bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of Viscoelastic Multi-Body Simulation and Impact Response Analysis of a Ballasted Railway Track under Cyclic Loading
Authors: Nishiura Daisuke , Sakaguchi Hide , Aikawa Akira
Published: June 2017

Simulation of a large number of deformable bodies is often difficult because complex high-level modeling is required to address both multi-body contact and viscoelastic deformation. This necessitates the combined use of a discrete element method (DEM) and a finite element method (FEM). In this study, a quadruple discrete element method (QDEM) was developed for dynamic analysis of viscoelastic materials using a simpler algorithm compared to the standard FEM. QDEM easily incorporates the contact algorithm used in DEM. As the first step toward multi-body simulation, the fundamental performance of QDEM was investigated for viscoelastic analysis. The amplitude and frequency of cantilever elastic vibration were nearly equal to those obtained by the standard FEM. A comparison of creep recovery tests with an analytical solution showed good agreement between them. In addition, good correlation between the attenuation degree and the real physical viscosity was confirmed for viscoelastic vibration analysis. Therefore, the high accuracy of QDEM in the fundamental analysis of infinitesimal viscoelastic deformations was verified. Finally, the impact response of a ballast and sleeper under cyclic loading on a railway track was analyzed using QDEM as an application of deformable multi-body dynamics. The results showed that the vibration of the ballasted track was qualitatively in good agreement with the actual measurements. Moreover, the ballast layer with high friction reduced the ballasted track deterioration. This study suggests that QDEM, as an alternative to DEM and FEM, can provide deeper insights into the contact dynamics of a large number of deformable bodies.
A Novel Lid-Covering Peptide Inhibitor of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Derived from αD-Conotoxin GeXXA
Authors: Yang Longjin , Tae Han-Shen , Fan Zhou , Shao Xiaoxia , Xu Shaoqiong , Zhao Suwen , Adams David , Wang Chunguang
Published: June 2017

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) play a fundamental role in nervous signal transmission, therefore various antagonists and agonists are highly desired to explore the structure and function of nAChRs. Recently, a novel dimeric αD-conotoxin GeXXA was identified to inhibit nAChRs by binding at the top surface of the receptors, and the monomeric C-terminal domain (CTD) of αD-GeXXA retains some inhibitory activity. In this study, the internal dimeric N-terminal domain (NTD) of this conopeptide was further investigated. We first developed a regio-selective protection strategy to chemically prepare the anti-parallel dimeric NTD, and found that the isolated NTD part of GeXXA possesses the nAChR-inhibitory activity, the subtype-dependence of which implies a preferred binding of NTD to the β subunits of nAChR. Deletion of the NTD N-terminal residues did not affect the activity of NTD, indicating that the N-terminus is not involved in the interaction with nAChRs. By optimizing the sequence of NTD, we obtained a fully active single-chain cyclic NTD, based on which 4 Arg residues were found to interact with nAChRs. These results demonstrate that the NTD part of αD-GeXXA is a “lid-covering” nAChR inhibitor, displaying a novel inhibitory mechanism distinct from other allosteric ligands of nAChRs.
Changes in Microbial (Bacteria and Archaea) Plankton Community Structure after Artificial Dispersal in Grazer-Free Microcosms
Authors: Karayanni Hera , Meziti Alexandra , Spatharis Sofie , Genitsaris Savvas , Courties Claude , Kormas Konstantinos
Published: June 2017

Microbes are considered to have a global distribution due to their high dispersal capabilities. However, our knowledge of the way geographically distant microbial communities assemble after dispersal in a new environment is limited. In this study, we examined whether communities would converge because similar taxa would be selected under the same environmental conditions, or would diverge because of initial community composition, after artificial dispersal. To this aim, a microcosm experiment was performed, in which the temporal changes in the composition and diversity of different prokaryoplankton assemblages from three distant geographic coastal areas (Banyuls-sur-Mer in northwest Mediterranean Sea, Pagasitikos Gulf in northeast Mediterranean and Woods Hole, MA, USA in the northwest Atlantic), were studied. Diversity was investigated using amplicon pyrosequencing of the V1–V3 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA. The three assemblages were grown separately in particle free and autoclaved Banyuls-sur-mer seawater at 18 °C in the dark. We found that the variability of prokaryoplankton community diversity (expressed as richness, evenness and dominance) as well as the composition were driven by patterns observed in Bacteria. Regarding community composition, similarities were found between treatments at family level. However, at the OTU level microbial communities from the three different original locations diverge rather than converge during incubation. It is suggested that slight differences in the composition of the initial prokaryoplankton communities, resulted in separate clusters the following days even when growth took place under identical abiotic conditions.
PbSO4 Leaching in Citric Acid/Sodium Citrate Solution and Subsequent Yielding Lead Citrate via Controlled Crystallization
Authors: He Dongsheng , Yang Cong , Wu Yuyuan , Liu Xing , Xie Weimin , Yang Jiakuan
Published: June 2017

