bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Retrospective Study of Lymph Node Yield in Lateral Neck Dissection for Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma
Authors: Issa Khalil , Stevens Madelyn N. , Sun Yuhui , Thomas Samantha , Collins Alissa , Cohen Jonathan , Esclamado Ramon M. , Rocke Daniel J.
Published: October 2020

Objective:

Lateral neck dissection (LND) is important in managing papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs). This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between lymph node yield (LNY) for LND and patient outcomes, specifically postoperative serum thyroglobulin levels (sTG) and radioiodine uptake on thyroid scan, and to estimate a threshold LNY to signify adequate LND.

Methods:

Patients diagnosed with PTC who underwent LND from 2006 to 2015 at a single institution were included. Linear regression with restricted cubic splines was used to characterize the association of LNY with outcomes. Outcomes were log-transformed to achieve a more symmetric distribution prior to regression. For nonlinear associations, a Monte Carlo Markov Chain procedure was used to estimate a threshold LNY associated with postoperative outcome. This threshold was then used to define high LNY versus low LNY in the subsequent analyses.

Results:

In total, 107 adult patients were included. There was a significant relationship between LNY and postoperative sTG level ( P = .004), but not radioiodine uptake ( P = .64). An LNY of 42.96 was identified, which was associated with the maximum change in sTG level. No association was found between LNY groups (LNY ≥ 43 vs < 43) and radioiodine uptake, risk of complication, or longer operative times (all P > .05). High LNY was associated with a decrease in log(sTG) (estimate = −1.855, P = .03), indicating that adequacy of LND is associated with an 84.4% decrease in sTG.

Conclusion:

These results suggest an association between LNY and postoperative sTG level, with an estimated threshold of 43 nodes. This has implications for adequate therapeutic LND; additional work is needed to validate thresholds for clinical practice.
Accuracy of resting metabolic rate prediction equations among healthy adults in Trinidad and Tobago
Authors: Nichols Selby , George Dennora , Prout Patrice , Dalrymple Nequesha
Published: October 2020

Background:

Over 50% of adults in Latin America and the Caribbean have a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 suggesting excess energy intakes relative to energy expenditure. Accurate estimation of resting metabolic rate (RMR), the largest component of total energy requirements, is crucial to strategies aimed at reducing the prevalence and incidence of overweight and obesity.

Aim:

We evaluated the accuracies of established and locally developed RMR prediction equations (RMRP) among adults.

Methods:

Four hundred adult volunteers ages 20 to 65 years had RMR measured (RMRM) with a MedGem® indirect calorimeter according to recommended procedures. RMRP were compared to RMRM with values ± 10% of RMRM deemed accurate. Anthropometry was measured using standard procedure. Linear regression with bootstrap analyses was used to develop local RMRP equations based on anthropometric and demographic variables. The University of the West Indies Ethics Committee approved the study.

Results:

Males had higher mean absolute RMR ( p < 0.001) but similar mean age-adjusted measured RMR per kg of body (20.9 vs. 21.5 kcals/day; p = 0.1) to females. The top performing established anthropometry-based RMRP among participants by sex, physical activity (PA) level and BMI status subgroups were Mifflin-St Jeor, Owen, Korth, Harris–Benedict, and Livingston, while Johnstone, Cunningham, Müller (body composition (BC)), Katch and McArdle, Mifflin-St Jeor (BC) were the most accurate BC-based RMRP. Locally developed RMRP had accuracies comparable to their top-ranked established RMRP counterparts.

Conclusions:

Accuracies of established RMRP depended on habitual PA level, BMI status, BC and sex. Furthermore, locally developed RMRP provide useful alternatives to established RMRP.
Being with Black: Windrush suitcase performance and Dramatherapy to meet with trauma, and dialogues about racism and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
Authors: Adams Samantha E
Published: October 2020

This article describes how the happenstance discovery of my mother’s 1950s Windrush Generation suitcase, led to a devised cathartic ritual theatre performance and a reimagining of my past future present. Acknowledging the suitcase as a heritage object, I hoped to safely locate myself with inter- and transgenerational trauma, and dialogues about racism in relation to the Transatlantic Slave Trade. First and foremost, this work is informed by Dramatherapy. It also holds in mind the research of Jungian analyst, Brewster, on ‘archetypal grief’, and the socio-political activism of Sharpe’s, ‘wake-work’. Its conclusion is twofold: First, that with the use of the suitcase within ritual theatre performance, alongside the devised metaphoric story and character of Black, I was able to accrue a significant means of resilience to meet with effects of racism worthy of further investigation. Second, that the performance provided a deepened dialectic and cathartic experience between performer and audience above and beyond cerebral language. Three stand-alone performances of ‘Being With Black’ took place at the British Association of Dramatherapists Conference at the University of Chester in September 2018, and later at the University of Roehampton, London in February and March 2019.
Encountering automation: Redefining bodies through stories of technological change
Authors: Bissell David
Published: October 2020

