bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Steady State Thermal and Structural Simulation of SS 316L Bipolar Plates used in 250 Watt PEMFC
Authors: Raju Robin , Rajan Vikas
Published: May 2021

Design and optimisation of bipolar plates play a crucial role in determining the overall efficiency of the PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel cell. These plates are designed in such a way that the PEM fuel cell achieves the best water and thermal management capability. The conventionally used graphite-based bipolar plates are getting replaced by metallic plates for powering space applications and portable devices due to its good mechanical and electrical properties. In this paper, we present the thermal and structural simulation of the stainless-steel type 316L bipolar plates used in 250W PEM fuel cell after the preheating process but before the supply of the fuel into the stack.
Multi-objective optimization of turbulent jet impingement cooling system : A thermal and thermodynamic study
Authors: Kumar Lam Prasanth Anand , Arul Prakash K
Published: May 2021

In this paper, an optimization methodology for turbulent air jet impingement cooling system is reported. The continuity, Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes, turbulent kinetic energy (k), turbulent dissipation rate (ε) and energy equations are solved using the Streamline Upwind/Petrov-Galerkin (SUPG) Finite Element (FE) Method. In this study, Reynolds number (Rej
) and channel height (H/L) are selected as design parameters. The influence of design parameters on turbulent flow, heat transfer and entropy generation distribution for the system are presented and discussed. As Rej
increases and H/L decreases, the magnitude of overall Nusselt number and global total entropy generation increases. Subsequently, the Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA) was introduced to achieve optimal impingement system configurations with maximum heat transfer and minimum entropy generation.
Mitigation of shockwave induced boundary layer separation through a secondary recirculation duct in a hypersonic flow
Authors: Irimpan Kiran Joy , Hariharan Anand Raj
Published: May 2021

A secondary recirculation duct which leaks fluid from a high pressure reattachment zone to a low pressure upstream location of a shock wave boundary layer interation zone is discussed in the below article. The mitigation can be attributed to both suction and blowing. Computational analyses of the above problem at a freestream of Mach 8.6 with various jet injection locations were studied for its effectiveness via a commercial software ANSYS Fluentl9 and the results are very promising. The jet injection close to the separation point is found to be most effective in delaying separation and reducing the separation bubble.
Productivity Improvement — A Case Study of Hindustan Polymer Products
Authors: Akhil S K , Narendran A K
Published: May 2021

In India, a large fraction of industries are labor intensive in nature which requires a large amount of labor for work and the productivity depends on the performance of workers that can vary according to many facts. By proper implementation of various techniques and methods, productivity can be improved and this article suggests a methodology that can be implemented in any labor intensive industry to improve productivity, carefully examining various aspects and making the necessary adjustments. The methodology begins with the analysis of the work environment and work study in a labor intensive industry and the results are systematically analyzed using appropriate tools such as 5S, Pareto Analysis etc. to provide better alternatives and solutions. A significant percentage of time is saved after the implementation of solutions and standardization of the operations in the company and these recommendations may be extended to other forms of industry by making suitable changes.
Experimental Investigation on Mechanical Properties of Jute and Hemp fibre based Epoxy Composites
Authors: Ravi Kumar B , Hariharan S S
Published: May 2021

The conventional materials are replacing via composite materials due to their special properties like high specific strength, high elastic constants, and relatively low expansion in the thermal environment. Usage of fibre reinforced composites based on natural fibres has increasingly started as viable material in low load carrying applications. In the current study, hemp and jute fibre based epoxy composites were developed and tested for assessing their suitability for possible applications in automobile and aerospace interiors. Composites were undergone tensile tests, compression tests, and flexural tests to understand their behavior under various loading conditions. The results revealed that the usage of hemp and jute fibre reinforced composites can improve mechanical properties and have shown a viable alternative to replace synthetic fibres such as glass fibres for specific applications. Hemp reinforced natural fibre composites have shown better mechanical properties as compared to jute fibre based composites.
Smart Reader for Visually Impaired Using Raspberry Pi
Authors: Sarkar S , Pansare G , Patel B , Gupta A , Chauhan A , Yadav R , attula N B
Published: May 2021

With the humongous amount of texts and written media available today it has been increasingly necessary to make these available to people from all walks of life specially catering to the visually impaired people, thus devising a system which can assist in this task is of prime importance. The proposed device aims to solve this predicament by using Raspberry Pi module B+ to convert printed and hand written into easily accessible playable speech. It also stores speech which can be replayed at a time deemed suitable. The main focus of this paper is to develop a smart reader system which coverts hand written and printed text to speech. It has been observed that the scanned texts were converted into easily audible speech heard via the speaker with high efficiency.
Concept selection and Kinematic modeling of hand rehabilitation robotic device
Authors: Sunil  , Mathew Meby , Sudheer A.P.
Published: May 2021

