bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new species of Lepidodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the mountains of northeastern Papua New Guinea: older than the hills
Authors: KRAUS FRED , OLIVER PAUL M.
Published: January 2020

We describe a new species of Lepidodactylus with an unusual distribution across scattered localities in three isolated mountain ranges of northeastern New Guinea. It is a member of the Lepidodactylus pumilus group and can be distinguished from all other Melanesian Lepidodactylus by aspects of size, scalation, digital webbing, and coloration. Previously published genetic and morphological data indicate that the new species is most similar to Lepidodactylus magnus, but it diverged from this species and other close relatives in the mid-Miocene or earlier, potentially on islands of the former South Caroline Arc. Estimated divergence dates between the new species and its sister taxon suggest that cladogenesis occurred before the uplift of the mountains that they currently inhabit. Recent systematic work also emphasizes an apparent pattern of increasing body size with elevation in species from the Lepidodactylus pumilus group from northeastern New Guinea, with the largest species occurring in montane habitats where few or no other gecko species are known. Both lines of evidence are consistent with an existing hypothesis that the Lepidodactylus pumilus group is an old insular lineage within which contemporary species diversity and distributions have been strongly shaped by low ability to effectively compete against other aggressive geckos in species-rich lowland rainforests. The role that biotic interactions may have played in shaping tropical gecko communities along elevational gradients warrants further investigation.
Enhanced Photocatalytic Properties of N and Fe Co-Doped TiO2 Nanocomposites with Reduced Graphene Oxide for Volatile Organic Compounds
Authors: Li Zhanguo , Shi Chao , Wang Lijuan , Sun Lijing , Sun Qiang
Published: January 2020

Photocatalytic nanocomposites of titanium dioxide (TiO2) were prepared by hydrothermal method. Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) was applied to prepare various TiO2 composites of doped nanoparticles by using NH4Cl and FeCl3 as sources. The structure
and morphology of these composites showed that TiO2 was loaded on surface of RGO. Meanwhile, the agglomeration of TiO2 decreased and the dispersion became uniform for doped materials. Under ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation, the photocatalytic degradation of volatile
organic compounds (VOC) by RGO/TiO2 composites with codoping of N and Fe reached to 90.5%. The photocatalytic degradation was higher than RGO/TiO2 composites and pure TiO2 by 1.8 and 5.9 times, respectively. The role of co-doping composites may have a possible
mechanism for toluene under UV light irradiation. The enhanced photocatalytic properties were attributed to N and Fe doping which generated intermediate energy level, extended absorption and decreased band gap of UV light.
The Effect of the Madden–Julian Oscillation on the North Atlantic Oscillation Using Idealized Numerical Experiments
Authors: Fromang Sebastien , Rivière Gwendal
Published: January 2020

The aim of the paper is to investigate the influence of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) on the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) using a quasigeostrophic model on the sphere. A simplified forcing based on potential vorticity anomalies in the tropics is used to mimic the MJO. The idealized nature of our setup allows us to determine the distinct roles played by stationary and synoptic waves. This is done by means of several series of almost 10 000 short runs of 30 days. Ensemble averages and a streamfunction budget analysis are used to study the modifications of the flow induced by the MJO. We find that a stationary Rossby wave is excited in the tropics during MJO phase 3. The western part of the Pacific jet is displaced poleward, which modifies the transient eddy activity in that basin. These changes create a ridge south of Alaska, which favors equatorward propagation of synoptic waves and larger poleward eddy momentum fluxes from the eastern Pacific toward the Atlantic, increasing the frequency of occurrence of the positive NAO events. The situation is essentially reversed following phase 6 of the MJO and conducive to the negative phase of the NAO. For a realistic MJO forcing amplitude, we find increases in both NAO phases to be around 30%, in reasonable agreement with the observations given the model simplicity. Finally, we present a series of experiments to assess the relative importance of linear versus nonlinear effects.
Dynamically Downscaled Climate Change Projections for the South Asian Monsoon: Mean and Extreme Precipitation Changes and Physics Parameterization Impacts
Authors: Huo Yiling , Peltier W. Richard
Published: January 2020

The extreme concentration of population over South Asia makes it critical to accurately understand the global warming impact on the South Asian monsoon (SAM), but the complex orography of the region makes future projections of monsoon intensity technically challenging. Here we describe a series of climate projections constructed using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model for South Asia to dynamically downscale a global warming simulation constructed using the Community Earth System Model under the representative concentration pathway 8.5 (RCP8.5) scenario. A physics-based miniensemble is employed to investigate the sensitivity of the projected change of the SAM to the implementation of different parameterization schemes in WRF. We analyze not only the changes in mean seasonal precipitation but also the impact of the warming process on precipitation extremes. All projections are characterized by a consistent increase in average monsoon precipitation and a fattening of the tail of the daily rainfall distribution (more than a 50% decrease in the return periods of 50-yr extreme rainfall events by the end of the twenty-first century). Further analysis based on one of the WRF physics ensemble members shows that both the average rainfall intensity changes and the extreme precipitation increases are projected to be slightly larger than expectations based upon the Clausius–Clapeyron thermodynamic reference of 7% °C−1of surface warming in most parts of India. This further increase can be primarily explained by the fact that the surface warming is projected to be smaller than the warming in the midtroposphere, where a significant portion of rain originates, and dynamical effects play only a secondary role.
Correlation of Nasal Fluid Biomarkers and Symptoms in Patients with Persistent Allergic Rhinitis
Authors: Kim Su Il , Kwon Oh Eun , Park Jung Min , Doo Jeon Gang , Kim Seok Hyun , Jung Hae Rim , Min Jin Young , Kim Sung Wan , Lee Young Chan , Eun Young-Gyu
Published: January 2020

