bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Debt Policy Rules in an Open Economy
Authors: MORIMOTO KEIICHI , HORI TAKEO , MAEBAYASHI NORITAKA , FUTAGAMI KOICHI
Published: May 2016

In a small open economy model of endogenous growth with public capital accumulation, we examine the effects of a debt policy rule under which the government must reduce its debt–GDP ratio if it exceeds the criterion level. To sustain public debt at a finite level, the government should adjust public spending rather than the income tax rate. The long‐run debt–GDP ratio should be kept sufficiently low to avoid equilibrium indeterminacy. Under sustainability and determinacy, a tighter (looser) debt rule brings welfare gains when the world interest rate is relatively high (low).
Isolation and Identification of Pathogens Causing Marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) Black Spot in Beijing, China
Authors: Chen Dong‐liang , Cheng Xi , Luo Chang , Li Ming‐yuan , Feng Qian‐qian , Yan Ji‐ye , Huang Cong‐lin
Published: May 2016

Black spot leads to great marigold losses worldwide. The disease is characterized by black spots on leaves and stems in its early stages, and the whole plant has black rot at the advanced stage. In this report, 6 of 217 Alternaria strains isolated from lesions of marigold plants in Beijing were randomly selected. The morphological characteristics and a pathogenic tree based on two protein‐coding genes (gpd and alt a 1) indicated that Alternaria tagetica is the causal agent of marigold black spot in Beijing. All six Alternaria strains could successfully re‐infect marigold, but they could not infect carrot or zinnia by either spore spray in a greenhouse or planting experiments in the epidemic area. This is the first report of the A. tagetica pathogen being isolated from marigold in Beijing.
Leaf mass per area, not total leaf area, drives differences in above‐ground biomass distribution among woody plant functional types
Authors: Duursma Remko A. , Falster Daniel S.
Published: May 2016

Here, we aim to understand differences in biomass distribution between major woody plant functional types (PFTs) (deciduous vs evergreen and gymnosperm vs angiosperm) in terms of underlying traits, in particular the leaf mass per area (LMA) and leaf area per unit stem basal area.

We used a large compilation of plant biomass and size observations, including observations of 21 084 individuals on 656 species. We used a combination of semiparametric methods and variance partitioning to test the influence of PFT, plant height, LMA, total leaf area, stem basal area and climate on above‐ground biomass distribution.

The ratio of leaf mass to above‐ground woody mass (MF/MS) varied strongly among PFTs. We found that MF/MS at a given plant height was proportional to LMA across PFTs. As a result, the PFTs did not differ in the amount of leaf area supported per unit above‐ground biomass or per unit stem basal area. Climate consistently explained very little additional variation in biomass distribution at a given plant size.

Combined, these results demonstrate consistent patterns in above‐ground biomass distribution and leaf area relationships among major woody PFTs, which can be used to further constrain global vegetation models.
Meteorological variability and infectious disease in Central Africa: a review of meteorological data quality
Authors: Heaney Alexandra , Little Eliza , Ng Sophia , Shaman Jeffrey
Published: May 2016

Central African countries may bear high climate change–related infectious disease burdens because of preexisting high rates of disease, poor healthcare infrastructure, land use changes, and high environmental change vulnerabilities. However, making connections between climate and infectious diseases in this region is hampered by the paucity of high‐quality meteorological data. This review analyzes the sources and quality of meteorological data used to study the interactions between weather and infectious diseases in Central African countries. Results show that 23% of studies used meteorological data that mismatched with the disease spatial scale of interest. Use of inappropriate weather data was most frequently identified in analyses using meteorological station data or gridded data products. These findings have implications for the interpretation of existing analyses and provide guidance for the use of climate data in future analyses of the connections between meteorology and infectious diseases in Central Africa.
Narrow QRS Tachycardia with Transition: What Is the Mechanism?
Authors: MOHANAN NAIR KRISHNA KUMAR , NAMBOODIRI NARAYANAN , BANAVALIKAR BHARATRAJ , INAMDAR SONALI , VALAPARAMBIL AJITKUMAR , THAJUDEEN ANEES , THARAKAN JAGANMOHAN
Published: May 2016

A 50‐year‐old woman underwent radiofrequency catheter ablation of narrow QRS tachycardia that was terminated with intravenous adenosine. Twelve‐lead electrocardiogram was normal during sinus rhythm. The electrophysiological study showed normal atriohisian and hisioventricular intervals during sinus rhythm. Atrial burst pacing reproducibly induced two narrow QRS tachycardias. Figure 1 shows spontaneous switch of tachycardia 1 to tachycardia 2. What are the likely mechanisms of the tachycardia and the transition?
Contact Sensitization in Children: A Retrospective Study of 2,614 Children from a Single Center
Authors: Belloni Fortina Anna , Fontana Elena , Peserico Andrea
Published: May 2016

Background

Contact sensitization in children is more common than previously thought, but few studies have been performed on a large population assessed by the same team. The objective was to evaluate contact sensitization in children with suspected contact dermatitis, the relationship with atopic dermatitis (AD), and the most common allergens.

Methods

The same team patch tested 2,614 children younger than 11 years old with a standard series of 30 allergens.