Rehabilitation using an exoskeleton is one of the widely accepted methods for the recovery of lost motor abilities. Most of the present research concentrates on either soft or rigid exoskeletons. In this paper, the design of a five-finger exoskeleton is discussed along with the advantage of soft and rigid bodied exoskeletons. Concept selection for the designs is done using the standard procedure of screening and scoring. Forward and inverse kinematic modeling of thumb and index finger is performed with Denavit-Hartenberg (DH) method.
Kinematic modelling and analysis of single leg in hybrid wheel-legged mobile robot
Authors: Arunkumar P , Sudheer A P , Joy M L
Published: May 2021

Mobile manipulators are extensively used in various applications. Most of the mobile manipulators are built on a wheeled mobile platform. A wheeled mobile platform performs well on flat terrains but is not suitable for navigation in rough terrains. The legged robots are commonly used for rough terrain applications. However, the navigation speed of legged robots is lesser than wheeled mobile robots. This paper focuses on the development of hybrid wheellegged robots to overcome the above difficulties. The proposed model is quadruped with five degrees of freedom in each leg. The development of the kinematic model, its dimensional synthesis, and motion study for a single leg is presented in detail. DH-conventions are used for kinematic modelling, manipulability index is used for dimension synthesis, and motion study is carried out in ADAMS.
Experimental Study on Geopolymer Rubberized concrete using natural Zeolite
Authors: Bhavani Suthari , Nagesh kumar G. , Reddy M. Srinivasula , Sanjeeva Rayudu E.
Published: May 2021

On one hand, the utilization of rubber tires is ever-increasing, expected to further increase at a rapid rate, and with that the waste rubber. When the tires become old, worn out and irreparable, it is often dumped in landfills. For every one billion tires produced, an equal amount of tires being removed from the vehicles. This waste can be utilized in large quantities when employed in the construction industry. On the other hand, cement-based concrete utilization also increasing at a faster rate and with that the CO2 emissions. These two major issues i.e. waste rubber utilization and curbing of cement consumption can be effectively done by developing geopolymer concrete with the replacement of waste rubber chips and rubber powder in the place of natural aggregates. In the present study, the geopolymer concrete has been developed by using fly ash, GGBS, and zeolite as binder materials, sodium hydroxide, and sodium silicate as alkaline activators, rubber chips as a partial replacement to natural coarse aggregate, rubber powder as a partial replacement to natural fine aggregate. Rubberized geopolymer concretes have been developed by replacing fly ash with 5% zeolite, natural coarse aggregate with 2.5% waste rubber chips, and natural fine aggregate with 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% by weight of waste rubber powder. The developed concrete is then assessed for its performance through mechanical properties, durability behaviour. The results showed the developed concrete has high impact resistance and good freeze-thaw resistance properties. This concrete is suitable for the members subjected to high-impact loads.
Effect of wall-slip on natural convection in a circular annulus
Authors: Nair Gautham S. , Harikrishna R. , Murali Damu , Ajith Kumar S.
Published: May 2021

Two-dimensional natural convection in an annulus enclosed by a hot inner cylinder and cold outer cylinder with air (Prandtl number, Pr=0.71) as the fluid is numerically investigated for Rayleigh number (Ra)= 5 × 104 using OpenFOAM. For a gap width to radius ratio (L/Ri
) of 1.6, the slip configurations are imposed by varying the Slip factor (SF) from 0 (no-slip) to 1 (full-slip) in steps of 0.2. The flow patterns and thermal fields for each slip factor are visualised using streamlines and isotherms and heat transfer is quantified by Nusselt number (Nu). It is observed that the natural convection patterns at full-slip boundary condition (SF=1) exhibit unique phenomena like vortex splitting, shrinkage in the thermally stagnant regions, and reduction in thermal boundary layer thickness. The heat transfer characteristics, in general, get enhanced with the increase in SF.
A thermal actuated switchable dry adhesive with high reversibility for transfer printing
Authors: Zhang Shun , Luo Hongyu , Wang Suhao , Chen Zhou , Nie Shuang , Liu Changying , Song Jizhou
Published: May 2021

Transfer printing based on switchable adhesive that heterogeneously integrates materials is essential to develop novel electronic systems, such as flexible electronics and micro LED displays. Here, we report a robust design of a thermal actuated switchable dry adhesive, which features a stiff sphere embedded in a thermally responsive shape memory polymer (SMP) substrate and encapsulated by an elastomeric membrane. This construct bypasses the unfavorable micro- and nano-fabrication processes and yields an adhesion switchability of over 1000 by combining the peel-rate dependent effect of the elastomeric membrane and the thermal actuation of the sub-surface embedded stiff sphere. Experimental and numerical studies reveal the underlying thermal actuated mechanism and provide insights into the design and operation of the switchable adhesive. Demonstrations of this concept in stamps for transfer printing of fragile objects, such as silicon wafers, silicon chips, and inorganic micro-LED chips, onto challenging non-adhesive surfaces illustrate its potential in heterogeneous material integration applications, such as flexible electronics manufacturing and deterministic assembly.
Urban Densification and Physical Activity Change: A 12-Year Longitudinal Study of Australian Adults
Authors: Chandrabose Manoj , Owen Neville , Hadgraft Nyssa , Giles-Corti Billie , Sugiyama Takemi
Published: May 2021