Lead citrate is a key precursor for the green recycling of spent lead acid battery paste in a citric acid/sodium citrate (CA/SC) solution. In this study, the main paste component, PbSO4, was leached and crystallized to yield lead citrate. Results showed that the leaching of PbSO4 in citric acid/sodium citrate solution was remarkably enhanced by an increase in temperature from 35 °C to 95 °C and an increase in sodium citrate (SC) concentration from 50 to 650 g/L. In comparison, increasing the citric acid/sodium citrate molar ratio inhibited this leaching. Controlled crystallization through cooling the solution or adjusting the pH of the solution can effectively produce lead citrate crystals. The X-ray diffraction patterns of four products obtained in a comparison test were all consistent with Pb3(C6H5O7)2. However, the scanning electron microscopy analysis suggested that the morphology was distinct from rods to sheets, which were mainly affected by the temperature variation.
Variability in the Content of Trans-Resveratrol, Trans-ε-Viniferin and R2-Viniferin in Grape Cane of Seven Vitis vinifera L. Varieties during a Three-Year Study
Authors: Tříska Jan , Vrchotová Naděžda , Balík Josef , Soural Ivo , Sotolář Radek
Published: June 2017

Grape canes are a waste product from viticulture that show potential as an industrially extractable source of stilbenes, which are valuable for medical and other purposes. In this work, grape canes collected in three consecutive years (2014–2016) at six different places in South Moravia, Czech Republic were extracted, and the contents of trans-resveratrol, trans-ε-viniferin, and r2-viniferin were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The study included three blue grape varieties of Vitis vinifera L. (Cabernet Moravia, Blaufränkisch, and Piwi variety Laurot) and four white grape varieties (Chardonnay, Green Veltliner, Piwi variety Hibernal, and Piwi variety Malverina). From the viewpoint of producing extracts with high stilbenes content, the Hibernal variety is clearly the best. The mean amounts of the stilbenes for this variety at all localities and for all three years were 4.99 g/kg for trans-resveratrol, 3.24 g/kg for trans-ε-viniferin, and 1.73 g/kg for r2-viniferin. The influence of vintage, locality, and variety on the amounts of stilbenes was studied using PCA analysis. In contrast to expectations, there was no strong impact of locality on stilbenes content. The differences were varietal for most varieties, regardless of the area of cultivation. Laurot and Hibernal varieties did differ significantly in that respect, however, as they exhibited clear dependence on location.
Molecular Typing of Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Patients with Autosomal Dominant Hyper IgE Syndrome
Authors: Sastalla Inka , Williams Kelli , Anderson Erik , Myles Ian , Reckhow Jensen , Espinoza-Moraga Marlene , Freeman Alexandra , Datta Sandip
Published: June 2017

Autosomal dominant hyper IgE syndrome (AD-HIES) is a primary immunodeficiency caused by a loss-of-function mutation in the Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3). This immune disorder is clinically characterized by increased susceptibility to cutaneous and sinopulmonary infections, in particular with Candida and Staphylococcus aureus. It has recently been recognized that the skin microbiome of patients with AD-HIES is altered with an overrepresentation of certain Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive staphylococci. However, these alterations have not been characterized at the species- and strain-level. Since S. aureus infections are influenced by strain-specific expression of virulence factors, information on colonizing strain characteristics may provide insights into host-pathogen interactions and help guide management strategies for treatment and prophylaxis. The aim of this study was to determine whether the immunodeficiency of AD-HIES selects for unique strains of colonizing S. aureus. Using multi-locus sequence typing (MLST), protein A (spa) typing, and PCR-based detection of toxin genes, we performed a detailed analysis of the S. aureus isolates (n = 13) found on the skin of twenty-one patients with AD-HIES. We found a low diversity of sequence types, and an abundance of strains that expressed methicillin resistance, Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), and staphylococcal enterotoxins K and Q (SEK, SEQ). Our results indicate that patients with AD-HIES may often carry antibiotic-resistant strains that harbor key virulence factors.
Closed-Loop Characterization of Neuronal Activation Using Electrical Stimulation and Optical Imaging
Authors: Kuykendal Michelle , Guvanasen Gareth , Potter Steve , Grover Martha , DeWeerth Stephen
Published: June 2017

We have developed a closed-loop, high-throughput system that applies electrical stimulation and optical recording to facilitate the rapid characterization of extracellular, stimulus-evoked neuronal activity. In our system, a microelectrode array delivers current pulses to a dissociated neuronal culture treated with a calcium-sensitive fluorescent dye; automated real-time image processing of high-speed digital video identifies the neuronal response; and an optimized search routine alters the applied stimulus to achieve a targeted response. Action potentials are detected by measuring the post-stimulus, calcium-sensitive fluorescence at the neuronal somata. The system controller performs directed searches within the strength–duration (SD) stimulus-parameter space to build probabilistic neuronal activation curves. This closed-loop system reduces the number of stimuli needed to estimate the activation curves when compared to the more commonly used open-loop approach. This reduction allows the closed-loop system to probe the stimulus regions of interest in the multi-parameter waveform space with increased resolution. A sigmoid model was fit to the stimulus-evoked activation data in both current (strength) and pulse width (duration) parameter slices through the waveform space. The two-dimensional analysis results in a set of probability isoclines corresponding to each neuron–electrode pair. An SD threshold model was then fit to the isocline data. We demonstrate that a closed-loop methodology applied to our imaging and micro-stimulation system enables the study of neuronal excitation across a large parameter space.
Dynamic Data Filtering of Long-Range Doppler LiDAR Wind Speed Measurements
Authors: Beck Hauke , Kühn Martin
Published: June 2017