Objectives:

This study investigated whether the biomarkers present in nasal fluid reflect the severity of symptoms in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis (PAR).

Methods:

We enrolled 29 PAR patients complaining of nasal symptoms and testing positive to skin prick test. Patients’ total nasal symptom score (TNSS) was measured and their nasal lavage fluid (NALF) was collected. The levels of biomarkers including Clara cell protein 16 (CC16), tryptase, and interleukin 5 (IL-5) in NALF were determined via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results:

PAR patients were classified into persistent mild and persistent moderate-to-severe groups according to the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) guidelines. The CC16 alone was significantly negatively correlated with TNSS ( P < .05). Further, the CC16 level was significantly lower in persistent moderate-to-severe group than persistent mild group of patients ( P < .05).

Conclusions:

The levels of CC16 alone among several NALF biomarkers showed an inverse correlation with symptoms of PAR patients.
Modeling and simulation of a fuzzy heat distribution controlled high-voltage DC resistive divider
Authors: Yilmaz Serhat , Kilci Sadettin Burak
Published: January 2020

In order to improve quality in manufacturing, the measuring instruments used in production process should regularly be monitored and corrected according to international or national standards. Calibration of high-voltage equipment and precise measurements of DC high voltages are accomplished by standard voltage divider. Self-heating effect is the main error source of measurement in high-voltage DC resistive dividers. Therefore, precise control systems should be designed to keep stability of the ambient temperature and to regulate the heat distribution along the high-voltage DC resistive divider. For this purpose, a heat controlled resistive divider whose input voltage ( Vin) is up to 5 kV was designed. This study is focused on heat convention and the dissipation model of the resistive divider and executes some control simulations under various conditions that aim to find the appropriate control method. Responses of the high-voltage DC resistive divider model are compared with and are validated by the responses of the designed actual system. The model provides us faster analyze and design solutions for novel methods. In this way, analyzing and controlling higher voltage dividers, such as 100 KV, will reduce just into a parameter change on the model. The fuzzy control method is suggested since the system dynamic has non-linear characteristics. Fuzzy temperature difference controller keeps temperature at a certain degree where fuzzy vertical temperature gradient controller keeps vertical temperature gradient around zero. Actual system and model responses for the fuzzy control are compared and interpreted.
The Intergenerational Transmission of Discrimination: Children’s Experiences of Unfair Treatment and Their Mothers’ Health at Midlife
Authors: Colen Cynthia G. , Li Qi , Reczek Corinne , Williams David R.
Published: January 2020

A growing body of research suggests that maternal exposure to discrimination helps to explain racial disparities in children’s health. However, no study has considered if the intergenerational health effects of unfair treatment operate in the opposite direction—from child to mother. To this end, we use data from mother–child pairs in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 to determine whether adolescent and young adult children’s experiences of discrimination influence their mother’s health across midlife. We find that children who report more frequent instances of discrimination have mothers whose self-rated health declines more rapidly between ages 40 and 50 years. Furthermore, racial disparities in exposure to discrimination among children explains almost 10% of the black–white gap but little of the Hispanic–white gap in self-rated health among these mothers. We conclude that the negative health impacts of discrimination are likely to operate in a bidirectional fashion across key family relationships.
School Context in Adolescence and Cognitive Functioning 50 Years Later
Authors: Moorman Sara M. , Greenfield Emily A. , Garcia Sarah
Published: January 2020

To advance understanding of how social inequalities from childhood might contribute to cognitive aging, we examined the extent to which school context in adolescence was associated with individuals’ cognitive performance more than 50 years later. Using data from 3,012 participants in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS), we created an aggregate measure of school-level structural advantage, with indicators such as the proportion of teachers who had at least five years of teaching experience and spending per pupil. Multilevel models indicated that secondary school advantage was associated with small benefits in language/executive function at age 65 among older adults who had lower academic achievement in secondary school. Findings suggest that school advantage is a developmental context of adolescence that has modest implications for intracohort differences in aspects of later life cognition.
Are Trait Emotional Competencies and Heart Rate Variability Linked to Mental Health of Coronary Heart Disease Patients?
Authors: Elise Batselé , Eynde Sophie Vanden , Egée Nathalie , Lamotte Michel , Van de Borne Philippe , Carole Fantini-Hauwel
Published: January 2020

Purpose

Depression and anxiety have been extensively associated with adverse outcomes in coronary heart disease patients. However, psychological and physiological processes underlying the persistence of these troubles in coronary heart disease patients attending cardiac rehabilitation are poorly investigated. Trait emotional competencies and heart rate variability could be some of these processes. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the predictive value of trait emotional competencies and heart rate variability on depression and anxiety symptoms persistence in coronary heart disease patients.