Urbanization, a major force driving changes in neighborhood environments, may affect residents’ health by influencing their daily activity levels. We examined associations of population density changes in urban areas with adults’ physical activity changes over 12 years using data from the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study (1999–2012). The analytical sample contained 2,354 participants who remained at the same residential address throughout the study period in metropolitan cities and regional cities (42 study areas). Census-based population density measures were calculated for 1-km–radius buffers around their homes. Population density change was estimated using linear growth models. Two-level linear regression models were used to assess associations between changes in population density and changes in self-reported walking and physical activity durations. The average change in population density was 0.8% per year (range, −4.1 to 7.8) relative to baseline density. After adjustment for confounders, each 1% annual increase in population density was associated with 8.5-minutes/week (95% confidence interval: 0.6, 16.4) and 19.0-minutes/week (95% confidence interval: 3.7, 34.4) increases in walking and physical activity, respectively, over the 12-year study period. Increasing population density through urban planning policies of accommodating population growth within the existing urban boundary, rather than expanding city boundaries, could assist in promoting physical activity at the population level.
Assessment of interactions between oil flowers and floral visitors in world biomes
Authors: Guimarães Murilo Menck , Souza Camila Silveira , Sigrist Maria Rosângela , Miliato Karina Back Militão , Maia Fabiano Rodrigo da
Published: May 2021

Specialized glands that produce and store floral oil are found in 11 families of flowering plants, with greater representation in Malpighiaceae. Solitary bees use this resource to feed larvae and for cell lining. Oil interactions have been reported mainly at the population level and in some community studies that have commonly ignored not only the fewer representative families of oil-offering flowers, but also the floral visitors that do not collect floral oil. We have compiled and examined the interactions between oil-offering flowers and floral visitors in world biomes, to describe the structural patterns of the oil interaction meta-network and evaluate the species' functional roles. We reviewed 169 studies, which mainly used a phytocentric approach, reporting 1460 interactions between 214 species of oil-offering flowers and 377 species of floral visitors. Malpighiaceae and bees (mainly oil-collecting bees) were the most frequently investigated. The meta-network of oil interactions showed a modular structure, mainly influenced by botanical families, and core–periphery organization. The most important functional roles were associated with Malpighiaceae and oil-collecting bees, possibly due to their representativeness and geographic distribution.
UN celebrity diplomacy in China: activism, symbolism and national ambition online
Authors: Postema Saskia , Melissen Jan
Published: May 2021

This article examines Chinese celebrities' UN-affiliated Weibo activism in the context of China's increasing engagement in the United Nations, which coincides with a shrinking domestic public sphere under Xi Jinping's leadership. Our article sheds light on how Chinese celebrity diplomacy is balancing contradictory expectations by the UN, the Chinese party-state and the domestic public in China. In doing so, we offer an important conceptual update of the western-centric literature on ‘celebrity diplomacy’, which focuses mostly on celebrity politics instead of diplomacy and tends to neglect the digital sphere. Based on a combined qualitative and quantitative approach, we draw fresh conclusions from nine Chinese celebrities' communication on Weibo since 2013. Our research covers the years marking China's growing self-confidence and a more assertive Chinese diplomatic style in global affairs. Although accredited by the UN, on balance Chinese celebrities' activism has become more symbolic than real, and as a rule aligned with the Chinese leadership's domestic and international ambitions. At a time of greater Chinese global activism, we are sensitive to the policy implications of Chinese celebrities' engagement on the cusp of the political and diplomatic spheres.
Zidovudine enhances activity of carbapenems against NDM-1-producing Enterobacteriaceae
Authors: Hu Yanmin , Coates Anthony
Published: May 2021

Objectives

To investigate the efficacy of zidovudine in combination with carbapenems against NDM-1-producing Enterobacteriaceae.

Methods

MICs were determined using the broth microdilution method. The combinatory effects of zidovudine and carbapenems were examined using the chequerboard method and time–kill analysis.

Results

We found that the NDM-1-producing strains were resistant to all carbapenems tested. FIC index from chequerboard assay demonstrated that zidovudine synergized with carbapenems against all the NDM-1 strains. Time–kill analysis demonstrated significant synergistic activity when a low level of zidovudine was combined with meropenem.

Conclusions

Zidovudine in combination with carbapenems produced synergistic activity against NDM-1 Enterobacteriaceae strains in vitro.
Electricity Induced Burns and Lung Injury: A Rare Autopsy Observation
Authors: Kanchan Tanuj , Meshram Vikas P , Shekhawat Raghvendra Singh , Krishan Kewal
Published: May 2021