This article enhances our understanding of the thoroughly embodied nature of knowledge production in relation to automation by demonstrating how making sense of automation is a generative process, rather than the demystification of an already existing object of analysis. It argues that the process of knowing automation involves situated encounters that transform bodies at the level of their indeterminate capacities to affect and be affected which, in turn, contributes to the production of what automation is. Contrasting with more generalised diagnoses about how automation is deskilling or reskilling bodies, it evaluates the constitutive role of situated encounters that register in sensing bodies for reshaping capacities. Focusing on iron ore mining in Australia, an industry sector that is currently increasing its automated operations, the paper draws on a series of fieldwork encounters with people differently positioned in the mining sector. Through the presentation of five stories that incorporate combinations of these fieldwork encounters, the paper constructs a more complex picture of how automation is redefining different bodies. Rather than taken to be mere representations of automation, it argues that the listening to and telling of stories about automation is a form of encounter that redefines bodies in the process.
Evaluation of the potassium channel tracer [18F]3F4AP in rhesus macaques
Authors: Guehl Nicolas J , Ramos-Torres Karla M , Linnman Clas , Moon Sung-Hyun , Dhaynaut Maeva , Wilks Moses Q , Han Paul K , Ma Chao , Neelamegam Ramesh , Zhou Yu-Peng , Popko Brian , Correia John A , Reich Daniel S , Fakhri Georges El , Herscovitch Peter , Normandin Marc D , Brugarolas Pedro
Published: October 2020

Demyelination causes slowed or failed neuronal conduction and is a driver of disability in multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases. Currently, the gold standard for imaging demyelination is MRI, but despite its high spatial resolution and sensitivity to demyelinated lesions, it remains challenging to obtain specific and quantitative measures of molecular changes involved in demyelination. To understand the contribution of demyelination in different diseases and to assess the efficacy of myelin-repair therapies, it is critical to develop new in vivo imaging tools sensitive to changes induced by demyelination. Upon demyelination, axonal K+ channels, normally located underneath the myelin sheath, become exposed and increase in expression, causing impaired conduction. Here, we investigate the properties of the K+ channel PET tracer [ 18 F]3F4AP in primates and its sensitivity to a focal brain injury that occurred three years prior to imaging. [ 18 F]3F4AP exhibited favorable properties for brain imaging including high brain penetration, high metabolic stability, high plasma availability, high reproducibility, high specificity, and fast kinetics. [ 18 F]3F4AP showed preferential binding in areas of low myelin content as well as in the previously injured area. Sensitivity of [ 18 F]3F4AP for the focal brain injury was higher than [ 18 F]FDG, [ 11 C]PiB, and [ 11 C]PBR28, and compared favorably to currently used MRI methods.
Profiling cerebrovascular function in migraine: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Dzator Jemima SA , Howe Peter RC , Wong Rachel HX
Published: October 2020

Previous studies have investigated whether migraine is a circulatory disorder, as migraineurs are at heightened risk of cerebrovascular disease. However, in most cases, systemic vascular function was evaluated, which may not reflect abnormalities in the cerebral circulation. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether cerebrovascular function differs between migraineurs and controls. A systematic literature search was conducted across three electronic databases to search for studies that compared cerebrovascular function in migraineurs to controls. Where applicable, meta-analyses were used to determine standardised mean differences (SMD) between migraineurs and controls. Seventy articles were identified, 40 of which contained quantitative data. Meta-analyses showed pulsatility index (PI) was higher (SMD = 0.23; 95%CI = 0.05 to 0.42, P = 0.01) and cerebrovascular responsiveness (CVR) to hypercapnia was lower (SMD=−0.34; 95%CI=−0.67 to −0.01, P = 0.04) in the posterior circulation of migraineurs, particularly those without aura. The meta-analyses also indicated that migraineurs have higher resting mean blood flow velocity in both anterior (SMD = 0.14; 95%CI = 0.05 to 0.23, P = 0.003) and posterior circulations (SMD = 0.20; 95%CI = 0.05 to 0.34, P = 0.007). Compared to healthy controls, migraineurs have altered cerebrovascular function, evidenced by elevated PI (representing arterial stiffness) and impaired CVR to hypercapnia (representing cerebral vasodilator function). Future studies should investigate whether improvement of cerebrovascular function is able to alleviate migraine.
Investigating Patient Trust in Doctors: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Out-Patient Departments in Fiji
Authors: Chandra Swastika , Ward Paul , Mohammadnezhad Masoud
Published: October 2020