Results

A total of 1220 children (46.7%) developed at least one positive reaction, 606 of which were clinically relevant (49.7%). The most frequent reactions were to nickel sulfate (22.7%), cobalt chloride (11.1%), potassium dichromate (9.9%), neomycin sulfate (5.2%), thimerosal (4.2%), cocamidopropyl betaine (3.4%), and methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (3.2%). The prevalence of contact sensitization was similar in children with (47.3%) and without (46.1%) AD. Children with AD had a higher prevalence of positive reactions to potassium dichromate (p < 0.001), Compositae mix (p = 0.01), and disperse blue (p = 0.03).

Conclusions

Contact sensitization is quite common in young children. This study adds some information on the most common contact allergens. A similar prevalence of positive patch test reactions was found in children with and without AD, but children with AD had a greater prevalence of positive patch test reactions to potassium dichromate, Compositae mix, and disperse blue.
Outcomes of pediatric identical living‐donor liver and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Hartleif Steffen , Lang Peter , Handgretinger Rupert , Feuchtinger Tobias , Fuchs Jörg , Königsrainer Alfred , Nadalin Silvio , Sturm Ekkehard
Published: May 2016

Chronic IS is associated with significant morbidity in transplant recipients. Moreover, IS does not prevent chronic graft failure frequently. Allograft immune tolerance in LT can be induced by complete donor chimerism through allogenic HSCT combined with identical LDLT. This approach may exempt patients from chronic lifelong IS. However, it is unclear whether its benefits justify its risks. Here, we present three cases from our institution and analyze seven additional reports of children treated with HSCT/LDLT, all receiving HSCT due to hemato‐oncological indications. In eight of 10 cases, donor macrochimerism resulted in allograft tolerance. Nine patients survived. One patient died due to fulminant ADV infection. Further complications were GvHD (n = 3) and bone marrow failure (n = 2). In conclusion, donor‐specific allograft tolerance can be achieved by identical‐donor HSCT/LDLT. However, at present, this approach should generally be limited to selected indications due to a potentially unfavorable risk–benefit ratio. Novel toxicity‐reduced conditioning protocols for HSCT/LDLT in the absence of malignant or non‐hepatic disease may prove to be a sufficiently safe approach for inducing graft tolerance in children receiving a LDLT in the future. This concept may reduce the burden of lifelong IS.
Critical Geopolitics and the Framing of the Arab Spring Through Late‐Night Humor*
Authors: Purcell Darren , Heitmeier Brooks , Van Wyhe Chad
Published: May 2016

Objective

The role of popular culture, particularly humor, is of increasing importance in critical geopolitics and international relations scholarship. This article examines how humor is used to frame the events described as the Arab Spring and U.S. government response.

Methods

Sifting through the jokes for references to places, events, and significant actors, the selected jokes were interpreted through critical discourse analysis to identify the themes invoked by the comedians.

Results

The Arab Spring countries most mentioned were Libya, Egypt, and Syria. The majority of the jokes about these can best be understood through the lens of incongruity theory and the exploitation of extant caricatures of leaders. Additionally, the jokes reflected concerns over U.S. actions in the region and, simultaneously, U.S. leadership's seeming inability to craft a coherent plan to address the events.

Conclusions

We establish the link to humor and geopolitical imagination noting that the themes of American policy, American leadership, regional corruption, and caricatures of leaders composed many of the jokes, reflecting a particular worldview of the region as intractable.
Cohousing as Civic Society: Cohousing Involvement and Political Participation in the United States*
Authors: Berggren Heidi M.
Published: May 2016

Objective

The civic‐society literature argues that members of voluntary civic associations engage in community building and other activities that hone political skills and cultivate a sense of efficacy, which can lead to higher levels of participation in politics. This study situates cohousing in the civic‐society literature and asks whether cohousing as a form of civic association encourages participation in electoral politics.

Methods

Data from the U.S. National Cohousing Survey, Phase III were used in bivariate correlation, Jonckheere‐Terpstra, and chi‐square procedures to test the hypothesis that cohousing involvement facilitates political participation.

Results

There were ordered increases in levels of the dependent variable, political activities index, for increasing levels of cohousing‐involvement variables. Chi‐square tests were significant for relationships between cohousing‐involvement variables and three dummy variables comprised of the activities included in political activities index—writing to Congress increased (since moving to cohousing), campaign contributions increased, and campaigning door‐to‐door increased.

Conclusions

The chi‐square results bolstered the evidence, on an aggregate level, in support of the hypothesis. Cohousing holds out promise as a means of revitalizing democratic citizenship.
Presidential Appointments and Policy Priorities*
Authors: Hollibaugh Gary E.
Published: May 2016

Objective

Previous studies of presidential appointments have consistently found that presidents place their most competent appointees into agencies responsible for policy issues high on their agendas. We examine here whether public opinion responds accordingly.

Method

Using a survey with an embedded experimental manipulation, we examine whether members of the public, when given the backgrounds of fictional presidential appointees, are able to infer the president's policy priorities based on the perceived competence of the appointees.

