bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exosomes derived from P2X7 receptor gene-modified cells rescue inflammation-compromised periodontal ligament stem cells from dysfunction
Authors: Xu Xin-Yue , Tian Bei-Min , Xia Yu , Xia Yun-Long , Li Xuan , Zhou Huan , Tan Yi-Zhou , Chen Fa-Ming
Published: June 2020

Although cellular therapy has been proposed for inflammation-related disorders such as periodontitis for decades, clinical application has been unsuccessful. One explanation for these disappointing results is that the functions of stem cells are substantially compromised when they are transplanted into an inflammatory in vivo milieu. Considering the previous finding that P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) gene modification is able to reverse inflammation-mediated impairment of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs), we further hypothesized that cells subjected to P2X7R gene transduction also exert influences on other cells within an in vivo milieu via an exosome-mediated paracrine mechanism. To define the paracrine ability of P2X7R gene-modified cells, P2X7R gene-modified stem cell-derived conditional medium (CM-Ad-P2X7) and exosomes (Exs-Ad-P2X7) were used to incubate PDLSCs. In an inflammatory osteogenic microenvironment, inflammation-mediated changes in PDLSCs were substantially reduced, as shown by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis, Western blot analysis, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining/activity assays, and Alizarin red staining. In addition, the Agilent miRNA microarray system combined with qRT-PCR analysis revealed that miR-3679-5p, miR-6515-5p, and miR-6747-5p were highly expressed in Exs-Ad-P2X7. Further functional tests and luciferase reporter assays revealed that miR-3679-5p and miR-6747-5p bound directly to the GREM-1 protein, while miR-6515-5p bound to the GREM-1 protein indirectly; these effects combined to rescue inflammation-compromised PDLSCs from dysfunction. Thus, in addition to maintaining their robust functionality under inflammatory conditions, P2X7R gene-modified stem cells may exert positive influences on their neighbors via a paracrine mechanism, pointing to a novel strategy for modifying the harsh local microenvironment to accommodate stem cells and promote improved tissue regeneration.
Substance use among sexual and gender minorities: Association with police discrimination and police mistrust
Authors: Lipperman‐Kreda Sharon , Wilson Ida , Hunt Geoffrey P. , Annechino Rachelle , Antin Tamar M. J.
Published: June 2020

We investigated associations between experiences with police discrimination, police mistrust, and substance use in a convenience sample of 237 sexual and gender minority (SGM) adults in California. In a cross‐sectional survey, collected between January 2016 and July 2017, participants reported substance use, lifetime experiences with SGM‐related police discrimination, police mistrust, demographics, and SGM visibility. In adjusted logistic regression models, we found a positive association between lifetime police discrimination and past 2‐week heavy episodic drinking. Police mistrust also was positively associated with past month marijuana use. Several significant interactions between lifetime police discrimination or police mistrust with other socially stigmatized identities including being African American, insecure housing, and being a gender minority on a few substance use outcomes suggest that effects of police discrimination and mistrust on substance use are stronger among participants with multiple stigmatized identities. Results suggest the importance of policies and interventions that focus on eliminating police discrimination and increasing police legitimacy to reduce risk of substance use among SGM individuals.
Trans A2B2 Porphyrins: Synthesis, Crystal Structure Determinations and Hirshfeld Surface Analysis
Authors: Dechan Padma , Devi Bajju Gauri , Sood Puneet
Published: June 2020

Trans‐A2B2 porphyrins containing p‐methoxyphenyl (A)/p‐methylphenyl (B) (P4) and p‐chlorophenyl (A)/p‐methylphenyl (B) (P5) at the four meso (−CH=) positions of the tetrapyrrolic macrocycles have been synthesized by employing the two steps modified Adler's methodology. Remarkably, the present synthetic scheme afforded us the needle shaped single crystals of (P4) and (P5) that helped us investigate the three dimensional structural architectures of the prepared Trans‐A2B2 porphyrins. Hirschfeld surface analysis (HSs) was used to visualize the fidelity of the crystal structures of (P4) and (P5). This method permitted the identification of individual types of intermolecular contacts and their impact on crystal packings. Molecules are linked by a combination of H⋅ ⋅ ⋅H and C⋅ ⋅ ⋅H contacts, which have clear signatures in the corresponding fingerprint plots. The effect of incorporating two different non sterically demanding functionalities at the para positions of meso phenyl rings on the optical and thermal properties of symmetric (A4) porphyrins i. e. Tetra‐para‐methoxy phenyl porphyrin P1, Tetra‐para‐methyl phenyl porphyrin P2 and Tetra‐para‐chloro phenyl porphyrin P3, have been investigated and the results have been discussed in detail.
Characterization of Packaging‐Induced Stress Distributions for Small‐Scale Silicon Chips
Authors: Ueda Naohiro , Watanabe Hirobumi
Published: June 2020

