7-day CFI and it should be replaced either by a continuous flexible regimen, or extended regimens with a shortened CFI, prescribed first-line. In women preferring a monthly ‘bleed’, a 4-day CFI similarly provides a greater safety margin when pills are omitted.
Malignant melanoma with central nervous system involvement in a dog treated with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy
Authors: Perez Lopez Pablo , Rasotto Roberta , Caine Abby , Cherubini Giunio Bruto
Published: June 2018

A five‐year‐old female entire cocker spaniel was admitted for acute obtundation and non‐ambulatory tetraparesis. MRI of the brain revealed a mass lesion in the right olfactory and frontal lobe area and in the right frontal sinus. Transfrontal craniotomy was performed for surgical excision, with intraoperative application of cytarabine and methotrexate. At discharge, the dog was ambulatory with mild generalised ataxia. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry revealed a malignant melanoma. Lomustine was initiated. Six months after surgery the dog was readmitted for right exophthalmos, due to a right retrobulbar mass that was surgically excised. Histopathology confirmed melanoma, and a course of radiotherapy was added and lomustine restarted. The dog was euthanased after further 17 months for relapsing neurological signs secondary to recurrent CNS melanoma. This treatment of a melanoma with CNS involvement showed encouraging results, achieving a total survival time of 23 months.
Effect of food intake on the ventilatory response to increasing core temperature during exercise
Authors: Hayashi Keiji , Ito Nozomi , Ichikawa Yoko , Suzuki Yuichi
Published: June 2018

Food intake increases metabolism and body temperature, which may in turn influence ventilatory responses. Our aim was to assess the effect of food intake on ventilatory sensitivity to rising core temperature during exercise. Nine healthy male subjects exercised on a cycle ergometer at 50% of peak oxygen uptake in sessions with and without prior food intake. Ventilatory sensitivity to rising core temperature was defined by the slopes of regression lines relating ventilatory parameters to core temperature. Mean skin temperature, mean body temperature (calculated from esophageal temperature and mean skin temperature), oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide elimination, minute ventilation, alveolar ventilation, and tidal volume (VT) were all significantly higher at baseline in sessions with food intake than without food intake. During exercise, esophageal temperature, mean skin temperature, mean body temperature, carbon dioxide elimination, and end-tidal CO2 pressure were all significantly higher in sessions with food intake than without it. By contrast, ventilatory parameters did not differ between sessions with and without food intake, with the exception of VT during the first 5 min of exercise. The ventilatory sensitivities to rising core temperature also did not differ, with the exception of an early transient effect on VT. Food intake increases body temperature before and during exercise. Other than during the first 5 min of exercise, food intake does not affect ventilatory parameters during exercise, despite elevation of both body temperature and metabolism. Thus, with the exception of an early transient effect on VT, ventilatory sensitivity to rising core temperature is not affected by food intake.
Design procedure for landslide stabilization using sheet pile ribs
Authors: Bartz James R. , Martin C. Derek , Hendry Michael T.
Published: June 2018

A design procedure was developed for a relatively unknown slope stabilization technique consisting of a series of parallel sheet piles installed parallel to the direction of slope movement. This technique was introduced in Alberta by R.M. Hardy in the 1970s and is locally referred to as “Hardy Ribs.” A case study is discussed where Canadian National (CN) Rail installed Hardy Ribs to stabilize a landslide affecting its rail line in western Manitoba. A proposed design procedure is discussed that consists of a de-coupled approach with a separate limit equilibrium slope stability analysis and laterally loaded pile analysis using p–y curves, where p is the soil reaction per unit length and y is the lateral deflection of the pile, to model the soil–pile interaction. Example calculations are provided for the proposed design procedure for the CN case study site to illustrate its use and to estimate the stabilizing effect from the Hardy Ribs at this site.
Zircon provenance of the Carboniferous Mattson delta complex, western Laurentian margin, Canada: record of a Greenland-sourced pancontinental river system
Authors: McMechan Margot , Currie Lisel , Richards Barry , Ferri Filippo , Matthews William , O’Sullivan Paul
Published: June 2018