Background

Despite evidence on the positive impact of trust in a doctor-patient relationship on health outcomes, there are limited studies conducted in Pacific Island Countries including Fiji. This study was conducted to assess the current level of patient trust in doctors and investigate its determinants in Fiji. Method: A random sample of 410 participants attending the outpatient services completed the self-administered structured questionnaire. The response rate was 91% (N=375) and data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and analytic analysis using logistic regression. Result: Mean age of participants was 38years (±15yrs). The majority of patients had partial trust in their doctors compared to full trust (61.6% vs 38.4%). More than half of the participants perceived doctor’s communication behavior as fair rather than good (53.6% vs 45.6%). Those over 50 years (OR 1.96; p=0.007, 95% CI: 1.198–3.226) and those who perceived doctors’ communication behavior as good (OR 8.48; p=0.0001, 95% CI: 5.257–13.709) were significantly more likely to have full trust in the doctors. Conclusion: This study reveals that age and communication are determinants of trust in Fiji. In view of the current perception of the doctors’ communication behavior, Fiji’s Ministry of Health and Medical Services should implement policies to give equal importance to the communication skills of the doctors together with their clinical skills and enforce it in the medical schools.
Depressive disorders in the Arabian Gulf Cooperation Council countries: a literature review
Authors: Alzahrani Owiss
Published: October 2020

Objective

To determine the contributions from the six Arabian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to the national scientific literature on depressive disorders.

Methods

This literature review identified all of the published studies on all major depressive disorders as cited on the PubMed® and APA PsycInfo® databases from inception to 31 December 2016 from the six GGC countries. Data were extracted using a standardized form. The study compared the volume of research production between the countries by calculating an index that allowed for the country population size.

Results

A total of 28 studies met the inclusion criteria. Saudi Arabia headed the list of publications (10 articles) followed by the United Arab Emirates ( n = 6), Kuwait ( n = 5), Qatar ( n = 3); and Bahrain and Oman produced two articles each. Only six out of the 28 (21.4%) studies included a random sample or adopted good sampling strategies. The majority of studies (24 of 28; 85.7%) were cross-sectional in design. Only one study clearly stated the use of the DSM-4 criteria for diagnosis.

Conclusion

The scientific literature published by the GCC countries on depressive disorders is scant and lacking scientific depth. These findings should be considered as a wake-up call for public health researchers, mental health workers and policymakers.
Fucoxanthin may inhibit cervical cancer cell proliferation via downregulation of HIST1H3D
Authors: Ye Guoliu , Wang Lingling , Yang Kang , Wang Caizhi
Published: October 2020

Objective

To investigate the role of fucoxanthin, reported to have significant anticancer effects, and histone Cluster 1 H3 Family Member D (HIST1H3D; implicated in tumorigenesis) in cervical cancer.

Methods

The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of fucoxanthin against HeLa and SiHa cervical cancer cells was determined. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in SiHa cells treated with IC50 fucoxanthin were screened by high-throughput techniques and subjected to signal enrichment. Following identification of HIST1H3D as a candidate gene, HIST1H3D-knockdown models were created via transfection with a short hairpin HIST1H3D payload. Impacts on cell proliferation, cell-cycle distribution, colony formation, and apoptosis were studied.

Results

The fucoxanthin IC50 was 1 445 and 1 641 µM (Hela and SiHa cells, respectively). Chip results revealed 2 255 DEGs, including 943 upregulated and 1 312 downregulated genes, in fucoxanthin-treated versus untreated SiHa cells. Disease and function analysis indicated that these DEGs are primarily associated with cancer and organismal injuries and abnormalities, and online integrated pathway analysis showed that the DEGs were mainly enriched in p53 signalling. HIST1H3D was significantly downregulated in response to fucoxanthin. Inhibition of HIST1H3D mRNA significantly reduced cell proliferation and colony formation, significantly augmented the percentage of apoptotic HeLa and SiHa cells, and cells were arrested in G0/G1 cell cycle phase.

Conclusion

The results suggest that HIST1H3D may be an oncogene in cervical carcinogenesis and a potential fucoxanthin target in treating cervical cancer.
Recurrent Stevens–Johnson syndrome in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus: a case report
Authors: Ahmed Eltahir Noha Ibrahim , Elgenaid Shaima N , Adam Essa Mohammed Elmujtba , Ahmed Abdelkareem A. , Sati Mohamed Ayman Sati , Ali Hussein Mustafa Mohammed , Abubaker Azza , Mohamed Elsayed Elnazir , Mohammed Ibrahim Sulafa Eisa , Mohamed Ibrahim Osman , Mohammed Elagib Elnour
Published: October 2020

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic disease that affects many organs. A few patients with SLE develop Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS), a life-threatening disease characterized by the appearance of a partial-thickness burn in the skin and mucous membranes. This report aims to increase awareness among clinicians about the relationship between SLE and SJS. An 18-year-old man was admitted to the rheumatology department of Omdurman Military Hospital with a skin rash that was preceded by symptoms of a short febrile illness. He had a maculopapular rash on his palms, soles, trunk, and mucous membranes. The patient had been diagnosed with SLE at 10 years of age and had had SJS three times since the diagnosis of SLE. Investigations to exclude other diagnoses were conducted, and a skin biopsy showed features consistent with early SJS. The patient received intravenous hydrocortisone, oral prednisolone, and oral acyclovir. The lesions resolved 3 weeks after treatment with acyclovir and he was discharged in good condition. A young patient with SLE and recurrent SJS with no immunodeficiency responded very well to the conventional SJS therapy after 3 weeks of treatment.
Looking Precisely at Your Fingertip Requires Visual Guidance of Gaze
Authors: Kuling Irene A. , Laan Lotte , Lopik Erik van , Smeets Jeroen B. J. , Brenner Eli
Published: October 2020