This report shows packaging‐induced stress distribution of a small‐scale silicon chip encapsulated by a Small‐Outline Nonleaded package. The proposed method made it possible to visualize the stress distribution chart for a chip about 1.0 mm2 in size with high accuracy, even when the chip has only four pads. It is found that the stress was generated during resin molding, as determined from stress measurement during the middle of the packaging process. In addition, the impact of filler particle size and position in Epoxy Molding Compounds on the local stress of the chip surface is revealed. The compressive stresses were found to be greatest at the center of the chip and gradually decrease toward the edges. Also, the results for die pad structure produced a characteristic distribution chart in which the central area of the silicon chip has a smaller stress gradient. The impact of high‐temperature storage test on residual stress is also discussed. © 2020 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
The Postwar Explosion in Radio Astronomy: The US Falls Behind
Authors: Kellermann Kenneth I. , Bouton Ellen N. , Brandt Sierra S.
Published: June 2020

During the Second World War, a number of radar scientists independently discovered powerful radio emission from the Sun. Following the cessation of hostilities, and making use of their wartime experience, scientists, mostly at Jodrell Bank and Cambridge in the UK and in Sydney, Australia, used discarded radar systems to further investigate the complex solar radio emission, discovered powerful radio emission from old supernova explosions, and even more powerful radio sources from what later became known as radio galaxies. Encouraged by their early successes with relatively primitive equipment and the potential for new discoveries, scientists in the UK, Australia, the USSR, and the Netherlands developed plans to build more powerful radio telescopes and sophisticated new instrumentation.
Addressing Climate Change Vulnerability Through Small Livestock Rearing in Matobo, Zimbabwe
Authors: Phiri Keith , Ndlovu Sibonokuhle , Mpofu Moreblessings , Moyo Philani , Evans Henri-Count
Published: June 2020

Livestock rearing is a popular climate change adaptation strategy among farmers in Matobo District, Zimbabwe. In this chapter we reveal how farmers in Matobo District have benefited immensely from rearing small livestock in response to climate change. Although the descriptor “small livestock” generically refers to different types of livestock, in this chapter we limit it to goat and sheep rearing. The purpose of the chapter is (1) to discuss the efficacy of small livestock rearing as a response to climate change and (2) to use smallholder farmer’s narratives to evaluate the success of government interventions in enhancing small livestock production. Utilizing an inductive approach, data was gathered through five (5) key informants, five (5) focus group discussions, and 50 in-depth semi-structured interviews. Our study reveals that small livestock are suitable and adaptable to climate change impacts in Matobo. We recommend that government and its development partners prioritize and avail funds for the increased uptake of small livestock rearing among smallholder farmers in Matobo District and beyond.
Climate Change Adaptation Through Sustainable Water Resources Management in Kenya: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Asokan Shilpa Muliyil , Obando Joy , Kwena Brian Felix , Luwesi Cush Ngonzo
Published: June 2020

Water is the medium through which society experiences the most dramatic and direct manifestations of climate change. At the same time, water has a critical role to play in climate change adaptation and is central towards achieving Africa Water Vision 2025, and the targets set for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as the Kenya Vision 2030. There are fundamental challenges that need to be addressed in order to achieve sustainable water resources management, mainly, the inherent uncertainty associated with the changing climate, the inflexibility in infrastructure and institutions that manage water, and the poor integration of all stakeholders and sectors in water resources management. This study investigates the challenges and opportunities in implementing integrated water resources management and its critical role towards climate change adaptation. A preliminary assessment of sustainable management of water resources and its role in effective climate change adaptation and resilience building in Kenya is carried out through questionnaire survey and stakeholder interactions. Climate change-induced uncertainty, diminishing water sources aggravated by growing water demand, weak institutional and financial governance, and lack of transparency and stakeholder inclusiveness are identified as the main challenging factors that need to be addressed to build a climate resilient society. The study furthermore emphasizes the critical role of water management in achieving Agenda 2030, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Authors: Kaufmann-Kohler Gabrielle , Potestà Michele
Published: June 2020

In this conclusive chapter, the authors discuss how in certain areas of interactions between domestic courts and international investment tribunals, the “division of labor” between the two types of dispute settlement bodies is not always optimal, with the result that inefficiencies burden the system. In these areas, there is a need for improvement by providing for a more fruitful allocation of tasks among domestic and international courts and tribunals, whatever form the latter may take.
Asymptotic boundary conditions and square integrability in the partition function of AdS gravity
Authors: Acosta Joel , Garbarz Alan , Goya Andrés , Leston Mauricio
Published: June 2020