Doppler LiDARs have become flexible and versatile remote sensing devices for wind energy applications. The possibility to measure radial wind speed components contemporaneously at multiple distances is an advantage with respect to meteorological masts. However, these measurements must be filtered due to the measurement geometry, hard targets and atmospheric conditions. To ensure a maximum data availability while producing low measurement errors, we introduce a dynamic data filter approach that conditionally decouples the dependency of data availability with increasing range. The new filter approach is based on the assumption of self-similarity, that has not been used so far for LiDAR data filtering. We tested the accuracy of the dynamic data filter approach together with other commonly used filter approaches, from research and industry applications. This has been done with data from a long-range pulsed LiDAR installed at the offshore wind farm ‘alpha ventus’. There, an ultrasonic anemometer located approximately 2.8 km from the LiDAR was used as reference. The analysis of around 1.5 weeks of data shows, that the error of mean radial velocity can be minimised for wake and free stream conditions.
A Spawn Mobile Agent Itinerary Planning Approach for Energy-Efficient Data Gathering in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Qadori Huthiafa , Zulkarnain Zuriati , Hanapi Zurina , Subramaniam Shamala
Published: June 2017

Mobile agent (MA), a part of the mobile computing paradigm, was recently proposed for data gathering in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). The MA-based approach employs two algorithms: Single-agent Itinerary Planning (SIP) and Multi-mobile agent Itinerary Planning (MIP) for energy-efficient data gathering. The MIP was proposed to outperform the weakness of SIP by introducing distributed multi MAs to perform the data gathering task. Despite the advantages of MIP, finding the optimal number of distributed MAs and their itineraries are still regarded as critical issues. The existing MIP algorithms assume that the itinerary of the MA has to start and return back to the sink node. Moreover, each distributed MA has to carry the processing code (data aggregation code) to collect the sensory data and return back to the sink with the accumulated data. However, these assumptions have resulted in an increase in the number of MA’s migration hops, which subsequently leads to an increase in energy and time consumption. In this paper, a spawn multi-mobile agent itinerary planning (SMIP) approach is proposed to mitigate the substantial increase in cost of energy and time used in the data gathering processes. The proposed approach is based on the agent spawning such that the main MA is able to spawn other MAs with different tasks assigned from the main MA. Extensive simulation experiments have been conducted to test the performance of the proposed approach against some selected MIP algorithms. The results show that the proposed SMIP outperforms the counterpart algorithms in terms of energy consumption and task delay (time), and improves the integrated energy-delay performance.
The Use of Flexible Ultrasound Transducers for the Detection of Laser-Induced Guided Waves on Curved Surfaces at Elevated Temperatures
Authors: Wu Tai Chieh , Kobayashi Makiko , Tanabe Masayuki , Yang Che Hua
Published: June 2017

In this study, a flexible ultrasonic transducer (FUT) was applied in a laser ultrasonic technique (LUT) for non-destructive characterization of metallic pipes at high temperatures of up to 176 °C. Compared with normal ultrasound transducers, a FUT is a piezoelectric film made of a PZT/PZT sol-gel composite which has advantages due to its high sensitivity, curved surface adaptability and high temperature durability. By operating a pulsed laser in B-scan mode along with the integration of FUT and LUT, a multi-mode dispersion spectrum of a stainless steel pipe at high temperature can be measured. In addition, dynamic wave propagation behaviors are experimentally visualized with two dimensional scanning. The images directly interpret the reflections from the interior defects and also can locate their positions. This hybrid technique shows great potential for non-destructive evaluation of structures with complex geometry, especially in high temperature environments.
A Forward GPS Multipath Simulator Based on the Vegetation Radiative Transfer Equation Model
Authors: Wu Xuerui , Jin Shuanggen , Xia Junming
Published: June 2017