Methods

Eighty-four patients who recently presented a myocardial infarction were evaluated at the beginning of cardiac rehabilitation. Forty-two patients continued their rehabilitation program and were then assessed three months later. They completed the Profile of Emotional Competence as well as the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and underwent a 5-minute resting heart rate variability measure.

Results

Low trait emotional competencies score predicted depression symptoms persistence, but unexpectedly, high trait emotional competencies score was also associated with withdrawal from cardiac rehabilitation. Contrary to our expectations, heart rate variability did not predict depression or anxiety symptoms persistence and was not associated with trait emotional competencies.

Conclusions

This study is the first to report an association between trait emotional competencies and depression symptoms persistence in coronary heart disease patients. However, heart rate variability was not associated with either depression or anxiety supporting the idea of mixed literature and highlighting the need of future research.
Exile, Statelessness, and Migration: Response to my critics
Authors: Benhabib Seyla
Published: January 2020

My new book, Exile, Statelessness, and Migration. Playing Chess With History From Hannah Arendt to Isaiah Berlin, considers the intertwined lives and work of Jewish intellectuals as they make their escape from war-torn Europe into new countries. Although the group which I consider, including Hannah Arendt, Theodor Adorno, Walter Benjamin, Judith Shklar, Albert Hirschman and Isaiah Berlin, have a unique profile as migrants because of their formidable education and intellectual capital, I argue that their lives are still exemplary for many of the dilemmas and risks faced by all migrants. In the reply to critics, I consider such issues as the intellectual relations between Benjamin, Adorno and Horkheimer; differences between Arendt’s and Adorno’s views of an interpretive social science; and why international law played such an important role in the imagination of Jewish intellectuals. A further question involves the generalizability of the experience of Jewish otherness in European culture. Liberal societies always designate some others as their constitutive exterior. How continuous is the experience of emigré Jewish intellectuals with the exclusion of ethnic and racial minorities in our societies? Finally, if the founding of the State of Israel has by no means resolved the problems of statelessness but re-created it for the Palestinian population, what kind of political stance should we assume vis-à-vis this reality today?
Metabolic endotoxemia promotes neuroinflammation after focal cerebral ischemia
Authors: Kurita Naohide , Yamashiro Kazuo , Kuroki Takuma , Tanaka Ryota , Urabe Takao , Ueno Yuji , Miyamoto Nobukazu , Takanashi Masashi , Shimura Hideki , Inaba Toshiki , Yamashiro Yuichiro , Nomoto Koji , Matsumoto Satoshi , Takahashi Takuya , Tsuji Hirokazu , Asahara Takashi , Hattori Nobutaka
Published: January 2020

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a major component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria and a potent inflammatory stimulus for the innate immune response via toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 activation. Type 2 diabetes is associated with changes in gut microbiota and impaired intestinal barrier functions, leading to translocation of microbiota-derived LPS into the circulatory system, a condition referred to as metabolic endotoxemia. We investigated the effects of metabolic endotoxemia after experimental stroke with transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in a murine model of type 2 diabetes ( db/db) and phenotypically normal littermates ( db/+). Compared to db/+ mice, db/db mice exhibited an altered gut microbial composition, increased intestinal permeability, and higher plasma LPS levels. In addition, db/db mice presented increased infarct volumes and higher expression levels of LPS, TLR4, and inflammatory cytokines in the ischemic brain, as well as more severe neurological impairments and reduced survival rates after MCAO. Oral administration of a non-absorbable antibiotic modulated the gut microbiota and improved metabolic endotoxemia and stroke outcomes in db/db mice; these effects were associated with reduction of LPS levels and neuroinflammation in the ischemic brain. These data suggest that targeting metabolic endotoxemia may be a novel potential therapeutic strategy to improve stroke outcomes.
Rethinking Patellar Tendinopathy and Partial Patellar Tendon Tears: A Novel Classification System
Authors: Golman Mikhail , Wright Margaret L. , Wong Tony T. , Lynch T. Sean , Ahmad Christopher S. , Thomopoulos Stavros , Popkin Charles A.
Published: January 2020

Background:

Patellar tendinopathy is an overuse injury of the patellar tendon frequently affecting athletes involved in jumping sports. The tendinopathy may progress to partial patellar tendon tears (PPTTs). Current classifications of patellar tendinopathy are based on symptoms and do not provide satisfactory evidence-based treatment guidelines.

Purpose:

To define the relationship between PPTT characteristics and treatment guidelines, as well as to develop a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)–based classification system for partial patellar tendon injuries.