Results

Results suggest that perceived policy importance is positively associated with perceptions of competence, and negatively associated with perceptions of favoritism or patronage—characterized here as the nomination of campaign fundraisers. Moreover, these same factors are associated with increased levels of support for the president's policy positions in the policy areas for which the nominees are responsible.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest presidential appointments can influence perceptions of—and support for—policy priorities.
Attitude Changes and Self‐Perceived Skill Gains from Collegiate Greek Organization Membership*
Authors: Routon P. Wesley , Walker Jay K.
Published: May 2016

Objectives

We examine if membership in social collegiate Greek letter organizations (college fraternities and sororities) affects students' social, political, and economic views, as well as their perceptions on what skills they gained during college tenure.

Methods

We use a sample of over 103,000 American undergraduate college students from 463 institutions of higher education, who were interviewed both very near matriculation and graduation, and a propensity score matching framework.

Results

Among our results, membership appears to alter opinions in favor of marijuana legalization, traditional gender roles in the household, casual sex, and the belief that racial discrimination is no longer a problem in the United States. Regarding self‐perceived skill change, members report relatively large premiums in leadership abilities and interpersonal skills.

Conclusions

Though we do uncover evidence of several effects, overall, impact magnitudes are quite small, and there are many opinions and skills for which Greeks are indistinguishable from other college graduates.
Systematic Review of Traumatic Brain Injury and the Impact of Antioxidant Therapy on Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Shen Qiuhua , Hiebert John B. , Hartwell Julie , Thimmesch Amanda R. , Pierce Janet D.
Published: May 2016

Background

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an acquired brain injury that occurs when there is sudden trauma that leads to brain damage. This acute complex event can happen when the head is violently or suddenly struck or an object pierces the skull or brain. The current principal treatment of TBI includes various pharmaceutical agents, hyperbaric oxygen, and hypothermia. There is evidence that secondary injury from a TBI is specifically related to oxidative stress. However, the clinical management of TBI often does not include antioxidants to reduce oxidative stress and prevent secondary injury.

Aims

The purpose of this article is to examine current literature regarding the use of antioxidant therapies in treating TBI. This review evaluates the evidence of antioxidant therapy as an adjunctive treatment used to reduce the underlying mechanisms involved in secondary TBI injury.

Methods

A systematic review of the literature published between January 2005 and September 2015 was conducted. Five databases were searched including CINAHL, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and Web of Science.

Findings

Critical evaluation of the six studies that met inclusion criteria suggests that antioxidant therapies such as amino acids, vitamins C and E, progesterone, N‐acetylcysteine, and enzogenol may be safe and effective adjunctive therapies in adult patients with TBI. Although certain limitations were found, the overall trend of using antioxidant therapies to improve the clinical outcomes of TBI was positive.

Linking Evidence to Action

By incorporating antioxidant therapies into practice, clinicians can help attenuate the oxidative posttraumatic brain damage and optimize patients’ recovery.
CHOLINESTERASE INHIBITORS FROM HEARTWOOD OF ARTOCARPUS FULVICORTEX F. M. JARRET (MORACEAE)
Authors: Kamaruddin Shah Masuri Kama , Mohd Sirat Hasnah , Jamil Shajarahtunnur
Published: May 2016

Cholinesterase inhibition activities were screened on crude extracts and isolated compounds of the heartwood of Artocarpus fulvicortex. Phytochemical studies on the heartwood of A. fulvicortex have resulted in the isolation of one flavonoid, one stilbenoid and two triterpenes. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis as catechin (1), oxyresveratrol (2), lupeol-3-acetate (3) and friedelin (4). All isolates were evaluated for the first time for anti-cholinesterase activity. Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), tested by Ellman’s method and modified TLC bioautographic assay showed catechin (1) and oxyresvetratrol (2) were active agents with detection limit of 2 mM. The microplate assay was carried out using butyrylcholinesterase (BChe) to further confirmed that catechin (1) and oxyresvetratrol (2) displayed positive cholinesterase activity with IC50 values 50.0 mM and 6.25 mM respectively in dose dependent manner.
A REVIEW OF WEB BASED EXPERT SYSTEMS FOR FLEXIBLE PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE
Authors: Milad Abdalrhman , Ahmad Basri Noor Ezlin , Borhan Muhamad Nazri , O. K. Rahmat Riza Atiq Abdullah
Published: May 2016

This paper reviews the application of expert systems in a flexible pavement (ESFP). It involves a brief introduction to expert systems explaining how technology plays a role in the creation of latest approaches to highway engineering, development, and maintenance. The paper provides an outline for possibilities of future researches. The purpose of this paper is to summarise the latest outcomes of researches related to the process of engineering, developing and implementing an expert scheme for flexible pavement construction. Moreover, the paper shows the necessity to develop an expert system that can help to control damage in tropical regions. The current expert system does not accommodate the needs for damages and repairs for tropical climates. The tropical region’s highway’s flexible pavements are based on the knowledge of experts who analysed and maintained highway pavements. This system enables the performance engineers to analyse, determine and customise information to help relevant parties during decision-making processes.
DRIFT DEMANDS OF LOW-DUCTILE MOMENT RESISTANCE FRAMES (MRF) UNDER FAR FIELD EARTHQUAKE EXCITATIONS
Authors: Vafaei Mohammadreza , C. Alih Sophia , Abdul Rahman Qotrunnada
Published: May 2016