People often look at objects that they are holding in their hands. It is therefore reasonable to expect them to be able to direct their gaze precisely with respect to their fingers. However, we know that people make reproducible idiosyncratic errors of up to a few centimetres when they try to align a visible cursor to their own finger hidden below a surface. To find out whether they also make idiosyncratic errors when they try to look at their finger, we asked participants to hold their finger in front of their head in the dark, and look at it. Participants made idiosyncratic errors of a similar magnitude to those previously found when matching a visual cursor to their hidden finger. This shows that proprioceptive position sense of finger and gaze are not aligned, suggesting that people rely on vision to guide their gaze to their own finger.
Pain perception in women with menstrually-related migraine
Authors: Linstra Katie M , Ibrahimi Khatera , van Casteren Daphne S , Wermer Marieke JH , Terwindt Gisela M , MaassenVanDenBrink Antoinette
Published: October 2020

Background

Cyclic hormonal fluctuations influence migraine incidence and severity. Previously, we described reduced menstrual cyclicity in estradiol levels and dermal blood flow reaction to capsaicin in female migraineurs. It is unclear whether pain perception in women with migraine is influenced by the menstrual cycle.

Methods

Women with menstrually-related migraine (n = 14), healthy age-matched controls (n = 10) and postmenopausal women (n = 15) were asked to grade trigeminal and non-trigeminal painful stimuli on a numeric pain rating scale on menstrual cycle day 19–21 (mid-luteal) and day 1–2 (early follicular).

Results

In women with menstrually-related migraine, trigeminal pain remained low throughout the cycle. Controls showed increased trigeminal pain during the mid-luteal phase compared to the early follicular phase. Changes throughout the cycle were significantly different between women with MRM and controls.

Conclusion

The compromised menstrual cyclicity of pain perception in women with menstrually-related migraine parallels our earlier findings on estradiol levels and dermal blood flow.
Clinical characteristics of pre-attack symptoms in cluster headache: A large series of Korean patients
Authors: Cho Soohyun , Cho Soo-Jin , Lee Mi Ji , Park Jeong Wook , Chu Min Kyung , Moon Heui-Soo , Chung Pil-Wook , Sohn Jong-Hee , Kim Byung-Su , Kim Daeyoung , Kim Jae-Moon , Chung Jae Myun , Oh Kyungmi , Ahn Jin-Young , Chung Chin-Sang , Kim Byung-Kun
Published: October 2020

Background

Previous studies have reported notable differences in demographic and clinical features of cluster headache between Western and Asian populations, including lower prevalence of the chronic type and in women. Recently, prodromal symptoms of migraine and pre-attack symptoms of cluster headache have drawn attention regarding their potential pathophysiological implications and pre-emptive treatment. However, pre-attack symptoms of cluster headache have not been studied in the Asian population.

Methods

A total of 136 patients with cluster headache (21 first-onset, 110 episodic, and five chronic cases) were recruited in this multi-center study between October 2018 and December 2019. We evaluated the characteristics of pre-attack symptoms in a current bout using a structured questionnaire. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the factors associated with presence of pre-attack symptoms.

Results

Pre-attack symptoms were reported in 71.3% of our patients with cluster headache. When present, pre-attack symptoms occurred at a median of 20 minutes (range 1–120) before the attack. The prevalence of local and painful, local and painless sensory, autonomic, and general symptoms was 58.8%, 14.7%, 11.0%, and 30.1%, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that higher number of bouts was associated with higher prevalence of pre-attack symptoms (OR = 1.464, p = 0.044).

Conclusions

Pre-attack symptoms were frequently observed in Korean patients with cluster headache, which was consistent with previous Western studies.
Collections and services of public libraries in West Bengal, India: An evaluative study against the backdrop of the IFLA guidelines
Authors: Munshi Shamim Aktar , Ansari Mehtab Alam
Published: October 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of district-level public libraries in West Bengal, India. The study focused on staff as well as services against the backdrop of collection development policy. It also investigated the problems faced by librarians and suggested measures to overcome these difficulties. The researchers used a mixed-methods approach – quantitative and qualitative methods – to obtain the data. However, the primary means of data collection was a survey method using a structured questionnaire. Additionally, interviews were carried out with librarians in order to bring more subjectivity to the results. The findings suggest that no selection committees have taken place to recruit new staff in different public libraries; hence, libraries have been suffering from a shortage of staff. Due to severe shortage of library staff, book database has not been completed in Libsys library management software in any surveyed library. Public libraries are established to provide a variety of services to their users. Thus, services are the main product of the public library system. The findings reveal that different kinds of services – such as children’s, career guidance and community information services – are provided by the surveyed libraries to benefit their user communities.
Durability of Concrete Superficially Treated with Nano-Silica and Silane/Nano-Clay Coatings
Authors: Sakr M. R. , Bassuoni M. T. , Ghazy A.
Published: October 2020

