bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A degradation study of polyamide 11/vermiculite nanocomposites under accelerated UV test
Authors: Kaci Mustapha , Dehouche Nadjet , Focke Walter W. , van der Merwe Elizabet M.
Published: April 2019

Accelerated photooxidation under ultraviolet (UV) test of polyamide 11 (PA11) films filled with unmodified vermiculite clay at 5 wt% was investigated up to 600 h. Film samples of ~60‐μm thick were prepared by melt compounding using a cast extruder and exposed to UV light irradiation at λ > 295 nm. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra indicated similar structural changes occurring in both PA11 and PA11/unmodified vermiculite nanoclay (UVMC) nanocomposite along the photooxidation process, resulting in imides and carboxylic acids as the main carbonyl products. It was however observed that the formation rate of carbonyls in the PA11/UVMC nanocomposite was slower than neat PA11. This behavior is consistent with the yellowing index evolution determined by ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy. Further, the photooxidation stability of the samples was also evaluated by the onset oxidation temperature determined by differential scanning calorimetry. The results indicated a better stability of the nanocomposite film than neat PA11, corroborating well the data obtained by FTIR and UV–vis techniques. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:2449–2457, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers
Novel pediatric‐automated respiratory score using physiologic data and machine learning in asthma
Authors: Messinger Amanda I. , Bui Nam , Wagner Brandie D. , Szefler Stanley J. , Vu Tam , Deterding Robin R.
Published: April 2019

Objectives

Manual clinical scoring systems are the current standard used for acute asthma clinical care pathways. No automated system exists that assesses disease severity, time course, and treatment impact in pediatric acute severe asthma exacerbations. Working hypothesis: machine learning applied to continuous vital sign data could provide a novel pediatric‐automated asthma respiratory score (pARS) by using the manual pediatric asthma score (PAS) as the clinical care standard.

Methods

Continuous vital sign monitoring data (heart rate, respiratory rate, and pulse oximetry) were merged with the health record data including a provider‐determined PAS in children between 2 and 18 years of age admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) for status asthmaticus. A cascaded artificial neural network (ANN) was applied to create an automated respiratory score and validated by two approaches. The ANN was compared with the Normal and Poisson regression models.

Results

Out of an initial group of 186 patients, 128 patients met inclusion criteria. Merging physiologic data with clinical data yielded >37 000 data points for model training. The pARS score had good predictive accuracy, with 80% of the pARS values within ±2 points of the provider‐determined PAS, especially over the mid‐range of PASs (6‐9). The Poisson and Normal distribution regressions yielded a smaller overall median absolute error.

Conclusions

The pARS reproduced the manually recorded PAS. Once validated and studied prospectively as a tool for research and for physician decision support, this methodology can be implemented in the PICU to objectively guide treatment decisions.
Proteolysis mediated by the membrane‐integrated ATP‐dependent protease FtsH has a unique nonlinear dependence on ATP hydrolysis rates
Authors: Yang Yiqing , Gunasekara Mihiravi , Muhammednazaar Shaima , Li Zhen , Hong Heedeok
Published: April 2019

ATPases associated with diverse cellular activities (AAA+) proteases utilize ATP hydrolysis to actively unfold native or misfolded proteins and translocate them into a protease chamber for degradation. This basic mechanism yields diverse cellular consequences, including the removal of misfolded proteins, control of regulatory circuits, and remodeling of protein conformation. Among various bacterial AAA+ proteases, FtsH is only membrane‐integrated and plays a key role in membrane protein quality control. Previously, we have shown that FtsH has substantial unfoldase activity for degrading membrane proteins overcoming a dual energetic burden of substrate unfolding and membrane dislocation. Here, we asked how efficiently FtsH utilizes ATP hydrolysis to degrade membrane proteins. To answer this question, we measured degradation rates of the model membrane substrate GlpG at various ATP hydrolysis rates in the lipid bilayers. We find that the dependence of degradation rates on ATP hydrolysis rates is highly nonlinear: (i) FtsH cannot degrade GlpG until it reaches a threshold ATP hydrolysis rate; (ii) after exceeding the threshold, the degradation rates steeply increase and saturate at the ATP hydrolysis rates far below the maxima. During the steep increase, FtsH efficiently utilizes ATP hydrolysis for degradation, consuming only 40–60% of the total ATP cost measured at the maximal ATP hydrolysis rates. This behavior does not fundamentally change against water‐soluble substrates as well as upon addition of the macromolecular crowding agent Ficoll 70. The Hill analysis shows that the nonlinearity stems from coupling of three to five ATP hydrolysis events to degradation, which represents unique cooperativity compared to other AAA+ proteases including ClpXP, HslUV, Lon, and proteasomes.
A Kaluza–Klein Approach to Double and Exceptional Field Theory
Authors: Berman David S.
Published: April 2019