Most of current Malaysian’s structures have not been designed with consideration of seismic excitation effect. Tremors that have been recorded locally due to active local faults and earthquake events in neighboring countries have raised the question about the level of safety of these structures.  The effects of seismic excitation on the stability and fragility of the structures are now being concerned by most researchers and engineers in order to mitigate structural damage and societal losses. This study focuses on the seismic performance of Reinforced Concrete (RC) Moment Resistance Frames (MRF) in Malaysia which has been only designed to resist gravity and wind loads effects. An ordinary building layout with different number of stories (four, seven, and 10 stories) is selected in a way that can represent the potential of soft-story phenomenon in RC buildings in Malaysia. Such structures have limited lateral load capacity to withstand against strong ground motion. Nonlinear time history analysis is used to analyze the structures using seven different ground motions scaled to 0.05g, 0.1g and 0.15g to suit Malaysian condition. The outcomes of this study illustrate the vulnerability of the typical RC, MRF structures in Malaysia to soft-story phenomenon and clarify on the necessity of seismic retrofit for such structures.
ANALYZING THE SCOPE OF INTEGRATING ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS (EMR) AND ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS (EHR) WITH MULTIMODAL HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION (MMHCI)
Authors: S. Vairamuthu , Anouncia Margret
Published: May 2016

Developing applications using Multi Modal Human Computer Interaction (MMHCI) remains a great challenge due to the advancement of technologies. Enhanced interaction applications and tools employed in medical records will help to improve the quality of patients’ healthcare and it opens a variety of research challenges. Replacing a difficult system to store complex data related to medical history of patients through Electronic Medical Records (EMR)/Electronic Health Records (EHR) would offer several advantages that include confidentiality and patient details reliability along with the mechanisms for quick and flexible retrieval of data/information. The task of designing MMHCI applications for real time environment for EMR/EHR is thus complex. As the inputs to medical systems are heterogeneous, the associated issues grow up with the need for new system since the existing frameworks have many gaps and drawbacks. This paper attempts to discuss the possible guidelines, standards, tools and techniques involved in integrating MMHCI with EMR/EHR.
DEVELOPMENT AND VERIFICATION OF A 9-DOF ARMORED VEHICLE MODEL IN THE LATERAL AND LONGITUDINAL DIRECTIONS
Authors: Aparow Vimal Rau , Hudha Khisbullah , Megat Ahmad Megat Mohamad Hamdan , Jamaluddin Hishamuddin
Published: May 2016

This manuscript presents the development of an armored vehicle model in lateral and longitudinal directions. A Nine Degree of Freedom (9-DOF) armored vehicle model was derived mathematically and integrated with an analytical tire dynamics known as Pacejka Magic Tire model. The armored vehicle model is developed using three main inputs of a vehicle system which are Pitman arm steering system, Powertrain system and also hydraulic assisted brake system. Several testings in lateral and longitudinal direction are performed such as double lane change, slalom, step steer and sudden acceleration and sudden braking to verify the vehicle model. The armored vehicle model is verified using validated software, CarSim, using HMMWV vehicle model as a benchmark. The verification responses show that the developed armored vehicle model can be used for both lateral and longitudinal direction analysis
CHALLENGES OF PASSIVE COOLING TECHNIQUES IN BUILDINGS: A CRITICAL REVIEW FOR IDENTIFYING THE RESILIENT TECHNIQUE
Authors: M. Hassan Abbas , Lee Hyowon , Oh Segyu
Published: May 2016

Although many studies have investigated the potential of passive cooling technologies in hot and arid areas, an important question remains. Why did architects ignore the passive cooling technologies in new buildings despite their sustainability? This study is based on this pivotal question. This study aims to review and explore the impediments that undermine the use of these technologies in hot, arid areas; moreover it intends to determine the most resilient passive cooling technique which may be used as a master technique in buildings by architects. The study focuses on twelve of a proposed passive technologies. These techniques are reviewed according to their potentials and challenges. Hence, the drawbacks of each passive technique will be identified in order to recognize the most resilient passive technology. This study suggests that spatial limitations are the most salient challenges facing architects when they attempt to utilize passive cooling technologies. This study also concludes that the openings created in the upper parts of external walls is the most flexible technique that can be implemented in new and existing buildings, without any of the aforementioned impediments.
STUDY ON MICRO DROPLET REDUCTION ON TIN COATED BIOMEDICAL TI-13ZR-13NB ALLOY
Authors: Shah A. , Izman S. , Fasehah S. N.
Published: May 2016