Electrocutions injuries are frequently encountered in a domestic setting or as an occupational hazard. Electrocutions injuries sustained in occupational settings are often associated with significant morbidity and mortality globally. Autopsy diagnosis of electrocution is mostly based on gross and histopathological changes in the entry and exit wounds. Gross changes in form of entry and exit wounds, however, may not be present in all cases of electrocution. In such cases, histopathological changes in the internal organs along the path of current can be useful. We report a case of fatal electrocution involving a 23-year-old young male in which remarkable gross and microscopic changes were appreciated in the lung due to the passage of electric current through it. Such observations are rarely reported in literature and highlight on the significance of autopsy pathology in the diagnosis of electrocution.
Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma Repairs Burn Wound and Reduces Burn Pain in Rats
Authors: Ren Zhao-qi , Du Bin , Dong Hai-jiao , Duan Guang-hua , Du Ai-cui , Wang Yue , Zhao Li-xia , Shao Wen
Published: May 2021

To investigate the effects of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on burn wound and burn pain in rats. Rats were treated with high-temperature copper rod to induce skin burn. During treatment, the wound area of rats was recorded on days 0, 3, 7, 10, 14 and healing rates were calculated. After 14-day treatment, the paw withdrawal mechanical threshold (PWMT) as well as paw withdrawal thermal latency were measured. In addition, CD31 expression in burn wound was detected by immunohistochemistry. The contents of TNF-α and IL-1β in wound tissues were detected by ELISA. Moreover, the mRNA and protein expression levels of VEGF, MMP-9, and TGF-β1 in wound tissues were detected by RT-qPCR together with Western blot. Burn wound of rats in the PRP group gradually got better with a decreased wound area. Compared with the NS group, the wound area of the PRP group was significantly reduced and the healing rate was significantly increased. Meanwhile, PWMT of the rats in the PRP group was obviously increased compared with the NS group. Compared with the NS group, the rate of CD31-positive cells in the wound tissue of burned rats was increased; while the contents of TNF-α and IL-1β were significantly decreased after a subcutaneous injection of PRP. In addition, the mRNA and protein expression levels of VEGF, MMP-9, and TGF-β1 in the wound tissue of rats from PRP group were evidently increased. Autologous platelet-rich plasma not only shortened the healing time, but also relieved the burn pain.
Is Resource Change a Useful Predictor of Carrion Insect Succession on Pigs and Humans?
Authors: Dawson Blake M , Wallman James F , Evans Maldwyn J , Barton Philip S
Published: May 2021

Carrion is a dynamic and nutrient-rich resource that attracts numerous insect species that undergo succession due to the rapid change in the carrion resource. Despite this process being well-understood, few studies have examined resource change as a driver of carrion insect succession, and instead have focused on the effects of time per se, or on coarse, qualitative measures such as decay stage. Here we report on three field succession experiments using pig carcasses and human cadavers encompassing two winters and one summer. We quantified the effects of resource change (measured as total body score, TBS), carrion type, initial carrion mass, ambient temperature, and season on insect species richness and community composition. We found that all variables had an effect on different taxonomic or trophic components of the insect community composition, with the exception of initial carrion mass which had no effect. We found significant positive effects of TBS on beetle species richness and composition, while fly species richness was not significantly affected by TBS, but was by ambient temperature. TBS had a significant positive effect on all trophic groups, while ambient temperature also had a significant positive effect on the necrophages and predator/parasitoids. Our study indicates that resource change, as indicated by TBS, is an important driver of carrion insect species turnover and succession on carrion, and that TBS can provide information about insect ecological patterns on carrion that other temporal measures of change cannot.
Evaluation of Development Datasets for Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) for Estimating the Time of Placement of Human and Swine Remains in Texas, USA
Authors: Cuttiford Lue , Pimsler Meaghan L , Heo Chong Chin , Zheng Le , Karunaratne Inoka , Trissini Gabriele , Tarone Aaron M , Lambiase Simonetta , Cammack Jonathan A , Tomberlin Jeffery K
Published: May 2021

A basic tenet of forensic entomology is development data of an insect can be used to predict the time of colonization (TOC) by insect specimens collected from remains, and this prediction is related to the time of death and/or time of placement (TOP). However, few datasets have been evaluated to determine their accuracy or precision. The black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) is recognized as an insect of forensic importance. This study examined the accuracy and precision of several development datasets for the black soldier fly by estimating the TOP of five sets of human and three sets of swine remains in San Marcos and College Station, TX, respectively. Data generated from this study indicate only one of these datasets consistently (time-to-prepupae 52%; time-to-eclosion 75%) produced TOP estimations that occurred within a day of the actual TOP of the remains. It is unknown if the precolonization interval (PreCI) of this species is long, but it has been observed that the species can colonize within 6 d after death. This assumption remains untested by validation studies. Accounting for this PreCI improved accuracy for the time-to-prepupae group, but reduced accuracy in the time-to-eclosion group. The findings presented here highlight a need for detailed, forensic-based development data for the black soldier fly that can reliably and accurately be used in casework. Finally, this study outlines the need for a basic understanding of the timing of resource utilization (i.e., duration of the PreCI) for forensically relevant taxa so that reasonable corrections may be made to TOC as related to minimum postmortem interval (mPMI) estimates.
Change Mechanisms in Patient-Preferred Live Music: An Exploratory Interpretivist Study
Authors: Silverman Michael J
Published: May 2021