Protection of the surface layer of concrete is essential for achieving durability and functionality of concrete elements during their service life. In this paper, an effort is made to utilize colloidal nano-silica (5%–50%) and a synthesized nanocomposite as superficial treatments for concrete; silane was used as the neat resin to disperse nano-montmorillonite particles at different dosages (5% and 10%). The coatings were applied to a typical concrete mixture used for residential concrete in North America. The transport properties of the treated concrete were characterized using the rapid chloride penetrability test and the absorption/desorption percentages. Moreover, concrete was evaluated under severe durability exposure involving physical salt attack (PSA), which is a wetting/drying regime responsible for surface damage of concrete elements subjected to continuous salt supply along with cyclic ambient conditions. Deterioration was visually assessed and quantified using mass change. In addition, thermal and microscopy analyses were performed on concrete specimens to elucidate the mechanisms of enhancement by surface treatment. The results showed that increasing the concentration of nano-silica particles in the colloid led to an improved performance of concrete, with the 50% loading ratio achieving the least penetration depth, absorption/desorption percentage, and mass loss of concrete under aggravated PSA. For the silane/nano-clay composite, the low dosage of nano-clay was adequate to mitigate the damage caused by PSA on concrete.
Journey Attributes, E-Bike Use, and Perception of Driving Behavior of Motorists as Predictors of Bicycle Crash Involvement and Severity
Authors: Prati Gabriele , De Angelis Marco , Fraboni Federico , Pietrantoni Luca , Johnson Daniel , Shires Jeremy
Published: October 2020

Previous studies have revealed the relevance of e-bike use, perception of driving behavior of motorists, and instrumental and affective factors in work and leisure journeys among regular cyclists. However, the importance of these factors as predictors of bicycle crash involvement and severity is less well-known. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of journey attributes, e-bike use, and perception of driving behavior of motorists in predicting bicycle crash involvement and severity, while controlling for sociodemographic factors, cycling levels, cycling environment, and purposes of cycling. We collected data from an online panel of 2,389 respondents from six European countries (Sweden, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Hungary, Italy, Spain). Using the generalized linear model, we found that both bicycle crash involvement and severity were related to lower age, being employed, using the bicycle for traveling to or from college/university, not using the bicycle for leisure/training, and using an e-bike. Bicycle crash severity was associated with lower affective attributes, higher instrumental attributes, and the perception of good driving behavior of motorists.
Ultra-High-Performance Concrete Shear Keys in Concrete Bridge Superstructures
Authors: Flores Elsy Y. , Varbel Jordan , Toledo William K. , Newtson Craig M. , Weldon Brad D.
Published: October 2020

This research investigated the use of locally produced, non-proprietary ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) as a grouting material to repair deteriorated shear keys. Shear keys are used in adjacent girder superstructures to produce monolithic behavior and load transfer across the structure. Shear key degradation can jeopardize the integrity of the structure. Transportation agencies have reported that 75% of distress in adjacent girder bridges is because of cracking and de-bonding along shear keys. Previous research has shown that locally produced UHPC has excellent mechanical and durability properties. UHPC has also been shown to have good bonding characteristics that are desirable in a potential grouting material. Bond strength between UHPC grout and substrate concrete was evaluated using slant-shear and direct tension tests. Results showed that adequate bond was achieved at 7 days. Low strengths at 28 days were observed because of low strength of the substrate concrete. Shrinkage of UHPC grout was also investigated. Shrinkage at 28 days was less than 600 µstrain which is acceptable for repair practices. Full-scale testing was used to evaluate load-deflection behavior of channel girder assemblages with grouted shear keys. Results showed that UHPC grout and non-shrink grout had similar mechanical performance. Excellent bond was achieved with all grouts, even with minimal surface preparation. The similar performances of the non-shrink grout and the UHPC grout indicates that UHPC grout does not provide a mechanical benefit over the non-shrink grout.
Mediating Roles of Intimate Partner Violence, Stress, and Social Support on Depressive Symptoms Among Thai Women
Authors: Thananowan Nanthana , Vongsirimas Nopporn , Kedcham Akadet
Published: October 2020