We examine the challenge of viewing all the fields in supergravity as arising from a Kaluza–Klein like dimensional reduction of some higher‐dimensional theory. This gives rise to what is known as exceptional field theory or double field theory. A particular emphasis is placed on following the Kaluza–Klein intuition leading to the identification of charged states and a reinterpretation of the central charges. We further give a description of the novel extended geometry as a generalised phase space and the relationship to string and M‐theory theory and the notion of quantization.
Coloring Operads for Algebraic Field Theory
Authors: Bruinsma Simen
Published: April 2019

In these proceedings we summarize previous work where we formalize a general concept of algebraic field theories using operads. After giving a gentle reminder of algebraic quantum field theory, operads and their algebras, we construct field theory operads, whose algebras are exactly algebraic field theories. Specifically, they satisfy a suitable version of the Einstein causality axiom. From this construction we get adjunctions between different types of field theories, including adjunctions related to local‐to‐global extensions and the time‐slice axiom, and a quantization functor for linear field theories that is compatible with these structures. We also take first steps towards a derived linear quantization functor.
Rapid profiling of triglycerides in human breast milk using liquid extraction surface analysis Fourier transform mass spectrometry reveals new very long chain fatty acids and differences within individuals
Authors: Koulman Albert , Furse Samuel , Baumert Mark , Goldberg Gail , Bluck Les
Published: April 2019

Rationale

We describe a novel method for preparing milk samples and profiling their triglyceride (TG) fractions. This method was used to explore how the TG profile of milk modulates as lactation progresses and how the TG profile differs between breasts.

Methods

Fresh milk was spotted onto Whatman filter paper and air‐dried. Liquid Extraction Surface Analysis coupled to Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry (LESA‐MS) was adapted for molecular profiling. Collision‐Induced Dissociation (CID) was used to profile fatty acid residues.

Results

LESA‐MS produced the relative abundances of all isobaric TGs described and showed that mammary glands within one individual can produce a different profile of TGs. CID was used to uncover the configuration of isobaric triglycerides, indicating the relative amounts of the fatty acids contributing to that triglyceride's mass. This also indicated the presence of very long chain fatty acids (C26:0 and C26:1) that have not been reported before in human breast milk.

Conclusions

We conclude that spotting on paper and the use of LESA‐MS and CID on milk spots is not only a means for analysing milk in unprecedented detail for this preparation time, but is also amenable to conditions in which collecting and storing fresh milk samples for detailed profiling is prohibitively difficult.
An economic model of strategic entrepreneurship
Authors: Westgren Randall , Wuebker Robert
Published: April 2019

Research Summary

How do new entrants create and capture value in established industries? Starting from the foundations of neoclassical economics, we model entrepreneurial entry and competition as occurring simultaneously in production technology space and product attribute space. Our model's central feature is to disaggregate entrepreneurial rents into four components: arbitrage, innovation, organization, and uncertainty‐bearing. This permits us to model the nature of value creation from a common analytical platform, and to measure value capture as a set of distinct rent streams available to multiple stakeholders over time.

Managerial Summary

Although there is broad consensus that the essence of entrepreneurship is the creation and capture of new value, both scholars and practitioners have struggled to connect this basic exhortation to the entrepreneurial process. This paper argues that returns to entrepreneurial action can be generated through four main mechanisms: innovation, uncertainty‐bearing, new business models, or inter‐industry arbitrage—either uniquely, or in combination. Examining these mechanisms for value creation together reveals implications for how best to organize and manage the entrepreneurial process so that that returns to entrepreneurial action can be appropriated equitably.
Developing applications in large scale, dynamic fog computing: A case study
Authors: Giang Nam Ky , Lea Rodger , Leung Victor C.M.
Published: April 2019

In recent years, fog computing has emerged as a new distributed system model for a large class of applications that are data‐intensive or delay‐sensitive. By exploiting widely distributed computing infrastructure that is located closer to the network edge, communication cost and service response time can be significantly reduced. However, developing this class of applications is not straightforward and requires addressing three key challenges, ie, supporting the dynamic nature of the edge network, managing the context‐dependent characteristics of application logic, and dealing with the large scale of the system. In this paper, we present a case study in building fog computing applications using our open source platform Distributed Node‐RED (DNR). In particular, we show how applications can be decomposed and deployed to a geographically distributed infrastructure using DNR, and how existing software components can be adapted and reused to participate in fog applications. We present a lab‐based implementation of a fog application built using DNR that addresses the first two of the issues highlighted earlier. To validate that our approach also deals with large scale, we augment our live trial with a large scale simulation of the application model, conducted in Omnet++, which shows the scalability of the model and how it supports the dynamic nature of fog applications.
Cost‐effectiveness of five prenatal screening strategies for trisomies and other unbalanced chromosomal abnormalities: model‐based analysis
Authors: Le Bras A. , Salomon L. J. , Bussières L. , Malan V. , Elie C. , Mahallati H. , Ville Y. , Vekemans M. , Durand‐Zaleski I.
Published: April 2019

Objective

To evaluate the cost‐effectiveness of five prenatal screening strategies for trisomies (13/18/21) and other unbalanced chromosomal abnormalities (UBCA), following the introduction of cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) analysis.