Although there is empirical support for patient-preferred live music (PPLM) in addressing affective states and pain for adults in medical settings, there is a lack of data regarding why PPLM might be effective. Identifying the underlying processes and events of change mechanisms within PPLM has the potential to improve education and clinical training, distinguish music therapy from other music interventions, and augment treatment outcomes for service users. The practitioner’s expertise constitutes a component of evidence-based practice and could be used to identify change mechanisms that result in PPLM being effective. Therefore, the purpose of this exploratory interpretivist study was to understand practitioners’ perceptions of PPLM change mechanisms for adults in medical settings. I conducted in-depth individual semi-structured interviews with 10 practitioners who had provided protocol-based PPLM in adult medical settings as a component of published research projects. Incorporating member checking and trustworthiness, I used an inductive approach to thematic analysis to analyze data. I identified 3 major themes: Choices within PPLM, Music-based aspects of PPLM, and Positive outcomes resultant of PPLM. These themes were supported by 17 subthemes. The subthemes helped to explain relationships between results and I developed a visual model to conceptualize PPLM change mechanisms. While previous objectivist literature has found PPLM to be an effective intervention for adults in medical settings, the results of the current study provide an evidence-based and practitioner-centric approach to PPLM change mechanisms. Implications for clinical practice, limitations of the study, and suggestions for future research are provided.
Colorectal Cancer Care and Patients’ Perceptions Before and During COVID-19: Implications for Subsequent SARS-CoV-2 Infection Waves
Authors: Derksen Jeroen W G , May Anne M , van de Poll-Franse Lonneke V , de Rooij Belle H , Hafkenscheid Dorothee A , Verkooijen Helena M , Koopman Miriam , Vink Geraldine R
Published: May 2021

Background

Changes in colorectal cancer (CRC) care planning because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and associated health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and well-being of patients with CRC are unknown. We report changes in CRC care and patient-reported outcomes including HRQoL, distress, and loneliness during the first wave of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Methods

In April 2020, 4984 patients included in the nationwide Prospective Dutch Colorectal Cancer cohort were invited to complete a COVID-19–specific questionnaire, together with the validated European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30), De Jong Gierveld, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Clinical data were obtained from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Scores were compared with the year prior to COVID-19 and with an age- and sex-matched control population during COVID-19.

Results

In total, 3247 (65.1%) patients responded between April and June 2020. Of the patients, 17% had canceled, postponed, or changed hospital visits to a telephone or video consult, and 5.3% had adjusted, postponed, or canceled treatment. Compared with controls, patients reported worse HRQoL but comparable distress and less social loneliness (patients = 21.2%; controls = 32.9%). Compared with pre–COVID-19, clinically meaningful deterioration of HRQoL was more prevalent in patients with changes in cancer care planning than in patients without changes. Prior to undergoing or currently undergoing treatment and infection worries were associated with lower HRQoL.

Conclusions

CRC patients reported equal anxiety and depression but worse HRQoL than the control population. Changes in care planning were associated with deterioration of HRQoL and increased anxiety. In case of 1 or more risk factors, health-care specialists should discuss (mental) health status and possible support during future SARS-CoV-2 infection waves or comparable pandemics.
Ethical, legal and social implications of human genome studies in radiation research: a workshop report for studies on atomic bomb survivors at the Radiation Effects Research Foundation
Authors: Noda Asao , Kato Kazuto , Tamura Chieko , Biesecker Leslie G , Imaizumi Misa , Inoue Yusuke , Henderson Gail E , Wilfond Benjamin , Muto Kaori , Naito Mariko , Kayukawa Junji
Published: May 2021

The Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF) is the primary organization in Japan dedicated to studying the health consequences of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings in World War II. In December 2020, RERF held a virtual international workshop on the ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) of genome studies. In this workshop, the ELSI considerations of future human genome studies on radiation research including atomic bomb survivors and their families were discussed. Since genome sequencing (GS) is now practical and affordable, RERF now plans GS of parents/child trios to examine genetic effects of atomic bomb radiation. As such studies may engender some novel risks and benefits, ethics review and engagement with families (including consent) need to be considered. These include protection of individual privacy, use of samples from deceased prior participants, return of results to the participants, public sharing of genome data and advance science and social welfare. Specifically with regard to social welfare, the results of such studies may have implications for public and government decision-making regarding social benefits of victims and other important questions. Based on these broad-ranging discussions we have developed the following concepts to guide this work: “trust,” “compromise” and “relationship building,” inclusive of the concerned stakeholders, scientific aims and Japanese society at large. We conclude that in order to realize, establish and maintain these concepts, it is essential to put procedures into place to ensure the successful, consensus-based implementation of the RERF studies.
Genre Experiments: Thylias Moss’sSlave Mothand the Poetic Neo-Slave Narrative
Authors: Vrana Laura
Published: May 2021

