bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Sexual Politics of Beauty: Reflections on Contemporary Argentine Cinema
Authors: Kratje Julia
Published: March 2021

A sketch of the imagery of feminine beauty in contemporary Argentine cinema focusing on the history of regional beauty pageants, the way bodies are displayed, and the critique of conventional aesthetic parameters contributes to a comparative analysis of the documentaries La reina (2013), by Manuel Abramovich, and La más bella niña (2004), by Mariano Llinás, which demonstrate new approaches to old questions about the sexual politics of beauty.

Un esbozo de la historia de los certámenes regionales, las condiciones de visibilidad de los cuerpos y la crítica de los parámetros estéticos convencionales contribuye a un análisis comparativo de los documentales La Reina (2013), de Manuel Abramovich, y La más bella niña (2004), de Mariano Llinás, que demuestran nuevas derivas para enfocar viejas preguntas alrededor de la política sexual de la belleza.
The Second Line of the Leningrad/ Saint Petersburg Metro between Old and New Urban Structures
Authors: Schroeder Phillip
Published: March 2021

This article examines the development of the Leningrad subway second line as a tool to make the diverse city space merge and shrink. While planning the Leningrad subway, architects and engineers had to consider recent and historical developments. Bringing together urban developments from the nineteenth century up to the reconstruction in the 1940s was crucial for the construction of this urban infrastructure and the city space. The blue line, which opened in 1961, cuts through the city on a straight line. During the planning and construction process, city planners considered various routes and developments to bring together rather different parts of Leningrad and make the city grow into one urban space. Whereas the perception of city spaces is mostly connected to its surface, the subterranean structures play a crucial role to understand not just the development of the city space itself but also its current perception.
Cost-Effective Microscopic Draping: COVID-19 Umbrella
Authors: Hajiyev Yusif , Vilela Ronald J
Published: March 2021

We describe a cost-effective solution to limit aerosol transmission to the surgeon and other personnel in the operating room during otologic surgery.
Post-COVID-19 Kawasaki-Like Syndrome
Authors: Lechien Jérôme R. , Hervochon Rémi , Hans Stéphane
Published: March 2021

A 42-year-old man was referred for a week history of severe dysphagia, odynophagia, fever (39 °C), fatigue, abdominal pain, pharyngeal swelling, and multiple neck lymphadenopathies. The medical history reported a mild form of COVID-19 one month ago. The biology reported an unspecified inflammatory syndrome. The patient developed peritonitis, myocarditis, and hepatitis. A myocardium biopsy was performed. A diagnosis of Kawasaki-like disease (KLD) was performed. The occurrence of KLD in adults is rare but has to be known by otolaryngologists regarding the otolaryngological clinical presentation that may precede the multiple organ failure.
Microscope-Based Automated Quantification of Liver Fibrosis in Mice Using a Deep Learning Algorithm
Authors: Ramot Yuval , Deshpande Ameya , Morello Virginia , Michieli Paolo , Shlomov Tehila , Nyska Abraham
Published: March 2021

In preclinical studies that involve animal models for hepatic fibrosis, accurate quantification of the fibrosis is of utmost importance. The use of digital image analysis based on deep learning artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms can facilitate accurate evaluation of liver fibrosis in these models. In the present study, we compared the quantitative evaluation of collagen proportionate area in the carbon tetrachloride model of liver fibrosis in the mouse by a newly developed AI algorithm to the semiquantitative assessment of liver fibrosis performed by a board-certified toxicologic pathologist. We found an excellent correlation between the 2 methods of assessment, most evident in the higher magnification (×40) as compared to the lower magnification (×10). These findings strengthen the confidence of using digital tools in the toxicologic pathology field as an adjunct to an expert toxicologic pathologist.
Identification of Research Paradigms for Managing the Cricketing Ecosystem Using Stakeholder Analysis and Text Mining
Authors: Ray Subhasis
Published: March 2021

It took almost 400 years for test cricket to start off, and thereafter it just took 94, 34 and 13 years for the introduction of ODI, T20I and T10 formats, respectively. Length of the formats is shrinking over time at an alarming rate. If the trend continues, the format of five overs or less may not be far away and cricket pundits are fearing that the longest format, that is, test cricket, may lose its relevance. Unfortunately, the management part of the cricketing ecosystem has not drawn much attention from the academic world. Since market dynamics is playing a vital role in decision-making post commercialization of the cricket, this study applies stakeholder analysis and identifies three key stakeholders, namely administrators, players and spectators, and their aspirations. It suggests a shift from the ICC-led hierarchical model to the horizontal and more democratic model for sports governance during the post-commercialization stage. The results of the study indicate that even though ICC had taken a number of measures for advancement of the sport during 2015–2018, many of them are criticized like the world test championship or day-night test matches. The study scrapes through opinions of cricket-related professionals from open sources, applies sentiment analytics to classify them, uses text summarization to extract summary viewpoints and rates them on unanimity scale. A comparison is made between the actions taken by ICC and the pool of unanimous viewpoints using evidence-based assessment (EBA). Finally, it develops a framework of six research paradigms, taking into account the stakeholders’ aspirations and the EBA outcome. If these paradigms are acted upon, it can ensure convergence of stakeholders’ goals and balance in the cricket mix. Additionally, if ICC can make unanimous viewpoints from its stakeholders a part of its future plan, acceptability of its decisions will be more.
Ethnicity, gender, and intersectionality: How context factors shape the intersectional (dis)advantage under proportional representation rules
Authors: Janssen Chloé
Published: March 2021