Cathodic arc physical vapor deposition (CAPVD) is one of the physical Vapor deposition (PVD) techniques used to coat titanium nitride (TiN) on biomedical implants due to its good adhesion and high evaporation rate. However, this technique emits micro droplets which have can detrimental effect on the coating performance. Previous studies reported that micro droplets can be controlled through proper deposition parameters. In this paper, the PVD coating was performed on the Ti-13Zr-13Nb biomedical alloy with different substrate temperatures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to characterized the surface morphology and coating thickness while X-Ray Diffraction (XRD was employed to evaluate the crystal phase of the coated substrates. Image analysis software was used to quantify micro droplets counts. The results show that higher substrate temperature able to decrease a significant amount of micro droplets and concurrently increase the thickness of TiN coating. A mixed crystal planes of (111) and (200) are obtained on the coated substrates at this setting which exhibits denser structure as compared to substrates coated at lower substrate temperature.
PENILAIAN KUALITI IMEJ DIGITAL BERDASARKAN KAEDAH CIRI-CIRI SISTEM PENGLIHATAN MANUSIA DAN PRINSIP STRUKTUR IMEJ
Authors: Rahmatullah Bahbibi , Mahamud Siti Tasnim
Published: May 2016

Tremendous advances of information technology provide a large role for digital images for delivering information quickly and accurately. However, digital images are exposed to distortions and imperfect quality during acquisition, compression, transmission, processing and reproduction. Therefore, the development of effectively image quality assessment (IQA) is crucial in order to identify and measure the distortion in image quality. Perception by human observers (manually) as the ultimate receiver of the visual information contained in an image and most reliable to assess the quality of image. However, manual subjective assessment method is considered costly and time consuming. This lead to the development of proposed automatic method to measure image quality as accurately as the manual method. The goal of objective image quality assessment is to develop a computational model that can accurately and automatically predict the perceptual image quality. An ideal objective IQA method should be able to imitate the quality predictions of an average human observer. Full-reference image quality assessment is a method where image with perfect quality provided as a reference image for guiding the IQA system. This paper presents the study and comparison between two full-reference method that frequently used in IQA system that is method based on the properties of human visual system (HVS) and method based on principle of image structure. Both of this method is proven can be used to measure digital images quality accurately and depends on distortion types that occurred on measured images.
OPTIMIZATION OF LEAST SQUARES SUPPORT VECTOR MACHINE TECHNIQUE USING GENETIC ALGORITHM FOR ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM MULTI-DIMENSIONAL SIGNALS
Authors: Ahmad Farzana Kabir , Awwad Al-Qammaz Abdullah Yousef , Yusof Yuhanis
Published: May 2016

Human-computer intelligent interaction (HCII) is a rising field of science that aims to refine and enhance the interaction between computer and human. Since emotion plays a vital role in human daily life, the ability of computer to interpret and response to human emotion is a crucial element for future intelligent system. Accordingly, several studies have been conducted to recognise human emotion using different technique such as facial expression, speech, galvanic skin response (GSR), or heart rate (HR). However, such techniques have problems mainly in terms of credibility and reliability as people can fake their feeling and response. Electroencephalogram (EEG) on the other has shown to be a very effective way in recognising human emotion as this technique records the brain activity of human and they can hardly be deceived by voluntary control. Regardless the popularity of EEG in recognizing human emotion, this study field is relatively challenging as EEG signal is nonlinear, involves myriad factors and chaotic in nature. These issues have led to high dimensional problem and poor classification results. To address such problems, this study has proposed a novel computational model, which consist of three main stages, namely a) feature extraction; b) feature selection and c) classifier. Discrete wavelet packet transform (DWPT) has been used to extract EEG signals feature and ultimately 204,800 features from 32 subject-independent have been obtained. Meanwhile, Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM) have been used as a feature selection technique and classifier respectively. This computational model is tested on the common DEAP pre-processed EEG dataset in order to classify three levels of valence and arousal. The empirical results have shown that the proposed GA-LSSVM, has improved the classification results to 49.22% and 54.83% for valence and arousal respectively, whereas is it observed that 46.33% of valence and 48.30% of arousal classification were achieved when no feature selection technique is applied on the identical classifier
VANADIUM BASED LITHIUM NICKEL ALUMINIUMOXIDE SYSTEM WITH GOOD PERFORMANCE IN LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES
Authors: Rajaa Shaari Hafizah , Sethuprakhash V. , Basirun Wan Jeffry
Published: May 2016

LiNixV1-x-y AlyO2, are cathode materials for lithium ion batteries which have been synthesized via carbon combustion method. Lithium nickel oxide derivatives are considered by the battery manufacturers to be very promising for application in 4V lithium-ion batteries. The objective of this study is, to successfully synthesize a lithium nickel vanadium aluminum oxide cathode which can show intercalation and de-intercalation process during cyclic voltammetry testing and a discharge capacity of above 50mAh/g. LiNi1-x-yVxAlyO2were synthesized by the carbon combustion method using acetylene carbon black as a binder. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) reveals extra peaks related to Vanadium metal when it is added into LiNiAlO2. The intensity peak of the spectrum increased when the V content is increased. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) shows the grain particles become non-spherical and flakes when more vanadium substituted for nickel in the sample. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis and Energy dispersive analysis of X-Ray (EDAX) confirmed that NO3- impurities are not present and composition in samples Galvanostatic charge/discharge data obtained illustrates a discharge capacity of 80.57mAh/g LiNi0.8V0.1Al0.1O2 and an average of 80.55mAh/g for 10 cycles whereas LiNi0.6V0.3Al 0.1O2 highest discharge capacity is 80.52mAh/g and also an average of 80.53mAh/g for 10 cycles. Voltammographs of the LiNi0.8V0.1Al0.1O2, LiNi0.7V0.2Al0.1O2 and LiNi0.6V0.3Al0.1O2 materials showed good oxidation and reduction loop at 0.05mV/s and 1 mV/s scan rate.
Fibronectin adsorption on surface-modified polyetherurethanes and their differentiated effect on specific blood elements related to inflammatory and clotting processes
Authors: Hugoni Ludivine , Montaño-Machado Vanessa , Yang Meilin , Pauthe Emmanuel , Mantovani Diego , Santerre J. Paul
Published: May 2016