Methods

A model‐based cost‐effectiveness analysis was performed to estimate prevalence, safety, screening‐program costs and healthcare costs of five different prenatal screening strategies, using a virtual cohort of 652 653 pregnant women in France. Data were derived from the French Biomedicine Agency and published articles. Uncertainty was addressed using one‐way sensitivity analysis. The five strategies compared were: (i) cfDNA testing for women with a risk following first‐trimester screening of ≥ 1/250; (ii) cfDNA testing for women with a risk of ≥ 1/1000 (currently recommended); (iii) cfDNA testing in the general population (regardless of risk); (iv) invasive testing for women with a risk of ≥ 1/250 (historical strategy); and (v) invasive testing for women with a risk of ≥ 1/1000.

Results

In our virtual population, at similar risk thresholds, cfDNA testing compared with invasive testing was cheaper but less effective. Compared with the historical strategy, cfDNA testing at the ≥ 1/1000 risk threshold was a more expensive strategy that detected 158 additional trisomies, but also 175 fewer other UBCA. Implementation of cfDNA testing in the general population would give an incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio of €9 166 689 per additional anomaly detected compared with the historical strategy.

Conclusion

Extending cfDNA to lower risk thresholds or even to all pregnancies would detect more trisomies, but at greater expense and with lower detection rate of other UBCA, compared with the historical strategy. Copyright © 2019 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Early scrambling and capped BTZ geometries
Authors: Bena Iosif , Martinec Emil J. , Walker Robert , Warner Nicholas P.
Published: April 2019

Abstract

Geodesic probes in certain horizonless microstate geometries experience extreme tidal forces long before reaching the region where these geometries differ significantl from the extremal BTZ black hole. The purpose of this paper is to show that this behavior is a universal feature of all geometries that have a long BTZ throat that terminates in a cap, regardless of the details of this cap. Hence, incoming probes will scramble into the microstate structure before they encounter the region where the charges of the solution are sourced, and the reason for this premature scrambling is the amplification of tiny geometrical deviations by the relativistic speeds of the probes. To illustrate the phenomenon, we construct a new family of smooth horizonless superstratum microstate geometries, dual to D1-D5 CFT states whose momentum charge is carried by excitations on CFT strands of length k. We also show that, in the large-k limit, these new superstrata resemble a blackened supertube solution everywhere except in the near-supertube region. Thus they resolve the singularity caused by the naive back-reaction of modes with non-linear instabilities near evanescent ergosurfaces.
Neutrino masses in a two Higgs doublet model with a U(1) gauge symmetry
Authors: Camargo Daniel A. , Dias Alex G. , de Melo Téssio B. , Queiroz Farinaldo S.
Published: April 2019

Abstract

General Two Higgs Doublet Models (2HDM) are popular Standard Model extensions but feature flavor changing interactions and lack neutrino masses. We discuss a 2HDM where neutrino masses are generated via type I seesaw and propose an extension where neutrino masses are generated via a type II seesaw mechanism with flavor changing interactions being absent via the presence of a U(1) gauge symmetry. After considering a variety of bounds such as those rising from collider and electroweak precision we show that our proposal stands as a UV complete 2HDM with a dark photon where neutrino masses and flavor changing interactions are addressed. A possible dark matter realization is also discussed.
Home healthcare routing and scheduling of multiple nurses in a dynamic environment
Authors: Demirbilek Mustafa , Branke Juergen , Strauss Arne K.
Published: April 2019

Human resource planning in home healthcare is gaining importance day by day since companies in developed and developing countries face serious nurse and caregiver shortages. In the problem considered in this paper, the decision of patient assignment must be made immediately when the patient request arrives. Once patients have been accepted, they are serviced at the same days, times and by same nurse during their episode of care. The objective is to maximise the number of patient visits for a set of nurses during the planning horizon. We propose a new heuristic based on generating several scenarios which include current schedules of nurses, the new request under consideration, as well as randomly generated future requests to solve three decision problems: first, do we accept the patient? If so, which nurse services the patient? Finally, which days and times are weekly visits of the patient assigned to? We compare our approach with a greedy heuristic from the literature by considering some real-life aspects such as clustered service areas and skill requirements, and empirically demonstrate that it achieves significantly higher average daily visits and shorter travel times compared to the greedy method.
Detection of anxiety symptoms in persons with dementia: A systematic review
Authors: Goodarzi Zahra , Samii Leyla , Azeem Feeha , Sekhon Ramnik , Crites Stephanie , Pringsheim Tamara , Smith Eric E. , Ismail Zahinoor , Holroyd‐Leduc Jayna
Published: April 2019

Introduction

Anxiety is a common symptom for those experiencing dementia and is associated with worse outcomes. The aim of the study was to examine which anxiety tools have been validated compared with a gold standard diagnostic criterion in persons with dementia.

Methods

We completed a systematic review of the literature, which was registered a priori with PROSPERO (CRD42016042123). Three databases were searched, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO, as well as the gray literature. Abstracts and full text were searched in duplicate for inclusion. Risk of bias was assessed in duplicate.