This article aims to highlight the contextual impact of proportional representation (PR) rules on the intersectional representation of gender and ethnic groups. We assert that the combination of the institutional and sociodemographic context generates barriers and opportunities for the inclusion of intersectional identity groups in politics. We analyse how the sociodemographic make up of the district electorate influences parties’ and voters’ behaviour within PR systems to shape electoral outcomes in Brussels local elections. We focus on parties’ list composition strategies and candidates’ personal score to determine parties’ and voters’ leverage on representational outcomes. Our research demonstrates that ethnic minority male and female candidates experience a similar advantage on their ethnic majority counterparts in the (s)election process, and that their advantage grows as districts get more diverse. We show that ethnic minority candidates’ advantage comes mainly at the expense of ethnic majority women, while ethnic majority men’s dominant position is not affected by the sociodemographic context. This research emphasizes the importance of local context factors for intersectional groups representation. Our study overall calls for a clear definition of intersectional categories and the social cleavage(s) they represent within societies in order to understand political inequalities and opportunities.
Deep white matter hyperintensity is associated with the dilation of perivascular space
Authors: Huang Peiyu , Zhang Ruiting , Jiaerken Yeerfan , Wang Shuyue , Yu Wenke , Hong Hui , Lian Chunfeng , Li Kaicheng , Zeng Qingze , Luo Xiao , Yu Xinfeng , Xu Xiaopei , Wu Xiao , Zhang Minming
Published: March 2021

Understanding the pathophysiology of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) is necessary to reduce its harmfulness. Dilated perivascular space (PVS) had been found related to WMH. In the present study, we aimed to examine the topological connections between WMH and PVS, and to investigate whether increased interstitial fluid mediates the correlation between PVS and WMH volumes. One hundred and thirty-six healthy elder subjects were retrospectively included from a prospectively collected community cohort. Sub-millimeter T2 weighted and FLAIR images were acquired for assessing the association between PVS and WMH. Diffusion tensor imaging and free-water (FW) analytical methods were used to quantify white matter free water content, and to explore whether it mediates the PVS-WMH association. We found that most (89%) of the deep WMH lesions were spatially connected with PVS, exhibiting several interesting topological types. PVS and WMH volumes were also significantly correlated (r = 0.222, p < 0.001). FW mediated this association in the whole sample (β = 0.069, p = 0.037) and in subjects with relatively high WMH load (β = 0.118, p = 0.006). These findings suggest a tight association between PVS dilation and WMH formation, which might be linked by the impaired glymphatic drainage function and accumulated local interstitial fluid.
Mercury as a cause of membranous nephropathy and Guillain–Barre syndrome: case report and literature review
Authors: Yawei Chen , Jing Sun , Wenju Shi , Yupeng Li , Ping Zhang , Liping Han
Published: March 2021

Secondary renal involvement in chronic exposure to metallic mercury is well known. Mercury also causes central nervous system damage and demyelinating polyneuropathy. Here, we describe a case of a patient with daily exposure to mercury in skin lightening cream and hair dyes who was diagnosed with Guillain–Barre syndrome and then developed nephrotic syndrome because of membranous neuropathy. By reviewing the literature describing mercury-associated diseases, we found that mercury components have an immunomodulatory activity, which is also involved in both peripheral neuropathy and glomerulonephritis.
The effect of playing background music during dental treatment on dental anxiety and physiological parameters: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: van der Weijden Fawn Nitanee , Hussain Ahsan Mehran , Tang Leo , Slot Dagmar Else
Published: March 2021

The purpose of this study was to systematically review the scientific literature concerning the effect of playing background music on anxiety and physiological parameters in patients undergoing dental treatment. MEDLINE-PubMed, Cochrane-CENTRAL, and EMBASE were searched for papers up to September 2020. Inclusion criteria were randomized clinical trials (RCTs) or controlled clinical trails (CCTs) among adolescents and adults that assessed anxiety (AX), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), or respiratory rate (RR). Data before and after treatment were extracted and the potential risk of bias was estimated. Descriptive analysis and meta-analysis were performed. Thirteen eligible studies (12 RCTs, 1 CCT) were retrieved, with an estimated low to high risk of bias. Descriptive analysis showed an effect on AX in favor of music intervention, while no effect on SBP and DBP was found. The effect on HR and RR was inconsistent among studies. Meta-analysis showed a significant difference of means (DiffM) for the end scores of AX (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale (CDAS)) and incremental scores (CDAS) in favor of music intervention. Dental care professionals may consider playing background music while treating adolescent and adult patients. There is a moderate certainty that this can provide a small reduction in dental anxiety. With very low to moderate certainty, no effect on physiologic parameters can be expected.
Interposing layer of fibrin glue: A new horizon in vesico-vaginal fistula repair
Authors: Choudhury Sunirmal , Dutta Avisek , Gupta Naveen , Pal Dilip Kumar
Published: March 2021

Aim:

In this study our idea is to compare the effectiveness of using interposing layer of fibrin glue to omental flap in reducing the failure of laparoscopic vesicovaginal fistula repair.