Prior research has shown that intimate partner violence (IPV), stress, and social support are associated with depressive symptoms. However, a possible mediating role of these variables linking depressive symptoms has not been fully investigated in Thailand. This study was conducted to assess the mediating roles of IPV, stress, and social support in the relationships between childhood abuse (CA), number of sexual partners (NSP), and depressive symptoms among 400 Thai women attending gynecology clinics. Results indicated that IPV was significantly positively correlated with stress and depressive symptoms but negatively correlated with social support. CA and NSP were significantly positively correlated with IPV, stress, and depressive symptoms, but negatively correlated with social support. Structural equation models (SEMs) showed that not only did IPV severity exhibit significantly indirect effect on depressive symptoms ( β = .178; p < .05), but it also had a significant, positive total effect on depressive symptoms ( β = .252; p < .05). In particular, IPV severity had the fully mediating effect on depressive symptoms through social support ( β = –.204; p < .05) and stress ( β = .158; p < .05). CA severity and NSP exhibited the significant indirect effect on depressive symptoms through IPV severity, stress, and social support. All the models analyzed showed that stress had an important mediator role ( β = .583; p < .05) on depressive symptoms. The model fitted very well to the empirical data and explained 53% of variance. Findings affirmed the important role of these mediators as well as the need to design interventions for reducing stress or increasing support for women experiencing IPV. Utilizing an empowerment approach among female outpatients to decrease stress and depressive symptoms is recommended.
The ‘reasonable suspicion’ test of Turkey’s post-coup emergency rule under the European Convention on Human Rights
Authors: Turkut Emre , Garahan Sabina
Published: October 2020

Since the 15 July 2016 failed coup, Turkey has seen the mass arrests and detention of hundreds of thousands of individuals; among them are judges and prosecutors, military personnel, police officers, journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders and opposition politicians who have been deprived of their liberty on an array of terrorism-related charges. While this has raised numerous human rights issues, this article focuses on those relating to pre-trial restrictions imposed on the right to liberty and security of individuals during the post-coup state of emergency. Building on the theory and use of the reasonableness concept in the field of pre-trial detention through a particular focus on the ‘reasonable suspicion’ test under Article 5 § 1 (c) of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR or the Convention), the article analyses the role of the European Court of Human Rights (the Court or the ECtHR) in enforcing the guarantees of the right to liberty in the Turkish post-coup cases of Mehmet Hasan Altan, Şahin Alpay, Alparslan Altan and Kavala. Against the background of pre-existing Convention standards on pre-trial reasonable suspicion in states of emergency, it finds that the ECtHR has adopted a stronger supervisory stance regarding the compatibility of Turkish post-coup detention practices than the more hesitant approach shown in the prior derogation context of Northern Ireland. While these decisions give some cause for optimism in the hope for a judicial boldness on the part of the ECtHR in condemning Turkey’s arbitrary detention practices during the state of emergency, the article argues that there is further scope for the Court to strengthen its protection in this respect. Notably, despite the positive aspects in the Court’s approach, by continuing to support the notion that the Turkish legal landscape is capable of addressing Article 5 violations and not tackling the underlying structural issues so clearly at play, the Court leaves a glaring gap in rights protection for those seeking justice.
Intelligent fault diagnosis for rotating machinery using L1/2-SF under variable rotational speed
Authors: Wang Jinrui , Ji Shanshan , Han Baokun , Bao Huaiqian
Published: October 2020

Sparse filtering (SF), as an effective feature extraction technique, has attracted considerable attention in the field of mechanical fault diagnosis. But the generalization ability of SF to handle non-stationary signal under variable rotational speed is still poor. When the rotating parts of mechanical transmission work at a constant speed, the collected vibration signal is strongly correlated with the fault type. However, the mappings will no longer be so simple under the condition of variable rotational speed, which brings a rigorous challenge to intelligent fault diagnosis. To overcome the aforementioned deficiency, a novel L1/2 regularized SF method ( L1/2-SF) is studied in this paper. Specifically, L1/2 regularization strategy is added to the cost function of SF, then the L1/2-SF is directly employed to extract sparse features from the raw vibration data under variable rotational speed condition. In order to understand the sparse feature extraction ability of the L1/2 regularization, a physical explanation of the sparse solution generated by the L1/2 regularization strategy is explored. Next, softmax regression is employed for fault classification connected with the output layer of L1/2-SF. The effectiveness of L1/2-SF method is verified using a planetary gearbox dataset and a bearing dataset, respectively. Experiment results show that L1/2-SF can deal well with the variable rotational speed problem and is superior to other methods.
Adhesives for increasing the bonding strength of in situ manufactured metal-composite joints
Authors: Thomas Robert , Fischer Fabian , Gude Maik
Published: October 2020

In this present work, the potential of metallic parts, locally reinforced with a continuous glass fibre reinforced thermoset material, pre-impregnated with an epoxy matrix (prepreg), was evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), single-lap shear tests and 3-point bending tests of a metal-composite hybrid hat profile. This technology is evaluated regarding an automotive use case, the DSC experiments in combination with moulding trials have proven curing times below 30 s for a moulding temperature of 180°C. A bonding strength of 13.5 MPa was characterized for a co-cured fibre-reinforced plastic (frp) onto a metallic joining partner. By additionally introducing an epoxy glue film as a bonding agent, which is co-cured together with the frp, the bonding strength can be increased significantly up to 25.4 MPa at the expense of the curing time. The mechanical tests on the hybrid hat profile have shown an increase of energy absorption compared with non-reinforced hat profiles. Here, also an additional glue film extends the performance regarding a co-cured plastic reinforcement without glue film. The influence of the storage conditions of the uncured prepreg materials on the mechanical performance was evaluated by a simulated physical ageing at elevated temperatures, followed by a mechanical characterization of the bonding strength and part performance. Also the effect of different testing temperatures and testing velocities on the capability of the metal-composite hybrid part is illustrated.
Integrity for autonomous vehicles and towards a novel alert limit determination method
Authors: Meng Qian , Hsu Li-Ta
Published: October 2020