New detrital zircon U–Pb dates for seven late Viséan to Bashkirian (Middle Mississippian to Lower Pennsylvanian) Mattson and Kindle formation sandstone samples from the Mattson delta complex in the Liard Basin of northeastern British Columbia, combined with two previously published detrital zircon samples from these units, indicate a dominant Greenland Caledonian clastic wedge and orogen source with a small contribution of Ellesmerian-aged material. This provenance remained consistent over time. The Labrador–Greenland high was the only paleogeographically viable source area during the time of deposition of the Mattson delta complex. Detritus deposited on the western margin of Laurentia in the Mattson delta complex was likely transported southwestward by a late Viséan to Bashkirian pancontinental river system. This conclusion contrasts with previous interpretations which proposed that these sediments were recycled from the Ellesmerian clastic wedge. Tectonic uplift and denudation of eastern Greenland provided detritus from the Silurian to Devonian Caledonian clastic wedge and orogen to the western margin of Laurentia and detritus from the Caledonian orogen to the Serpukhovian to middle Bashkirian (Namurian) conglomeratic successions of the Millstone Grits in England. Detrital zircon U–Pb dates for two samples from the unconformably overlying Cisuralian (lower Permian) Tika formation are similar to those of the Mattson delta complex samples, as are those from the Pennsylvanian Spray Lakes Group of the southern Prophet Trough, indicating they all probably shared the same dominant source areas. The Tika formation was mainly derived from recycling of the Mattson and other Caledonide-sourced sediments of northern Laurentia.
Magnetic hysteresis of 0.6–110 μm magnetites across the Verwey transition
Authors: Dunlop David J. , Özdemir Özden , Xu Song
Published: June 2018

We report saturation magnetization, Ms, saturation remanence, Mrs, coercive force, Hc, and remanence coercivity, Hcr, as a function of grain size, d, and temperature, T, for 0.6–135 μm magnetites. Five annealed and four unannealed samples were measured at 5–10 K intervals from 300 to 20 K. Mrs and Hc increase by factors of 1.5–4 in cooling through the Verwey transition (TV ≈ 120 K) and by smaller amounts around 50 K. Hysteresis properties change continuously over ≈20 K below TV or for annealed 0.6, 3, and 6 μm grains, within ≈10 K below TV. Hc(d) changes for annealed magnetites from ∼d–0.5 at 300 K to ∼d–0.6–d–0.7 at 120–130 K to ∼d–0.3 at 80–100 K. Day plots of Mrs(T)/Ms(T) versus Hcr(T)/Hc(T) indicate major domain structure changes with T, e.g., 6 μm grains change from large pseudo-single-domain (PSD) at 300 K to multidomain (MD) just above TV and return to PSD below TV, evolving to higher Mrs and Hc down to 20 K. Hysteresis loops change from normal at 300 K to slightly constricted near TV to severely constricted below 50 K. We interpret these results in the light of electron microscopic observations by Kasama et al. (2010 , 2012) . Hardening of magnetic hysteresis below TV and the evolution from MD to PSD, and even to single-domain in the finest grains, results from subdivision of grains by monoclinic twinning, reduced magnetic domain sizes in monoclinic magnetite, and confinement of magnetic domains within twin domains. Constricted hysteresis loops indicate coexisting magnetically hard and soft phases, initially growing monoclinic regions and residual cubic magnetite.
Effects of selection cuts on winter habitat use of snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) in northern temperate forests
Authors: Simard Véronique , Imbeau Louis , Asselin Hugo
Published: June 2018

Selection cutting is used in northern temperate forests where regeneration dynamics are driven by gap formation. By creating openings in the canopy, selection cutting modifies shrub cover, an important criterion in winter habitat selection by snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus Erxleben, 1777), a key species in North American forests. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of selection cuts on snowshoe hare habitat and to evaluate the restoration of habitat quality over time. Occurrence indices for snowshoe hare (fecal pellets and tracks) were modelled according to habitat quality parameters for 22 hardwood stands that were subjected to selection cutting between 1993 and 2007 and 30 untreated stands (15 hardwood and 15 mixedwood) in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec. Model selection based on the Akaike second-order information criterion (AICc) identified lateral cover as the only habitat structure parameter having a positive effect on snowshoe hare abundance in the study sites. Indicators of snowshoe hare presence were highest in untreated mixedwood stands but more abundant in selection cuts than in untreated hardwood stands. The use of selection cuts by snowshoe hare increased with time since logging was performed. We conclude that selection cutting exerted a positive effect on the use of hardwood stands by snowshoe hare.
Histology of resin vesicles and oleoresin terpene composition of conifer seeds
Authors: Kshatriya Kristina , Whitehill Justin G.A. , Madilao Lina , Henderson Hannah , Kermode Allison , Kolotelo David , Bohlmann Jörg
Published: June 2018