Methods:

Forty patients with fairly large vesicovaginal fistula were enrolled and divided in two groups of 20 each. We have used fibrin glue in one group and omental flap in the other group.

Result:

Of 20 patients in fibrin glue group no failure was seen, while 5 patients out of 20 in omental flap group had failure.

Conclusion:

This result is statistically significant and hence use of fibrin glue to be considered during laparoscopic repair of vesicovaginal fistulas.
Sustainable by Design: Choice Architecture and the Carbon Footprint of Grocery Shopping
Authors: Panzone Luca A. , Ulph Alistair , Hilton Denis , Gortemaker Ilse , Tajudeen Ibrahim Adebisi
Published: March 2021

The increase in global temperatures requires substantial reductions in the greenhouse emissions from consumer choices. The authors use an experimental incentive-compatible online supermarket to analyze the effect of a carbon-based choice architecture, which presents commodities to customers in high, medium, and low carbon footprint groups, in reducing the carbon footprints of grocery baskets. The authors relate this choice architecture to two other policy interventions: (1) a bonus-malus carbon tax on all grocery products and (2) moral goal priming using an online banner noting the moral importance of reducing one’s carbon footprint. Participants shopped from their home in an online store containing 612 existing food products and 39 existing nonfood products for which the authors had carbon footprint data over three successive weeks, with the interventions occurring in the second and third weeks. Choice architecture reduced participants’ carbon footprint significantly in the third week by reducing the proportion of choices made in the high-carbon aisle. The carbon tax reduced carbon footprint in both weeks, primarily by reducing overall spend. The goal-priming banner led to a small reduction in carbon footprint in the second week only. Thus, the design of the marketplace plays an important role in achieving the policy objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
White Paper: Chemical Sensitivity: History and Phenomenology
Authors: Miller Claudia S.
Published: March 2021

Nearly everyone has heard something about chemical sensitivity, either from personal experience with someone who has the condition or from the media. The television series Northern Exposure recently featured a chemically sensitive attorney who lived in a geodesic dome in Alaska, and L.A. Law depicted the struggles of a Persian Gulf veteran with chemical sensitivities who lost his case against the Veterans Administration, but may appeal later in the season. Television news programs and the printed media have showcased patients living spartan existences in remote areas or in aluminum foil-lined rooms. Our views of the illness no doubt are colored by our own personal experiences of it. While some discount or make jokes about chemical sensitivity or these patients, physicians who have seen a number of them are discovering that many appear to be credible individuals with prior good work records who say they became ill following an identifiable exposure to chemicals.
Time-Dependent Sensitization in Animals: A Possible Model of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity in Humans
Authors: Antelman Seymour M.
Published: March 2021

It of ten happens in science that clues to the nature of a problem under study come from a completely different, seemingly unrelated, line of investigation. This may be the case with MCS and Time-Dependent Sensitization (TDS), a phenomenon we discovered in rats in the late 1970s and later named. TDS refers to the ability of mild stressors whether pharmacological or environmental to induce physiological and behavioral effects which then progress, i.e., get stronger, entirely as a function of the passage of time since stressor presentation. This strengthening is revealed when the organism is later exposed to either the original or another stressor. The characteristics of TDS bear a remarkable resemblance to the features of MCS and that similarity is the subject of this manuscript.
EEG Responses to Low-Level Chemicals in Normals and Cacosmics
Authors: Schwartz Gary E. , Bell Iris R. , Dikman Ziya V. , Fernandez Mercedes , Kline John P. , Peterson Julie M. , Wright Kenneth P.
Published: March 2021

Recent studies from the University of Arizona indicate that normal subjects, both college students and the elderly, can register the presence of low-intensity odors in the electroencephalogram (EEG) in the absence of conscious awareness of the odors. The experimental paradigm involves subjects sniffing pairs of bottles, one containing an odorant (e.g. isoamyl acetate) dissolved in an odorless solvent (water or liquid silicone), the other containing just the solvent, while 19 channels of EEG are continuously recorded. For the low-intensity odor conditions, concentrations are adjusted downward (decreased) until subjects correctly identify the odor bottle at chance (50). The order of odorants, concentrations, and hand holding the control bottle, are counterbalanced within and across subjects. Three previous experiments found that alpha activity (8-12 hz) decreased in midline and posterior regions when subjects sniffed the low-intensity odors. The most recent study suggests that decreased theta activity (4-8 hz) may reflect sensory registration and decreased alpha activity may reflect perceptual registration. In a just completed experiment involving college students who were selected based on combinations of high and low scores on a scale measuring cacosmia (chemical odor intolerance) and high and low scores on a scale measuring depression, cacosmic subjects (independent of depression) showed greater decreases in low-frequency alpha (8-10 hz) and greater increases in low-frequency beta (12-16 hz) to the solvent propylene glycol compared to an empty bottle. Topographic EEG mapping to low-intensity odorants may provide a useful tool for investigating possible increased sensitivity to specific chemicals in chemically sensitive individuals.
High Reliability Collaborations: Theorizing Interorganizational Reliability as Constituted through Translation
Authors: Rice Rebecca M.
Published: March 2021