Results

We identified 9626 citations from all sources after duplicates were removed. Many excluded studies used tools for anxiety, for which no diagnostic accuracy study was identified. Four articles were included in the final synthesis. Included articles had between 32 to 101 participants with mild to moderate dementia. The gold standard criteria focused on either generalized anxiety or all anxiety subtypes. The prevalence of anxiety was between 27.7% and 63.4%. Three tools were examined, the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory, Penn State Worry Questionnaire, and the Rating Anxiety in Dementia (RAID) scale. Sensitivity varied but was the highest in the RAID at 90% and lowest in the self‐rated version of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (58%).

Discussion

Given how burdensome the symptoms of anxiety are to persons with dementia, valid tools are needed to help identify symptoms. We identified three validated tools, but further validation of these and other tools are needed. Practitioners should consider the use of tools with high sensitivity such as the RAID in persons with dementia.
Effectiveness of thoracic paravertebral and intercostal nerve blocks as a part of postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing open cholecystectomy under general anesthesia in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A prospective cohort study, 2018
Authors: Jemal Bedru , Woldeyohanes Misrak , Shitemaw Tewoderos , Ayalew Nugusu , Awoke Zemedu , Abiy Sileshi
Published: April 2019

ABSTRACT

Background:

Postoperative pain after open cholecystectomy is associated with severe pain. Ineffective post-cholecystectomy pain management can cause shallow breathing, atelectasis, retention of secretion, and infection of respiratory system. This study asses’ analgesic effectiveness of thoracic paravertebral nerve block (TPVB) and intercostal nerve block (ICB) for open cholecystectomy postoperative pain management.

Methodology:

An institutional based prospective cohort study was conducted in selected hospitals. Using systematic random sampling technique, seventy-eight (78) patients that underwent open cholecystectomy under general anesthesia and fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected. Based on the responsible anesthetist's postoperative pain management plan, patients were divided into three groups. Patients who received TPVB at the end of surgery represent TPVB group and those patients that received ICB at the end of surgery grouped as ICB group. Patients who did not receive any regional block for postoperative pain management considered as the non-block group.

Result:

The postoperative NRS score at rest and on coughing were significantly lowered in TPVB and ICB group compared to non-block group with p value < 0.001. Time to first analgesic request was significantly longer in TPVB and ICB compared to non-block with p value < 0.001. The total analgesic consumption in the first 24 h was lower in TPVB and ICB.

Conclusion:

Both TPVB and ICB are effective analgesic techniques for open cholecystectomy with longer and potent postoperative analgesia. During coughing the thoracic paravertebral block recorded lesser pain score than intercostal block. Based on our study we recommend TPVB and ICB for post-operative analgesia for open cholecystectomy.

Highlights:
Sexual Dysfunction and Satisfaction in Kidney Transplant Patients
Authors: Mota Renato Lains , Fonseca Rita , Santos José Carlos , Covita Ana Mateus , Marques Nicole , Matias Patricia , Simões Hélder , Ramos Catarina , Machado Domingos , Cardoso Jorge
Published: April 2019

Introduction

10% of the world’s population suffers from chronic kidney disease. Kidney transplants provide an improvement in the quality of life of those patients. Sexual dysfunction is common after kidney transplantation, and its etiology is presumed to be multifactorial. It has a negative impact on sexual satisfaction and health-related quality-of-life. The integration of a new organ into the body can imply an adjustment of body image, which may eventually have a negative influence on intimacy and sexual behaviors.

Aim

To evaluate male sexual function, sexual satisfaction, and body image satisfaction among a convenience sample of patients who have had a kidney transplant.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study that included 460 patients, from a single healthcare center, who had undergone a kidney transplant procedure >4 weeks ago. A total of 112 respondents (mean = 55.5 years, SD = 11.4) answered the questionnaires properly.

Main Outcome Measures

All recruited patients answered a self-reported sociodemographic questionnaire, in addition to the International Index of Erectile function, the New Scale of Sexual Satisfaction, the Brief Symptom Inventory, and the Body Image Scale.

Results

A correlation was found between sexual function and sexual satisfaction (r = 0.598, P < .001, n = 112), as well as between body image satisfaction and sexual function (r = −0.193, P = .042, n = 112). The length of time after a kidney transplant (≤ or >36 months) was not associated with a difference in sexual functioning or sexual satisfaction.

Clinical Implications

This study showed the obvious implications of sexual function on sexual satisfaction, which should alert healthcare professionals to the importance of identifying and managing sexual dysfunction in patients with chronic kidney disease, to optimize their global and sexual health satisfaction.

Strength & Limitations

This study identified a high prevalence of sexual dysfunction among kidney transplant recipients. This should reinforce the need for the medical community to evaluate the quality-of-life domains of patients with chronic disease. There is still a lack of information concerning any longitudinal evaluation of kidney transplant patients’ sexual function and the effects that this surgery has on sexuality.