After the introduction of a medical device into the body, adhesive proteins such as fibronectin (Fn) will adsorb to the surface of the biomaterial. Monocytes (MCs) will interact with these adsorbed proteins, and adopt either a proinflammatory and/or prowound healing phenotype, thereby influencing many blood interaction events including thrombogenesis. In this work, Fn adsorption as well as subsequent MC response and thrombus formation were investigated on two surfaces-modified polyetherurethanes (PEUs) using different surface modifiers: an anionic/dihydroxyl oligomeric (ADO) additive, known to enable cell adhesion, and a fluorinated polypropylene oxide oligomer (PPO), known to reduce platelet adhesion. Results indicated that at 24 h of MC culture, PEU-ADO and PEU-PPO promoted an anti-inflammatory character relative to the base PEU. Longer clotting times, based on a free hemoglobin assay, were also found on the two surface-modified PEUs relative to the native one, suggesting their potential for the reduction of thrombus formation. In presence of a Fn monolayer, the surface-modified PEUs conserved a lower thrombogenic character than the base PEU, and was however significantly decreased when compared to prior protein adsorption. Furthermore, Fn coatings increased the MC production levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-10 at 24 h, while not affecting the anti-inflammatory effect of the modifications relative to the base PEU. This finding was most prominent on PEU-PPO, suggesting that the interaction of the adsorbed Fn with blood cells was different for the two additives. Hence, the results highlighted differentiating effects of Fn adsorption on specific blood activating processes related to inflammatory and thrombotic responses.
Acoustic scattering from phononic crystals with complex geometry
Authors: Kulpe Jason A. , Sabra Karim G. , Leamy Michael J.
Published: May 2016

This work introduces a formalism for computing external acoustic scattering from phononic crystals (PCs) with arbitrary exterior shape using a Bloch wave expansion technique coupled with the Helmholtz-Kirchhoff integral (HKI). Similar to a Kirchhoff approximation, a geometrically complex PC's surface is broken into a set of facets in which the scattering from each facet is calculated as if it was a semi-infinite plane interface in the short wavelength limit. When excited by incident radiation, these facets introduce wave modes into the interior of the PC. Incorporation of these modes in the HKI, summed over all facets, then determines the externally scattered acoustic field. In particular, for frequencies in a complete bandgap (the usual operating frequency regime of many PC-based devices and the requisite operating regime of the presented theory), no need exists to solve for internal reflections from oppositely facing edges and, thus, the total scattered field can be computed without the need to consider internal multiple scattering. Several numerical examples are provided to verify the presented approach. Both harmonic and transient results are considered for spherical and bean-shaped PCs, each containing over 100 000 inclusions. This facet formalism is validated by comparison to an existing self-consistent scattering technique.
In-air hearing of a diving duck: A comparison of psychoacoustic and auditory brainstem response thresholds
Authors: Crowell Sara E. , Wells-Berlin Alicia M. , Therrien Ronald E. , Yannuzzi Sally E. , Carr Catherine E.
Published: May 2016

Auditory sensitivity was measured in a species of diving duck that is not often kept in captivity, the lesser scaup. Behavioral (psychoacoustics) and electrophysiological [the auditory brainstem response (ABR)] methods were used to measure in-air auditory sensitivity, and the resulting audiograms were compared. Both approaches yielded audiograms with similar U-shapes and regions of greatest sensitivity (2000−3000 Hz). However, ABR thresholds were higher than psychoacoustic thresholds at all frequencies. This difference was least at the highest frequency tested using both methods (5700 Hz) and greatest at 1000 Hz, where the ABR threshold was 26.8 dB higher than the behavioral measure of threshold. This difference is commonly reported in studies involving many different species. These results highlight the usefulness of each method, depending on the testing conditions and availability of the animals.
The Absence of Resistance Training? Exploring the Politics of Health in High Performance Youth Triathlon
Authors: Safai Parissa , Johnson Jay , Bryans John
Published: May 2016

While research and scholarship on the dynamic interconnections between sport and health has steadily grown in the sociocultural study of sport in the past few decades, this paper focuses more directly on the politics of health within sport. Drawing on a small study of the lived experiences and understandings of health, pain/injury, risk and precaution among 12 male and female high performance youth (16–19 years of age) triathletes and three coaches, we outline the ways in which health becomes depoliticized among high performance athletes as our participants made no connection to health as a political phenomenon—within or outside of sport—or to their own right to health as members of the high performance sport community. We conclude by offering some suggestions as to why health was (and is) rendered apolitical in high performance youth triathlon.
4E-BP2 hardwires lymphocytes for rapamycin sensitivity
Authors: Abraham Robert T.
Published: May 2016