As histories of experimentation on the enslaved receive scholarly attention, so too are neo-slave narratives representing and commenting on this aspect of enslavement, in both their content and their form. This article examines Thylias Moss’s genre-troubling Slave Moth: A Narrative in Verse (2004), a neo-slave text that depicts an enslaved woman named Varl treated as an object of psychological experimentation. Varl develops a strong subjectivity through becoming a subject performing experiments: aesthetic experiments in how she chooses to represent her narrative in stitched cloths. The subtly experimental poetic devices through which Moss crafts this representation highlight that this protagonist possesses an alternate, generative epistemology that differs meaningfully from her master’s scientific worldview and thereby enables fugitive, temporary agency and freedom. By analyzing Slave Moth, I argue that the ethically problematic epistemology that generated experiments on the enslaved has certainly not dissipated and that it indirectly undergirds lyric theory’s failure to engage form in texts by nonwhite poets. Through contrasting close attention to formal devices by which Moss undermines teleological narrative, this essay postulates that “lyric time” enables fleeting, yet nevertheless generative, subversions of the formal expectations readers impose on texts representing enslavement. Reading Slave Moth through such a lens suggests potential middle-ground formal alternatives to wholly rejecting either narrative or lyric as genres and to thereby asymptotically approaching adequate representation of enslavement.
Wick Rotation and the Positivity of Energy in Quantum Field Theory
Authors: Kontsevich Maxim , Segal Graeme
Published: May 2021

We propose a new axiom system for unitary quantum field theories on curved space-time backgrounds, by postulating that the partition function and the correlators extend analytically to a certain domain of complex-valued metrics. Ordinary Riemannian metrics are contained in the allowable domain, while Lorentzian metrics lie on its boundary.
Long-Term Effects of Childhood Nutrition: Evidence from a School Lunch Reform
Authors: Lundborg Petter , Rooth Dan-Olof , Alex-Petersen Jesper
Published: May 2021

We study the long-term impact of a policy-driven change in childhood nutrition. For this purpose, we evaluate a program that rolled out nutritious school lunches free of charge to all pupils in Swedish primary schools between 1959 and 1969. We estimate the impact of the program on children’s economic, educational, and health outcomes throughout life. Our results show that the school lunch program generated substantial long-term benefits, where pupils exposed to the program during their entire primary school period have 3% higher lifetime income. The effect was greater for pupils that were exposed at earlier ages and for pupils from poor households, suggesting that the program reduced socioeconomic inequalities in adulthood. Exposure to the program also had substantial effects on educational attainment and health, which can explain a large part of the effect of the program on lifetime income.
Significance of Sjögren’s syndrome and anti-cN1A antibody in myositis patients
Authors: Levy Dan , Nespola Benoit , Giannini Margherita , Felten Renaud , Severac François , Varoquier Coralie , Rinagel Marina , Korganow Anne-Sophie , Martin Thierry , Poindron Vincent , Maurier Francois , Chereih Haitham , Bouldoires Bastien , Hervier Baptiste , Lenormand Cedric , Chatelus Emmanuel , Geny Bernard , Sibilia Jean , Arnaud Laurent , Gottenberg Jacques-Eric , Meyer Alain
Published: May 2021

Objective

We recently recorded a high prevalence of inclusion body myositis (IBM) in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome (SS). Whether myositis patients with SS differ from myositis patients without SS in terms of the characteristics of the myositis is currently unknown. Anti-cytosolic 5′-nucleotidase 1 A (cN1A) has recently been proposed as a biomarker for IBM but is also frequent in SS. Whether anti-cN1A is independently associated with IBM is still an open question. We aimed to assess the significance of SS and anti-cN1A in myositis patients.

Methods

Cumulative data on all myositis patients (EULAR/ACR 2017 criteria) screened for SS (ACR/EULAR 2016 criteria) in a single centre were analysed. Ninety-nine patients were included, covering the whole spectrum of EULAR/ACR 2017 myositis subgroups and with a median follow-up of 6 years (range 1.0–37.5). The 34 myositis patients with SS (myositis/SS+) were compared with the 65 myositis patients without SS (myositis/SS-).

Results

. IBM was present in 24% of the myositis/SS+ patients vs 6% of the myositis/SS- group (P = 0.020). None of the IBM patients responded to treatment, whether they had SS or not. Anti-cN1A was more frequent in myositis/SS+ patients (38% vs 6%, P = 0.0005), independently of the higher prevalence of IBM in this group (multivariate P value: 0.02). Anti-cN1A antibody specificity for IBM was 0.96 (95% CI: 0.87, 0.99) in the myositis/SS- group but dropped to 0.70 (95% CI: 0.48, 0.85) in the myositis/SS+ group.