Study Design:

Cohort study (prognosis); Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

MRI characteristics and clinical treatment outcomes were retrospectively reviewed for 85 patients with patellar tendinopathy, as well as 86 physically active control participants who underwent MRI of the knee for other conditions. A total of 56 patients had a PPTT and underwent further evaluation for tear size and location. The relationship between tear characteristics and clinical outcome was defined with use of statistical comparisons and univariate and logistic regression models.

Results:

Of the 85 patients, 56 had partial-thickness patellar tendon tears. Of these tears, 91% involved the posterior and posteromedial regions of the proximal tendon. On axial MRI views, patients with a partial tear had a mean tendon thickness of 10 mm, as compared with 6.2 mm for those without ( P < .001). Eleven patients underwent surgery for their partial-thickness tear. All of these patients had a tear >50% of tendon thickness (median thickness of tear, 10.3 mm) on axial views. Logistic regression showed that tendon thickness >8.8 mm correlated with the presence of a partial tear, while tendon thickness >11.45 mm and tear thickness >55.7% predicted surgical management.

Conclusion:

Partial-thickness tears are located posterior or posteromedially in the proximal patellar tendon. The most sensitive predictor for detecting the presence of a partial tear was patellar tendon thickness, in which thickness >8.8 mm was strongly correlated with a tear of the tendon. Tracking thickness changes on axial MRI may predict the effectiveness of nonoperative therapy: athletes with patellar tendon thickness >11.5 mm and/or >50% tear thickness on axial MRI were less likely to improve with nonoperative treatment. A novel proposed classification system for partial tears, the Popkin-Golman classification, can be used to guide treatment decisions for these patients.
Où en sommes-nous? An Overview of Successes and Challenges after 30 Years of Early Intervention Services for Psychosis in Quebec: Où en sommes-nous? Un aperçu des réussites et des problèmes après 30 ans de services d’intervention précoce pour la psychose au Québec
Authors: Bertulies-Esposito Bastian , Nolin Marie , Iyer Srividya N. , Malla Ashok , Tibbo Phil , Otter Nicola , Ferrari Manuela , Abdel-Baki Amal
Published: January 2020

Introduction:

Over the last 30 years, early intervention services (EIS) for first-episode psychosis (FEP) were gradually implemented in the province of Quebec. Such implementation occurred without provincial standards/guidelines and policy commitment to EIS until 2017. Although the literature highlights essential elements for EIS, studies conducted elsewhere reveal that important EIS components are often missing. No thorough review of Quebec EIS practices has ever been conducted, a gap we sought to address.

Methods:

Adopting a cross-sectional descriptive study design, an online survey was distributed to 18 EIS that existed in Quebec in 2016 to collect data on clinical, administrative, training, and research variables. Survey responses were compared with existing EIS service delivery recommendations.

Results:

Half of Quebec’s population had access to EIS, with some regions having no programs. Most programs adhered to essential components of EIS. However, divergence from expert recommendations occurred with respect to variables such as open referral processes and patient–clinician ratio. Nonurban EIS encountered additional challenges related to their geography and lower population densities, which impacted their team size/composition and intensity of follow-up.

Conclusions:

Most Quebec EIS offer adequate services but lack resources and organizational support to adhere to some core components. Recently, the provincial government has created EIS guidelines, invested in the development of new programs and offered implementation support from the National Centre of Excellence in Mental Health. These changes, along with continued mentoring and networking of clinicians and researchers, can help all Quebec EIS to attain and maintain recommended quality standards.
Hope, Self-Efficacy, and Crushed Dreams: Exploring How Adolescent Girls’ Future Aspirations Relate to Marriage and Childbearing in Rural Mozambique
Authors: Packer Catherine , Ridgeway Kathleen , Lenzi Rachel , González-Calvo Lázaro , Moon Troy D. , Green Ann F. , Burke Holly McClain
Published: January 2020

In rural Mozambique, girls commonly marry and have children before age 18. We use a Positive Youth Development lens to examine how constructs of confidence and competence were related to adolescent girls’ ability to and progress toward achieving their future aspirations. As part of an intervention evaluation, we used a longitudinal qualitative design, conducting in-depth interviews with 47 adolescent girls aged 13 to 19 at the end of the intervention and 1 year later. We explored adolescent girls’ future aspirations and examined their progress toward achieving their goals and three distinct groups emerged: (a) hopeful with self-efficacy, on track to reach goals; (b) hopeful with mixed levels of self-efficacy, not on track to reach goals; and (c) lacking hope and self-efficacy, not taking any actions to reach goals. Having hope and self-efficacy and behavioral competence enabled progress toward achieving goals, but poverty, early marriage, and childbearing were major obstacles. We conclude that fostering individual-level protective factors (e.g., hope and self-efficacy) is useful in interventions targeted toward young women to prevent pregnancy and child marriage, but that external assets (e.g., community, structural interventions) should be promoted to facilitate girls staying in school, provide sustainable economic opportunities, and improve adolescent contraceptive access and use.
Life, Love, Hope, Faith, and Death—Too Complex for Likert
Authors: Vaughan Leigh M. , Kofmehl Emma L.
Published: January 2020