The seed coats of several conifers contain terpene-filled resin vesicles, which may be involved in the protection of the dormant embryo and the seed storage tissue against herbivores or pathogens. We analyzed the terpenoid composition of seeds from four Abies species (Abies amabilis Douglas ex J. Forbes, Abies balsamea (L.) Mill., Abies grandis (Douglas ex D. Don) Lindl., and Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.), two Thuja species (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don and Thuja occidentalis L.), and three Tsuga species (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière, Tsuga mertensiana (Bong.) Carrière, and Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) and examined histological features of resin vesicles in seeds from one species from each genus. Resin vesicle morphology was generally similar among the species analyzed. The composition of the seed terpenes varied largely between species. The described seed terpene profiles of the nine species will serve as a foundation for future studies into the function of seed terpenes and resin vesicles in the seed coat.
Structures and electronic properties of WmCunH2 (m+n ≤ 7) clusters
Authors: Yu Zhicheng , Zhang Xiurong , Gao Kun , Huo Peiying
Published: June 2018

Geometric and electronic structures of W[Formula: see text]Cu[Formula: see text]H2 (m + n [Formula: see text] 7) clusters have been systematically calculated by density functional theory (DFT) at the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) level for ground-state structures. For all W–Cu clusters, H atoms prefer to attach to W atoms in this system during adsorption. And more electrons transfer from H atom to W atom with the growth of the size of the cluster which benefits the hydrogen storage. Analysis of stability properties and electronic properties shows that hydrogen adsorption and dissociation process take place more efficiently at the W2Cu3H2 cluster than the others. Due to high thermodynamic stability and adsorption energy of W5CuH2 cluster among W[Formula: see text]Cu[Formula: see text]H2 (m + n [Formula: see text] 7) clusters, W5Cu is more suitable for hydrogen storage.
Study on Digital Image Inpainting Method Based on Multispectral Image Decomposition Synthesis
Authors: Jia Zhaoyang , Chen Guangxue
Published: June 2018

The paper analyzes the image inpainting problem of damaged Painting Arts for high fidelity images reproduction, and a digital image inpainting method based on multispectral image decomposition synthesis is proposed. Firstly, multi-channel images of Painting Arts are obtained by multispectral technology. Then, a polynomial regression method based on principal component is used to reconstruct the spectral image. The reconstructed image is decomposed by VO image decomposition model. During the inpainting process, the channel correlation of the structure image and the texture image of multispectral image is effectively removed. The digital image inpainting is performed respectively. Finally, the digital inpainted image is obtained by synthesis. The experimental results show that the digital image inpainting based on multispectral image decomposition synthesis reduces the problem of low image inpainting accuracy caused by the correlation between the color components in the traditional digital image inpainting process, and reduces the mismatch of the inpainting image. Appearance of pseudo color of inpainting image is reduced. MSE of multispectral images inpainting qualities is 2.7951 and PSNR of multispectral images inpainting qualities is 44.1681, so it is superior to traditional image inpainting algorithm. It provides a reliable basis for digital inpainting, digital archives and high fidelity replication of defective Painting Arts.
Research on the Process Supervision and Forecasting Model of Railway Emergency Based on GERTS
Authors: Zuo Jing , Lyv Min , Zhang Zhen-Hai , Wu Xiao-Qiang
Published: June 2018

The weakness of supervision and management measures in railway emergency rescue led to difficulties of whole of monitoring and disposal on the completion time and effect. In order to solve this problem, the GERTS stochastic network schedule is introduced to the process supervision of railway emergency rescue based on the analysis of process of railway emergency rescue. With critical procedures serving as the nodes and execution process as the edges of the network, the random network model is thus formed. In case of emergency, the simulation of GERTS random network can be used to predict necessary rescue time and disposal efficiency, with previous rescue time and effect for reference. The analysis of the case shows that the simulation obtained by this method is consistent with the practical situation of the rescue. Measure standards from this method can be acquired to evaluate the work schedule and efficiency, efficiently supervising the delay of different divisions during the rescue. The proposed measure improves the efficiency and handling capacity of railway emergency rescue, having certain theoretical guidance significance and application value on railway emergency rescue.
Does Compton–Schwarzschild duality in higher dimensions exclude TeV quantum gravity?
Authors: Lake Matthew J. , Carr Bernard
Published: June 2018