Interpretation

In myositis patients, SS is associated with IBM and with anti-cN1A antibodies, independently of the IBM diagnosis. As a consequence, anti-cN1A has limited specificity for IBM in myositis patients with SS.
EFFECTIVE DOSES AND RADIATION RISKS FROM COMMON DENTAL RADIOGRAPHIC, PANORAMIC AND CBCT EXAMINATIONS
Authors: Shatskiy I
Published: May 2021

This study was aimed at the estimation of the effective doses and radiation risks from dental X-ray examinations based on the data collection in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region. The range of mean values of effective doses for intraoral examinations on the X-ray units with film detectors was from 3.5 to 8.2 μSv and for the units with digital detectors—from 1.2 to 2.5 μSv. The mean effective doses for panoramic examinations were 22.9 μSv and for cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)—530.6 μSv, respectively. The highest detriment-adjusted lifetime risk values were estimated for the 20–24-year-old age group: 40.8 × 10−6 in females and 32.7 × 10−6 in males for CBCT. Effective doses in St. Petersburg and Leningrad region were comparable or higher compared with the published data.
Developing and Validating an Individualized Clinical Prediction Model to Forecast Psychotic Recurrence in Acute and Transient Psychotic Disorders: Electronic Health Record Cohort Study
Authors: Damiani Stefano , Rutigliano Grazia , Fazia Teresa , Merlino Sergio , Berzuini Carlo , Bernardinelli Luisa , Politi Pierluigi , Fusar-Poli Paolo
Published: May 2021

Acute and transient psychotic disorders (ATPDs) include short-lived psychotic episodes with a high probability of developing psychotic recurrences. Clinical care for ATPD is currently limited by the inability to predict outcomes. Real-world electronic health record (EHR)-based retrospective cohort study STROBE/RECORD compliant included all individuals accessing the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust between 2006 and 2017 and receiving a first diagnosis of ATPD (F23, ICD-10). After imputing missing data, stepwise and LASSO Cox regression methods employing a priori predictors (n = 23) were compared to develop and internally validate an individualized risk prediction model to forecast the risk of psychotic recurrences following TRIPOD guidelines. The primary outcome was prognostic accuracy (area under the curve [AUC]). 3018 ATPD individuals were included (average age = 33.75 years, 52.7% females). Over follow-up (average 1042 ± 1011 days, up to 8 years) there were 1160 psychotic recurrences (events). Stepwise (n = 12 predictors) and LASSO (n = 17 predictors) regression methods yielded comparable prognostic accuracy, with an events per variable ratio >100 for both models. Both models showed an internally validated adequate prognostic accuracy from 4 years follow-up (AUC 0.70 for both models) and good calibration. A refined model was adapted in view of the new ICD-11 criteria on 307 subjects with polymorphic ATPD, showing fair prognostic accuracy at 4 years (AUC: stepwise 0.68; LASSO 0.70). This study presents the first clinically based prediction model internally validated to adequately predict long-term psychotic recurrence in individuals with ATPD. The model can be automatable in EHRs, supporting further external validations and refinements to improve its prognostic accuracy.
Researching and Teaching with British Newsreels
Authors: Rutherford Emily
Published: May 2021

Following the free online publication of several digitized newsreel collections, this article seeks to articulate a place for newsreels as a primary source base in twentieth-century British history, and to provide some basic guidance for students, teachers, and researchers who might wish to integrate newsreels into their work. It briefly traces the history of the newsreel industry in Britain, the conditions of newsreel production and distribution, and newsreels’ audience. It discusses how a digital newsreel archive came to be constructed and how it has been used in the past for both academic and pedagogical purposes. It argues that researchers and teachers can overcome scepticism about newsreels’ unreliability as primary sources, engaging with the sources critically to a variety of ends. It demonstrates these claims with a case-study about films of inter-war university ‘rag’ festivities, and with a variety of practical suggestions about how to incorporate newsreels into undergraduate teaching.
Andexanet Alfa or Prothrombin Complex Concentrate for Factor Xa Inhibitor Reversal in Acute Major Bleeding: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Nederpelt Charlie J. , Naar Leon , Krijnen Pieta , le Cessie Saskia , Kaafarani Haytham M. A. , Huisman Menno V. , Velmahos George C. , Schipper Inger B.
Published: May 2021

OBJECTIVES:

To combine evidence on andexanet alfa and prothrombin complex concentrates for factor Xa inhibitor-associated bleeding to guide clinicians on reversal strategies.

DATA SOURCES:

Embase, Pubmed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library.

STUDY SELECTION:

Observational studies and randomized clinical trials studying hemostatic effectiveness of andexanet alfa or prothrombin complex concentrate for acute reversal of factor Xa inhibitor-associated hemorrhage.

DATA EXTRACTION:

Two independent reviewers extracted the data from the studies. Visualization and comparison of hemostatic effectiveness using Sarode et al or International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis Scientific and Standardization Committee criteria at 12 and 24 hours, (venous) thrombotic event rates, and inhospital mortality were performed by constructing Forest plots. Exploratory analysis using a logistic mixed model analysis was performed to identify factors associated with effectiveness and venous thromboembolic event.

DATA SYNTHESIS:

A total of 21 studies were included (andexanet: 438 patients; prothrombin complex concentrate: 1,278 patients). The (weighted) mean effectiveness for andexanet alfa was 82% at 12 hours and 71% at 24 hours. The (weighted) mean effectiveness for prothrombin complex concentrate was 88% at 12 hours and 76% at 24 hours. The mean 30-day symptomatic venous thromboembolic event rates were 5.0% for andexanet alfa and 1.9% for prothrombin complex concentrate. The mean 30-day total thrombotic event rates for andexanet alfa and prothrombin complex concentrate were 10.7% and 3.1%, respectively. Mean inhospital mortality was 23.3% for andexanet versus 15.8% for prothrombin complex concentrate. Exploratory analysis controlling for potential confounders did not demonstrate significant differences between both reversal agents.