More research to examine factors contributing to health-care disparities at the end of life is greatly needed. This article outlines a failed attempt to quantify some of the motivators in medical decision-making for African American families faced with a decision to pursue or forego a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in a loved one at the end of life. It explores the complexities of spirituality, history, culture, and death in our patient population in Charleston, South Carolina, where health-care disparities are well-documented, and distrust has deep historical roots. It outlines the need for qualitative research, where the defining role of the researcher is to practice the paramount palliative skill of listening.
Re-endothelization of human saphenous vein scaffold surfaces for bioprosthesis fabrication
Authors: Walawalkar Sonal , Verma Mahesh Kumar , Almelkar Shahdab
Published: January 2020

Various in vitro methods have been used for biological and synthetic scaffold fabrication. Some use polymers such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), while others use allogeneic or xenogeneic biological materials (e.g. blood vessels). While fabricating a biological scaffold, the first step is complete decellularization by enzymes (e.g. trypsin, collagenase, etc.) or chemicals (e.g. SDS, Triton-X, etc.), and the scaffolds should maintain its extracellular matrix (ECM). The second step involves re-endothelization so as to get fully biomimetic graft. In this study, we focused (concentrated) on the fabrication of a human saphenous vein scaffold by using various chemicals. We observed that cationic 1% SDS solution (Group B) performed excellent decellularization without altering the extracellular matrix as compared to the other chemicals like 0.25% trypsin and 70% ethanol (Groups C and D). Decellularization percentage and intactness of ECM (in all tunicae – intima, media, and adventitia) were confirmed based on histology. The PicoGreen assay showed that Group B (1% SDS decellularized scaffold, n = 3) had no detectable residual DNA. Re-endothelization on the complete decellularized scaffold (Group B) was done in both ways, without initial fibrin glue application (Group E) and with prior fibrin glue application (Group F). The vWF and lectin expressions suggested that endothelial cells did not alter their phenotype on human saphenous vein scaffolds. Uniaxial tensile testing revealed no significant differences in strain characteristics and modulus between native tissue and decellularized scaffolds. The live-dead (FDA/PI) and MTT assays confirmed the endothelial cell proliferation and viability, and the scanning electron microscope (SEM) data showed that the cells adhered to the scaffold matrix (Group F). We concluded that an allogeneic human saphenous vein scaffold with desirable properties can be fabricated and re-endothelialized to form a non-thrombogenic intimal surface in vitro using this protocol.
Preparation and characterization of a novel amphoteric polymer for oil well cementing with superior performances
Authors: Xin Tang , Xuzeng Hu , Haodong Wan
Published: January 2020

A novel amphoteric polymer TH-1 was synthesized using the monomers of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, acrylic acid, acrylamide, and cationic monomer through radical copolymerization as filtrate loss reducer in oil well cementing. Optimal synthesis conditions of TH-1 were obtained by an orthogonal experiment. The composition of copolymer (TH-1) was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectrum and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The thermal stability of the synthesized copolymer was tested by thermogravimetric analysis. The fluid loss (FL) control and thickening performance of cement slurry incorporating TH-1 were evaluated at different temperatures. The filtration reduction mechanism of TH-1 was finally discussed. Results suggest that the amphoteric polymer is the target product polymerized by all the monomers, which presents excellent filtrate reduction property, high thermal stability, and strong saline tolerance under 200°C. The amphoteric polymer TH-1 includes cationic and anionic group in a molecule structure, which can adsorb firmly onto the surface of cement particles through electrostatic attraction and form adsorption membrane of viscoelastic polymer. In this way, compact cement filter cakes are formed, thereby efficiently reducing the FL.
Study on semi-active suspension applied on carbody underneath suspended system of high-speed railway vehicle
Authors: Wang Qunsheng , Zeng Jing , Wu Yi , Zhu Bin
Published: January 2020

Considering the coupling vibration of a flexible carbody and the underneath suspended equipment, a vertical coupled vibration model of a high-speed train was constructed. A roller test rig was conducted to validate the theoretical model. To reduce carbody elastic vibration, the semi-active vibration reduction models based on the Sky-hook and the linear quadratic regulator control strategies were proposed. The semi-active suspension system was installed between the carbody and the suspended equipment, and the influence of the semi-active suspension on carbody vibration reduction was analyzed. The results show that the semi-active suspension can significantly reduce carbody vibration, especially at high operating speeds. The higher the elastic vibration of carbody, the better the vibration reduction effect of the semi-active suspension. Compared with the passive suspension and the semi-active suspension, the semi-active suspension of the Sky-hook control has a relatively wider vibration control range, and has an obvious effect on carbody rigid and elastic vibration reduction. Although the semi-active suspension of the linear quadratic regulator control had little influence on the rigid carbody vibration, it could reduce most of the elastic carbody vibration.
Dislocation after total hip arthroplasty: does head size really matter?
Authors: Ertaş Erkan Sabri , Tokgözoğlu A Mazhar
Published: January 2020

Introduction:

Recent advances in polyethylene and ceramic technologies has allowed us to use larger sized heads without compromising the wear properties of a total hip arthroplasty (THA). 1 benefit of this change has been proposed to be a lower incidence of dislocation.