High reliability organizations (HROs) need to collaborate to address risks that transcend organizational boundaries. HRO literature has yet to examine the challenge of creating interorganizational reliability, while collaboration literature can further explore how stakeholder priorities become dominant in collaborations. This study joins these bodies of literature to identify the growing domain of High Reliability Collaborations (HRCs). Drawing from 2 years of ethnographic research within a community emergency collaboration, the study theorizes that communicative translations constitute HRCs and serve to make sense of HROs and non-HROs as belonging to a shared collaborative framework. These translations are necessary to create reliability but also establish a negotiated order among collaborative stakeholders. This study finds that containing and controlling stakeholders can be an incentive to collaborate and that collaborative decision-making is influenced by stakeholder claims to urgency.
Phrenology and the average person, 1840–1940
Authors: Sysling Fenneke
Published: March 2021

The popular science of phrenology is known for its preoccupation with geniuses and criminals, but this article shows that phrenologists also introduced ideas about the ‘average’ person. Popular phrenologists in the US and the UK examined the heads of their clients to give an indication of their character. Based on the publications of phrenologists and on a large collection of standardized charts with clients’ scores, this article analyses their definition of what they considered to be the ‘average’. It can be concluded that phrenologists were some of the first to teach individuals to see their identity in relation to an imagined statistical community.
Occupant pre-crash kinematics in rotated seat arrangements
Authors: Diederich Alexander , Bastien Christophe , Ekambaram Karthikeyan , Wilson Alexis
Published: March 2021

The introduction of automated L5 driving technologies will revolutionise the design of vehicle interiors and seating configurations, improving occupant comfort and experience. It is foreseen that pre-crash emergency braking and swerving manoeuvres will affect occupant posture, which could lead to an interaction with a deploying airbag. This research addresses the urgent safety need of defining the occupant’s kinematics envelope during that pre-crash phase, considering rotated seat arrangements and different seatbelt configurations. The research used two different sets of volunteer tests experiencing L5 vehicle manoeuvres, based in the first instance on 22 50th percentile fit males wearing a lap-belt (OM4IS), while the other dataset is based on 87 volunteers with a BMI range of 19 to 67 kg/m2 wearing a 3-point belt (UMTRI). Unique biomechanics kinematics corridors were then defined, as a function of belt configuration and vehicle manoeuvre, to calibrate an Active Human Model (AHM) using a multi-objective optimisation coupled with a Correlation and Analysis (CORA) rating. The research improved the AHM omnidirectional kinematics response over current state of the art in a generic lap-belted environment. The AHM was then tested in a rotated seating arrangement under extreme braking, highlighting that maximum lateral and frontal motions are comparable, independent of the belt system, while the asymmetry of the 3-point belt increased the occupant’s motion towards the seatbelt buckle. It was observed that the frontal occupant kinematics decrease by 200 mm compared to a lap-belted configuration. This improved omnidirectional AHM is the first step towards designing safer future L5 vehicle interiors.
Quantifying geographical diversity in sexually transmitted infections using population attributable risk: results from HIV prevention trials in South Africa
Authors: Wand Handan , Ramjee Gita , Reddy Tarylee
Published: March 2021

In this study, we investigated spatial diversities of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and quantified their impacts on the STIs using population attributable risk (PAR%). The study population was 7,557 women who participated in several HIV prevention trials from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Our results provide compelling evidence for substantial geographical diversities on STI incidence rates in the region. Their population-level impacts on the STIs exceeded the combined impacts of the individual risk factors considered in this study (PAR%: 41% (<25 years), 52% (25-34 years) and 34% (35+ years). When all these factors are considered together, PAR% was the highest among younger women (PAR%: 67%, 82% and 50% for <25, 25-34 and 35+ years old respectively). Results from our study will bring greater insight into the previous research by increasing our understanding of the impacts of the sub-geographical level variations of STI prevalence and incidence rates in the region.
Mother-to-child transmission of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis in HIV-infected pregnant women in South Africa
Authors: Peters Remco PH , Feucht Ute D , de Vos Lindsey , Ngwepe Phuti , McIntyre James A , Klausner Jeffrey D , Medina-Marino Andrew
Published: March 2021