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) have been widely used in navigation, positioning and timing. Nowadays, the multipath errors may be re-utilized for the remote sensing of geophysical parameters (soil moisture, vegetation and snow depth), i.e., GPS-Multipath Reflectometry (GPS-MR). However, bistatic scattering properties and the relation between GPS observables and geophysical parameters are not clear, e.g., vegetation. In this paper, a new element on bistatic scattering properties of vegetation is incorporated into the traditional GPS-MR model. This new element is the first-order radiative transfer equation model. The new forward GPS multipath simulator is able to explicitly link the vegetation parameters with GPS multipath observables (signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR), code pseudorange and carrier phase observables). The trunk layer and its corresponding scattering mechanisms are ignored since GPS-MR is not suitable for high forest monitoring due to the coherence of direct and reflected signals. Based on this new model, the developed simulator can present how the GPS signals (L1 and L2 carrier frequencies, C/A, P(Y) and L2C modulations) are transmitted (scattered and absorbed) through vegetation medium and received by GPS receivers. Simulation results show that the wheat will decrease the amplitudes of GPS multipath observables (SNR, phase and code), if we increase the vegetation moisture contents or the scatters sizes (stem or leaf). Although the Specular-Ground component dominates the total specular scattering, vegetation covered ground soil moisture has almost no effects on the final multipath signatures. Our simulated results are consistent with previous results for environmental parameter detections by GPS-MR.
Graphene-Supported Spinel CuFe2O4 Composites: Novel Adsorbents for Arsenic Removal in Aqueous Media
Authors: La Duong , Nguyen Tuan , Jones Lathe , Bhosale Sheshanath
Published: June 2017

A graphene nanoplate-supported spinel CuFe2O4 composite (GNPs/CuFe2O4) was successfully synthesized by using a facile thermal decomposition route. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Electron Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) were employed to characterize the prepared composite. The arsenic adsorption behavior of the GNPs/CuFe2O4 composite was investigated by carrying out batch experiments. Both the Langmuir and Freundlich models were employed to describe the adsorption isotherm, where the sorption kinetics of arsenic adsorption by the composite were found to be pseudo-second order. The selectivity of the adsorbent toward arsenic over common metal ions in water was also demonstrated. Furthermore, the reusability and regeneration of the adsorbent were investigated by an assembled column filter test. The GNPs/CuFe2O4 composite exhibited significant, fast adsorption of arsenic over a wide range of solution pHs with exceptional durability, selectivity, and recyclability, which could make this composite a very promising candidate for effective removal of arsenic from aqueous solution. The highly sensitive adsorption of the material toward arsenic could be potentially employed for arsenic sensing.
Correction: Moreno, A., et al. Design of a Cooperative ITS Architecture Based on Distributed RSUs.
Authors: Moreno Asier , Osaba Eneko , Onieva Enrique , Perallos Asier , Iovino Giovanni , Fernández Pablo
Published: June 2017

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper: [...]
Masculinity and the Occupational Experience of Male Independent Escorts Who Seek Male Clients
Authors: Kumar Navin , Scott John , Minichiello Victor
Published: June 2017

While male sex work (MSW) is a highly gendered practice involving the commodification of the male body, masculinity has rarely been examined to understand this new occupational environment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty male independent internet-based escorts in Brisbane, Australia. Masculinity was used as a conceptual tool to understand the nuances of the escorting experience, resulting in two themes: Endurance and Technical Skill. These themes were aligned with hegemonic expressions of masculinity, a system that orders masculinity into a hierarchy and potentially marginalises escorts. Participants thus used features of a system that subordinated them to attain primacy in the same framework, avoiding stigma. These themes described were far removed from dialogues of deviance oft-repeated by past sex work research, and instead bolster the view that male escorting is moving toward a paradigm of normalisation. We thus argue that masculinity is a critical conceptual tool in understanding the contemporary dynamics of the male escorting experience as it becomes increasingly normalised.
Pedagogy as Possibility: Health Interventions as Digital Openness
Authors: Fors Vaike , Pink Sarah
Published: June 2017

In this article we propose an approach to digital health tracking technologies that draws on design anthropology. This entails re-thinking the pedagogical importance of personal data as lying in how they participate in the constitution of new possibilities that enable people to learn about, and configure, their everyday health in new ways. There have been two dominant strands in traditional debates in the field of pedagogy: one that refers to processes of teaching people to do things in particular ways; and another that seeks to enable learning. The first of these corresponds with existing understandings of self-tracking technologies as either unsuccessful behavioural change devices, or as providing solutions to problems that do not necessarily exist. When seen as such, self-tracking technologies inevitably fail as forms of intervention towards better health. In this article we investigate what happens when we take the second strand—the notion of enabling learning as an incremental and emergent process—seriously as a mode of intervention towards health through self-tracking technologies. We show how such a shift in pedagogical understanding of the routes to knowing these technologies offer creates opportunities to move beyond simplistic ideas of behavioural change as the main application of digital body monitoring in everyday life. In what follows, we first demonstrate how the disjunctures that arise from this context emerge. We then outline a critical response to how learning through life-tracking has been conceptualised in research in health and human-computer interaction research. We offer an alternative response by drawing on a processual theory of learning and recent and emerging research in sociology, media studies, anthropology, and cognate disciplines. Then, drawing on ethnographic research, we argue for understanding learning through the production of personal data as involving emplaced and non-representational routes to knowing. This, we propose, requires a corresponding rethinking of the epistemological status of personal data and what kind of knowledge it can be claimed to produce. Finally, we take up the implications of this and advance the discussion through a design anthropological approach, through which we refigure the interventional potential of such technologies as lying in their capacity to create possibilities for experiential, and often unspoken, ways of embodied and emplaced knowing.
The Role of Consumers in the Transition toward Low-Carbon Living
Authors: Claudelin Anna , Uusitalo Ville , Pekkola Sanna , Leino Maija , Konsti-Laakso Suvi
Published: June 2017