A study reveals why lymphocytes are so sensitive to the immunosuppressant rapamycin.
Stroke and a valvular lesion in a patient with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Mitma Angel A , Varghese Jithin G , Witt David , Zarich Stuart W
Published: May 2016

The mechanism and severity of stroke varies in the setting of malignancy. We report a case of a 68-year-old man with lung adenocarcinoma, who experienced acute neurological symptoms. Imaging studies showed multiple acute ischaemic infarcts in cerebral and cerebellar hemispheres. Further work up was consistent with non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE). We highlight, through a review of the literature, the importance of transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) in defining the above diagnosis. The treatment of NBTE consists of systemic anticoagulation and therapy of the underlying malignancy. Enoxaparin is preferred over warfarin to achieve this goal. He received systemic targeted therapy with erlotinib. A TOE performed 8 months later showed complete resolution of the vegetation.
Coronary arterial BK channel dysfunction exacerbates ischemia/reperfusion-induced myocardial injury in diabetic mice
Authors: Lu Tong , Jiang Bin , Wang Xiao-Li , Lee Hon-Chi
Published: May 2016

The large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channels, abundantly expressed in coronary artery smooth muscle cells (SMCs), play a pivotal role in regulating coronary circulation. A large body of evidence indicates that coronary arterial BK channel function is diminished in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. However, the consequence of coronary BK channel dysfunction in diabetes is not clear. We hypothesized that impaired coronary BK channel function exacerbates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Combining patch-clamp techniques and cellular biological approaches, we found that diabetes facilitated the colocalization of angiotensin II (Ang II) type 1 receptors and BK channel α-subunits (BK-α), but not BK channel β1-subunits (BK-β1), in the caveolae of coronary SMCs. This caveolar compartmentation in vascular SMCs not only enhanced Ang II-mediated inhibition of BK-α but also produced a physical disassociation between BK-α and BK-β1, leading to increased infarct size in diabetic hearts. Most importantly, genetic ablation of caveolae integrity or pharmacological activation of coronary BK channels protected the cardiac function of diabetic mice from experimental I/R injury in both in vivo and ex vivo preparations. Our results demonstrate a vascular ionic mechanism underlying the poor outcome of myocardial injury in diabetes. Hence, activation of coronary BK channels may serve as a therapeutic target for cardiovascular complications of diabetes.
Noether symmetry in Horndeski Lagrangian
Authors: Momeni D. , Myrzakulov R.
Published: May 2016

The Noether symmetry issue for Horndeski Lagrangian has been studied. We have proven a series of theorems about the form of Noether conserved charge (current) for irregular (not quadratic) dynamical systems. Special attention has been paid to Horndeski Lagrangian. We have proven that for Horndeski Lagrangian it is always possible to symmetrize in some way.
Synergistic in vitro antioxidant activity and observational clinical trial of F105, a phytochemical formulation includingCitrus bergamia, in subjects with moderate cardiometabolic risk factors
Authors: Babish John G. , Dahlberg Clinton J. , Ou Joseph J. , Keller William J. , Gao Wei , Kaadige Mohan R. , Brabazon Holly , Lamb Joseph , Soudah Hani C. , Kou Xiaolan , Zhang Zhe , Pacioretty Linda M. , Tripp Matthew L.
Published: May 2016

We examined the clinical safety and efficacy of F105 in 11 subjects with moderate dyslipidemia. F105 is a combination of bergamot fruit extract (Citrus bergamia, BFE) and 9 phytoextracts selected for their ability to improve the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of BFE. In vitro F105 exhibited a synergistic inhibition of oxygen radical absorbing capacity, peroxynitrite formation, and myeloperoxidase activity. Following 12 weeks of F105 daily, no treatment-related adverse events or changes in body mass were seen. Statistically significant changes were noted in total cholesterol (−7.3%), LDL-cholesterol (−10%), non-HDL cholesterol (−7.1%), cholesterol/HDL (−26%), and apolipoprotein B (−2.8%). A post hoc analysis of 8 subjects with HbA1c > 5.4 and HOMA-IR score > 2 or elevated triglycerides revealed additional statistically significant changes in addition to those previously observed in all subjects including triglycerides (−27%), oxLDL (−19%), LDL/HDL (−25%), triglycerides/HDL (−27%), oxLDL/HDL (−25%), and PAI-1 (−37%). A follow-up case report of a 70-year-old female patient, nonresponsive to statin therapy and placed on F105 daily, demonstrated improved cardiometabolic variables over 12 weeks similar to the subgroup. In summary, F105 was clinically well-tolerated and effective for ameliorating dyslipidemia in subjects with moderate cardiometabolic risk factors, particularly in the individuals with HbA1c > 5.4%.
Stress level, parasite load, and movement pattern in a small-mammal reservoir host for Lyme disease
Authors: Gaitan J. , Millien V.
Published: May 2016