Methods:

We retrospectively evaluated the dislocation rate in 913 THAs performed using the same standardised surgical technique employed by a single team of surgeons at our institution between 1995 and 2015. Patients were assigned to 2 groups: small (⩽28 mm), large diameter heads (⩾36 mm and larger). The cup position was measured and plotted to determine its status according to the Lewinnek’s safe zone (15° ± 10° for anteversion, 40° ± 10° for inclination).

Results:

16 of the 472 small heads dislocated (3.4%) while 5 of the 441 in large head group (1.1%) ( p = 0.04). In all of the large head patients that dislocated the cup position was in the safe range of Lewinnek. However, in the large head group only 64.5% of the cups were in the safe zone.

Conclusions:

By changing the head size to 36 mm, we were able to decrease the dislocation rate significantly. Errors of cup positioning according to Lewinnek became oblivious when using large heads. In our opinion, using large heads in THA makes a difference in terms of dislocation.
Critical Imperatives for Studying Queer and Trans Undergraduate Student Retention
Authors: Garvey Jason C.
Published: January 2020

The dearth of retention scholarship that centers (or includes) queer and trans (QT) students has resulted in inadequately capturing the nuanced dimensions of student retention. As a scholarly community, we are at a critical juncture where it is academically, administratively, and morally necessary to reexamine assumptions about retention to better acknowledge and center QT people in this body of work. The purpose of this article is to provide critical imperatives for studying QT undergraduate student retention, including methodological, institutional, interpersonal, and individual contexts. I close with implications for education scholars, institutional researchers, and assessment professionals when studying QT student retention.
(Re)Defining Queer and Trans* Student Retention and “Success” at Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Authors: Mobley Steve D. , Hall Leslie
Published: January 2020

Unfortunately, within the extant scholarship that has explored queer and trans* historically Black college and university (HBCU) students, the discourse(s) that deliberately center how they can be retained, persist, and ultimately graduate have largely been absent from the literature. Thus, this conceptual exploration offers strategies that HBCUs can and should utilize to ensure that their queer and trans* students persist and graduate. A practice-oriented model is also presented to serve as a guide for HBCU student affairs practioners, presidents, and faculty members to implement so that they may inculcate environments of “success” for their queer and trans* students. Ultimately, the “Queer and Trans* HBCU Student Engagement and Retention Practice Model” illustrates how HBCUs can engage their queer and trans* students during admissions or recruitment, matriculation, and even as alumni.
Culinary Medicine and Nature: Foods That Work Together
Authors: La Puma John
Published: January 2020

Culinary medicine is a new evidence-based field in medicine that blends the art of food and cooking with the science of medicine. Intended to be of constructive use to clinicians, patients, and families, this column covers 10 practical ways for eaters to enjoy preparing and choosing foods, meals, and beverages that work to prevent and treat disease and to enhance one’s own natural ability to stay and get well. The column also identifies mechanisms by which food and beverages work in the body as culinary medicine. The column identifies what-to-look-for “chef’s secrets” for choosing fruits and vegetables at the peak of flavor in your own garden, in supermarkets, and in farmer’s markets. Edible flowers, herbs, and spices with special culinary medical value are also described, as are essential ways to choose and also, when necessary, avoid them. Finally, the corporate and professional office is described as an ideal site for nature-based stress reduction and burnout reversal, in which both culinary medicine and the power of nature can be used to reduce the symptoms associated with chronic stress.
Sleep spindles as a diagnostic and therapeutic target for chronic pain
Authors: Caravan Bassir , Hu Lizbeth , Veyg Daniel , Kulkarni Prathamesh , Zhang Qiaosheng , Chen Zhe S , Wang Jing
Published: January 2020

Pain is known to disrupt sleep patterns, and disturbances in sleep can further worsen pain symptoms. Sleep spindles occur during slow wave sleep and have established effects on sensory and affective processing in mammals. A number of chronic neuropsychiatric conditions, meanwhile, are known to alter sleep spindle density. The effect of persistent pain on sleep spindle waves, however, remains unknown, and studies of sleep spindles are challenging due to long period of monitoring and data analysis. Utilizing automated sleep spindle detection algorithms built on deep learning, we can monitor the effect of pain states on sleep spindle activity. In this study, we show that in a chronic pain model in rodents, there is a significant decrease in sleep spindle activity compared to controls. Meanwhile, methods to restore sleep spindles are associated with decreased pain symptoms. These results suggest that sleep spindle density correlates with chronic pain and may be both a potential biomarker for chronic pain and a target for neuromodulation therapy.
New insights into the treatment of myositis
Authors: Glaubitz Stefanie , Zeng Rachel , Schmidt Jens
Published: January 2020