Improvements in energy efficiency and production of renewable energy hold significant potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions of housing, which accounts for 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions. In our research, we focused on the willingness of owners of detached houses to adopt renewable energy production systems of their own, and we examined perceived barriers to adopting these systems. The research was conducted using a survey and a life cycle assessment model. The survey covered three residential areas in Lahti, Finland, and the potential reductions in greenhouse gas emissions were estimated using a life cycle assessment model based on the survey results. The barriers to transformation were identified as a lack of knowledge in the following three areas: (1) the possible annual savings attained; (2) the costs of implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy production solutions; and (3) the technologies used in renewable energy production. The greenhouse gas emission reductions in the residential areas surveyed would amount to approximately 15% if the consumers implemented the solutions they considered.
Vaguely Right or Exactly Wrong: Measuring the (Spatial) Distribution of Land Resources, Income and Wealth in Rural Ethiopia
Authors: Rammelt Crelis , Van Schie Maarten , Tegabu Fredu , Leung Maggi
Published: June 2017

Land ties people to specific localities featuring different levels of accessibility and natural endowments; it is therefore related in various ways to matters of inequality. Drawing from economics and human geography, we explore the multifaceted and complex nature of inequality. Our case study takes place in rural Tigray, Ethiopia. Quantitative data analysis is used to reveal (spatial) income distribution patterns between statistically representative population groups. Qualitative data are then used to describe the productive activities of these groups, their respective processes of material asset accumulation or losses, and how their economic activities are affected by location. The paper concludes that, where measures of the distribution of income falls short, we require other tools that will help us reveal patterns: (1) of material wealth distribution; (2) of control over production; and (3) of the unaccounted value created within the household or derived from the natural environment.
Environmental Sustainability of Agriculture Stressed by Changing Extremes of Drought and Excess Moisture: A Conceptual Review
Authors: Wheaton Elaine , Kulshreshtha Suren
Published: June 2017

As the climate changes, the effects of agriculture on the environment may change. In the future, an increasing frequency of climate extremes, such as droughts, heat waves, and excess moisture, is expected. Past research on the interaction between environment and resources has focused on climate change effects on various sectors, including agricultural production (especially crop production), but research on the effects of climate change using agri-environmental indicators (AEI) of environmental sustainability of agriculture is limited. The aim of this paper was to begin to address this knowledge gap by exploring the effects of future drought and excess moisture on environmental sustainability of agriculture. Methods included the use of a conceptual framework, literature reviews, and an examination of the climate sensitivities of the AEI models. The AEIs assessed were those for the themes of soil and water quality, and farmland management as developed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Additional indicators included one for desertification and another for water supply and demand. The study area was the agricultural region of the Canadian Prairie Provinces. We found that the performance of several indicators would likely decrease in a warming climate with more extremes. These indicators with declining performances included risks for soil erosion, soil salinization, desertification, water quality and quantity, and soil contamination. Preliminary trends of other indicators such as farmland management were not clear. AEIs are important tools for measuring climate impacts on the environmental sustainability of agriculture. They also indicate the success of adaptation measures and suggest areas of operational and policy development. Therefore, continued reporting and enhancement of these indicators is recommended.
Polymer Inclusion Membranes with Strip Dispersion
Authors: Li Yueh-Hsien , Wang Da-Ming , Hsien Tzu-Yang , Chan Kuan-Ying , Lai Juin-Yih
Published: June 2017

The present work investigated the permeation of indium ions through a polymer inclusion membrane (PIM), prepared with cellulose triacetate (CTA) as the base polymer, tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBEP) as the plasticizer and di-(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) as the extractant. With 5 M HCl aqueous solution as the strip solution, we observed an initial indium permeability of 2.4 × 10−4 m/min. However, the permeability decreases with time, dropping to about 3.4 × 10−5 m/min after 200 min of operation. Evidence was obtained showing that hydrolysis of CTA occurred, causing a dramatic decrease in the feed pH (protons transported from strip to feed solutions) and a loss of extractant and plasticizer from the membrane, and then leading to the loss of indium permeability. To alleviate the problem of hydrolysis, we proposed an operation scheme called polymer inclusion membranes with strip dispersion: dispersing the strip solution in extractant-containing oil and then bringing the dispersion to contact with the polymer membrane. Since the strong acid was dispersed in oil, the membrane did not directly contact the strong acid at all times, and membrane hydrolysis was thus alleviated and the loss of indium permeability was effectively prevented. With the proposed scheme, a stable indium permeability of 2.5 × 10−4 m/min was obtained during the whole time period of the permeation experiment.
α-Acetoxyarone synthesis via iodine-catalyzed and tert-butyl hydroperoxide-mediateded self-intermolecular oxidative coupling of aryl ketones
Authors: Tan Liquan , Chen Cui , Liu Weibing
Published: June 2017