Conclusions

This study corroborated the severe effects that kidney transplant patients often report regarding their sexuality. Among the patients who participated in the study, sexual function proved to be relevant in relation to sexual satisfaction.
Editorial
Authors: Mansfield-Devine Steve
Published: April 2019

Once more, Facebook has hit the headlines over a potential privacy breach. This time it concerns the storing of user passwords in plain text. But it's not the incident that should concern us so much as the mindset that led to it. And, to be fair, Facebook is not the only organisation that comes up short when viewed from this perspective.
Use of personal mobile devices to record patient data by Canadian emergency physicians and residents
Authors: Walker Kerry E. , Migneault David , Lindsay Heather C. , Abu-Laban Riyad B.
Published: April 2019

Objective

Use of personal mobile devices to record patient data appears to be increasing, but remains poorly studied. We sought to determine the extent and reasons that Canadian emergency physicians (EPs) and emergency medicine residents use personal mobile devices to record patient data in the emergency department (ED).

Methods

A national survey was distributed to Canadian EPs and residents between 27/02/17 and 23/03/17. This captured demographics, frequency, and purpose of personal mobile device use to record patient data in the ED. It also asked about obtaining consent, security of information, implications for patient care, and knowledge of relevant regulations.

Results

The response rate was 23.1% (406 participants). A third (31.5%) reported using personal mobile devices to record patient data. Most (78.1%) did so more than once a month, and 7.0% did so every shift. Reasons cited included beliefs that using personal mobile devices to record patient data improves care by consultants (36.7%), expedites care (31.3%), and advances medical education (32.8%). Consent was rarely or never documented and a minority of participants (10.9%) indicated they did not obtain consent. More than half of participants (53.2%) reported being unaware of applicable regulations.

Conclusions

This is the first Canadian study on the use of personal mobile devices to record patient data in the ED. Our findings demonstrate current practice may risk privacy breaches. Personal mobile device use to record patient data in the ED is common and Canadian EPs and residents believe that this practice enhances patient care.
Playing to live: outcome evaluation of a community-based psychosocial expressive arts program for children during the Liberian Ebola epidemic
Authors: Decosimo C. A , Hanson J. , Quinn M. , Badu P. , Smith E. G.
Published: April 2019

Background.

This paper reviews the efficacy of a community psychosocial arts program focused on building mental health capacity within post-Ebola Liberia. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the outcome effects of two groups using pre- and post-treatment data. We hypothesized that there would be a difference in symptoms pre- and post-treatment, and the longer program would yield more significant results.

Methods.

There was a total of 870 child participants. Of 40 sites, 24 were selected for a 5-month treatment (TG1) while the remaining 16 sites received 3 months of treatment (TG2). Pairedttests and a mixed-model analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyse pre- and post-psychological stress symptoms (PSS) for samples from both groups.

Results.

Separately, treatment group 1 (TG1) and treatment group 2's (TG2) pairedttest yielded significant results (p< 0.001) for the decrease of PSS. The mixed-model ANOVA found that there were significant differences in total pre- and post-test PSS and a significant difference in PSS means over time.

Conclusions.

Results indicated that there was a statistically significant decrease in reported symptoms in both treatment groups pre- to post-intervention and a significant difference in total symptoms over time. However, the findings do not indicate that the longer programming was statistically different compared to the shorter programming. The study presented had gaps in data, largely due to limits in research during the crisis. However, this paper provides a unique case study for challenges that can be faced for project evaluation in emergency settings.
Coffee prevents fatty liver disease induced by a high-fat diet by modulating pathways of the gut–liver axis
Authors: Vitaglione Paola , Mazzone Giovanna , Lembo Vincenzo , D'Argenio Giuseppe , Rossi Antonella , Guido Maria , Savoia Marcella , Salomone Federico , Mennella Ilario , De Filippis Francesca , Ercolini Danilo , Caporaso Nicola , Morisco Filomena
Published: April 2019

Coffee consumption is inversely associated with the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A gap in the literature still exists concerning the intestinal mechanisms that are involved in the protective effect of coffee consumption towards NAFLD. In this study, twenty-four C57BL/6J mice were divided into three groups each receiving a standard diet, a high-fat diet (HFD) or an HFD plus decaffeinated coffee (HFD+COFFEE) for 12 weeks. Coffee supplementation reduced HFD-induced liver macrovesicular steatosis (P < 0·01) and serum cholesterol (P < 0·001), alanine aminotransferase and glucose (P < 0·05). Accordingly, liverPPAR- α(P < 0·05) and acyl-CoA oxidase-1 (P < 0·05) as well as duodenal ATP-binding cassette (ABC) subfamily A1 (ABCA1) and subfamily G1 (ABCG1) (P < 0·05) mRNA expressions increased with coffee consumption. Compared with HFD animals, HFD+COFFEE mice had more undigested lipids in the caecal content and higher free fatty acid receptor-1 mRNA expression in the duodenum and colon. Furthermore, they showed an up-regulation of duodenal and colonic zonulin-1 (P < 0·05), duodenal claudin (P < 0·05) and duodenal peptide YY (P < 0·05) mRNA as well as a higher abundance ofAlcaligenaceaein the faeces (P < 0·05). HFD+COFFEE mice had an energy intake comparable with HFD-fed mice but starting from the eighth intervention week they gained significantly less weight over time. Data altogether showed that coffee supplementation prevented HFD-induced NAFLD in mice by reducing hepatic fat deposition and metabolic derangement through modification of pathways underpinning liver fat oxidation, intestinal cholesterol efflux, energy metabolism and gut permeability. The hepatic and metabolic benefits induced by coffee were accompanied by changes in the gut microbiota.
The frequency of cooking dinner at home and its association with nutrient intake adequacy among married young-to-middle-aged Japanese women: the POTATO Study
Authors: Saito Aki , Matsumoto Mai , Hyakutake Aiko , Saito Masafumi , Okamoto Naoko , Tsuji Masayoshi
Published: April 2019