CONCLUSIONS:

Currently, available evidence does not unequivocally support the clinical effectiveness of andexanet alfa or prothrombin complex concentrate to reverse factor Xa inhibitor-associated acute major bleeding, nor does it permit conventional meta-analysis of potential superiority. Neither reversal agent was significantly associated with increased effectiveness or a higher rate of venous thromboembolic event. These results underscore the importance of randomized controlled trials comparing the two reversal agents and may provide guidance in designing institutional guidelines.
Enterococcus faecalis contributes to hypertension and renal injury in Sprague-Dawley rats by disturbing lipid metabolism
Authors: Zhu Yeyan , Liu Yuting , Wu Chunying , Li Haonan , Du Huiting , Yu Huijing , Huang Cailin , Chen Yating , Wang Weidong , Zhu Qing , Wang Lei
Published: May 2021

Objective:

Increasing studies have demonstrated that gut microbiota play vital roles in the development of hypertension. However, the underlying mechanism is not fully understood.

Methods:

The relative abundance of Enterococcus faecalis was determined in the faecal samples of angiotensin II or deoxycorticosterone acetate/salt-induced hypertensive rats. Then, E. faecalis culture was administered orally to rats for 6 weeks. Blood pressure (BP) was measured, renal injury was estimated and a serum metabolomic analysis was performed.

Results:

Compared with control, E. faecalis was markedly enriched in the faecal samples of hypertensive rats. The rats receiving live E. faecalis but not dead bacteria exhibited higher BP and enhanced renal injury. The serum metabolomic data showed that the E. faecalis treatment resulted in 35 variable metabolites including 16 (46%) lipid/lipid-like molecules, suggesting significant disturbance of lipid metabolism. Furthermore, the mRNA levels of 18 lipid metabolic enzymes in the renal medulla and cortex presented distinct and dynamic changes in response to 3 or 6-week E. faecalis treatment. Consistently, the protein levels of lysophospholipases A1 (LYPLA1) and phospholipase A2 group 4 A (PLA2G4) were enhanced only by live E. faecalis, which thus may have decreased the nitric oxide production in the renal medulla and elevated BP.

Conclusion:

Our results suggest that E. faecalis in the gut contributes to hypertension and renal injury in rats by disturbing the lipid metabolism. The information provided here could shed new light on the pathologic mechanisms and potential intervention targets for the treatment of gut dysbiosis-induced hypertension.
Physician Assistant Students’ Perceptions and Competencies Concerning Lifestyle Medicine
Authors: Abreu Alyssa , Keyes Sarah-Ann K. , Faries Mark D.
Published: May 2021

Purpose

With nearly two-thirds of chronic disease attributed to lifestyle, there is a need for physician assistants (PA) to develop competencies in Lifestyle Medicine (LM). The purpose of this study was to assess PA students' skill competencies in exercise and dietary prescription to guide curriculum implementation efforts.

Methods

An online survey was administered to PA students at a single institution.

Results

Overall, 74 (63%) students completed the survey, self-reporting moderate competence (range: 1–6) in conducting a physical exam to approve an exercise program (4.17 ± 1.22), designing a nutritional plan (3.76 ± 1.32), and designing an exercise prescription (3.50 ± 1.32). Only about half of the clinical students felt competent in conducting a physical examination to approve an exercise program (56%), determine maximal heart rate (54%), and design a nutritional plan (58%), and only 25% reported competence in designing an exercise prescription. Additionally, 84% of clinical students reported time spent on LM in their program as “poor” or inadequate, and 100% wanted to learn more.

Conclusions

PA students reported inadequate competence and knowledge in LM but expressed an unanimous interest in learning more about LM during their educational training.
How Exercise Protects Against Mild Cognitive Impairment in Nursing Home–Dwelling Older Adults
Authors: Wang Shuo , Yin Huiru , Liu Zengxia , Jia Yong , Shang Binghan , Meng Qiuyan , Yan Mingli , Wang Lisheng , Chen Li
Published: May 2021

To explore how exercise protects against mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from physical, psychological, and social perspectives, we conducted a cross-sectional study in four nursing homes in Changchun, China, selected by convenience sampling. A total of 338 older adults aged 60 years or more with normal cognition or MCI were included. Data including demographic characteristics, exercise habits, frailty status, depression, sleep quality, social support, and cognitive status were collected. Weighted least squares estimation with mean and variance adjusted chi-square and bootstrapping with 2000 resamples were used to conduct the analyses through Mplus 8.3. The results showed that both direct and indirect effects of exercise on MCI were significant. Frailty and depression were two independent mediating factors, and depression could also play a mediating role when combined with sleep quality or frailty. Social support played a partial mediating role between exercise and depression. Formulations of exercise programs for MCI prevention and improvement in nursing home-dwelling older adults should consider the mediating factors.