We present a metal-free method for α-acetoxyarone synthesis by self-intermolecular oxidative coupling of aryl ketones using I2−tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP). Under the optimum conditions, various aryl ketones gave the corresponding products in moderate to excellent yields. A series of control experiments were performed; the results suggest the involvement of radical pathways. Multiple radical intermediates were generated in situ and the overall process involved several different reactions, which proceeded self-sequentially in a single reactor. A labeling experiment using 18O-labeled H2O confirmed that the oxygen in the product was derived from TBHP, not from H2O in the TBHP solvent.
Molecular Clouds in the Extreme Outer Galaxy between l = 34.°75 to 45.°25
Authors: Sun Yan , Su Yang , Zhang Shao-Bo , Xu Ye , Chen Xue-Peng , Yang Ji , Jiang Zhi-Bo , Fang Min
Published: June 2017

We present the results of an unbiased CO survey in the Galactic range of 34.°75 ≤ l ≤ 45.°25 and −5.°25 ≤ b ≤ 5.°25, and the velocity range beyond the Outer arm. A total of 168 molecular clouds (MCs) are identified within the Extreme Outer Galaxy (EOG) region, and 31 of these MCs are associated with 13CO  emission. However, none of them show significant C18O  emission under the current detection limit. The typical size and mass of these MCs are 5 pc and 3 × 103
M
⊙, implying a lack of large and massive MCs in the EOG region. Similar to MCs in the outer Galaxy, the velocity dispersions of EOG clouds are also correlated with their sizes; however, they are well displaced below the scaling relationship defined by the inner Galaxy MCs. These MCs with a median Galactocentric radius of 12.6 kpc show very different distributions from those of the MCs in the Outer arm published in our previous paper, while roughly following the Outer Scutum–Centaurus arm defined by Dame & Thaddeus. This result may provide robust evidence for the existence of the Outer Scutum–Centaurus arm. The lower limit of the total mass of this segment is about 2.7 × 105
M
⊙, which is about one magnitude lower than that of the Outer arm. The mean thickness of the gaseous disk is about 1.°45 or 450 pc, and the scale height is about 1.°27, or 400 pc above the b = 0° plane. The warp traced by CO emission is very obvious in the EOG region and its amplitude is consistent with the predictions by other warp models using different tracers, such as dust, H i, and stellar components of our Galaxy.
An Empirical Template Library of Stellar Spectra for a Wide Range of Spectral Classes, Luminosity Classes, and Metallicities Using SDSS BOSS Spectra
Authors: Kesseli Aurora Y. , West Andrew A. , Veyette Mark , Harrison Brandon , Feldman Dan , Bochanski John J.
Published: June 2017

We present a library of empirical stellar spectra created using spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey’s Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey. The templates cover spectral types O5 through L3, are binned by metallicity from −2.0 dex through +1.0 dex, and are separated into main-sequence (dwarf) stars and giant stars. With recently developed M dwarf metallicity indicators, we are able to extend the metallicity bins down through the spectral subtype M8, making this the first empirical library with this degree of temperature and metallicity coverage. The wavelength coverage for the templates is from 3650 to 10200 Å at a resolution of better than R ∼ 2000. Using the templates, we identify trends in color space with metallicity and surface gravity, which will be useful for analyzing large data sets from upcoming missions like the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. Along with the templates, we are releasing a code for automatically (and/or visually) identifying the spectral type and metallicity of a star.
Jim, le magicien aux failles narcissiques et identitaires précoces
Authors: Viodé Christelle
Published: June 2017

La cure de l’enfant en souffrance ne peut pas se penser sans la présence du corps de l’analyste et sans sa malléabilité afin d’accueillir le corps de tout sujet en souffrance, parfois indomptable, aux prises avec ses terreurs et ses fureurs. Ainsi, à travers cet article nous voulons montrer comment les traumatismes vécus par un enfant dès son plus jeune âge s’expriment à la fois sur la scène de son corps, sur la scène du corps de l’analyste et aussi sur la scène de leur espace commun créé par la rencontre de leur scène corporelle et psychique. Ce travail s’inscrit également dans un axe de réflexions relatives aux enjeux des filiations adoptives, au corps et à la narration possible et consécutive à des traumatismes précoces s’exprimant alors par des scénarios corporels précoces malgré la présence d’un langage bien établi.
Complex Lumbar Spine Fusion for an Elderly Patient Under Spinal Anesthesia
Authors: Lessing Noah L. , Edwards Charles C. , Lin Charles , Brown Charles H.
Published: June 2017

Spinal anesthesia for spine surgery is an emerging technique. Because of their lack of physiologic reserve, elderly patients are an appealing population for this technique. Unfortunately, the safe limits of spine surgery using spinal anesthesia for the geriatric population are not well defined. The authors describe an elderly patient with severe spine degeneration who elected for a 5-level lumbar spine fusion with spinal anesthesia. Adequate anesthesia was maintained throughout the procedure, which lasted 3 hours and 24 minutes. The patient experienced no perioperative complications. To the authors' knowledge, this is one of the longest spine surgeries using spinal anesthesia. Also, the fusion procedure spans more vertebral levels than previously reported. Further investigation is needed to determine the safety of this technique. [
Orthopedics.
2017; 40(5):e915–e917.]
The Experience of Teaching Online in Nursing Education
Authors: Gazza Elizabeth A.
Published: June 2017

Background:

Online education has become a key instructional delivery method in nursing education; however, limited understanding exists about what it is like to teach online. The aim of this study was to uncover the experience of teaching online in nursing education.