Home cooking has been suggested as a key to healthy dietary intakes. However, little is known about the association between cooking behaviour and nutrient intake among young-to-middle-aged women. We aimed to investigate the association between home cooking frequency and nutrient intake adequacy among married Japanese women. Self-administered questionnaires were used to assess the weekly frequency of cooking dinner at home and habitual nutrient intake during the preceding month. We evaluated nutrient intake adequacy by comparing the self-reported intake with two indices of the dietary reference intakes for Japanese (2015): the estimated average requirement (EAR) of fourteen nutrients, and the ‘tentative dietary goal for preventing lifestyle-related diseases’ (DG) of seven nutrients. A total of 143 participants (25–44 years old) completed the questionnaires, with 32·9 % of participants reporting a weekly home cooking frequency of seven times/week. Women with a higher home cooking frequency (seven times/week) were more likely to have children (P = 0·001) than those with a lower home cooking frequency (0–6 times/week). Of the nutrients evaluated, there was no significant difference between the two groups in meeting EAR and DG. Our findings suggest that daily home cooking may not be necessary to achieve adequate nutrient intake, specifically among married, young-to-middle-aged Japanese women.
Legitimacy of Death: National Appropriation of the Fallen
Authors: Uzelac Gordana
Published: April 2019

Many influential theorists of nationalism see war as a social conflict that to a great extent homogenizes and unifies the nation. Nowhere is that unity more clearly expressed than in war memorials and cemeteries. This article considers the examples of Britain and the USA during the aftermath of World War I in order to examine how the state legitimized its ownership of the bodies of its dead soldiers. It argues first that in an internal dispute, when all sides share a normative ideology, nationalism cannot offer an effective basis for legitimacy. Second, it shows that during the aftermath of World War I, the bodies of dead soldiers were not symbols. This article concludes that in order to transform a dead body into a symbol, the body first has to be “de-individualized.”
The Preparation of Water (DIC, DOC) and Gas (CO2, CH4) Samples for Radiocarbon Analysis at AEL-AMS, Ottawa, Canada
Authors: Murseli Sarah , Middlestead Paul , St-Jean Gilles , Zhao Xiaolei , Jean Christabel , Crann Carley A , Kieser William E , Clark Ian D
Published: April 2019

Sample preparation techniques for radiocarbon analysis of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in freshwater, as well as CO2 and CH4 in gas mixtures are presented. Focused efforts have been on developing a robust and low-background wet oxidation extraction method for DOC in freshwater, following routine methods developed for stable carbon isotope analysis and adapted for radiocarbon (14C) analysis. DIC (by acidification) and DOC (by wet oxidation) are converted to CO2 in pre-baked septum-fitted borosilicate bottles, where the resulting CO2 is extracted from the dissolved and headspace portions on a low-flow He-carrier flow-through system interfaced to a vacuum extraction line. A peripheral CH4 extraction line interfaces to the flow line to separate CH4 from environmental samples following the methods of Pack et al. 2015. High sample throughput and low blanks are achievable with this method. DIC and DOC blanks are consistently <0.7 pMC, while CO2 and CH4 blanks are typically <0.1 pMC.
Δ14C and δ13C in Annual Tree-Ring Samples from Sequoiadendron Giganteum, AD 998–1510: Solar Cycles and Climate
Authors: Eastoe C J , Tucek C S , Touchan R
Published: April 2019