The myositis syndromes include polymyositis, dermatomyositis (DM), necrotizing myopathy, inclusion body myositis (IBM), antisynthetase syndrome and overlap syndromes with myositis. These syndromes mostly occur in middle-aged patients, while juvenile DM occurs in children and adolescents. Patients mostly show a subacute weakness and myalgia in the upper and lower limbs, the diagnosis is based upon these clinical findings in combination with muscle biopsy results and specific serum autoantibodies. In recent years, research achieved a better understanding about the molecular mechanism underlying the myositis syndromes, as well as disease progress and extramuscular organ manifestations, such as interstitial lung disease and association with neoplasias. Treatment mainly consists of glucocorticosteroids and immunosuppressants. IBM is usually refractory to treatments. This review provides an overview of the current standards of treatment and new treatment options like monoclonal antibodies and new molecular therapies and their first results from clinical trials.
The New Silk Road on Facebook: How China’s official media cover and frame a national initiative for global audiences
Authors: Liang Fan
Published: January 2020

The New Silk Road has been considered as China’s core foreign policy since 2013. This initiative is paralleled by the expansion of China’s official media on Western networking platforms like Facebook and Twitter. These projects indicate China’s ambitious plans for promoting its hard power and soft power. This study examines the news production and framing of the New Silk Road by China’s official media on Facebook, as well as predictors for explaining audience engagement with these news outlets. By examining 43,239 posts relating to the national initiative, this study finds that China’s media build distinct news topics and sentiments for the New Silk Road and countries involved in the policy to achieve the official goal of “spreading China’s voices.” Moreover, news topics and sentiment play significant roles in encouraging Facebook users to like, share, and comment on news stories about the New Silk Road.
Representation of the “Belt and Road Initiative” in Turkish mainstream newspapers
Authors: Özsu Gökçe , Binark Ferruh Mutlu
Published: January 2020

Turkey and China are the countries that established their relations in the shadow of their ideological affiliation. Turkey constructed its multi-partied democratic regime as an implementation of Western-based democracy. However, this has not granted EU full-membership to the country, and Turkey has initiated alternative allies since mid 2000s. This shift of axis has turned into more enthusiasm after the failed coup d’état of 15 July 2016. The purpose of this study is to reveal how Turkish mainstream newspapers represent the Chinese alternative globalization project, “The Belt and Road Initiative” which was introduced in 2013 by General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi Jinping. In order to frame the background information, we will first introduce the aims of the Belt and Road Initiative, and then summarize Turkey’s relation to China from two aspects: political and economic concerns. Following the overview of Turko-Sino relationship, we will focus on the Justice and Development Party’s foreign policy to grasp its pragmatic concern in relation to the Belt and Road Initiative. Based on the contextualization of Turko-Sino relations, we will conduct thematic content analysis of the news on the Belt and Road Initiative from May to July 2017 in mainstream Turkish newspapers. Our analysis brings into question how Turkish press relocates the Belt and Road Initiative with respect to Turkey’s political and economic concerns about China’s alternative globalism, Turkish foreign policy seeking for new allies as alternatives for the Western counterparts, and thus we will examine President Erdoğan’s influence on Turkish foreign policy. Based on our findings, we will discuss the reasons for insufficient coverage of the Belt and Road Initiative in Turkish mainstream newspapers.
At the crossroads of the New Silk Road: News discourses in the Turkish press
Authors: Dagtas Banu
Published: January 2020

This article employs ‘critical discourse analysis’ to explore contending discourses around the ‘New Silk Road’ in Turkish newspapers. The press analysis covers the period 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2017. It includes pro-government newspapers ( Sabah, S tar and Takvim – liberal); oppositional newspapers ( Birgün, Günlük Evrensel – socialist, Cumhuriyet – social democratic, Yeniçağ – nationalist right); one liberal newspaper ( Hürriyet – non-aligned); and a semi-oppositional and Eurasianist title ( Aydınlık). The dominant discourses of the newspapers sampled are mainly organized around recontextualizations of President Erdoğan’s statements on the New Silk Road and the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway. These discourses present the New Silk Road as promoting peace, security and prosperity (with Transport Minister’s statement of a prospective 31 trillion dollar market) and initiating a new era in relations with China. Only the socialist and oppositional newspaper Günlük Evrensel does not recontextualize Erdoğan’s statements within this framework. The oppositional/socialist Birgün and the oppositional/social democratic Cumhuriyet, however, raise some criticisms of the New Silk Road project. Erdoğan’s central position as the main news actor and the domination of his statements on the New Silk Road and the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars in the news discourse legitimate both his authoritarian rule and abuse power and his wish for rapprochement with China. The second foregrounding news discourse is the ‘business discourse’ – centred on investment, trade and market share, running in parallel to the government discourse in every newspaper analysed, except the socialist and oppositional newspapers Birgün and Günlük Evrensel. Only the socialist newspaper Birgün examines the New Silk Road from the side of labour. The Eurasianist party paper Aydınlık constructs the discourse of ‘strong defence of New Silk Road and China’.
What Outcome Measures Are Reported in the Management of Acromioclavicular Joint Injuries?
Authors: Reintgen Christian , Gerlach Erik B. , Schoch Bradley S. , Mamelson Kelly , Wright Thomas W. , Farmer Kevin W. , King Joseph J.
Published: January 2020

Background:

Lack of uniformity in reported outcomes makes comparisons between acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) injury studies challenging. Knowledge of common outcome measures and standardization will help orthopaedic surgeons report and compare outcomes more consistently.