Method:

The sample for this phenomenological study included 14 nursing faculty who completed at least 50% of their teaching workload assignment in fully online courses in baccalaureate, master's, or doctoral nursing programs. Data were collected through the use of a demographic questionnaire and personal interviews.

Results:

Four themes emerged from the data: (a) Looking at a Lot of Moving Parts, (b) Always Learning New Things, (c) Going Back and Forth, and (d) Time Is a Blessing and a Curse.

Conclusion:

Online teaching in nursing education differs from traditional classroom teaching in a variety of ways. Policies and guidelines that govern faculty teaching should encompass the identified intricacies of online teaching. [
J Nurs Educ.
2017;56(6):343–349.]
Implantation of Implantable Collamer Lenses After Radial Keratotomy
Authors: Martín-Escuer Bárbara , Alfonso José F. , Esteve-Taboada José J. , Fernández-Vega Cueto Luis , Montés-Micó Robert
Published: June 2017

PURPOSE:

To assess the predictability, efficacy, and safety of posterior chamber phakic implantable collamer lens (ICL) implantation after radial keratotomy.

METHODS:

In a retrospective non-comparative interventional case series, outcomes in 6 consecutive eyes of 4 patients with residual refraction after radial keratotomy were analyzed after the implantation of ICLs. All of the lenses were implanted to correct the residual refractive error, ranging from −12.00 to +3.50 diopters (D) for sphere and from −0.75 to −3.75 D for cylinder.

RESULTS:

The mean uncorrected distance visual acuity after ICL implantation was 0.31 ± 0.36 logMAR and the corrected distance visual acuity was 0.12 ± 0.10 logMAR. The mean efficacy index was 0.86. No eyes lost lines of visual acuity, two eyes did not change after surgery, two eyes gained one line, and two eyes gained two lines. The mean safety index was 1.17. No intraoperative complications were found and ICL explantation or repositioning was not required during the follow-up. No cases of cataract, pigment dispersion glaucoma, pupillary block, or other vision-threatening complications were found.

CONCLUSIONS:

ICL implantation may be considered a reasonable surgical procedure for correcting residual refractive errors after radial keratotomy.

[
J Refract Surg.
2017;33(6):395–398.]
Crucial Role for Immune Complexes but Not FcRn in Immunization against Anti–TNF-α Antibodies after a Single Injection in Mice
Authors: Arnoult Christophe , Brachet Guillaume , Cadena Castaneda Diana , Azzopardi Nicolas , Passot Christophe , Desvignes Celine , Paintaud Gilles , Heuzé-Vourc’h Nathalie , Watier Hervé , Gouilleux-Gruart Valérie
Published: June 2017

The immunogenicity of infliximab and adalimumab is a major concern because patients may develop Abs also called antidrug Abs (ADA), directed against these anti–TNF-α Abs after just a few weeks of treatment. These ADAs can lead to a decrease in biologic concentration, which is associated with lower treatment efficacy. Our aim was to study the involvement of immune complexes and neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) in the emergence of ADAs in the case of anti–TNF-α Abs. Wild type and FcRn knockout mice were injected once with either infliximab or adalimumab, alone or preincubated with TNF-α. Adalimumab cross-reacts with murine TNF-α whereas infliximab is species specific. When injected alone, only adalimumab elicited a humoral response. By preforming immune complexes with TNF-α, an anti-infliximab response was elicited. Surprisingly, both wild type and FcRn knockout mice were able to mount an immune response against anti–TNF-α Abs, suggesting that immune complexes are a major determinant of this immunization.
Neutrophils Slow Disease Progression in Murine Lupus via Modulation of Autoreactive Germinal Centers
Authors: Bird Anna K. , Chang Martin , Barnard Jennifer , Goldman Bruce I. , Meednu Nida , Rangel-Moreno Javier , Anolik Jennifer H.
Published: June 2017