Time series of annual Δ14C and δ13C in tree rings ofSequoiadendron giganteum, AD 998–1510, are similar in form. The Δ14C series completes, with data of Stuiver and Braziunas (1993), a 957-yr time-series. Discrete Fourier transformation of detrended Δ14C reveals periods of 126, 91, 56, 17.6, 13.6, 10.4, and 7.1 yr. Non-random differences exist between decadal averages of theSequoiadendronΔ14C data and data of Stuiver and Becker (1993). Periods of 7–17 yr may correspond to Schwabe or related climatic cycles; these have 10–17-yr periods and amplitudes < 6‰ (AD 1100–1250), and periods near 7 yr with amplitudes up to 10‰ (AD 1380–1420). Abrupt increases in Δ14C are mainly less than 5‰, and do not constitute convincing evidence of increased14C production from supernovae or solar proton events. The δ13C time-series is likely to reflect climate change, and for centennial periodicity lags behind Δ14C by 20–40 yr (centennial time-scale) and 25–50 yr (millennial). Phase-shifts between solar luminosity and surface Δ14C are 125–175 yr and 20 yr for millennial and centennial cycles, respectively. The study suggests that strongest climate effects may therefore follow peak luminosity by 125–175 yr for millennial cycles and 20–40 yr for centennial cycles.
Interaction effect of ruminal undegradable protein level and rumen-protected conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) inclusion in the diet of growing goat kids on meat CLA content and quality traits
Authors: Pormalekshahi Aminolah , Fatahnia Farshid , Jafari Hoshang , Azarfar Arash , Varmaghany Saifali , Taasoli Golnaz
Published: April 2019

The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of dietary rumen undegradable protein (RUP) level and rumen-protected conjugated linoleic acid (rpCLA) on meat fatty acid (FA) profile, chemical compositions and colour parameters of growing kids. Thirty-two Kurdish goat kids (13·06 ± 1·08 kg body weight) were fed diets differing in RUP level (low = 250v. high = 350 g/kg of dietary crude protein) supplemented either with 15 g/kg of rpCLA or 12 g/kg of hydrogenated soyabean oil (HSO) for 80 d. Interaction of dietary rpCLA and RUP level had no effect on hot carcass weight, dressing and cut percentage, and meat chemical composition and colour parameters. Meat total SFA, MUFA and PUFA concentrations were not influenced by experimental diets, whereas kids fed diets supplemented with rpCLA had lower meat total SFA and higher PUFA concentrations compared with those fed diets supplemented with HSO. The concentration of meattrans-11-8 : 1 was not influenced by rpCLA supplementation, RUP level and their interaction. Kids fed diets containing rpCLA supplementation had higher meat total CLA andcis-9,trans-11-CLA andtrans-10,cis-12-CLA isomers compared with those fed diets containing HSO supplementation. Desaturase indexes of C14, C16 and C18 were not influenced by rpCLA supplementation, RUP level and their interaction. It is concluded that supplementing growing kids’ diets with RUP and 15 g/kg of rpCLA not only decreased meat fat content but also increased some FA considered to be of potential benefit to human health.
Bacterial contamination of surgical loupes and headlights
Authors: Purcell C , Moolman N , MacKay C , Hatchette T F , Trites J , Taylor S M , Rigby M H , Hart R D
Published: April 2019

Background

Medical equipment can transmit pathogenic bacteria to patients. This single-institution point prevalence study aimed to characterise the types and relative amount of bacteria found on surgical loupes, headlights and their battery packs.

Method

Surgical loupes, headlights and battery packs of 16 otolaryngology staff and residents were sampled, cultured and quantified. Plate scores were summed for each equipment type, and the total was divided by the number of users to generate mean bacterial burden scores. Residents completed a questionnaire regarding their equipment cleaning practices.

Results

The contamination rates of loupes, headlights and battery packs were 68.75 per cent, 100 per cent and 75 per cent, respectively. Battery packs cultured more bacteria (1.58 per swab ± 1.00) than loupes (0.75 per swab ± 0.66; p = 0.024). Headlights had non-significantly greater growth (1.50 per swab ± 0.71) than loupes (p = 0.052). Bacterial growth was significantly higher from inner surfaces of loupes (p = 0.035) and headlights (p = 0.037). Potentially pathogenic bacteria were cultured from the equipment of five participants, including: Pantoea agglomerans, Acinetobacter radioresistens, Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus baumannii complex and Moraxella osloensis.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that surgical loupes and headlights used in otolaryngology harbour non-pathogenic skin flora and potentially pathogenic bacteria.
Investigation of smell and taste function in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome
Authors: Yenigun A , Degirmenci N , Goktas S S , Dogan R , Ozturan O
Published: April 2019

Objective

This study investigated the relationship between disease severity and taste and smell functions in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome.

Methods

A total of 65 patients with recurrent upper airway obstruction during sleep were included. Participants were divided into four groups according to apnoea-hypopnoea index, obtained on polysomnography. Smell and taste tests were performed on these patients.

Results

A significant difference was observed between the smell thresholds of the groups for the identification test (p= 0.016). In the taste test, significant differences were observed between the groups in terms of sweet, sour, salty and bitter taste test thresholds (p= 0.029,p= 0.0005,p= 0.001 andp= 0.017, respectively).