Abstract

There has been renewed interest in the path-integral computation of the partition function of AdS3 gravity, both in the metric and Chern-Simons formulations. The one-loop partition function around Euclidean AdS3 turns out to be given by the vacuum character of Virasoro group. This stems from the work of Brown and Henneaux (BH) who showed that, in AdS3 gravity with sensible asymptotic boundary conditions, an infinite group of (improper) diffeomorphisms arises which acts canonically on phase space as two independent Virasoro symmetries. The gauge group turns out to be composed of so-called “proper” diffeomorphisms which approach the identity at infinity fast enough. However, it is sometimes far from evident to identify where BH boundary conditions enter in the path integral, and much more difficult to see how the improper diffeomorphisms are left out of the gauge group. In particular, in the metric formulation, Giombi, Maloney and Yin obtained the one-loop partition function around thermal AdS3 resorting to the heat kernel method to compute the determinants coming from the path integral. Here we identify how BH boundary conditions follow naturally from the usual requirement of square-integrability of the metric perturbations. Also, and equally relevant, we clarify how the quotient by only proper diffeomorphisms is implemented, promoting the improper diffeomorphisms to symmetries in the path integral. Our strategy is general enough to apply to other approaches where square integrability is assumed. Finally, we show that square integrability implies that the asymptotic symmetries in higher dimensional AdS gravity are just isometries.
White pottery production in the Middle Meuse valley: sustainability of clay resources during the early Middle Ages
Authors: Van Wersch Line , de Longueville Sylvie , Dussubieux Laure , Fagel Nathalie , Hatert Frédéric , Degryse Patrick
Published: June 2020

This study of white pottery from the Merovingian and Carolingian periods traces the use of white clay resources in the Middle Meuse valley at the beginning of the Middle Ages. The petrographic study of 56 sherds, the chemical analysis of 40 samples, and XRD study of 12 of them coming from 4 sites reach the changes of the process between the two time periods, characterize the production of three Carolingian workshops, and consider the material supply in the mechanism of potters’ settlement. It appears that, between the Antiquity and the Modern period, the white kaolinitic material has always been exploited. The main technical changes between the Merovingian and the Carolingian periods are related to the specific selection of these clays that allow to produce white pottery and cooking wares with few inclusions. The Carolingian workshops used the material available in their environment that can be differentiated by chemistry and mineralogy. Finally, it appears that the selection of this particular type of clay also oriented the choice of the place where the potters settled or at least the longevity of some of the workshops.
Closed-Loop Recycling of Copper from Waste Printed Circuit Boards Using Bioleaching and Electrowinning Processes
Authors: Baniasadi Mahsa , Graves John E. , Ray Daniel A. , De Silva Angélique Lindamulage , Renshaw Derek , Farnaud Sebastien
Published: June 2020

In the present study, a model of closed-loop recycling of copper from PCBs is demonstrated, which involves the sequential application of bioleaching and electrowinning to selectively extract copper. This approach is proposed as part of the solution to resolve the challenging ever-increasing accumulation of electronic waste, e-waste, in the environment. This work is targeting copper, the most abundant metal in e-waste that represents up to 20% by weight of printed circuit boards (PCBs). In the first stage, bioleaching was tested for different pulp densities (0.25–1.00% w/v) and successfully used to extract multiple metals from PCBs using the acidophilic bacterium, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. In the second stage, the method focused on the recovery of copper from the bioleachate by electrowinning. Metallic copper foils were formed, and the results demonstrated that 75.8% of copper available in PCBs had been recovered as a high quality copper foil, with 99 + % purity, as determined by energy dispersive X-ray analysis and Inductively-Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry. This model of copper extraction, combining bioleaching and electrowinning, demonstrates a closed-loop method of recycling that illustrates the application of bioleaching in the circular economy. The copper foils have the potential to be reused, to form new, high value copper clad laminate for the production of complex printed circuit boards for the electronics manufacturing industry.

Graphic Abstract
Tuning the chemistry of seawater with activated clay: an application in SmartWater enrichment for enhanced oil recovery
Authors: Adewole Jimoh K. , Kazeem Taye S. , Oyehan Tajudeen A.
Published: June 2020

Studies on the interaction between crude oil, brine, and rock systems showed that the composition of water injected into the oil reservoir influences the amount of oil recovered from such a reservoir. Therefore, researchers are now emphasizing the use of SmartWater for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). In this research, the capability of activated clay to be used for tuning the chemistry of seawater for subsequent production of SmartWater was investigated. Filter cakes were formed using bentonite and its blends with raw clay and activated clay (which was produced in-house using locally obtained clay samples). The capability of the cakes to control the transport properties of permeating seawater was evaluated in terms of ion rejection. The average rejection for the raw clay cake for Na+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+ is 4.45, 49.64, 53.33, and 94.43%, respectively. The rejection results for the mixed-matrix cake containing the activated clay were 6.38, 51.34, 86.19, and 78.09 for Na+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+, respectively. It was observed that the selectivity of the filter cake for Mg2+ and Ca2+ was reversed due to the addition of the activated clay. Thus, activated clay possesses some potentials for SmartWater production for an EOR application.
Modified Vogel’s approximation method for transportation problem under uncertain environment
Authors: Pratihar Jayanta , Kumar Ranjan , Edalatpanah S. A. , Dey Arindam
Published: June 2020