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can be transmitted from mother to neonate. We determined the frequency of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis to the newborn nasopharynx. Methods: This study was nested in a cohort study of etiologic testing versus syndromic management for STIs among pregnant women living with human immunodeficiency virus in South Africa. Mothers were tested for STIs using the GeneXpert platform within 60 days after delivery. Nasopharyngeal swabs were obtained from newborns of mothers with a positive STI test; these were then tested by Xpert® on the same day based on the maternal STI diagnosis. Results. We tested nasopharyngeal swabs from 85 STI-exposed newborns; 74 (87%) were tested within 2 weeks after birth (median five; range 2–12 days). MTCT frequency of any STI was 30/74 (41%); 43% (23/53) for C. trachomatis, 29% (2/7) for N. gonorrhoeae, and 24% (6/25) for T. vaginalis. Also, 4/11 (36%) swabs obtained between 14 and 60 days after delivery tested positive for STI. Conclusions: There was a high frequency of MTCT of STIs to the nasopharynx of newborns in our setting. The impact of nasopharyngeal colonization and the benefits of STI testing on newborn health remain to be determined.
Historical dredge mining as a significant anthropomorphic agent in river systems: A case study from south-eastern Australia
Authors: Lawrence Susan , Grove James , Davies Peter , Turnbull Jodi , Rutherfurd Ian , Macklin Mark
Published: March 2021

Bucket dredging to mine and extract gold and tin from rivers is a global industry that has had a range of negative effects on physical environments. These include the destruction of riparian soil profiles and structures, artificial channel straightening and loss of in-stream biodiversity. In this paper we evaluate the immediate effects and long-term consequences of bucket dredging on rivers in Victoria and New South Wales during the period 1900–1950. High quality historical sources on dredge mining are integrated with geospatial datasets, aerial imagery and geomorphological data to analyse the scale of the dredging industry, evidence for disturbance to river channels and floodplains and current land use in dredged areas. The study demonstrates that the environmental impact of dredging was altered but not reduced by anti-pollution regulations intended to control dredging. An assessment of river condition 70–100 years after dredge mining ceased indicates that floodplains and river channels continue to show the effects of dredging, including bank erosion, sediment slugs, compromised habitat and reduced agricultural productivity. These findings have significant implications for river and floodplain management.
Clinico-pathological associations of serum VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 levels in patients with lupus nephritis
Authors: Yu Kelvin YC , Yung Susan , Chau Mel KM , Tang Colin SO , Yap Desmond YH , Tang Alexander HN , Ying Shirley KY , Lee Cheuk Kwong , Chan Tak Mao
Published: March 2021

Objective

We investigated the clinico-pathological associations of serum VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 levels in patients with biopsy-proven Class III/IV±V lupus nephritis (LN).

Methods

Serum VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 levels were determined by ELISAs. Sera from patients with non-renal SLE or non-lupus chronic kidney disease (CKD), and healthy subjects served as controls.

Results

Seropositivity rate for VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 was 93.10% and 37.93% respectively at the time of nephritic flare, and 44.83% and 13.79% respectively at remission, with both showing higher levels during flare ( P < 0.05, for both). VCAM-1 level correlated with proteinuria, serum creatinine, and anti-dsDNA antibodies, and inversely correlated with C3. VCAM-1 level also correlated with leukocyte infiltration and fibrinoid necrosis/karyorrhexis scores in active LN kidney biopsies. ICAM-1 level correlated with proteinuria, but not anti-dsDNA or C3, nor histopathological features. VCAM-1 level increased 4.5 months before renal flare, while ICAM-1 increase coincided with flare, and both decreased after treatment. ROC analysis showed that VCAM-1 distinguished active LN from healthy subjects, LN in remission, active non-renal lupus, and CKD (ROC AUC of 0.98, 0.86, 0.93 and 0.90 respectively). VCAM-1 level in combination with either proteinuria or C3 was superior in distinguishing active LN from remission compared to the measurement of individual markers. Serum ICAM-1 level distinguished active LN from healthy subjects and LN patients in remission (ROC AUC of 0.75 and 0.66 respectively), but did not distinguish between renal versus non-renal lupus. ICAM-1 level in combination with markers of endothelial cell activation (syndecan-1, hyaluronan and thrombomodulin) was superior to proteinuria, anti-dsDNA, or C3 in distinguishing active LN from quiescent disease.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest potential utility of serum VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 in clinical management. Monitoring VCAM-1 may facilitate early diagnosis of flare. Combining selected biomarkers may be advantageous in diagnosing active LN. VCAM-1 may have a pathogenic role in renal parenchymal inflammation in active LN.
Incorporation and optimization of RGO and GO in SSBR/NR composites expands their applicability
Authors: Lin Guangyi , Wang Hong , Yu Boquan , Liu Shouyi , Liang Zhenning , Liu Fumin , Zeng Runhang , Chen Shaowei , Kuang Tairong , Yu Kaiben , Chi Baihong
Published: March 2021

Natural rubber (NR) has poor mechanical properties, which limits its practical application. Filler blending is a simple method that improves the inherent properties of natural rubber and expand its applicability. Using the mechanical mixing process, the effects of graphene oxide (GO) and redox graphene (rGO) on the physical properties, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and air permeability of styrene-butadiene rubber (SSBR)/NR composites were studied. The results show that rGO exhibits efficient filler properties in various aspects, for example, the optimal filling amount of rGO and GO was 1.5 phr. In addition, rGO filled SSBR/NR composites showed satisfactory filler dispersibility. Notably, the better dispersibility of rGO was because of fewer hydrophilic functional groups on the surface which were difficult to agglomerate. The increase of rGO and GO content increased the maximum torque (MH) and minimum torque (ML) of the composite material, and decreases tc90 and tc10. The Payne effect of GO/SSBR/NR composites is more obvious than that of rGO/SSBR/NR composites. In addition, we found that the content of rGO (GO) reached saturation at 2phr. Notably, rGO and GO improved the properties of rGO filled SSBR/NR composites such as the tensile strength of rGO/SSBR/NR composites to 23.9 MPa. This shows the potential application of SSBR/NR composites in wearable electronic devices.
A Critical Introspection on the Enjoyment of Legal Rights by Women Undertrial Prisoners in Central Jails of Assam
Authors: Borah Keshabananda
Published: March 2021