Conclusion

As sleep apnoea severity increased (according to the apnoea-hypopnoea index) in obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome patients, the taste and smell thresholds decreased due to the effect of neuropathy and inflammation in the upper respiratory tract.
The development of vocabulary and morphological awareness: A longitudinal study with college EFL students
Authors: Jiang Yih-Lin Belinda , Kuo Li-Jen
Published: April 2019

While the relationship between vocabulary, morphological awareness, and reading comprehension has been examined extensively, research on this relationship among adult second language learners has only been explored recently. The present study addresses this gap by examining how adult English as a foreign language learners developed different types of English vocabulary and morphological awareness over the course of one academic year. Participants included 523 college freshmen in Taiwan with varying reading proficiency levels. Results from a series of mixed-measure analyses of variance revealed that (a) even the more proficient college English as a foreign language learners failed to fully grasp morphological principles; (b) the gap in vocabulary between the less skilled readers, the average, and the skilled readers widened significantly over the course of one academic year; (c) the effect of phonological and orthographic changes involved in morphologically complex words differed for the assessment of base meaning, but did not vary across proficiency levels; (d) progress in different aspects of morphological awareness, such as interpreting the meaning of the suffix or identifying the base of a morphologically complex word, varied significantly among readers of different proficiency levels; and (e) suffixes of different parts of speech posed different challenges to learners. Theoretical and pedagogical implications of the findings are discussed.
Designing a Dedicated Energy Crop Supply System in Tennessee: A Multiobjective Optimization Analysis
Authors: Yu T. Edward , Wang Zidong , English Burton C. , Larson James A.
Published: April 2019

A multiobjective optimization model integrating with high-resolution geographical data was applied to examine the optimal switchgrass supply system in Tennessee that considers both feedstock cost and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the system. Results suggest that the type of land converted into switchgrass production is crucial to both plant gate cost and GHG emissions of feedstock. In addition, a tradeoff relationship between cost and GHG emissions for the switchgrass supply is primarily driven by the type of land converted. The imputed cost of lowering GHG emissions in the feedstock supply system was also calculated based on the derived tradeoff curve.

Biofuel production from lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) is being advocated as an alternative to fossil-based transportation fuels in the United States. LCB-based biofuel production has the potential to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector and to enhance rural economic activity through more intense use of agricultural lands (English et al., 2006). The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) established in 2005 and revised in the Energy Independence and Security Act 2007 mandates 21 billion gallons of advanced biofuel (other than ethanol derived from corn starch) available for transportation use by 2022 with 16 billion gallons to be produced from LCB feedstock (U.S. Congress, 2007). Based on the recently revised One Billion Ton Update study (U. S. Department of Energy, 2011), considerable LCB feedstock, including dedicated energy crops, will be required to fulfill this goal. Notwithstanding the potential availability of LCB feedstock to meet the mandate, the cost of LCB feedstock will be an important factor influencing the sustainability of an LCB-based biofuel industrial sector.
Engineering popular support for long-ruling parties: the role of clientelism
Authors: Zeng Qingjie
Published: April 2019

In electorally contested regimes, the incumbent party often uses clientelist exchanges to stay in power long after its underlying electoral support has evaporated. Existing studies failed to examine how the role of clientelism changes with the increasing tenure of the incumbent party. Combining data from the Afrobarometer project and information about partisan turnover, this article shows that the longer a party has remained in power, the more clientelist exchanges in the form of club goods and patronage will serve to bolster popular support for the ruling party. This is mainly because lengthy party duration facilitates the politicization of bureaucracy and other state resources essential for clientelist exchanges. Understanding the evolving role of clientelism under electoral contestation has profound implications for the study of phenomena such as dominant-party rule and democratic erosion.
‘Steeling’ Young People: Resilience and Youth Policy in Scotland
Authors: Davidson Emma , Carlin Eric
Published: April 2019

This article examines the growth of resilience-focused youth policy in Scotland, and its association with the proliferation of the ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) agenda. To do this, it critically compares policy discourse with qualitative data on young people’s experiences of growing up in two similar, low-income neighbourhoods. This combination leads us to problematise resilience-informed practice, relative to the voices of young people. Our review demonstrates that by emphasising individual protective factors, resilience discourse reframes inequalities embedded within certain neighbourhoods, and the specific impacts on young people who live there. The consequence is not an assets-based youth policy that supports all young people, but rather a form of resilience which promotes the ‘steeling’ of young people; making them stronger and more resistant to adversities. These adversities, we conclude, may be preventable within a more just social order.
Novel DC-biasing circuits with arbitrary harmonics-control capability for compact high-efficiency power amplifiers
Authors: Tanaka Shinichi , Oda Tomoya , Saiki Kento
Published: April 2019

The next generation mobile communication systems impose challenging performance, size, and cost requirements on the power amplifiers (PAs). This paper presents novel DC-biasing circuits, which are compact and yet can control the harmonics almost arbitrarily. The proposed circuit consists of a composite right-/left-handed (CRLH) transmission line (TL) stub, of which the size and harmonics-control function can be tuned by modifying the dispersion diagram of the stub line. As a proof of concept, a compact 2-GHz 7-W GaN HEMT class-F PA using the versatile CRLH-TL stubs was fabricated, demonstrating 85.8% drain efficiency and 77.3% power-added efficiency.