The fuzzy transportation problem is a very popular, well-known optimization problem in the area of fuzzy set and system. In most of the cases, researchers use type 1 fuzzy set as the cost of the transportation problem. Type 1 fuzzy number is unable to handle the uncertainty due to the description of human perception. Interval type 2 fuzzy set is an extended version of type 1 fuzzy set which can handle this ambiguity. In this paper, the interval type 2 fuzzy set is used in a fuzzy transportation problem to represent the transportation cost, demand, and supply. We define this transportation problem as interval type 2 fuzzy transportation problems. The utility of this type of fuzzy set as costs in transportation problem and its application in different real-world scenarios are described in this paper. Here, we have modified the classical Vogel’s approximation method for solved this fuzzy transportation problem. To the best of our information, there exists no algorithm based on Vogel’s approximation method in the literature for fuzzy transportation problem with interval type 2 fuzzy set as transportation cost, demand, and supply. We have used two Numerical examples to describe the efficiency of the proposed algorithm.
A Simple Rate–Temperature Dependent Hyperelastic Model Applied to Neoprene Rubber
Authors: Trivedi A. R. , Siviour C. R.
Published: June 2020

Rubber is widely used in engineering applications in which it may be subjected to impact loading leading to high strain rate deformation. This resulting deformation may occur at a variety of temperatures, notwithstanding the self-heating of the material. For this reason, it is necessary to study the mechanical behaviour of these materials over a range of loading conditions. The strong rate and temperature dependence of their properties provides a further motivation for this understanding. In this paper, the relationships between the response of a neoprene rubber at various strain rates and temperatures are investigated, and a simple model making use of the time–temperature superposition (TTS) principle proposed to describe the material behaviour. As it is challenging to obtain high rate data on rubbery materials using conventional apparatus, such as the split-Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB), the simple two parameter hyperelastic model proposed here provides a useful complementary tool to interrogate the response.
Generating functions of planar polygons from homological mirror symmetry of elliptic curves
Authors: Bringmann Kathrin , Kaszian Jonas , Zhou Jie
Published: June 2020

We study generating functions of certain shapes of planar polygons arising from homological mirror symmetry of elliptic curves. We express these generating functions in terms of rational functions of the Jacobi theta function and Zwegers’ mock theta function and determine their (mock) Jacobi properties. We also analyze their special values and singularities, which are of geometric interest as well.
Antarctic subglacial drilling rig: Part I. General concept and drilling shelter structure
Authors: Talalay Pavel , Sun Youhong , Fan Xiaopeng , Zhang Nan , Cao Pinlu , Wang Rusheng , Markov Alexey , Li Xingchen , Yang Yang , Sysoev Mikhail , Liu Yongwen , Liu Yunchen , Wu Wei , Gong Da
Published: June 2020

Drilling to the bedrock of ice sheets and glaciers offers unique opportunities for examining the processes occurring in the bed. Basal and subglacial materials contain important paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental records and provide a unique habitat for life; they offer significant information regarding the sediment deformation beneath glaciers and its effects on the subglacial hydraulic system and geology. The newly developed and tested Antarctic subglacial drilling rig (ASDR) is designed to recover ice and bedrock core samples from depths of up to 1400 m. All of the drilling equipment is installed inside a movable, sledge-mounted, temperature-controlled and wind-protected drilling shelter and workshop. To facilitate helicopter unloading of the research vessel, the shelter and workshop can be disassembled, with individual parts weighing <2–3 tons. The entire ASDR system weighs ~55 tons, including transport packaging. The ASDR is designed to be transported to the chosen site via snow vehicles and would be ready for drilling operations within 2–3 d after arrival. The ASDR was tested during the 2018–2019 summer season near Zhongshan Station, East Antarctica. At the test site, 2-week drilling operations resulted in a borehole that reached bedrock at a depth of 198 m.
القياس اضيع [Likening Can Be Misleading]: Reflections on Africa and Africans in Guantánamo
Authors: Ould Slahi Mohamedou
Published: June 2020

Looking back on my incarceration in Guantánamo from the relative security of my home in Nouakchott, I now realize how significant the African presence was in the illegal detention facility. While at the time, and as my Guantánamo Diary makes clear, our captors treated us primarily as Muslims, jihadis, Arabs, and Middle Easterners, the reality was that many of us were first and foremost African. We were born in African countries, our citizenship was that of African nations, we were handed over or surrendered by our own African governments to the U.S., and we shared the common experiences of Africans. The ASA forum held in celebration of my memoir has enabled me to reflect further on this and on what happens when we rethink Gitmo as a place of African detention, created by the collaboration of independent African governments. Fewer than one hundred detainees in Guantánamo hailed from the African continent, which is 12 percent of the total population at its peak. Algeria and Morocco had the most representation, and most detainees were North African, but sub-Saharan Africans featured prominently too. In this commentary, I want to share a little bit about my experience, with a view to making Guantánamo Diary more comprehensible to an Africanist audience.
Use of conditional cash transfers for addressing gender-based inequalities in health and education among children: studying the impact of the Shubh Laxmi scheme in Rajasthan, India
Authors: PRASAD RAJNISH RANJAN , SANTHANAM DIVYA
Published: June 2020