Integrity is one critical performance indicator for navigation in safety-critical applications such as autonomous vehicles. Alert limit is one of the representative parameters in integrity monitoring which defines the maximum tolerable positioning error for an operation to safely proceed. But the integrity requirements for global navigation satellite system (GNSS) assessment are quite different from those for other applications. For autonomous vehicles, a reasonable alert limit needs to ensure the vehicle security and take full advantage of the space between vehicle and lane as much as possible. Based on the analysis of integrity application differences from civil aviation to autonomous vehicles, an improved alert limit determination method is proposed in this paper. The kinematic model is firstly introduced into the online determination of alert limit. The integrity risk on two sides are allocated optimally respect to the road geometry and kinematic model. The fixed cuboid bounding box is replaced by a subversive fan-shaped bounding box which is more reasonable to cover the safety-critical areas. The discussion compared with the Ford model also verified the superiority of the proposed method. Finally the paper also gives the alert limits calculated based on the Chinese standards and hopefully it could provide some references for the navigation integrity assessment for autonomous vehicles.
Collaborative control of lateral stability and braking performance of vehicles during braking-in-turn maneuver
Authors: Zhang Zhiyong , Li Bohao , Huang Caixia , Wu Wenguang
Published: October 2020

The active safety control of vehicles during braking-in-turn maneuver involves longitudinal and lateral dynamic control. The lateral stability and braking performance of vehicles can be ensured by properly coordinating the longitudinal and lateral forces of tires. In this study, a control system with a three-layer structure is used to achieve the above-mentioned purpose. The expected yaw rate and sideslip angle are adopted to calculate the direct yaw moment to guarantee the lateral stability of vehicles in the motion tracking layer. Considering the minimization of tire workload usage and braking force deviation as optimization objectives, torque allocation control is achieved for the direct yaw moment with lateral stability and the upper bound of longitudinal force (UBLF) of tires as constraint in the torque allocation layer. In the braking hydraulic pressure control layer, the hydraulic pressure in the wheel cylinder is adjusted according to the expected braking force of the wheel. This study proposes a method for determining the UBLF based on the optimal slip ratio (UBLF_OSR), which cannot only avoid obtaining the lateral force of tires but also directly restrict the distribution of tire force. The control system performance is analyzed on the basis of MATLAB/AMESim co-simulation. Results show that the proposed collaborative control strategy of lateral stability and braking performance ensures the lateral stability and braking performance during braking-in-turn maneuver.
Cooperative guidance law for active aircraft defense with intercept angle constraint
Authors: He Min , Wang Xiaofang , Lin Hai , Xiao Nianyuan , Du Zonglin
Published: October 2020

In this paper, the three-body engagement scenario is considered where a target aircraft fires a defender missile to intercept the attacker missile. A cooperative guidance law with the intercept angle constraint for both of the defender missile and target has been presented. With the assumption that the attacker missile uses augmented proportional navigation guidance law, the nonlinear relative motion model of target-attacker-defender engagement is built. Considering the requirement of miss distance and satisfying the intercept angle constraint, the function index is established. The cooperative guidance law is derived based on optimal control theory. Moreover, given initial launch condition, the feasible intercept angle region of defender is analyzed, considering the limited maneuverability of defender and target and the intercept time constraint which means the attacker must be intercepted by the defender prior to hitting the target. Similarly, the feasible launch region of defender is obtained with the given designated intercept angle, variable overload of defender and target, and intercept time constraint. The simulation results further demonstrate that within the feasible region of designated intercept angle and launching condition, the defender can intercept the attacker with designated intercept angle successfully despite of the limited maneuverability. Compared with conventional uncooperative situation, the target-defender cooperation could significantly reduce the maneuverability requirements for the defender.
Investigation of rotating detonation fueled by pre-combustion cracked kerosene under different channel widths
Authors: Yang Xingkui , Wu Yun , Zhong Yepan , Song Feilong , Xu Shida , Jin Di , Chen Xin , Wang Shunli , Zhou Jianping
Published: October 2020