In three spatial dimensions, the Compton wavelength [Formula: see text]) and Schwarzschild radius [Formula: see text]) are dual under the transformation [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the Planck mass. This suggests that there could be a fundamental link — termed the Black Hole Uncertainty Principle or Compton–Schwarzschild correspondence — between elementary particles with [Formula: see text] and black holes in the [Formula: see text] regime. In the presence of [Formula: see text] extra dimensions, compactified on some scale [Formula: see text] exceeding the Planck length [Formula: see text], one expects [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text], which breaks this duality. However, it may be restored in some circumstances because the effective Compton wavelength of a particle depends on the form of the [Formula: see text]-dimensional wave function. If this is spherically symmetric, then one still has [Formula: see text], as in the [Formula: see text]-dimensional case. The effective Planck length is then increased and the Planck mass reduced, allowing the possibility of TeV quantum gravity and black hole production at the LHC. However, if the wave function of a particle is asymmetric and has a scale [Formula: see text] in the extra dimensions, then [Formula: see text], so that the duality between [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] is preserved. In this case, the effective Planck length is increased even more but the Planck mass is unchanged, so that TeV quantum gravity is precluded and black holes cannot be generated in collider experiments. Nevertheless, the extra dimensions could still have consequences for the detectability of black hole evaporations and the enhancement of pair-production at accelerators on scales below [Formula: see text]. Though phenomenologically general for higher-dimensional theories, our results are shown to be consistent with string theory via the minimum positional uncertainty derived from [Formula: see text]-particle scattering amplitudes.
Randomized quantum oblivious transfer with application in hacker-resistant computation
Authors: Cheng Xiaogang , Guo Ren , Chen Yonghong
Published: June 2018

OT (Oblivious transfer) is a fundamental primitive in cryptography. But it is well known that in quantum cryptography, unconditionally secure OT is impossible. A variant of OT, i.e. randomized OT, is presented. We then show how to realize this variant in quantum cryptography with some security relaxations, which is inevitable because of the well-known impossible result in quantum cryptography. We also present a new secure computational model, namely HRC (Hacker-Resistant Computation) model. Since on today’s Internet there are more and more hackers and increased cyber threat, knowing how to protect the information and privacy stored on our computer and on cloud servers is very important, even when the computer or server has been breached by hackers. Finally, some interesting applications of the randomized OT variant to HRC are discussed.
Seismic Performance of Curved Viaducts with Shock Absorber Devices of Different Stiffness in Great Earthquakes
Authors: Tian Qin , Hayashikawa Toshiro , Xiong Jin-Gang , Lei Bin
Published: June 2018

Roller bearings of curved viaducts generate large displacements which lead to damage of bearings or pounding damage at expansion joints between adjacent superstructures. In this study, dispersed steel stoppers are installed near each roller bearing to reduce seismic damage due to large displacements of roller bearings. The concentrated pounding phenomenon between adjacent superstructures can be transferred to the dispersed steel stoppers. Shock absorber devices (SADs) are also installed at each steel stopper to mitigate pounding forces. The effectiveness of SAD stiffness on reducing viaduct damage is analyzed. The pounding forces at steel stopper, displacements on the top of piers, displacements of superstructures, curvatures at pier bases, and the relationships of bending moment and curvature are studied accordingly. The application of SADs with high stiffness can mitigate viaduct damage in earthquakes.
Retained Barium in the Appendix Is Difficult to Distinguish from Surgical Remnants following Laparoscopic Surgery
Authors: Sato Masakazu , Koizumi Minako , Hino Takahiro , Takahashi Yu , Nagashima Natsuki , Itaoka Nao , Ueshima Chiharu , Nakata Maki , Hasumi Yoko
Published: June 2018

Surgical materials, such as gauze, can be accidentally left inside of patients following surgery. This iatrogenic complication should be avoided and is often prevented by routine X-ray analysis after surgical abdominal procedures. We report a case of retained barium in the appendix that was difficult to distinguish from surgical remnants. A 41-year-old Japanese female was diagnosed with uterine leiomyoma and underwent laparoscopic myomectomy. The postoperative X-ray test showed a cord-like material in the lower right abdomen that was not captured in the preoperative X-ray test two months prior to the operation. Because of this difference, the area was reexamined laparoscopically. After examination, we concluded that the cord-like material in X-ray tests was in fact retained barium in the appendix. Barium can be retained in the appendix for long periods of time, and retained barium in the appendix can be captured radiographically and can mimic the appearance of surgical remnants, appearing as a cord-like material. The knowledge above combined with detailed interviews before surgery could prevent such confusion during interpretation of X-ray tests after surgery.