In the last few decades, conditional cash transfer (CCT) programmes have become very popular for addressing different development challenges. The use of CCT programmes to promote enrolment in schools, improve preventive health care and increase household consumption in Latin America has been well documented. However, the potential of CCT programmes to change more deep-rooted norms is not very clear. The Shubh Laxmi scheme, a CCT programme, was started by the Government of Rajasthan, India, to improve the status of health and education among girls. A study was undertaken to understand the changes in beneficiaries’ perspectives due to scheme. A total of 95 beneficiaries were randomly selected and in-depth interviews were conducted in order to understand the impact of the scheme. In addition, two focus group discussions were conducted with 30 non-beneficiaries in order to understand their awareness about the scheme and their perceptions of girls. The findings show that the CCT programme has helped in generating a positive attitude among beneficiaries towards the survival, education and well-being of girls. The key challenge was low awareness of the scheme and of the procedures for claiming its benefits. This study highlights that CCT programmes are useful for nudging people to address gender-based inequalities in health and education among children; however, effective implementation remains key.
Just the Facts: Adverse events associated with immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment for cancer
Authors: Grewal Keerat , Munshi Laveena , Krzyzanowska Monika K.
Published: June 2020

A 64-year-old male with lung cancer presents to the emergency department with one week of cough and increasing shortness of breath. At triage, his temperature is 37.3° Celsius, heart rate 106 beats per minute, blood pressure 136/80, and oxygen saturation 87% on room air, which improves to 94% with 3 L of oxygen via nasal prongs. He has a chest X-ray that demonstrates bilateral patchy infiltrates. He is treated for pneumonia with antibiotics. His respiratory status worsens, with an increasing oxygen requirement. Additional history reveals that the patient recently finished treatment for lung cancer with an immune checkpoint inhibitor.
Right brain to right brain therapy: how tactile, expressive arts therapy emulates attachment
Authors: Urquhart Melissa , Gardner Fiona , Frederico Margarita , Sanders Rachael
Published: June 2020

The impact of a manipulative art therapy technique combined with an attuned therapeutic relationship which aims to replicate the experience of nurturing touch in infancy is explored in this paper. The current literature will be reviewed in relation to the interface between attachment-related trauma and the use of expressive art and play therapy in the context of relevant clinical experience. Specific experiences of clinical practice with children and associated therapeutic outcomes are used to illustrate the potential of this combination. In addition, we argue for further investigation of therapeutic benefits inherent in manipulative art and play in replication of the regulating role of touch with children who have experienced early relational trauma.
Knowledge and confidence of clinicians in Irish CAMHS when working with transgender youth; and the factors clinicians report will assist them in this work
Authors: Hodgins Sinéad , Byrne Triona , Spies Marelise , Madigan Kevin
Published: June 2020

Objectives:

The Health Service Executive (HSE) Quality Improvement Division (2016) report states that young people who identify as transgender are one of the highest risk groups for suicidal ideation, self-harm, and completed suicides and may require significant input in Irish Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). This research represents the first exploration of CAMHS staff’s capacity within an Irish mental health service to support transgender youth by considering their knowledge about and confidence in working with these youth.

Method:

A multi-method design was used to evaluate the knowledge and confidence levels of CAMHS clinicians in supporting transgender youth and to identify what factors would enable them to conduct this work. A questionnaire and a survey about supporting transgender youth were distributed to all clinicians in five Irish-based CAMHS services (N = 71), using an online platform. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six clinicians. Quantitative, content, and thematic analyses were performed.

Results:

CAMHS staff reported limited knowledge and experience about supporting transgender youth. Findings indicated that both of these factors undermined their confidence in supporting these youths. Clinicians expressed a need for additional clinical education delivered through expert consultation, presentations, and learning from ‘experts by experience’.

Conclusion:

CAMHS clinicians need and want further clinical education about supporting transgender youth and their families. Recommendations are made for enhancing the knowledge, confidence, and competence of CAMHS clinicians using methods identified as acceptable by clinicians, in order to best support these youths.
Applications of Ceemdan in Dynamic Behavior of Defected Spur Gearbox Running Under Acyclism Regime
Authors: Hammami A. , Hmida A. , Khabou M. T. , Chaari F. , Haddar M. , Felkaoui A.
Published: June 2020

Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) and its approaches are powerful techniques in signal processing especially for the diagnosis of rotating machinery running in non-stationary regime. We are interested in this paper to the dynamic behavior of a defected one stage gearbox equipped with an elastic coupling and loaded under acyclism regime generated by a combustion engine. Actually, we adopt an approach to the EMD method called Complete Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition with Adaptive Noise (CEEMDAN) as a technique to perform the diagnosis of the studied system. Since the obtained signals are modulated, all obtained Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs) are modulated and are processed and shown by the Wigner-Ville distributions (WVD) as well as the spectrum of their envelope in order to detect defects such as cracked tooth defect in the wheel of the spur gearbox and eccentricity defect in the gear.
Experimental and Modeling Analysis of the Cell-Wall Fracture of Nannochloropsis Oculata
Authors: Hsu Wei-Hsuan , Chien Yin-Hsuan , Tsai Hung-Yin
Published: June 2020