Occurrence of Lyme disease has increased rapidly in Canada in the past 5 years. The emergence of Lyme disease coincides with the range expansion of the primary host, the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus (Rafinesque, 1818)), in the region. We evaluated the effects of stress level, parasite load, and forest-patch characteristics on P. leucopus movement pattern. We found negative relations between on the one hand the adrenal gland size, a proxy for stress level, and population density, and on the other hand, home-range area and movement rate of mouse individuals, suggesting that stressed mice cannot maintain a large home range. Population density was also related with excursion (outside the forest patch) and exploration (outside the home range) rates, either directly or through its effect on home-range area and movement rate. Finally, movement rate and excursion rate were lower in individuals infested with more black-legged ticks (Ixodes scapularis Say, 1821). Our results have implication for the mechanism of Lyme disease emergence in the region: individual hosts that carry more ticks and are thus more likely to be spreading the bacterium responsible for Lyme disease are dispersing less than tick-free individuals. Monitoring of Lyme disease should thus consider how the characteristics of host communities modulate the spread of the disease across the landscape.
Decoupling of the CuO2 plane and superconductivity in Cu0.5Tl0.5Ba2(Ca2−ySry)Cu3O10−δ(y = 0–0.4) samples
Authors: Khan Nawazish A. , Usman Muzaffar M.
Published: May 2016

[Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] samples have been synthesized at normal pressure at 860[Formula: see text]C. The main objectives of these experiments to study the role of inter-plane decoupling in suppressing the superconductivity of high temperature superconductors (HTSC). These samples have shown orthorhombic crystal structure and the [Formula: see text]-axis length increases with increased Sr-doping. All the samples have shown metallic variations of resistivity [Formula: see text] from room temperature down to the onset of superconductivity. The magnitude of the superconductivity is suppressed and the apical oxygen modes are hardened with Sr-doping. These studies have shown that Sr-doping promotes decoupling of conducting [Formula: see text] planes which suppress the superconducting properties of final compound. The excess conductivity analyses have shown increases in the width of two-dimensional (2D) Lawrence–Doniach (LD) regime with Sr-doping. The coherence length along the [Formula: see text]-axis [Formula: see text], the inter-layer coupling [Formula: see text], the phase relaxation time of the carriers [Formula: see text] and the Fermi velocity [Formula: see text] of superconductor carriers is suppressed. The underlying reason for the suppression of superconductor properties is the decrease in the density of carriers in the superconductor planes. However, the values of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] have been found to increase with the increased Sr-doping, which is suggested to be originating from the enhancement in the flux pinning character which is induced by Sr-doping. The values of magnetic field penetration depth [Formula: see text] and the Ginzburg–Landau (GL) parameter [Formula: see text] decrease with Sr-doping and it is also suggested to be originating from the increase of flux pinning character of the samples with Sr-doping.
A Framework for Constructing Transfers Linking Periodic Libration Point Orbits in the Spatial Circular Restricted Three-Body Problem
Authors: Haapala Amanda F. , Howell Kathleen C.
Published: May 2016

The Earth–Moon libration points are of interest for future missions and have been proposed for both storage of propellant and supplies for lunar missions and as locations to establish space-based facilities for human missions. Thus, further development of an available transport network in the vicinity of the Moon is valuable. In this investigation, a methodology to search for transfers between periodic lunar libration point orbits is developed, and a catalog of these transfers is established, assuming the dynamics associated with the Earth–Moon circular restricted three-body problem. Maneuver-free transfers, i.e. heteroclinic and homoclinic connections, are considered, as well as transfers that require relatively small levels of [Formula: see text]. Considering the evolution of Earth–Moon transfers as the mass parameter is reduced, a relationship emerges between the available transfers in the Earth–Moon system and maneuver-free transfers that exist within the Hill three-body problem. The correlation between transfers in these systems is examined and offers insight into the existence of solutions within the catalog. To demonstrate the persistence of the catalog transfers in a higher-fidelity model, several solutions are transitioned to a Sun–Earth–Moon ephemeris model with the inclusion of solar radiation pressure and lunar gravity harmonics. The defining characteristics are preserved in the high-fidelity model, validating both the techniques employed for this investigation and the solutions computed within the catalog.
Numerical Investigation of the “Poor Man’s Navier–Stokes Equations” with Darcy and Forchheimer Terms
Authors: Tang Tingting , Li Zhiyong , McDonough J. M. , Hislop P. D.
Published: May 2016

In this paper, a discrete dynamical system (DDS) is derived from the generalized Navier–Stokes equations for incompressible flow in porous media via a Galerkin procedure. The main difference from the previously studied poor man’s Navier–Stokes equations is the addition of forcing terms accounting for linear and nonlinear drag forces of the medium — Darcy and Forchheimer terms. A detailed numerical investigation focusing on the bifurcation parameters due to these additional terms is provided in the form of regime maps, time series, power spectra, phase portraits and basins of attraction, which indicate system behaviors in agreement with expected physical fluid flow through porous media. As concluded from the previous studies, this DDS can be employed in subgrid-scale models of synthetic-velocity form for large-eddy simulation of turbulent flow through porous media.