Purpose:

To identify the most commonly reported outcome measures for ACJ injuries.

Study Design:

Systematic review.

Methods:

A systematic review was performed to identify all English-language original articles assessing any type of management of ACJ injuries (acute and chronic) in PubMed and Scopus from 2007 to 2017. Review articles, meta-analyses, studies with less than 5 patients, pediatric studies, technique articles, and biomechanical studies were excluded. The 100 top orthopaedic journals in the English literature were selected for review. Included studies were assessed for patient characteristics and the use of outcome variables, including range of motion (ROM), strength, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), satisfaction, return to work, return to sport, and complications.

Results:

A total of 605 unique articles were identified; 92 met the inclusion criteria. The average number of ACJ injuries per study was 37, with a mean weighted patient age of 36 years (range, 20.1-57.3 years). The mean follow-up was 36 months (range, 5-290 months). Acute injuries were reported in 59% of studies. ROM and strength measurements were reported in 22.8% and 5.4% of studies. Sixteen different PRO instruments were used. The most commonly reported measures were Constant score (75%), visual analog scale for pain (VAS-pain; 33%) score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score (21%), Simple Shoulder Test (SST) score (19%), and University of California Los Angeles (UCLA; 17%) shoulder score. An average of 2.5 outcome measures per study were reported. The use of 4 or more outcome scores was associated with publication in higher–impact factor journals.

Conclusion:

Inconsistent reporting of multiple outcome measures is present in the ACJ injury literature. The best scoring system for assessing ACJ injury and treatment has not yet been agreed upon. Until improved scoring systems come into general use, we recommend that future literature on ACJ injuries use at least 4 outcome scores and include the commonly used outcome measures (Constant, VAS-pain, ASES, and SST scores) to enable future comparison of patient outcomes across publications.
Modifying a naturalistic language intervention for use in an elementary school classroom
Authors: Lane Justin D , Shepley Collin , Sartini Emily , Hogue Amanda
Published: January 2020

Background and aims

We evaluated a naturalistic language intervention (NLI) targeting expanded forms of expressive communication (e.g., two-word phrases) for elementary-aged children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or intellectual disability (ID). This study extends the findings of a previous study that evaluated an NLI for preschool-aged children who displayed social communication delays. In the previous study, one child was considered a non-responder to the original intervention; children with similar pre-intervention profiles to the non-responder were recruited for this study to evaluate a modified version of the NLI with a new participant group.

Methods

The NLI was evaluated within the context of a multiple probe design across children, with sessions conducted in a public school classroom. The modifications to the NLI resulted in varying dosages of the intervention provided across sessions and children. To analyze the moderating influence of the variation in dosage, we graphed each dosage variable to allow for a formative analysis of changes within and across study conditions.

Results

Results indicated increases in the target behavior for all three children when compared to probe sessions; however, for one child the consistency of changes were variable and, as such, may not be socially significant.

Conclusions and implications

This study extends the literature on conducting NLIs with minimally verbal children with ASD and ID in dynamic settings, like classrooms. Educators and related professionals can capitalize on natural opportunities for social communication in children who are minimally verbal but imitative by using naturalistic procedures to promote verbalizations during age-appropriate activities.
The influence of yarn fineness and number of yarn layers on in-plane shear properties of 3-D woven fabric
Authors: Guan Liuxiang , Li Jialu , Jiao Ya’nan
Published: January 2020

The 3-D layer-to-layer angle-interlock woven fabric (LLAIWF) has good deformability on a complicated contour, which offers them a large application potential in the field of aerospace. This article mainly focuses on the influence of yarn fineness and number of yarn layers on in-plane shear properties of 3-D LLAIWF during bias extension. Two methods of varying the thickness of 3-D LLAIWF were designed: changing yarn fineness and changing the number of yarn layers. The deformation mechanism of LLAIWF in bias-extension test was analyzed. The effects of two methods on in-plane shear deformation were compared and analyzed. In addition to the data processing on the experimental curve, digital image correlation analysis was conducted on the test photographs, from which shear angles in different area shear angle were measured. The mesostructure of fabric during the bias-extension test was observed. The effect of decreasing yarn layers on the mesostructure of fabric was observed by cutting fabric. The results demonstrated that the yarn fineness and the number of yarn layers play a key role in the in-plane shear properties of 3-D LLAIWF. In addition, the changing of fabric thickness causes that the deformation is asymmetrical. The effect of warp yarn fineness is similar to that of weft yarn fineness during the bias-extension test. Reducing the internal yarns of the fabric created a gap, where the yarns were reduced. This gap will affect the deformability of the fabric.