In this study, a spherical indenter mounted on an atomic force microscope (AFM) was used to compress a Nannochloropsis oculata (N. oculata) cell on a poly-l-lysine coated slide. A mathematical model of the cell, which was derived by considering a fluid-filled spherical shell with axisymmetric compression between a sphere and an infinite flat plate, is proposed. In the construction of this mathematical model, the spherical shell was assumed to be a homogenous, isotropic, and elastic material. Thin-film theory was applicable to the spherical shell because the thickness of the shell was nearly negligible compared with its diameter. The governing equations of the contact and noncontact regions were converted from a boundary condition problem to an initial value problem. Then, the fourth-order Runge–Kutta method was applied to solve the transformed governing equations. The force curve obtained from the compression experiment was compared with the theoretical results derived from the proposed model. Furthermore, the numerical solution of the proposed model was verified to be consistent with the experimental data. The mechanical properties of cell walls were confirmed by applying the least square error method. Subsequently, the contact radius, inner pressure and tension distribution of the cell wall could be determined using the proposed model. The models proposed in other studies are suitable for analyzing the compression characteristics of cells whose size is of the order of tens of micrometers and millimeters. By contrast, the model proposed in this study can analyze the compression characteristics of N. oculata, which is only a few micrometers in diameter. Furthermore, a force curve that accurately describes the deformation behavior of N. oculata under strain levels of 25% was established.
Territorial Inequality in Health Service Delivery: Lessons from Latin America’s Federations
Authors: Giraudy Agustina , Pribble Jennifer
Published: June 2020

Access to quality healthcare varies across the national territory inside Latin American countries, with some subnational units enjoying higher-quality care than others. Such territorial inequality is consequential, as residents of particular regions face shorter life spans and an increased risk of preventable disease. This article analyzes trajectories of territorial healthcare inequality across time in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. The data reveal a large decline in Brazil, a moderate decline in Mexico, and low levels of change followed by a moderate decline in Argentina. The article argues that two factors account for these distinct trajectories: the nature of the coalition that pushed health decentralization forward and the existence of mechanisms for central government oversight and management.
Subordinated Autonomy and the Political Inclusion of Women in Indigenous Mexico
Authors: Cleary Matthew R.
Published: June 2020

This article explores the tension between multicultural legal reforms and the liberal state-building project in present-day Mexico. Specifically, it traces the process by which the Mexican state challenged and eventually forced changes to customary restrictions on women in public life in some indigenous communities in the southern state of Oaxaca. The study argues that the act of formalizing autonomy for indigenous communities, in the context of Mexico’s homogenizing neoliberal state, had the unanticipated effect of exposing exclusionary practices to state scrutiny, which eventually forced those communities to recognize women’s political rights. Thus the effort to protect indigenous practices facilitated the territorial and juridical expansion of the Mexican state into formerly autonomous areas of the countryside.
Place-Sensitive Policies in the Provision of Subnational Public Goods in Colombia
Authors: Otero-Bahamón Silvia
Published: June 2020

What causes stark differences in living standards between subnational units? What can countries do to lessen such variations? This article argues that there is an aspect of national policy frameworks that impacts subnational provision of social services: the sensitivity of policy to the particularities of place. Place-sensitive policies make adaptations to the way social services are organized and provided across a country, so that they are better equipped to deal with the different characteristics of places and better support their well-being. When policies are place-sensitive, subnational provision is facilitated in poor, rural, and marginal locations in a country. In contrast, place-blind policies employ a one-size-fits-all approach that excludes people in vulnerable areas and aggravates inequalities in social service provision and social outcomes. By studying the Colombian case, this article demonstrates that a key placeblind feature of its healthcare model disproportionately affects small localities.
The Subnational Indigenous Quota in Peru: The Paradoxes of Political Representation
Authors: Paredes Maritza , Došek Tomáš
Published: June 2020

The objective of this article is to explain the territorial variation in indigenous political representation at the subnational level in Peru. The Peruvian state introduced a weak indigenous electoral quota, and its effects have varied across provinces. This article presents a typology that combines descriptive and substantive dimensions of political representation. Using a subnational comparative method, the four cases studied illustrate distinct dynamics. The article argues that these differing dynamics are explained by a combination of sociostructural variables (i.e., political articulation and cohesion of indigenous organizations as a result of a conflict) and individual variables (i.e., candidates’ political capital). This article demonstrates how, even in an institutionally adverse environment that does not feature ethnic parties, both descriptive and substantive indigenous political representation can be achieved, and that these two dimensions are not necessarily related. The article is based on fieldwork and interviews with key provincial political actors.
The Ethical Substance of Salvation
Authors: Becker Elisabeth
Published: June 2020