Women prisoners constitute a small percentage of total prisoners in India. Although the numbers are small, their problems cannot be overlooked. In most of prisons in India, there is a lack of gender-sensitive prison norms. As a result, the needs of women prisoners are rarely realized. Since the beginning of the enactments of prison rules in India in 1894, different committees and commission have been formed for the protection of the rights of women prisoners in general and undertrial prisoners in particular. However, it is worrisome that their rights continue to be violated in different ways by different authorities. Through this research article, the researcher tries to highlight whether the women undertrial prisoners in the central jails of the state of Assam in India have been able to avail the legal rights incorporated in the Assam Jail Manual, 1987, and the Model Prison Manual of India, 2016. In this study, qualitative analysis has been done by taking into consideration the perception of women undertrial prisoners, jail officials and legal experts about the legal rights of women undertrial prisoners in central jails of Assam.
Entrepreneurship and self-employment for mature-aged people
Authors: Maritz Alex , Eager Bronwyn , De Klerk Saskia
Published: March 2021

Not only do Australian mature-aged entrepreneurs contribute $11.9 billion per annum to the Australian economy in over 379,000 businesses, they launch approximately 14,000 new businesses each year and actively contribute to fiscal, social, health, and active ageing outcomes in their communities. Thirty-four per cent of all young businesses in Australia are now led by mature-aged entrepreneurs, identifying mature-aged entrepreneurship as the fastest growing sector of entrepreneurship. This study is the first of its kind to examine mature-aged entrepreneurship in Australia using five pragmatic and embedded case-study examples. Aligning to Cartensen's sociomotional selection theory, we adopted an interpretivist philosphical framework of emergent enquiry action research. The paper includes benefits and challenges associated with mature-aged entrepreneurship, including contextual and theoretical foundations. We provide policy and research recommendations to enhance the development of a dedicated entrepreneurial ecosystem for mature-aged people.
Retrospective and prospective studies of transmissible viral proventriculitis in broiler chickens in Brazil
Authors: Leão Philipe A. , Amaral Camila I. , Santos Willian H. M. , Moreira Matheus V. L. , de Oliveira Leticia B. , Costa Erica A. , Resende Mauricio , Wenceslau Raphael , Ecco Roselene
Published: March 2021

We investigated the occurrence and pathologic findings of transmissible viral proventriculitis (TVP) associated with the chicken proventricular necrosis virus (CPNV) in commercial broiler chickens in southeastern Brazil. Seventy-three broilers, 25–36 d old, with a history of reduced growth, were referred to our veterinary pathology services from 2013 to 2017. Broilers were clinically examined, weighed, and euthanized for postmortem examination. Broilers of different ages with proventricular histologic lesions were positive for CPNV by RT-PCR; however, the intensity of histologic lesions was higher among 33-d-old animals, and viral RNA detection was more frequent among those that were 28 d old. In the proventriculi of 35 of 73 (48%) broilers, lesions were characterized by glandular epithelial necrosis, lymphoplasmacytic and histiocytic infiltrates, and metaplasia of glandular epithelium to ductal epithelium. In 24 of 73 (36%) broilers with histologic TVP-compatible lesions, CPNV was detected by RT-PCR for the viral protein 1 ( VP1) gene. Broilers with histologic lesions were lighter than expected compared to the Cobb 500 standard weight. TVP has not been reported previously in broiler chickens in Brazil, to our knowledge.
Animal and Cellular Models of Alzheimer’s Disease: Progress, Promise, and Future Approaches
Authors: Trujillo-Estrada Laura , Sanchez-Mejias Elisabeth , Sanchez-Varo Raquel , Garcia-Leon Juan Antonio , Nuñez-Diaz Cristina , Davila Jose Carlos , Vitorica Javier , LaFerla Frank M. , Moreno-Gonzalez Ines , Gutierrez Antonia , Baglietto-Vargas David
Published: March 2021

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an incurable neurodegenerative disease affecting over 45 million people worldwide. Transgenic mouse models have made remarkable contributions toward clarifying the pathophysiological mechanisms behind the clinical manifestations of AD. However, the limited ability of these in vivo models to accurately replicate the biology of the human disease have precluded the translation of promising preclinical therapies to the clinic. In this review, we highlight several major pathogenic mechanisms of AD that were discovered using transgenic mouse models. Moreover, we discuss the shortcomings of current animal models and the need to develop reliable models for the sporadic form of the disease, which accounts for the majority of AD cases, as well as human cellular models to improve success in translating results into human treatments.
A Sodium Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitor Fails to Improve Perivascular Adipose Tissue-Mediated Modulation of Vasodilation and Cardiac Function in Rats With Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Kagota Satomi , Maruyama-Fumoto Kana , McGuire John J. , Shinozuka Kazumasa
Published: March 2021