In this study, the effects of channel widths on the characteristics of the rotating detonation wave (RDW) were investigated. Pre-combustion cracked kerosene and 50% oxygen-enriched air were taken as the propellant. Keeping the outer diameter ( D = 150mm) constant, the channel widths ( W) of the combustor range from 15 mm to 50 mm in the experiments. The results indicate that the time for the formation of a stable RDW is longer under the wider channel, while the velocity of the RDW increases significantly with a wider channel. Increasing the ER has a positive effect on the wave velocity and the flow rate has little effect on wave velocity. The wave pressure increases under the higher ER and flow rate. Under the same flow rate and ER, the RDW pressure tends to reach the maximum value when the channel width is 25 mm, and the pressure range is 2 bar to 6 bar. Five kinds of the RDW modes were observed in the experiments, namely the failure “pop-out”, single-wave mode, two-counter rotating waves mode, and two-co rotating waves mode. The two-counter rotating waves mode seems to be an intermediate mode of single-wave mode and two-co rotating waves mode in the conducted experiments, and the multi-wave mode is more likely to occur under the narrower channel and the higher oxygen content.
Positive Affect Is Associated With Less Memory Decline: Evidence From a 9-Year Longitudinal Study
Authors: Hittner Emily F. , Stephens Jacquelyn E. , Turiano Nicholas A. , Gerstorf Denis , Lachman Margie E. , Haase Claudia M.
Published: October 2020

Memory decline is a concern for aging populations across the globe. Positive affect plays an important role in healthy aging, but its link with memory decline has remained unclear. In the present study, we examined associations between positive affect (i.e., feeling enthusiastic, attentive, proud, active) and memory (i.e., immediate and delayed recall), drawing from a 9-year longitudinal study of a national sample of 991 middle-age and older U.S. adults. Results revealed that positive affect was associated with less memory decline across 9 years when analyses controlled for age, gender, education, depression, negative affect, and extraversion. Findings generalized across another measure that assessed additional facets of positive affect, across different (but not all) facets of positive affect and memory, and across age, gender, and education; findings did not emerge for negative affect. Reverse longitudinal associations between memory and positive affect were not significant. Possible pathways linking positive affect and memory functioning are discussed.
Effect of vaned diffuser clocking position on hydraulic performance and pressure pulsation of centrifugal pump
Authors: Guan Hongyu , Jiang Wei , Wang Yuchuan , Hou Gaoyang , Zhu Xiangyuan , Tian Hui , Deng Hongling
Published: October 2020

The clocking position of the vaned diffuser, the circumferential position of the vaned diffuser relative to the volute, has a certain effect on the performance of the centrifugal pump. Therefore, this paper studies the guide vane centrifugal pump from the aspects of pressure pulsation, hydraulic performance, and energy loss. The maximum difference in efficiency is 3.4% under the design flow rate, and the maximum difference in the head coefficient is 4.7%. The hydraulic performance and pressure pulsation present different trends with the increase of the vaned diffuser clock angle. When the hydraulic performance and pressure pulsation are relatively good, the circumferential distance between the tongue and the upstream vaned diffuser blade is 3/4 of the diffuser flow path. In addition, the recommended vaned diffuser installation location may also be suitable for centrifugal pumps of similar construction. The energy loss was visualized using the theory of entropy production. The distributions of energy loss and flow field indicate that the energy loss of impeller and vaned diffuser changes little. The change of the vortex in the tongue and outlet area will cause a significant change in the energy loss of the volute, which is the main reason that the hydraulic performance of the centrifugal pump is affected by the clocking position of the vaned diffuser.
Characterization of autoantibodies and cytokines related to cutaneous lupus erythematosus
Authors: Hu Feng-qiu , Zhang Yu-ping , Yin Jing , Tang Zeng-qi , Han Yan-fang , Shi Zhen-rui , Tan Guo-zhen , Wang Liangchun
Published: October 2020

Objective

To investigate the profiles of anti-RPLP0, anti-galectin3 antibodies, interferon-α (IFN-α), interferon-λ1(IFN-λ1) and interleukin-17A/F(IL-17A/F) in the subtypes of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) including acute CLE (ACLE), subacute CLE (SCLE) and discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE).

Methods

Serum levels of autoantibodies and cytokines were determined by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA). Lupus lesions were evaluated by cutaneous lupus erythematosus disease area and severity index (CLASI).

Results

Serum anti-RPLP0, anti-galectin3 antibodies and IFN-λ1 were higher in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with skin lesions than those without skin lesions, compared to healthy controls. IFN-α, IL-17A and IL-17F was elevated in all patients regardless of skin lesions. The two antibodies, IFN-α and IL-17A were positively correlated with the CLASI score in all patients with CLE. In addition, serum IL-17A was positively correlated to the CLASI score of ACLE, SCLE and DLE, while anti-RPLP0 and anti-galectin3 antibodies were only correlated to the score of SCLE and IL-17F to DLE.

Conclusion

Serum anti-RPLP0, anti-galectin3 antibodies, IFN-α, IFN-λ1 and IL-17A/F are associated with the occurrence of lupus skin lesions regardless of the systemic complications, whereas the profiles of these inflammatory mediators vary with the subtypes of lupus skin lesions.