Materiality has been largely left out of the study of Muslim life in Europe, and limited to an etic rather than emic approach. In this paper, I analyse a conservative London mosque community (the East London Mosque) that depends on the material––what I term “ethical substance”––to reinforce its ascetic rejection of the world. Drawing from five months of ethnographic research in this mosque, I examine three aspects of materiality––clothing, the mosque building, and technology––in order to explore how the community negotiates its position in the city at hand, as well as more broadly vis-à-vis modernity. The mosque emerges as a site of discursive-material tension where ethics and locale intersect, and where intention (niyya) matters more than the constitution of objects. It elucidates European modernity as broader than liberal democratic ideals (i.e. in a community stressing a returns towards, rather than away from, tradition).
A New Zealand green-lipped mussel oil-enriched high-fat diet exhibits beneficial effects on body weight and metabolism in mice
Authors: Loehfelm Aline , Rizwan Mohammed Z. , Tups Alexander
Published: June 2020

To induce diet-induced obesity (DIO) in rodents, diets high in saturated fat and/or carbohydrates are commonly used. In the laboratory, standardised diets evolved over time without paying particular attention to the effect of fat composition on metabolic alterations. In the present study, customised high-fat diets (HFD) enriched with a combination of lard and different concentrations of New Zealand green-lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus) oil or MSC Hoki (Macruronus novaezelandiae, blue grenadier) liver oil, important sources of n-3 PUFA, in comparison with a solely lard-based diet, were fed to lean and DIO male C57BL/6 mice and their effects on metabolic parameters were monitored. Intriguingly, an isoenergetic HFD containing 63 % of total fat in the form of mussel oil and only 28 % in the form of lard attenuated HFD-induced body weight gain after 1 and 4 weeks, respectively. Consistently, changing a lard-enriched HFD to the mussel oil diet reduced body weight markedly even after mice had been exposed to the former diet for 10 months. The weight-reducing effect of the diet was not caused by altered energy intake or expenditure, but was associated with reduced visceral fat mass. Collectively, these data suggest a novel weight-reducing potential of green-lipped mussel oil.
Addressing Monotone Likelihood in Duration Modelling of Political Events
Authors: Anderson Noel , Bagozzi Benjamin E. , Koren Ore
Published: June 2020

This article provides an accessible introduction to the phenomenon of monotone likelihood in duration modeling of political events. Monotone likelihood arises when covariate values are monotonic when ordered according to failure time, causing parameter estimates to diverge toward infinity. Within political science duration model applications, this problem leads to misinterpretation, model misspecification and omitted variable biases, among other issues. Using a combination of mathematical exposition, Monte Carlo simulations and empirical applications, this article illustrates the advantages of Firth's penalized maximum-likelihood estimation in resolving the methodological complications underlying monotone likelihood. The results identify the conditions under which monotone likelihood is most acute and provide guidance for political scientists applying duration modeling techniques in their empirical research.
Deformed wing virus type a and b in managed honeybee colonies of Argentina
Authors: Brasesco C. , Quintana S. , Di Gerónimo V. , Genchi García M. L. , Sguazza G. , Bravi M. E. , Fargnoli L. , Reynaldi F. J. , Eguaras M. , Maggi M.
Published: June 2020

Apis mellifera is infected by more than 24 virus species worldwide, mainly positive-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses of the Dicistroviridae and Iflaviridae families. Among the viruses that infect honey bees, Deformed wing virus is the most prevalent and is present as three master variants DWV-A, B, and C. Given that the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor vectors these virus variants, recombination events between them are expected, and variants and their recombinants can co-exist in mites and honeybees at the same time. In this study, we detect, through RT-qPCR, the presence of DWV-A and B in the same samples of adult bees from colonies of Argentina. Total RNA was extracted from pools of ten adult bees from 45 apiaries distributed across the main beekeeping Provinces of Argentina (Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Córdoba, Santiago del Estero, Río Negro, and Mendoza); then RT-qPCR reactions were performed to detect DWV-A and B, with specific primer pairs. After the amplifications, PCR products (204 and 660 bp amplicons for DWV-B, and ~250 bp for DWV-A) were purified and sequenced to verify that they corresponded to reported sequences, analyzing them using the Blast software. Of the 45 samples analyzed by RT-qPCR, over 90% were infected with DWV-A and 47% were also positive for DWV-B, where it was found in high prevalence specifically in colonies of A. mellifera of the Buenos Aires Province. Future studies will determine the impact of this type of the virus and its ability to recombine with the other DWV types in the apiaries of our country.
Caravan Trade to Neoliberal Spaces: Fifty years of Pakistan-China connectivity across the Karakoram Mountains
Authors: KARRAR HASAN H.
Published: June 2020