Arterial perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) can elicit vasodilator signals complementary to those elicited by the endothelium in SHRSP.Z- Leprfa/IzmDmcr (SHRSP.ZF) rats, an animal model of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Here, we tested whether a glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2-i; tofogliflozin) increased this PVAT effect to prevent the deterioration of cardiac function in aging SHRSP.ZF rats. Tofogliflozin treatments (1 or 10 mg/kg/day) or vehicle (control) were administered for 10 weeks by oral gavage to SHRSP.ZF rats, starting at 13 weeks of age. At 23 weeks of age, glucose levels in the serum and urine (24 h after the last administration) were determined using commercial kits. Vasodilator responsiveness of PVAT-surrounded or PVAT-free superior mesenteric arteries was determined using acetylcholine with organ-bath methods. Cardiac ventricular function and coronary flow were determined using Langendorff heart preparations. Serum and urine glucose levels in SGLT2-i treatment groups did not differ from those in the controls, but the ratios of glycated to non-glycated albumin were lower than those in the controls. Tofogliflozin treatments did not alter relaxations in the presence of PVAT or affect relaxations of PVAT-free arteries. Left ventricular systolic pressures, maximum rate of pressure decline, and coronary flow in ex vivo hearts did not differ among the treatment groups. PVAT effects and cardiac dysfunction were not altered by tofogliflozin treatment in SHRSP.ZF rats with MetS. These results do not provide strong evidence to support the use of SGLT2-i as a cardiovascular protective therapy in MetS, which occurs prior to the onset of type 2 diabetes.
Public Opinion About Adverse Childhood Experiences: Social Stigma, Attribution of Blame, and Government Intervention
Authors: Purtle Jonathan , Nelson Katherine L. , Gollust Sarah E.
Published: March 2021

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are receiving increasing attention in academic, policy, and media discourses. However, no public opinion research has focused on ACEs. We conducted a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults to address this knowledge gap. A web-based survey was conducted using the Ipsos KnowledgePanel ( N = 503, completion rate = 60.5%) in fall 2019. We found that inter-personal stigma and parental blame related to ACEs were prevalent, with 25.0% of respondents unwilling to have a person with “a lot of ACEs” as a close co-worker and 65.2% believing that parents were very much to blame for the consequences of ACEs. Fifty percent of respondents believed that government intervention to prevent ACEs was very important. After adjustment for demographic characteristics, inter-personal stigma toward people with ACEs and conservative ideology were significantly associated with lower perceived importance of government intervention to prevent ACEs. Black race, Hispanic ethnicity, and female gender were significantly associated with higher perceived importance of government intervention. These findings provide an empirical foundation to inform strategies to communicate ACE science to public and policymaker audiences.
Effect of the type of packaging on the shelf life of ground rabbit meat
Authors: Redondo-Solano Mauricio , Guzmán-Saborío Priscila , Ramírez-Chavarría Felipe , Chaves-Ulate Carolina , Araya-Quesada Yorleny , Araya-Morice Adriana
Published: March 2021

Rabbit meat consumption has increased worldwide due to its health benefits in humans but few studies addressed the stability of this food matrix. The effect of two types of packaging (vacuum, VP; and polystyrene tray overwrap with PVC/polyvinyl plastic film, PT) was evaluated on the microbial stability (psychrotrophic; PSY, lactic acid bacteria; LAB, initial coliforms counts) and physicochemical (pH, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total volatile basic Nitrogen (TBV-N), color and drip loss) changes of ground rabbit meat during its storage at 4 ± 1 °C. VP packaging delayed PSY growth, lipid oxidation, protein degradation and undesirable color changes compared to PT samples. Shelf life of ground rabbit meat in vacuum condition could be around 10 days of storage, while PT samples presented a shorter shelf life of around 5 days. However, sensory studies must be performed in order to assure the exact shelf life of the final product.
Anterior approach levator plication for congenital ptosis, absorpable versus non absorpable sutures
Authors: Salamah Moustafa , Eid Ashraf Mahrous , Albialy Hani , Sharaf EL Deen Sherif
Published: March 2021

Purpose:

To compare the efficacy of two different suture types in levator plication for correction of congenital ptosis.

Subjects and methods:

Prospective comparative interventional randomized study involving 42 eyes of 42 patients aged more than 6 years with congenital ptosis and good levator action. The exclusion criteria were as follows: bilateral ptosis, history of previous surgery, fair or poor levator action, and associated other ocular diseases. Patients were randomized into group A, in which double-armed 5/0 polyester Ethibond were used, and group B, in which double-armed 5/0 Coated Vicryl® (polyglactin 910) suture material we used. Outcomes including eyelid height and stability of eyelid height over time were compared with follow-up data. The MRD was 4.05 ± 0.36 mm and 3.95 ± 0.34 after 1 week for both groups A and B, respectively. At the end of study follow up period (24 weeks), the MRD was 3.60 ± 0.42 mm in group A, and 2.52 ± 0.85 mm in group B.