Neutrophils are well characterized as mediators of peripheral tissue damage in lupus, but it remains unclear whether they influence loss of self-tolerance in the adaptive immune compartment. Lupus neutrophils produce elevated levels of factors known to fuel autoantibody production, including IL-6 and B cell survival factors, but also reactive oxygen intermediates, which can suppress lymphocyte proliferation. To assess whether neutrophils directly influence the progression of autoreactivity in secondary lymphoid organs (SLOs), we characterized the localization and cell–cell contacts of splenic neutrophils at several stages in the progression of disease in the NZB/W murine model of lupus. Neutrophils accumulate in SLO over the course of lupus progression, preferentially localizing near T lymphocytes early in disease and B cells with advanced disease. RNA sequencing reveals that the splenic neutrophil transcriptional program changes significantly over the course of disease, with neutrophil expression of anti-inflammatory mediators peaking during early-stage and midstage disease, and evidence of neutrophil activation with advanced disease. To assess whether neutrophils exert predominantly protective or deleterious effects on loss of B cell self-tolerance in vivo, we depleted neutrophils at different stages of disease. Neutrophil depletion early in lupus resulted in a striking acceleration in the onset of renal disease, SLO germinal center formation, and autoreactive plasma cell production. In contrast, neutrophil depletion with more advanced disease did not alter systemic lupus erythematosus progression. These results demonstrate a surprising temporal and context-dependent role for neutrophils in restraining autoreactive B cell activation in lupus.
A Time for Reflection: Should We Reconsider the Direct Supervision Standard in Clinical Education?
Authors: Mazerolle Stephanie M. , Bowman Thomas G.
Published: June 2017

Context:

Educational reform is occurring again in athletic training. The profession, at this time, should reflect on the structure of clinical education, particularly with direct supervision. Clinical education plays a critical role in the development of future practitioners and should provide students with a chance to gain autonomous experience, with appropriate feedback and discourse.

Objective:

In this commentary, we discuss direct supervision and present an alternative model for supervision (graduated supervision) in athletic training.

Background:

Currently, there are concerns regarding the readiness of students to transition to independent practice. These trepidations are centered on the policies related to direct supervision and chances for students to gain autonomous experiences needed to prepare them to make clinical decisions.

Synthesis:

Graduated supervision may provide an alternative lens for athletic training to regulate clinical education, while facilitating experiences that can assist in student development and preparedness to transition into independent, credentialed patient care.

Results:

Athletic training supervision policies do not align with other health care professions, yet a major impetus for educational reform was founded on the premise that we should model our degree level more comparably.

Recommendation(s):

Programs should allow for supervision that encompasses a trusting relationship between preceptors and students. Supervision can be modified (more versus less constant interactions) based upon the students' performance, knowledge, and skills. Shifting the way supervision is implemented can still allow for ensuring patient and student safety, but also allow for students to become critical thinkers.

Conclusion(s):

Direct supervision policies should be updated to allow students to develop confidence, competence, and critical thinking abilities as well as to better align the athletic training profession with other health care programs.
The Role and Load of the Athletic Training Clinical Education Coordinator
Authors: Radtke Sarah
Published: June 2017

Context:

The position of clinical education coordinator has been identified as a required one in athletic training education. However, the literature has yet to address the job responsibilities of clinical education coordinators and the commensurate work load/release time needed to accomplish these responsibilities in athletic training education.

Objective:

To determine the current practices of clinical education coordinators in athletic training program, their current load compensation, whether or not they feel their load compensation is appropriate, and what their ideal load compensation should be.

Design:

Mixed methods.

Setting:

Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education–accredited education programs.

Patients or Other Participants:

A total of 120 clinical education coordinators.

Main Outcome Measure(s):

A survey was administered including both quantitative and qualitative questions. Quantitative data were analyzed statistically and qualitative data were analyzed using an inductive approach, revealing themes.

Results:

Statistically significant differences were found when comparing tenure with clinical track in the areas of scholarship and athletic training room coverage. Common job responsibilities for the clinical education coordinator were identified. The study also identified the current and perceived ideal load/release credit for clinical education coordinators based on their program size.

Conclusions:

Clinical education coordinators are incredibly valuable to all athletic training education programs. This study attempted to solidify their value through identifying job responsibilities and load credit criteria to ensure quality clinical education experiences for students.
Professional Master's Athletic Training Programs use Clinical Education to Facilitate Transition to Practice
Authors: Bowman Thomas G. , Mazerolle Stephanie M. , Barrett Jessica L.
Published: June 2017

Context:

Athletic training students' ability to transition into professional practice is a critical component for the future of the profession. However, research on professional master's students' transition to practice and readiness to provide autonomous care is lacking.

Objective:

To determine professional master's athletic training students' perceptions regarding how they were prepared to transition to practice as clinicians.

Design:

Qualitative study.

Setting:

Professional master's athletic training programs.

Patients or Other Participants:

Sixteen students, 8 program directors, and 5 faculty members from professional master's athletic training programs.

Main Outcome Measure(s):

An online questionnaire was distributed via Qualtrics and analyzed using an inductive technique. Participants responded to a series of open-ended questions related to the structure and curricular offerings of their respective programs. We secured trustworthiness through multiple analyst triangulation and peer review.

Results:

We found that both students and faculty identified clinical education as the major facilitator in the socialization process used to prepare students for the transition into clinical practice. Three further subthemes emerged: (1) Both stakeholder groups felt that students gained experience through diverse and immersive clinical education experiences; (2) Preceptors provided mentorship; and (3) Students developed confidence to enter clinical practice as a result of these supported experiences.

Conclusions:

Professional master's programs provide clinical education experiences designed to help athletic training students gain the skills and confidence necessary to become autonomous practitioners. The diversity and mentorship contained within these experiences facilitates confidence and preparedness.