Located along Pakistan's central Asian margins, the high mountain region of Gilgit-Baltistan borders Afghanistan and India, and since 1969 has connected Pakistan to China. In this article, I argue that over the last 50 years, expanding forms of connectivity between Pakistan and China were localized in Gilgit-Baltistan through three processes: (1) from 1969, overland connectivity between Gilgit-Baltistan and western China has enabled Pakistan to imagine and project expansive ties—and geopolitical aspirations—that transcend the border areas where the cross-border trade was initially localized; (2) unfolding ties between the two countries were accompanied by new material exchanges: initially barter trade and regulated caravans, followed by private commerce in the mid-1980s and, finally, economic corridor development under the Belt and Road Initiative; and (3) Chinese investments in Pakistan were part of a new cycle of global accumulation. Concurrently, in the wake of transnational investments, local governance in Gilgit-Baltistan adopted neoliberal administrative measures: the prioritizing of investment capitalism, the privatization of public goods and services, and securitization.
Association of parental substance misuse with offspring substance misuse and criminality: a genetically informed register-based study
Authors: Latvala Antti , Kuja-Halkola Ralf , D'Onofrio Brian M. , Jayaram-Lindström Nitya , Larsson Henrik , Lichtenstein Paul
Published: June 2020

Background

Genetically informed studies have provided mixed findings as to what extent parental substance misuse is associated with offspring substance misuse and antisocial behavior due to shared environmental and genetic factors.

Methods

We linked data from nationwide registries for a cohort of 2 476 198 offspring born in Sweden 1958–1995 and their parents. Substance misuse was defined as International Classification of Diseases diagnoses of alcohol/drug use disorders or alcohol/drug-related criminal convictions. Quantitative genetic offspring-of-siblings analyses in offspring of monozygotic and dizygotic twin, full-sibling, and half-sibling parents were conducted.

Results

Both maternal and paternal substance misuse were robustly associated with offspring substance misuse [maternal adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.83 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.80–1.87); paternal aHR = 1.96 (1.94–1.98)] and criminal convictions [maternal aHR = 1.56 (1.54–1.58); paternal aHR = 1.66 (1.64–1.67)]. Additive genetic effects explained 42% (95% CI 25–56%) and 46% (36–55%) of the variance in maternal and paternal substance misuse, respectively, and between 36 and 44% of the variance in substance misuse and criminality in offspring. The associations between parental substance misuse and offspring outcomes were mostly due to additive genetic effects, which explained 54–85% of the parent-offspring covariance. However, both nuclear and extended family environmental factors also contributed to the associations, especially with offspring substance misuse.

Conclusions

Our findings from a large offspring-of-siblings study indicate that shared genetic influences mostly explain the associations between parental substance misuse and both offspring substance misuse and criminality, but we also found evidence for the contribution of environmental factors shared by members of nuclear and extended families.
The COVID-19 Pandemic: A Month of Bioethics in Finland—ADDENDUM
Authors: HÄYRY MATTI
Published: June 2020

The role of bioethicists amidst crises like the COVID-19 pandemic is not well defined. As professionals in the field, they should respond, but how? The observation of the early days of pandemic confinement in Finland showed that moral philosophers with limited experience in bioethics tended to apply their favorite theories to public decisions with varying results. Medical ethicists were more likely to lend support to the public authorities by soothing or descriptive accounts of the solutions assumed. These are approaches that Tuija Takala has called the firefighting and window dressing models of bioethics. Human rights lawyers drew attention to the flaws of the government’s regulative thinking. Critical bioethicists offered analyses of the arguments presented and the moral and political theories that could be used as the basis of good and acceptable decisions.
Unconventional deployment of atrial septal occluder in a patient with atrial septal defect, dextrocardia, and interrupted inferior vena cava
Authors: Yerram Sreekanth , Aramalla Sunitha , Bhyravavajhala Srinivas
Published: June 2020

An atrial septal defect is a rare anomaly in patients with interrupted inferior vena cava, which renders the percutaneous intervention more complex; and hence, innovative approaches should be sought. Dextrocardia further complicates the procedure, and traditional atrial septal device deployment methods cannot be employed. We report a successful percutaneous secundum atrial septal defect closure by a novel deployment strategy along with balloon dilation of associated severe valvular pulmonary stenosis in a patient with dextrocardia and interrupted inferior vena cava.
Understanding the ‘Tipped Minimum Wage’: Critical Directions for US Policy Research
Authors: Ross Jacqueline , Welsh John
Published: June 2020

With the ‘gig economy’ moving to the forefront of research on service labour, interest has heightened in the techniques of labour control that reproduce it. Taking tipping as just such a technique, this article explores critically the policy research around ‘tipped’ employment in the United States. In the United States, tipping is a legally recognised form of labour remuneration that informalises the wage relation, incentivises the worker in precarity, and internalises social relations of subordination. Understanding tipped work, its legal status, its operative logic, and the contradictions that arise within its framework, is a priority for relevant social policy analysis. The aims here are: 1) to set out the ‘topography’ of the policy landscape on tipping in the United States; and 2) to problematise the current scope of this policy literature in societal terms. This research will focus on the restaurant industry, but will establish its broader societal significance.