Conclusion:

No difference in eyelid height between two groups in early postoperative period, but the postoperative eyelid height was more stable over time in the 5/0 polyester Ethibond group (group A) than in the 5/0 Coated Vicryl® (polyglactin 910) group (group B).
Acquired chylothorax in association with supraclavicular ultrasound-guided access to the brachiocephalic vein in a neonate
Authors: Zhong Bella , Barnes Richard , Malhotra Atul , Pharande Pramod
Published: March 2021

Achieving and maintaining venous access can be challenging in some premature and low birth weight infants. In this population, the supraclavicular ultrasound-guided in-plane approach to the brachiocephalic vein for central venous access has demonstrated great success with a low rate of complications. This case describes the first report of acquired chylothorax in association with this technique, in a previously extremely preterm and low birth weight infant.
Widening HE participation in the arts: Impacts of an access module on learner preparedness
Authors: Butcher John , Clarke Anactoria
Published: March 2021

Despite the plethora of research on widening participation in the last 20 years, access to the arts and humanities has remained relatively under-explored, especially in relation to the preparedness of adult learners. This article reports a case study investigating the impact of an arts and languages Access module at the UK Open University. Findings from interviews with 37 Access students were analysed in relation to four themes: the need for Access preparation; generic studentship skills; discipline-specific skills; intrinsic enjoyment and interdisciplinary study. We conclude embedded generic skills enhance learner confidence and time management, while academic literacy skills relevant to the arts and humanities enhance cultural capital and enable disadvantaged learners to access challenging disciplines. The impact of a preparatory arts and humanities module extends into the lives of individual students, suggesting a counter-narrative to the prevailing, ‘economic value’ paradigms of higher education policymakers.
Childcare, Campus Support Services, and Other Barriers for College Students Who are Parents at a 4-Year Hispanic Serving Institution
Authors: Dayne Nancy , Jung Youngok , Roy Roudi
Published: March 2021

College student parents are a unique population not always heard on college campuses. The current study reports the voice of student parents and their challenges in pursuing higher education, while raising children at a 4-year Hispanic Serving Institution. Seven hundred and eighty-six student parents participated, among whom 54% were Hispanic ( n = 387), in a survey that assessed childcare needs, barriers to the use of campus childcare, and university support. The study also found issues for student parents related to financial strains, parenting stressors, and lack of institutional support. Study implications and recommendations for practice are discussed.
Two-phase flow of MHD Jeffrey fluid with the suspension of tiny metallic particles incorporated with viscous dissipation and Porous Medium
Authors: Ge-JiLe Hu , Nazeer Mubbashar , Hussain Farooq , Khan M Ijaz , Saleem Adila , Siddique Imran
Published: March 2021

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow of fluids with porous media has several applications in medical and industrial fields, including hyperthermia, wound treatment using magnetic field, cancer treatment, heat exchangers, catalytic reactions and distillation towers. In the present work, we explored the two-phase flow of MHD Jeffrey fluid in the presence of porous media through horizontal walls. The uniform liquid properties and magnetic field effects are also considered in this investigation. The heat and mass transfer effects on fluid flow with the addition of Hafnium metallic particles are evaluated. The governing nonlinear momentum and energy equations are found by using Jeffrey’s stress tensor. We discussed three types of flows, namely, Plane Poiseuille, Plane Couette, and Generalized Couette. The effects of all involved parameters on flow and temperature distributions are deliberated with graphs for all cases separately. The results interpreted that increase in values of Darcy number upsurges the velocity and temperature distributions. Radiation parameter declined the temperature of fluid while Brinkman number enhances temperature in all types of flow. Comparison of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluid is also presented in this study, and we also validated our results by comparing them with the already existing literature results.
A sequential multi-prior integration and updating method for complex multi-level system based on Bayesian melding method
Authors: Xu Yingchun , Zheng Xiaohu , Yao Wen , Wang Ning , Chen Xiaoqian
Published: March 2021

In engineering, there exist multiple priors about system and subsystems uncertainties, which should be integrated properly to analyze the system reliability. In the past research, an iterative updating procedure based on Bayesian Melding Method (I-BMM) was developed to merge and update multiple priors for the double-level system. However, the in-depth study in this paper shows that the original iterative procedure has no effect on the prior updating. Thus it is proposed that only a single BMM iteration process is needed following the original prior integration and updating formulation. BMM involves the sampling procedure for the probability density function (PDF) updating, wherein it is generally difficult to define the sampling number properly for obtaining accurate priors. To address this problem, a sequential prior integration and updating framework based on the original single BMM iteration process (S-BMM) is developed in this paper. In each cycle of prior updating, the sample number is sequentially added, and the difference between prior distributions obtained in the two consecutive cycles is measured with the symmetric Kullback-Leibler Divergence (SKLD). The sequential procedure is continued until the convergence to the accurate updated prior. The S-BMM framework for double-level systems is further extended for multi-level systems. Situations with some missing subsystem or component priors are also discussed. Finally, two numerical examples and one satellite engineering case are used to demonstrate and verify the proposed algorithms.